Peter Geyer
Type Coaching and Training
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Peter Geyer
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On "Personality"ICISTS Conference KAIST Daejeon Korea 17 July 2008 People and Qualities: The nature and type of participants in an Australian MBTI® Qualifying Workshop
Presentation
On "Personality"C.G.Jung and the MBTI®
Theory & Research
APTi IAC Research and Theory Articles
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CHAPTER 5 DEVELOPING THE MBTI ACTOR-NETWORK In this Chapter, I will be applying actor-network theory to the origin and development of the MBTI, beginning with the network of Jung, to show how Myers and Briggs slowly developed their network of influence, gaining actors and allies, while at the same time being unaware of other existing related networks and their linking in with other networks who accept or query their work and ideas. When Myers and Briggs decided to construct a psychological instrument based on C.G.Jung’s theory of psychological types, there are a number of actor-networks encountered by them almost immediately. One of these is the network of Jung, encountered first by Katharine Briggs in 1923, but with an earlier history. Jung, through the publication of his research on Word Association tests, gains influence with Freud, who becomes an ally for him, as does he to Freud. Both men are invited to travel to the USA and they extendtheir networks (notionally Freud’s) to a mixed reception, but some connections are made . Jung breaks with Freud shortly thereafter, losing contact with and support from that network, but then promoting his own view of psychology, including a theory of psychological types, which he initially publishes in 1913, but more completely and elaborately in 1921, as a book which is published in English in 1923. The book, Psychological Types in actor-network terms is both an actor and an artifact, a translation device for his views, because it can be transported around to other potential actors and allies. The book ultimately becomes a black box in terms of Jung’s views on this topic . The book is particularly relevant in this context because, unlike much of his other work, he does not revise the text, his editors simply adding various papers and speeches in successive editions. The network for Jung and psychological type theory increases with its translation into English by members of his network, but this network, although international and wealthy, has little impact in American academic psychological circles. Psychological Types, in particular, is not generally successful as a black box because too many people question, adapt or reject the contents and so do not join Jung’s network. The book, however, enrols Katharine Briggs and, subsequently, Isabel Myers. Katharine Briggs writes in New Republic on what Jung has to say, but to no response. She and her daughter continue their observations and discussions. In the world of American psychology, other networks, in particular behaviourism, are prominent and Jung has no extensive base here, his influence being primarily in the arts and literature, somewhat like Freud’s at this time. His visits to America are in general not useful for extending his network. Attempts to make a quantifiable type framework are in general not successful. Quantification is not of interest to Jung in any case and so he does not involve himself. A psychological instrument based on Jung’s ideas is finally developed, at about the same time as the Myers and Briggs decision to construct one themselves, but they are unaware of this effort . Encountering the Humm-Wadsworth Temperament Scale through a Reader’s Digest article and some years after its initial publication makes it clear that Myers and Briggs have no connection with the network of psychologists and psychological instrumentation other than through public experience . By taking up the challenge to produce a psychological instrument then, these women, particularly Isabel Myers who did all the statistical work , entered into a network where the rules and methods of conduct and operation were sharply defined. The construction and development of the MBTI involved learning the statistical method required for such a task, selecting and testing appropriate questions with large sample groups and building up a data bank of responses that would support the theory (a black box for Myers and Briggs). The task, from their perspective, was to construct a test that would enable people to express their true type on the principle that individual type preferences were exhibited in everyday behaviour. Questions for the test were accordingly created and tested with this in mind, consistent with the theory . In other practical terms this also meant gaining support for the enterprise of ultimately publishing the MBTI as a legitimate psychological instrument so that people could become aware of it and use it. Isabel Myers and Katharine Briggs had to use and expand their network, gaining allies for their purpose but they also needed a transportable framework, or immutable mobile, to enable effective use of their ideas. This meant a robust psychological test, requiring much research, but also legal protection in the form of copyright, arranged in 1943 by Isabel Myers’ lawyer husband, Clarence, after the first version of the test was developed . How does a network such as this construct a psychological instrument with their ostensibly limited connections ? Interestingly enough, there seem to be many connections