PSYSCHODYNAMIC THEORY OF PERSONALITYCARL JUNG AND MBTI

PRESENTED BY – SURAJ KUMAR

The Core Idea

The essence of Jung’s theory of psychological types is simple; when our minds are active and we are awake, we are alternating between taking in information and making decisions in our internal and external worlds. Jung identified eight different patterns for how we carry out these mental activities commonly referred to as the function- attitudes, functions- in-attitude or the eight mental processes.  He created these patterns through combining his opposite pairs of attitudes and functions. Jung described these eight different patterns in his book entitled Psychological Types through characterizations of people who habitually prefer one pattern over another – his “eight types.” Jung’s eight types are the roots of the well known 16 MBTI® types.

The Attitudes and Functions

The Attitudes – Extraversion and

Introversion

The Functions – Perceiving and

Judging

The Attitudes – Extraversion and Introversion

The first pair of opposites that Jung identified was the two opposite ways in which we adapt to, or orient ourselves to, the world.

These are Jung’s attitudes of Extraversion and Introversion:

Extraversion – Our energy moves toward the outer world of people, places and things; the world outside of us

Introversion – Our energy moves toward the inner world of thoughts and ideas; the world inside of us

The Functions – Perceiving and Judging

Sensing Perception

iNtuitive Perception

Thinking Judgment

Feeling Judgment

Cont.

Jung observed that one’s preference for Extraversion or Introversion could not alone account for the many behavioral differences he observed between people.

For this reason, he identified two opposite mental functions that we use to take in information or Perceive – the Perceiving functions of Sensing and Intuition.

Sensing Perception – The process of collecting concrete data through using our five senses

iNtuitive Perception (iNtuition) – The process by which we make connections and infer meanings beyond sensory data

Cont.

Jung also coined two opposite mental functions that we use to evaluate information or make decisions; ways to Judge, or the Judging functions of Thinking and Feeling:

Thinking Judgment – The process we use for evaluating information by applying objective and logical criteria

Feeling Judgment – The process we use for evaluating information by considering what is important to me and you

As is the case with the energy attitudes, Jung determined that we have an innate pre-disposition to habitually use – or prefer – one of the four functions over the others. We either prefer, or have energy to devote to, using one of our Perceiving functions of Sensing or Intuition over our Judging functions; or we have more energy and are more comfortable using one of our Judging functions of Thinking or Feeling over our Perceiving functions.

The Eight Mental Functions-in-Attitude

Cont.

Jung observed that the attitudes of Extraversion and Introversion were always used in conjunction with either a Perceiving function or a Judging function.

The four functions (Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, and Feeling) with the two attitudes (Extraversion and Introversion) combine to create the eight mental Functions-in-Attitude attitude, which Jung called his “eight types.” These eight mental functions in their particular attitude form the core of Jung’s theory of psychological types; these are the eight functions that we call upon to adapt to the world.

Cont.

Function-Attitude Definition

Extraverted Sensing Outward and active focus on the objective world and on gathering factual data and sensory experiences.

Introverted Sensing Inward and reflective focus on subjective sensory experiences and on the storing of factual historical data.

Extraverted Intuition Outward and active focus on the new, the possibilities and meanings/ patterns in the objective world.

Introverted Intuition Inward and reflective focus on the subjective world of symbols, meanings, insight and patterns that come up from the unconscious.

Cont.

Extraverted Thinking Outward and active focus on applying logical order to the objective world through building structure, organization and making decisions

Introverted Thinking Inward and reflective focus on the subjective world of reason that seeks understanding through finding the logical principles behind phenomena.

Extraverted Feeling Outward and active focus on bringing order to the objective world through building and seeking harmony with others and alignment with openly expressed values.

Introverted Feeling Inward and reflective focus on the subjective world of deeply felt values that seeks harmony through alignment of personal behavior with those values and evaluation of phenomena in light of those values.

Cont.

