PSYCHOLOGY MATTERS

The Strong Interest Inventory is an assessment used to help people make educational and occupational choices .The inventory is a carefully constructed questionnaire that inquires about a respondent’s level of interest in a wide range of familiar items (i.e. words or short phrases describing occupations, occupational activities, hobbies, leisure activities, school subjects, and types of people). For each of the 317 items, the respondent is ask to indicate his / her preferences among three response categories on an answer sheet. The answers are then analyzed by computer to derive scores on measures of interest type, called scales. The results are then printed on a report called a profile, which presents the scale scores in an organized format and offers interpretive information. 

The assessment was introduced in 1927 by E.K. Strong, a researcher at Stanford University. Since that time the Strong Interest Inventory has been revised and improved, including the addition of Holland’s RIASEC theory, which added general occupational themes to improve the quality of the instrument. Because the instrument is constantly updated, the scores received by an individual today compare that person’s interests with those of people who have responded to the inventory recently and who may be in occupations that did not exist in Dr. Strong’s day.

The current Strong Interest Inventory offers several advantages over other methods of data gathering. The first section of the profile reports results on six General Occupational Themes: 

CONVENTIONAL: Indicates an interest in problem solving through organizing. Individuals that show high scores in this occupational theme enjoy activities that permit organization of information in a clear, orderly fashion. They are detail-oriented logical, conforming, and like structure and responsible.  Some occupations that correlate to this theme include: Accountant / Credit Manager / Actuary/ Medical Records and Health Information Technician / Air Traffic Controllers / Financial Analyst / Business Education Teacher. 

 REALISTIC: Indicates an interest in solving problems by hands-on activity. Individuals that show high scores in this occupational theme enjoy working with machines, tools, objects, and animals. They are practical, reserved, get pleasure from work that involves   physical activity. They often enjoy working outdoors on concrete problems and seeing tangible results. Some occupations that correlate to this theme include: Law Enforcement Officer / Engineer  / Forester  / Landscape/Grounds Manager  / Horticulturist / Athletic Trainer .

INVESTIGATIVE: Indicates an interest in abstract problem solving. Individuals that show high scores in this occupational theme tend to be methodical, original, and logical. They enjoy researching and exploring ideas, and collecting, analyzing data and solving problems of a conceptual nature. Some occupations that correlate to this theme include: Psychologist / Chiropractor / Dentist / Chemist / Software Developer / Veterinarian .  

ENTERPRISING: Indicates interests in solving problems by persuading. Individuals that show high scores in this occupational theme Seek to use  words, and feelings in dealing with people to motivate, persuade, manage, and sell things or promote ideas. Tend to be assertive, outgoing, ambitious, enthusiastic, influential, and goal oriented. Some occupations that correlate to this theme include: Chef / Travel Consultant / Restaurant Manager / Optician / Human Resources Manager / Purchasing Agent . 

SOCIAL: Indicates interests in solving problems by helping. Individuals that show high scores in this occupational theme enjoy working with people to inform, enlighten, or cure. They tend to be perceptive, responsible, emphatic, and patient, enjoy group activities and, are usually skilled with words. Some occupations that correlate to this theme include: Social Worker / College Instructor / Minister / School Administrator / Speech Pathologist / Occupational Therapist .

ARTISTIC: Indicates interests in solving problems through creativity and innovation. Individuals that show high scores in this occupational theme enjoy being original, independent, self-expressive, innovative and unstructured. They are often skills in music, art, drama, language, and writing. . Some occupations that correlate to this theme include: Librarian / Broadcast Journalist / Corporate Trainer / Urban & Regional Planner / Artist / Public Relations Director . 

Psychological type recognition during a child’s developmental years provides an enormous benefit to the child.  As with adults, children and young adults of the same personality type consistently display similar actions and behaviors, share a common value system , and are motivated  in the same way. The following is an brief overview of characteristics and behaviors typically found in each of the 16 Jung / Myers-Briggs personality types during childhood and as young adults:  

  ISTJ - Introverted /Sensing/ Thinking / Judging:  Thrive in an environment that is orderly and structured. They enjoy having a schedule to follow and will often take on extra personal responsible. They are quiet and reflective; rely upon tangible facts; are logical, analytical and organized. Their preferred learning environment is task oriented and they need precise and accurate instructions at home and in the classroom. 

