Jungian Types: Warning Highly Flawed.

Kana

Soulless human
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Oct 15, 2007
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I know the Jungian personality types are kind of flawed because personality does change and people show different traits at different times but this does gives us a little insight into some of the characters. Just to reiterate, the characters are so much more complicated that four letters OK!!

I'll start off with Spike, Angel and Buffy's type.I was going to do Wesley as well but maybe the post would be too long. Maybe after people have replied I'll do his. Also btw this isn't a better or worst post, I prefer Angel but not because he's the best, just because his character resonates with me.

Ok let's look at the extroversion and introversion

Extroverts tend to be more interested in the outer world. They like talking and communicating and to experience the world.

Introverts tend to be more interested in the inner world and like to understand the world before they experience it (very me).

Ok to me Spike is very much an extrovert. Spike is rarely alone and even when he is, he often tries to connect with those around him. Even when he's depressed, he wants to talk about it and connect with those around him. He claims not to like Angel but he'd rather annoy him than be left alone when he is a ghost. Very extroverted.

Buffy is also extroverted. She is very social and even in her stage of depression she seeks someone (Spike).

Angel is very introverted. He likes to be alone most of the time and spent 100 years alone. Sir Broods Alot is an introvert.

Ok let's look at Sensing and Inuition.

Sensing types tend to understand the world through their senses. They tend to be down to earth and practical and very much about the here and now.

Inuitive types are more about possibilities and meaning. If a sensing type likes the 'what is' a intuitive type likes 'what could be'. They are big picture thinkers who value imagination and possibilities.

As far astuteness is concerned Spike is perhaps the most adept in the Verse imo beating Buffy and Angel. Spike is able to sense an opponents weakness and use it against them. He is also deft at relationships seeing that Riley wasn't welcome on a hunt from a micro second of a look from Buffy. Even though Spike is an outsider, he is able to observe the scoobies with absolute accuracy.

Spike lacks a little in the intuition department. He never really thought about nature of evil and his soul quest was more about Buffy than anything else ('for the girl') seen as he's 'never been one for self reflection' nor has he been 'much of a thinker'. Spike rarely thinks about the big picture or if he does he gets bored (In The Dark) and only really thinks about the long game when he is pushed to it out of circumstance which shows that it's not a natural tendancy.

Buffy is capable of knowing what's going on around her but she has missed things (vamps, matters with her sister and friends) because she's more preoccupied with her own thoughts.

She is however more a big picture thinker. She comtemplates her morals, what it means to be a Slayer. Buffy doesn't just do, she needs to understand why she does something. While meaning is important to her, I wouldn't say it's as important as it is to Angel and also she is more in the here and now than Angel is. This said she is perhaps more about meaning and self reflection than Spike. In this department I'd say she is a balance between the two but she is imo an intuitive type.

Angel is definitely an intuitive type. He defines what it means to be a champion when he is soulled and has a 'vision' about destroying the world as Spike puts it, when he's soulless. This is big picture thinking. He reads Satre in Lovers Walk and needs to know why he's back from hell. Just look at his speech in Epiphany, Angel is very much a man of his thoughts and desires meaning.

Angel perhaps has the poorest sensing type of the three. For a vampire he doesn't notice a slippery floor in Graduation, not very astute. Angel is last to realise that Gunn and Fred and Fred and Wes are dating, again not very astute. Also see his speech to Nina in Smile Time about seeing what's right in front of him if you think I'm mistaken. This said, someone did point out to me that while not perhaps as frightening astute as Spike, Angelus did reveal that Angel realises more of what's going one around him than he lets on. This said, overall, he focuses more on the past and future imo.

Feeling and Thinking is not a question of intelligence but how one makes decisions. Thinking types are more objective 'head' decision makers and feeling types are more subjective 'heart' decision makers.

Anyone who thinks Spike is a thinking type needs to rewatch Buffy and Angel imo. Spike is a Fool For Love for crying out loud. He is very loyal and is willing to destroy the world for Drusilla and cross over to side of good for Buffy. He says himself, he follows his blood.

