It’s pretty much impossible to predict what’s going to happen next on “Scandal.” But we wondered if there might at least be a way to better understand some of the characters’ shocking choices. Enter the Myers Briggs Personality Test. We took the famous questionnaire as each of the lead characters in “Scandal” to gain some new insight into our favorite crisis handlers (creators?). In case you’re not familiar, the test characterizes personalities based on four variables: 1. Extroverted (E) vs. Introverted (I) Are you invigorated by big parties or do you need a break after them to recharge? 2. Sensing (S) vs. Intuitive (N) Do you…
It’s pretty much impossible to predict what’s going to happen next on “Scandal.” But we wondered if there might at least be a way to better understand some of the characters’ shocking choices.
Enter the Myers Briggs Personality Test. We took the famous questionnaire as each of the lead characters in “Scandal” to gain some new insight into our favorite crisis handlers (creators?). In case you’re not familiar, the test characterizes personalities based on four variables:
1. Extroverted (E) vs. Introverted (I)
Are you invigorated by big parties or do you need a break after them to recharge?2. Sensing (S) vs. Intuitive (N)
Do you focus on basic information or do you like to interpret?3. Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)
Do you think of things in terms of strict logic or in terms of people and circumstance?4. Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)
Do you like to decide and move on, or stay open to new options?
If you’re curious to see which character you match with, take the test for yourself. (Sorry to all the Quinns out there.)
NOTE: There’s a lot of dispute about how accurate these categories really are, and different sites give different analyses. We used titles and descriptions provided by personalitypage.com, and excerpted the parts of each analysis that best matched each role. Also, the characters themselves obviously could not take the test. Once you’re on board with these conditions, read on.
Fitz, ENTP
Title: “The Visionary”
Most spot-on passage: “ENTPs are less interested in developing plans of actions or making decisions than they are in generating possibilities and ideas. Following through on the implementation of an idea is usually a chore to the ENTP. For some ENTPs, this results in the habit of never finishing what they start. The ENTP who has not developed their Thinking process will have problems with jumping enthusiastically from idea to idea, without following through on their plans. The ENTP needs to take care to think through their ideas fully in order to take advantage of them.”
Example from the show: Vermont.
Olivia, ESTJ
Title: “The Guardian”
Most spot-on passage:“ESTJs are take-charge people. They have such a clear vision of the way that things should be, that they naturally step into leadership roles. They are self-confident and aggressive. They are extremely talented at devising systems and plans for action, and at being able to see what steps need to be taken to complete a specific task. They can sometimes be very demanding and critical, because they have such strongly held beliefs, and are likely to express themselves without reserve if they feel someone isn’t meeting their standards.”
Example from the show: “It’s handled.”
Huck, ISTJ
Title:“The Duty Fulfiller”
Most spot-on passage: “ISTJs are likely to be uncomfortable expressing affection and emotion to others. However, their strong sense of duty and the ability to see what needs to be done in any situation usually allows them to overcome their natural reservations, and they are usually quite supporting and caring individuals with the people that they love…Under stress, ISTJs may fall into “catastrophe mode,” where they see nothing but all of the possibilities of what could go wrong. They will berate themselves for things which they should have done differently, or duties which they failed to perform. They will lose their ability to see things calmly and reasonably, and will depress themselves with their visions of doom.”
Example from the show: Huck and Olivia’s relationship. (Ehem, Gladiator.)
Abby, ESFJ
Title:“The Caregiver”
Most spot-on passage: “ESFJs are warm and energetic. They need approval from others to feel good about themselves. They are hurt by indifference and don’t understand unkindness. They are very giving people, who get a lot of their personal satisfaction from the happiness of others. They want to be appreciated for who they are, and what they give. They’re very sensitive to others, and freely give practical care. ESFJs are such caring individuals, that they sometimes have a hard time seeing or accepting a difficult truth about someone they care about.”
Example from the show: Abby’s fierce loyalty to Olivia, and feelings of betrayal when she disappears to the island with Jake. (EHEM, Gladiator.)
Quinn, ESTP
Title: “The Doer”
Most spot-on passage: “ESTP’s least developed area is their intuitive side. They are impatient with theory, and see little use for it in their quest to “get things done”. An ESTP will occasionally have strong intuitions which are often way off-base, but sometimes very lucid and positive. The ESTP does not trust their instincts, and is suspicious of other people’s intuition as well.”
Example from the show: That whole B613/Charlie situation.
David, INFP
Title:“The Idealist”
Most spot-on passage: “INFPs, more than other iNtuitive Feeling types, are focused on making the world a better place for people. Their primary goal is to find out their meaning in life. What is their purpose? How can they best serve humanity in their lives? They are idealists and perfectionists, who drive themselves hard in their quest for achieving the goals they have identified for themselves.”
Example from the show: David’s intense pursuit of justice/”doing the right thing” by trying to expose Defiance and take down B613.
Cyrus, ENTJ
Title: “The Executive”
Most spot-on passage: “ENTJs are natural born leaders. They live in a world of possibilities where they see all sorts of challenges to be surmounted, and they want to be the ones responsible for surmounting them. They have a drive for leadership, which is well-served by their quickness to grasp complexities, their ability to absorb a large amount of impersonal information, and their quick and decisive judgments. They are “take charge” people.”
Example from the show: The entirety of Cyrus’ being.
Mellie, ENFJ
Title: “The Giver”
Most spot-on passage: “It’s natural to their personality type that they will tend to place other people’s needs above their own, but they need to stay aware of their own needs so that they don’t sacrifice themselves in their drive to help others.”
Example from the show: Over the course of the series, Mellie struggles with the ramifications of placing Fitz’s needs above her own.
Jake, ISFP
Title: “The Artist”
Most spot-on passage: “ISFPs are warm and sympathetic. They genuinely care about people, and are strongly service-oriented in their desire to please. They have an unusually deep well of caring for those who are close to them, and are likely to show their love through actions, rather than words.”
Example from the show: Stand. in. the. sun.
Rowan, INTJ
Title:“The Scientist”
Most spot on passage: “INTJs are ambitious, self-confident, deliberate, long-range thinkers. Many INTJs end up in engineering or scientific pursuits, although some find enough challenge within the business world in areas which involve organizing and strategic planning. They dislike messiness and inefficiency, and anything that is muddled or unclear. They value clarity and efficiency, and will put enormous amounts of energy and time into consolidating their insights into structured patterns.”
Example from the show: Command is all about those long-term schemes.
Originally posted here:
Olivia Pope Is An ESTJ, And Other ‘Scandal’ Personality Types Explained
