Personality Development

13 January 2011

Catherine Halsey, RN, BSN, CHPN

Today’s content

• Myers-Briggs Personality Test

• Briefly touching on some ancient personality theories.

• A bit about Carl Jung Ph. D.

• Personalities and temperaments.

• How and why’s of tests and testing.

• How this information helps you as a student, as a nurse, and in your personal life.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

• The purpose of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality inventory is to make the theory of psychological types described by C. G. Jung understandable and useful in people’s lives.

“The soul is it’s own source of unfolding.”

• Not Blank Slates For the past 30 years, it’s been the “politically correct” stance that we are all “blank slates” at birth. Boys are taught to be boys, and girls are taught to be girls.

Dr. Carl Jung

What Dr. Carl G. Jung believed is that at birth, our sense of “who we are” and/or our individual personalities are not a blank slate. That our personalities and temperaments are formed by both nature and nurture.

Carl Jung

• Almost any mother with a newborn infant will be quick to inform you that her baby began displaying his/her own unique personality traits and/or temperament from the very beginning.

• This describes Carl Jungs theory nicely.

Personality vs. Temperament

• Temperament is inborn.

• Personality grows out of upbringing, culture, family and other external forces.

• Personality equals temperament plus life experience.

Temperament

• The combination of mental, physical, and emotional traits of a person.

• It’s a person’s natural predisposition.

Temperament

• A person’s unusual personal attitude or nature as manifested by peculiarities of feeling, temper, action, etc.

• From the ancient medical concept of humorism

History of the study of Temperament

• Known as old physiology, the combination of the four cardinal humors, the relative proportions of which were supposed to determine physical and mental constitution.

• This was the conventional knowledge described in 1300 to 1350

• That is 700 years ago.

Old, physiologic definition of temperament

• It was thought that the human brain has four temperaments:

• Choleric

• Melancholic

• Sanguine and

• Phlegmatic.

Temperaments

• There are extroverted temperaments and introverted temperaments.

• Extraverts are outgoing in nature.

• Introverts are quieter and more reserved.

Choleric temperament

• The choleric temperament leads out of the upper left side of the brain.

• Strengths of a choleric temperament include being practical and a problem solver, being a born leader, being strong willed and being decisive.

Choleric Temperament

• Areas where a person with a choleric temperament might want to be watchful include the tendencies to be opinionated and to having a workaholic tendency.

Choleric Temperament

• The downside of a choleric temperament: it could be said that a choleric person may be extremely irritable or easily angered.

• Someone could be described as having a choleric disposition.

• Note the disease cholera is expulsive; diarrhea, vomiting.

• Choleric temperaments are extroverts.

Choleric Type

• Sometimes referred to as “Type A” people, they are hard working and goal oriented.

• They are leaders and can get others around them to perform well.

• They do not stand on ceremony; they do not care if they hurt the feelings of others as they “get the job done”.

Choleric type

• Cholerics are not better or worse than any of the other temperament types.

• They simply have stronger strengths and weaknesses than the other temperament types.

• Cholerics do not work well in groups, they may take on a team task and do the task themselves.

Melancholic Temperament

• The melancholic temperament leads out of the lower left side of the brain. Strengths include being well organized and analytical while weaknesses include being moody and hard to please.

Melancholy Temperament

• These types are highly analytical, and do not believe in temperament types. They simply cannot approach a person or situation without analyzing it.

• They are highly valuable in situations where a problem needs to be analyzed or a detail plan made.

Melancholy strengths and weaknesses.

• Their main strength is also their weakness as they are highly critical, in detail, and usually will be very open in describing to you what your weaknesses are and can be very hurtful to your feelings.

• They do not see a reason to be tactful or nice. Their criticisms are hurtful because they are personal.

Sanguine Temperament

• A sanguine leads out of the upper right side of the brain. This temperament is said to be cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident.

• The most outgoing and cheerful of the 4 types.

• Life is lived “out there”.

Sanguine type

• Sanguines talk easily about their feelings.

• Make friends easily.

• Very talkative. In a pinch will make a new friend just to have someone to talk to.

• They have a lack of organizational skills.

• They do not hold a grudge.

Sanguine types

• Will express them selves freely and quickly and then be done with it, not revisit.

• And when they are over their outburst, they do not continue to think about it; the outburst may surprise their friends.