Buffy is also a Feeling girl. She makes decisions again and again based upon her values and her friends. She is also pretty loyal (as the Mayor observes). Also look at the time took to take care of Angel(us) and when she did considered it her hardest kill, reflecting on it still by s7.

Angel is perhaps the most objective out of all them but he is still a feeler. Look at how he wants to jump through the portal to save Cordy without a plan. He also needs to connect with the people he saves (or kills if he is Angelus). Angel often bases his decisions on an subjective value system (Darla, Conner, Faith).

Judging and Perceiving is how people live their lives. Judging types are more planned and orderly. They like things to be structured and methodical. Perceiving types are more 'go with the flow' and spotaneous. They are also flexible and adaptable. They live life rather than try to control it (that's me as well!!)

Spike is spontaneous and adaptable and goes through life to the full as if it's a party. Spike is perceiving, definitely. He gets bored with planned activity. When he's with his 'Doyle', he goes out kills the bad guys and then waits for the next vision without planning for it. His sensing and perceiving qualities make him a deadly opponent.

Buffy fans are going to kill me for this but imo she is not a typical planner. She goes with the flow, doesn't bother much with procedure. She is great at planning but she doesn't always think about the end game and prefers things open ended (just look at her relationships and hercookie dough speech). She spends most times 'reacting' vampires on patrols. Many have wondered why Spike has survived as long as he has and Buffy being a perceiving type may be part of the reason. She lets him go in Halloween even though he will kill again but Buffy tends to react to threat levels rather than being consistent with enemies. Couple this with her feeling type and we have reason for her actions in What's My Line. Spike is planning to raise Dru and Buffy seems less animated about it but as soon as Angel's life is on the line Buffy 'reacts' and wants to take Spike down.

Angel is spontaneous sometimes but is I'd say he's more of a judging type. The reason Angel seems more spontaneous is because he plans behind people's back. Just look at Eternity, he was quietly keeping tabs on Rebecca the whole time. Also when he has his Doyle he investigates, often methodically, like a dectective, making lists, insisting on proper filing and often looking at an end game (be it redemption or otherwise). He is very methodical in Damage as well which reflects how he does his evil: the methodical destruction of a human being. When he starts AI, he lives a pretty structured life and is more 'predictable' than his sire. Also look at this from the Prom....

Buffy: Couldn't we just let this be the vamp that got away? We could say he was this big. (Holds hands apart, like a fish story.)

Angel: What can I say? I need closure.

So in conclusion...

Spike: ESFP, the The Performer

Buffy: ENFP, the Champion

Angel: INFJ, The Protecter

Incidently, Angel and Buffy are both 'NF' visionary idealists which is probably why they make great leaders.

So I hope you enjoyed that. It's not definitive and I believe that types can change. I believe in self definition more than anything anyway but it gives us a little insight into the characters and to be honest it's a bit of fun.
 
MinwaraYana
MinwaraYana
This is so cool. I'll read it all soon. :)
U
ubi4soft
Nice post, but a morally ambigous guy as Angel could never be a protector
Fuffy
Fuffy
Going to agree with you on Spike's and Angels's types.
However, I always thought that Buffy is more ESFP than ENFP.
This was a really fascinating read. I think you have the three characters spot on.

Also, as a side note: it is ridiculous how much I am like Angel. Seriously. I think I'll go brood on it 😉
 
K
Kelsey
Hahahahaha.
This was a really fascinating read. I think you have the three characters spot on.

Also, as a side note: it is ridiculous how much I am like Angel. Seriously. I think I'll go brood on it 😉

Well according to the test I'm one letter out from Angel. I'm an INFP, an Idealist.
 
U
ubi4soft
i'm extremelly sorry for the previous disagree karma, my browser went wonky keep popping up you cannot give linear mode
I always thought this sort of thing was quite interesting. I'd love to see more break downs 🙂
 
Well according to the test I'm one letter out from Angel. I'm an INFP, an Idealist.

I took this test a couple of minutes ago and got the same result as Angel (INFJ), however, that made me a Councelor or Idealist according to their results.


