MBTI: How to type movie characters in four easy steps - Blade Runner (1982)

I.  Introduction

Typing characters in a movie presents more difficulties than typing in a soap. For one, soaps run for much longer - the average season of a soap such as Bold and the Beautiful runs for 250 episodes at 20 minutes each; in contrast, Blade Runner (1982) clocks in at just over two hours. The shorter length does not leave us with much time to obtain an in-depth picture of a character. In addition, soaps are driven by dialogue, movies for the most part are not: the director's cut of Blade Runner - in which Harrison Ford's voiceover is removed - doesn't have that much dialogue at all. So, for typing characters in Blade Runner, one must rely primarily on visual cues - and that can be a real challenge. 

II. How to type: the four-letter method

Regardless of whether the medium is a film or a TV show, when we type a character, we need to look at through the lens of Jung's four dichotomies: Introversion / Extraversion, Sensing / Intuiting, Thinking / Feeling, and Judging / Perceiving. 

Extraversion / Introversion

Extraversion / Introversion can be determined in a movie character as follows. 

The Extravert will often wears clothes, accessories with bright colours, and the Intuitive, clothes, accessories with somber and muted colours. (This rule doesn't apply when nearly all the characters wear a uniform with the same colours, e.g., the Starfleet uniform in Star Trek). 

The Extravert will talk at length and generally try and take command in a conversation; he is sociable, gregarious, perhaps a little overbearing. He may grin a lot and he generally has an animated facial expression, and clearly displays any interest (or lack of it) in the matter at hand when he is interacting with others. On a set, the actor playing an Extravert character may position himself in the center, or at least the area where he gets the most attention. The environment he habitually dwells in (whether it be home or office) will be brightly lit, like a stage. 

In contrast, the Introvert doesn't talk much; appears socially withdrawn; has a standoffish and stony demeanor; prefers a dark or at least dimly-lit and secluded environment; will unconsciously slink into the shadows and merge into the background when talking to another character... In general, he does not like to be seen. 

With the above in mind, I think it is easy to tell, from these photographs, who is the Extravert, who is the Introvert:

Sensing / Intuiting: 

The chief question here is, how does a character get the information which defines their type? Do they get it through the Senses or Intuition? All characters use either function, but a character - during the brief amount of time that he occupies the screen - will be biased to one over the other. MBTI, at bottom, concerns biases, disproportionalities, in the use of the functions. 

It is dialogue that usually reveals whether a character is a Sensor or Intuitive. 

The Sensor's dialogue consists of line such as, 'It is the case that x', or 'The facts to date show that x, y, z...'. The Sensor, as general rule, abides by appearances: he accepts the world, life, reality, as they are and does not attempt to look past what he sees. 

Intuition is much more complicated. Jung, in the glossary of Psychological Types (1921) defines Intuition as 

That psychological function which transmits perceptions in an unconscious way... Through intuition any one content is presented as a complete whole, without our being able to explain or discover in what way this content has been arrived at. Intuition is a kind of instinctive apprehension... In the same way, the certainty of intuition depends upon a definite psychic matter of fact, of whose origin and state of readiness, however, the subject was quite unconscious. 

In other words, Intuition gives a character information out of left field, nowhere - nowhere in conscious perception, that is. Ideas pop into the head of the Intuitive, without him asking for them, and these ideas can leave either a positive or negative impression. 

In an Intuitive's dialogue, key sentences are about what is not present to the senses. Generally, they involve what will be or could be.

The 'What will be' lines make predictions of something that will happen in the future, good or bad:  'I have a sudden premonition that...'; 'I have a feeling that someone is walking on my grave'; 'X is the wave of the future'; 'X represents progress'; 'Such and such a person is doing well now, but I portend a dire fate for them'. 

The 'What could be' lines represent discoveries of the potential in things - a potential which has little to no connection to what there is in front of us, in the present, in the senses. 'I just had this crazy idea'; 'This presents an intriguing possibility';  'This looks like a good place to make an investment';  'I'm bored with what there is, let's try instead something which is totally unrelated to it';  'When x comes up in the conversation, I'm going to bring up non-sequitur y (as I'm quirky and zany)'. 

The Intuitive tries to get past what is and look behind it - or above it. 'X has always been the case, and will be in the future, forever more'; 'I will explain to you my grand and philosophical overview of existence'; 'What's really going on here, what is the ultimate truth behind the surface appearance?'. 

