Myers-Briggs and the Superheroes: an Introduction

I.

The Myers-Briggs system of personality typing (MBTI, or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) can be used for lots of things, including careers counselling and self-improvement, but to me, the best use one can get out of it is typing characters in popular culture - movies, TV, comic books. Some sites do a great job in that regard, and I point to Taylor's Zombies Ruin Everything blog as a prime example (I shall be linking to Taylor's personality profiles throughout this article). Typing characters in your favourite comic books really enhances your enjoyment of the stories. In future posts, I'll be typing some characters; this post should serve as an introduction to typing - as a manual.

To go through Myers-Brigg very briefly...

Everyone perceives (and acts in) the world in four ways: sensing, intuiting, thinking and feeling. Sensing (S) refers to physical sense perception of a thing and the drawing of meanings from it. After perceiving a thing, sensing links it up to a greater perception of the whole, in the same way we can infer what a completed jigsaw puzzle looks like from one piece. Intuition (I), on the other hand, means the perception of mental things - things which aren't out there in the material world. Intuition views concepts - overall ideas of things which we draw from seeing patterns and making connections; it could be characterised as whole pattern recognition.

 

These two - sensing and intuiting - belong in the category of perceiving functions; thinking (T) and feeling (F) make up the judging functions. Instead of merely perceiving - i.e., sensing and intuiting - the judging functions criticise, evaluate, draw conclusions and map out pathways to goals. Thinking evaluates things according to their use - i.e., it determines their usefulness - and puts things in order. But thinking only sees small portions of things. Thinking, applied to a painting, only sees the brushstrokes. Feeling, on the other hand, evaluates the overall meaning, significance and value of a thing, and sees the entire painting for what it is, not just the brushstrokes. Thinking views the world through the prism of thought, feeling through emotions.

Everyone uses the same four functions, but certainly personality types are biased towards one over the other three. We have thinking-dominant types, sensing-dominant, and so forth. This gives us four categories. But, to complicate matters further, the perceiving and judging functions look either outward or inward - that is, they are either extraverted (E) or introverted (I). So we have dominant introverted sensing (Si) types, dominant extraverted thinking (Te) types, etc., which leads to a total of eight types.

How can sensing be introverted or extraverted? Extraverted sensing means paying close attention to the world of the five senses and losing one's sense self outside in the world - being outside of one's self and one's body. In contrast, introverted sensing focuses on one's bodily sensations and one's physical self, and often a dominant introverted sensing type will be interested in physical fitness and even asceticism. In addition, the introverted sensor stockpiles his memories and impressions of the past, and is nearly always comparing them to the present and finding the present wanting; he tends towards nostalgia and conservatism. Extraverted sensors, on the other hand, live in the here and now.

Extraverted intuition is used to detect possibilities, things that aren't out there in the material world but could be. It could be called the faculty of inventors and entrepreneurs. Introverted intuition focuses inwards and tries to determine the essence of things - what is such and such a thing really, truly is - and makes predictions about the future using hunches, guesses, 'psychic' intuition and knowledge which can come in the form of a dream or vision.

Extraverted intuition expands, introverted intuition narrows. Tell an extraverted intuitor to find a pathway through a forest, and he will see multiple pathways, multiple possibilities, and be enamoured, intoxicated even, by the fact that so many possibilities are presenting themselves. The introverted intuitor will see the one pathway which is the quickest and easiest and just 'know' - without coming up with much of a logical justification - that it is the right one.

Extraverted thinking seeks to put things out there, in the material world, to use, and relies upon a criteria of usefulness to determine their value. An extraverted thinker looks at people as a military man or executive would look at them: a strong instrumentalist bias exists - that is to say, a view of people as a means to achieve a certain end. Introverted thinking, on the other hand, believes in putting one's thoughts in order: sifting through information and analysing and breaking down things into their constituent parts - the operative word here is systems analysis.

Finally, we are left with the difference between extraverted and introverted feeling. The former looks outwards - to one's friends, family, community, social milieu - and evaluates to the criteria of shared feeling, what other people feel. Introverted feeling looks to one's inner emotions, inner feelings - how one feels about it - as a criteria and seeks to shield them (and one's self) from others; it wants to do its own thing. It infers the feelings of others through analogy: that is, 'That other fellow must be like me, so, he's feeling what I'm feeling'. It can be empathic while at the same nurturing and protective of its own self.

