Washington among presidential ‘Good Guys’
Psychologists' book groups personality types of American
presidents
By MICHAEL ZITZ
The Free Lance-Star
TWO DOCTORS studying the psychology of leadership place George
Washington in a small group of U.S. presidents they call the “Good Guys.”
Steve Rubenzer and Thomas R. Faschingbauer authored the 2004 book
“Personality, Character & Leadership in the White House: Psychologists
Assess the Presidents.”
The book offers insights on the personalities of presidents from Washington
to George W. Bush carefully culled from extensive interviews with many
experts.
The authors began the Foundation for the Study of Personality in History in
1994 with a study on presidential personalities, inspired by criticism of
President Bill Clinton, who they classify as an “Extrovert,” along with John
F. Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt.
Rubenzer is a forensic psychologist; Faschingbauer a retired clinical
psychologist.
President Washington was born in Westmoreland County and grew up at Ferry
Farm in Stafford County before moving to Mount Vernon in Arlington.
Richard Lahey, a National Park Service historian at Washington’s Birthplace
in Westmoreland, wouldn’t disagree with the “Good Guy” assessment, but says
the first president “was a hard guy to get your arms around—someone who
was extremely private and always disinterested in having his personal life
in the press.”
Lahey said Washington didn’t like “to talk to anybody but his friends”
about private matters.
Today, Lahey noted, politicians are forced to talk ad nauseam “about how
they grew up. Washington wasn’t that way."
Rubenzer agreed with Lahey.
"Washington was introverted," Rubenzer said.
"Fairly introverted, but not terribly so. ... He wasn't comfortable wearing
his heart on his sleeve. He was a pretty formal guy who preferred a little
social distance, with a great emphasis on manners, being polite and
respectful to others."
“Personality, Character & Leadership in the White House” concludes that
today, honesty and straightforwardness make success in the White House
difficult, in spite of polls that show that’s what the public says it wants.
The authors conclude that, “A president’s character has no relation to how
good historians judge him to be.”
Washington did do a good job of “spinning” his image in one way, though.
He was said to “have a really bad temper,” Lahey said. “It was said that
the only thing that trumped his temper was his self-control.”
Lahey said Washington’s resolve “gave him a certain kind of
bearing—something that people wanted to follow.”
In the film “The Patriot,” Lahey noted, the director chose to convey
Washington’s presence merely by showing his shadow—and that was powerful
enough.
“He could have ruined it all by being a chatterbox,” Lahey said.
He said Washington passed through the world with “great fluidity, but wasn’t much of a talker.”
There will be much talk about him in the next two weeks, however.
Marion Nelson Winship, instructor of American history at Virginia
Commonwealth University in Richmond, will give a lecture on “Washington’s
Sense of Place” at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, in the George Washington’s
Birthplace National Monument Visitor Center, 38 miles east of Fredericksburg
at 1732 Popes Creek Road in Westmoreland County near Colonial Beach.
Admission to the lecture is free.
The 550-acre site includes the “heart” of the plantation owned by
Washington’s father, Augustine, the foundation of the home in which the
first president was born and a 55-foot granite obelisk erected in 1896.
It also features a memorial mansion, outbuildings and a garden and farm.
The Washington Family Burial Ground there contains the remains of Washington
’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
Washington was born on Feb. 22 in 1732.
On Monday, Feb. 20, park ranger programs interpreting Washington’s life
and accomplishments will be given hourly. Costumed interpreters will perform
plantation activities and farm chores throughout the day.
Also on Feb. 20—a federal holiday—gingerbread and hot cider will be served
at the Log House from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., compliments of the George
Washington Birthplace National Memorial Association.
On Feb. 22, birthday cake and punch will be served at 1 p.m. in the visitors
center. Admission is free both days.
Free Lance–Star librarian Craig Schulin contributed to this story.
Good Guys
According to the Web site (http://www.personalityinhistory.com/default.asp)
of the Personality and the Presidency Project, White House “Good Guys”
include George Washington, Rutherford B. Hayes, Zachary Taylor, Dwight D.
Eisenhower, John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Grover Cleveland and Gerald Ford.
Good Guys “almost never feel themselves to be worthless, are rarely jittery
or tense, and don’t feel overwhelmed by stress. They make good decisions
even under adversity. They have a hard time lying, aren’t crafty or sly, and
don’t trick, bully or flatter people to get their way. They don’t spend much
time fantasizing and daydreaming, but don’t deny problems.”
Dominators
The project concluded that presidential “Dominators” include Lyndon
Johnson, Richard Nixon, Andrew Johnson, Andrew Jackson, James Polk, Teddy
Roosevelt and Chester Arthur.
“They are prone to bully others and to disregard the feelings and rights of
those not on their side. They are bossy, demanding, and domineering; they
flatter or manipulate people to get their way. They bend or break rules, and
as presidents, stretch the constraints of constitutional government. They
are not religious or spiritual, and tend to be prejudiced.”
Introverts
Those classified as “introverts” by the project are John Adams, John Quincy
Adams, Richard Nixon, Herbert Hoover, Calvin Coolidge, James Buchanan,
Woodrow Wilson and Benjamin Harrison.
“Introverted presidents are psychologically minded, complex, deep men. They
are not regarded as warm and friendly, and have difficulty controlling
social situations. They prefer to work alone and avoid close relationships.
Often jittery or tense, they are not happy and high-spirited; they tend to
feel irritable, overwhelmed by stress, and to overreact.”
Innocents
William Howard Taft, Warren Harding and U.S. Grant are classified as
“Innocents.”
“Submissive and accept domination easily gullible, naïve, suggestible. Not
autonomous, independent or individualistic, they sometimes don’t assert
themselves when they should. Compared to other presidents (who are an
industrious lot), they have trouble getting motivated and down to work, and
are lethargic, sluggish, lazy, and slothful.”
Actors
Ronald Reagan, Warren Harding, William Henry Harrison, Bill Clinton and
Franklin Pierce.
“Compared to other presidents, actors are gullible, naïve, and suggestible,
warm and self-disclosing; they allow their feelings to show on their faces
and in their posture. They are not meticulous, perfectionistic, or precise
and tolerate unethical behavior in colleagues. Actors are enthusiastic,
spirited, vivacious, zestful, charismatic and charming.”
Maintainers
William McKinley, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford and Harry Truman.
“Maintainers stay focused on the job, work slowly but steadily, and are
industrious, persistent, tenacious, thorough. They are uncreative,
unimaginative, and do not indulge in elaborate daydreams and fantasies. They
are conforming and conventional, not rebellious.”
Philosophers
James Garfield, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Jimmy
Carter and Rutherford Hayes.
“Compared to other presidents, Philosophers are curious and inquisitive,
interested in science, and fascinated by patterns in nature and art. They
are concerned with philosophical issues (religion, the meaning of life)
broadminded They are also nice people: They believe that everyone is
deserving of respect.”
Extroverts
FDR, John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, William
Harrison, Warren Harding, Andrew Jackson and LBJ.
“Extroverted presidents are enthusiastic, spirited, vivacious, and zestful;
they call attention to themselves. They are impetuous, uninhibited,
unrestrained, are not consistent, predictable, or steady. They don’t take
pride in being rational or objective.”
Free Lance–Star librarian Craig Schulin contributed to this story. For more
information on the Personality and the Presidency Project, see the Web site
at personalityinhistory.com/Default.asp, or the book “Personality, Character
& Leadership in the White House: Psychologists Assess the Presidents,”
published by Brassey’s and available at Amazon.com.
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