U.S. Department of State

Group Size: Seminar group-8-12 students

Time Needed: 45 to 60 minutes

Physical Set up: Circle or conference table

Materials: Overhead projector, handouts & overhead masters, Personality Prototype Assessment (PPA), scoring circle, and type descriptions, colored pens or pencils, at least four different colors.

Goal: To help students to identify their personality prototype profile

Procedure: Meet & Greet Activity: Using "Talking Leather" strategy have students name a personality characteristic that they would use to describe the person to their left.

Explain that today's session will focus on how we each have our own personality characteristics. These characteristics tell a lot about what we need or expect in our lives, how we communicate, the kinds of careers in which we will experience success and more.

Distribute handout: Personality Prototype Assessment and explain directions using transparency. Allow for questions and then ask students to begin. This is not a timed test, but it should take the students about 5-8 minutes to complete.

Have them total their scores. Distribute scoring circle sheet and have them fill in according to their scores.

Ask students to describe their profiles from strongest to weakest. Explain that we are all four of the styles at one time or another. However when we can arrange our lives so that expectations and activities reflect our strengths, our lives will be more satisfying and less stressful.

Distribute prototype descriptions and discuss.

Follow-up: Discuss with the students whether they agreed with the descriptions about themselves and about those of their classmates. Have them predict what their parents' prototypes are and allow copies for them to use with their parents. A variation would be to allow parents to complete an assessment of their perceptions of their own children. Discuss possible conflicts when we have different styles different from others in our lives. These will be discussed further in other chapters dealing with communications, relationships, and transitions.

Reflection: Journal entry suggestion(s)

What did I learn about myself today? What questions to I have about my Talent prototype profile?

Create a fun collage. Cut out things you like to do from magazines or movies. Analyze your choices using your knowledge about style.

Baum & Nicols
Personality Prototype Assessment�

Read the items on the next page and rank order your preferences. For instance in the question, what kind of TV show do you prefer: Documentary Show, Soap Opera, Situation Comedy, and Quiz Show.

Your favorite will receive a score of 4, next favorite 3, next, 2 and the least favorite a 1.

You must rank each item.

When you are ready to take the test turn to the next page.

SAMPLE

1.	What kind of TV show would you prefer to watch?		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	Documentary Show.	4	XXX	XXX	XXX
	b	Soap Opera.	XXX	2	XXX	XXX
	c	Situation Comedy.	XXX	XXX	1	XXX
	d	Quiz Show.	XXX	XXX	XXX	3

Personality Prototype: Your favorite will receive a 4, next 3, next 2 and the least favorite a 1.			A	B	C	D
1.	If you just came home from a movie that you really liked, how might you describe it to your friends?		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	Good Movie.		XXX	XXX	XXX
	b	Great Movie.	XXX	XXX	XXX
	c	Excellent Show.	XXX	XXX		XXX
	d	Wow! Super! Fantastic!	XXX		XXX	XXX
2.	If I got the chance to stay at home for a day I would spend my time ...		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	Reading a good book or watching a good movie.	XXX	XXX		XXX
	b	Playing video games.	XXX	XXX	XXX
	c	Organizing my CD or other collection.		XXX	XXX	XXX
	d	Talking to my friends on the phone.	XXX		XXX	XXX
3.	Your family is going on a cruise. When you close your eyes and think of the cruise you see yourself ....		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	Making new friends with other people on the cruise.	XXX		XXX	XXX
	b	Relaxing on the deck by myself in the sun with a good book.	XXX	XXX		XXX
	c	Planning a great adventure like parasailing on the ship.	XXX	XXX	XXX
	d	Checking the daily schedule to set your day's agenda to squeeze in as much as you can.		XXX	XXX	XXX
4.	A flaw in my personality might be ...		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	I often go along with others just to avoid conflict.	XXX		XXX	XXX
	b	I can be sarcastic.	XXX	XXX		XXX
	c	I don't like to plan ahead. I want to keep my options open.	XXX	XXX	XXX
	d	I insist on keeping everything neat and tidy. Sometimes to a fault.		XXX	XXX	XXX
5.	I find that I most enjoy a class when....		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	We get to choose the activity we want to do.	XXX	XXX	XXX
	b	When I have a hand's on experience with specific instructions.		XXX	XXX	XXX
	c	When the topic relates to me personally.	XXX		XXX	XXX
	d	When the teacher is knowledgeable and supports the content with research.	XXX	XXX		XXX
	Total the answers down the column, then subtotal to the right.

