Socionics, in psychology and sociology, is a theory of information processing and personality type, distinguished by its information model of the psyche (called "Model A") and a model of interpersonal relations. It incorporates Carl Jung's work on Psychological Types with Antoni Kępiński's theory of information metabolism.
Socionics is a modification of Jung's personality type theory that uses
eight psychic functions, in contrast to Jung's model, which used only
four. These functions are supposed to process information at varying
levels of competency and interact with the corresponding function in
other individuals, giving rise to predictable reactions and
impressions—a theory of intertype relations.
Socionics was developed in the 1970s and 1980s, primarily by the Lithuanian researcher Aušra Augustinavičiūtė, an economist, sociologist, psychologist, and dean of the Vilnius Pedagogical University's department of family science. The name "socionics" is derived from the word "society",
because Augustinavičiūtė believed that each personality type has a
distinct purpose in society, which can be described and explained by
socionics.
The central idea of socionics is that information is intuitively
divisible into eight categories, called information aspects or
information elements, which a person's psyche processes using eight
psychological functions.
Each sociotype has a different correspondence between functions and
information elements, which results in different ways of perceiving,
processing, and producing information. This in turn results in distinct
thinking patterns, values, and responses to arguments, all of which are
encompassed within socionic type. Socionics' theory of intertype
relations is based on the interaction of these functions between types.
In 1995 socionics was recognized as a discovery by the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (not to be confused with Russian Academy of Sciences), and its creator Aušra Augustinavičiūtė was granted a certificate of discovery (diploma) and a medal.
Purpose
Socionics
provides a means of predicting the character of relations and degree of
business compatibility, information sharing and psychological
compatibility of people before their joining in one collective group,
i.e. to solve the "inverse task" of sociometry.
According to Aleksandr Bukalov and Betty Lou Leaver, socionics uses Jungian typology, informational model of psyche, and theory of information metabolism for political and sociological analysis.
According to G. Fink and B. Mayrhofer, socionics is considered
one of the four most popular models of personality (including cybernetic
theory Maruyama, five-factor model, Big Five" and typology Myers–Briggs Type Indicator), deserving special attention because of its importance in the study of personality.
According to J. Horwood, and A. Maw socionics is a science
developed by Ausra Augustinaviciute in the 1970s. Augustinaviciute and
her colleagues worked with Carl Jung's personality typologies to develop
personality-based relationship profiles. It was found that the nature
and development of interpersonal relationships (both professional and
personal) are far from random. Instead, they are based on how well
suited each individual's psychological profiles are to one another,
allowing Augustinaviciute to develop 16 'socionic types' predicting and
describing the interpersonal relationships between any combination of
Jung's personality types.
According to R. Blutner and E. Hochnadel, "socionics is not so
much a theory of personalities per se, but much more a theory of type
relations providing an analysis of the relationships that arise as a
consequence of the interaction of people with different personalities."
Philosopher L. Monastyrsky treats socionics as pre-science. At
the same time, L. Monastyrsky himself proposes to pay attention to "the
concept of socionic type".
Philosopher E. Pletuhina defines socionics as the study about the
information interaction of the human psyche with the outside world,
between people. She also defines it as the doctrine of psychological
types of people and the relationships between them, as well as notes
that the particular quality of socionics is that it considers the innate
qualities of the human psyche, including the personality type, which
cannot be arbitrarily changed without prejudice to the mental and
physical health.
History
The basic structure of socionics was established in the 1960s and 1970s by Aušra Augustinavičiūtė, along with a group of enthusiasts who met in Vilnius, Lithuania.
What resulted from their discussions and Augustinavičiūtė's personal
investigations was an information model of the psyche and of
interpersonal interaction based on Jung's typology but with eight psychic functions rather than four. Augustinavičiūtė's first works on socionics were published between 1978 and 1980.
Relation to the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator
According to Betty Lou Leaver, Madeline Ehrman, and Boris Shekhtman, like the MBTI, socionics is a sixteen-type derivative of Jung's work. Unlike MBTI, which is widely criticized for the lack of validity and utility,
the socionics model, which is in some use in Eastern and Western
Europe, as well as throughout Eurasia, Central Asia, and the Baltic
nations, strives to stay very close to the original descriptions and type labels suggested by Carl Jung.
According to Betty Lou Leaver, "today's concepts of personality emanate
most frequently from the work of Carl Jung, whose theories and research
have blossomed into a juncture of philosophical and sociological
inquiry. This field of inquiry has been called socionics."
According to Sergei Moshenkov and Tung Tang Wing, "MBTI and
Socionics are contemporary sister sciences that categorize and describe
human personality types in accordance to the predominance of certain
mental faculties called psychic functions by Dr. Carl Jung."
A. Shmelev in his review of the book "MBTI: type definition" by
I. Myers-Briggs and P. Myers notes the highest popularity of socionic
books in Russian and remarks that their authors are appealing to the
literary and artistic associations of the mass reader, in
contradistinction to books on MBTI, which contain the empirical and
statistical data on the types distribution in professional groups.
