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History Lesson

Carl Jung published his theory of Psychological Types in 1921

He proposed that each person has a preferred Orientation for directing mental energy, either outward, toward people and things – (E) Extraversion, or inward, toward ideas and concepts – (I) Introversion.
He also proposed two methods of gathering information and two ways of making decisions about that information:
Carl Jung's Psychological Type Theory - cognitive functions
Information gathering by means of the five senses (S) Sensing
Information gathering by means of insight (N) Intuiting
Making decisions about that information objectively (T) Thinking
Making decisions about that information subjectively (F) Feeling

Jung believed that we use all of these mental mechanisms, with a relative preference for one of each pair. 

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In the 1940s, Katharine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers recognized another pair of mental mechanisms in Jung’s work.

This pair of mental mechanisms describes how people operate in the world, either by evaluating information against stored preconceptions preferring to have things decided – Judging (J) or by taking information as it comes in preferring to leave decisions open – Perceiving (P).
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) identifies 16 psychological types which are referred to by an abbreviation of four letters – one letter selected for each preference between the pairs of opposites.
The MBTI is widely used to help individuals make informed decisions on a career choice.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The Bay Area Association for Psychological Types

http://www.baapt.org

Jung Society of St Louis

https://jungstlouis.org

In the 1970s, David Keirsey applied his knowledge of Jung’s Mental Mechanisms and the MBTI letter-code designations to associate human behavior with four fundamental temperaments.

He published his theory of four fundamental temperaments and sixteen role variants in the book, co-authored with Marilyn Bates, titled Please Understand Me. Keirsey related his own observations of human behavior with historical, philosophical, and literary comparisons of character.
David-Keirsey-four-temperaments
Artisan (SP): free-spirit, impulsive
Idealist (NF): search for self, helpful
Rational (NT): abilities, self-judging
Guardian (SJ): duty, useful
Keirsey’s Temperaments correspond to a subset of the letter-code combinations of the MBTI system.
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Later in the 1970’s, Don Lowry simplified much of the complicated psychological language by assigning each temperament an easy to remember color.

Educator and playwright, Don Lowry studied under David Keirsey. He called his system True Colors and ingeniously introduced the four temperaments to the general public through interactive theater productions.
Don-Lowry-True-Colors
Orange (SP): positive, hands-on, entertaining
Blue (NF): spiritual, emotional, intuitive
Green (NT): inventive, analytical, determined
Gold (SJ): practical, dependable, consistent

Don felt that color expressed a feeling-tone which would make it easier to remember each style.

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In 2001, Mary Miscisin published the book Showing Our True Colors, helping Don Lowry reach a larger audience and contributing her findings for how to apply personality concepts to improving communication and reducing stress.

Mary and Don share a passion for providing personality education as interactive entertainment.
In time, it became clear that there was a need for a modern system using everyday language to help individuals comprehend and discuss the way they see the world and how they interact with others.
In 2014, Mary Miscisin, M.S. and Ed Redard, M.D. founded Personality Lingo.
Mary’s book Showing Our True Colors was revised and published under the title Personality Lingo.
Personality Lingo
Mover (SP-Orange): values freedom
Connector (NF-Blue): values relationships
Thinker (NT-Green): values competency
Planner (SJ-Gold): values responsibility
Personality Lingo’s modern terms used to describe the personality styles make the insights of Keirsey’s Temperaments more accessible to everyone.
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Personality Academy builds upon the mission of Personality Lingo to use everyday language to help you comprehend and discuss the way you see the world and how you interact with others.

Personality Academy terms to describe the Jungian Mental Mechanisms:
  • The “Feeling” function becomes “Making Decisions Subjectively”
  • The “Thinking” function becomes “Making Decisions Objectively”
  • The “Judging” function becomes “Planned Mode of Operation”
  • The “Perceiving” function becomes “Spontaneous Mode of Operation”
  • The “Sensing” function becomes “Hands-On Gathering of Information”
  • The “Intuitive” function becomes “Theoretical Gathering of Information”
By modernizing the terms used to describe the mental mechanisms, Personality Academy aims to bring the powerful insights of Carl Jung’s psychological type theory to a wider audience. The goal is to help students, parents, and teachers communicate more effectively with each other.
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Internal Compass
Carl Jung admitted spending ridiculous amounts of time deliberating over the terms used to define the mental mechanisms (Sensing, Intuiting, Thinking, Feeling). He asserted that the names are somewhat arbitrary and could, in some cases, give the wrong impression.
Jung believed that individuals could benefit from understanding these concepts. He likened the mental mechanisms to an internal compass which helps to guide us throughout life.
Comprehension Test
Keirsey’s Temperament Theory is highly insightful and extremely useful. However, the complexity of the terminology kept the theory somewhat out of reach for anyone who wasn’t an educator interested in psychological type theory and human behavior. Read the following passage as an example.
“The purposes of SPs, SJs, and NTs are understood by SPs, SJs, and NTs alike, although they may not embrace them. The NT can understand the SPs desire to be free of responsibility just as he can understand the SJs satisfaction in its possession. So can the SP see the NTs desire to store up capabilities and the SJs desire to store up commodities. He would be the last to look a gift horse in the mouth, for that matter, since these stores tend to be given out to those who need them. The SJ even admires the NT for his technical storehouse and envies the SP for his generous and receiving nature. But here the mutual understanding of purposes ends. None of these understand the aim of the NF, and in turn, the NF cannot really grasp the others’ commitment to what seems to the NF to be false goals. For the NF pursues a strange end, a self-reflective end which defies itself: becoming… (The NFs) purpose in life is to have a purpose in life. How can one achieve a goal when that goal is to have a goal?”
Color Association
The color orange urges you to wake up, pay attention, and seize the moment.
The color blue fosters psychological contentment and physical tranquility.
The color green is an expression of logic and the systems of nature.
The color gold represents value, stability, and strength – “good as gold” and “gold standard.”
Comprehension Test
If we replace the letter codes from the Keirsey passage we read before with the Personality Lingo terms for the personality styles, this paragraph becomes much easier to comprehend and discuss.
“The purposes of Movers, Planners, and Thinkers are understood by Movers, Planners, and Thinkers alike, although they may not embrace them. The Thinker can understand the Mover’s desire to be free of responsibility just as he can understand the Planner’s satisfaction in its possession. So can the Mover see the Thinker’s desire to store up capabilities and the Planner’s desire to store up commodities. He would be the last to look a gift horse in the mouth, for that matter, since these stores tend to be given out to those who need them. The Planner even admires the Thinker for his technical storehouse and envies the Mover for his generous and receiving nature. But here the mutual understanding of purposes ends. None of these understand the aim of the Connector, and in turn, the Connector cannot really grasp the others’ commitment to what seems to the Connector to be false goals. For the Connector pursues a strange end, a self-reflective end which defies itself: becoming… (The Connectors) purpose in life is to have a purpose in life. How can one achieve a goal when that goal is to have a goal?”
Building Blocks
These Jungian Mental Mechanisms can be thought of as the building blocks for the four fundamental Personality Styles.
The Jungian mental mechanisms are the building blocks for the four fundamental temperaments (personality styles)
Mover Personality Style
Hands-On
+ Spontaneous
= Mover
Connector Personality Style
Theoretical
+ Subjective
= Connector
Thinker Personality Style
Theoretical
+ Objective
= Thinker
Planner Personality Style
Hands-On
+ Planned
= Planner
The terms Mover, Connector, Thinker, and Planner are used with permission from Personality Lingo