Blame-Shifting by Personality Type

Accepting the consequences of one’s actions is rarely easy, even if the repercussions are less dire than losing a job or being sentenced to a lengthy jail sentence (and limited only to the mild embarrassment that comes from admitting to a silly error). Yet some may go to greater lengths than others to conceal their culpability, scapegoating another to save themselves from ridicule or retribution. Others may recognize an opportunity when they see it, shifting blame as an impulse rather than a premeditated setup.

To find out if our personality types are a part of this decision, we asked our readers whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement “You sometimes blame others to avoid getting in trouble,” and the results revealed a significant disparity between most personality trait pairings.

Introverts and Extraverts seemed to have the least difference (34% and 31% agreeing, respectively), and the clearest gap appeared between Turbulent and Assertive types (42% vs. 20%). But nearly every aspect showed a sizeable contrast between personality traits.

Which groups are the likeliest to shift the blame? We take a look at the question below:

Roles

Analysts (42% agreeing)

Of all the roles, Analysts were most likely to report engaging in blame-shifting behavior. Stubborn believers in their own intellectual superiority, Analysts may sometimes feel infallible, and that even when it appears they have made a mistake, the true source of the fault lies elsewhere. Hence, these personality types may feel justified in blaming someone else – they were provided with incomplete information, or the program must not have saved properly – even if to most observers, the other party had little or nothing to do with the situation at hand.

Turbulent Debaters (ENTP-T) agreed the most of any type (58%), extending Analysts’ general sense of intellectual prowess. These personality types may go so far as to believe that no one else is even smart enough to catch them in their lie. Debaters were also one of the most likely to report that they “enjoy the thrill of adrenaline.”[1] Their propensity for blame-shifting may go beyond mere function and into the excitement of seeing if they can outmaneuver other minds.

Diplomats and Explorers (35% and 32%)

Diplomats and Explorers were almost evenly matched in their responses on the subject of blame shifting. In the first case, Diplomats’ sensitive, empathetic nature may make them feel torn between warring impulses: the desire to feel no shame in the eyes of their peers, and the need to see no other so shamed.

Explorers, on the other hand, may have such an intense focus on the present moment that their past mistakes feel too insignificant to concern themselves with, much less to go to the effort of framing another. These personality types tend to roll with the punches – if something happened, it happened. They’d prefer to fix things than to debate the reason things are broken.

Sentinels (22% agreeing)

Sentinels were the Role least likely to feel that they tend to lay blame at another’s feet. Many Sentinels lead their lives according to the principle that the integrity of the group is predicated on the integrity of the self. In other words, responsibility is king. Though this zealous devotion to order can make them pitiless in the face of another’s transgressions, these personalities are often equally hard on themselves.

Assertive Defenders (ISFJ-A) agreed least of all with the statement (10%). Sentinels would typically never dream of framing someone else for guilt that is their own, and Defenders – quiet, determined, and ready to sacrifice themselves to protect their values and the people they care about – are more likely to accept false blame than to deliver it.

Strategies

Social Engagement and Constant Improvement (44% and 41% agreeing, respectively)

Social Engagement and Constant Improvement, the two Turbulent Strategies, were also the two most likely to agree with the statement “You sometimes blame others to avoid getting in trouble.” Their own worst critics, these Strategies often magnify even their most trivial mistakes into egregious sins, which may lead them to push blame onto others, perhaps even those entirely without fault in the matter.

Social Engagers and Constant Improvers also feel disproportionately the criticism of others. When confronted with judgment, these personality types may simply panic and try to put the attention anywhere else. They’re unlikely to be proud of these moments, but grace under pressure just isn’t a strength with which these Strategies are consistent. Ironically, this blame-shifting behavior can itself lead to more severe repercussions, and even more negative attention, if the cover-up, once exposed, is seen as more damning than the original crime.

Confident Individualism and People Mastery (both 20%)

Conversely, the two Assertive Strategies, Confident Individualism and People Mastery, were far less likely to report that they tended to shift blame onto others. Secure in the belief that their actions were justifiable, or at the very least understandable, these Strategies may see little reason to go to the trouble of accusing someone else for the things they’ve done. Even when they feel that they have committed an error for which they will be penalized, Assertive personality types may still be confident in their ability to handle the consequences.

Conclusions

There are many reasons one might shift the blame onto someone else, a multiplicity of motivations that are reflected in the answers given in this survey. In some cases, Analyst personality types may risk their broader reputations as someone who can be trusted rather than assume responsibility even for the most self-evident errors. At the other extreme, some Sentinels may take on guilt that few would see as theirs, so great is their identity as a protector of the larger organization.

We may fear the penalties of accepting guilt, even if those penalties are as intangible as the erosion of trust in our peers, evidenced only by a disapproving glance here and there. Or we may rationalize our malfeasance as not entirely our fault, but rather the result of the action or inaction, direct or indirect, of others. In the end, whether we shift blame onto another may be less important than why we choose to do so.

What are some reasons you’ve felt the need to shift blame from yourself? Do you find strength in owning up to your mistakes? Let us know in the comments!