The “opposing personality” is an archetype created by Jungian psychologist John Beebe, M.D.
This function is opposite the Hero (superior) function in your personality type. Beebe describes it in the language of character pathology as “oppositional, paranoid, passive-aggressive, and avoidant.” It is the cluster of defenses we use to oppose others rather than work with them. He says it is hard to see in yourself and falls within the blind spot of the superior function.
The opposing personality is a primary resource of defense, a part of us that tends to lurch forward first when we feel our heroic superior function and its most cherished values to be under attack.
John Beebe, Energies and Patterns of Psychological Type, p. 132
In situations where we are forced to use our opposing function, the negative traits of that function will be on display. For example, an INFJ who is forced to brainstorm on the spot, which requires using extraverted intuition, may do so in cranky and oppositional way. Beebe describes that, as an ENTP, he has to use introverted intuition to describe archetypes, and pointed out how in his book he often ended up using negative, oppositional examples.
The opposing personality shows up as one of two places in the psyche as the opposite sex figure. Beebe says that a man in the grip of his opposing personality “may make ‘bitchy’ remarks or unleash a seductive charm whose purpose is to exercise control over others.” A woman might exhibit it as being overly competitive, angry, or spiteful.
The opposing personality is one of four functions that make up your shadow side. The shadow side is the part of us we repress because it is incompatible with our values. The shadow functions allow us to name these aspects of ourselves and make them more conscious The other three shadow functions are trickster, senex, and demon. I’ll write about senex next, so stay tuned.