S.A. Bogomaz considers the socionic typology as a version of post-Jung
typology and believes that on a number of criteria it is more
perspective than MBTI for the study of the differences between people,
because it expands the volume of the typological features and offers an
opportunity to form various typological groups with different
motivations, attitudes, temperament, perception of information and
thinking styles. It is also important the existence of preconditions to
study intertype relations, that are substantially not developed within
MBTI. S.A. Bogomaz thinks that the creation of the theory of intertype
relationships is undoubtedly contribution of A.Augustinavichiute to the
development of Jung typologies.
Current status
Currently, socionic methods are widely used in academic and applied research. According to the catalog DisserCat from 1996 to 2011 in Russia, Ukraine and other countries were defended more than 800 doctoral theses, using methods and analytic tools of socionics in management, education, psychology, anthropology, medicine, philosophy, philology, sports, and law.
The International Institute of Socionics publishes four scientific peer-reviewed journals on the practical application of the methods of socionics in management, consulting, psychology, pedagogy, education, psychotherapy, and humanities. The Institute gives "popularization and proliferation of socionic knowledge" as one of its goals.
Organizations
There are several socionics organizations.
The International Institute of Socionics (IIS) was established in 1991 in Kiev, Ukraine,
and for years has held the most prominent annual international
socionics conference. The institute pursues the continued development of
socionics theory, renders commercial consulting services, and since
1994 has released a bimonthly journal Socionics, Mentology, and Personality Psychology
(six issues a year). Topics in the journal usually range anywhere from
studies and applications of the primary principles of socionics to
speculative extensions of the theory. The director and founder of the institute is Dr. Aleksandr Bukalov. In 2006 the institute established an International Academic Board to issue bachelors, masters, and PhD degrees in socionics.
The Scientific Research Socionics Institute is located in Moscow, Russia, and is led by Tatyana Prokofieva.
The institute primarily studies socionics, personality and
relationships within a socionics context, and develops methods of
individual and business consulting.
Furthermore, the institute provides socionics instruction allowing
participants to receive a bachelors or master's degree in socionics
according to the criteria of the International Institute of Socionics.
The Applied Socionics School founded in 2003 is located in Moscow, Russia, with local branches in several cities (Murmansk, Petrozavodsk, Rostov-na-Donu, and Krasnodar), and is led by Elena Udalova.
The School developed educational courses about basic knowledge of
socionics, the intertype relations, and sociotype distortions, as well
as local trainings devoted to the introverted ethics and introverted
intuition. The local trainings are conducted for persons of sociotypes
having their strengths in respective functions (Fi or Ni, respectively).
The School of System Socionics
was founded by Vladimir Davidovich Ermak in November 1991 in Kiev,
Ukraine. In 2005 official School of System Socionics web site was
founded by I. M. Eglit. Since then it has become creative laboratory of
practical socionics and platform for training socionists—experts in TIM
identification. The School has developed Methodology of remote TIM
Identification, introduced a school-standard identification protocol and
computer-aided type identification techniques.
Socionics as an academic discipline
Through
the work of the International Institute of Socionics and other schools
of socionics, there are four peer-reviewed journals and an annual
International conference on socionics. A.V. Bukalov and O.B. Karpenko note that socionics is taught in more than 150 universities in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan,
and other CIS countries, as well as in Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania,
Estonia, Romania, either as a separate course, or, in view of the
applicability of the various methods of socionics Humanities, as part of educational courses on Sociology, Pedagogy, Social Psychology, Management and Psychology of Management, human resource management, Conflictology, social services and Tourism, Computer Science and Programming, Philosophy, Neurology, Journalism, Library Science, Social Work, Didactics and others, including Engineering disciplines.
Some universities in Russia (including Altai State Technical University,
Bashkir State University,
Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University, and
Saint Petersburg State University), Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Romania
have published or commissioned a number of textbooks and monographs on
socionics, or on psychology, pedagogy and management, which socionics
and its methods are devoted to specific topics.
There are new areas of research, such as educational socionics, sociological socionics, aviation socionics, library socionics, technical socionics, linguistic socionics, penitentiary socionics, and socionics in other subject areas.
Socionics is used in education process, not only as a tool for teachers to manage the learning process, but also as a basis for the development and improvement of education and training.
Bogdanova claim that a teacher holding socionic knowledge and
technologies can consciously collaborate with others and improve
professional efficiency. Targeted use of intertype relations helps intensify the didactic process, increase the motivation of students.
Socionics is also used to assess the individual psychological and
personal qualities to forecast the success of employee career.
Izmailova and Kiseleva found socionics interesting to be applied in advertising and marketing, because it allows you to explain the reasons for the behavior of consumers.
Socionics is a tool for the study of personality and creativity of the writer, the typology of the characters in his works. The method of linguistic-socionic modeling proposed by L. M. Komissarova, used for analysis of individual lexicon of language personality.
A translation of socionic characteristics in verbal ones is called the
"method of linguistic-socionic modeling" and widely used.
Socionic methods have been proposed for the modeling of information processes in the "human-machine" systems, and practically used to model systems "aircraft operator" in pilots' training, and other similar areas.
