Brain-based Societal Roles & Personality Types: A Unifying Model
In a world where our diverse strengths often remain untapped, there lies a fascinating realm of possibilities when we harness the distinct abilities within each interaction style group (if you haven’t explored the benefits of knowing the four interaction styles yet, don’t worry — we’ve covered them extensively in a previous article).
Now, let’s embark on a journey where we unveil the extraordinary potential that each of us possesses to fulfill specific, unparalleled, and equally invaluable roles within society. Join us as we delve into the following captivating aspects:
- How these societal roles fit with the right- or left-brain and if a person prefers either people- or task-oriented work.
- How these societal roles differ from the popularly known societal groups of the Guardian, the Rational, the Artisan, and the Idealist (as described by American psychologist David Keirsey), and how they map to the 16 types of personalities in the popularly used Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
- The connection between each of these societal roles and a specific quadrant of the neocortex, and how each of the four quadrants pairs with a primary action (right-front creates, right-back relates, left-back analyzes, and left-front decides).
- How we might note how these types fit us best but how we want to be mindful about these categorizations (or any other ones) limiting or restricting us.
Gaining Deeper Insights into Societal Roles and Personality Types
When we use the abilities of each interaction style group for its benefits, we can all serve valuable societal roles. More specifically, Controllers and Critics tend to fill the societal roles of being People Directors or Plan Directors, respectively, while Complainers and Indecisive people tend to fill the roles of being People Helpers or Plan Explorers, respectively.
In short, Plan Directors develop a plan of a society’s future, Plan Explorers explore it and identify new potential courses, People Directors direct the implementation of the plan by the society’s people, and People Helpers help people along the way. These four societal roles, all equally important and each playing a vital role, more readily improve society and its members when they work together as part of a team.
These societal roles are similar to the age-old concept of the four classical temperaments (the four patterns or behaviors of people) — fundamental patterns that have intrigued storytellers, philosophers, scientists, and scholars through the annals of history. These four temperaments were long-ago described as choleric, phlegmatic, sanguine, and melancholic, which could be generally described as irritable, calm, optimistic, and gloomy, respectively.
Quite similar to the negative aspects of the four interaction styles, these four classical temperaments more so describe our lower and less evolved “biological self.” In comparison, my four societal roles describe our higher, more evolved “societal self.” (For an in-depth exploration of our “four selves,” see an upcoming article.)
Similar to my societal roles, and based on the classical temperaments and the ancient study of them by Plato and Hippocrates, American psychologist David Keirsey notably identified four societal groups — the Guardian, the Rational, the Artisan, and the Idealist. Keirsey also mapped his societal groups to the 16 types of personalities outlined in the widely embraced Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
Although similar to mine, Keirsey provides an arrangement more so organized by the resulting societal groups that come about due to personalities and behavior. In comparison, my societal roles came about by organizing the same 16 MBTI personalities based on the two sides of the neocortex, its right and left, and if the societal role’s work tends to be people- or task-oriented.
My arrangement is meticulously laid out in the accompanying table, showcasing the interplay of cognitive dynamics and vocational tendencies. We’ll first discuss some initially seeming clashes within the table (i.e., MBTI personalities and their societal groups) followed by the unintended discovery of each MBTI uniquely matching with both a preferred primary and secondary quadrant of the brain’s neocortex.
NOTE: Start at the left and work your way to the right to reveal your brain-based associated Meyers-Briggs Code (MBTI)!
Investigating Contradictions between Personality Types and Societal Roles
Amidst the intriguing exploration of personality types and their alignment with societal roles, an intricate dance of contradictions occasionally emerges. It’s worth delving into the enigma presented by certain MBTI personalities seemingly at odds with their designated societal groups.
Consider, for instance, the paradox posed by introverted personality types, such as the Inspector, the Protector, the Idealist, and the Counselor, who find themselves enveloped within people-oriented work roles. Although these personalities are introverted (i.e., focused on their inner world), and they even may work mostly alone, their work tends to pertain to society’s people more so than its plan.