• Sanguines are very upbeat and positive.

Sanguines

• Sanguines need friends and partners who will either overlook their disorganization or encourage them with becoming more organized.

• The disorganized trait does not “go away” it stays with them.

Sanguine Type

• Have tremendous personal talent.

• His/her life can be made or broken depending upon his personal self discipline.

Phlegmatic Temperament

• A phlegmatic temperament is said to lead out of the lower right side of the brain. This personality type is not easily excited to action or display of emotion; apathetic; sluggish. The personality is self-possessed, calm, composed.

So what is temperament?

• It’s like the canvas that you would put a painting on.

• It is your inherited style.

• It’s the fabric that lies under your personality.

• Usually you have 2 basic temperaments. One is stronger than the other, and stands out a bit more.

Personality

• Your personality is what is painted on the underlying canvas.

• Your personality is the outer of the 2.

• 2 people with like temperament may have very different behaviors.

Factors that affect the personality.

• Socialization

• Education

• Birth order

• Siblings or lack of siblings

• Interpersonal pressures which cause us to adapt and change our behaviors.

Why it is good to understand temperament and personality.

• Understanding temperament helps you to interact well with others.

• You will be able to handle interpersonal relationships successfully.

• It helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses and why you do some of the things you do.

Good to know, because

• You can adapt your behavior to others, or at least understand why you have problems with them.

Why are there 4 types?

• Why not 40? There are so many different kinds of people in the world… more than 4 types!

Good point!

• Scientists from ancient times, right up to modern day psychologists have been able to categorize people into these 4 types.

• It is actually very variable, as temperament interplays w/ personality and everyone turns out to be quite unique.

Personality Tests

• Some companies now use personality tests to make sure that you are a good fit for their company.

• You want to have a good fit, so answer them honestly.

• The personality tests used by large companies are not very respected by some academic communities.

Pre-employment tests

• Whoever makes the decision to implement personality tests for potential new-hires is enticed by the supposed savings and increase in the overall quality of employees.

How pre-employment personality tests are structured

• The first types of questions are the easiest.

• Can you count to ten?

() true

() false

• These are to ensure you are paying attention and to ready you for the test.

Tests in general

• Tests are set up in a deliberate manner.

• Academic tests (at school) and pre-employment tests, as well as “personality tests” have similarities and differences.

• Tests themselves are tested. They are scrutinized. For validity.

More about tests in general

• Tests are used to evaluate instructors and to show strengths and weaknesses in a curriculum.

Pre-employment tests

• How they are structured.

• What the employer is looking for.

• How to answer them to get the job.

• The ways in which they are unrealistic.

Questions that you will encounter that test your personality

• The employer is looking for an outgoing, friendly person (extrovert).

• The questions give you 2 seemingly socially acceptable answers.

Sample question

• I like to be in a large crowd:

• () true

• () false

• A casual applicant will think there is no wrong answer, but the company wants an extrovert.

• The correct answer is true.

Sample questions seen on pre-employment exams

• I like to be alone.

() true () false

• I don’t mind being the center of attention.

() true () false

• I like going to large events with large crowds.

() true () false

Questions that test your work habits

• You can assume that your potential new employer is looking for a dedicated, efficient hard worker.

• Most of the questions are easy but some are tricky.

I work my best under pressure

• () true

• () false

What do you think?

Multiple Choice Testing

Remember the few simple rules of multiple-choice testing.

For math questions, there are usually three or four

egregiously wrong answers and one correct one, so doing approximate calculations in your head will save you time.

With verbal questions, the longest and/or most

complex answer tends to be the correct one. Take the following for example:

Sample multiple choice question

• A quasar is:

• () A type of planet() A star() A super-massive, relatively small object located at the farthest reaches of the visible universe that releases more energy than the most powerful active galaxies.() A cut of meat

Multiple choice questions.

The last rule of multiple-choice testing is if you truly don't know the answer, just guess. You'll usually have a 20%-25% chance of getting it right.

One more thing

• Sometimes a pre-employment personality tests use the strongly agree to strongly disagree type of scale. In these cases, treat them like a true/false test question and answer in the extreme (strongly agree or strongly disagree).

Pre-employment tests

• They are not true personality tests, and are used at very large companies for the benefit of the company. They are not truly interested in your personality for personal, helpful reasons for you, but to benefit the company.