Due to the variety of applications of socionics, its concepts and
information models, in the 1990s, Bukalov was proposed to distinguish
socionics of personality, or differential socionics, and generalized,
more abstract integral socionics.
Bukalov believes that the concept of information metabolism, cybernetic
modeling and general systems theory extends beyond of psychology and
sociology, and consider the relationship of technical information
devices, and the types of information human interactions as operator
with various technical and electronic management systems of major
industries, including chemical, nuclear power stations, complex computer
complexes with adaptive tunable to a specific operator interfaces.
Propagation of socionics
In
Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Armenia,
Georgia, Bulgaria, and Central Asia, socionics has grown significantly
in popularity. A number of organizations which periodically hold
conferences in Kiev, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities.
Socionics was first introduced in English in the mid-1990s when
Sergei Ganin created Socionics.com. Since 1997, there is a resource of
the International Institute of Socionics, Socionic.info. Dmitri Lytov,
creator of the multi-language socionics resource, Socioniko.net,
presented a more classical view of socionics and participated in online
discussions in English. In 2006 Rick DeLong published hand translations
of excerpts of several works by Augustinavičiūtė at Socionics.us, which
clarified her views.
International Institute of Socionics lists a number of academic publications on socionics in English in peer-reviewed journals. Since 2000 socionics as a scientific discipline and a field of research has been recognized in Russia and Ukraine.
The 2015 academic research and applied work in the field of socionics
was held in Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia,
Moldova, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Estonia,
Austria, Germany, and others, as well as in the United States.
Practical applications
Socionists have devised humanitarian, political, and information technologies that have been applied to various fields of human activity.
Socionic techniques have been applied at more than 120 enterprises from
Russia, Ukraine, Germany, and the Baltics by members of the
International Institute of Socionics. Socionics is widely used in management,
recruitment consultancy (professional orientation, team-compatibility,
building company's strategy according to employees types), trainings of
aviation and space crews, pedagogy
(researches on interaction between teacher and students, problems of
learning), family consultancy (marriage and divorce issues, age
problems), fundamental science researches (mathematical modeling,
genetics, psychophysics, morphology – external parameters of socionics
types), psychology games and trainings.
Socionics technologies in management, staff recruitment and team building
Management is the area concerned with the application of both theoretical and practical socionics methods and S-technologies.
Socionics methods and techniques were successfully implemented by the
fellow consultants of International Institute of Socionics and their
colleagues in management, reorganization, and team building in more than
150 firms, banks and companies in Germany, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine and
other countries, included 30 enterprises of the Russian gas concern "Gazprom" in the North of Russia. Management of Deutsche Bank is using socionics methods to evaluate potential of its future employees.
Prof. J. Horwood and Prof. A. Maw socionics used to form the surgical ambulances.
In recent decades interest to socionics tools in German, Russian, Ukrainian and other companies has grown dramatically. Socinics model has been implemented in enterprises of the world's largest aluminium company Rusal for evaluating its employees. Different tools are used to define sociotypes, this involves observing and testing based on well-known test methods.
Numerous researches
dedicated to practical and theoretical socionics have proved its
efficiency in forming collectives, particularly special and related to
security systems. For example, experimental research of aircraft control
services, which was conducted at St. Petersburg State University had
shown that quality of interaction integral controller which was
calculated on the basis of SMoIR (socionics model of intertype
relationships) is correlated with sociometric data color test
relations.
Also there are a number of scientific monographs and textbooks about
significant role of socionics practices and methods in forming effective
teams.
Authors of these works point out that modeling of situations in
groups can be done in two ways: by forming small groups based on
socionics structure (quadras, clubs and temperament types) or by
analysis of intertype relations between team members. Choice of approach
depends on the goals set. If a goal is to analyse a situation in the
team and the interaction between its members, then the best choice is
the intertype analysis between members.
Socionics methods are described in more than 110 PhD and doctoral dissertations in management, economics, organizational psychology.
Family socionics
Socionics
allocates 16 types of the relations — from most attractive and
comfortable up to disputed. The understanding of a nature of these
relations helps to solve a number of problems of the interpersonal
relations, including aspects of psychological and sexual compatibility.
The researches of married couples by Aleksandr Bukalov,
Olga Karpenko, and Galina Chykyrysova, have shown that the family
relations submit to the laws, which are opened by socionics. The study
of socionic type allocation in casually selected married couples
confirmed the main rules of the theory of intertype relations in
socionics. So, the dual relations (full addition) make 45% and the intraquadral relations make 64% of investigated couples.
Nuclear power plants' security
Security
management of dangerous chemical or nuclear enterprises requires
special methods of recruitment and work. To provide high security level
on nuclear power plants
by optimizing the human factor defined a number of ergonomic factors
which have an influence on a person in a modern management system: the
intensity of work, time factor, isolation of workplace that causes tight
interpersonal contacts; monotony of work; lack of physical activity;
negative external influences (noise, vibration, etc.).