One of the eight functions, introverted and extraverted, must dominate in a certain personality type; but one is never a 'pure' type. The dominant function operates with the help of the other three functions, which help balance the self. For example, one may be an extraverted sensor, and live in the moment, and be a somewhat crude and sensual individual; at the same time, this will be balanced out by a secondary function - for instance, introverted thinking, which will at least give that individual a low animal cunning. Likewise, an introverted intuitor, who broods a lot on the meaning and the workings of the universe and ponders visions, will be balanced out by the extraverted thinking function - which excels at organising and directing men. If the primary or dominant function is introverted, the secondary is always extraverted. And vice versa: an extraverted primary is balanced by an introverted secondary.

Given that no type has the same primary and secondary function as another type, we now have not eight but 16 types.

II.

One can familiarise with the basic Myers-Briggs and Jungian concepts - perceiving, judging, intuition, sensing, thinking, feeling, extraversion, introversion, etc. - without too much difficulty, but most people will run into problems when they try and view all this as a whole. After all, the system contains 16 (!) personality types - how are you to get to know them all? The sheer number of types presents an obstacle. After all, one has to learn only 12 notes to play music.

The answer, to me, lies subdividing the 16 types into four or so groups. Once you learn the basic traits of each group, then you can focus on an individual type within the group in more detail. That's the approach Keirsey takes: he splits the 16 types into four - the SJs ('Guardians'), SPs ('Artisans'), NJs ('Idealists') and NTs ('Rationalists').

Studying Keirsey's categories will help you get a handle on Myers-Briggs. But I think an improvement on Keirsey's system can be found in Calise Seller's work. I identify four groups there. I'll list them, and give a nice or neutral title for each type, and a nasty one which represents the Shadow (Jung's term for bad or evil alter-ego).


IPs (Ruminators / Solipsists) - introverted perceivers;
EJs (Technocrats / Tyrants) - extraverted judgers;
EPs (Theatrical Impresarios / Used Car Salesmen) - extraverted perceivers;
IJs (Lawgivers / Mad Monks) - introverted judgers.

When it comes to MBTI and comic book characters especially, we are dealing with stock types and caricatures, and simplification and exaggeration - as well as myths and misconceptions - all have a part to play there. In real life, we'll never encounter INTJs as cartoony and hyperbolised as Batman or Emperor Palpatine (from Star Wars), but the exaggerated, even distorted, depictions of the INTJ type will help us remember the INTJ designation and what it stands for. We need the exaggerations, and absolutes of black and white, when trying to work out a character's type.

The functions in each of the types - sensing, intuiting, judging, perceiving - are used, in Sellers' system, to answer four main questions:


1) Details and Data: Who am I and what's my role in life?

This line of questioning concerns one's self and how one relates to one's self - specifically, one's innermost thoughts and feelings. Do I organise my thoughts in a methodical fashion, or do I study and explore my emotional experiences? In other words, do I habitually engage in thinking (putting my thoughts to use in a logical and efficient manner) or feeling (appreciating the meaning and significance of great emotional experiences)? Am I technician and laboratory scientist by nature, or am I a poet and artist, even a mystic...

To engage in such activities - feeling or thinking - one must look inside oneself; one must practice introverted thinking or feeling (Ti or Fi).

There are only two answers to the question: 'I am a Poet / Artist' (introverted feeler) or 'I am a Scientist / Technician' (introverted thinker).


2) Motivations and Observations: What's life about and how does the world really work?

Here one develops a philosophy of life - not marine life, or micro-organic life, but human life - and holds to one of two competing theses. The first is: what's true is what is (realism, materialism); the second, what's true is what could be (idealism). The latter could involve the exploration of all sorts of exciting possibilities and perspectives in life. In either case - looking at what is or what's possible - one is looking outwards; one is either practising extraverted sensing or extraverted intuiting, respectively (Se and Ne). An extraverted sensor is a Realist / Aesthetician, an extraverted intuitor an Idealist / Inventor.


3) Actions, Consequences, Decisions, Planning: What's my default action role?

Over the course of a comic book story, a lead character will habitually play one of these four roles: Master of Men; Zen Warrior; Master of the Body; Communitarian.

