Book Review by Jack Falt
The major changes in the book are in the preference descriptions. They are given in a more narrative form with numerous anecdotes to illustrate the concepts. Each dimension of behaviour includes a definition and description, then it looks at how the two preferences are different and then how each individual switches from one to the other as needed. To my mind this gives a more rounded picture and avoids people feeling trapped in a box. A couple of ideas I found to be new and interesting to me were: Extraverts tend to use more eye contact than Introverts; and, when considering the judging functions, there are rational decisions that are made with Thinking and/or Feeling, and then there are those non rational decisions made by impulse or are decided by not deciding.
Part two gives individual descriptions of the 16 Types. These are unchanged from the previous edition. In a couple of pages for each Type the author gives a character sketch of the Type.
The third section describes each of the four Temperaments. Each writeup includes the overall description, how people tend to behave in their world of work, as children and students, and as adults and parents. There is an excellent chart included that compares major aspects of the four Temperaments. Finally, there is a page discussing how the various Temperaments relate to one another.
The final portion discusses Type dynamics and development, why they are important, how they are expressed by the individual, and the importance of balance of the functions in the individual’s life. I liked the author’s concept that we are inundated with information, but our Dominant function picks up on those parts that relate to it and make us aware of them. It is not that people don’t get all the input from both the inner and outer world. It is just that they are predisposed to only noticing certain aspects of the information.
The author discusses the relationship of Type to Temperament and how only introverted Sensing and extraverted Sensing share the same Temperaments. Brownsword uses the image of the yin-yang symbol to show how a person can switch from Type to Temperament and visa versa, and that both aspects are valuable. By this he means that at one time it is easier to describe the behaviour in Type terms and at other times it is useful to see the behaviour in Temperament terms.
Overall, this book presents the concepts of Type and Temperament very well. It is very readable and something you can feel confident about giving to new clients or recommend that they read.