The construct validity of the bioenergetic–analytic character typology: A multi-method investigation of a humanistic approach to personality.

Abstract

The construct validity of the five bioenergetic–analytic character types was explored through a multitrait multi-method approach. Twenty-five college students had full-body photographs and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) data rated using this typology, and these were compared to psychometric data, including from the Adjective Check List (ACL). The photographic ratings by two bioenergetic experts correlated significantly across all 5 types, evidencing satisfactory inter-rater reliability, but ratings on the TAT and ACL did not show adequate reliability and a comparison of the photographic ratings with the psychometrics did not evidence validity for the typology. The importance of developing multi-method approaches for holistic research across different domains within humanistic psychology, such as mind (psychological self-report) and body (photographic ratings) based methods, is emphasized.