Date of Award
12-1989
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Educational Leadership
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological typologies and learning styles of a population of security managers. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Learning Style Inventory 1985 (LSI 1985) were used with a population of 125 security managers. The return rate was 73% (N = 91).
Four research questions were investigated concerning: (a) psychological types of the population of security managers as measured by the MBTI, (b) the learning styles of the population as reported on the LSI 1985 and MBTI, (c) how the security management population compared with related occupations (e.g., police managers) after MBTI analyses using the Selection Ratio Type Table (SRTT), and (d) comparison of the research instruments using canonical correlation.
The security managers in this study were composed of primarily two MBTI types, ISTJ (introverted, sensing, thinking, and judging) and ESTJ (extraverted, sensing, thinking, and judging). The primary learning style indicated by the LSI 1985 was the "assimilator," which emphasized the learning strengths of abstract conceptualization and reflective observation. The learning preferences, found through prior MBTI research, that were applicable for the MBTI type distribution in this study were: need for logical presentation of facts, emphasis on clear course objectives, and use of audiovisual methods of instruction.
The security population of this study resembled the type distribution of occupations that were logically assumed to be comparable. There were no significant differences, using SRTT analyses of chi square or Fisher's Exact Probability Test, between security managers and police managers and other related occupations (p < .001). The results of the canonical correlation between the MBTI scores and LSI 1985 combination scale scores were not significant (p< .001).
This was the first known study to use the MBTI and LSI 1985 with security managers. Previous research showed these instruments to be related on Jungian dimensions (using the original LSI). Analyses of the findings do not support the contention that the instruments measure similar Jungian constructs. The expectations that security managers were similar to their law enforcement counterparts and would prefer certain forms of instruction and participation in learning situations were confirmed.
Access Setting
Dissertation-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Witkowski, Michael John, "The Psychological Typologies and Learning Styles of Security Managers in a Large Industrial Organization" (1989). Dissertations. 2139.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/2139