The Keirsey Temperament Sorter

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter, developed by David Keirsey based on Carl Jung's theory of personality types, is made up of four basic personality types, including Guardians, Idealists, Artisans, and Rationals. Guardians, also known as Guardian Supervisor Personalities, are deemed dependable, helpful, traditional, hardworking, dutiful, and cautious. Individuals with this personality type are usually concerned citizens who trust authority, join groups, prize gratitude, seek security, and are born leaders.

(“Overview of Keirsey's Four Temperaments”, 1996) According to Roxanne Mills, author of “The Keirsey Temperament Model” (2006), about forty percent of all people are typed as a Guardian personality, including George Washington and Mother Teresa.

George Washington is considered a Guardian personality type because he was a born leader. He started his notable career as a land surveyor in Virgina. He was a hardworking youngster; as a land surveyor, he slept in the woods, on bare ground, cooked his meals over a campfire, and enjoyed it.

He was the head of the Washington household before he was an adult.

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Washington was mature, ambitious, and sensible. He wanted to fill his brother's position as Adjutant General of Virgina, and he got the job, ushering him into a life of politics. He then went on to be commander of the Continental Army, a leader during the American Revolution, and eventually the United States' first president. (Leighton, 1996) George Washington fits the specific temperament of Guardian for many reasons. Not only was he a leader, but he also enjoyed hard work and was dutiful and dependable.

He led his army through wars, and led his country with dignity and strength.

Another Guardian personality type is Mother Teresa, known as the “Saint of the Gutters. ” Mother Teresa began a life of service after she had joined a convent in Calcutta, India, and had been an educator for fifteen years. While an educator, she received a call from God stating that she should follow Christ into the slums of Calcutta and serve Him among the poor. She was granted permission to move to the slums from her convent. She immediately began caring for the sick, dying, and unwanted.

She also immediately began an informal school for orphaned children. Soon, she gained the support of other nuns. She had so much support that she formed her own order, known as the Missionaries of Charity. (Graf, 2007) Mother Teresa is a Guardian personality for a different reason than George Washington. Mother Teresa wanted to help others, not lead others. She wanted to care for the unwanted, unloved, and others who were ignored by society. However, she does have some traits in common with Washington, such as “hardworking” and “dependable. ”

Of Keirsey's Temperament Sorter, the Idealist and the Rational are the most likely to be found in a psychology class. The Idealist would be attracted to the field of psychology because they dream of attaining wisdom. The Rational would also be attracted to this field of study because they are focused and seek knowledge and understanding. All of these characteristics can be considered essential for understanding how the human brain works, and for continuing education in general. Individuals who desire to learn and understand are more likely to be interested in how the human brain operates.

I would classify myself as a Guardian Supervisor Personality. In addition to George Washington and Mother Teresa, I believe myself to be hardworking, diligent, helpful, and dependable. I do enjoy groups and I am an extremely traditional person. I would also consider myself practical; I am usually not prone to outrageous ideas, such as skipping work to go to a concert. In conclusion, of the all of the types of the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, the Guardian is the most helpful, dependable, and hardworking temperament, with excellent examples being George Washington and Mother Teresa.

However, unlike the Guardian personality type, the Idealist and Rational personality types are better suited to continuing education, especially in the psychology field. Although some personality types may be better suited to certain things rather than others, all of the types of personalities are influential, and the world would not work correctly without one type of personality or another. Everything must be balanced for things to run smoothly.

Graf, Christine. (Oct. 2007).

Mother Teresa: Saint of the Gutters.(Biography).

In Faces: People, Places, and Cultures, 24. 2: 17(1). - Leighton, Marian. (1996).

George Washington. New York: Baronet Books. 52-53, 68, 70-71, 178. - Mills, Roxanne. (2006).

The Keirsey Temperament Model: A Model for Helping Educational Administrators Facilitate Ethical Decision Making.

In Education, 126(3). 512-517. - Overview of Keirsey's Four Temperaments. (1996).

Retrieved May 29, 2009 from Keirsey.