Two examples of Intuitive behavior in Blade Runner are: when Tyrell unveils the replicant Rachael to Deckard, and makes pronouncements that she represents the wave of the future; and Roy's famous 'Tears in the Rain' speech. 

Thinking / Feeling: 

The difference between the Thinker and Feeler can be reduced to: the Thinker is left-brained, the Feeler, right-brained. 

The Thinker treats others as instruments, tools, and as such, does not pay attention to the rights of the person concerned. Think of Tyrell and Roy, who use others as pieces on a chessboard (and both play chess). As such, the Thinker can be manipulative, immoral, and even cruel. 

A character, if he is a Feeler, will talk and think in sentences such as: 'I value x'; 'X means a lot to me'; 'The right thing to do is y'; 'I feel y'; 'I don't like x'; 'That was an enjoyable (or horrible) experience'... The Feeler is centered on values, meanings, emotions. 

An example of a Feeler character: Leon, who accidentally leaves behind his photographs in his apartment. The photos hold meaning for Leon, whereas to Roy, they represent a sentimental attachment. Another example: Pris, when she meets Sebastian for the first time: one of her lines is, 'We scared each other pretty good, didn't we?', a choice of words which signifies that it is the emotional side of her experience that takes priority. 

Judging / Perceiving: 

This dichotomy pertains to what drives a character and what directs their life. As such, we need to consider a character in his totality.

The Thinking or Feeling function (both Judging) occupies the base, or dominant function slot, of the Judger; the Intuiting or Sensing function (both Perceiving), the base function of the Perceiver. (Here I go by Jung's definitions of what a Judger and a Perceiver are - MBTI takes a different view). 

A Judger, according to Jung, has a preconceived view of the world and way of going about things. He follows a protocol which has been carefully worked out before he encounters reality. If he is a Thinker and a Judger, he works by a method which emphasises systems of organisation; if he is a Feeler and a Judger, he puts on a pedestal values, ethics, customs, what is the right thing to do in such and such circumstances and what values should take precedent.  

Are Judging characters judgmental? In theory, they shouldn't be, but in practice, they almost always are. The Judger believes very strongly in how things ought to be, and if he is an Extravert, he will tell you what he believes, at tedious length, and moreover, he will attempt to force you to adopt his belief-system. 

What of the Judgers who are Introverts? Seeing as Introvert characters do not talk that much, we need to look at the overall picture and what it is that the character does with most of his screen time. In the case of Deckard, if we are to step back, we see that methods, systems of organisation dominate; in the case of Rachael, value-judgments. Rachael experiences strong feelings of attraction and repulsion which, as we can see right away, manifest themselves behind a cold, disconcerting and mask-like facial expression, and these feelings would be defined by Jung as value-judgments. And she does this judging all throughout the movie. 

The Perceiver, says Jung, is irrational - that is, he does not have a worked-out world view, an agenda, and he takes things as they are. He uses his Perceiving function - the Senses or Intuition - to discover information about the world and then he works with it and allows it to define his life. The Perceiving function could be compared to a probe; or to use another analogy, a surfboard with which the character rides the waves of life. 

Neither Pris nor Zhora have any agenda, any mission, to bestow on the world. They structure their lives around the information they gather. And what is that information? Socionics defines Extraverted Sensing (Se) as 'Discrete spatial boundaries that delineate territory and control'. Also, 'Information about spatial territory, ownership, and influence'. This is what makes these characters what they are: volition, force, will, territoriality... They each have an agenda, which is, for Pris, self-expression, for Zhora, survival. But neither character wants to put others into neat little slots, that is, neither of them Judgers (the anthem of the Judging character is 'Everything in its right place' by Radiohead). 

Are Perceivers more flexible and spontaneous than Judgers? This is a common misconception in MBTI and Socionics. Jung describes the Judger as someone who sifts through information, excludes what they don't want and includes what they do want, all in order to make a cohesive whole. Judgers will edit - and even censor. The Perceiver neither edits nor censors, he accepts all of the information he receives. He takes life as it comes, with no fixes or modifications, whereas the Judger is obsessed with fixes and modifications. 

The result of this is that the Perceiver adopts a more hedonistic attitude than the Judger. Admittedly, this can sound strange given that a Perceiving type - the ISTJ - enjoys a reputation as the martinet of MBTI, of being a stickler for rules and regulations. But the dominant function of the ISTJ - Introverted Sensing Si - prizes comfort, continuity, relaxation, quiet, harmony, domesticity, down-homeness... All these can be enjoyed, and the ISTJ likes being in his particular groove, and he looks at the Judging types as people who overexert themselves and make much ado about nothing. The Perceiver, in comparison to the Judger, can appear to be more plugged in into the deepest well-springs of life. He is more 'in the zone', more 'centered'. 

