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Portraits of type: An MBTI research compendium
Person. in&d. Diff: Vol. Printed in Great Britain
13, No. 9, pp. 1059-1060, 1992
BOOK
REVIEWS
D. IHILEVICH and G. C. GLESER: Defence Mechanisms. Their Classification, Correlates, and Measurement with the Defence Mechanism Inventory. DMI Association, Owosso, Michigan (1986) and Defences in Psychotherapy. The Clinical Application of the Defence Mechanism Inventory. DMI Association, Owosso, Michigan (1991). These two volumes constitute effectively a manual and a clinical manual to the Defence Mechanism Test which is certainly the most widely researched questionnaire measure of defence mechanisms: more than 200 references are cited. There are several problems with the DMI which are dealt with openly in the manual. These include the use of ipsative scores which render the meaning of norms and factor analyses dubious and indeed correlational studies, in general. Despite these difficulties researches relating the DMI to many other tests are cited and discussed although the construct validity of the DMI is still uncertain. Part of the problem probably lies in the low reliability of some of the scales. In brief this first volume is commendable for the detailed reporting of results even when these are not favourable to the test. The second clinical volume reports all the clinical studies which have been carried out with the DMI. All the various profiles derivable from the test are described and interpreted and the therapeutic implications are discussed. Relationships with MMPI and Cattell 16PF profiles are given. For those who want to use the DMI clinically this book in invaluable. In conclusion these two volumes collect and discuss virtually all research with the DMI. To this reviewer, the results are not convincing as a demonstration of the validity of the DMI but the value of these books is that they allow readers to make up their own minds. Essential reading for all those interested in defences. PAUL KLINE
L. PROKOP, OTTO PROKOP and HEINZ PROKOP. Grenzen der Toleranz in der Medizin. Verlag Gesundheit H/b edition in German. ISBN 3-333-00487-9. Illustrated.
GmbH,
Berlin (1989).
The title, “Limits of Tolerance in Medicine” indicates that the book deals with developments in medicine the authors consider unethical, nonsensical, or even criminal. This is an interesting book, written by three brothers who are all medics, one a psychiatrist, one specializing in sports medicine, and one in forensic psychiatry. There are 19 contributions varying considerably in length and interest. One article, for instance, deals with drug-taking in sportsmen and women, quoting interesting experiments showing a very marked placebo effect in eminent sport champions-perhaps obvious, but I had never before seen any mention of this effect in this connection. Other chapters deal with acupuncture, various excesses of “alternative medicine”, and parapsychology. This last-mentioned chapter takes the easy course of condemning it without coming to grips with the methodologically best experiments. It is easy to make parapsychology look ridiculous by just dealing with the absurd aspects with are not seriously put forward by modern parapsychologists; it would be more difficult to dispose of by looking at the major positive studies done more recently. But for readers of this journal the most interesting chapter, as well as by far the longest, is the one on psychoanalysis by H. Prokop. This is one of the most competent, and well-documented, discussions of Freud’s contribution, neutral in tone but devastating in its conclusions. Prokop is a well-known and extremely competent psychiatrist, and he looks at Freud’s work as a psychiatrist-which, as he carefully documents, Freud never was. Prokop mercilessly destroys the myths which Freud and his followers have constructed around his life and work, and this factual account should be read by all who still believe that Freud was not less than economical with the truth when it suited him-as it usually did. It is a pity this major contribution is written in German; it should be compulsory reading for all budding psychiatrists and clinical psychologists! H. J. EYSENCK
AVRIL THORNE and HARRIWN GOLJGH: Portraits of Type: An MBTI Research Compendium. Consulting (1991). P/b. i-xiv + 158 pp. ISBN 0-89106-048-O
Psychologists
Press
