James David Barber Character Analysis

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Political scientist, James David Barber published a book called The Presidential Character, where he defined four different psychological types that could help voters determine what potential candidates would be like in office based on these concepts. The four psychological character types he discussed are “active-positive,” “active-negative,” “passive-positive,” and “passive-negative.” It is important to note that “Character,” in Barber’s usage, is not quite a synonym for personality, but he clearly thinks it “the most important thing to know about a President or candidate.” As he defines the term, “character is the way the President orients himself toward life—not for the moment, but enduringly.”

First, an active-positive president is