Hi Gregg & All,

Yes, we have discussed MBTI quite a bit before. LOL! Though, as I've mentioned before, I've become a bit more intrigued with Socionics, which was a "type" system also derived from Jung's work, but in the former Soviet bloc countries, independently of Myers-Briggs. So it never "caught on" here in the West like MBTI, though I think it's a bit more sophisticated. Socionics also focuses extensively on inter-type relations and small groups of four types called quaternions, (of which there are 140) which (in turn) can be grouped together by four called tetrachotomies, (of which there are 35 --- 4 x 35 = 140)  . Hence, the types are often referred to as "socio-types".

In regards to the type vs. trait dichotomy, I think it's safe to say that both are typically grounded in a Formistic "World Hypothesis", (hearkening back to Pepper's four World Hypotheses that Steve introduced us to awhile back). Both are analytic and dispersive, though it seems that there is a mild trade-off between scope and precision when it comes to type and trait --- the former trading off greater precision for greater scope, and vice-versa for the latter. So perhaps one could say that both are grounded in the same "type" of world hypothesis, with a difference in degree of the "trait" of dispersiveness. 

In regards to disorders and their correlates on the Influence Matrix (IM), if disordered types can be conceptualized as "rigid extremes of underlying dimensions", then would it not stand to reason that there exists the possibility that more "ordered" types would be less rigid and less extreme on those same dimensions? Why not have six "ordered" types that are less "extreme" than those "disordered" types? Where does one, for example, transition from an  "ordered" Dominant type to a "disordered" Narcissistic type?

Going back to MBTI and Socionics, I Googled a paper on correlations between Jungian types and personality disorders entitled, "An Empirical Investigation of Jung's Psychological Types and Personality Disorder Features". The authors concluded that MBTI may have some heuristic value for understanding personality disorders. 

A couple of the results were that  the (1) paranoid, (2) passive-aggressive, and (3) depressive personality disorders correlated with the IxTx types, and that histrionic personality disorder correlated with the ExFx types.

Interestingly, the first and third letters correspond with what's called  "Communication Styles" in Socionics.

EF types are referred to as the Passionate Style: 

This group is most confident in their attitudes towards other people and not afraid to openly show and talk of their feelings, likes and dislikes, and ethical evaluations. These sociotypes are the most sociable ones in informal contact.

Their position in a conversation is an active search for feelings. They bring emotions to people around them. In their life scenarios, it is typical of them to marry earlier on the average than individuals other sociotypes. However, they also separate and divorce more frequently than other sociotypes. These types understand dialogue as an exchange of emotions, as a kind of "sailing" through active currents of life.

IT types are referred to as the Cold-Blooded Style:

People of these types are not confident in their feelings and act restrained in their emotional displays. These types are the least sociable ones in informal contact.

Their communication style is opposite to the "Passionate" group. Their position in an informal dialogue is a passive anticipation of feelings. Communication of these types flows according to established courses and norms. Their life scenarios suggest that they marry later in life than representatives of other types and are not inclined to re-marry. Their marriages, as a rule, are the least successful. They understand communication as an exchange of lacking information of explanatory nature. Such communication doesn't lose much if it is carried out only in a written form.

Now judging by those descriptions, I can see how the Passionate Style --- if taken to a "rigid extreme" --- could correlate with histrionic disorder, and the Cold-Blooded Style --- again, if taken to a rigid extreme --- could correlate with any one of those three disorders mentioned above.

Indeed, in less extreme forms, I could see how those two styles of communication could potentially fit on the Freedom from Influence dimension of the IM. Those who lean towards the autonomous side could be more "cold-blooded" in their communication style, and those who lean towards the dependency side could be more "passionate" in their communication style.

Any thoughts?
Jason