The Obnoxious and the Nice: Some Sociological Consequences of Two Psychological Types

Abstract

We propose to reinvigorate interest in types--a recently neglected area of sociology--by introducing concept of social psychological type, which extends range of characteristics involved in typing and stresses their sociological effects. We examine the and the as two psychological types, focusing on their construction and consequences. We find that obnoxious are those who intrude their own self-embodiments or impose low-status selves on unwilling others whereas nice are those who willingly acquiesce to others' self-intrusions or self-impositions. We then ask what specific behaviors are considered obnoxious and nice; how does someone manifesting these behaviors become typed as an obnoxious or nice person; what are implications of being typed as obnoxious or nice for a person's status and group; and how are obnoxious and nice types related. The study of obnoxious and nice is suggestive for increasing subtlety of theory and range of problems. The study of psychological types will enrich our description of phenomenological experience of everyday life and correct current ecological bias of microsociology. Sociology has continually been accused of not dealing with texture of human life. Although it is not necessary for every science to be relevant, a science purporting to study society in its totality must include at least some concepts its members recognize as delineating important aspects of their world.