The Perceiver can also seem to be passive and reactive. That sounds strange, as the likes of Pris and Zhora do not strike as passive and reactive: but they are, as they do not seek to take life by the horns and impose a system, an agenda, upon it. They take the attitude 'This is life, let's see what happens'.  

II.  The example of Roy Batty and J.F. Sebastian

Keeping all of the above in mind, we will now type Roy and J.F. 

Extravert or Introvert? 

To anyone who has seen the film, it becomes apparent fairly quickly that Roy is an Extravert: he steals the scene and talks frequently. 

The meek Sebastian feels comfortable in the background, and chooses to dwell in a dark, isolated and quiet apartment.

The scene where Roy, Pris and Sebastian are gathered together in his apartment illustrates the Extravert / Introvert dichotomy the best. Pris and Sebastian engage in highly exhibitionist behavior while bullying Sebastian into setting up a meeting with Tyrell. In response, Sebastian doesn't assert himself, and he appears to melt into the background.  

Roy is an Extravert, an E, Sebastian is an Introvert, an I.  

Intuitive or Sensor? 

Sebastian lives in the present and hardly sees beyond it. Roy, on the other hand, doe see beyond it: he is always looking towards the future - which is a mark of Introverted Intuition (Ni). He lives in a mental world of grandiose visions, absolutes, ideals - see his famous 'Tears in the rain' speech. 

Sebastian: S, a Sensor; Roy: N, an Intuitive 

Thinker or Feeler? 

The warm and sentimental Sebastian is a Feeler, the cold and calculating Roy is a Thinker. 

(Roy does show some empathy and understanding on occasion, but overall his instrumentalism - his tendency to view the other as a means, not an end - predominates). 

Sebastian: F, a Feeler; Roy: T, a Thinker. 

Judger or Perceiver? 

Sebastian accepts life as it is, and in fact, takes the evidence of his senses for all that there is. To Roy, life has to be structured: he goes by an elaborate system of protocols, as laid down by his primary function, Te (Extraverted Thinking). Roy is all about organising other people according to a pattern, a plan. 

Sebastian: p, a Perceiver; Roy: j, a Judger. 

Putting it all together

In MBTI, as we know from previous articles, all the Introverted Perceiving types are classified as Judgers, all the Introverted Judging as Perceivers. That reverses Jung's meaning. But I will use the MBTI system here as it is what most of my readers are familiar with. 

In Jung or Socionics, Sebastian would be an Introvert + Sensor + Feeler + Perceiver, or ISFp. In MBTI, he would be an ISFJ. 

Seeing as Roy is an Extravert, Roy's personality type sees no change under the MBTI system. Roy is an ENTj in Socionics, an ENTJ in MBTI. 

III. The characters, in order of appearance

Leon Kowalski: ISFJ

Big, dumb, strong, sentimental, someone who values his family (and to Leon, his fellow replicants are his family) and keeps mementos of them, Leon reminds me a lot of another ISFJ, Colossus from Marvel's X-Men. 

Rick Deckard: ISTP

ISTP characters in the movies and comic books tend to be assassins, mercenaries, smugglers, bounty hunters, and Deckard is no exception to the rule. 

Like a good many ISTP characters, the hard-drinking Deckard is rough around the edges. 

As mentioned, Deckard uses his primary function - Thinking - all throughout the movie. It is Introverted Thinking (Ti), which reveals underlying systems and patterns. This is best illustrated in the famous 'photo analysis' sequence. And it is also related to Deckard's use of deception and subterfuge to track and get close to his prey. (Deckard pretends to be an agent from a 'Committee for the Prevention of Moral Abuses' when he introduces himself to Zhora, a friend of Sebastian's when he introduces himself to Pris). Deckard knows that he cannot survive a direct confrontation with a replicant, and in both the instances when he loses the initiative in his hunt, first to Leon and then to Roy, he nearly dies. 

Gaff and Bryant: ISTJ and ESTJ

No surprises here. Bryant is the ESTJ police chief, Gaff the faceless ISTJ functionary who lurks in the background and who is rather bland and boring (except for his eccentric hobby of making origami sculptures). 

