by David Keirsey, PhD

Personology is about how persons of differing temperament differ in their abilities, interests, and intentions and therefore learn to work and play in very different roles as they mature.

Thus Guardians tend to be primarily interested in logistical safekeeping and therefore soon learn how to gather, store, and distribute goods and services to the de-serving. In marked contrast, the Rationals tend to be primarily interested in strategic aligning and therefore soon learn how to define the means by which remote objectives can be reached. Thus Guardians and Rationals are opposites in their inborn abilities and in their acquired interests and intentions thus learning to take entirely different roles.

Just as Guardians and Rationals are opposites, so too are Idealists and Artisans opposites. Idealists, even as children, show interest in the diplomatic enabling of others to find themselves, to grow, and feel good about themselves. Artisans, also as children, show interest in the tactical manipulating of their immediate surroundings to exercise their impulses.

However, some persons, whether Guardian, Rational, Idealist, or Artisan, are born preemptors who, even as children, take the initiative in interacting with others. Some are born contenders who confront others with their contentions. Both preemptors and contenders act before others do and so are said to be proactive. In contrast, those who act after others do are reactive, some born collaborators, some born accommodators.

Thus Personology is a book about role-enactment in work and play, all the way from, say, Preemptive Safekeeping -- the Supervisor role -- to Accommodative Aligning -- the Designer role, and from, say, Contentious Enabling -- the Counselor role -- to Collaborative Manipulating -- the Performer role. The more able a person, the more likely he or she will find a niche in which to enact that one role-of-best-suit.

Clich here to order online direct

Click here to order from Amazon.com