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Are You a Fox or a Hedgehog?
Take CreativeParents.com’s 6-question personality quiz to find out.

First- What it means?
Does one main idea influence your actions; or are you influenced by many sources? Do you prefer to delve into one area in depth or pursue diverse projects?

Why "hedgehogs" and "foxes?"The distinction between “hedgehogs” and “foxes” was noted thousands of years ago by the Greek poet Archilochus, who wrote “ The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog know one big thing.”

In his essay “The Hedgehog and the Fox,” philosopher Isaiah Berlin applied the difference to writers, from Shakespeare (a fox) to Dante (a hedgehog) to Tolstoy (who, according to Berlin “ was by nature a fox, but believed in being a hedgehog”).

Are YOU a Fox or a Hedgehog?
CreativeParents.com Quiz

1) If you were a painter, would you prefer to

A. become skillful in a particular art technique and continue developing your expertise?
B. experiment with a variety of different techniques and styles?

2 ) If you were a journalist, which would you rather do?

A. Conduct weekly interviews with individuals involved in diverse fields?
B. Spend several years researching and writing an in-depth biography of one person?

3) If you were the head of a government analyzing an international crisis would you

A. look at the problem through a specific lens that reflects your political philosophy?
B. look at the various factors involved, and judge the situation based on the information available?

4) Which describes how you feel after working on a task for a stretch of time?
A. Bored and ready to move on to something else?
B. Fascinated, and wanting to dig in deeper?

5) On a vacation do you like to
A. stay in one place and get to know it really well?
B. try to see many different parts of the surrounding area?

6) When you read the newspaper, in print or online, do you
A. enjoy skimming a wide variety of subjects?
B. focus mostly on the topics of greatest interest to you?

How to score the Are You a Fox or Hedgehog Quiz:
You get one Hedgehog point for answers to 1, 3 and 5 that were A; and one Hedgehog point for answers to 2, 4 and 6 that were B.


You get one Fox point for answers to 1,3, and 5 that were B; and one Fox point for answers to 2, 4, and 6 that were A.

Add up your points.
If you have at least 4 Hedgehog points you are a digger. You like to delve into a subject or area in great depth and explore it thoroughly. You may also view the world from the perspective of a closely held principle, belief or concept and view that idea as an organizing principle that informs your decisions and actions.

If you have at least 4 Fox points you are a surveyer. You like to try different things, and discover that new ideas are sparked by your explorations. You tend to modifying and change your opinions with added input, and like to learn from a variety of sources.

For those of us fascinated by personality differences, the distinction between foxes and hedgehogs has great resonance and applicability. It provides an illuminating and non-judgmental way of looking at the distinctions between people, whether they're applying their talents in the arts, business, politics or science. Remember, this is a playful quiz, designed to give you insight into yourself and those around you.

copyright 2007 Dr. Istar Schwager. All rights reserved

If you'd like to comment on this quiz -- let us know.

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