Introduction
With Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001), we come to the third instalment of our Star Trek MBTI series. I only managed to find 14 of the 16 MBTI types in Voyager (I'll leave it up to the reader to work out for himself which are the missing).
Here in this piece I will type the Voyager crew first, organised into what Socionics calls Quadras. The ten members of the crew account for eight of the sixteen types, the supporting characters the remaining six.
My previous post explains some of my methodology. Here I must insert my standard disclaimer regarding Judging and Perceiving types. In Socionics, and Jung's theory, if it is a Perceiving function which plays the role of the main or primary function of a type, then that type is called a Perceiver; if is a Judging function, then that type is called a Judger. That makes sense, and one would think the founders of MBTI, who follow Jung, would retain Jung's designation. But MBTI uses a different definition of 'Perceiver' and 'Judger', the result of which is that the Introverts who are Judgers in Socionics / Jung are turned into Perceivers, and the Introverts who are Perceivers, Judgers.
Nevertheless, throughout this post, I will use the MBTI notation, as that is what most of my readers are familiar with.
*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
I presume that my readers here have watched all of Voyager, but if not, I warn them that some minor spoilers are ahead.
The Voyager Crew
Harry Kim - ISFJ
The quiet, unobtrusive ISFJ personality type usually stays in the background. This is true of Harry Kim, who is forever relegated to a secondary role. Even in the 'Captain Proton' holodeck fantasies of Tom Paris - which Harry goes along with - Harry plays the part of Captain Proton's sidekick Buster Kincaid.
Typically, the ISFJ character winds up being the doormat, and can be exploited, even abused, by the other personality types, who may never take his needs into consideration.
Harry comes under the wing of his friend Tom Paris, who, being a more self-confident and upwardly-mobile person, frequently derides Harry for his lack of ambition. Another ISFJ, Worf, from Star Trek: Next Generation is frequently castigated (by his fellow Klingons) for the same shortcoming. Si-dominant types like to stay where they are.
Tom Paris - ESTP
In the person of Tom Paris, we have a stock ESTP character: the charming, attractive used-car salesman ESTP, the ESTP who is forceful and larger than life, the ESTP who is erratic and lacking in scruples. An ESTP like Tom Paris forms a vivid contrast with an ISFJ like Harry Kim. Extraverted Sensing Se, as a function, thrusts itself forth, and in the ESTP, it lends itself to the pursuit of social climbing - that is, Se wants to go places whereas Si wants to sit still.
Tom grows as a person throughout the series, but he never ends up in a romantic relationship with (what Socionics calls) his Dual. The closest he comes to 'Dualisation' is with the next character...
Kes - INFJ
Is Kes the archetypal INFJ? A quiet, mousey character (Introvert); a character with precognitive / telepathic powers (Intuitive); an empathic character who cares for the welfare of those around her (Feeler)...
Is Kes a Judger or a Perceiver? A Perceiver uses his main function as a probe which uncovers information about life, or as a vehicle, perhaps a surfboard with which he rides the waves of life, so to speak. (This metaphor has relevance to the matter at hand: the Silver Surfer is an INFJ and therefore a Perceiver). For the Perceiver, the Perceiving function, whose job it is to present a world-picture to oneself, determines the actions of a character. In the case of Kes, it is a Perceiving function (Intuition) that gives her strange, dark visions of the future which force her to leave the Voyager and then return to try and destroy it.
Extraverted Sensing (Se) makes up the flip side of the INFJ's main function Introverted Intuition (Ni). That means that the INFJ can, especially when stressed, manifest his Se and become aggressive, forceful, and even destructive. The repressed Se bursts forth in Kes in her later appearances, and in this, she reminds me of Raven of the New Teen Titans, who is another INFJ.
Chakotay - ISFP
The strong, silent type (Introvert, Sensor) who has a strong sense of ethics and values which comes before all else (Feeler), Chakotay brings to my mind another ISFP character, the Fantastic Four supporting cast member Wyatt Wingfoot. Both Chakotay and Wingfoot are Native American Indian, and I suspect that the writers of Voyager partly modelled Chakotay on Wingfoot. This is not so unusual, as many screenwriters have shown signs of dipping into the Marvel and DC mythos for inspiration.