Each of these factors and especially their combination leads to
extreme modes and related stresses (not to mention other circumstances
that faced operational staff of plants). However, those approaches are
difficult to implement because of financial and timing loss. Except
factors caused by external operational activity there are many social
stressors as well.
Social stressors may cause mistakes, but more often its provoking
mistakes in situations, where they are the most likely to happen.
So, a person who doesn't have clear understanding of his duties, or
somebody who takes his work as a dangerous activity, will commit more
mistakes while working in short supply than a person who is not stressed
by social factors. In order to reduce this kind of stressor, on some
plants, for example on Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant were implemented testing, which were conducting communication trainings and other socionics methods. Also socionics approaches are taught in terms of courses training staff reserve on Leningrad nuclear power plant.
Socionics principles implemented to security system of nuclear power plants are described in a textbook.
It includes analysis of the social structure of the staff, the concept
of which coincides with the notion of psychoinformative space of
collectives in integral socionics.
Socionics tools combined with psycho informational theory of
relationships are using to describe various models of human interaction
with complex technological processes that take place in enterprises and
transport.
Pedagogical socionics
The concepts and methods of socionics are widely used in pedagogy, this collaboration creates a new scientific branch – pedagogical socionics.
Pletuhina noted that the parent, trainer or teacher, who knows
the theory of socionics, who also understands an idea of the "image of a
socionics type" and who can determine the child's personality type with
a sufficient degree of probability can use those opportunities of the
individual approaches that socionics provides to raise and educate a
child.
The role that socionics takes in the educational process is not limited to being a teacher's tool for the managing process.
It is also a base for development and improving the educational system
and for preparing staff. Teachers armed with socionics technology can
consciously establish relationships with other people and increase
efficiency of their pedagogical skills.
Rational implementation of intertype relationships can push educational
process to become more intensive and increase students' motivation.
Socionics is also researched practical methods and techniques
dedicated to evaluation person's individual psychological values to
prognoses professional success.
Keneva, Marchenko, and Minaev argue that socionics might become a
theoretical base for personal-oriented educational technologies.
Socionics in astronautics
In Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center which located in Star City, Russia socionics methods are successfully used since 1992 for training Russian astronauts and international astronauts' crews and preparing them to spaceflights.
Interpersonal issues and effective collaboration are extremely
important in extreme conditions while working in a close space and are
vital for successful spaceflight. In Star City
conducted number of science seminars based on socionics methods and
person typology to training space crews. Problem of forming space crews
by socionics methods was a central topic at the International conference
on space researches, at the Space forum 2011 and at the conference "Piloted flights into Space", which were taken place in Star City and in The Russian Academy of Sciences,
also these issues were taken a part in works of Doctor of medical
science professor Bohdashevsky, Doctor of philosophy Bukalov A.V. and
Doctor of philosophy Karpenko O.B.
Aviation socionics
Socionics methods appeared helpful for aviation
due to the safety of flights, passengers and crew members. This reasons
leads to development of such branch as aviation socionics, which is a
part of training process for crew members of aircraft.
According to order of the Ministry of transport of Russian Federation
Flight Standards Department approved a default application "Training of
pilots in the field of human factor", which expects basic socionics
knowledge not only among pilots and other crew members, but also
prognosing interaction in air crews by socionics methods, including such
topics: "Topic 5. Aviation socionics and its place in solving human
factor": sources of aviation socionics. The doctrine of Jung's
personality type. A. Augustinavichiute and sources of socionics. Current
status of socionics science. Sociotypes and its classification.
Intertype interaction. Socionic components of professional
characteristics. Topic 6. "The problem of forming flight crew and other
aviation groups with high collaboration in it": The document, which
regulate the formation flight crews. Socionics approaches in forming
teams: quadras and typology of "non-quadral" teams. Forming teams in the
concept of pursepoful systems. Topic 7. "Forming effective teams based
on socionics model": Fuzzy sets: terms and definitions. Socionics model
of human being. Socionics model of a crew member. Crew members as a
collective operator. Socionics characteristic of crew members.
Evaluation of effective collaboration. Conditions to reach synergism.
Socionics prognosis in evaluation crew members. Socionics model of
intertype interactions. Socionics model of crew members and its
evaluation. Using socionics model of intertype interactions to form
effective team. Topic 8. "Problems in evaluation relationships
"human-machine" ": evaluation of interaction within system
"pilot-aircraft". Criteria of interactions' evaluating. Socionics
aspects of pilot-aircraft interaction. Preventing pilot's mistakes by
constructive and technical tools"
There are numerous studies, dissertations and fundamental monographs in this field.
To improve interaction among crew members, specialists of Saint
Petersburg University examined 2330 people by socionics methods,
including students of St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation,
Russian State Pedagogical University of A.I. Herzen, St. Petersburg
State University of Culture and Arts; aircrews of airlines: "Syberia", "Atlant-Soyuz Airlines", "Ural Airlines", "Lukoylavia", "Gazpromavia", "Tomsk Avia",
"Enimex" (Estonia), "Air Kazakhstan", "AZAL", "Kazair West", "RusAir"
and others; air traffic controllers from Moscow, Khabarovsk,
Rostov-on-Don, Novokuznetsk, Magadan, Norilsk, Saratov, Omsk, Kemerovo,
New Urengoy, Syktyvkar, Nalchik, Ust-UTA, Kolpasevo, Pechora, Evenkii,
Yakutia and Sakhalin; professors from almost all flight academies of
Russia; delegates from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,
Ukraine, and Estonia.
