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:: Take the PLSI ::
Inside This Section
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These are the directions for facilitators:
1. Be sure to become familiar with the PLSI materials and cognitive type theory
before facilitating its use with learners.
2. Provide each student with a materials packet and score
sheet. Make sure that each learner has something to write with.
3. Provide a test taking environment that is free of
distractions, expectations from any professional or personal context, and the
influences of others.
4. Provide test takers the following directions at the start:
 | Free your mind of all external influences. |
| It is important to answer the way you feel, not the way
that you think others (bosses, spouses, parents, teachers) would like you to
answer. |
| There are no correct answers; the best answer is the one
that is most honest for you. |
| Answer quickly, and when in doubt go with your first
instinct. |
| To place your responses in the correct location, notice
that you must answer across the page (horizontally) and not down
(vertically). |
5. Provide the following instructions as test takers begin to
complete their inventories:
| Notice the spaces at the bottom of each column. Count the
number of a's and the number of b's and place those totals in the correct
place below.
For example:
44. b
48. b
-------------------------
a/J- 3
b/P- 9 |
| Students who have clear preferences (8 or more choices in
one category) should be instructed to place the letters of those preferences
in the spaces at the bottom of the page as shown here:
Putting your answers together (place the letter
with the highest total in the spaces below)
___E___ INTROVERT/EXTROVERT (first column)
___S___ SENSATE/INTUITIVE (second column)
___F___ THINKER/FEELER (third column)
___P___ JUDGER/PERCEIVER (fourth column) |
|
| Students who have ties (i.e., 6 in one space and 6 in
another), and even students with 7 – 5 preferences, should be instructed
to use the dimension pair lists on the next page of their packets to attempt
to break the tie or clarify a preference. Usually if test takers examine
each list, they will likely see one or the other that is "more
them." Remember this is only an inventory not an absolute measure. |
| One person in 20 will have a legitimate tie in one area
(i.e., they are on the fence between two dimension preferences). In that
case, they can refer to themselves as an X (i.e., EXTP). Therefore, they may
want to educate themselves in both pertinent type combinations (i.e., ESTP
and ENTP). But as they become more familiar with the dimension combinations,
they may
feel as though they can break their tie. |
6. Test takers should be given the opportunity to process the
results of their inventory and its implications. It is CRITICAL that all test
takers understand that there are NO better types, and that all types are just as
valuable.
7. Facilitators have several options after inventories have
been completed. The degree to which any individual would want to help test
takers make sense of cognitive type and its implications would depend on their
comfort with the material and the theory. Here are some ideas for how to
facilitate a deeper understanding in the learners:
| Ask questions that provoke inductive processing of the
topic. For example, one could ask,
"how is this information liberating to you?"
"how could it be used in a limiting way?"
"what are some benefits to having people of all different types?" |
| Compare cognitive type to left or right handedness. Just as
we were more inclined to use one hand or the other, we are more comfortable
using one preference or another. |
| Take each dimension one at a time, and explain the two
sides. Beginning with introversion and extroversion. Compare how the each
preference plays out in behavior. Again, this can be achieved to some degree
inductively. Asking questions may be a good way to help the learners stay
engaged and to make sense of the dimensions. For example, you may ask,
"which type tends to raise their hand more?" or "which type
tends to be more reflective?" But it can not be overemphasized – both
sides of each dimension are equally important. If learners are made to feel
that one type or those with certain preferences are better, many will likely
become hostile to the entire theory. |
| It is useful to give learners scenarios to help them
process the applications of cognitive type. For example you may ask them
about the difficulties (and ultimately the solutions) for a teacher with
type X and a student with type Y, or a two friends, or two members of a
committee. Have small groups brainstorm problems and solutions and then
share them with the
whole group. |
| Tailor any presentation to the needs of the group. There
are limited materials that are provided with the PLSI. These materials are
mainly intended for younger learners and teachers. There are excellent
materials available. Consulting Psychologists Press (800-624-1765) has
excellent materials available for purchase. |
8. All purposes and applications of type information by
facilitators should be explained to test takers.
9. Refer to suggestions for teaching and type for ideas
related to how to teach incorporating the needs of each type. |
Directions
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