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Techies, Attention & Personality Typing

The idea that nerds are created by a slowness in their ability to shift attention opens the door to defining a whole range of personalities by this factor alone.

Let's apply it to the well-known Merrill-Reid Social Styles which defines 4 personality types: Analytic, Driver, Amiable and Expressive. (Techie, Task-Master, Social Worker, Prima Donna.)

The Analytic's attention moves so slow that he can't catch fast-moving emotional signals. Nor can he see what is prompting them in the environment. So, he is highly focussed on detail and has difficulty understanding other people's feelings (because this requires a broader perspective).

The Amiable's attention moves more quickly. It can grasp what people are feeling and what they are responding to. But he still tends to focus on detail which gives him a one-on-one, personal orientation.

The Expressive's attention is moving more quickly. He doesn't focus on detail and is more aware of the big picture. His attention doesn't move so fast that he is unaware of others' feelings but fast enough that he is not overly concerned with them. And certainly not for very long.

The Driver's attention moves very quickly. He is totally consumed by the big picture and has little awareness of or concern for other people's feelings.