ENFJ - Extraverted / iNtuitive / Feeling / Judging: Have a strong desire to please others and thrive on positive reinforcement. They become very upset by conflict and disharmony. They are talkative, exuberant, and warm. Enjoy social interaction; have a breadth of interest and grasp of possibilities. They learn best at home and in the classroom in situations that are structured, but flexible enough to allow them to talk and interact with their peers. 

ISTP - Introverted / Sensing / Thinking / Perceiving: Love hands-on activities, are action oriented and flexible. They are highly interested in and observant of how things work and often. They often take apart toys in an effort to observe and understand “what makes them tick”. They have little interest in theory; like to solve problems systemically and thrive in learning situations that allow them to learn alone, at their own rate, in their own time frame. 

ISFJ - Introverted / Sensing / Feeling / Judging: Are diligent and conscientious; have a deep concern for other’s feelings and work at trying to please parents, teachers, and other authority figures. They learn best in an environment in which they know precisely what is expected of them. Security and routine are very important to ISFJs. This means, knowing exactly who is going to be there when they get home from school. 

 ENTP - Extraverted/ iNtuitive / Thinking / Perceiving: Challenge established truths and norms are very outgoing and lively. They like to develop unusual ways of doing traditional childhood things, which often means outwitting parents and other social authority. Tell and ENTP child some behavior is inappropriate and he or she becomes even more committed to that behavior. They like a learning environment, which allows them to compete and match wits with others. They are skilled negotiators with a natural gift for getting others excited about their ideas.   

ESFJ - Extraverted/ Sensing / Feeling / Judging: Thrive in an environment, which providesconsistency, and personal attention, rules and authority are important to them. .Acceptance of others is also very important to them and they strive to please their parentsand others. They begin to accept responsibility at an early age; are warm, outgoing, andmake friends easily. For them to do their best in the classroom a positive teacher studentrelationship is essential. It is vital for them to like the person who teaches them,and disharmony.  

ESTJ - Extraverted/ Sensing/ Thinking /Judging : Like results-oriented activities and clearly hey are logical, pragmatic, and organized; communicate freely;have a strong sense of reality; and are more tasks driven than relationship oriented.Belonging, tradition, and camaraderie are very important to them. They have littlepatience for the abstract, theory, and inefficiency. They like schedules and want to knowspecifically what is required of them. They learn best in very structured environments inwhich objectives are clearly stated.  

INFP -  Introverted/ iNntuitive/ Feeling/ : Have a depth of concentration, are quiet and reflective; they decide early on what is important to them. They are intrigued by possibilities, the abstract and theory. They create their own fantasy world and live very much within the world they create. They are self-reliant and prefer to have a very small circle of close friends. They abhor making mistakes and try to avoid letting others know when they do so. They thrive in situations in which they receive appreciation for their unique approach. The ideal learning environment for them is flexible and rewards imagination and creativity.

 INTP - Introverted/ iNtuitive/ Thinking/ Perceiving :  Are inwardly focused, tend to enjoy their own thoughts more than the company of others; and need large amounts of time alone. They are very skeptical and analytical and trust reason above all else. They connect unrelated thoughts and seek objective solutions to enigmatic problems. They also tend to enjoy activities that may be atypical of children their age. They regard their parents, teachers, and other adults as their equal and feel free to challenge them when ever they perceive their thinking to be illogical. Competence in a teacher is important to them. 

ESFP -  Extraverted/ Sensing/ Feeling / Perceiving : Are very action oriented, they have a basic need to feel an impulse and immediately act upon that impulse. Talkative, gregarious, and sociable they desire harmony and understanding and like to make others happy. They learn best by doing and become easily bored with things that do not involve interaction and a hands-on approach. They dislike theory and the abstract; they respond best to direction when it is concrete, simple, and accurate. It is very important for them to get to know and be liked by their teachers. 

ESTP - Extraverted/ Sensing/Thinking/Perceiving : Are highly energetic. They possess a unique concept of time, which revolves totally around the present. Talkative and proactive in establishing relationships they view school as an important social event rather than an academic experience. They become restless when required to set for any length of time; and are often misunderstood and mis -diagnosis as hyperactive. They learn best in an environment, which provides hands-on activities and where they see and immediate tangible application for subject matter. 