that the family can create. Isabel Myers’ father, Lyman Briggs, was useful for some connections for learning statistics and research possibilities. As a trustee of George Washington University and the Medical School he opens some doors for longitudinal MBTI research . Myers’ home town of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania becomes the first research laboratory, using family, friends and local High School students, with the family home the centre for Isabel Myers’ work, for this was largely a one-person enterprise (Saunders;pp110-111). This initial network of family and friends was a congenial way of making allies without the influence of an institution. This network also provided the sole funds for the project, through random gifts or at events such as Isabel Myers’ birthdays . Myers also personally developed contacts with Edward Hay (a school connection), contracting with him to use the MBTI for 5 years (Saunders;p112). A personal contact in 1947 led to the personality researcher Donald MacKinnon (later of the Institute of Personality Research at UCLA-Berkeley) using the MBTI as part of his studies . The signing of a contract in 1957 with the Educational Testing Service (ETS), a recently-founded developer and publisher of psychological instruments, for the further development of the MBTI, meant a closer connection with the profession of psychology and its networks. Myers’ work using the MBTI with medical students had been mentioned to ETS President Henry Chauncey by Dr Harold Wiggers of Albany Medical College in 1956. A meeting with Isabel Myers and a presentation by her to ETS researchers followed . Notwithstanding the contract, there is some criticism and intolerance from within ETS given Myers’ status as a non-professional. Her age and her gender were also issues for some at ETS, and so many do not join her network, preferring the larger network of more conventional psychology (Saunders,pp134-135). There are network benefits, however. Financial support for development and professional assistance are forthcoming, the use of ETS’ name is able to develop more research contacts and the consequent publishing of the MBTI for research purposes in 1962 with a user’s manual produced by Myers provide immutable mobiles to expand access. In 1965, a review of the MBTI was also published in Buros’ Sixth Mental Measurements Yearbook (1965), thus raising awareness of the MBTI for those using psychological tests, and so further reviews and research using the MBTI began to appear in academic and professional Journals. The available record of the development of the MBTI network suggests a slow but continued trickle of allies . For example, the MBTI review in Buros’ book precipitated a meeting between Isabel Myers and Dr.Mary H.McCaulley of the University of Florida in 1969, after McCaulley read the review and became interested in the instrument. McCaulley came to work closely with Myers on the MBTI until the latter’s death in 1980. One of Myers and McCaulley’s activities was to establish a Typology Laboratory for research into psychological type in 1972 at the University of Florida. This later became an independent non-profit body, the Center for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT), but CAPT was for three years part of the American Medical Student Association Foundation (McCaulley,1989). It is not clear what being part of this foundation entailed in terms of financial and other support nor how the association between CAPT and the Foundation came about, other than to speculate that Myers’ network provided the linking, given her original work with medical students. In the midst of these enrolments, however, ETS moved to end the contract with Isabel Myers for MBTI in 1975. Its interest was not sufficient to publish the MBTI publicly and many in ETS had difficulties with its developer who, for her part, had difficulty in completing a manuscript on types promised in 1959 . While initially a shock to Myers and McCaulley, other publishers were sought out and ultimately a contract with Consulting Psychologists Press (CPP) for the publishing of the MBTI was signed later in 1975. This agreement with CPP marked the first time that the MBTI would be generally available to registered users of psychological instruments. The general publication of the MBTI by Consulting Psychologists Press enabled the network to expand swiftly. Even without this network advantage, however, a Conference on the MBTI was held at the University of Florida in 1975 and this was a catalyst for biennial Conferences, eventually hosted by an MBTI users and interest group, the Association for Psychological Type (APT), formed in 1979. A book which described the MBTI framework was also published, becoming a best-seller, but it was not Isabel Myers’ long-promised text . An updated manual (1985) and the posthumously publishedGifts Differing were also key actors and translation devices for enrolling people in the MBTI actor-network. In examining and evaluating the origin and development of the MBTI in this way, a picture has been constructed of the how the MBTI became generally available to users of psychological instruments as well as coming to popular awareness, notwithstanding its origins and also its authors coming from outside mainstream American psychological activity. Chapter 6 seeks to conclude this examination by using actor network theory to explain the MBTI’s success in the marketplace of psychological instruments in the face of its failure to gain mainstream acceptance to date. |