Does Personality Organization Affect Empathic Perspective-taking?

Empathic perspective taking is the psychological process that enables us to identify and understand other people’s emotions. A recent study published in Science (Kidd & Castano, 2013) suggests that reading literary fiction can improve empathic perspective taking abilities. In the present investigation, I present a history of scientific efforts to explain and measure empathy as well as how empathic perspective-taking is diminished in individuals with personality disorders. I review efforts at an extension of existing research that resulted in a failed replication with important repercussions. I outline potential directions for researchers looking to investigate the relationship of empathic perspective taking, literary fiction, and personality organization

Toward a periodic table of personality: Mapping personality scales between the five-factor model and the circumplex model

In this study, we examine the structures of 10 personality inventories (PIs) widely used for personnel assessment by mapping the scales of PIs to the lexical Big Five circumplex model resulting in a Periodic Table of Personality. Correlations between 273 scales from 10 internationally popular PIs with independent markers of the lexical Big Five are reported, based on data from samples in 2 countries (United Kingdom, N 286; United States, N 1,046), permitting us to map these scales onto the Abridged Big Five Dimensional Circumplex model (Hofstee, de Raad, & Goldberg, 1992). Emerging from our findings we propose a common facet framework derived from the scales of the PIs in our study. These results provide important insights into the literature on criterion-related validity of personality traits, and enable researchers and practitioners to understand how different PI scales converge and diverge and how compound PI scales may be constructed or replicated. Implications for research and practice are considered

Personality traits and disorders in childhood. Clinical evaluation and diagnosis

Objective: aim of the paper is to examine the controversial issue of personality traits and disorders in childhood. Method: a literature review of clinical and research data was performed, and a conceptual synthesis was proposed. Results: although there are still few longitudinal studies able to clarify the evolution of personality traits from childhood to adulthood, a growing number of studies confirmed emerging personality patterns in childhood and the need for early intervention and prevention. after a discussion of clinical and research data on continuity vs discontinuity in personality disorders, we propose a conceptual synthesis of emerging personality patterns in childhood, conjugating both top-down (theoretical) and bottom-up (research) perspectives. Conclusions: the literature review showed that a deeper understanding of personality and mental functioning in childhood is still required and that emerging personality patterns and disorders need specific assessment and empirical derived classication that takes into account the developmental perspectiv

Relationships between a quaternary model of psychological type processes and defense mechanism clusters

This study examined the relationships between two psychological type dimensions (Extraversion-Introversion and Thinking-Feeling) and defense mechanism preferences. Psychological Type Theory was used as a conceptual framework for the generation of hypotheses. Specific hypotheses between the two psychological type dimensions and defense mechanism preferences were tested. Further, Extraversion-Introversion and Thinking-Feeling were combined, resulting in the formation of a quaternary personality model consisting of four groups (Introverted Thinking, Introverted Feeling, Extraverted Thinking, and Extraverted Feeling). Hypotheses that certain quaternary groups would display specific relationships with defense mechanism preferences were tested. To test hypotheses, 223 university students were administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator measure of psychological type and the Defense Mechanisms Inventory measure of defensive preference. Although some modest support for hypotheses was found (e.g., the Introverted Thinking group preferred Principalization defenses and the Extraverted Feeling group preferred Reversal defenses), on the whole, there was little support for the hypothesized relationship between the two psychological type dimensions and defensive preferences

The usefulness of Visitor Expectations Type Scales (VETS) for tourist segmentation : the case of cathedral visitors

This study applies Jungian psychological type theory to assess and to interpret the expectations of cathedral visitors. The Visitor Expectations Type Scales were developed among 35 individuals trained and qualified as type practitioners and then tested among a sample of 157 visitors who also completed the Francis Psychological Type Scales. The data demonstrated: the coherence and internal consistency reliability of the Visitor Expectations Type Scales; the particular emphases placed by cathedral visitors on introverted expectations, feeling expectations, and perceiving expectations; and the complex relationship between visitor expectations (conceptualised in psychological type categories) and their personal psychological type profile. The Visitor Expectations Type Scales are commended as providing a more valid assessment of the psychographic segmentation of cathedral visitors than could be provided simply by the administration of a recognised measure of psychological type. Such assessment has implications for the marketing and management of cathedrals within the tourism industry

The Relationship Between Adult Attachment Styles and Masterson\u27s Delineation of Personality Disorders

The present study addresses the degree of relationship between adult attachment styles, as assigned by attachment theory, and personality disorders, as delineated by Masterson\u27s developmental self and object relations theory. Relationships between the avoidant-dismissive attachment style and characteristics of the exhibiting narcissistic personality disorder, between the preoccupied attachment style and the borderline personality disorder, and between the avoidantfearful attachment style and the schizoid and avoidant personality disorders were anticipated. Eighty-six individuals involved in the Access Program in Spokane, Washington participated in the study. Thirty-four psychology students at George Fox University also participated in the study as a control group. Participants were asked to complete a packet of materials including a brief demographic questionnaire, the Relationship Questionnaire (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991 ), the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (Griffin and Bartholomew, 1994), the Bell Object Relations and Reality Testing Inventory (Bell, 1995), and the Roberts Relationship Inventory, (D. Roberts personal communication, July, 1996) an instrument developed by graduates of the Masterson Institute\u27s post graduate training program. Results supported this study\u27s hypotheses most prominently in the relationship between attachment theory\u27s secure style and Masterson\u27s healthy response style, and attachment theory\u27s avoidant fearful style and Masterson\u27s schizoid personality disorder. A thorough discussion of the findings is included

Testing Models of Depression and Paranoia in Men and Women: The Role of Cognitive Style, Guilt, Shame, and Defense Mechanisms

Gender differences in psychopathology have long been of interest in the fields of clinical, developmental, and personality psychology. Lewis proposed two models to explain the emergence of the development of gender differences in depression and paranoia. Lewis stated that gender differences in depression and paranoia can be traced to corresponding gender differences in cognitive style, guilt-proneness, shame-proneness, and the use of specific defense mechanisms. Although research evidence has validated certain components of these two models, neither model has ever been tested in its entirety. This research project intended to test Lewis\u27s models in their entirety by utilizing structural equation modeling