Idealist Portrait of the Counselor (INFJ)
Counselors have an exceptionally strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others, and find great personal fulfillment interacting with people, nurturing their personal development, guiding them to realize their human potential. Although they are happy working at jobs (such as writing) that require solitude and close attention, Counselors do quite well with individuals or groups of people, provided that the personal interactions are not superficial, and that they find some quiet, private time every now and then to recharge their batteries. Counselors are both kind and positive in their handling of others; they are great listeners and seem naturally interested in helping people with their personal problems. Not usually visible leaders, Counselors prefer to work intensely with those close to them, especially on a one-to-one basis, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes.

Counselors are scarce, little more than one percent of the population, and can be hard to get to know, since they tend not to share their innermost thoughts or their powerful emotional reactions except with their loved ones. They are highly private people, with an unusually rich, complicated inner life. Friends or colleagues who have known them for years may find sides emerging which come as a surprise. Not that Counselors are flighty or scattered; they value their integrity a great deal, but they have mysterious, intricately woven personalities which sometimes puzzle even them.

Counselors tend to work effectively in organizations. They value staff harmony and make every effort to help an organization run smoothly and pleasantly. They understand and use human systems creatively, and are good at consulting and cooperating with others. As employees or employers, Counselors are concerned with people's feelings and are able to act as a barometer of the feelings within the organization.

Blessed with vivid imaginations, Counselors are often seen as the most poetical of all the types, and in fact they use a lot of poetic imagery in their everyday language. Their great talent for language-both written and spoken-is usually directed toward communicating with people in a personalized way. Counselors are highly intuitive and can recognize another's emotions or intentions - good or evil - even before that person is aware of them. Counselors themselves can seldom tell how they came to read others' feelings so keenly. This extreme sensitivity to others could very well be the basis of the Counselor's remarkable ability to experience a whole array of psychic phenomena.

Mohandas Gandhi, Sidney Poitier, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jane Goodall, Emily Bronte, Sir Alec Guiness, Carl Jung, Mary Baker Eddy, Queen Noor are examples of the Counselor Idealist (INFJ).

SourceType Explained

Having read their description I can't say I disagree with them.
 
U
ubi4soft
thanks for the links
feeler
This is a really great analysis! I love personality tests.
I'd say you've got them all down pat, except for Angel when it comes to Feeling vs. Thinking.
Here, I want to sight A Hole in the World, when he and Spike go to save Fred. Here, he has to make an extremely hard decision... kill a bunch of people or kill one of the people he loves most (I say "kill" not because I think he's actually killing the people, but because I think that's what was going on in his head.) He ultimately takes the Good of the Many over the Good of the One, indicating that he is a thinker.
 
Seeing if I can reactivate this...

Rigght I can't believe I forgot Wes.

While I think Wes can socialise he seems more at home with his books by himself. It seems like the social thing was relatively new at the start which is why he is so awkward. I'm going to go out on a limb and say he's an Introvert.

Wes is pretty adept and noticing things but he very much a big picture thinker. He is also good and putting things together and coming up with the answer (Happy Aniversary). I'd say he's Intuitive. Also intuitive types are more academic (not nessarily more intelligent) adn Wes is certainly that.

Wes makes the hard decisions based upon logic and reason rather than his feelings. More often than none he does things despite his feelings. His Conner decision wasn't his best decision but it was based on reading 'evidence' and after logical investigation. Wes is not a man of loyalty necessarily but more of man of logic. Wes is a thinking type

As for J or P? Do I need to go through this? Wes is very planned and structured. He was the one who wanted a plan before they jumped through the big swirly hole thingy. Judging for Wes.

INTJ, the Mastermind for Wes.
 
According to that site Kean posted, I'm ENFJ...so that's like Angel? Except for the brooding, I'm more the type to be among people...

Very interesting thread btw...could you do some more characters. I'd be interested what type Willow would be, in particular.

EDIT: Oh, interesting side fact. According to the Jung career service, one of the occupations suitable for me would be Psychology. Once again an affirmation that I did pick the right study for me 😀
 
Yeah i remember taking tests in psych class on this subject...i could be both intro and extro depending on my mood and surroundings..i think i have a split personality anyways lol
 
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