This book presents a very detailed study of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) which has been used by quite a few research workers interested in Jung’s theory of extraversion. Both theoretically and psychometrically the test has definite weaknesses. On the theoretical side it fails to make provision for the separate measurement of neuroticism and other psychopathological traits; Jung postulated that psychasthenia was the neurotic expression of introversion, hysteria that of extraversion, clearly implying that the dimension of neuroticism must be postulated orthogonal to extraversion and introversion. On the MBTI there is a clear correlation between introversion and neurotic symptomatology, which goes counter to Jungian theory. Psychometrically the test may be faulty because there is no evidence from factor analytic studies that the items fall into the various patterns postulated, and in fact Thorne and Gough give some evidence that the results of correlations between scales contradict Jung’s hypotheses. The book itself is mainly based on the work of the Institute of Personality Assessment and Research at the University of California at Berkeley, of which Gough was Director at one time. He presents large numbers of correlations, for many different groups, with many different scales, ratings and assessments. This is certainly the most thorough, meaningful and valuable discussion of the MBTI, and anyone thinking of using it would certainly be required to be familiar with the work here presented or referenced. The work is exhaustive, and no reader will emerge from perusing it without a very firm idea of what the different scales of the MBTI measure. 1059
1060
BOOK REVIEWS
If there is any criticism, it must be that Thorne and Gough have been analytic but not critical; they do not attempt to evaluate the present status of Jung’s theories, not their adaptation by Myers-Briggs. Neither do they discuss critically the psychometric weaknesses of the test. Undoubtedly this was intentional, but it does deprive the reader of informed criticism which should form a part of any such large-scale discussion of a given test. This does not detract from the great value of the book as a storehouse of information regarding the MBTI, and the authors deserve credit for all the work that must have gone into this presentation of literally thousands of results. H.J. EYSENCK
COLIN MARTINDALE: The Clockwork pp. ISBN O-465-01 186-1
Muse:
The Predictability
of Artistic
Change. Basic Books (1991). H/b. v-xiv + 1411
The name of the author will be familiar to all those who work in the field of creativity, but hitherto no book was available to summarize all the many different studies done by him, and bring together the various conclusions and theories. The present book does so in a masterly fashion, and should be read even by psychologists not particularly concerned with creativity, because of its general interest, and its demonstration of how the ingenious use of statistical and psychometric methods can throw light on apparently insoluble problems. In the book, the author is concerned with the evolution of styles in poetry, painting, and music and architecture, and the discovery of general laws of art history the very existence of which has often been doubted. He puts forward two theories. Both are related to the evolution of artistic styles, and this is of course based on variation and selection. Here, variation consists of differences in arousal potential (novelty, complexity, variability) and what Martindale calls “primordial content”, i.e. essentially libidinous and preconscious ideation. Because of habituation, artists search for novelty, and thus have to create works with increasing arousal potential. This increase should be accompanied by an increase in primordial content, at least until an entirely new artistic style emerges when primordial content can decline for a while, only to increase as the style loses its novelty. Thus Martindale proposes that arousal potential increases monotonically over time, whereas primordial content varies cyclically, with a much slower overall increase with time. Martindale’s contribution has been to quantify the concepts in question, following Berlyne as far as arousal potential is concerned, but making a novel contribution as far as primordial content is involved. He then applies the quantification to a large variety of different artistic contents, different time periods, and even different civilizations. The whole is presented in a clear and amusing style which makes it difficult to put the book down; the data presented certainly seem to give much support to his theory, although they may not convince the innumerate, and those who oppose quantification in the artistic field. Altogether a book that truly makes a novel contribution, and is an example of scientific creativity. Is there nothing to criticize? My major criticism would be that the concept of arousal potential is not sufficiently clarified, particularly in view of the fact that the concept of arousal is not univocal, but that there are several different types of arousal. Neither is there any great discussion of the relationship between arousal and personality, on which again there is a good deal of experimental material. Perhaps Martindale felt that the book was long enough as it was, but the gaps are distinctly felt by at least one reader, and will need plugging before the theory can be properly tested and evaluated. H.J.
