UNIT 6 TWO THEORIES OF PERSONALITY TYPES (Writing comparison and contrast essay) Appearance and Personality: Sheldon's Theory of Body Types and Temperament. James and TyreArraj

UNIT 6

TWO THEORIES OF PERSONALITY TYPES

(Writing comparison and contrast essay)

Appearance and Personality: Sheldon's Theory of Body Types and Temperament.

James and TyreArraj

Summary:

In this essay the writers have presented William Sheldon's theory of body type and temperament.  William Seldom has shown the connection between a person’s body structure/ Type and his nature or temperament. To produce this theory Seldom examined 400 photographs of college-age men from different angles. After a careful examination Sheldon found three can be seven different types of body when we combine all these three forms. This means to measure the bodily structure Sheldon found three main types and other sub types.

According to Seldon three main type of body were: (i) Endomorphy   (ii). Mesomorphy (iii) and Ectomorphy.He pointed out that an endomorphic body (fat body) is centered on the abdomen and the digestive system, which is soft and round. Next a mesomorphic body (solid muscular body) is focused on the muscles and the circulatory system. Similarly, ectomorphy (tall and thin body) is related to the brain and the nervous system. Everyone is with these components but purely one component is not possible. To measure this, Sheldon has managed a measuring scale ranged from 1 to 7.

The main aim of writer was not to find  these body types but he wanted to find the relation between our body type and our nature and behavior. This means he has found out link between body and temperament. Like the body types Sheldon has found out the types of human nature with some elements. They are Endotonia, Mesotonia and Ectotonia. Endotonia (luxurious) is found in the love of reaction comfort, food and people whereas Mesotonia(activeness) is related on a love action, assertiveness (speaking clearly). Similarly, Ectotonia(love of privacy and silence) focuses on privacy and self-control and self-awareness. Like to body type, there is measuring scale ranged from point 1 to 7 and checklist of 60 characteristics to find out the personality traits. Sheldon has pointed out that there is correspondence between body types and temperament or nature like Ectomorphic body type and the ethnic temperament etc.

S.N.	Conditions	Endotonia 1-7	Mesotonia 1-7	Ectononia 7
1	When troubled, I seek out ………	People	Action	Solitudee
2	I prefer…………..	Physical comport	Physical adventure	Privacy
3	The time of I favor is ………….	Physical comport	Physical adventure	Later year
4	What would bother me most would be	Being cut off from other people	Being closed off in small places	Being exposed endless noise
5	When in a group I like to ………………	Mingle	Take charge	Take off
6	I prefer to ……………………	Le thing take their course	Do thing	Observe what is going on.
7	The thing I like most is	eating	Exercise	Time to myself

A Holistic Approach to Personality Analysis:

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator:-

Summary:-

The Holistic Approach to personality analysis is made by Isabel Briggs Meyers and her mother, Katharine Cook Briggs (Myers-Briggs) on the basis of psychological type of Carl Jung. According to Carl Jung's typology, the final function of psychology is to make a complete human being. This is related to how an individual develops all aspects of the 'self'( a complete human being). According to Myers-Briggs process or system of determining the personality types, some questionnaires were made and given to fill out to the people. The questionnaires were of four sets of two qualities (traits). They were (i) Extroversion-Introversion (ii) Intuition- Sensing (iii) Thinking- Feeling (iv) Judgment Perception.

i. Extroversion vs Introversion:-

 In the extroverted personality type the energy is gained (got) from external contact or activities. This means the energy flow is outward focusing to people, things or external world. But the introverted personality is just opposite to extroversion because the energy flow is inward. This means the person gets energy by pending much type in his inner space, thoughts, ideas, etc. The source of energy is internal world of psychology in introverted personality type.

ii) Intuition vs Sensing:-

When a person fully believes, trusts or depends on his or her inner voice, it is called nitration. A person believes mainly information he gets from mental, internal or imaginative world, on the other hand, sensing means done on the basis of observation, in other words, the information is got from five sense organs (sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch). This means sensing believes on the information got from external words. Both sensing and intuition are the ways of getting data or information.

iii) Thinking vs Feeling:-

Both thinking and feeling are used in the process of decision-making. In making any decision, if one focuses on his/ her thoughts is called thinking and if focuses on feelings, It is feeling. Thinking is logical and objective but feeling is subjective

iv) Judging vs. Perceiving:-

This set of personality shows how people make relation to the world and environment around. A personality with judging makes his life events and his action according to fixed plan and order. But perceiving personality type likes to be changeable, makes alternatives or choices and hopes to wait and see what will happen in the environment. There is no such orderly environmental view as it is with judging personality.