The inferior function of the ISFP is Extraverted Thinking (Te), and in Socionics, the ISFP wants to be around a type which has Te as its main function, a type which is the ISFP's Dual. In one episode, Chakotay is paired up with the ISFP's Dual, the ENTJ (as I will detail later). But for most of the episodes we see Chakotay form a friendship (bordering on romantic relationship) with his Semi-Dual , Kathryn Janeway).
B'Elanna Torres - ESFP
The temperamental half-human, half-Klingon embodies pure force - the mark of an Extraverted Sensing (Se) dominant. Unlike the other Se-dominant in the Voyager Crew, Tom Paris, her personality type is more grounded in the right brain than the left, and it is that makes her a Feeler, not a Thinker.
One may think that B'Elanna's being an engineer contradicts this: don't all scientists and technicians fall on the left-brain side of the spectrum? But every member of a star ship crew is trained in applied science. It is a character's preference that determines whether or not the character is a Feeler or a Thinker, F or T, and not his occupation. And B'Elanna is more inclined to Feeling than Thinking. That is, value-judgements, emotions and meanings, count more to her than systems of organisation.
Kathryn Janeway - ESTJ
If you read the profile of the Extraverted Thinking (Te) dominant in Jung's Psychological Types (1921), you'll recognise the hard and brassy Kathryn Janeway. One of the most interesting aspects of Janeway is that as the series progresses, Janeway develops her Introverted Feeling Fi. (MBTI would call Fi her Inferior Function; Socionics would call it her Suggestive). Socionics believes that a type can attain self-actualisation by embracing his Suggestive Function. And this is what Janeway does.
Here the Socionist Gulenko describes the ESTJ's type of Fi:
+Fi = positive, warm relationships. Psychological factors play a vital role for them. Without recognition of ethical values such as individuality and the uniqueness of others, religion and spirituality, non-interference in others lives, concrete humanism, etc., the stability they strongly desire is hardly possible.
And:
+ Fi - good relations, love, friendship, affection, attraction, warmth in relations, sociability, close psychological distance, goodness, compassion;
We see this best in the episodes 'Alliances' (Season Two, 1996) and 'The Void' (Season Seven, 2001). The latter, a remarkable episode, illustrates how Fi can uplift morals and build co-operation. As the founder of Socionics, Ausra Augustina, says of Fi:
[Fi] includes feelings of like and dislike, love and hatred, the desire to obtain some thing/object, etc., and greed or the absence of greed. The higher feelings of this kind can be called ethical, because relationships between people's needs are mainly regulated by ethical [norms].
Tuvok - ISTJ
Tuvok has been compared to Spock, another ISTJ. Tuvok, a typical ISTJ, prizes comfort, quiet, contemplation, continuity above all else. These are the qualities of Introverted Sensing (Si), the ISTJ's dominant function.
The ISTJ's secondary function, Extraverted Thinking (Te), denotes order, regularity, and the accumulation and organisation of data. We can see how the two functions of Si and Te interact in Spock, Data, Tuvok and other instances of the ISTJ.
Extraverted Intuition Ne stands in relation to Si at the other end of the function axis or pole. Does Tuvok, like Janeway, develop his Suggestive or Inferior Function? In the episode 'Riddles' (Season Six, 1999), Tuvok is forced by circumstances to bring his repressed Ne to the fore. He becomes zany, playful, creative, at the prompting of his Dual, Neelix, an ENFP.
Seven of Nine and the Doctor - ISTJ
Both of these two characters represent two different sides of the ISTJ type. Socionics calls these aspects the sub-type. To explain: Introverted Sensing Si forms the leading function of the ISTJ, Extraverted Thinking TE the secondary, but the theory of the subtype posits that a type is a little more inclined to one function more than the other. My interpretation is that the Doctor prefers his Te a little more than his Si, and Seven, conversely.
Here is a description of the Te-subtype of the ISTJ which describes the Doctor perfectly:
The logical subtype is impatient and active, loves frequent changes and new impressions. Industrious, hardworking, and very caring. His behavior is unpredictable and characterized by unexpected transitions from aloof contemplation to expedient activity. He keeps at a certain distance from people, closed off, at times overly direct and inconsiderate in conversation. Very independent and proud, acts as he wishes. In conversation he is often waspish and ironic, but becomes amiable and concerned if he feels sympathy and respect for his conversation partner. Noticing that he has offended someone, regrets it and softens in communication, tries to turn everything into a joke, or may even apologize or try to calm the person down. Behind his external inaccessibility he is quite impressionable and vulnerable. Dislikes lack of comfort in all of its manifestations; thus strives to repair, adjust, and adapt everything for greatest convenience. Reliable and punctual, demanding of himself and of others. Holds himself with cold dignity, but sometimes can be emotional. His gestures are impulsive, confident, resolute. His gait is quick and measured.
