The Keirsey™ Temperament Sorter®-II (KTS™-II) is a 70-question personality instrument that places individuals into one of a possible four Temperaments and one out of sixteen possible personality types (Character). According to Keirsey's Temperament Theory, people can be sorted into 4 Temperaments (Artisans, Guardians, Rationals, Idealists).
Each of Keirsey's four Temperaments can then be further divided into four Temperament Variants or, which Keirsey refers to as, "Character." The KTS™-II uses four scales to determine both Temperament and Character classifications. The four scales measure a respondent's preference for Extraversion versus Introversion, Sensing versus Intuiting, Thinking versus Feeling and Judging versus Perceiving.
Recommended for: Individuals 15 years and older
Reading Level: Grade 8
Completion Time: Approximately 15-20 minutes (70 Questions)
Scales:
Expressive/Attentive
Observant/Introspection
Tough-Minded/Friendly
Probing/Scheduled
Author: David Keirsey Ph.D.
A person who chooses other people, as a source of energy probably prefers Expressive behavior, while the person who prefers solitude to recover energy may tend towards Attentive behavior.
The KTS™-II detects the degree to which a person prefers Expressive behavior to Attentive behavior. If a respondent prefers Expressiveness, then they receive the letter (E) in their KTS™-II results. However, if a respondent prefers Attentiveness, then they receive the letter (I) in their KTS™-II results. This scale consists of 10 dichotomous items.
The person who has a natural preference for Observant behavior probably describes himself first as practical, while the person who had a natural preference for introspective behavior probably chooses to describe himself as innovative
.
The KTS™-II detects the degree to which a person
prefers Observant behavior to Introspective behavior. If a respondent
prefers Observant behavior, then they receive the letter (S) in
their KTS™-II results. However, if a respondent prefers Introspective
behavior, then they receive the letter (N) in their KTS™-II results.
This scale consists of 20 dichotomous items.
Persons who choose the impersonal basis of
choice are called Tough-Minded. Persons who choose the personal
basis are called Friendly. Both of these ways of selecting what
to do or what not to do are necessary and useful. It is a matter
of comfort. Some people are more comfortable with impersonal,
objective judgments and uncomfortable with personal judgments.
Others are more comfortable with value judgments and less with
being objective and logical. Those who express a preference for
Friendly behaviors are put off by rule-governed choice, regarding
the act of being impersonal as almost inhuman. Those demonstrating
a preference for tough-minded behavior on the other hand, sometimes
look upon emotion-laden decisions as muddle-headed. Each person
is quite capable of both types of decision.
The KTS™-II detects the degree to which a person
prefers Tough-Minded behavior to Friendly behavior. If a respondent
prefers Tough-mindedness, then they receive the letter (T) in
their KTS™-II results. However, if a respondent prefers Friendly
behavior, then they receive the letter (F) in their KTS™-II results.
This scale consists of 20 dichotomous items.
Persons who chose closure over open options
are likely to have a preference for Scheduling behavior. People
preferring to keep things open and fluid most likely have a preference
for Probing behavior. Those preferring Scheduling behavior are
apt to report a sense of urgency until he has made a pending decision,
and then be at rest once the decision has been made. Those preferring
Probing behavior in contrast, are more apt to experience resistance
to making a decision. As a result, when a Probing person makes
a decision, he may have a feeling of uneasiness and restlessness,
while the Scheduling person, in the same situation, has a sense
of easy and satisfaction.
The KTS™-II detects to measure the degree to
which a person prefers Scheduling behavior to Probing behavior.
If a respondent prefers Scheduling, then they receive the letter
(J) in their KTS™-II results. However, if a respondent prefers
Probing, then they receive the letter (P) in their KTS™-II results.
This scale consists of 20 dichotomous items.
The KTS™-II uses the four scales to categorize people into sixteen Character Types. These types can then be grouped into Keirsey's four temperaments.
In his book, Please Understand Me II, David Keirsey describes what he means by Temperament and Character:
"Temperament is a configuration of inclinations,
while character is a configuration of habits. Character is disposition,
temperament predisposition. Thus, for example, foxes are predisposed-born-to
raid hen houses, beavers to dam up streams, dolphins to affiliate
in close-knit schools, and owls to hunt alone in the dark. Each
type of creature, unless arrested in its maturation by an unfavorable
environment, develops the habit appropriate to its temperament:
stealing chickens, building dams, nurturing companions, or hunting
at night.