EYSENCK
13, No. 9, pp. 1059-1060, 1992
BOOK
REVIEWS
D. IHILEVICH and G. C. GLESER: Defence Mechanisms. Their Classification, Correlates, and Measurement with the Defence Mechanism Inventory. DMI Association, Owosso, Michigan (1986) and Defences in Psychotherapy. The Clinical Application of the Defence Mechanism Inventory. DMI Association, Owosso, Michigan (1991). These two volumes constitute effectively a manual and a clinical manual to the Defence Mechanism Test which is certainly the most widely researched questionnaire measure of defence mechanisms: more than 200 references are cited. There are several problems with the DMI which are dealt with openly in the manual. These include the use of ipsative scores which render the meaning of norms and factor analyses dubious and indeed correlational studies, in general. Despite these difficulties researches relating the DMI to many other tests are cited and discussed although the construct validity of the DMI is still uncertain. Part of the problem probably lies in the low reliability of some of the scales. In brief this first volume is commendable for the detailed reporting of results even when these are not favourable to the test. The second clinical volume reports all the clinical studies which have been carried out with the DMI. All the various profiles derivable from the test are described and interpreted and the therapeutic implications are discussed. Relationships with MMPI and Cattell 16PF profiles are given. For those who want to use the DMI clinically this book in invaluable. In conclusion these two volumes collect and discuss virtually all research with the DMI. To this reviewer, the results are not convincing as a demonstration of the validity of the DMI but the value of these books is that they allow readers to make up their own minds. Essential reading for all those interested in defences. PAUL KLINE
L. PROKOP, OTTO PROKOP and HEINZ PROKOP. Grenzen der Toleranz in der Medizin. Verlag Gesundheit H/b edition in German. ISBN 3-333-00487-9. Illustrated.
GmbH,
Berlin (1989).
The title, “Limits of Tolerance in Medicine” indicates that the book deals with developments in medicine the authors consider unethical, nonsensical, or even criminal. This is an interesting book, written by three brothers who are all medics, one a psychiatrist, one specializing in sports medicine, and one in forensic psychiatry. There are 19 contributions varying considerably in length and interest. One article, for instance, deals with drug-taking in sportsmen and women, quoting interesting experiments showing a very marked placebo effect in eminent sport champions-perhaps obvious, but I had never before seen any mention of this effect in this connection. Other chapters deal with acupuncture, various excesses of “alternative medicine”, and parapsychology. This last-mentioned chapter takes the easy course of condemning it without coming to grips with the methodologically best experiments. It is easy to make parapsychology look ridiculous by just dealing with the absurd aspects with are not seriously put forward by modern parapsychologists; it would be more difficult to dispose of by looking at the major positive studies done more recently. But for readers of this journal the most interesting chapter, as well as by far the longest, is the one on psychoanalysis by H. Prokop. This is one of the most competent, and well-documented, discussions of Freud’s contribution, neutral in tone but devastating in its conclusions. Prokop is a well-known and extremely competent psychiatrist, and he looks at Freud’s work as a psychiatrist-which, as he carefully documents, Freud never was. Prokop mercilessly destroys the myths which Freud and his followers have constructed around his life and work, and this factual account should be read by all who still believe that Freud was not less than economical with the truth when it suited him-as it usually did. It is a pity this major contribution is written in German; it should be compulsory reading for all budding psychiatrists and clinical psychologists! H. J. EYSENCK
AVRIL THORNE and HARRIWN GOLJGH: Portraits of Type: An MBTI Research Compendium. Consulting (1991). P/b. i-xiv + 158 pp. ISBN 0-89106-048-O
Psychologists
Press