Rachael: ISFP

Rachael's primary function, Introverted Feeling (Fi), is a Judging one, and makes judgments on the basis of strong feelings of attraction and repulsion (in Rachael's case, mostly repulsion). Jung explains that the Fi-dominant enjoys a tranquil inner life far removed from the disturbances of the outer world. A great intensity exists beneath the Fi-dominant's cold, icy exterior (it's a case of still waters run deep). But when ripples occur on that surface, the Fi-dominant reacts with disgust, aversion, repulsion. 

Gulenko, the Socionist, defines what he calls negative (or minus) Fi as: 

-Fi = minimization of negative relationships. This element is critical of evil. They desire to get away from bad people and poor relationships, and to protect themselves from enemies and adversaries. They want to minimize negative experiences, because as we know from psychoanalysis, all extruded problems are liable to generate an emotional reaction one way or another, with a physical cost...

Also: 

− Fi - poor relations, hatred, animosity, antipathy, repulsion, indifference in relations, alienation, unsociability, remote psychological distance, wickedness, mercilessness

The above describes Rachael perfectly. And it should be noted that all the attributes of -Fi can be observed in Rachael in her first five minutes on the screen. 

Dr Eldon Tyrell: ENTJ

Extraverted thinking (Te) makes up the dominant function of the brilliant tycoon / scientist Tyrell, and this is a particular kind of Te as defined in the aforementioned Gulenko article, what he calls negative (or minus) Te: 

-Te = business logic of risk and entrepreneurship... − Te - useless, unprofitable, wasteful, utilization, deterioration, exhaustion, costs, expenses, risk-taking, experimentation, sales, trade, action in atmosphere of chaos, ingenuity

In other words, the type that values -Te is prepared to lose money to make money, to take risks, to stake all on one particular gamble. Tyrell builds an empire through what is in essence a risky enterprise: manufacturing replicants. That, combined with his secondary function Introverted Intuition Ni, makes the ENTJ character a visionary and a daredevil. 

Roy Batty: ENTJ

Roy gives us an instance of the NTJ (that is, ENTJ or INTJ) villain stock type - the NTJ master planner and manipulator. The two functions Te and Ni lend themselves to organisation (and manipulation) over the long term. 

Unlike an INTJ character, Roy, a typical ENTJ villain, exudes charisma and charms others. He performs the role of the charming rogue (much like that other ENTJ bad guy, Gul Dukat from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). A natural leader, Roy uses his dominant function Te to wield power and make an impression, but unlike the other Te-dominant type, the ESTJ, he is off-beat, eccentric and unpredictable - he is not a force for stability like the ESTJ.  

In his encounter with Tyrell, Roy engages in a discussion of the science of replicant life and death - a discussion which is pedantic, and amusingly so. Both Tyrell and Roy are Te dominants, and the conversation between them illustrates, as Jung points out, how mind-numbing Te science can be. 

J.F. Sebastian: ISFJ

Friendly, kind, hospitable, empathetic, Sebastian meets the fate of many an ISFJ character: he is used and abused. Others, most notably Tyrell and Roy, take advantage of his kindness and meekness. 

Interestingly, Socionics describes the relationship between the ISFJ and the ENTJ as one of Conflict. Both Tyrell and Roy are ENTJs. 

The two main functions of the ISFJ, Extraverted Feeling and Introverted Sensing, can combine to make a beautiful and comfortable home environment. Sebastian does this with his apartment. 

Pris: ESFP

At first when we see Pris, she is homeless, alone, and tries to hide herself under a pile of garbage. From that we can deduce that she is probably an Introvert, but in this we are mistaken, as her first scenes do not actually reflect her true temperament. We only get to know the real her once she is inside Roy's apartment, paints her face to look like a doll or clown, and performs exhibitionist feats. It is then that she recalls Harley Quinn, another ESFP. 

Zhora: ESTP

In the ESTP, the two main functions are Ti, Introverted Thinking, and Se, Extraverted Sensing: how do they work together? In the case of Zhora, her sensing function makes her cynical and blunt; her thinking, calculating and deadly. Like Deckard, she knows how to use deception, and where and when to apply a blow where it hurts the most. (I am referring to the scene where she tricks Deckard and lulls him into a false sense of security - at one point he turns his back on her to go through her wardrobe - and then she knocks him to the floor and strangles him). 

