16 Personality Types of The O.C. Characters

Ryan Atwood is the ultimate ISTP. ISTPs are known for being quiet and rebellious. They’re independent and resourceful, which is exactly what Ryan Atwood is. He’s always pushing the boundaries and testing the limits. He doesn’t like to be told what to do and he’s always doing things his own way. Ryan is very much a lone wolf and he doesn’t really fit in with the Newport Beach lifestyle. As a kid from Chino, it takes him a while to learn the Newport ways. He’s also very independent and doesn’t like to rely on anyone for anything. This is evident when he immediately gets a job after moving in with the Cohens. ISTPs are also known for being private individuals who don’t show their feelings often. We see this in Ryan and Marissa’s relationship. He is a man of few words but we can tell he loves her from his actions more than anything.

Marissa Cooper is a typical ISFP. ISFPs are known for being creative, sensitive souls who value their individualism. This can be said for Marissa Cooper. She rebels against her wealthy, uptight family by drinkings lots and dating Ryan Atwood. Marissa is very compassionate and she feels things very deeply. She harbors a lot of anger in general and towards her parents, specifically her mom, Julie Cooper, who is the exact opposite personality type to Marissa. ISFPs can also be quite impulsive and rash, which gets Marissa into a lot of trouble. She’s always doing things on a whim, without thinking about the consequences. This is what leads to her tumultuous relationship with Volchok and ultimately her death.

Seth Cohen embodies the ENTP personality type. ENTPs are known for their quick wit, clever minds, and sarcastic sense of humor. Seth is always ready with a joke, no matter the situation. He’s also very intelligent and resourceful. We see this when he starts his own comic book company. He was able to take something he was passionate about and turn it into a successful business. Seth is always looking for new opportunities and ways to improve his life. He’s also very outgoing and loves to talk about hypothetical situations and abstract concepts. Summer can never get him to shut up! Like an ENTP, Seth is also incredibly charming and fun to be around, especially in a goofy way.

Summer Roberts is an ESFP. ESFPs are the life of the party. They’re known for being social, fun-loving, and outgoing. This is definitely true of Summer Roberts. She’s always up for a good time and loves to be the center of attention. At the beginning of The OC, Summer is spoiled, materialistic, and shallow. However, as the series progresses, we see her grow and change. She becomes more selfless and down-to-earth. ESFPs are passionate individuals, and this is definitely true of Summer. She’s very passionate about her relationships, whether it’s with her friends, family, or Seth Cohen. ESFPs are also known for being impulsive and Summer quite often acts without thinking. This can get her into trouble, like in Tijuana, but ultimately she means well.

Sandy Cohen is your classic ENFJ charmer. Sandy is always ready to help and is usually the first to offer his time and energy to people. He has a strong sense of right and wrong and can be very persuasive. We see this with his job as a public defender. He was always trying to fight for the underdog, which led him to adopt Ryan. Like an ENFJ, Sandy is always looking for ways to improve the world and make it a better place. He was never afraid to stand up to Caleb Nichol, his father-in-law, and he’d also take the time to help people be better. Sandy Cohen is the epitome of an ENFJ. He’s always ready and willing to help out anyone in need, no matter what the cost. He is an idealist and a humanitarian at heart.

Kirsten Cohen is an ISTJ. ISTJs can hold back a bit when you first get to know them, which is exactly what Kirsten did with Ryan. She didn’t warm up to him as quickly as Sandy and Seth did. However, when you’re close with an ISTJ, they are loyal to the very end. And it didn’t take long before Kirsten treated Ryan like a son. Kirsten is very logical and methodical. She takes a no-nonsense approach to life and prefers to stick to facts and tradition. We see this with her role as CFO of the Newport Group. ISTJs are often drawn to jobs in finance or accounting because of their love for numbers and order. Kirsten is also very traditional. She embraces Orange County high society traditions like charity galas and events with the Newpsies and she joins her father’s company.

Julie Cooper is the ultimate ENTJ female villain. She’s a strong, confident woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. Julie is very ambitious and competitive. She’s also very strategic and always has a plan, like how she married Caleb Nichol, the richest man in Newport. And then, when he tried to divorce her she hatched a new plan. Even when Julie’s plans don’t work out, she always manages to find a way to get what she wants in the end. ENTJs are very confident and sure of themselves, which can sometimes come across as arrogant, just like Julie Cooper. She is also very stubborn and set in her ways. She’s not the type of person to change her mind, no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary.