The four roles require both extraverted and introverted functions. A character in Zen Warrior mode will accomplish some difficult task, cleanly and efficiently, without thinking about it and with perfect concentration and faith in the outcome; he goes into action like a 'full metal jacket', with 'perfect aim', to borrow a phrase from Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (1987)). This calls for introverted intuition (Ni), the seeing of the one 'right' answer in one's head and arriving at in a flash, 'without thinking'. Being a Master of Men requires extraverted thinking (Te) - putting people to use in an organisation and hierarchy. To be a Communitarian, you need to appreciate, understand and respect the values of one's group - whether it be one's family, community, nation, state, planet: this needs extraverted feeling (Fe). Last but not least is Master of the Body: one must be physically fit, and practice physical self-restraint and self-discipline, to pit one's body against the world (introverted sensing, Si).


4) Worldview, Principles, Root Causes. How are we to understand the workings of the universe and how can these be manipulated to our advantage?

There are four answers to this question. The first is, the universe, or prime mover in the universe, is God / Fate; or, in Star Wars, the Force; it can be perceived, and used, through divine or cosmic insight. The second answer is that the universe is a Machine; one can pull its levers and put it to use through understanding of engineering. The third answer is that the universe is Feeling; the manipulation of others' feelings will help us get what we want. The fourth and final answer is that the universe is Weight, Mass and Volume; the measurement of it - through our bodies - will enable us to gauge the right amount of physical force to get it to move.

The four answers involve, respectively, 1) introverted intuition, Ni; 2) extraverted thinking, Te; 3) extraverted feeling, Fe; 4), introverted sensing, Si.

The word 'manipulation' does make the process sound cynical. Let's hope that the individual uses the four abilities - Ni, Te, Fe, Si - for good and not for evil.

In total, we find there are four main questions - regarding Details, Observations, Principles, Actions - and four functions per personality type. Each function can be matched up to each question. As we shall see, each of the four categories - IP, EP, IJ, EJ - answer the questions in a different order; the IP category will answer the Data and Observations questions first, for example. So we see a beautiful symmetry at work.

IP:   Data, Observations, Actions, Principles (acronym DOAP);

 

EJ:  Actions, Principles, Observations, Data (acronym APOD);

 

EP: Observations, Data, Principles, Action (acronym ODPA);

 

IJ:   Principles, Actions, Data, Observations (acronym PADO).

 
III.

To repeat, a MBTI personality type contains symmetrical opposites which offset one another. Take, for example, an intellectual egghead character such as Mister Fantastic (of the Fantastic Four) or Spiderman - both are INTP and both use introverted thinking (Ti) as a primary function. The INTP doesn't represent a 'pure' introverted thinking type, because the secondary function - extraverted intuition, Ne - offsets the introversion of introverted thinking and grounds the type in the real world. The secondary function serves as an anchor which prevents the type from drifting away. For example: Mister Fantastic uses plenty of introverted thinking, and, at the same time, his career as an inventor and space explorer (both of which rely on extraverted intuition, Ne) offsets the introversion and prevents him from becoming a purely theoretical person.

The fourth and final function - called the 'repressed' or 'inferior' function in Jung - mirrors in the reverse the primary function. In the case of the INTP type, the fourth function, it's extraverted feeling, Fe, constitutes the reverse mirror image of the primary, introverted feeling, Ti. From the Myers-Briggs literature, we know that the fourth, inferior function comes to the fore in a time of stress. Strangely enough, it becomes transmuted in the process: Fe in the INTP  and ISTP types (see Wolverine below) appears as a crazy, exaggerated Fe, a caricature of normal, healthy Fe. In Sellers' system, the inferior function is used to answer the fourth and final question in the sequence - and doesn't do a good job of it, as we shall see.

Let's go through each category and see how the process (Sellers calls it the 'cognition process') works. Each of the four questions (a 'cognition step') will be answered by one of the four functions, and we'll look at how each cognition step is embodied in the life and career of a famous personality from the movies, comic books, history and the Bible.


IP: Introverted Sensor: Han Solo from Star Wars: ISTP.