IV.  In conclusion: what sort of film? 

In Blade Runner, certain types preponderate. We have Deckard, Rachael, Zhora, Pris - four type that Keirsey calls Artisans. Behind them stand two Rationals, Batty and Tyrell, and four Guardians, Gaff, Bryant, Leon and Sebastian. Of the Idealists - NFJs and NFPs - there are none. So what does this mean? Should we consider Blade Runner to be an Artisan film or a Guardian film, given that there are more Artisan and Guardian characters than Rationals and Idealists? 

Socionics classifies groups of types differently: it thinks in terms of Quadras. Interestingly, four out of the nine Blade Runner characters belong to the Gamma Quadra: Rachael (ISFP), Pris (ESFP), Tyrell (ENTJ), Roy (ENTJ). The surrogate father and daughter pair, Tyrell and Rachael, relate to one another as Duals. 

The implication of this is that Blade Runner may be considered a Gamma movie. I suggest you read Gulenko's article, linked above, and make up your own mind. 

MBTI / Socionics: The 16 types in Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)

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. 

MBTI: The 16 types in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)

I.  Introduction

After finishing all seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994), I moved on to Deep Space Nine expecting more of the same - and was I surprised. Deep Space Nine differed a lot from Next Generation, and I did not enjoy the pilot episode at all. I found the characters very difficult to warm to, unlike the characters of Next Generation and Star Trek: The Original Series, and some of them (Kira Nerys and Odo, for instance) seemed downright obnoxious. The business regarding the Wormhole and the Prophets confused me, and gave the impression of being overly mystical - and thereby out of place with the scientific Star Trek universe.

But after a few episodes, I concluded that the creators of the series were trying to do something different and break out of the traditional Star Trek format. Whereas the heroes of the Original Series and Next Generation cruise from one planet to the next, the heroes of Deep Space Nine stay put - and deal with the implications (political, social, economic, moral) of that decision. Often, they are forced to mediate between conflicting groups in a far away place without the help of Star Fleet. All in all, it made for an interesting series. And like Next Generation, Deep Space Nine featured an outstanding ensemble cast and writers, directors, producers who loved and revered the Star Trek mythos. Watching it filled me with great nostalgia for nineties science fiction TV, and many of the special effects from that decade still hold up well today.

If you want a broad overview of how I type characters, look at my essays on how to type superhero characters (see here) and TV drama characters (see here).

To give a quick run down of my method, let us compare two characters whose personality types are diametrically opposite (Socionics says that the two personality types have a relationship of Conflict): Benjamin Sisko and Winn Adami.

Introvert or Extravert? Winn shies away from scrutiny, and can be described as furtive and concealing; Sisko has no qualms being in the spotlight and he tends to draw attention to himself. Winn is an I (Introvert), Sisko an E (Extravert).

Perceiver or Judger? In the classic episode 'Far beyond the stars', Sisko, who time-travels back to mid-fifties America, shows he has a very pronounced sense of what the world should be and how people should behave: this is Judging - fitting people into the right slots. Winn, on the other hand, does not seem to expect reality to conform to certain principles, one of the reasons why Gul Dukat, a Judger, was able to lead her by the nose in the last episodes of the series. Sisko is a j, a Judger, Winn is a p, a Perceiver.

Feeler or Thinker? Winn pursues rationally laid out objectives in a calculating and manipulative way, whereas Sisko doesn't have a manipulative bone in his body - he is preoccupied with meanings, values. Or to put it another way: Winn is left brain, Sisko, right brain. Sisko is a F, a Feeler, Wynn, a T, a Thinker.

Intuitive or Sensor? Sisko feels comfortable in the sensory realm and isn't afraid to use his fists. Wynn dwells in the mental realm - specifically, the realm of Ni (Introverted Intuition). Ni perceives what the future will bring, what the most likely outcome will be, how one cause in the present will lead to an effect in the future. It is also associated with the mystical, the otherworldly - and it is the spirit world which is Sisko's undoing. Sisko is a S, a Sensor, Wynn an N, an Intuitive.

Putting this all together:

Sisko is an E + S + F + j, an ESFj in Socionics, an ESFJ in MBTI.

Wynn is an I + N + T + p, an INTp in Socionics, an INTJ in MBTI. (In MBTI, Introverted Perceiving types become Judgers, and Introverted Judging types, Perceivers. Throughout the rest of this essay, I will be using the MBTI notation, as that is what most people interested in typology are familiar with).

For the sake of convenience, I will be dividing up the personality types into what Socionics calls Quadras.


