By now the many replays of the video of Governor Rick Perry’s momentary memory lapse during the recent debate have reached most of the US population multiple times. (He mentioned three federal government agencies we could do without: Education, Commerce, and- then suddenly drew a blank on #3. I think he meant to add Energy.
No one thinks it was a wonderful thing to do, but the commentaries range from He’s senile, he should just quit now and change his identity (on the left) to Everybody has lapses like that, just not in such embarrassing situations; he should have used a tele-prompter (on the right). (He has used humor as damage control, and asked for suggestions as to what agency(s) you would like to forget.)
A Significant Part of the Explanation: Perry’s Psychological Type.
I have a new explanation, the viewpoint of psychological Type (MBTI™).
I have not studied Gov. Perry enough to have a final conclusion as to his personality Type. (I’ll tell you my guess below). But I have a strong impression, and frankly, it probably does not matter precisely; the principle applies. (It applies to me.)
He suffered a Memory Failure. In Type, Introverted Sensing is the memory function.
There are 8 different “Functions,” in different order, depending upon your Type. The further down the 1-through-8 hierarchy Your Introverted Sensing falls, the tougher time you generally have with memory, at least theoretically, (Other factors, such as the emotional content of the memory, age and Type development, stress, etc have an effect. We’re just explaining the general idea here.)
For some people, Introverted Sensing is their #1 or Dominant function. The Captain of their ship, as it were, and usually the best developed. These people are called “Introverted Sensers:” ISTJ, and ISFJ. They generally have an easier time with memory. It’s one of their “Unfair Advantages” provided by their Type. (All Types have different advantages.)
Others have Introverted Sensing as their #2 or Auxiliary function: ESTJ and ESFJ.
It is #3 and relatively unconscious and undeveloped, especially in the younger years, for INTP and INFP.
It is #4 (“Shadow Function,” even more unconscious and undeveloped) for ENTP and ENFP. It’s their “Achilles’ Heel and Pearl of Great Price,” as Terence Duniho called it in his book, Your Shadow Side.
Wait a minute; that’s only 8 of the 16 Types. Where are the other 8?
That Other 8 May Be Where We Find Governor Rick Perry (and President Obama).
Some of the other 8 are in fact Dominant Sensers- but it’s Extraverted Sensing: ESFP and ESTP. For them, Introverted Sensing is #5, even more unconscious than their 4th function. Up to 1/3 of the US may be in this category, including Gov. Perry, who may be an Extravert or possibly an Introvert. I see him as a likely ESTP (but possibly ISTP- see below).
Introverted Sensing is #6 for ISTP and ISFP, for whom Sensing is #2, but it’s Extraverted Sensing.
For the record, ENFJ and ENTJ have Introverted Sensing as #7, and INFJ and INTJ have Introverted Sensing as #8. As far down as you can get, at least theoretically. President Obama is probably an INFJ. (That’s a whole ‘nother article. I’ll keep you posted.)
But as a practical matter, the less-preferred functions, 5 through 8, are largely unconscious, and thus not used often at all. The very order 5-6-7-8 is not well established by any research, since it would be a very difficult thing to measure.
This does not mean these folks are seriously handicapped individuals overall.
Every Type has different gifts, and different less-developed aspects. We all have the same 4 basic functions- Sensing, iNtuition, Thinking, and Feeling, in some order, as our # 1,2, 3, & 4. And also as our # 5, 6, 7, & 8, the difference being that those in our preferred group are used in the opposite direction (Extravertedly vs Introvertedly), as compared to the same function in our less conscious, less-preferred group.
An ESTP is an Extraverted Senser. Sensing is his strongest suit. But it’s extraverted, not Introverted most of the time. Gov. Perry, if he’s an ESTP, would have the strengths of being practical, reality-based, a no-nonsense, hands-on kind of guy.
His bio fits well with the ESTP preference. He went to Texas A&M, and credits the Cadet Corps there with teaching him discipline. He was a USAF pilot and Captain, and later ran the Texas Agriculture Department. Earlier he was a Democrat, but was for lower taxes and smaller government, but (flexible P) later switched to the Republican side. He is the longest-serving US Governor.
For the record, ESTP would make Rick Perry the exact opposite Type from INFJ Barack Obama (more on that in another post). Both are low on the Memory scale (maybe that’s why Obama uses tele-prompters). But both have other (very different) compensating assets, and values.
If Perry is an ISTP, much the same comments would apply in terms of strengths – practical, reality-based, etc (see above), but he would have dominant introverted Thinking as his #1 function, extraverted Sensing #2. And the memory function down at #6.
The Media’s Medical Experts
I just heard Juan Williams, former NPR and now Fox TV host, interview two medical experts about Gov. Perry’s famous lapse. They generally agreed, but neither mentioned Type.
“It happens to all of us,” according to Leigh Vinocur of UMD Medical School. It often happens when we’re busy, multitasking, under stress, she says.
Patrick Lyden, MD, a neurologist. agrees with the stress connection, saying stress reduces the ability of the brain to function, and releases stress hormones. Once in a while, he says, it happens to all of us.
I don’t know for sure that the “occasional lapse” fits neatly along the Type pattern, but from what I’ve observed, that’s the way to bet. (Anyone looking for a fresh doctoral thesis topic is invited to consider this.)
If you have a personal “memory lapse” experience (mine is here on a separate post), please add your own to the comments box below!