 
Han's primary function is introverted thinking, Ti. When left alone by himself, he's naturally inclined to being a technician or engineer (Details and Data = Scientist / Technician), having a brilliant analytical understanding of how the mechanics of his space craft, the Millennium Falcon, works. He adopts a realist and materialist philosophy of life, telling Luke condescendingly that 'There's no such as the Force' and that 'Hokey old time religions' (such as the Jedi religion) are a waste of time. This is Observations and Motivations, and the function here used is Han's secondary function, extraverted sensing, Se - Realist / Aesthetician. In action, he assumes the default action role of Zen Warrior (introverted intuition, Ni, as applied to Actions, Decisions, Consequences, Planning). Think of that scene in Empire Strikes Back (1980), when he walks into the dining room in Bespin and finds Darth Vader waiting for him. It's a trap! Han's assessment of the situation changes from positive to negative in the space of a split second. Without thinking, he draws his pistol and fires at Vader in one fluid motion. (As we know, he doesn't succeed - Vader deflects the laser blast with a wave of his hand).

Finally, we come to Principles, World View, Root Causes. The IP type doesn't do well here. Metaphysics, the big picture and understanding what the universe is made up of - much less how to manipulate it - are not his forté. This holds true even for Han's fellow IP, Luke Skywalker, an INFP. Luke doesn't understand Root Causes very well, either. He doesn't quite 'get' the Force. That's why mentor figures Obi-Wan and Yoda are constantly admonishing him for his ignorance throughout the series - as are would-be mentor figures Vader and Emperor Palpatine.

Han Solo: full marks for Details, Observations, Actions and a fail for Principles. But no type can be good at everything.


EJ: Extraverted Judger - Superman: ESFJ.

Superman's primary function is extraverted feeling, Fe. Superman's default action role is Communitarian, which requires Fe. Being a strongman, he understands the principle of the universe as being Weight, Mass, Volume, and uses introverted sensing, Si, to measure it and determine the precise amount of force to apply. In terms of philosophy of life, he views life as it could be, something that contains great possibilities - you could say he's a utopian, which makes him an Idealist / Inventor. His personal philosophy - Motivations and Observations - draws upon extraverted intuition, Ne.

Where does Superman fall down? None of the EJ types like introversion and being 'left alone with their thoughts' - or feelings. Superman continually asks himself 'Who am I?' and experiences a personal crisis whenever he quits being Superman and gives up superheroics. I call the ESFJ type the 'Mother Hen'. The type is often accused of smothering people and being over-protective. If an ESFJ gives up his default role - Communitarian - he has no one left to smother. What does he do?

We can the same failure to deal with introversion in another EJ type, the Jack Kirby New Gods villain Darkseid, who is an ENTJ. In a great story arc in the Justice League of America series, Darkseid is brought back to life after having been dead for some time. He delivers a monologue to his underlings while holding a beautiful flower in his hand and sniffing it; he tells them that his death and resurrection has made him more reflective, and appreciative of beauty and aesthetics. But, says Darkseid, such moments constitute weakness - weakness which he will never allow himself to experience again - and he crushes the flower in his fist.

A Myers-Briggs psychologist would say that Darkseid's repressed function here is obviously introverted feeling, Fi. Darkseid resists introversion, and he wants to expunge the introverted feeler - a Poet / Artist - from his soul.

EP: Extraverted Sensor: Socrates: ENTP.

Michael Pierce identifies the ancient Greek philosopher and historical personage Socrates as an ENTP.  Socrates believes that life is about the exploration of exciting possibilities and perspectives - extraverted intuition Ne here is applied to Observations, Motivations, making him an Idealist / Inventor. It's not for nothing that Socrates was accused of scepticism, relativism and sophism. We can say that Socrates, like many an ENTP, was in love with extraverted intuition and all it brought forth. This was balanced by an introverted side - Socrates saw himself as a thinker, philosopher and a rationalist and introspected via introverted thinking (Ti, as applied to Data and Details - Scientist / Technician).

He understood the universe as Feeling (Fe, as applied to Root Causes and Principles). There's a strong element of emotional manipulation in Socrates, and he was accused of charlatanism in his lifetime. Many prominent Athenians didn't trust him. The ENTP type in myth and popular culture is often associated with tricksters, fast talkers, hucksters, and chaos-bringers.