Personality Styles			A	B	C	D
Enter the sub total numbers from the previous page in the space on the right.
6.	The statement that might best describe me....		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	Neatness counts.		XXX	XXX	XXX
	b	I often leap before I look.	XXX	XXX	XXX
	c	Go with the flow.	XXX		XXX	XXX
	d	I would rather read about it than do it.	XXX	XXX		XXX
7.	When working on a project I spend most of my time....		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	Researching the information before I actually develop the product.	XXX	XXX		XXX
	b	Trying to decide what to do first.	XXX	XXX	XXX
	c	Fine tuning it by adding details until it is perfect.		XXX	XXX	XXX
	d	Working together with a friend so we can fool around while we work.	XXX		XXX	XXX
8.	When I am working in a cooperative group I contribute best by ...		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	Helping everyone get along.	XXX		XXX	XXX
	b	Researching the information for details.	XXX	XXX		XXX
	c	Coming up with creative ideas that no one else would think of without me.	XXX	XXX	XXX
	d	Attending to the details of the assignment.		XXX	XXX	XXX
9.	If I called my friend and they did not want to talk until they finished their homework. I would....		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	Email him and they could answer later.	XXX	XXX		XXX
	b	No big deal. I could find another person to talk to anyway.	XXX	XXX	XXX
	c	Be impressed that they had their priorities right.		XXX	XXX	XXX
	d	Be insulted because I want to talk right then.	XXX		XXX	XXX
10.	If I had my choice of a project to do in Science Class on photosynthesis I would prefer to...		XXX	XXX	XXX	XXX
	a	Make a chart or a diagram.		XXX	XXX	XXX
	b	Do a research paper.	XXX	XXX		XXX
	c	Draw a mural or do a skit.	XXX		XXX	XXX
	d	Conduct an experiment and write up a report.	XXX	XXX	XXX
	Total answers down the column, be sure to add the numbers from the preceding page. Total to the right.
	The total score should add up to 100 points. A+B+C+D=100 points. �Baum & Nicols Personality Prototype Assessment, 2002

What does it mean? Look at your profile and notice which prototypes are your strengths and describe you well. Decide which ones are nothing like you and make you feel stressed just reading them. Some of you may be equally talented in all four. Some of you will have real strengths in two or three. Others of you are over the edge in one of the prototype areas. The following is a brief description of each. We will revisit these personality prototypes and provide even more detail in the subsequent chapters where you will learn more about them.

� Baum & Nicols Personality Prototype Assessment, 2002

Personality Prototype Descriptions

A-Practical Manager
If you are strong in this prototype you have a talent for management and are a champion for the pragmatic. These traits enable you to take charge, to organize things and people. Your room is probably neat, your clothes are usually hung up, and your appearance is important. You easily keep your notebooks in order and probably never lose your homework. Life works when you know what is expected and how you will be evaluated. You want to have clear, detailed directions. Time is also highly valued. You are on time and expect others to be as well. After all you know there is a time and a place for everything. Yes you are the practical ones of the world. You are great with details and can even get "hung-up" on them at times. Some people may even call you obsessive compulsive. You don't need a lot of people around and can amuse yourself. One or two friends at a time suit you well. You love having a plan and checking off your accomplishments as they are completed. You are happy when you know you have done a good job. You are stressed when you are not sure of the requirements, when there is too much chaos, and when no one seems in charge!

B- People Person
If you are strong in this prototype you have a talent for human relations and are a master of harmony. These traits allow you to get along with others. You love harmony and will try to assure that events move along with little or not conflict. You are a people person and have many friends. Life is good when it gives you opportunities to be with your friends to study, to relax, or to provide social service. Because you are so sensitive, you can feel the emotions in the room as soon as you enter. This sensitivity often contributes to your talents in the arts such as poetry, drama, and musical composition. On the other hand, it can get you into trouble. You may take on the problems of others or have your feelings hurt by taking things to personally. You are quite the colorful person in both how you dress and how you communicate. Because you have many friends, you are rarely alone. This is good for you because you hate being lonely. In fact you would prefer to study in the kitchen with people all around you. You are happiest when you relationships are going well, when the teacher allows you to work in groups or with a friend, and when the teacher compliments you. You are stressed when you have to be organized and on time, when there is dissension or conflict, and when you are not made to feel special. 

C - Learned Expert
If you are strong in this prototype you have a strength that allows you to become the class expert. You crave knowledge and satiate this hunger by reading, watching documentaries, and listening to interesting and informed people. In fact at times you would often rather read or hear about an adventure than actually have it. You have a gift for words and can express yourself eloquently. Getting good grades is easy for you, as you like to learn by reading and writing. You are very logical and enjoy verbal debate even though some may think you argue for the sake of arguing. You don't much worry about the fashion scene and don't want to waste your time with boring people. You are happiest when engaged in some sort of intellectual pursuit or allowed to give your opinion. Evaluating the world is a favorite pastime. You feel stressed when people are too "mushy" or when no one around you is smart based on your criteria.

D - Creative Problem Solver
If you are strong in this prototype you have the traits that will allow you to be an idea generator. You are never satisfied with the status quo and would rather do it your way. In fact you won't often take no for an answer. According to your philosophy, rules can be bent and exceptions made for the good of the cause. You are a "spur of the moment person" and value spontaneity. You don't mind taking risks if there is a chance for fun and adventure. You can do many things at once and often have lots of projects going on simultaneously. Sometimes people fear you will never finish anything. You are happiest when you can be the life of the party or engaged in some risk-taking adventure or working on a creative project. You feel stressed when you have to focus on details, live on a fixed and predictable schedule, or be governed by too many rules and regulations. Because you like to keep your options open you resist making commitments and may "go nuts" when you feel you have no options.