The Four Tendencies
Prof. Scarlet Leslie-Lewis
June 2017
A few months ago, I picked out a random book at the library that briefly mentioned the Four Tendencies. It piqued my interest, so I did some further research. The Four Tendencies is a framework outlined by Gretchen Rubin in her book about habits titled Better Than Before. It sorts people based on how they typically respond to outer and inner expectations. The Four Tendencies have been well received and Rubin even has a book called The Four Tendencies scheduled to be released this upcoming September.
Upholders respond readily to outer and inner expectations. They always want to know what is expected of them and will do just about anything to ensure those expectations are met. Upholders are sticklers for rules and may struggle in situations were rules are not clear. Hermione Granger is one of the best examples of an Upholder. She is extremely driven and thrives in the school environment with so many homework deadlines to meet. No one was surprised when Hermione was chosen as a Gryffindor prefect since she will gladly heed and enforce the rules. However, it is possible that Upholders will follow rules mindlessly. They can become too focused on a goal and lose sight of everything else, as we saw with the Ministry-loving Percy Weasley.
Rebels resist all expectations, outer and inner alike. Freedom to choose is their top priority and they prefer breaking rules rather than abiding by them. Rebels will rarely do what others believe they are "supposed" to do, but will still set and reach their own goals in their own manner. It is very difficult to tell Rebels to do something because it will make them want to do the opposite. Unlike Percy, the Weasley twins are Rebels as evidenced by their trouble-making ways. Fred and George put minimal effort into their O.W.L.s, disappointing their mother. Instead, all their time and energy went into inventing products for their joke shop. Partially helped by the presence of Umbridge, Fred and George opted to leave Hogwarts and open Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes before the end of their final year.
Questioners question all expectations; they’ll meet an expectation if they think it makes sense. They must figure out for themselves whether something is a good idea or not. Questioners tend to gather as much information as possible before reaching a decision, usually by asking questions. They are guided by logic and reason – or what they believe to be logic and reason. All of the Ministry officials in the Order of the Phoenix can be considered Questioners. Although they worked for the government, they still went against the Ministry and believed that Voldemort had returned. Luna Lovegood is another example of a Questioner. She has her own unique ideas. There may not be any proof that a Crumple-Horned Snorkack exists, but there is no evidence to disprove it either!
Obligers meet outer expectations, but struggle to meet expectations they impose on themselves. They are extremely dependable as long as the work is for someone else, whether it is a friend, family member, or colleague. In the Wizarding world, house-elves are the ultimate Obligers. Their masters' bidding is their highest law. Dobby even had trouble negotiating his own pay after he was freed. Working as a double agent, Severus Snape was an Obliger. He was highly regarded by both Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort. However, Snape's motivation was purely external – for Lily – and not for himself.
Rubin did create a set of questions to help people determine their Tendency. When I took the quiz, I got Questioner. My immediate thought was "What? Really?" That pretty much solidified my result. Do you know which one of the Four Tendencies you are? Take a guess and then take this quiz to verify!
A few months ago, I picked out a random book at the library that briefly mentioned the Four Tendencies. It piqued my interest, so I did some further research. The Four Tendencies is a framework outlined by Gretchen Rubin in her book about habits titled Better Than Before. It sorts people based on how they typically respond to outer and inner expectations. The Four Tendencies have been well received and Rubin even has a book called The Four Tendencies scheduled to be released this upcoming September.
Upholders respond readily to outer and inner expectations. They always want to know what is expected of them and will do just about anything to ensure those expectations are met. Upholders are sticklers for rules and may struggle in situations were rules are not clear. Hermione Granger is one of the best examples of an Upholder. She is extremely driven and thrives in the school environment with so many homework deadlines to meet. No one was surprised when Hermione was chosen as a Gryffindor prefect since she will gladly heed and enforce the rules. However, it is possible that Upholders will follow rules mindlessly. They can become too focused on a goal and lose sight of everything else, as we saw with the Ministry-loving Percy Weasley.
Rebels resist all expectations, outer and inner alike. Freedom to choose is their top priority and they prefer breaking rules rather than abiding by them. Rebels will rarely do what others believe they are "supposed" to do, but will still set and reach their own goals in their own manner. It is very difficult to tell Rebels to do something because it will make them want to do the opposite. Unlike Percy, the Weasley twins are Rebels as evidenced by their trouble-making ways. Fred and George put minimal effort into their O.W.L.s, disappointing their mother. Instead, all their time and energy went into inventing products for their joke shop. Partially helped by the presence of Umbridge, Fred and George opted to leave Hogwarts and open Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes before the end of their final year.
Questioners question all expectations; they’ll meet an expectation if they think it makes sense. They must figure out for themselves whether something is a good idea or not. Questioners tend to gather as much information as possible before reaching a decision, usually by asking questions. They are guided by logic and reason – or what they believe to be logic and reason. All of the Ministry officials in the Order of the Phoenix can be considered Questioners. Although they worked for the government, they still went against the Ministry and believed that Voldemort had returned. Luna Lovegood is another example of a Questioner. She has her own unique ideas. There may not be any proof that a Crumple-Horned Snorkack exists, but there is no evidence to disprove it either!
Obligers meet outer expectations, but struggle to meet expectations they impose on themselves. They are extremely dependable as long as the work is for someone else, whether it is a friend, family member, or colleague. In the Wizarding world, house-elves are the ultimate Obligers. Their masters' bidding is their highest law. Dobby even had trouble negotiating his own pay after he was freed. Working as a double agent, Severus Snape was an Obliger. He was highly regarded by both Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort. However, Snape's motivation was purely external – for Lily – and not for himself.
Rubin did create a set of questions to help people determine their Tendency. When I took the quiz, I got Questioner. My immediate thought was "What? Really?" That pretty much solidified my result. Do you know which one of the Four Tendencies you are? Take a guess and then take this quiz to verify!