II.  Alphas

Benjamin Sisko - ESFJ

An Extravert and Feeler like Picard, Sisko is more down to earth than Picard - he is an Introverted Sensor, meaning that, among other things, he loves domesticity and comfort. Whereas the maxim of the ENFJ (Picard) is, 'Love your ideal', the maxim of the ESFJ (Sisko) is, 'Love those closest to you'. Throughout the series, Sisko deports himself as a family man and evokes a stock ESFJ type in popular culture, the All-American Dad. 

In Socionics, Ni (Introverted Intuition) occupies the Vulnerable Function position in the ESFJ type, meaning that Ni is missing in the ESFJ and constitutes one of his deficiencies and weaknesses. As noted before, Ni proves to be Sisko's undoing. 

Dr Elias Giger - INTP

Appears in the episode 'In the Cards' (1997), Season Five

Two types of mad scientist exist: a cold and ascetic type (the INTP) and an outgoing and maniacal type (the ENTP). The reclusive Dr Giger clearly belongs in the former category.

Amusingly enough, Giger, when meeting Sisko's son Jake for the first time, refuses to shake his hand because of hygiene. That takes us back to Socionics. For the INTP type, Introverted Sensing (Si) makes up the Hidden Agenda (or Activating Function): this means that the INTP aspires to have Si, which is an awareness of cleanliness, hygiene, physical well being.

Julian Bashir - ENTP

The character of Bashir closely resembles Dr Gaius Baltar from the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series (2004-2009): both are brilliant and vain scientists, and both are ENTPs. The dominant function of the ENTP, Ne (Extraverted Intuition), pushes a character towards the exploration of possibilities, potentialities. The secondary function of the ENTP, Ti (Introverted Thinking), gives the ENTP the ability to understand the workings - scientific, mechanical, mathematical - of the world he encounters and helps him navigate the very strange situations he frequently finds himself in.

What is Hidden Agenda of the ENTP? Extraverted Feeling (Fe). The ENTP would like secretly - or not so secretly - to be adored by the masses. That's one of Bashir's defining characteristics.

Rom - ISFJ

Rom, the bullied brother of the extraverted forceful Quark, plays the traditional ISFJ character role: the doormat. ISFJ characters mostly linger in the background and are not noticed very much. The ISFJ cherishes their family and friends, and will do anything for them, and because of this endearing quality, the ISFJ character is frequently exploited. But watch out: push them too far and the ISFJ mouse will turn into a dragon.

The dominant function of the ISFJ, Si (Introverted Sensation), means that the ISFJ can often be a complacent person and averse to upward mobility. Like that other ISFJ Trek character, Worf, Rom is told by more ambitious people to make something of himself, and he doesn't, they throw their hands up in frustration.

III.  Betas

Ezri Tigan (Mirror Universe) - ISTP

Appears in the episode 'The Emperor's New Cloak' (1999), Season Seven

I waited a long time to find a character who was an ISTP: it took until Season Seven (by which time I had almost given up).

The doubles in the alternate, 'mirror' universe of Star Trek can be of the same personality type as in the main one - the Kira Nerys character, for example, is the personality type in both universes - but more often than not, a character's personality type differs. In the main Star Trek universe, I type the Ezri Tigan as an NF (Intuitive / Feeler), and in the mirror universe, an ISTP.

The mirror Ezri strongly resembles Han Solo (another ISTP) in dress sense and general demeanor, and her redemption arc follows that of Solo's in the first Star Wars movie - mirror Ezri makes the transition from selfish mercenary to selfless hero.

I also see a concordance between mirror Ezri and that other ISTP heroine, Marvel's Black Widow.

Taylor at the Zombies Ruin Everything blog is always remarking on how ISTPs convey a sense of physical ease, even laziness. That's true in Ezri's case. Socionics would attribute this to Si (Introverted Sensing) being the Demonstrative Function of the ISTP type.

Alixus - ENFJ

 Whereas Picard is a good ENFJ, Alixus is a bad. The writers of Star Trek based the Alixus character (at least in part) on real-life ENFJ Jim Jones, leader of the People's Temple cult. Parallels exist between Alixus' regime and Pol Pot's in Cambodia; eco-primitivism and communalism make up the themes of the episode.

The dominant function of the ENFJ, Extraverted Feeling Fe, sweeps up those around the ENFJ and melds them into a community (no matter how small). If the particular ENFJ is persuasive and demagogic, the ENFJ's rhetoric brings the formed community into the ENFJ's inner world of Ni (Introverted Intuition), the world of absolutes and eternal ideals. This gift of the ENFJ's can be used for good (in the case of Picard) or evil (in the case of Alixus). 

