Category Archives: Relationships

How to make use of the insights that analytical psychology offers into social, family and working relationships.

New book comparing Myers-Briggs typology and Jungian theory

I’m pleased to announce that Routledge have started production of my book, which will be released on November 12th, 2018. The book is a re-examination of Psychological Types, in view of Jung’s complaints that most readers misunderstood it. There has been a significant divergence between the central message of Psychological Types and its popular interpretation.

The book is going to be controversial, both for users of Myers-Briggs typology and Jungian theory, though for different reasons. It challenges many of the assumptions that have long been held by users of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® and similar instruments. To communicate Jung’s ideas clearly, it simplifies them.

The list price of the book is £26.99 but there is a discount code you can use to reduce the price of advance orders by 20% to £21.59. You can find more details of the book, and how to order your advance copy with the discount, below.

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The Hero Myth in International Conflicts

Luke Skywalker, by Jonathan Rey The resolution of interpersonal and international conflict is often hindered by the hero myth.

A traditional hero in myth is a powerful person who “vanquishes evil… and who liberates his people from destruction and death”¹. The psychological power of the hero is illustrated by its frequent use in fiction to achieve commercial success. For example, George Lucas used a hero myth to craft the characters in the film Star Wars. This was so successful that the hero myth became an integral part of Hollywood screenwriting and computer game design.

However, less attention is paid to the significant role that the hero myth can play in interpersonal and international relations. It can shape those relationships, exacerbate conflict, and create new problems of its own.

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Personality Type changes the meaning of words

Misunderstandings between people

Your personality type can change the meaning of the words you use. This can potentially lead to confusion, misunderstanding, or conflict.

Sorry
For example, people who prefer Thinking tend to use the word “sorry” to mean they have made a mistake. Those who prefer Feeling tend to use it to show sympathy or empathy. This can lead to misunderstanding because:

When a Feeler says “I’m sorry”, the Thinker can misconstrue this as being an admission of an error.
When a Thinker fails to say “I’m sorry”, the Feeler can misconstrue this as lacking care or concern.

In some cases, the argument that ensues can end up in the law courts. For example, if a doctor apologises for the bad outcome of an operation, a patient might mistake this for an admission of liability. (Using an apology as evidence of liability has been outlawed by some US states.)

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Psychological Type distorts view of Self and Others

One of the reasons that Carl Gustav Jung developed his theory of Psychological Types was that he had fallen out with Sigmund Freud. He wanted to understand what had caused the conflict between two people who, on the face of it, had very similar interests.

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Judgement, Perception and Stress

One of the causes of stress at work is a having a difference in preference for Judgment or Perception with your boss. This is because the two types tend to have a different orientation toward deadlines. Whether you meet a deadline is nothing to do with your personality type – the J/P difference is concerned with how you meet the deadline.

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