According to Myers-Briggs personality analysis to make a personality type there is mixture (combination) of different traits or qualities. On the basis of combination there are 16 possible types with formula. Eg. ISTU (introvert, sensing, thinking, judging) ENFP (Extrovert, intuitive, feeling, perceiving). The results of Myers-Briggs indicators are got subjectively. They are gained by mixing or the combination of traits.

a) Label each of the following group according to which personality function pair it describes then label each column within the group according to its individual function

        i.            EI = Extroversion-Introversion

      ii.            NS= Intuition-Sensing

    iii.            TF = Thinking- Feeling

    iv.            JP = Judgment – Perception

1.

(A) Social Expressive Interaction Action before thought

(B) Private Quiet Concentration Thought before action

2.

(A) Analyzing Objective Logical Criticism

(B) Sympathizing Subjective Personal Appreciation

3.

(A) Decide Organize Firmness Control

(B) Explore Inquire Flexibility Spontaneity

4.

(A) Facts Experience Present realism

(B) Responsibility Novelty Future Idealism

1. E I    a. E     b. I      2. T F     a. T      b. F           3. J P        a. J       b. P      4. NS      a. N    b. S

b) What is the value of personality typing for the individual? How could a person use that information to his or her advantage? What are some possible disadvantages to knowing your own personality type?

There is high value of personality type for the individual in general. It is way of finding one’s unique personality of quality. While understanding personality type, there is a chance go for further or deeper understanding. Such deeper understanding becomes for whole life. There is the understanding of ‘self’ or self-awareness possible to realize with the help of personality type. According to this system self-awareness, unique behaviors, character, career can be modified and made.

It is clear that knowing our personality type is a way to get success in our life. It is also the key that guides us to do right decision at right time with right persons. To make meaning of our life, our surrounding our works and others personality type can be beneficial. Basically, to make organization, better leadership, good career successful life personality type it can be helpful. There can be some drawbacks or disadvantages along with advantages of knowing personality type. When a person knows he is introvert, he feels unfit in the society and mass of friends. If we have personality of one type, we are restricted within that boundary. Moreover while doing work and career there is question which is fitted and which is not.  We have to be in certain limit that having interest to other areas may not be psychologically supportive. One can be better professional in other sectors more than indicated by personality type if one does hard labor and dedication.

c) How might prospective employers use personality assessment to determine whether someone is good candidate for a position? In what field might personality assessments work best? Why?

Personality assessment is used to find to find whether someone is fitted or unfitted candidate to a certain post. So far prospective employer to use this system is concerned it can be done using various techniques. There can be a use of checklists of particular personality traits or on the basis of various categories like qualification and skills extra skills and confidence and personality, outlook and physical quality. Again, some employers may apply the systems of experiences, interest to work and working style or personality. There can be other so many options of selections used by employers. Any way the central aim of selecting candidate by suing any of the selecting procedure is to make “right person at the right post”

The selecting employee’s theory of any type can best be fitted in any field. When employee is selected by any method, he single can’t do the best for any institution. Whole team and its personality affects a lot. Anyway, along with fitted personality, there must be harmony, cooperation and the situation where all employees are happy and satisfied to work. Having good counseling, understanding, sharing and sue of maximum level of personality trait will always be fruitful to individual as well as to the institution.

d) What do you think about the Sheldon and Myers-Briggs theories of personality? Does one theory seem better than the other? Why not?

When the people are put under certain group or category on the basis of their personality traits or qualities, it is called the theory of personality type. It is general assumption that different people are common on the basis of common traits. Yet, we have to know that we can’t get all traits personality of any person by these personality traits. Regarding of three physical types as (i) Endomorphy (ii) Mesomorphy   and (iii) Ectomorphyon the basis of body structure. In the similar way there are three types made on the basis of human nature or temperament as (i) mesotonic, (ii) Endotonic and (iii) Ectononic. But Myers-Briggs theory of personality is designed on the basis of four pairs of character traits. They are (i) Extrovert vsIntrovert  (ii) Sensing vs. Intution (iii)Thinking vs. feeling (iv) judging vs. perceiving.  Both theories are equally important and significant.

For my evaluation Myers-Briggs theory of personality is better than that of Sheldon. They made their theory based on Carl Jung’s psychological typology. They used four sets of personality traits. Their theory describes the personality in simple pattern. We can apply this theory in our daily life more easily. This theoretical aspect can be used in baseness, management, and teaching and in almost all fields. The numerical checklist made by seldom is more difficult than Myers-Briggs theory. Sheldon theory hasn’t described the personal and detailed way as Myers-Briggs theory.

e) Write a five-paragraph essay comparing and contrasting William Sheldon’s Body Type and personality Assessment with the Myers-Briggs typology Index.

