A SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF FIFTY "NORMAL" WHITE MALES
Abstract
All of the above raises in our minds a question which has been stated in a number of different ways in the past concerning the balance between the needs and the wants of individuals on the one hand— in this group apparently very much in balance—and the various factors that have been considered to be part of the richer, more creative, spontaneous type of personality. Does "normality," as evidenced by lack of intrapsychic tension, adequate social, economic and familial adaptation, and harmonious integration with other individuals at all levels, necessarily imply a lack of creativity, imagination, and spontaneity? Our data are suggestive of this conclusion. Confirmation would be dependent upon a study of those individuals in the original sample of 1,953 male ninth-graders who have subsequently been more creative, although they showed evidence of some disturbance at that time as measured by their MMPI profiles; at the very least.
It is our opinion that the 23 subjects described in this study as being free of symptomatology and as having made a stable, successful adaptation, represent a very normal, healthy, socially acceptable and desirable group of individuals. We would feel that an additional 12 subjects represent the broader "range of normal," which allows for some degree of intrapsychic tension and some minimal adaptational difficulties, none serious enough to interfere with a basically adequate and successful social and economic adjustment. The remainder of the group, with 2 exceptions, while having somewhat greater difficulty in making an adaptation, are still quite successful in most areas and will probably continue to make a successful adaptation without psychiatric help, although perhaps at the cost of greater tension and psychic stress and strain than might otherwise be the case.
The authors believe that the characteristics of this group of subjects are consistent with a general conception of the well adjusted average American male. Further, that these multi-dimensional data provide a meaningful baseline of personal adaptation within contemporary American society to which other groups may be compared.
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