In Jungian terms, we define our type by our dominant function, which is our most preferred mental function. For example, if we like to use Extraverted Sensing more than any of the other seven mental functions, Extraverted Sensing is our dominant function and we are an Extraverted Sensing Type.

Jung stated that we can experience energy depletion and fatigue when we use our other mental functions for too long. Jung went so far as to say that it could be psychologically detrimental to our well being when our environment does not support us in the use of our dominant function; he called this “falsification of type

The Theory in Practice

It takes some reading and practice to understand the eight function-attitudes and the manner in which they operate within your type.  However, the more you read and practice, the more familiar you will become with the core of Jung’s psychological type theory. It is through our understanding of Jung’s core theory and the eight mental functions-in-attitude, that we find the real richness and depth of type

An Example of Using the Function-Attitudes

Here is an example of how you might use all of the mental functions in their attitudes at the grocery store for a dinner party you are planning.

As you drive to the store, you have formed an internal image of how the party will look (Introverted iNtuition). You get to the store and you see that the tomatoes do not look ripe (Extraverted Sensing). You determine you will forgo the tomato salad since you want your friends to feel good (Extraverted Feeling). You immediately start to brainstorm other options as you move through the produce isle (Extraverted iNtuition) while examining the other vegetables (Extraverted Sensing

Cont.

You pass the blueberries and recall the documentary you just saw on child labor in blueberry fields (Introverted Sensing). That treatment of children is inexcusable, so you decide not to purchase the blueberries to make the blueberry tart you had thought about (Introverted Feeling). You pass the bakery and see a carrot cake (Extraverted Sensing) that takes you back to the birthday dinner your mom made for you last year (Introverted Sensing). You look at your watch and determine that you had better move a bit faster as you have only a couple of hours left to prepare (Extraverted Thinking). You turn your attention to your thoughts to internally structure the rest of your day (Introverted Thinking).

About the MBTI® Instrument

The MBTI® assessment is a self-report questionnaire created by Katharine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers to make Carl Jung’s complex theory of psychological types useful and understandable in our everyday life. The MBTI® personality assessment is the most widely used personality instrument in history. Based on 70 years of research and development, the MBTI® tool has a sound and proven record as a successful instrument in the field of human psychology and development. As such, it has worldwide acceptance as the gold standard of personality assessments. The MBTI® has been translated into 23 different languages and is the most widely used instrument in the world for understanding differences, with well over 1 million yearly global administrations.

In essence, the MBTI® instrument is:

An assessment that gives people access to their psychological type, or they way in which they process information.

A self-report questionnaire, the results of which are validated by the person taking the instrument.

A non-judgmental assessment that has no right or wrong answers.

Constructed using questions that have been researched and tested to accurately indicate innate preferences or mental patterns on four dichotomies resulting in 16 different personality types.

Why is the MBTI® Instrument so Popular?

The MBTI® Type Indicator maintains its commanding popularity among psychological instruments because it has a strong theoretical foundation — Jung’s psychological type — and is a sound and researched model.

The MBTI® questionnaire and psychological type are valuable tools in any human situation or interaction. Millions of people worldwide who have taken the assessment have not only had the “aha” experience of validating who they really are, but have come to a profound understanding of the why behind their behavior.

The MBTI® inventory and knowledge of ones’ type:

Promotes self-awareness and personal choice

Helps to identify differences between normal healthy individuals Fosters appreciation for differences between people

Assists in identifying unique gifts and areas for growth and development

Promotes understanding and effective cooperation between people

Facilitates individuals and groups to make constructive use of these

How the MBTI Indicator® Instrument Can Help You

Education through an understanding of teaching and learning styles

Career counseling by helping people to find job fulfillment and satisfaction

Organizational development through building high performing teams, developing leaders, managing professional development and performance improvement, boosting retention, implementing change, developing sales forces and improving customer service

Personal and spiritual growth and development by following personal paths for improvement

Family relationships between couples, parents and children

Health care delivery by providing healthcare customized to patient