A format or Block-Diagram of comparison and contrast Essay

                Pattern -1                                                                                       Pattern -2

Body Part -2 Explanation of Theory -2

Body Part -3 Criticism

Conclusion Your Opinion

Introduction

Body Part -1 Explanation of Theory -1

Introduction Origins of Both Theories

Body Part -1 Basis of Categories

Conclusion Your Opinion

Body Part -2 Applications

 

                                                                                                              

Body Part -3 Criticism

 

                                                                                                       

The personality of a person and a ways of doing something are the basis subject of study in William Sheldon’s Body Type and Temperament Theory and Myers-Briggs Type indicator. Sheldon’s Body Type (SET) shows a relation between people’s personalities and their physical outlook. On the other hand Myers-Briggs Types Indicator (MBIT) focuses on the ideas that people’s personalities are not based on physical aspects rather based on psychological ones. Both theories have similar origins and lack scientific studies but there are relative differences and significance between them.

In 1940s, the American psychologist William Sheldon used 400 photographs for the observation and he put people in three general categories of Body Types. There are:- i)Endomorphic. (Fat) ii. Mesomorphic (strong muscles) iii.Ectomorphic (tall and thin) body types. He also gave personality traits/qualities to those categories. As fat, soft body type was given to Endomorphic Type who had personality of relaxed, interest in eating sociable, etc. The second type Mesomorphic personality had strong muscles, full of courage and energy. The third Ectomorphic was thin, tall figure with artistic and introverted personalities. To show the relation between body and temperament he propounded three terms as: i. Endotonia ii. Mesotonia iii.Ectotonia with specific qualities. He included a checklist up to sixty characteristics.

On the other hand Briggs Myers and her mother Katherine Cook Briggs, in short, the Myers-Briggs. Type Indicator was based on Carl Jung’s typology which was fully related to human psychology of becoming complete process of “self”. They adopted the typologies in four personality traits or function.

1. Extroverted vs. introverted pair indicates the opposite nature. The energy and knowledge gained gained form outer world in extroverted trait while it is mainly taken from internal world in introverted trait. 2. Intuitions vs Sensing was second pair traits. Believing on internal or imaginative world is intuition whereas on five sense organs and external world in sensing. The third pair was. 3. Thinking vs Feeling in which the former is more logical and based on thought while latter is based on feeling and emotion. The fourth.4. Judging vs Perceiving is contrastive in nature because judging personality type focused everything in order and fixed plan whereas Perceiving likes to find alternatives and it is changeable. Using these four dimension they have adopted sixteen personality types.

Though these two theories of personality tests and determiners are made and popular still they are not free of comments. Sheldon’s theory of Somatotype is no longer logical and accepted by most of psychologists because shape of body couldn’t be the measuring rod of personality or nature of person is all cases. It is less related to actual ethic of psychology. Likewise the Myers Briggs theory is fully based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological type is not scientifically experimented and proved the honesty of reporting person matters a lot in Myers-Briggs theory since it is based on questionnaires of certain characteristics. How much famous both theories are, there is doubt on their validity, reliability as well as applicability in various social- organizational institutions.

Despite of having many weaknesses of these two theories they can be used for the various purposes in various fields and institutions. We can follow Sheldon’s theory in Briggs. Type Indicator can be adopted for testing personality of people. Having loopholes and weaknesses, both of the theories are neither prefect nor the worst. There are relative significance and implications of both theories.

f) You are the administrator for a new urban hospital. You have been asked to select a team of people to help you run the hospital. Decide whether to use the Myers-Briggs index or Sheldon’s Body Type and personality Assessment or another method of personality type assessment in order to select the member of your team. Explain why you choose that method and how it will help you selected the most qualified people.

If I were the administrator for a new urban hospital and I had to select the required employees to help me run the hospital I would follow Myers-Briggs Index. I would use Myers-Briggs’ Personality Index to choose persons of various personality traits.

As an  administrator I, at first should make confirm which type of employees are required They can be either doctor, nurses receptionists, helpers, peons or others it is very difficult to select right people to the right post. At first some questionnaires are prepared regarding the level, type of work, duties and responsibilities. I will take tests and try to find out the persons’ personality on the trait extroverted or introverted, sensing or intuition, thinking or feeling and judging or perceiving. What type’s traits people carry and how they counsel with others and what their dealings become measuring rods. I will pay special attention to the post because the peon’s personality and receptionist’s personality should be different. Though both should be extroverted but receptionist should be more in degree. The politeness and good counseling and love are required with the various doctors.