This data base represents result of 10 years of scientific work.
In their researches authors are relying on fundamental works of the Kyiv
School of Socionics, International Institute of Socionics, publications
in journals "Socionics, mentology and personal psychology", "Management
and staff: management psychology, socionics and sociology".
Experimental researches of National Aviation University
and Kropyvnytskyi Flight Academy of National Aviation University of
Ukraine showed that sociometric and socionics approaches are playing a
great role in the working process of aviation specialists, especially in
forming flight crews and dispatcher changes.
By system approach were defined socionic types of aviation
professionals' personalities and level of their interaction of
professional performing in small groups as an example of control
changes.
According to the experimental results were obtained socionics and
sociometric data of air traffic controllers and correlation analyses of
its parameters, also was determined the connection's intensity between
person's interaction levels. The practical values of this research is to
develop automated module to determine individual characteristic of
operators and to evaluate the effectiveness of socionics in the
management of air traffic, particular in special cases of flight.
Jung's psychological types
Carl Jung describes four psychological functions that are capable of becoming applicable psychically, but to differing degrees in individuals:
- Sensation – all perceptions by means of the sense organs
- Intuition – perception by way of the unconscious, or perception of unconscious events
- Thinking (in socionics, Logic) – judgement of information based on reason
- Feeling (in socionics, Ethics) – judgment of information based on sentiment
In addition to these four types, Jung defines a polarity between
introverted and extraverted personalities. This distinction is based on
how people invest energy: either into the inner, subjective, psychical
world (usually called Seele, soul, by Jung), or toward their outer, objective, physical world (including one's body).
By Jung's rules, 16 psychological types exist. But in his book
"Psychological Types" he described in detail only 8, distinguished by
the 8 possible dominant functions. Contrary to Socionics and MBTI, Jung
did not conclude that the types had two introverted functions and two
extroverted functions. He instead outlined that extroverted personality
types had a Dominant extroverted function, an Auxiliary introverted
function, and two Inferior introverted functions that are necessarily
retarded.
Information metabolism elements
In socionics, Jung's cognitive functions are always either introverted (focused on refining quality) or extroverted (focused on increasing quantity), and are referred to as information metabolism elements (IM Elements). These are said to process information aspects. To understand what an information aspect is, it is necessary to understand information metabolism as Augustinavičiūtė understood it.
Augustinavičiūtė states that the human mind uses eight elements
of information metabolism (mental functions) to perceive the world, and
each of these eight elements reflect one particular aspect of objective
reality.
In her works she describes aspects of the world based on physical
quantities such as potential and kinetic energy, space, time, and their
properties.
Often, other socionists
have equated these information elements with their definition and
according to fundamental physical concepts as well
(Matter-Time-Energy-Space) (N. Medvedev, V. Ermak). Matter is compared to Thinking, Energy to Feeling, Space to Sensing, and Time to Intuition.
Given the division of aspects of the absolute between Extroverted
("black") and Introverted ("white"), being four times two, their number
is eight.
The 8 socionics symbols (
) were introduced by Augustinavičiūtė while working with Jung's typology
and remain the dominant method of denoting the functions and the
corresponding information aspects that they process. Text-based notation
systems also enjoy use online, such as Victor Gulenko's
8 Latin letters ('P' for Pragmatism, 'E' for Emotions, 'F' for Force,
'I' for Ideas, 'L' for Laws, 'R' for Relation, 'S' for Senses, and 'T'
for Time, correspondingly). Among western enthusiasts, Myers-Briggs notation (Te, Fe, Se, Ne, Ti, Fi, Si, and Ni, correspondingly) is also popular.
