The Personality Profile of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh - PowerPoint Presentation

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The Personality Profile of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh

Abstract

A psychological analysis of United States Supreme Court associate justice Brett Kavanaugh revealed that Kavanaugh’s primary personality patterns are Conscientious/respectful and Accommodating/cooperative, with secondary Dominant/asserting and Ambitious/confident features. In summary, Kavanaugh’s personality composite can be characterized as that of a

conscientious conciliator

.

Conscientious

(scale 6) individuals are characteristically principled, prudent, proper, dignified, and dependable; they are dutiful and diligent, with a strong work ethic and careful attention to detail.

Accommodating

(scale 4) individuals are cordial, cooperative, and amicable; they are polite, respectful, and agreeable, willing to adapt their preferences to reconcile differences, and to concede or compromise when necessary.

Dominant

(scale 1A) individuals enjoy the power to direct others and to evoke obedience and respect; they can be tough and unsentimental and often are effective in positions of authority.

Ambitious

(scale 2) individuals are bold, competitive, and self-assured; they easily assume leadership roles, expect others to recognize their special qualities, and may act as though entitled.

Distinctive, pervasive patterns of thinking, feeling, acting, and relating to others

Stable over

time

Consistent across situations

Definition of Personality

Deeply embedded (ingrained)

Largely

nonconscious Not easily altered Expressed automatically in most facets of functioningNature of Personality

Consistency increases with

agePersonality

is more consistent over time than across

situationsConsistency is weaker for attitudes, interests, and opinions than for personalityCoherence: Although temporally consistent, how a trait is manifested in behavior might change over time

Consistency over Time

Personality Stability

Millon’s

Eight Attribute Domains

Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria

Taxonomy: Scales and Gradations

MIDC Score Sheet for Brett Kavanaugh

Scale 6: Conscientious

Sample Extractions

Conscientious

: (a) Respectful – (b) Dutiful – (c) Compulsive (Obsessive‑compulsive) A/6-a Dutiful: organized, disciplined, and self‑controlled; responsible, conscientious, and prudent; orderly and systematic.“He’s a very organized guy, to put it mildly.” (Turley, 2018)B/6-a Respectful: polite, courteous, and proper; decorous and dignified.“He has a reputation for being very polite and civil to everyone. So this was a genuine moment, but maybe an uncharacteristic one for him.” (Turley, 2018)B/6-b Exacting: rigid or stubborn

; firmly adheres to social conventions and proprieties; punctual; formal; prefers “correct” personal relationships.

“Lawyers

and judges interviewed by the non-partisan ABA Committee described Mr. Kavanaugh as

‘sanctimonious,’ ‘immovable’

and

‘very stubborn

 and frustrating to deal with on some issues.’ ” (US Newswire, 2006) 

Scale 4: Accommodating

Sample Extractions

Accommodating

: (a) Cooperative – (b) Agreeable – (c) Submissive (Dependent) A/4-a Accommodating: cooperative, adaptable, solicitous (caring) of others, devoted. “And I want to read to you really quickly Brett Kavanaugh’s statement. He said: ‘I answered questions under oath about every topic the senators and their counsel asked me. I have done everything that they have requested and will continue to cooperate.’ ” (PBS NewsHour, 2018) B/4-a Conciliatory: solicitous (attentive) and conflict-averse; generally uncritical and accepting. “Brett Kavanaugh … is apparently a very good girls’ basketball coach, an attentive father to two young daughters and a man who has actually hired women more than a few times to work with him.” (Peck, 2018) 

D/4-b

Docile

: softhearted,

gentle

, and tender; uncompetitive; dovish; avoids social tension or conflict.

 “He has a very gentle

 soul. And, as a friend of his, as a former colleague, he’s always been sensitive to my life issues.” (Williams, 2018)

MIDC Profile for Brett Kavanaugh

Brett Kavanaugh

Conscientious Conciliator

Conscientious

[Conscientious individuals] are notably respectful of tradition and authority, and act in a reasonable, proper, and conscientious way. They do their best to uphold conventional rules and standards, following given regulations closely, and tend to be judgmental of those who do not. Well‑organized and reliable, prudent and restrained, they may appear to be overly self‑controlled, formal and inflexible in their relationships, intolerant of deviance, and unbending in their adherence to social proprieties. Diligent about their responsibilities, they dislike having their work pile up, worry about finishing things, and come across to others as highly dependable and industrious. (Millon, 1994, p. 33)Accommodating[Accommodating individuals] are notably cooperative and amicable. Disinclined to upset others, they are willing to adapt their preferences to be compatible with those of others. Trusting others to be kind and thoughtful, they are also willing to reconcile differences and to achieve peaceable solutions, as well as to be considerate and to concede when necessary. Cordiality and compromise characterize their interpersonal relationships. (Millon, 1994, p. 34)

