the Wakefield Doctrine

The Wakefield Doctrine, also known as the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers  is a unique, useful and fun way to approach understanding (the) human personality.

There is more, much more!

Our goal in this little Primer is to give you the basic elements of the Wakefield Doctrine!

The Wakefield Doctrine holds that all people are born with the potential to experience the world in (one) of three characteristic ways, and that at an early age we settle into one of these ways of seeing the world. At this point we are said to become clarks or scotts or rogers. While our experience in life is predominately one of these three worldviews, we never lose the capacity to see the world as the other two types.

This blog has a table of contents, or tabs or some damn thing that will take you to Pages that are devoted to descriptions of the three personality types of the Wakefield Doctrine.

What separates the Doctrine from most other personality typing systems is that rather than trying to assign a ‘label’ or a category or a type to a person based on a list of traits or behaviors or other arbitrary qualities, the Wakefield Doctrine maintains that only by understanding the nature of the world as the other person is experiencing it can you possibly assign a type or label.

Lets start at the beginning and work from there.

Number One (#1) Most Important Fact about the use of the Wakefield Doctrine: this is for you, not for them

OK folks. Here it is. Proof-positive of what I’ve been saying about how unreliable personality tests are. I decided to take one for myself. And like my results below, the questionnaire itself was not detailed. It even says so in my results for crying out loud! I mean, come on, how can a personality test give you specific results if the questions themselves are so broad?

In addition to this test I also took another on personality types that I found in Psychology Today**. I took the damn thing 5 times with completely different answers every time.
The results? All the frickin’same.

Results (…I got ya results…right here…)

My Results: (from one of these tests or another can’t frickin keep ‘em straight anymore) How lame-assed are these “tests”?  they have to nerve to stick this Disclaimer right where you can’t possibly miss it:

“This questionnaire can’t tell you exactly what you are like; it doesn’t go into enough detail and only helps you ask questions about the way you behave and make decisions in your occupation. Don’t rely on it to tell you what your personality is like but use it to think about the different ways that people go about doing things. Read each description, ask yourself if it sounds like you (and it may not!)”

I mean, come on.. Seriously “…sounds like you (and it may not)”.   Ya think?

Hey!  AKH to test-dudes!  Going out on a limb much there? You people are the kind of risk-takers, cutting-edge…’hey, show-me-how-fast-you-can-make-this-thing-go kind of people. Tests to identify your unique personality? Hey! psych-geek, do I look like a roger?! 

My point?

The Wakefield Doctrine is a frickin useful thing, maybe not a, “hey I get paid to sit in some office and maybe teach college freshman psych students to worry about whether they might be gay or something ” (type thing),  but a theory of personality which at least gives you an accurate assessment of “who” you are…no, wait…let’s put it this way: the Wakefield Doctrine is both usable and it is useful!

Example: (you find out you are a clark)  and somebody says, “hey I got a cousin who works at a car lot and they need more people, he says you can make a lot of money’!
Doctrine sez: don’t even try to convince yourself, don’t waste a minute of thought on getting this job, cause you will get the job and you will not make any money.

Example: your sister calls and says to you: “my husband has a friend at work who would be perfect for you, and he is one of the best engineers in the whole place, 
Doctrine sez: jeez I would love to spend an evening listening to a roger talk about themselves…as long as we don’t have to do anything fun

Example: you’re at a party and you discover that the guy your friend brought along for you to meet is talking to everybody even though hey doesn’t know any of them, he is joking and laughing and everyone is paying attention to him
Doctrine sez:  er… that is a scott…great fun if you don’t mind spending the night in jail of the emergency room   

Believe or not, the Wakefield Doctrine  ain’t hard to grasp. How many more frickin’ ways can I tell you that you are missing the boat here people?

And when I say understand everyone else, I mean just that…with the Doctrine you will know how other is gonna  react in any situation! Think that would give you the advantage over them, or what?

So get on over to the Doctrine, right now. No… I’m talking to that other person sitting in front of the computer. Jeez.   Hey, when you get to the Doctrine?….look for stuff  the right side of the page?  Over there-> idiot. See that Table of Contents?

Stop reading this and start reading that!  Go to each ‘bio page’ (clarks, scotts, and rogers).

After you have done that, come back here tell me why you regret not having done it sooner. I’m being totally, 100% serious. (hey, I don’t care how fast you think you can read, you are not done yet, get back there!)

The Wakefield Doctrine is not just some crazy idea thought up by someone for your entertainment (though it is fun once you start applying it). It is an authentic, dynamic theory. And remember, everyone has some characteristics of each. So don’t let that throw you off. It is the predominance of one (of the three types) that makes you either a clark, scott or roger. Don’t try to be the one you think is best. When I read ‘em I never would’ve thought of myself as a scott because scotts seemed to be very brash in an irreverent way. Self-absorbed. Why is it that we all tend to view the scotts as the bad guys? But I digress.
The point is, when you read about the three types (clarks, scotts and rogers), they are tangible. Specific. Easy to grasp. Unlike all of those other personality theories out there. Did I just put the Doctrine into a league of its’ own? Now what does that tell you? Correct. That the Doctrine is a plausible theory of personality types. Damn. That’s frickin’ right. A plausible theory that can be applied to everyone single person regardless of gender or culture.  

 And I’m gonna keep on bugging your asses until I hear some results.

Don’t believe me? Then go to this link take their frickin test and then come right back (hey rogerian academic dudes!! Here ya go.. a couple more  “she is making us take your test” Readers)

Now click this…

  http://similarminds.com/big5.html

**Based on the Five Factor Model credited to Goldberg, Costa and McRae, this test is designed to provide you with valuable insight into your character, aptitudes, and disposition. It is based on the theory that all human personality traits belong to one of five broad dimensions of personality. Each of the five main personality traits stretches along a continuum. The personality traits tested in the questionnaire are consistent cross-culturally, and are fairly stable over time, beginning in young adulthood. An understanding of your position on each dimension can provide you with valuable insight into your personality.
You scored somewhere in the middle between introversion and extroversion, which means that you draw characteristics from both ends of the spectrum. Sometimes, you need time to yourself, preferring to think things through on your own. Other times, you enjoy interacting with others. Overall, you are likely a fairly outgoing person who occasionally opts for solitude. You likely need a balance of alone time and time with others in your life because you can become a little overwhelmed if you ignore the introverted side of yourself.