The 8 socionics symbols (
) were introduced by Augustinavičiūtė while working with Jung's typology
and remain the dominant method of denoting the functions and the
corresponding information aspects that they process. Text-based notation
systems also enjoy use online, such as Victor Gulenko's
8 Latin letters ('P' for Pragmatism, 'E' for Emotions, 'F' for Force,
'I' for Ideas, 'L' for Laws, 'R' for Relation, 'S' for Senses, and 'T'
for Time, correspondingly). Among western enthusiasts, Myers-Briggs notation (Te, Fe, Se, Ne, Ti, Fi, Si, and Ni, correspondingly) is also popular.| Element | Abstracted definition | Gulenko Name | Symbol | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extroverted Logic | external dynamics of objects | Pragmatism | |
Pragmatism (P) is judgement of the efficiency of actions and technical processes, the prudence of a method or approach and how it will work practically. P is geared towards facts and assesses situations based on what happened, looking to convey information as accurately as possible, making communication dry and matter-of-fact. In this sense, it is the opposite of Emotions. P approaches systems in terms of how they can be improved, changing and adding to one's knowledge through empirical observation in order to increase functionality and profitability. In this sense, it is the inverse of Laws. |
| Extroverted Ethics | internal dynamics of objects | Emotions | |
Emotions (E) is judgement of the infectiousness of expressions and emotional states, the appeal of a message or image and how someone will react emotionally. E is geared towards feelings and assesses situations based on how people feel, looking to convey one's emotions as authentically as possible, making communication exaggerated and charged with passion. In this sense, E is the opposite of Pragmatism. E approaches people in terms of how they are made to feel, provoking and changing people's emotions through expressive actions in order to raise excitement and enthusiasm. In this sense, is the inverse of Relations. |
| Extroverted Sensation | external statics of objects | Force | |
Force (F) is perception of physical objects and the amount of space they take up in the real world, the impact something has on its environment and the threat it poses to other objects. F is geared towards action and decides immediately on quick assessments of superficial, concrete data, making the approach direct and imbued with a harsh determination. In this sense, it is the opposite of Ideas. F approaches reality in terms of the clash of opposing forces, winning over weaker opponents and looking to push a situation to their advantage, even if that requires an intense struggle. In this sense, it is the inverse of Senses. |
| Extroverted Intuition | internal statics of objects | Ideas | |
Ideas (I) is perception of abstract concepts and the amount of potential they could hold, the multiple alternatives to any proposition and their latent capabilities. I is geared towards speculation and likes to consider different possibilities, giving unorthodox perspectives a chance, making the approach indirect and roundabout in a whimsical way. In this sense, it is the opposite of Force. I approaches what is possible in terms of expanding its variety, opening new doors and wandering wherever curiosity points next, avoiding any kind of limitation. In this sense, it is the inverse of Time. |
| Introverted Logic | external statics of fields | Laws | |
Laws (L) is responsible for understanding logic and structure, categorizations, ordering and priorities, logical analysis and distinctions, logical explanations. L interprets information according to how it fits into a validating system. L is particularly aware of logical consistency and how concepts relate to each other in meaning and structure, independently of particular purposes. |
| Introverted Ethics | internal statics of fields | Relations | |
Relations (R) is responsible for understanding the quality, nature, and appropriate distance of personal relations; makes subjective judgments; and aspires to goodness of character. R has a strong understanding of a person's nature and intentions, one person's feelings towards another, their attitudes of like or dislike, and based on this information, how intimate or distant a relationship should be. |
| Introverted Sensation | external dynamics of fields | Senses | |
Senses (S) is responsible for detailed perception of physical sensations; questions of comfort, utility, and pleasure; and a sense of harmony and acclimation with one's environment (especially physical). S understands how well a person or thing's behavior agrees with its nature as well as the differences between comfortable behaviors and positions and uncomfortable ones. |
| Introverted Intuition | internal dynamics of fields | Time | |
Time (T) is responsible for the imagination of how things will develop over time, a sense of what is meaningful or transcendent and the understanding that some things are inevitable. T understands how causes in the past lead through to outcomes in the future. T is acutely aware of long-term trends and tendencies that are occur across any single present moment, and sees events as part of a continuous flow. T perceives the possible ramifications of future events and notices ties to the past. |
The 16 types
Socionics
divides people into 16 different types, called sociotypes. They are
most commonly referred to by their two strongest functions, which in
socionics are called the leading function (Jung's dominant) and the creative
function (Jung's auxiliary). The creative function is opposite to the
leading function in extraversion and rationality. For example, if the
dominant function is introverted logic (a rational and introverted
function), the secondary function must be irrational and extraverted,
which means it must be either extraverted sensing or extraverted
intuition.
Aušra Augustinavičiūtė usually used names like sensory-logical introvert
(SLI) to refer to the types. In SLI the leading function is introverted
sensation and the creative function is extraverted logic. She also
introduced the practice of referring to types by the name of a famous
person of the type (although types of these persons are not universally
agreed upon, with the old name Napoleon for the SEE being replaced by Caesar after being deemed an inaccurate type assignment). For example, she called the SLI Gabin and the SEI Dumas. Also sometimes names such as Craftsman or Mediator are used to express the social role of the type—a convention introduced by socionist Viktor Gulenko in 1995. Given the formal similarities present between Socionics and the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator
(MBTI) abbreviations frequently used in English, some prefer to
distinguish socionic type names from Myers–Briggs' names by writing the
last letter (J or P) in lower case (for example, ENTp, ESFj)—a practice
introduced by Sergei Ganin. This is because the relationship between socionics and Myers–Briggs and Keirseyan types is controversial.
Dmitri Lytov and Marianna Lytova state that "main spheres of application of socionics are almost the same as for the Myers–Briggs Type Theory", and that observed differences in correlation "represent characteristic stereotypes of the socionics and the Keirsey typology. Others state that MBTI and socionics "correlate in roughly 30% of cases," and that "there are many subtle differences". J and P in Socionics and Myers–Briggs are completely different: in Myers–Briggs, J and P stands for the first extraverted function (J—extraverted thinking or feeling, P—extraverted sensing or intuition); in Socionics, J and P stands for the first function (J—rational (thinking and feeling), P—irrational (sensing and intuition)). This formal conversion is carried out in accordance with the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator.
