Multilevel Measurement of Interpersonal Behavior: A Manual for the Use of the Interpersonal System of Personality

122 Pages·1956·11.9 MB·English

by  Timothy Francis Leary, Helen Lane, Anne Apfelbaum, Mary della Cioppa, Charlotte Kaufmann

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MULTILEVEL MEASUREMENT
OF
INTERPERSONAL BEHAVIOR
TIMOTHY LEARY. PH.D.
; ^J
Multilevel Measurement
of
Behavior
Interpersonal
Multilevel Measurement
of
Behavior
Interpersonal
A MANUAL FOR THE USE
OF THE INTERPERSONAL
SYSTEM OF PERSONALITY
by TIMOTHY LEARY, Ph.D.
Director: Kaiser Foundation Psychology Research
With the collaboration of
Helen Lane, Research Administrator
Anne Apfelbaum, Projects Manager
Mary della Cioppa, Projects Manager
Charlotte Kaufmann, Manager of Publication
Psychological Consultation Service Berkeley, California, 19^6
FIRST EDITION
Copyright 1956 by
TIMOTHY LEARY
Printed in the United States of America
Clinical versus Research Use of the
Interpersonal System
There are two major applications of the interpersonal system in clinical diagnosis
(either individual, group, or familial) and in research.
The use of the system differs dramatically depending on whether the goals are
clinical or research.
For clinical purposes the eight-digit diagnostic code is of minor importance. The
diagnostic formulation should be made from a study of the unilevel profiles supported by
inspection of the test protocols. The qualitative aspects of the individual are preserved
and combined with the systematic measurements. No eight-digit code can summarize
the richness of an individual. The summary points may fall very close to the octant divi-
sions so that a patient diagnosed as masochistic may be bordering on schizoid distrust
or bordering on docile dependency. The single diagnostic digit does not reflect these
shadings. Other summary points are misleading because they are resolutions of con-
flicting tendencies. The resultant falls near the center of the grid. The unilevel circles
pick up these ambivalences. Do not formulate the clinical picture from the diagnostic
code alone.
For research purposes the codes become extremely useful. When samples rather
than individuals are being studied the over-simplifications due to measurement artifacts
tend to balance out. What is a slightly perceptible tendency in one case (e.g., discrep-
ancy between two moderate scores) becomes a significant difference if many cases pile
up in the same direction.
Clinical diagnosis demands the greatest detailed respect paid to the individual case.
Research usually looks for trends and the summary codes are a great advantage.
Timothy Leary
Table Contents
of
Page
Introduction v
Part I The Interpersonal System of Personality _ 1
1. The Interpersonal System of Personality 1
Part II Multilevel Clinical Diagnosis of the Individual 7
2. Interpersonal Diagnosis of Level I Behavior 8
3. Interpersonal Diagnosis of Level II and Level V Behavior 11
4. Interpersonal Diagnosis of Level III Behavior 17
5. Multilevel Interpersonal Diagnosis : the Diagnostic Booklet 22
6. Diagnostic Report for Illustrative Patient 31
Part III Interpersonal Diagnosis of the Group and the Individual
in the Group Situation 35
7. Analysis of Overt Interaction : the Sociometric Booklet 35
8. Measurement of Covert Interpersonal Attitudes in the Group 43
9. A Healthy Management Group 46
10." Analysis of Interpersonal Dynamics in a Psychotherapy
51
Group
Part IV Interpersonal Analysis of Family Dynamics 56
11. Family Diagnosis 56
12. Illustrative Report for Family Diagnosis 65
Part V Research Applications of the Interpersonal System 68
13. Organization of Research Projects Employing the Inter-
personal System 68
14. Multilevel Research in Personality Structure 71
15. Research on Change in Personality 79
16. Research in Group Dynamics and Family Diagnosis 83
17. Postscript to Future Users of the Interpersonal System 85
APPENDICES
Appendix
A. Level I-MMPI Standard Score Conversion Table 86
B. MMPI Graphic Representation: Male Norms, Female Norms.... 87
C. Level II Interpersonal Check List Standard Score Conversion
Table 90
D. Level V Ideal Standard Score Conversion Table 92
E. Level III TAT Hero Standard Score Conversion Table 93
F. Level III TAT "Other" Standard Score Conversion Table 94
G. Table of Weighted Scores Indicating the Kind and the Amount of
Interlevel Difference 95
H. Summary of Interpersonal Diagnoses at Levels I, II and III for
Several Kaiser Foundation Samples 98
I. Summary of Interpersonal Scores and Group Dynamics Indices for
Several Kaiser Foundation Samples 102
J. TAT Cookbook 104
K. The Level III Diagnosis of Underlying Character Structure Based
on the MMPI 106
L. The Interpersonal Fantasy Test 110
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