ISFP -  Introverted/ Sensing / Feeling / Perceiving :  Are sometimes overlooked because they shun the spotlight. They are often drawn to people and animals that need special care. Quiet and introspective they desire a harmonious environment and one on one communication. They dislike structure and institutional settings that rob them of their spontaneity. When the material is theoretical or abstract and the atmosphere is ridged they often resist the educational process. They learn best in a relaxed and flexible setting.

 INFJ -  Introverted/ iNtuitive/Feeling/ Judging :  Are most comfortable in a predicable orderly environment. Their general demeanor is quiet and soft-spoken; they are introspective and imaginative; and have a tendency to create and live in a world of their own. When they are drawn into the outside world it is to become involved with and help others. They develop strong ideals at an early age and learn best when information is present as a vehicle by which to further those ideals. 

INTJ -  Introverted/ iNtuitive / Thinking / Judging :Are independent and individualistic. They focus their energy inward and need time alone for quite contemplation. Their inward focus most often revolves around thoughts of the way the world is or ought to be; they are highly imaginative and like to daydream. They are driven to establish their own rules and standards and can be quite stubborn when parents and other authority figures relay information to then that contradicts their own beliefs. They are diligent in their pursuit of new ideas and thoughts and learn best when allowed to design their own approach. 

ENFP -  Extraverted/ iNtuitive/ Thinking / Perceiving : Are vivacious, innovative, imaginative and curious. Energetic and sociable, they seek and provide affirmation and place a high value on harmony. They have the unique ability to extemporaneously express plausible and compelling reasons for their own ideas. They thrive in a learning environment in which the teacher takes personal interest in them; where they can interact with their peers, ask questions and develop new ideas. 

ENTJ: Extraverted/ iNtuitive/ Thinking / Judging  : Tend to take charge of themselves and others. They seek power and control and want to have an impact. They want to change things to fit their concept of how things should be. Conflict may develop when parents and other authority figures exercise too much control and deprive them of their need to control themselves. They enjoy a learning environment that allows them to critique, debate and view problems from all sides.

The Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children (MMTIC) online assessment makes  is it possible to identify the personality types of children grades 2 through high school.  

The concept that each of us is born with a specific set of preferences is central to Carl Jung’s theory of psychological type. While these preferences are innate it is during the elementary school years that a child first begins to cultivate these preferences and develop his / her own unique style of taking in and processing information. Knowledge of a child’s unique personality type provides an understanding of how the child: Absorbs information /  Prioritizes information / and Makes decisions about information. Type recognition during a child’s developmental years provides an enormous benefit to the child. When a child is afforded an environment, which provides the freedom to develop his / her natural preferences, he or she develops a much higher levels of self-esteem and self-confidence. In addition to which an overall understanding of the child’s personality preferences facilitates an improved relationship between the child and the parents.While The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator has long been the most valid and reliable instrument for measuring personality preferences in adults, it has not proven suitable for children. The Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for children was developed to fill this need. Like the MBTI , the Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children (MMTI) is a self-report assessment of psychological type. With the help of The Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator it is possible to identify the personality types of children grades 2 through high school.

Within the framework of Carl  G. Jung / Myers-Briggs personality type theory  functions refer to the mental processes used to take-in and process information.  There are four functions.  Sensing  and intuition , which represent and individual’s preference for taking in data from the environment.  An individual uses both of these functions but has a natural tendency to favor one over the other.  The sensor prefers using his / her sensing function.  Those with a sensing preference make concrete and realistic observation of objects or circumstances in the immediate environment. Where as an individual with a natural tendency for the intuitive preference makes mental connections with observations of his / her surroundings and may perceive something entirely different from the sensing type person. Sensors tend to make very detailed observations of their environment and initiatives are very general in their observations.  The thinking and feeling function address how and individual processes data and makes decisions. As with the sensing and intuitive functions an individual uses both the thinking and feeling function but is naturally drawn to use one of the functions over the other.   A person with a thinking preference uses objectivity as criteria when making decisions.  This type is considered to be very logical and methodical in the decision making process.  A person with a feeling preference for decision-making uses a subjective approach.  Individuals with a preference for the feeling function believe that personal considerations are important and should not be left out of decision-making.  Individuals with a preference for feeling are also very value oriented in their decision making process, their personal values are at the center of how they arrive at decisions and can not be in conflict with the decision that is made.         Dominate Function: An individual’s most highly refined function, it is the function an individual prefers using the most often.      Auxiliary Function:  An individuals’ second most preferred function.  The auxiliary function works with and supports the dominant function.     Tertiary Function:  An individual’s third preferred function.  It is a lesser-developed function, which works to support the auxiliary function.    Inferior Function:   An individuals’ least developed function. The inferior function is the opposite function of the dominant function, for example and individual who is a dominant thinker would have feeling  as an inferior function and an individual who is a dominant feeler  would have thinking  as an inferior function. 