Luke Ward is your typical ESTP. As the captain of the water polo team, and the most popular guy at Harbor, Luke is always the life of the party. He’s outgoing and extroverted, and he loves being in the spotlight. Luke is always seeking thrills. When Marissa wouldn’t sleep with him, Luke got with Holly instead. He’s also not the most reliable person. Unhealthy ESTP traits include being impulsive and selfish. At the beginning of the series, Luke wasn’t there for Marissa when she needed his support with her family issues. However, he definitely grew as a person and he became a more healthy ESTP. He still enjoyed the pleasures of life, including older women, but he became a better friend to the gang and helped them out.

Anna Stern is an INTP. INTPs are known for being brilliant but aloof. They’re introverted and they like to keep to themselves. However, they’re also very curious and they love to learn new things. This is evident in Anna’s character. She’s constantly reading comics with Seth and she loves to ask questions. Anna and Seth connect so well because they are very similar and have similar geeky passions. However, this connection is more platonic than romantic and Seth ultimately chooses Summer. INTPs are logical and Anna sees the world in black and white. INTPs also have a clever and sarcastic sense of humor, which we see from Anna when she talks to Summer, who does not catch on.

Jimmy Cooper is an ISFP. ISFPs are known for being creative and spontaneous. They’re introverted but they also enjoy the company of others. Jimmy is a successful advertising executive. He’s very creative and he comes up with some wacky ideas for his campaigns. He’s also very impulsive and often makes decisions without thinking them through. Jimmy siphoned off clients’ money to bankroll his family. He was always going to be found out for this but Jimmy wasn’t thinking about the future, he was only thinking about the present. This impulsiveness is a typical ISFP trait. Another ISFP trait is that they’re highly sensitive. Jimmy is very emotional and he wears his heart on his sleeve, like his daughter, Marissa Cooper, another ISFP.

Caleb Nichol is the perfect example of an INTJ. INTJs are known for being intelligent and analytical. They’re introverted but they’re also very assertive. Caleb is head of Newport Group, a successful real estate company. He is always thinking ahead and he’s always looking for ways to improve things for the business. Caleb has a very clear vision of what he wants and he’s not afraid to go after it. INTJs can also be cold and ruthless. Caleb never warms to Ryan and he always thinks Ryan is after his daughter’s money. He is also a bit of a control freak. He likes to be in charge and he doesn’t like it when things don’t go his way. This is evident in Caleb’s relationship with Julie Cooper and Kirsten Cohen.

Taylor Townsend is an ENFJ. When Taylor is first introduced, she is an unhealthy ENFJ. She is manipulative and she uses people to get what she wants. She is also very self-centered and she’s only interested in things that benefit her. She used emotional manipulation to try and break Seth and Summer up when she was interested in Seth. However, as the series progresses, Taylor becomes a more healthy ENFJ. She stops being so manipulative and she starts to care about others. She also becomes more confident in herself and she doesn’t need validation from others as much. ENFJs are also known for being good at reading people. This is evident in how Taylor can always tell when someone is lying to her, especially Ryan.

Kaitlin Cooper is an ESTP. ESTPs are known for being outgoing and high-energy. They’re extroverted and they enjoy being around others. Kaitlin spent a lot of her childhood at boarding school, and when she came back following Marissa’s death, she made sure her presence was known. Kaitlin is very popular and she’s always the life of the party. She also exhibits unhealthy ESTP personality traits in that she is very impulsive and she often makes decisions without thinking them through. Kaitlin always puts herself and her own needs first and she doesn’t care who she hurts in the process. ESTPs are also known for being risk-takers. Kaitlin is always looking for a thrill and she’s not afraid to take risks, even if they’re dangerous.

Zach Stephens is an ESFJ. ESFJs are known for being warm and compassionate. They’re extroverted and they enjoy being around others. Zach is a water polo player who loves comic books. He’s popular but he’s also a bit of a goofball, which is something that Summer finds very attractive. Zach is very friendly and he’s always quick to comfort someone who is feeling down. Zach is also highly sensitive and he’s very in tune with the emotions of those around him. When Seth and Summer broke up, Zach swooped straight in to offer a shoulder to cry on and then win her over.