In dividing the socion according to the four Jungian dichotomies,
from this is formed 16 socionic types. The following tables provide a
list of types with the names most commonly used in socionics:
| 4-letter type acronym (socionics) |
Four functions (Jung[146]) |
Model A | Two functions (socionics) |
Formal name | Type alias | Social role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESTj | |
P1 S2 E3 T4 R5 I6 L7 F8 | |
Logical Sensory Extravert (LSE) | Stierlitz | Administrator / Director |
| ENTj | |
P1 T2 E3 S4 R5 F6 L7 I8 | |
Logical Intuitive Extravert (LIE) | Jack London | Enterpriser / Pioneer |
| ESFj | |
E1 S2 P3 T4 L5 I6 R7 F8 | |
Ethical Sensory Extravert (ESE) | Hugo | Bonvivant / Enthusiast |
| ENFj | |
E1 T2 P3 S4 L5 F6 R7 I8 | |
Ethical Intuitive Extravert (EIE) | Hamlet | Mentor / Actor |
| ESTp | |
F1 L2 I3 R4 T5 E6 S7 P8 | |
Sensory Logical Extravert (SLE) | Zhukov | Legionnaire / Conqueror |
| ESFp | |
F1 R2 I3 L4 T5 P6 S7 E8 | |
Sensory Ethical Extravert (SEE) | Napoleon | Politician / Ambassador |
| ENTp | |
I1 L2 F3 R4 S5 E6 T7 P8 | |
Intuitive Logical Extravert (ILE) | Don Quixote | Seeker / Inventor |
| ENFp | |
I1 R2 F3 L4 S5 P6 T7 E8 | |
Intuitive Ethical Extravert (IEE) | Huxley | Psychologist / Reporter |
| ISTp | |
S1 P2 T3 E4 I5 R6 F7 L8 | |
Sensory Logical Introvert (SLI) | Gabin | Craftsman / Mechanic |
| INTp | |
T1 P2 S3 E4 F5 R6 I7 L8 | |
Intuitive Logical Introvert (ILI) | Balzac | Critic / Mastermind |
| ISFp | |
S1 E2 T3 P4 I5 L6 F7 R8 | |
Sensory Ethical Introvert (SEI) | Dumas | Mediator / Peacemaker |
| INFp | |
T2 E2 S3 P4 F5 L6 I7 R8 | |
Intuitive Ethical Introvert (IEI) | Yesenin | Lyricist / Romantic |
| ISTj | |
L1 F2 R3 I4 E5 T6 P7 S8 | |
Logical Sensory Introvert (LSI) | Maxim Gorky | Inspector / Pragmatist |
| ISFj | |
R1 F2 L3 I4 P5 T6 E7 S8 | |
Ethical Sensory Introvert (ESI) | Dreiser | Guardian / Conservator |
| INTj | |
L1 I2 R3 F4 E5 S6 P7 T8 | |
Logical Intuitive Introvert (LII) | Robespierre | Analyst / Scientist |
| INFj | |
R1 I2 L3 F4 P5 S6 E7 T8 | |
Ethical Intuitive Introvert (EII) | Dostoyevsky | Humanist / Empath |
Among socionists, the prevailing view is that sociotypes are inborn and genetically determined, although the content of different functions and dimensions may vary. Some socionists believe that sociotypes may temporarily change while in altered states of consciousness or under great stress.
Vladimir Ermak first introduced two important concepts of modern socionics further confirmed by Elena Udalova research.
The first one is the growth dynamics which means that every horizontal
block of two functions (see below) is filling in the certain age, from
bottom to top, with the roughly 7-year interval, so that the lowest
block is done before 7, the next is complete before 14, the weak part of
the mental track is done before 21, and the top block finally leads
after that. Due to this process, a child, or a teenager,
may demonstrate faces of other sociotypes according to the active
horizontal block. Besides, being introduced to the unknown people, or in
stressful situations, people again may demonstrate adaptive or
protective behaviour directed by the appropriate blocks.
The second concept is so called functional dimensions. It was introduced by Aleksandr Bukalov.
He defined the first dimension as the personal experience (Ex), the
second dimension as social norms (Nr), the third dimension as the
current situation (St), and the fourth dimension as the globality, or
time perspective (Tm). This concept is useful because it best
illustrates the difference in cognitive power (imagine measuring
capability of 2D v. 3D measuring tool) and roughly describes abilities
of each function to process and generate information. Still, definitions
of dimensions require further research and clarification. For example,
the vulnerable function tends to lose knowledge which haven't been used.
