PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPES: PERCEIVING THE PROJECTED INFERIOR FUNCTION

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between individuals' unconscious elements and their perceptions of the powerfulness of characters representing these unconscious elements, using Carl Jung's theory as a foundation. A technique for analyzing projections was developed. Subjects were administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator which determined an individual's conscious and unconscious elements. Bales' (1970) system of interactional analysis was used to evaluate subjects' perceptions of the powerfulness of their characters as determined from subjects' written stories involving these characters. The perceived powerfulness of the characters representing subjects' conscious elements was compared with the perceived powerfulness of the characters representing subjects' unconscious elements.;Subjects were 51 female and male undergraduate students enrolled in a psychology course who volunteered their time in exchange for their confidential results and a related lecture.;In the present study, there were some indications that subjects tended to perceive their inferior function characters as more powerful than they did their dominant function characters. Also, there were some indications that this apparent trend was reflected with: (1) function characters but not attitude characters, (2) extraverted subjects but not introverted subjects, and (3) male subjects but not female subjects (though it appeared that this apparent sex difference might instead be a type difference).;All the findings of this study were limited by four methodological issues: (1) inadequate sample sizes for four of the types, (2) lack of adequate reliability measures, (3) character descriptions were not validated, and (4) the functional generalizability is unclear between Bales' use of his instrument with groups of people and the present study's use of his instrument with people's stories of a group of characters.;Why subjects appeared to perceive their inferior function characters as more powerful than they did their dominant function characters was understood in terms of subjects having projected fantasies reflecting the unconscious libido (energy and meaning) of their inferior functions into their inferior function characters. The perceived powerfulness of subjects' inferior function characters was seen as reflecting the projected unconscious energy and meaning of their inferior functions. Thus, the technique developed in this study seems to indicate that subjects projected the libido of their inferior functions into their inferior function characters.