Conscientious–Accommodating Composite

Conscientious Conciliator (Scale 6–4)

Individuals with a predominantly Conscientious (scale 6) personality pattern who also possess significant Accommodating (scale 4) features may be characterized as

conscientious conciliators. The Conscientious–Accommodating blend is the most well-adjusted of all Conscientious personality variants. These personalities are earnest, hardworking, meticulous, play by the rules, and are duty-bound. The most prevalent limitation of this personality amalgam is a tendency to be inflexible and indecisive, with an unwarranted fear of failure or error; hence, they tend to be risk-averse and are typically more submissive (socially agreeable) than dominant.

Conscientious–Accommodating Composite

Conscientious Conciliator

Primary Personality Patterns

Conscientious/respectful (Scale 6, level a)Accommodating/cooperative (Scale 4, level a)Secondary Personality Patterns Dominant/asserting (Scale 1A, level a)Ambitious/confident (Scale 2, sub-level a)

Personality Profile: Executive Summary

Conscientious types

:

Dutiful and diligent, with a strong work ethic and careful attention to detail; hold strong moral principles and strive to uphold rules and regulations; loyal to their families and causes; respectful of authority.Accommodating types: Notably cordial, cooperative, and amicable; willing to adapt their preferences to be compatible with those of others, to reconcile differences to achieve peaceable solutions, and to concede or compromise when necessary.Dominant types: Enjoy the power to direct others and to evoke obedience and respect; can be tough and unsentimental and often make effective leaders.Ambitious types: Bold, competitive, and self-assured; easily assume leadership roles, expect others to recognize their special qualities, and may act as though entitled.

Conscientious/respectful

Dutiful and diligent, with a strong work ethic and careful attention to detail; hold strong moral principles and strive to uphold rules and regulations; loyal to their families and causes; respectful of authority.

Accommodating/cooperative

Cordial, cooperative, and amicable; are willing to adapt their preferences to be compatible with those of others, to reconcile differences to achieve peaceable solutions, and to concede or compromise when necessary.

Dominant/controlling

Enjoy the power to direct others and to evoke obedience and respect; can be tough and unsentimental and often make effective leaders.

Ambitious/confident

Bold, competitive, and self-assured; easily assume leadership roles, expect others to recognize their special qualities, and may act as though entitled.

Brett Kavanaugh

Summary and Formulation

This indirect, at-a-distance personality assessment cannot be construed as disconfirming or confirming the sexual assault allegations dating back decades that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford leveled against Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his Senate confirmation hearings; those allegations must be evaluated on their own merits. It may, however, legitimately be asserted that the personality profile is inconsistent with that of a person who would exhibit a pattern of sexual misconduct (or any kind of habitual criminal or antisocial behavior). Finally, the profile cannot exclude the possibility that a teenage Brett Kavanaugh -- irrespective of his enduring personality pattern -- could have committed a sexual indiscretion on occasion when his judgment was impaired by alcohol intoxication.

The reliability of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s

sexual assault allegation against

Supreme

Court nominee Judge Brett KavanaughThe expert witness best qualified to comment on the accuracy and reliability of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s memory of a sexual assault approximately 36 years ago is Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, distinguished professor in the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior and the Department of Criminology, Law, and Society at the University of California, Irvine, with additional appointments in the university’s Department of Cognitive Sciences and the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory.Eminent California professor and human memory expert weighs in on Christine Ford’s allegations against Kavanaugh (Scott Morefield, Townhall.com, Sept. 23, 2018)Caution, the Kavanaugh mess may never be resolved satisfactorily (Megan McArdle, Washington Post, Sept. 17, 2018)Kavanaugh’s accuser may be telling the truth, but there are still big problems with her story (John Ziegler, Mediaite, Sept. 17, 2018)More » Google search: Christine Blasey Ford Kavanaugh Elizabeth

Loftus

Allison Roehl presents her research poster, “The Personality Profile of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh,” at the annual Department of Psychology Poster Session, College of St. Benedict | St. John's University, Dec. 4, 2018

.