[Papers&Paychecks] 1.8 Personality

[Lev Lafayette]

Sample chapter sub-section. What do you think? Interested in Andrew's
point-of-view in particular :)


## 1.8 Personality

*"Most personality psychologists regard the MBTI as little more than an
elaborate Chinese fortune cookie"*
Robert Hogan

Like much of the corporate world, *Papers & Paychecks* uses the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as a summary of a character's personality, and
mapped to the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, both of which are derived from
Jungian psychology. Like most aspects of roleplaying games, this is
expressed in the simplified form, without auxiliary functions for example.
In other games this is the equivalent of their "alignment". As a
roleplaying game, a player should play according to the role of their
character.

Whilst the player is given a choice about the personality values of their
Type, within the range of 3-18, and an option is designed for random
generation on 3d6. Note that contrary to original expectations the four
dichotomies of MBTI tend towards a more normal distribution rather than a
bipolar distribution. In addition the formal MBTI uses absolute values
rather than a continuum.

**Favorite world: Extraversion/Introversion**

Extraversion and Introversion are preferences in MBTI, which may not map
to actual activities. In a general sense, Extraverted characters are
outward-focussed by preference, whereas Intraverted characters are
inward-focussed by preference. This does not mean that extraverted
characters necessarily prefer action to thought (or vice-versa for
introverts), but rather their actions have different reasons; the
extravert will think in order to engage with the extrernal world, the
introvert will act in order to engage with their inner world.

Socially, extraverted characters are often engaged in the company of
others, and are energised by social interactions, especially with a wide
variety of individuals and ideas. Introverted characters prefer smaller
close-knit groups, or even their own company. This should not be confused
with social anxiety issues; an extraverted character could suffer from
stage fright, just as an introverted person could be perfectly fine with
other people; they would just *prefer* to bury their nose in a book.

**Information: Sensing/Intuition***

Sensing and Intuition are information-gathering functions in the MBTI.
Again, it is a preferential model. In a general sense, Sensing characters
are orientated towards giving credence to information that is immediate,
empirical, and tangible, coming from their senses. In contrast Intuition
characters are more trusting of information that is contextual, rational,
and abstract.

A Sensing character will prefer to recall events as a set of facts,
whereas the Intuitive character will recall them as contexts and flow.
Sensing characters will solve problems but each step in a serial and
linear manner, whereas an Intuition character will solve problems by
taking in ideas, interpretations, and possibilities from a variety of
sources. Sensing and Intuition must be understood as information-gathering
traits, rather than a sensual response. An Intuitive character can still
be a person who enjoys physical sensation, just a Sensing character could
dislike physical sensations.

**Decision: Thinking/Feeling**

Thinking and Feeling are preferential choices when making decisions in the
MBTI. Characters with a Thinking preference tend to look towards internal
consistency as their primary source with a degree of detached fairness,
whereas characters with a Feeling preference tend towards the particular
circumstances and feelings of the people involved.

Characters who prefer Thinking for decision making are not necessarily
"thinkers" or more intelligent or rational, and likewise people who have
Feeling for decision making are not necessarily more sensate, or even more
empathic. The MBTI eveluates preferences, not ability.

**Orientation: Judging/Perception**

Judging and Perception are perferential choices when orientating one's
self to the external world. Characters with a Judging preference prefer an
organized and planned approach to life that has a high degree of structure
so they can be make contingencies. A Perceiving character has a preference
of living that has a higher degree of flexibility and spontaneity so they
can adapt to new circumstances.

Characters who prefer Judging are not necessarily judgemental, and
characters who prefer Perceiving are not necessarily more perceptive. It
is an expresssion of how one prefers to organise their interactions with
the external world.

**Game Use**

With an assignment or from random determination, characters will have MBTI
values for the four paired values. From here, a bonus is derived in the
same manner that is done for characteristics, based on the dominant value
of the pair or for the first value if the bonus is +0. When a situation
arises when a preference is called (e.g., a matter of world preference, of
information gathering, of decision making, of world orientation) the
player may optionally roll 2d6 against a target number of 7 (easy) to
*guide* their approach, adding the appropriate bonuse. The degree of
'success' above the target number establishes a commitment to a particular
approach to the dominant pair, and likewise the degree of 'failure'
represents a commitment to the opposite pair.

