Temperament Type (KTS)

What the KTS measures

While the MBTI focuses on internal cognitive functions (how people think), David Keirsey developed the Temperament Sorter to focus on observable behavior (what people do). Keirsey posited that human behavior is driven by a matrix of two dimensions: Communication (Concrete vs. Abstract) and Action (Cooperative vs. Utilitarian).

The dimensions it assesses

• The Guardian (SJ - Sensing/Judging): Concrete Communicators & Cooperative Actors. Driven by duty, security, belonging, and service. They are the cornerstone of society, enforcing rules and traditions.
• The Artisan (SP - Sensing/Perceiving): Concrete Communicators & Utilitarian Actors. Driven by impact, freedom, and spontaneity. They act on what works right now, ignoring rules to get immediate results.
• The Idealist (NF - Intuitive/Feeling): Abstract Communicators & Cooperative Actors. Driven by meaning, authenticity, and personal growth. They seek harmony and deep empathetic connections.
• The Rational (NT - Intuitive/Thinking): Abstract Communicators & Utilitarian Actors. Driven by mastery, competence, and knowledge. They are strategic, logical, and ignore social conventions if they are inefficient.

What to do with your result

1. For Guardians (SJ): Your desire for stability makes you reliable, but resistant to necessary innovation. You must practice embracing ambiguity. Not every new idea is a threat to the established order.
2. For Artisans (SP): Your tactical brilliance saves the day in a crisis, but your impulsivity creates crises that didn't need to happen. You must learn the value of long-term strategic planning.
3. For Idealists (NF): You exhaust yourself carrying the emotional weight of everyone around you. You must establish strict emotional boundaries and realize that conflict is sometimes necessary for growth.
4. For Rationals (NT): You dismiss people who cannot defend their ideas with pure logic. You must learn that humans are emotional creatures, and EQ (Emotional Intelligence) is a system you must master, not ignore.

Common questions about the KTS

What does the KTS measure?

Classification of personality into four overarching temperaments based on observable behavior (Communication and Action).

Can the KTS diagnose me?

No. Temperament Type (KTS) is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic tool. It can flag that something may need a closer look. It cannot tell you what is causing it. It describes tendencies rather than diagnosing anything, and no result here is a condition or something to fix.

Is this KTS test really free?

Yes. No account, no email address, no payment. Psychometrics Today is funded by donations rather than advertising, which is also what allows us to publish instruments whose authors permit free but non-commercial use.

Are my answers stored or shared?

No. Your answers are scored inside your browser and never sent to us. There is no database of responses, because we never receive any. Closing the tab erases them, which is why results cannot be recovered afterwards.

How often should I retake the KTS?

Traits and preferences move slowly, so retaking this every few months is more informative than retaking it often. Larger shifts usually follow a genuine change in circumstances.

How accurate is the KTS?

Screening questionnaires are good at flagging that something merits attention and poor at establishing what it is. This one is sensitive to how you feel on the day you take it, and many instruments were validated on narrow populations whose cut-offs may not transfer cleanly to everyone. The references at the foot of this page are the primary sources.

Why can I not take the KTS here?

Copyrighted commercial instrument. We will not reproduce a questionnaire we have no right to reproduce, so this page explains what it measures instead. Open Extended Jungian Type Scales (OEJTS) is free to use.