Finale of Winter Semester
My teaching assignment (for a seminar with virtual parts and face-to-face sessions) at Charlotte Fresenius University in Wiesbaden has finally happened for the third time. Thus, it’s the third iteration. As always, the student’s presentations formed the backbone of teaching. Yet, I also contributed quite some input, still. Nevertheless, we worked together intensively in plenary sessions, for example, on the MBTI self-assessment. The students furthermore explored the cultural dimensions of various authors, however going well beyond Geert Hofstede, the usual suspect, and rightly so. (Incidentally, the standardized phrase for the different terminology of authors was lastly formulated by Wikipedia!) Administering personality tests based on the Five Factor Model (BFI-2) and furthermore analyzing the results (Test 16pf and other methods) served to illustrate the procedures and also engage the students.
Outlook onto Summer Semester
Finally, I want to restructure the three main sessions, and thus the seminar Differential Psychology and Personality Psychology. Firstly, I would like to start with the MBTI, straightaway introduce the 16pf as an introduction to the Five-Factor Model, and ultimately I want to finish with the FPI and some other, less scientifically rigorous theories and methods. The presentations will still be based on prescribed literature and an ever-expanding reading list.
However, I want to further expand the participant-oriented activities in the plenary sessions. With respect to the MBTI, this will indeed include the completion of self-assessment jointly in plenary. About intercultural competence (see also below), the TIHK application, and furthermore the classification of countries (equated wrongly with cultures) and the participants themselves in several cultural dimensions are likewise engaging.
Comparison of MBTI and BFI-2 as a new attempt
Finally, there’s the second in-person session. Herein, I plan to compare the students’ results of the MBTI with those of the BFI-2, meaning the Five-Factor Model. I foresse a certain, if not extensive, correlation, but still no neuroticism score in the MBTI. While this omission is viewed critically in the literature on differential psychology, the scientific community behind the MBTI counters that this was never the intention, quite coolly. After that, I could smoothly proceed to a presentation topic on the subject of Five Factor Model …
The BFI-2 is easily accessible – in German, coincidentally – yet still meets Differential Psychology’s quality criteria and offers a sufficient number of items (questions). However, it is a separate technique distinct from the multitude of IPIP short tests. We will therefore examine both of these approaches in detail.
TIHK test (in German) as intro to Intercultural Competence``
“Intercultural sensitivity” refers to the openness to cultural influences in one’s own thoughts and feelings, as well as in those of others. “Intercultural competence” is then the ability to relect these influences in one’s own actions and consequently utilize these for mutual benefit. A test is intended to raise awareness.
Use as a group test
Julia Loboda’s Intercultural Competence Test (TIHK, available in Germn language only) is on hand in parallel forms and i’s objective, reliable, valid, and even allowing for a cut-off score – however, it is unfortunately not standardized. Differential psychology would require these norms on the one hand, and on the other hand it was developed using subjects who closely resemble my participants! The TIHK offers critical situations between people from three different cultural backgrounds as items, also known as critical incidents. However, by dividing the test into two sets of two groups, I was able to clarify the students’ current level at the group level last semester. This served and will serve only as a starting point for further interactive work on the subject in the seminar.
Finally, I highly recommend studying psychology at Charlotte Fresenius University. At the Wiesbaden campus, you’ll find differential and personality psychology—and me. In integrated virtual and classroom settings.
Approach me directly for a Chat. Via ++49 89 817 92 97 or reiner@borretty.com
… or simply visit the homepage of Charlotte-Fresenius-University