Attitudes determine how and individual uses his /  her four functions.   The two attitudes developed by Jung are those of extraversion and introversion.  These two attitudes refer to the way in which an individual relates to his/ her environment.  Extraverts relate to their environment outwardly, their focus is on people and objects in the outside world.  An extrovert gains psychological energy from the outside world.  Extraverts interact continuously with the environment, are easily approached by others, talk through situations in order to think, and are energized by numbers of people . Approximately 75% of the U.S.  population prefer the attitude of extraversion and 25% of the population prefer introversion . Isabel Myers and Katharine Briggs, the developers of the Myers-Briggs Type Instrument (MBTI), devised the second set of attitudes judging and perceiving.  The attitudes of judging  and perceiving have a dual purpose their primary purpose as stated by  Myers is to “describe unidentifiable attitudes and behaviors to the outside world ”.  An individual who prefers the judging  attitude seeks order, structure and closure in their environment.  An individual who prefers the attitude of perceiving seeks a flexible, spontaneous and open-ended environment.   Approximately 50% of the U.S. population prefer the attitude of judging and the other 50% prefer the attitude of perceiving.   The second purpose of the judging and perceiving attitudes is used in conjunction with the attitudes of extraversion  and introversion to determine which of the functions is the dominant function and which is the auxiliary function.

Within the framework of Carl Jung’s personality type paradigm the thinking (T) / feeling (F) preference dichotomy has the most significant influence on the decision making process.   A preference for the thinking(T) function constitutes an objective impersonal approach to decision making  while a preference for the feeling (F) function constitutes a subjective values driven approach.            The sensing (S)  / intuition (N)  preference  dichotomy is the second factor that comes into play in the decision making process . Individuals with a preference for sensing (S) focus on  past experience and  tangible / concrete criteria when confronted with decision making and problem solving while those with a preference for  intuition (N) focus on future possibilities and broad , general issues .Personalities types with preference for both sensing (S) and  thinking (T) …STs focus on past experience, and objective,  tangible/ concrete data . The personality  types included in this group include ISTJ , ESTJ , ISTP and ESTP . Personality types with a preference for both  sensing (S) and feeling (F)….SFs focus on past experience and subjective tangible/ concrete data . The personality types included in this group include ISFJ, ESFJ , ISFP and ESFP. Personality types with a preference for intuition (N)  and thinking (T) ….NTs utilize objective criteria while focusing on  future directed broad  concepts and possibilities  .  These personalities types include INTJ , ENTJ , INTP , and ENTP. Personality types with a preference intuition (N) and feeling (F) …..NFs  utilize  subjective criteria and focus on future directed broad concepts and possiblilities .These types include INFJ , ENFJ, INFP and ENFP.  

      Conflict is an inevitable normal part of life that occurs when the things individuals care about appear incompatible.  Nonetheless, the effect of poorly managed conflict can take an enormous economic and emotional toll upon an organization and it’s members.   

      Undersirable effects include:  Unproductive use of valuable time. —– Studies indicate that managers spend between twenty-five and forty percent of their time dealing with employee conflict.  High levels of employee turnover—–.  Research conducted in the late 1990s confirms that a significant number of employees leave jobs as a result of unresolved conflict        Increased absenteeism and inflated healthcare cost—— Stress is recognized as an unhealthy by product of unmanaged conflict.  The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine reports approximately 50% higher incidents of absenteeism in work environments which are perceived as highly stressful due to conflict—stress as the cause of absenteeism has increased by 316% between 1995 and 1999. Increased legal fees———–A 2005 Fulbright & Jaworski survey on litigation trends in the U.S. concluded that nearly 9 out of 10 American companies are involved in some type of litigation. Transforming the method in which conflict is handled in an organizational settings to incorporate Carl Jung’s theory of psychological type theory contributes to an organizational cultural conducive to a collaborative process and reduces the negative effectives of poorly managed conflict   There are two principal assumptions underlying the use of Jung’s theory of personality type with regard to conflict management and resolution.  The first assumption is  knowledge of individual differences will help identify the unique abilities that individuals contribute toward the goal of task accomplishment. Type theory expresses the view that each of the 16 personality types has a unique set of strengths or resources that are derive from the specific way in which the particular type processes information and makes decisions. The second assumption is knowledge of individual differences when attributed to differences in personality type can help reduce conflict by redirecting potential sources of misunderstanding. Through knowledge and understanding of psychological type and type preferences when conflict does occur it can be diagnosed and attributed to naturally occurring type differences.  Within the context of type theory blaming and other negative elements of conflict can be managed.   

