Researcher (VSI-D)

Researchers are quiet, independent thinkers who enjoy expanding their grasp of things that catch their interest. They revel in growing intellectually – broadening their understanding, their view of themselves and the world, and their horizons. Open-minded and imaginative, they like to entertain different and opposing ideas, exploring options and letting the connections, insight, and understanding emerge along the way.

Throughout this process – and whenever they engage with anything – Researchers are rarely guided by a single theory or viewpoint. They value insights and conclusions that don’t follow a set theoretical structure or are the expected product of a certain approach. Instead, they prefer something that grows organically out of their exploration process and life experiences.

This type believes that complete certainty and absolute truths are rare, and have their reservations when they come across such claims and the people who make them. They tend to be very open-minded and will rarely dismiss an idea or viewpoint at first glance, but they don’t feel obliged to agree with something just because someone is passionate about it.

Researchers place great value in rationality, reason, and logic, and guide themselves by it in all of their endeavors and engagements. They use their intellect to analyze and evaluate ideas, views, and proposals to see what makes sense. They have little respect for illogical conclusions or emotional arguments and aren’t convinced merely by social status, reputation, or authority.

However, if they’re not called to do so, they rarely pit their opinions against those of others. Though they love exploring and conceiving their theories and views, they rarely engage in a debate or a discussion with the purpose of changing someone’s mind. Researchers don’t insist on everyone agreeing with their line of thinking, often adopting a live-and-let-live attitude.

It can sometimes be a little difficult to get to know Researchers’ own opinions and beliefs because they don’t always elaborate on them without a good reason. They aren’t prone to entering into debates of opinion, and they aren’t presumptuous enough to boldly meddle in someone’s affairs or perspective. But their mindsets are compelling when they do share them.

With their reasoning skills, love of varied knowledge, and willingness to give different ideas and views a chance, Researchers are great at finding a way to link things together. They can create a string of clarity out of a sea of chaos, helpfully bringing even seemingly unrelated points, situations, or ideas together into something that can be used to improve things.