Where do the ENTPs and other EPs fall down typically? In the field of Actions, Decision and Planning. Despite the ENTP's penchant for cleverness and manipulation (and all EPs are good at the latter), their plans don't work out. Socrates lacked the political and organisational skills of the EJ type, as we know from history. We can see that another ENTP type - Saul Goodman in the TV show Breaking Bad - just wasn't a good organiser as Walter White, an INTJ. In DC comics' supervillain group, the Secret Society of Super Villains, the Joker doesn't strike us as being a leader type like fellow team members Lex Luthor or Darkseid, both ENTJs; in Marvel's Avengers, Iron Man / Tony Stark doesn't lead as well as Captain America, an ESTJ. The ENTP is no Master of Men.

If it's any consolation, another EP type - Lois Lane, an ESTP - doesn't do well with regards to Planning and Decisions either. Her convoluted plots to manipulate Superman into marriage always fail.



IJ: Extraverted Judger - Moses: INFJ.

The INFJ often appears in popular culture (and myth) as The Sage, and is regarded as the most spooky and mystical of the types. We find the antecedent to Sage-types (such as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, and Izaya the High Father in New Gods) in the Biblical figure of Moses. Like Moses, Gandalf and Izaya wear dresses, have long beards and carry staves. Yoda likewise wears a dress and carries a stick.

Moses receives the Word of God on Mount Sinai. Here divine insight - or more prosaically, introverted intuition - is used to determine the makeup of the universe and Root Causes, Principles and World View. In his Actions and Decisions, Moses as a prophet and leader takes up the role of Communitarian, which draws upon extraverted feeling, Fe. By organising his thoughts and putting them into order as a lawgiver to Israel and codifying the law in four books, he uses introverted thinking Ti, and defines himself as a thinking (and communicating) person - Data and Details, Scientist / Technician.

The IJ's deficiency lies in the field of Motivations or Observations: typically he doesn't understand human nature and appreciate - or tolerate - human beings for being what they are. In popular culture, the IJ type can often appear to be ascetic, harsh and intolerant - which is why I call his shadow aspect the Mad Monk.

IV.

I think the Sellers system does a great job, not in the least in helping us understand the differences between the types. Keirsey lumps the ESTP and ISTP types in the same category - Artisan - and the pair share exactly the same functions: introverted thinking (Ti), extraverted sensing (Se), introverted intuition (Ni), extraverted feeling (Fe). If we're to go by the letters alone, the only difference appears in the letters at the start of each code - I for ISTP, E for ESTP. Yet both the ISTP and ESTP seem completely dissimilar, and no-one in their right minds would ever confuse the two when put side by side.

The disparity holds true despite the fact that each type shares primary and secondary functions - introverted thinking (primary in ISTP, secondary in ESTP) and extraverted sensing (secondary in ISTP, primary in ESTP). But both the ESTP and ISTP differ in their tertiary function, and this makes all the difference. The ESTP uses his tertiary function, extraverted feeling, Fe, to understand the universe (Principles), and does a good job of it. The ISTP, in contrast, uses Fe as a fourth and inferior function, and does a bad job of it - he has a difficult time grasping Principles. On the other hand, the ISTP has a fairly good grasp on Actions and Planning, which is the shortcoming of the ESTP type. That is, the ISTP effectively uses introverted intuition, Ni, in his default action role as Zen Warrior, but introverted intuition makes up the repressed, inferior function in the ESTP.

Rightly understood, the two leading functions - primary and secondary - lead in the front, while the tertiary sits in the back and helps. The fourth or inferior function acts - or can act - as a spoiler or disruptor. Jung sees it as the repressed 'unconscious' of the leading, dominant function.

Picking a character's type in the comic books necessitates a good working knowledge of MBTI and some skill. But generally, we'll have an easy time of it, because comic books use the same types, over and over again. Mr Fantastic's INTP turns up a lot, as does Darkseid's ENTJ and Judge Dredd's ISTJ. In both movies and comic books, we find Han Solo's ISTP used as a staple, and Taylor has drawn up a list of ISTPs as long as your arm. The conclusion to be drawn is that in order to determine a character's type, you only need to consult the database of existing types and ask yourself, 'Does this character resemble Judge Dredd in any way? Or Superman? Or the Joker?' and then match the character to that best-known example. Spiderman, Mister Fantastic, Doctor Manhattan, Sherlock Holmes, Sheldon from the TV show Big Bang Theory belong in the INTP category; chances are that any geeky, science-minded character like these five is an INTP.