Myers-Briggs

• This is a very famous test. It usually has 99 questions on it. It is a temperament testing tool developed by a psychologist and her daughter, who was also a psychologist.

Myers-Briggs

• It tests temperaments.

• It costs money to take the test

• You can take it online

• Meyers-Briggs organization says that it is valid and reliable.

• They started the research on it and developed the test, which is called an “instrument” in the 1940s.

Myers-Briggs continued

• Like all good tests, the test (instrument) has been tested and it is a standard in the psychological testing industry.

• There are many copy cat tests. Some with more validity than others.

What it does

• The Myers-Briggs test takes the theories of personality types as described by Carl Jung and makes them understandable and useful in everyday life.

Carl Jung

• The essence of his theory is that seemingly random behavior is actually quite orderly and consistent.

• Due to the ways that individuals choose to use their perception and judgment.

Judgment and Preception

• Perception is what you are aware of (what you perceive).

• Judgment is what you conclude when you perceive.

Perception involves all the ways of becoming aware of things, people, happenings, or ideas.

Judgment involves all the ways of coming to conclusions about what has been perceived.

More about the Myers-Briggs test

• If people differ systematically in what they perceive and in how they reach conclusions, then it is only reasonable for them to differ correspondingly in their interests, reactions, values, motivations, and skills."

• Favorite world: Do you prefer to focus on the outer world or on your own inner world? This is called Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I).

The goal of the Myers-Briggs Test

• Psychologists Isabel Briggs Myers and Katherine Briggs (her mother) wanted to make the personality theories of Carl Jung available to individuals and groups.

• That is what lead them to develop their instrument.

Myers-Briggs continuedd

• People’s basic preferences are recorded.

• There is no right or wrong temperament or personality.

• No one personality type is better or worse than another.

All types are equal

• The goal of knowing about personality type is to understand and appreciate differences between people. As all types are equal, there is no best type.

Myers-Briggs

• The MBTI instrument sorts for preferences and does not measure trait, ability, or character.

Validity and reliability of the Myers Briggs Instrument

The Myers Briggs Instrument measures what it says it does (validity) and produces the same results when given more than once (reliability).

When you want an accurate profile of your personality type, ask if the instrument you plan to use has been validated.

Quick review before we take a version of the Myers-Briggs

• The theory of psychological type was introduced in the 1920s by Carl G. Jung.

• The MBTI tool was developed in the 1940s by Isabel Briggs Myers

• The original research was done in the 1940s and '50s.

• This research is ongoing, providing users with updated and new information about psychological type and its applications.

MBTI

• MBTI stands for: “Myers-Briggs Type Indicator”

• It measures your personality type and temperament into 4 categories.

• There are 16 types in the MBTI

Question 1

• Favorite world: Do you prefer to focus on the outer world or on your own inner world? This is called Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I).

Question 2

• Information: Do you prefer to focus on the basic information you take in or do you prefer to interpret and add meaning? This is called Sensing (S) or Intuition (N).

Question 3

• Decisions: When making decisions, do you prefer to first look at logic and consistency or first look at the people and special circumstances? This is called Thinking (T) or Feeling (F).

Question 4

• Structure: In dealing with the outside world, do you prefer to get things decided or do you prefer to stay open to new information and options? This is called Judging (J) or Perceiving (P).

• Your Personality Type: When you decide on your preference in each category, you have your own personality type, which can be expressed as a code with four letters.

The 16 Types

• The 16 personality types of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® instrument are listed here as they are often shown in what is called a “type table.”

ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ

ISTP ISFP INFP INTP

ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP

ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ

ISFJ

• ISFJQuiet, friendly, responsible, and conscientious. Committed and steady in meeting their obligations. Thorough, painstaking, and accurate. Loyal, considerate, notice and remember specifics about people who are important to them, concerned with how others feel. Strive to create an orderly and harmonious environment at work and at home.

ISTJ

• ISTJQuiet, serious, earn success by thoroughness and dependability. Practical, matter-of-fact, realistic, and responsible. Decide logically what should be done and work toward it steadily, regardless of distractions. Take pleasure in making everything orderly and organized – their work, their home, their life. Value traditions and loyalty.

INFJ

• INFJSeek meaning and connection in ideas, relationships, and material possessions. Want to understand what motivates people and are insightful about others. Conscientious and committed to their firm values. Develop a clear vision about how best to serve the common good. Organized and decisive in implementing their vision.