Jadzia Dax - INFJ

I found Jadzia a tough character to type, but finally settled on INFJ. The two main functions of the INFJ are Ni (Introverted Intuition) and Fe (Extraverted Feeling), and Jadzia leans a little more to Extraverted Feeling, meaning that she is an instance of what Socionics calls the Fe-dominant subtype  of the INFJ.

Ni-dominant characters such as Jadzia can be quite ethereal - one gets a sense that they are not fully there. As a result, they can be appear to be quite fluffy and intangible.

The inferior function of the INFJ, Se (Extraverted Sensing), means that they can be drawn to environments where Extraverted Sensing (along with Extraverted Feeling) prevails. The INFJ, deep down, wants to feel strongly connected to the physical world. In this description of the INFJ, we find:

He strives for beauty, which may be – poetry, arts, even nice trinkets. He himself strives to be refined. He adores communication with artists, poets, bohemians, and in general with exotic people.

That explains Jadzia's odd attraction to Ferengi, who she spends most of her spare time socialising with.

Interestingly, Jadzia's evil alter ego - the murderer Jaron, one of her previous incarnations - I type as an INTJ. Both Jadzia and Jaron are Ni dominant, the difference is one is a Feeler, the other a Thinker.

Quark - ESTP

The archetypal ESTP, Quark's dominant function Se (Extraverted Sensing), which represents force of will, volition, is channeled through his secondary, Ti (Introverted Thinking), which allows himself to understand the workings, the inner mechanics of others. The combination of Ti and Se allows the ESTP to perceive and take advantage of weakness and gullibility. (ESTP characters often make good con-men).

Quark shows all the typical attributes of a larger-than-life ESTP: a love of hierarchy, status, upward mobility, and an easygoing charm and manipulativeness.

As with Bashir's type, the ENTP, Extraverted Feeling (Fe) plays the role of the Hidden Agenda function, meaning that the ESTP has a secret desire to be loved and adored by all. That's true of Quark.

IV. Gammas

Gul Dukat - ENTJ

The leading function of the ENTJ type, Te (Extraverted Thinking) denotes the accumulation and manipulation of empirical data and the desire for efficiency and organisation: the typical Te dominant character is the Organisation Man. That would imply that the ENTJ type works as a force for stability, but in the case of Dukat, this is not so.

Dukat undergoes several transformations throughout the series and experiences a number of reversals. He falls from grace again and again, but always lands on his feet. Socionics writes at length on the entrepreneurial quality of the ENTJ: he is a businessman who starts up one enterprise, and if that fails, he will star another after picking himself up and dusting himself off. Extraverted Thinking Te works differently in the ENTJ than it does in the other Te dominant the ESTJ. Whereas the ESTJ will run in a business in a prudent and conservative manner, the ENTJ will go about it in a spendthrift and risky way.

One finds it hard to dislike Dukat, the quintessential charming rogue, despite the fact that he's the villain for most of the series.

Kira Nerys - ESFP

The dominant function of the ESFP - Se, Extraverted Thinking - means force of will, volition. When accompanied with the ESFP's secondary function, Fi (Intoverted Feeling), that Se expresses itself in a different fashion than the Se of the ESTP type. ESFPs express themselves emotionally more than ESTPs and are more sensual - they revel in their bodies and the sensory realm. That side of Kira Nerys is more pronounced in the Intendant (Kira's evil alter ego from the Mirror Universe).

Introverted Intuition Ni - which stands for (among other things) the perception of time, absolutes, the spirit world, and the certainty that comes with the endurance of things over time - occupies the Inferior Function position in the ESFP type. Socionics calls the Inferior Function the Suggestive Function, and in Socionics, a type will want - often on a subconscious level - that function to fill their lives. We see a great deal of this in Kira, who pursues religious certainty and the spiritual.

Being a TV series which plays out over many seasons, Deep Space Nine allows more character development than in a movie. You don't often see the Suggestive Function in a character unfold as it does with Kira Nerys.

Winn Adami - INTJ

One would assume that as a priestess, and an Ni (Introverted Intuition) dominant, Winn would posses a rich spiritual life. But in the last episodes of the series, Winn confesses that the Bajoran religion never really evoked an emotional response from her - she looks at it and feels nothing. It turns out that she was looking in the wrong direction, and it is the evil spirituality of the Pah Wraiths which fulfills her.

