Blog
The Power of Personality: How Understanding Temperaments Transforms Behavior Change
Feb
In the complex landscape of criminal justice, creating meaningful and lasting behavior change requires more than just a one-size-fits-all approach. At NCTI, we’ve discovered that the key to transformative learning lies in understanding not just what needs to change, but how each individual uniquely processes information and relates to the world around them.
The Challenge of Creating Meaningful Change
Behavior Change programs in justice settings face unique challenges. Participants come from diverse backgrounds, have different learning preferences, and may be initially resistant to engagement. Traditional approaches often struggle to create the connection and understanding necessary for genuine transformation.
Building a Foundation Through Personality Understanding
This is where the power of personality assessment becomes crucial. By incorporating Real Colors into our Crossroads curriculum and the Building Blocks of Behavior Change we create a foundation of self-awareness and mutual understanding that makes behavior change more accessible and sustainable.
Real Colors is a personality assessment tool grounded in the theory of Carl Jung and Dr. David Keirsey (the “Father” of Temperament Theory) that helps people understand their own temperament style and improve communication with others. As a key component of NCTI’s evidence-based Crossroads program, Real Colors provides a common language for understanding motivations and behaviors. The idea is when participants understand their own temperament – whether they’re Primarily Blue (relationship-focused), Gold (structure-oriented), Green (analytical), or Orange (action-driven) – they gain valuable insights into their natural strengths and values.
Specific Responsivity
Another reason to consider using a personality assessment in work with justice-involved individuals is to address specific responsivity.
What is Specific Responsivity?
Specific responsivity is part of what is known as the RNR (Risk/Needs/Responsivity) model for supervision and intervention as part of evidence-based practices. Responsivity is the how. Risk is the who. Need is the what.
More specifically, Responsivity is how (POs, therapists, facilitators, etc.) respond to barriers that may impact failure. It’s how we can remove or address a barrier(s) to allow for enhanced odds of making positive behavior changes. Some common barriers include, lack of employment/income, food insecurity, housing insecurity, peers, health issues, etc.
How does Specific Responsivity Relate to Temperament?
Part of the Responsivity Principle touches on Temperament. The implication with that is by knowing a person’s Temperament it creates an enhanced opportunity to build stronger relationships and interactions through improved communication. This also allows those in the field to tailor their interventions and strategies to the individual. And in turn, enhances efforts at appropriately addressing the Responsivity Model, in general.
The Three Pillars of Transformation
Additional reasons for implementing something like Real Colors include these Three Pillars of Transformation, which explain the difference a temperament tool can make.
1. Enhanced Facilitator-Participant Rapport
Understanding personality temperaments gives facilitators a powerful tool for connecting with participants. For example, when working with a Primary Green participant, facilitators can present information with logical reasoning and explanations. For Primary Blueparticipants, they might focus on building trust and emotional connection first. Incorporating the Real Colors Building Block allows a personalized approach to break down barriers to learning and creates an environment where genuine change can occur.
2. Deepened Self-Awareness
When participants understand their own temperament, they gain insights into their decision-making patterns, communication styles, and natural responses to stress. This self-awareness becomes a powerful tool for behavior change. A participant might realize that their Orange temperament’s need for excitement sometimes leads to impulsive decisions, or that their Gold temperament’s rigid expectations of others creates unnecessary conflicts.
3. Improved Relationship Building
Perhaps most importantly, understanding personality temperaments helps participants navigate relationships more effectively. They learn to recognize and appreciate different communication styles, leading to better interactions with family members, employers, and their community. This improved relationship capacity becomes a cornerstone of successful reintegration and long-term behavior change.
A Unique Integration
What makes NCTI’s approach special is the seamless integration of Temperament Theory with Cognitive Behavior Change principles. Our certified facilitators receive training in both Real Colors and the Crossroads curriculum, equipping them with a comprehensive toolkit for creating transformative experiences.
This integrated approach means that personality insights aren’t just a one-time learning experience – they’re woven throughout the entire behavior change journey through the 7 Building Blocks. Participants don’t just learn about their temperament; they learn how to use that understanding to make better choices, communicate more effectively, and build stronger relationships.
Looking Forward
The future of behavior change in justice settings lies in approaches that recognize and work with individual differences rather than against them. By combining personality understanding with proven Cognitive Behavior Change techniques, we create a more effective path to transformation.
Whether you’re a criminal justice professional interested in expanding your toolkit or an agency looking to implement evidence-based behavior change programs, understanding the power of personality in transformation is crucial. NCTI’s integrated approach offers a unique solution that addresses both the what and the how of lasting behavior change.
To learn more about how NCTI’s integrated approach and the 7 Building Blocks to Behavior Change can enhance your evidence-based behavior change programs, reach out to us today at info@ncti.org.