Is there a psychological profile of people in vocations?

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Is there a profile of people who are more prone to become monks?
People who are more prone to become priests?
Franciscan?
Lay pious person?
 
I would not say there is a profile of this person will become a monk, or this person will become …, etc.

Of course, I would imagine there has to be something in a person’s psychological makeup that would enable them to choose a particular path. Being a parish priest and being a monk are two very different lives. It probably takes different people to be attracted to these vocations. However, it would be a very great mistake to think someone who becomes a monk is the shy retiring type.
 
I think this actually would be a very interesting question for a researcher to tackle…especially who makes it through formation and who doesn’t. Certainly the information exists, considering all the testing candidates go through.

That said, most of that information is held VERY closely guarded, as you’d expect of any psychological testing results. I even tried to get my test results released to a professional psychologist so I could go over it, and learn about myself. I asked several times, and the Order wouldn’t approve it.
 
Some people are more temperamentally suited to one vocation over another - a person who can’t stand the idea of living on their own would probably be advised to join an order; while someone who liked the idea of missioning in distant places obviously shouldn’t pursue a monastic vocation!
PapyrusDouay said:
I think this actually would be a very interesting question for a researcher to tackle…especially who makes it through formation and who doesn’t. Certainly the information exists, considering all the testing candidates go through.
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I’m not sure the question of who makes it through formation and who doesn’t is something which can be easily explained. I’ve known more than a few people who would make fantastic priests but were never ordained; while the opposite sadly is also true. Sometimes you can tell early on that a person probably isn’t going to go all the way through, others may leave and come back, while others still hang in there against the odds. Much of it has to do with the reasons why a person entered formation, their experiences during it and the overall character of their calling (as they understood it) initially as well as during formation but there also a lot which simply can’t be easily explained.
 
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InThePew said:
but there also a lot which simply can’t be easily explained.
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This is all true, and ideally reasons for departure would come from God, and not someone’s psychological tendencies… but unfortunately, it’s not always the case. We also can’t decline someone admissions because “people with similar profiles tend to leave after a year”… room does need to be left open for God to work.
 
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