Date of Award

6-1989

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Edgar A. Kelley

Second Advisor

Dr. Kenneth Dickie

Third Advisor

Dr. Herbert H. Dobbs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between two recognized personality assessment instruments, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI), both developed for normal, healthy adults. The extent and direction of the MBTI-HBDI relationships were determined through analyses of data from administration of both instruments to the same population, 800 student program managers attending the Defense Systems Management College (DSMC), Fort Belvoir, Virginia, during 1986-1987.

The research hypothesis, formulated from psychological theory, brain dominance research, and empirical literature sources, postulated specific relationships among the 16 MBTI types and HBDI quadrants. In addition, six research questions addressed the similarity of the study population to other managerial populations and investigated the relationship of the MBTI and HBDI to demographic categories: sex of participants, branch of governmental service, military or civilian status, and management rank.

All expected relationships of the research hypothesis were substantiated. The majority of the study population were MBTI sensing, thinking-judgers, who were not only double dominant in HBDI Quadrants A and B, but manifested "superdominance" (HBDI scores $>$ 100) in these quadrants. The relatively few MBTI feeling individuals demonstrated dominance in HBDI Quadrant C. MBTI intuitives and perceptives were aligned with HBDI Quadrant D and were AD double dominant.

An unanticipated finding was the existence of a significant relationship between the MBTI extraversion-introversion dimension and the interpersonal HBDI Quadrant C. High representation of the most prevalent MBTI type, ISTJ, and the predominant thinking-judger functional group confirmed expected similarity with other managerial populations. Females demonstrated, much greater than expected similarity to males with regard to MBTI type and HBDI quadrant representation, a finding attributed to the nonstereotypical nature of the female student managers. No differences in the MBTI and HBDI distributions were found among the branches of the armed services nor between military and civilian participants, although high-ranked civilian MBTI intuitives tended toward HBDI Quadrant D representation.

The findings essentially confirmed those from other studies regarding the relationships between the MBTI and the HBDI, thus providing support for the theoretical foundations for both instruments.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

Download

Share

COinS