Term Paper on "Psychology - Personality Comparing Myers=briggs, Rorschach"

Term Paper 6 pages (1518 words) Sources: 2 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Psychology - Personality

COMPARING MYERS=BRIGGS, RORSCHACH, and SELF-HELP BOOKS

Human personality assessment is a field that encompasses peer-reviewed concepts and techniques as well as pseudo-scientific theories that are untested, and of dubious value. The classic bases of established psychoanalytic tradition and other clinically validated theories sometimes provide a helpful framework for understanding human behavior in general as well as for predicting likely future behavior in particular.

Because of the potential predictive value of personality tests, employers have begun administering various forms of personality assessments in conjunction with pre- employment screening, especially in fields where specific personality characteristics are know to suggest suitability or non-suitability, such as in law enforcement, for one example.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test was designed to incorporate the theories of personality developed in the early 20th century by renowned psychologist and psychoanalytical theorist Carl Jung (1875-1961). It relies on Jung's principles of personality archetypes to represent personal behavioral tendencies, preferences, and natural inclinations and is widely used in conjunction with diagnostic personality assessments (Gerrig & Zimbardo 2005).

Psychoanalyst Hermann Rorschach (1884-1922) was a contemporary of Jung's whose youthful dabbling in klecksography led to his creation of the Rorschach test used to provide information and insight into patients' subconscious mind (Hall & Nordby 1999). The test itself consists of a series of undifferentiated inkblots and the patient's responses and characterizations of possible interpretations of those inkblots. Unlike the Myers-Briggs test in which the subject provides the information that directly generates the test results, Rorschach analysis depends on the subjective interpretations of the individual administrating the test. In specific contexts, each can be a valuable tool, but both are susceptible to several distinct grounds of criticism (Gerrig & Zimbardo 2005).

Self-help books represent an extremely wide range of material, subject matter, theories, beliefs, and philosophies of personal psychology. Predictably, many professionally licensed, practicing psychologists are qualified to author self-help books designed to provide simplified versions of their work for popular consumption. On the other hand, self-help books lack the quality control of clinical studies, peer-reviewed publications, or texts authored by professionals. As a result, this genre of popular literature includes examples of dubious intellectual value or potential to deliver much useful "self-help."

Myers-Briggs:

The Myers-Briggs test employs four pairs of opposite characterizations or dichotomies corresponding to the following aspects pf personality: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensory/Intuition, Thought/Feeling, and Judgment/Perception.

The four pairs correspond to sixteen possible orientations of personality traits considered to be dominant, based on the subject's responses to a series of questions and situational descriptions designed to identify inherrent tendencies of different types of individuals. (Gerrig & Zimbardo 2005).

In some respects, the Myers-Briggs test is culturally useful, particularly in connection with employment suitability predictions, particularly in fields of employment where very specific traits (such as where analytical reasoning or the ability to make quick decisive judgments is crucially important, for one example). Likewise, it is comprehensive in scope, taking into account elements of personality that comprise the essential range of personality-based differences.

On the other hand, its validity is susceptible to several different specific criticisms: (1) Jung did not devise the test, but was conceived by two individuals (Myers & Briggs) who were not professionally trained in Jungian (or any other school of) psychology; (2) the test often results in significantly different outcomes of the same individual with evidence even suggesting that the time of day of its administration may be a factor; (3) the test relies exclusively on responses of subjects to questions some of whose answers are distinctly associated with positive connotations, which tend to skew responses by virtue of the tendency to prefer positive associations over negative ones according to the Forer effect; and (5), the theory is not falsifiable in the manner that is required of strictly scientific theories ((Gerrig & Zimbardo 2005). Finally, the Meyers-Briggs test cannot predict departures from predictable human behavior; specifically, every individual who discovers that he dislikes employment of the naure identified as that for which he is well-suited (and vice-versa) contradicts the validity of the concept of psychonmetric dichotomies in relation to Jungian archtypes, in principle (Gerrig & Zimbardo 2005).

Rorschach:

Psychologist Herman Rorschach devised the original test employing inkblots in 1921, shortly before his death, the concept was developed further after his death and is still used by some contemporary psychologists, particularly in conjunction with court- ordered psychological assessments in states authorizing its use for that purpose. In principle, the Rorschach test is designed to reveal personality characteristics and subconscious themes responsible for behavioral expression in outward behavior (Gerrig & Zimbardo 2005).

Essentially, the Rorschach test consists of ten amorphous and undifferentiated inkblots presented to the subject for responsive comments recorded by the a psychological therapist trained in their interpretation. Specifically, the data considered by the psychologist consists of a complex mathematical formula integrating various aspects of the subject's responses, such as the consistency of multiple observations of a single inkblot, the specific mannerisms and words used by the subject, and the various cognitive processes involved in forming those impressions. In previous versions of the test interpretation no longer included in the U.S., the psychologist also considered factors such as the amount of time subjects took to provide initial verbal reactions (Gerrig & Zimbardo 2005).

Generally, the Rorschach test is considered more useful in diagnosing specific psychological ailments such as schizophrenia and other organic thought disorders linked to biochemical abnormalities than it is useful for distinguishing among the behavioral characteristics associated with more ordinary psychological profiles. The test has been strongly criticized, mainly by virtue of the extent to which analysis depends on purely subjective characterizations of the psychologist, but also because many extraneous factors might contribute to patient responses, including unintentional input from the person administering the test during the process of eliciting responses from the subject (Gerrig & Zimbardo 2005). Finally, while the test is potentially useful in connection with identifying certain profound thought disorders, it is likely influenced by organic processes and conditions that have no relevance to the psychology of personality or dysfunction, such as dyslexia, for example.

Self-Help Books:

Self-help books such as those authored by renowned psychologists Nathaniel Branden (the Psychology of Self-Esteem, Honoring the Self, the Psychology of Romantic Love, among others); and contributions on the subject of family dynamics such as those authored by John Bradshaw (the Family, Healing the Shame that Binds You, and Creating Love) provide valuable advice and insight into many elements of personal psychology and interpersonal relationships.

On the other hand, the self-help literary market includes scores of books authored by non-experts with absolutely no training in the field of psychology, including those authored by celebrities famous for nothing remotely related to the field of human psychology. Furthermore, anecdotal evidence suggests that a significant percentage of such books are purchased more for the therapeutic feelings associated with making the purchase rather than read thoroughly in order to implement the advice they contain. This is particularly true of best-sellers, which are purchased more often as "coffee table books" for display than to read carefully.

Ultimately, the usefulness of self-help books depends entirely on the particular book at issue as well as the commitment of the purchaser to read and digest the material and then implement its teachings. Even in the best case scenario, however, the field of personal psychology is far too complex to imagine that self-help is capable of addressing significant issues, irrespective of the authoritative value of any particular written text.

Conclusion:

As between the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator test and the Rorschach test, the former probably is more potentially useful in connection with understanding the psychological makeup of individuals within the normal range of behavioral psychology generally. In particular, the Meyers-Briggs test is helpful in identifying personal characteristics in the context of predicting vocational suitability, but the test is not considered overly reliable for… READ MORE

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