And here is a description of the 'somewhat proud and haughty' Si-subtype, which pegs Seven of Nine:
The sensory subtype is undemonstrative, discreet, and considerate, but also obstinate and uncompromising in defending his opinions and interests. He supports his position rationally, with factual information, rather than with thought-up or assumed accounts. Diligent, laborious, patient and persistent in his work and studies. If some project captures his interest, he will tirelessly try to improve his results, both intellectual and material. At times he needs a change of occupation, but he tries to bring previous work to completion. From time to time he becomes contemplative, withdraws into himself, distances from his social circle in order to submerge into his own issues.
Somewhat stiff in dialogue, may be laconic, but tries to be good-natured if he feels tensions arise in interaction. Prefers items that are original and of good quality yet simple and unpretentious. Pays attention to his health, appearance, and figure, tries to dress tastefully. Aesthete, enjoys handcrafted items. His movements and gestured tend to be gracefully lazy, fluid, and at the same time confident and precise. His gait is a little lax, elastic. He dislikes hurrying, but at the same time he is not slow. Seems somewhat proud and haughty.
Neelix - ENFP
When we first meet Neelix, he is engaged in scavenging debris in space. He tells another character, 'You don't understand the opportunities in sifting through garbage'. This shows the ENFP's dominant function, Extraverted Intuition Ne, at play:
Extroverted Intuition (Ne, Ne)
IEEs [ENFPs] are predominantly motivated by their feelings of interest and boredom. They are attracted to novel ideas, unusual or peculiar goings-on in day-to day life, and new experiences. They may have a tendency to frequently engage themselves in novel life "projects," which can and often consist of novel concepts or fields of thought, new activities, and new lifestyles (this list is not all-inclusive). These types of projects often take the form of activities that are uncommon, concepts that are unknown or avocations that have not been done or tried before. Regardless of the nature of their interests, they often have a tendency to try to accumulate as much knowledge about the field as they can, and sometimes to improve the field by finding new ways of conceptually framing its basic principles (needs an example). Eventually, once there is nothing left to discover, or when they simply become bored, they will follow their curiosity and find a new topic of interest.
Many IEEs require a certain degree of freedom from obligation in order to do their work and pursue their sometimes idiosyncratic interests, to the point where they may dramatically eschew conventional lifestyles. Some IEEs may have an irrational dread of working at a desk job or an office where they do not have the opportunity to pursue their whimsical hobbies.
The above profile of the ENFP gives an excellent description of Neelix.
I call the ENFP character the 'chameleon', as he is continually adapting to his environment and changing his appearance accordingly. (ENFPs could be accused of adapting too much, and having little fixed sense of their own selves). Neelix continually changes his role throughout the series, working as a morale officer, chef, diplomat, and so forth.
ENFP characters charm and make themselves liked, and this offsets to me what are their annoying traits. I must confess that a tear came to my eye during Neelix's farewell ceremony from the Voyager: up to that point, I had never realised how much I appreciated him.
Other characters
Ma'Bor Jetrel - INTP
Appears in the episode 'Jetrel' (1995), Season One
A Haakonian scientist who devises a nuclear-type weapon which is used against Neelix's people (the Talaxians) and kills hundreds of thousands of them, Jetrel is clearly modeled on the inventor of the atomic bomb, the nuclear physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. Like Oppenheimer, Jetrel is an INTP, and like Oppenheimer, he is wracked with guilt for his part in causing death and destruction.
The INTP type in the Star Trek series comes across as cold, introverted, ascetic, and somewhat odd, and he is always a brilliant and creative scientist. Introverted Thinking Ti gives the INTP an appetite for discovering universal laws, Extraverted Intuition Ne, for exploring unusual possibilities.