Put another way, our brain is a sort of computer, which has temperament for its hardware and character for its software. The hardware is the physical base from which character emerges, placing an identifiable fingerprint on each individual's attitudes and actions. This underlying consistency can be observed from a very early age — some features earlier than others — long before individual experience or social context (one's particular software) has had time or occasion to imprint the person. Thus temperament is the inborn form of human nature; character, the emergent form, which develops through the interaction of temperament and environment. To learn more about Temperament theory, please refer to David Keirsey's book, "Please Understand Me II."
Those that receive the letter combinations of (ESTP, ESFP, ISTP, ISFP) are considered by Keirsey as the Artisans. In general, all of the Artisans can be characterized in the following description. For a more exhaustive description of the four types of Artisans, please refer to the book, "Please Understand Me II."
All Artisans (SPs) share the following core characteristics:
- Artisans tend to be fun loving, optimistic, realistic, and focused on the here and now.
- Artisans pride themselves on being unconventional, bold, and spontaneous.
- Artisans make playful mates, creative parents, and troubleshooting leaders.
- Artisans are excitable, trust their impulses, and want to make a splash, seek stimulation, prize freedom, and dream of mastering action skills.
Those that receive the letter combinations of (ESTJ, ESFJ, ISTJ, ISFJ) are considered by Keirsey as the Guardians. In general, all of the Guardians can be characterized in the following description. For a more exhaustive description of the four types of Guardians, please refer to the book, "Please Understand Me II."
- All Guardians (SJs) share the following core characteristics:
- Guardians pride themselves on being dependable, helpful, and hard working.
- Guardians make loyal mates, responsible parents, and stabilizing leaders.
- Guardians tend to be dutiful, cautious, humble, and focused on credentials and traditions.
- Guardians are concerned citizens who trust authority, join groups, and seek security, prize gratitude, and dream of meting out justice.
Those that receive the letter combinations of (ENTJ, ENTP, INTJ, INTP) are considered by Keirsey as the Rationals. In general, all of the Rationals can be characterized in the following description. For a more exhaustive description of the four types of Rationals, please refer to the book, "Please Understand Me II."
All Rationals (NTs) share the following core characteristics:
- Rationals tend to be pragmatic, skeptical, self-contained, and focused on problem solving and systems analysis.
- Rationals pride themselves on being ingenious, independent, and strong willed.
- Rationals make reasonable mates, individualizing parents, and strategic leaders.
- Rationals are even-tempered, they trust logic, yearn for achievement; seek knowledge, prize technology, and dream of understanding how the world works.
Those that receive the letter combinations of (ENFJ, ENFP, INFJ, INFP) are considered by Keirsey as the Idealists. In general, all of the Idealists can be characterized in the following description. For a more exhaustive description of the four types of Idealists, please refer to the book, "Please Understand Me II."
All Idealists (NFs) share the following core characteristics:
- Idealists are enthusiastic, they trust their intuition, yearn for romance, seek their true self, prize meaningful relationships, and dream of attaining wisdom.
- Idealists pride themselves on being loving, kindhearted, and authentic.
- Idealists tend to be giving, trusting, spiritual, and they are focused on personal journeys and human potentials.
- Idealists make intense mates, nurturing parents, and inspirational leaders.
One of the greatest misconceptions about
Keirsey's Temperament Theory is that it was derived from Carl
Jung's work on cognitive processes. David Keirsey developed Temperament
Theory by studying the works of Kretchmer, Spranger. As a "Gestalt"
psychologist, Keirsey developed Temperament theory from a discovery
that people can be grouped together by similar patterns of behavior,
values, attitudes and the use of language. These "similar
patterns" make up his four temperaments-Artisans, Guardians,
Rationals and Idealists.
In contrast, Carl Jung was interested in the way that our mind processes information. Jungian theory discusses "cognitive processes" and provides a framework upon which counselors can discuss these processes. Similarly, Keirsey Temperament Theory provides counselors with a behavioral framework upon which we can discuss an individual's behavior. Most counselors report difficulty discussing Jungian typology with their clients due to its complexity and impractical application to real situations. Keirsey's behavioral approach provides an easy to understand and intuitive framework that students and clients can easily understand and quickly apply to their lives.
The KTS-II and AdvisorTeam's Career Temperament Report provides a counseling foundation by focusing on how one's temperament and personality type express themselves in the work world. Designed to help people align their career choices with their innate strengths and preferences, the KTS-II and the Career Temperament Report include expert advice about career options, tips on workplace communication and interpersonal skills, and insight on how to navigate the job market based on personality type.
