Sorry to "necropost", but I had just found this on a periodic search of FIRO-MBTI comparisons I do in looking for new insights.
I had actually been trying to strike up a discussion on this since I joined, but it seems people can't really get intot he FIRO system. Then, I discovered Xander as being interested in it, and have been discussing it privately. He was interested in making a thread about it, but I was relectant being it was so hard to find any interest. But now since there was this thread here already, I might as well add to this.
I had made my own comparison of how the systems roughly correspond. My wife uses a Christian temperament analysis directly based on FIRO. Unlike FIRO, which only measures "behavior"; this new one was somehow tailored to measure inborn temperament, much like the Keirsey sorter. It was when a friend introduced us to that test, that I became interested in comparing it and the MBTI. Obviously, E/I will parallel expressed Inclusion and Affection. It was T/F and J/P that seemed to correspond to the "wanted" scales, and the task for me was finding out how, and where S/N would fit.
It was when I learned about Linda Berens Interaction Styles, that I saw a good match for expressed and Wanted Inclusion (E/I and Directing/Informing). When I found about about her additional "Structure/Motive cross factor pairing NF with SP and SJ with NT, that seemed like wanted Control. I've recently been pointing this out, in discussions of why the TJ's are "the most directive". Because they are both "directing" and "structure" focused, and both are forms of low w! So then I determined that Cooperative/Pragmatic would be a good fit with expressed Control. And most of the types fit really well:
Melancholic: (low E and W); Inclusion: "Chart the Course" or IST/INJ
Control: SJ "Guardian"
Sanguine: (high e and w); Inclusion: "Get Things Going" or ESF/ENP; Control: SP "Artisan" or "Improvisor"
Choleric: (high E/low W); Inclusion: "In Charge" or EST/ENJ; Control: NT "Rational"
Phlegmatic: (low E/high W); Inclusion: "Behind the Scenes" or ISF/INP; Control: NF "Idealist". There is also a fifth temperament, "Supine" that fits the low E/high w place, with Phlegmatic being more moderate in fact, but both seem to fit this place in the four temperament models.
Here is my site explaining not only this, but also the comparison to Enneagram as well. Enneagram is actually very similar to FIRO, and once FIRO is understood, it may actually provide an intermediate point in MBTI-Enneagram comparisons.
Temperament Part 2: The APS and other theories and Instruments
The first part explains the basis of the temperament system and FIRO scales from scratch:
Temperament for Dummies
These are different ways of looking at one thing--the individual. MBTI looks at processing/gathering information. Enneagram looks at motivation and barriers. FIRO-B (and some of the others) look at interpersonal relations and outward behaviors.
And all of this may correpond to each other in indirect ways. FIRO does discuss motivations (such as the fears tied to low expressed or high wanted behaviors, for instance), and our temperament theory emphasizes this even more. Perception, which may appear both Enneagram (tap3x.net article) and FIRO may be "blind" to, in my theory tie together diametric opposite Control scores. If BOTH e and w are either high OR low, the person will be more concrete focused. Those with opposite e and w scores are more abstract. In this excerpt, I explain why:
[It makes sense that] the area of information gathering ("perception"), by which we then gain the knowledge of the world around us; allowing us to make the decisions to survive with; would fall into the "Control" area. A person's wanting or not wanting of "interaction" in that area (to control or be controlled) would be indirectly tied to his preference for perception. If his perception is concrete; and then if it is also inward-oriented [Si/SJ], he won't want any interaction in control, from the outside. He won't want to control or be controlled by others. [low e and w, or Melancholic/Guardian] If his perception is outward instead [Se/SP], then he will swing back and forth between controlling and being controlled based on the concrete input he is receiving from the outside world. [high e/w or Sanguine/Improvisor] For people whose preference is intuition, the "self preservation" temperament will not be determined by whether the perception is inward or outward. That is too "concrete", where they are abstract. So rather, it will be the judging function the perception is paired with that determines the Control behavior. Thinking (Tough mindedness) will desire to control, but not be controlled 9high e low w or Choleric], and Feeling (Friendliness) will not desire to control, but be more likely to allow control by others. [low e/high w, fifth temperament]
Even the supposed fifth factor of Neuroticism or Comfort/Discomfort, by Eysenck's original N definition, is implied in the e/w scales. Any "low" score in either dimension will tend to be high N or Discomfort, as it is driven by some sort of distrust of people, or moves the person away from others in some way. The person will tend to be either critical or reclusive, or both. The original "low N" Sanguine and Phlegmatic are repsectively, high and moderate in both scales.
Another key to looking for comparisons of the systems is to realize that MBTI focuses largely on personality strengths" (more "positive" traits), while Enneagram focuses on what we would call "weaknesses" (or "negative" traits). FIRO; at least Leo Ryan's Interpretation of it, also leans towards the weaknesses, but mentions some of the positive as well. This made it hard to compare. The Temperament system we use is balanced between both strengths and weaknesses.
I also discuss the statistical correlations. There are three main ones: Thompson, Schnell & Hammer, and Fleenor.
The latter two particularly do seem to somewhat support my theory. Like NT's and some SP's having the highest Expressed Control (which would be their Pragmatism).
It is Affection that does not fit directly in this comparison. In some respects, it parallels expressed Inclusion and hence, E/I. In other respects, it may throw some of the other comparisons off (like it seems to make me an NF, when I expected to be an NT).