   Jung’s personality type theory operates on the premise that every individual has two different attitudes towards their environment, i.e. two different directions where their energies focus: extraversion (E) where the focus is on the outer environment of people, places and things and introversion (I) where the focus is on the inner environment of ideas, concepts, and images.  The mind possesses two different functions: perceiving, the way in which the brain takes in  information and judging, the way in which the brain comes to conclusions about what has been perceived.    The two perceiving functions are sensing (S): the use of the five senses (see, hear, touch, smell and taste), and the intuitive  (I) function which allows the use of a sixth sense which includes insight beyond what is visible.  The two judging functions are: thinking (T) the impersonal, objective analytical approach to decision making and feeling (F) the use of subjective personal values as the criteria for decision making.   Each of the personality types uses all four of the basic mental functions; Sensing (S), Intuition (N), Thinking (T) and Feeling (F), but each of the types prioritizes these functions differently .The dynamics, i.e. the priority and degree to which each of the types uses the four functions is what provides the distinct personality traits of each of the personality types. 

The society of an organization consists of both formal and informal groups of varying size. The four key forces affecting organizational behavior consist of .1). People: Organizations consist of individuals with very diverse educational backgrounds, values, abilities, and perceptive.2). Structure: The formal relationship between and use of the people within the organization.  Jobs and relationships make-up the structure of the organization. The present trend is towards a flatter organizational structure consisting of fewer levels.3). Technology: The machinery and computer hardware and software that the people of the organization use to effectively accomplish tasks. While technology allows people to accomplish their jobs in a more efficient way there is a delicate balance between technology and the social systems within an organization.  4). Environment: Organizations have both an internal and external environment. Every organization is part of a larger system that consists of elements such as government, competitors, family, and other organizations. Factors such as globalization, and society’s expectations of the organization influence one another in an intricate, complex system in which all organizations and the effects of their behavior are interrelated.

A recent article from CBS News provides good insight into how a Hillary Clinton presidency might be managed. As we have pointed out in an earlier blog, the Clinton approach to management is basically transactional. That means there will be enforced standard operating procedures, clearly defined and rigid organizational structure, reliance on loyalty to the detriment of ability, and reluctance to make meaningful changes in operation. These characteristics are clearly pointed out in the CBS article defining some of the operational problems exhibited by the Clinton campaign.

            As pointed out in the article, the disciplined and leakproof operations of the top five campaign managers “have kept an iron grip on everything from ideas to access.” In particular, Penn is targeted for his “myopic focus on issues, his dismissal of the need for Hillary to get personal and address her likeability problem, his unusual dual role as top strategist and pollster, and his famously rough manner.” These issues have impacted significantly and detrimentally on the morale of other members of the campaign team. While there have been some changes in the organizational makeup of the team, these changes have been too late in coming and were not significant in scope. The transactional focus of the Clinton campaign indicates that this is the dominant style of the candidate and will carry over into the White House if she is elected.

            Clinton’s position that she will bring change to the administration was largely forced on her by the charismatic and transformational approach of her adversary, Barack Obama. Transformational leaders, such as Obama, are comfortable with change and are able to provide the structure necessary to make the needed changes succeed. Obama’s definition of change is quite different from that of Clinton’s. His will be a more far reaching approach that will impact on the directional change in government ask for by the voters during the last congressional elections. Sadly, Clinton will only be able to make minor visionary changes that will, in the long run, not be significant in changing the direction of our government. Her staff, if she is elected, will suffer the same ailments exhibited by her present campaign team and her administration will fail miserably.