This book presents a very detailed study of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) which has been used by quite a few research workers interested in Jung’s theory of extraversion. Both theoretically and psychometrically the test has definite weaknesses. On the theoretical side it fails to make provision for the separate measurement of neuroticism and other psychopathological traits; Jung postulated that psychasthenia was the neurotic expression of introversion, hysteria that of extraversion, clearly implying that the dimension of neuroticism must be postulated orthogonal to extraversion and introversion. On the MBTI there is a clear correlation between introversion and neurotic symptomatology, which goes counter to Jungian theory. Psychometrically the test may be faulty because there is no evidence from factor analytic studies that the items fall into the various patterns postulated, and in fact Thorne and Gough give some evidence that the results of correlations between scales contradict Jung’s hypotheses. The book itself is mainly based on the work of the Institute of Personality Assessment and Research at the University of California at Berkeley, of which Gough was Director at one time. He presents large numbers of correlations, for many different groups, with many different scales, ratings and assessments. This is certainly the most thorough, meaningful and valuable discussion of the MBTI, and anyone thinking of using it would certainly be required to be familiar with the work here presented or referenced. The work is exhaustive, and no reader will emerge from perusing it without a very firm idea of what the different scales of the MBTI measure. 1059
1060
BOOK REVIEWS
If there is any criticism, it must be that Thorne and Gough have been analytic but not critical; they do not attempt to evaluate the present status of Jung’s theories, not their adaptation by Myers-Briggs. Neither do they discuss critically the psychometric weaknesses of the test. Undoubtedly this was intentional, but it does deprive the reader of informed criticism which should form a part of any such large-scale discussion of a given test. This does not detract from the great value of the book as a storehouse of information regarding the MBTI, and the authors deserve credit for all the work that must have gone into this presentation of literally thousands of results. H.J. EYSENCK
COLIN MARTINDALE: The Clockwork pp. ISBN O-465-01 186-1
Muse:
The Predictability
of Artistic
Change. Basic Books (1991). H/b. v-xiv + 1411
The name of the author will be familiar to all those who work in the field of creativity, but hitherto no book was available to summarize all the many different studies done by him, and bring together the various conclusions and theories. The present book does so in a masterly fashion, and should be read even by psychologists not particularly concerned with creativity, because of its general interest, and its demonstration of how the ingenious use of statistical and psychometric methods can throw light on apparently insoluble problems. In the book, the author is concerned with the evolution of styles in poetry, painting, and music and architecture, and the discovery of general laws of art history the very existence of which has often been doubted. He puts forward two theories. Both are related to the evolution of artistic styles, and this is of course based on variation and selection. Here, variation consists of differences in arousal potential (novelty, complexity, variability) and what Martindale calls “primordial content”, i.e. essentially libidinous and preconscious ideation. Because of habituation, artists search for novelty, and thus have to create works with increasing arousal potential. This increase should be accompanied by an increase in primordial content, at least until an entirely new artistic style emerges when primordial content can decline for a while, only to increase as the style loses its novelty. Thus Martindale proposes that arousal potential increases monotonically over time, whereas primordial content varies cyclically, with a much slower overall increase with time. Martindale’s contribution has been to quantify the concepts in question, following Berlyne as far as arousal potential is concerned, but making a novel contribution as far as primordial content is involved. He then applies the quantification to a large variety of different artistic contents, different time periods, and even different civilizations. The whole is presented in a clear and amusing style which makes it difficult to put the book down; the data presented certainly seem to give much support to his theory, although they may not convince the innumerate, and those who oppose quantification in the artistic field. Altogether a book that truly makes a novel contribution, and is an example of scientific creativity. Is there nothing to criticize? My major criticism would be that the concept of arousal potential is not sufficiently clarified, particularly in view of the fact that the concept of arousal is not univocal, but that there are several different types of arousal. Neither is there any great discussion of the relationship between arousal and personality, on which again there is a good deal of experimental material. Perhaps Martindale felt that the book was long enough as it was, but the gaps are distinctly felt by at least one reader, and will need plugging before the theory can be properly tested and evaluated. H.J.
EYSENCK