Jaffen - ESFJ
Appears in the episodes 'Work Force' parts one and two (2001), Season Seven
A Norvalen engineer, Jaffen is a decent, down to earth, plain-spoken, two-fisted, blue-collar worker who is courteous and considerate of others around him. Like a good many ESFJ male characters, Jaffen evokes the archetype (or TV 'trope') of the All-American Dad: extraverted, earthy, humble and a communitarian or collectivist by instinct who puts his family first. Usually the ESFJ male character makes a wonderful father.
I waited a long time for an ESFJ character to appear in Voyager - all the way to season seven - and by then I had almost given up hope.
Crell Moset - ENTP
Appears in the episode 'Nothing Human' (1998), Season Five
Crell Moset, a Cardassian scientist, is resurrected by the Voyager's resident physician, The Doctor, as a hologram. Seeing as the two are holograms, the pair get along famously. Then the Doctor discovers that the original Moset performed evil experiments on Bajorians, and he ends their friendship and deletes Moset's record.
I always felt that Moset was unfairly treated: it was never proven beyond a doubt that the original Moset had committed these terrible crimes (the hologram Moset claimed to have no knowledge of them), and besides which, a copy - and hologram Moset was a copy - should not be held responsible for the crimes, real or alleged, of the original.
The ENTP mad scientist type is garrulous, inventive, and often charming and charismatic. He also defies conventional morality and can appear to be insensitive and unfeeling. Socionics explains why. Firstly, Introverted Feeling Fi can be found sitting in the Vulnerable Function space of the ENTP: that is, Fi - which is really about morals and empathy - will be lacking in the stock ENTP type. Secondly, Introverted Intuition Ni stands in the ENTP's Ignoring Function space. That is, absolutes and principles, scrupulously adhered to by the Ni-dominant type, are ignored, shoved aside, by the ENTP.
Annorax - ENTJ
Appears in episodes 'Year in Hell' parts one and two (1997), Season Four
A brilliant scientist from Krenim, Annorax invents a weapon which changes history, all in order to boost the fortunes of the fading Krenim empire, but in the process kills his wife. He then sets about - with the aid of his crew on his spaceship - continually altering history over and over in the hope of restoring the empire to greatness and his family to life.
Annorax, a ruthless starship captain and organisational man, fits Jung's depiction of the Extraverted Thinking Te-dominant.
It is the secondary function - Ni, or Introverted Intuition - that makes a Te-dominant an ENTJ. Organisational prowess is combined with the ability to see the future and work with it. Annorax literally manipulates time.
Interestingly, Annorax forms a bond with Chakotay, who is his Dual in Socionics - Chakotay being an ISFP.
Seska - INTJ
Seska joins the Voyager crew as a member of the Maquis, the resistance group which opposes the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, and she first appears in the guise of a Bajorian, but, in a dramatic twist, is revealed to be a Cardassian agent who has been surgically modified to look Bajorian. Thereafter, the scheming Seska becomes an enemy of the Voyager crew.
Why do INTJ characters make such good villains? The dominant function of the INTJ, Introverted Intuition Ni, gives the INTJ the ability to see the future, and the secondary function, Extraverted Thinking Te, the ability to organise for that future. So the INTJ character comes across as effective schemer and manipulator. In addition, the INTJ's vulnerable function, Extraverted Feeling Fe, means that they cannot feel part of a group and form emotional bonds with that group. That means, in effect, that they shun the crowd - and the family unit - and feel detached, reserved from it. All this adds up to the loner INTJ, who, if not careful, will use the gifts of Ni and Te for evil and not good.
Dr Riley Frazier - INFP
Appears in the episode 'Unity' (1997), Season Three
Frazier, a human Starfleet officer, is assimilated by the Borg but manages to de-assimilate with a number of other Borg and escape the Borg collective. These ex-Borg, under Frazier's leadership, form a sort of hippie commune - 'The Co-Operative' - which is discovered by Chakotay, who initially believes that Frazier is fully human and only learns later, to his horror, that they are part-Borg. Over time, he becomes sympathetic to Frazier and and her objective of freeing members of the Borg and helping them regain their humanity.
I think of Frazier as the archetypal INFP: the INFP character will often pursue freedom and self-actualisation, and values these above all else. At the same time, the INFP character will want to set the world to rights. Frazier acts in accordance with the INFP's dominant function, Introverted Feeling Fi, as described in the section above on Kathryn Janeway.
Mark Hootsen, Signing Off.