In a contrasting scenario, extroverted personality types like the Visionary, the Inspirer, the Doer, and the Performer are grouped in task-oriented work roles. Although these personalities are extroverted (i.e., they focus on the outer world) and their work likely benefits and affects a society’s people, their work itself tends to focus on tasks and thus society’s plan, not its people.
Note: For more details on contradictions and investigating them, see an upcoming article.
A Correlation of Societal Roles with Quadrants of the Brain: A Unifying Model
In further reviewing my four societal roles and their relation to the brain, a remarkable alignment came to light: It dawned on me that each of these roles seamlessly corresponds to one of the four pivotal quadrants within the neocortex. These quadrants emerge from the brain’s distinctive divisions, where a symphony of the right and left hemispheres intertwine with the front and back regions.
Moreover, this connection extends even further — each quadrant boasts a primary action that serves as its defining essence: the right-front quadrant exudes creativity (Create), the right-back engenders connections — and not just among people (Relate), the left-back zone fosters analysis (Analyze), and the left-front quadrant stands as the realm of decision-making (Decide).
Note: Unexpectantly, but fittingly, each of the 16 MBTI uniquely matches with both a primary and secondary brain quadrant (as shown in the previous table), further adding to the intrigue of this new system of personality types / societal roles.
Most significantly, having identified an underlying pattern with each brain quadrant, it unintendedly provides a unifying model of most of the other models related to temperaments, personality types, and societal roles, as well as also learning styles and more. Through this underlying root pattern, we can more readily see the similarities to the various models and more readily understand their differences. It also illuminates where these other models likely have errors, unveiling why they have been questioned and criticized.
(As an aside, and as observable based on the following table, some of the terms I selected as names for my four societal roles and their associated critical actions are based on, or identical to, ones used in systems created by others. This fits with my being a person that favors the left-rear quadrant, and thus having been inclined to analyze and edit existing systems. It also fits with my being a Plan Director, as I find myself naturally inclined to inform others of my discoveries, in the spirit of evolution and refinement.)
- Terms taken from Sternberg
Cautions with Using Societal Roles and Personality Types
As detailed in an upcoming article, trying to identify one’s societal role based on one’s preferred side of the brain and quadrant might led to an unexpected result. That result, without the necessary depth of information and associated analysis, might then be considered wrong (or, less likely, it indeed might be wrong).
As such, we want to be mindful about these categorizations or other ones limiting or restricting us, especially considering they can vary depending on situations and change in time. Nonetheless, identifying one’s societal role, one’s preferred quadrant of the brain, and one’s personality type likely helps us better understand others and ourselves. Albeit useful information, though, each of these tends to fail to provide a tangible link to specific passions and interests, including a career.
For example, each MBTI personality type tends to match with numerous careers, such as its INTJ type matching with being a scientist, an engineer, a teacher, a lawyer, and a medical doctor or dentist, just to name a few. With so many career options, I personally found it overwhelming to know even where to begin to eliminate ones, let alone select one. Also, in my case, having previously chosen engineering and subsequently invested considerable time and money to pursue it, I did not want to make the wrong choice again.
Unsure of what to do next in my pursuit of a new career, I decided to try to learn what others had done by paying attention to them and inquiring about their interests and passions. This indirectly led me to realize I excel at figuring things out and helping others, and after continuing this for some time, I eventually realized I would write a book. Thereafter, I identified a strong interest in the brain as well as an interest in evolution, philosophy, quantum mechanics, cosmology, and spirituality. In addition, and as I’ll describe in an upcoming article, I also came to identify my root patterns and the root of many of my interests and abilities.
As my case demonstrates, rather than focus on our interaction styles, personality types, and societal roles, it seems more useful to simply follow the steps of PAPUS (a process I recommend in my book). As we use PAPUS, we come to reveal our interests and patterns, including the ones associated with interaction styles, personality types, and societal roles. As all of this information becomes known, we can more confidently make decisions and move forward in life, both individually and collectively.
Note: For additional correlations and unification of personality type and societal role systems, check out this article!
Also, if you’ve yet to read my related, detailed articles on interaction styles, one’s preferred side of the brain, brain-based sex differences, and even a brain-based explanation of handedness, check them out!
Together, let’s continue unraveling the mysteries of the human brain and uncover the profound implications they have for our lives.