For example: Russel Wrench, a mild mannered computer programmer, has
randomly determined the paired characteristics: Extraversion 6 (-2) which
becomes Introversion (+2), Sensing 9 which becomes Intuition (+1),
Thinking 12 (+1), and Judging 14 (+2). The player marks in the character
sheet under personality I+2,N+1,T+1,J+2

**Keirsey Temperament Sorter**

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter provides roles which can be mapped to MBTI
values. These are provided here as a shortcut for players to make an "at a
glance" overall decision of a character's behaviour. Kersey assessed
characters on whether they were orientated by preference towards the
concrete and the abstract, then whether they were cooperative or
utilitarian, then informative or directive, and finally expressive or
attentive. This provides multi-level temperament, role, and role variants.

MBTI	Kiersey Role Variant	Descriptives
ESFJ	Provider	Observant, Logistical, Supporting, Supplying
ISFJ	Protector	Observant, Logistical, Supporting, Securing
ESTJ	Supervisor	Observant, Logistical, Regulating, Enforcing
ISTJ	Inspector	Obervant, Logistical, Regulating, Certifying
ESFP	Performer	Observant, Tactical, Improvising, Demonstrating
ISFP	Composer	Observant, Tactical, Improvising, Synthesizing
ESTP	Promoter	Observant, Tactical, Expediating, Persuading
ISTP	Crafter  	Observant, Tactical, Expediating, Instrumenting
ENFP	Champion	Instrospective, Diplomatic, Mediating, Motivating
INFP	Healer		Introspective, Diplomatic, Mediating, Concilliating
ENFJ	Teacher		Introspective, Diplomatic, Developing, Educating
INFJ	Counsellor	Introspective, Diplomatic, Developing, Guiding
ENTP	Inventor	Introspective, Rational, Costructing, Devising
INTP	Architect	Introspective, Rational, Constructing, Designing
ENTJ	Fieldmarshal	Instrospective, Rational,  Arranging, Mobilizing
INTJ	Mastermind	Introspective, Rational, Arranging, Entailing

For example, Russel Wrench is a "Mastermind", and that is added in the the
character sheet next to the personality values.

The Boss should show interest in how players use these results as it
represents playing according to the character's psychological preferences.
A consistent use of such character preferences by a player, especially
when it is contrary to the character's interests at the time should result
in a Luck Point reward.

> Boss: OK, you're in for the big technical meeting. The manager and the
team are there, all NPCs except you. Everyone's really pumped out and
excited about this new roll-out of a massive new storage system for the
company, with a new operating system and storage protocol. Everyone's
talking over one another, scribbling on white boards and debating what
tasks they're going to do. Rodney, what's your character, Russell
Wrench, up to?

> Rodney: My character has Introversion at +2, I make a check and roll a
... ahh, an 11. Russell will pull out his laptop and start reading
through some technical specifications for operating system and storage
protocol.

> Boss: Whoa, the manager is not impressed with that at all, "This is a
*team* meeting Russell, your input is appreciated. A *lot* of money is
being spent on this project, including a lot of money on *your* wages.
We expect value for money", he says tersely.

> Rodney: Russell ignores the manager for several seconds and finally
mutters something about going over the technical details.

> Boss: Ha! That's excellent. Give yourself a Luck Point for playing in
character even when the character is under threat. The manager explodes
at you, "When ask you to participate, Mr. Wrench, I am giving an
*order*, not an *option*. We have come here for a team meeting to
determine the roll-out of a two million dollar project, and here you are
wasting company time playing around on your laptop. Either you
contribute or get out of here!". The room falls silent and everyone
turns looking at you. Your move.

> Rodney: Huh, attack is the best defense. I initiate a social attack
against the manager. I'll make a Computer roll, and spend my Luck Point
to make it a 12. That's my best skill and brings it to a total of 18.
What's the manager's defense?

> Boss: Er, well, he's really set himself up for this, so I guess it's a
counter-attack with Bully! His bonus is +5 total and he rolls a, ahh, 5,
for a total of 10. You win by 8 points, that's a huge loss to his
Charisma, even with his professional defense it'll take him months to
recover. OK, what do you do?

> Rodney: Russell closes the lid of his laptop, gets up, and says, "The
operating system and the storage protocol are incompatible". He glares
at the manager. "I've just saved the company two million dollars - and
saved your job", and then walks out the door.

> Boss: Drops mic, eh?

> Rodney: *nods* Drops mic.


-- 
Lev Lafayette, BA (Hons), GradCertTerAdEd (Murdoch), GradCertPM, MBA (Tech
Mngmnt) (Chifley)
mobile:  0432 255 208
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