According to Socionics, types belonging to the Gamma Quadra can be vindictive - certainly, this is true of Winn. The combination of Introverted Intuition (endurance over time) and Introverted Feeling (feelings of attraction and repulsion) means that once something upsets a Gamma type, they can brood over it for a long period of time. Extraverted Te in turn has them calculate as to how to take revenge.

V. Deltas

Odo - ISTJ

Arguably, out of all the characters in the series, Odo evolves the most, and the Socionist Gulenko says that the types of the Delta Quadra can be more spiritually evolved than other types.

Unlike Spock, Data and Tuvok - the other most prominent ISTJs in Star Trek - Odo does not play the straight man, the foil, to a leading character with a more extraverted (and emotionally reactive) personality type. Instead Odo gives us an example of the ISTJ as law man, law enforcer, judge, and loyal servitor of a higher authority - think of Judge Dredd or even Darth Vader.

The ISTJ's leading function Si makes the type deeply satisfied with its position in life and extraordinarily complacent, while the secondary function Te ensures that the ISTJ's existence is smooth, continuous, regular. The ISTJ, in a position of authority, becomes a stickler for following rules.

ISTJ characters such as Dredd, Vader, Cyclops and Orion wear headgear which makes them look anonymous and featureless. ISTJ characters are stamped with a lack of individuality. On that note, Odo's name is a Cardassian word that means 'nothing'.

Garak - ENFP

The word that best describes Garak is oleaginous. Garak, with his flair for diplomacy and getting along with different people of different backgrounds, reminds me of Game of Thrones' Lord Varys, another ENFP. The dominant function Ne gives the character an ability to scent out any opportunity, the secondary function Fi, to empathise or tune in with anyone they come across in their journey.

Superficiality lies at the heart of the ENFP character: there's no 'there' there. Garak has no mission to fulfil, no great idea to bestow on the world, but this does not mean that Garak, like Dukat, is not charming and likeable - he is.

Natima Lang - INFP

Appears in the episode 'Profit and Loss' (1994), Season Two

Members of a Cardassian dissident movement, Professor Natima Lang and her two students Hogue and Rekelen are clearly modelled on the White Rose Society.

An INFP character allows us to see an important aspect of the INFP's dominant function, which is Fi (Introverted Feeling). Here we see what in Socionics is called positive Fi, or +Fi. This is defined as:

+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.

Also:

+Fi - good relations, love, friendship, affection, attraction, warmth in relations, sociability, close psychological distance, goodness, compassion;

Interestingly, Natima Lang has a romantic relationship with Quark, an ESTP, which does not turn out well. This should not surprise anyone. Socionics identifies the relation between the INFP and ESTP types as one of Conflict.

Shakaar Edon - ESTJ

Shakaar, a Bajoran resistance leader and later First Minister of Bajor, appears quite a lot in the series, but does not leave a deep and lasting impression. I mark him out to be a generic ESTJ jock character, much like Next Generation's Ryker, but without Ryker's redeeming quirks.

VI.  Extra Characters

Miles and Keiko O'Brien - ISTJ and ENFP

A dull, bland character, Chief Engineer Miles O'Brien nonetheless plays an important role. Keirsey calls the ISTJ type a guardian, meaning that they perform essential services in any society but are not as overly interesting or 'out there' as some of the personality types. Indeed, the typical ISTJ character lurks in the background and gets things done, and is often unacknowledged and underappreciated. The quirky, cute, outgoing Keiko, on the other hand, represents the opposite to Miles.

The adventurous ENFP exists in a complimentary relationship to the stolid ISTJ: the Socionics relation between the pair is one of Duality.

Vic Fontaine - ESFJ

The holographic lounge-singer and nightclub owner Vic Fontaine acts as a mentor and nurtures certain characters on the series. One would think that an INFJ type would do this job, but the earthy, folksy Vic is a Sensor, not an Intuitive, and an Extravert, not an Introvert. The dominant function of the ESFJ, Fe (Extraverted Feeling) allows the type to 'read the room' and shape and form an emotional atmosphere. Certainly Vic does that throughout the show.

VII. In Conclusion

I have gone through all the types here except for one - the ISFP. I tried, but could not find an instance of one ISFP on the show. (Still, I will give this article the title 'The 16 types in Deep Space Nine' as opposed to 'The 15 types' - the latter does not have quite the same ring...).

Mark Hootsen Signing Off