Author:

Abstract

[Relationships Between Typological Traits Defined by the Heymans-Le Senne School]

Two hundred and fifty five male secondary school students aged 15 to 17 were tested by the 'Kwantitatieve Karakterstudie' which is a seven trait inventory containing the scales ‘emotionality’ (E), ‘activity’ (a), ‘secondary function’ (s), ‘wideness of the field of consciousness’ (w), ‘theoretical (T) versus practical thinking’, ‘psychic masculinity (M) versus psychic femininity’ and ‘eagerness’ (G). Significant positive product moment correlations were found between the traits E and S (.46), A and M (.16), A and G (.28) as between M and G (.18). Significant negative correlations were obtained between the traits E and A (-.57), E and M (-.28), A and S (-.25), A and W (-.19), S and W (-.39), S and M (-.27) as between W and G (-.27). The findings could be interpreted in agreement with the definitions of the traits involved given by the protagonists of the Heymans-Le Senne school. — However the numerous relationships suggest that the seven traits are aspects of fewer underlying factors. Therefore we factoranalysed the correlation matrix by a varimax rotation yielding the extraction of four factors. The results of the performed multiple factor analysis induced us to interpret the four extracted factors as extraversion (I) versus introversion, perseveration factor (II) versus cognitive mobility, eagerness (III) versus forbearance and theoretical (IV) versus practical thinking. The trait A turns out to be the main aspect of factor I (extraversion), while the opposite of this factor (introversion) accounts highly for the trait E and to a smaller extent for the trait S. The latter trait is particularly an aspect of factor II (perseveration) which opposite (cognitive mobility) is of chief account to the traits W and M. Factor III (eagerness) coincides with trait G and plays also an important part in trait M. Finally, factor IV (theoretical thinking) coincides with trait T. So the present research provides a deepening of the Heymans-Le Senne typology and shows among other things its relationship with the typology of C.G. Jung.