INTJ

• INTJHave original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their goals. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long-range explanatory perspectives. When committed, organize a job and carry it through. Skeptical and independent, have high standards of competence and performance – for themselves and others.

ISTP

• ISTPTolerant and flexible, quiet observers until a problem appears, then act quickly to find workable solutions. Analyze what makes things work and readily get through large amounts of data to isolate the core of practical problems. Interested in cause and effect, organize facts using logical principles, value efficiency

ISFP

• ISFPQuiet, friendly, sensitive, and kind. Enjoy the present moment, what’s going on around them. Like to have their own space and to work within their own time frame. Loyal and committed to their values and to people who are important to them. Dislike disagreements and conflicts, do not force their opinions or values on others.

INFP

• INFPIdealistic, loyal to their values and to people who are important to them. Want an external life that is congruent with their values. Curious, quick to see possibilities, can be catalysts for implementing ideas. Seek to understand people and to help them fulfill their potential. Adaptable, flexible, and accepting unless a value is threatened.

INTP

• INTPSeek to develop logical explanations for everything that interests them. Theoretical and abstract, interested more in ideas than in social interaction. Quiet, contained, flexible, and adaptable. Have unusual ability to focus in depth to solve problems in their area of interest. Skeptical, sometimes critical, always analytical.

ESTP

• ESTPFlexible and tolerant, they take a pragmatic approach focused on immediate results. Theories and conceptual explanations bore them – they want to act energetically to solve the problem. Focus on the here-and-now, spontaneous, enjoy each moment that they can be active with others. Enjoy material comforts and style. Learn best through doing.

ESFP

• ESFPOutgoing, friendly, and accepting. Exuberant lovers of life, people, and material comforts. Enjoy working with others to make things happen. Bring common sense and a realistic approach to their work, and make work fun. Flexible and spontaneous, adapt readily to new people and environments. Learn best by trying a new skill with other people.

ENFP

• ENFPWarmly enthusiastic and imaginative. See life as full of possibilities. Make connections between events and information very quickly, and confidently proceed based on the patterns they see. Want a lot of affirmation from others, and readily give appreciation and support. Spontaneous and flexible, often rely on their ability to improvise and their verbal fluency.

ENTP

• ENTPQuick, ingenious, stimulating, alert, and outspoken. Resourceful in solving new and challenging problems. Adept at generating conceptual possibilities and then analyzing them strategically. Good at reading other people. Bored by routine, will seldom do the same thing the same way, apt to turn to one new interest after another.

ESTJ

• ESTJPractical, realistic, matter-of-fact. Decisive, quickly move to implement decisions. Organize projects and people to get things done, focus on getting results in the most efficient way possible. Take care of routine details. Have a clear set of logical standards, systematically follow them and want others to also. Forceful in implementing their plans.

ENFJ

• ENFJWarm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible. Highly attuned to the emotions, needs, and motivations of others. Find potential in everyone, want to help others fulfill their potential. May act as catalysts for individual and group growth. Loyal, responsive to praise and criticism. Sociable, facilitate others in a group, and provide inspiring leadership.

ENTJ

• ENTJFrank, decisive, assume leadership readily. Quickly see illogical and inefficient procedures and policies, develop and implement comprehensive systems to solve organizational problems. Enjoy long-term planning and goal setting. Usually well informed, well read, enjoy expanding their knowledge and passing it on to others. Forceful in presenting their ideas.

Sr. Catherine

• ISFPQuiet, friendly, sensitive, and kind. Enjoy the present moment, what’s going on around them. Like to have their own space and to work within their own time frame. Loyal and committed to their values and to people who are important to them. Dislike disagreements and conflicts, do not force their opinions or values on others.

MBTI and the Health Care Professionals

• When health care professionals understand personality type they have more resources for providing quality service to patients and their families.

• With a knowledge of the framework of the sixteen types, health care providers can adjust communication and create appropriate care programs that best suit the patient.

How this information can benefit your Nursing Practice

• This knowledge shows you how to be flexible with patients.

• You may better understand their reactions to disease.

• You will be able to appreciate how patients experience stress.

• It is helpful in determining patient compliance with protocols.

How this information benefits your Nursing practice

• You will be able to deliver challenging medical news with kindness, compassion and honesty.

The End

• Thank you for your kind attention. Have a great day!