Name that tune.
Song title? Performer(s)?
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
1
Individual Differences
“The Knower”
2/3/10
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
2
Objectives
After this class you will be able to (it is my
hope!):
- Appreciate the need to attend to individual
differences.
- Know your Myers-Briggs personality type.
- Have at least one happy surprise.
- Randolph – remember to take roll and
hand out topic guide.
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
Didja hear the one about . . .
 . . . the three statisticians who went deer
hunting?
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
Individual Differences Psychology
 “Every [person] is in certain respects (a)
like all other [people], (b) like some other
[people], (c) like no other [person]"
(Murray, H.A. & Kluckhohn, C. 1953).
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
What are some ways we are like all
others?
 All of us have rods and basilar
membranes.
 Two legs.
 Labor within the confines of physics.
– “Gravity – it’s not just a good idea – it’s THE
LAW.”
 We’re gonna die.
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
How’re we like NO other people?
 Chromosomal make-up. (Unless you have
an identical twin.)
 Particular familial context.
 (Perhaps therefore) our thoughts and
actions are unique.
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
But Indiv Differences Psych . . .
 . . . focuses on how we are like SOME other people.
 From Wikipedia: “Study of individual differences is
essential because important variation between
individuals can be masked by averaging.”
 Last week, talking about STM, we discussed Miller’s
“magical number 7 +/- 2”
– Imagine how easy life would be if it was “the magical number 7.”
“OK, people can hold 7 items (chunks) in STM.” Well now
wouldn’t THAT make designing web sites easier?!
 Age, weight, metabolism, memory, experiences,
interests, emotionality, dot dot dot!!!!
 And, our personalities . . . .
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
“Myers-Briggs Type Indicator”
 ”The purpose of the Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator® (MBTI) personality inventory is to
make the theory of psychological types
described by C. G. Jung understandable and
useful in people’s lives. The essence of the
theory is that much seemingly random variation
in the behavior is actually quite orderly and
consistent, being due to basic differences in the
ways individuals prefer to use their perception
and judgment.”
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
“In developing the MBTI . . .
 . . . the aim of Isabel Briggs Myers, and her
mother, Katharine Briggs, was to make the
insights of [personality] type theory accessible to
individuals and groups. They addressed the two
related goals:
– The identification of basic preferences of each of the
four dichotomies specified or implicit in Jung’s theory.
– The identification and description of the 16 distinctive
personality types that result from the interactions
among the preferences.”
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
Please complete . . .
 . . . this SHORT version of the MBTI.
 Calculate your “type.”
 This will take about 10 minutes or so.
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
Earlier, “4 dichotomies”
 Introvert (allows others to initiate
conversation; thorough preparation) vs.
Extrovert (interrupts, likes dialogue)
 Sensing (focus on facts, deliverables) vs.
Intuitive (connections, patterns)
 Thinking (low-key, logical) vs. Feeling
(working relationship, expressive)
 Judging (goals, planning) vs. Perceiving
(seeks options, emphasizes adapting)
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
On Friday . . .
 . . . you’ll learn more about these types.
 For now here’s all I want you to know:
– No one type is better than another.
– We each bring different skills, different
preferred ways of interacting “to the table.”
– There is potential value in understanding what
we and others are like.
– For instance . . .
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
References
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individual_differ
ences_psychology
 http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbtipersonality-type/mbti-basics/
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |
Ahem, “for instance,”
 Today’s song was “A change is gonna
come” by Sam Cooke.
 Why do you suppose we chose to play it
before THIS class?
 Nope – guess again . . . .
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu | 15
Who, what TYPES, . . .
 . . . might be happy about this?
– Extroverts – hooray, more time for social contacts.
– Perceiving – emphasize “adapting.”
 You Judging types (planning, likes regular
feedback) may be less happy.
 So – I’ll need to refigure how the final grades will
be calculated. IOU.
 Friday – Bring your MBTI sheets.
 Monday – Meet in PCL 1.124.
 Questions?
R.G. Bias | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu |