Edward Snowden Personality Type – MBTI & Big Five
What is the personality type of Edward Snowden, using the big five personality traits, Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and using any other relevant psychology?
Edward Snowden is a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee. Then later working for the National Security Agency (NSA). He leaked highly sensitive information while working at the NSA that suggested that the United States government was misusing its heightened powers of surveillance that it granted itself after 9/11. He fled the United States to Hong Kong where he gave the leaked information to journalists. Edward Snowden eventually ended up in Russia, where he was given temporary residence. He was eventually granted full citizenship in Russia, where he still currently lives.
Edward Snowden Personality Type – Big Five
Openness
Edward Snowden is very high in trait openness. He seems to have a very strong ability to see the big picture by putting together and seeing patterns and connections. He also has a high appreciation for art and general creativity. He also seems to value classic liberal political views, which is connected to having high openness.
Conscientiousness
Edward Snowden seems to have a strong work ethic and sense of duty. He wanted to be of assistance to his country, and he had a strong respect for authority. This suggests he is high in many of the aspects of conscientiousness. Another thing that suggests high conscientiousness is he values many conservative values. He considered himself to be mostly a conservative politically. However, he initially supported Barack Obama.
Agreeableness
Edward Snowden seems to have an extremely high sense of morality. It was this morality I believe was the motivation for leaking the NSA files. Morality is linked to trait agreeableness; but his act of leaking the data was an extremely disagreeable act. So, he is certainly very high in the morality aspect of agreeableness. However, he seems low in other aspects of agreeableness, with a strong interest in things over people.
Extroversion
Edward Snowden is low in extroversion. Most people who are computer programmers and engineers tend to be on the lower side of extroversion. This is because they are often jobs that suit individuals that thrive from high amounts of solitude and isolation.
Neuroticism
I would place him around the middle of the neuroticism scale. What he did required a strong nerve. I’m not sure anyone high in neuroticism could have done what he did, dealing with all the pressure and stress. In the end, his morality was a priority, which would likely override the negative emotions and fear that he had. So I think, not low on neuroticism, not high, but somewhere around the middle.
Edward Snowden Personality Type – MBTI
I think Edward Snowden is an INTJ. Introverted and reserved. He’s a big picture thinker, focusing on the patterns, making him more of an intuitive type. Despite his high sense of morality, he mostly seems to be dominated by logic and rationality, making him a thinker. Because of his initial sense of duty, respect for authority, and apparent achievement seeking from an early age, I’m saying he is a Judger. An INTP would also be a close match, and worth considering as a possible type.