My effort would be for the implication of theory based on questionnaire and tracing specific index or traits. Who have managerial skills, who have educational skills and who have duties and responsibilities on works etc. would be future work. Though it is very tough job in selecting the people, yet the focusing base will be Myers-Briggs theory and my personal experiences and judgment in performing this task.

If candidates are selected on the basis of this theory I hope they will be qualified, skillful and self-confident candidates.

g) Compare two methods for losing weight or improving body. Explain their similarities and differences. What criticism have been made of each method? What type of person do you think each method would appeal to?

At present there are a number of device or systems for losing weight or improving body. But popular among them are using machine, regular yoga and other exercise, dieting, etc. But here only two methods-dieting and exercise yoga are described. These methods have importance and implication in different ratio according to different age level people. Anyway, both are the method of losing or reducing weight and maintaining physical balance.

So far dieting method of losing weight is there it is mostly adopted by young generation. Most of young girls want to be slim like models after watching in the media. Sometimes, dieting may be harmful because due to lack or regular food and balance diet there can be side effect on our health. In case losing weight soon, this is not good method. Because some overweighed people can’t be benefited from it. On the other hand, regular yoga. Exercises (walking, physical and more) help people to have positive thinking, natural health condition and freshness of mood. In some cases where young girl want to be slim so they reduce their some over calories foods to be normal condition may be useful. It is not meant that dieting is not having food at all like fasting. Doing dieting we can have meal but in controlled pattern, some people who are victim of various diseases like sugar, jaundice gastritis etc. have to care of food items they take. In this condition dieting also becomes helpful.

Exercise is the main base of having healthy life. A number of people are unhealthy, diseased, and physically unfit and other defects, it is due to lack of regular physical exercises. When regular exercises are done, there is sound sleep, positive thinking, emotional well-being stress less body, joint flexibility, good posture, good digestion, etc. If we are with these positive conditions or states of our health, we are healthy and we have a chance to live a wealthy life as well. “Early to bed and early to rise makes man, happy, wealthy and wise.”  Is a quotation should be modified like “Regular exercise and regular food, live healthy and good life.”

Grammar Section

a. Math the physical and personality traits associated with each somatotype by filling in the chart below

Physical traits Hard, muscular body Thin, delicate build Soft, round body

Personality traits Active Introverted Combative Quite Courageous Relaxed Good-humored Sensitive Tolerant

S.N.	Somatotype	Physical Traits	Personality traits
1	Endomorphic	Soft, round body	Good-humoured Tolerant Relaxed
2.	Mesomorphic	Hard, muscular body	Active Courageous combative
3.	Ectomorphic	Thin, delicate	Sensitive Quite Introverted

b. Match the following prefixes suffix to-the correct definition.

1.      Ecto- 2.      Endo- 3.      Meso- 4.      –morph 5.      Somato-

a.      Body b.      Intermediate c.       In, into d.      Shape, from, structure e.      External, outer

Answer:- 1 –c    2.  – e      3.   – b        4    - a       5.    -  d

C. clauses of comparison, contrast and Concession:-

The clauses like comparison, contrast and concession are used to help to follow the argument and improve the coherence in the comparison and contrast writing. They are exemplified as follow:

i. Comparison: Similarity.

Just as, in the same way as/ that, similar to like, likewise, in the same token, in the similar pattern etc.

Eg. In the same way that dieting is adopted by most young girls to be slim, the yoga and exercises are followed by aged people mostly. Eg. Similar to Sheldon’s use of self-reporting, the MBTI depends on an individual’s honest answers to series of questions.

ii. Contrast: Difference

While/ whereas, in contrast to, unlike, unlikely, just opposite to, etc.

Eg. While disciplined students give priority to punctuality and manners of the teachers, the undisciplined and manners of the teachers, the undisciplined and bad students focus on outlook, and informality.

Unlike rude, stone hearted people of urban city like Kathmandu villagers are humble, loyal and kindhearted.

iii. Concession:-

Concession language is used to be familiar with one part or aspect of a topic or subject before focusing another aspect or part of it.

Although, even though, despite, despite the fact that, in spite of etc.

Eg. Even though he was poor at spoken English,

(Recognized one aspect)

He achieved higher score in IELTS tests.

(Highlight another aspect)