Mathematics
| Relation | Base 16 | Base 10 | Base 2 | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ident. | 0 | 0 | 0000 | ENTp |
| Quas. | 1 | 1 | 0001 | ENTj |
| Cong. | 2 | 2 | 0010 | ENFp |
| Requ. | 3 | 3 | 0011 | ENFj |
| Coop. | 4 | 4 | 0100 | ESTp |
| Requ. | 5 | 5 | 0101 | ESTj |
| Sego. | 6 | 6 | 0110 | ESFp |
| Actv. | 7 | 7 | 0111 | ESFj |
| Extn. | 8 | 8 | 1000 | INTp |
| Mirr. | 9 | 9 | 1001 | INTj |
| Mira. | A | 10 | 1010 | INFp |
| Supr. | B | 11 | 1011 | INFj |
| Semi. | C | 12 | 1100 | ISTp |
| Supr. | D | 13 | 1101 | ISTj |
| Dual. | E | 14 | 1110 | ISFp |
| Conf. | F | 15 | 1111 | ISFj |
Since socionics is mathematically Base-16 and also a psychology of personality in the same way as the typology of Carl Jung and Myers–Briggs, it shares a similar degree of mathematical consistency, while enduring the same serious shortcomings in the experimental justification of these theories.
Taking this, socionics also differs from other typologies in that
it also includes a complementary Base-16 relationship set, with the
intent of penning to paper the key social dynamic traits between grouped
combinations of socionic types. Therefore, socionics could be
considered to be within the realm of the science of social dynamics, intended to describe social behavior according to mathematical applications of Base-16, group theory, set logic, and reduction of the Gulenko-Jungian notation for socionics types to hexadecimal and Base-2 bitwise operation. While this mathematical approach is strictly theoretical and has been criticized for lack of empirical testing, systems theory has been the tool of socionics theorist, such as Gregory Reinin to derive theorical dichotomies within socionics theory. In 1985 Aušra Augustinavičiūtė acknowledged the mathematical theories of Reinin and wrote a book titled The Theory of Reinin's Traits
to describe the mathematical processes of socionics theory.
Mathematical methods have been a standard part of socionics theory since
this time.
Studies of Elena Udalova show that at least three of Reinin's
Traits are distinguishable and can be used for detection of a sociotype.
Those include: statics/dynamics (having appropriate functions in their
mental track), questims/declatims (tending to raise questions or declare
opinions), and aristocrats/democrats (understanding inequality or
equality of people). Not all names of Reinin's Traits reflect their
actual meaning very well, but they were defined historically and now
seem to be fixed.
The methodology of deriving socionic relationships from two
socionic types is similar to the enumeration of 16 possible boolean
algebraic functions from two binary output and input variable types,
with truth tables and during construction of logic gates in electronics.
Model A
Aušra Augustinavičiūtė developed a model of personality called Model A, which includes eight functional positions.
Every human has every function, and can perceive and process any
available information aspect by them; however, depending on where the
metabolizing function for an aspect is located in a type's functional
ordering, the actual quality of the produced information and the means
of its use may vary. The following diagram is an example of the positions of the functions in Model A (numbers of functions are in Viktor Gulenko's
notation). The numbering of the functions is semi-arbitrary, and is
intended to represent on the one hand the smooth flow of information
from function 1 to 4 (the so-called "mental" track), and the mirroring
of that flow by the other four. (the so-called "vital" track)
For example, the ILE type has the following version of Model A:
|
|
Nature of functional positions
- Function 1 – leading, program, primary, base, or dominant function. This is the strongest conscious function, and the most utilized function of the psyche. A person's outlook and role in life is largely determined by the nature of this function. One is generally very confident in the use of this function, and may defend it when challenged. According to Bukalov, this is 4D function (Ex, No, Si, Ti).
- Function 2 – creative or secondary function, is second in influence only to the dominant function. It assists the dominant function in achieving its essence. One is generally less confident with the use of this function than with his dominant function. As a result, the creative function is sometimes less instrumental when a person is challenged or threatened, or when dealing with new and complex tasks and data. According to Bukalov, this function is 3D (Ex, No, Si), or time invariant, because it produces something new which may never exist before.
- Function 3 – role function, is a weak but conscious function. One generally tries to be at least adequate in areas where use of the role function is necessary. Moreover, one generally uses it in situations of social adaptation (e.g. introducing themselves to an unknown person). However, generally one has very little control or confidence over the role function, and criticism is painfully acknowledged with respect to it. Tactful assistance is required from someone else's strong function to overcome the problems associated with the role function. According to Bukalov, this function is 2D (Ex, No), or situation invariant, because it cannot adapt to the unusual situation beyond social norms.
- Function 4 – the vulnerable function, or place of least resistance, is a weak and conscious function, in addition to being the weakest function of the psyche. One painfully perceives his complete inability to use this function, and reacts negatively to its imposition upon him. Tactful assistance is required from someone else's strong function (preferably the Function 8) to overcome the problems associated with this function. According to Bukalov, this function is single dimensional, i.e. only personal experience is collected here, and it cannot be adapted even to the social norms.
- Function 5 – suggestive function, or dual-seeking function, is a weak and unconscious function which is largely lacked. One requires assistance from somebody confident in this function in order to overcome the difficulties it presents. When left to one's own devices, the suggestive function goes unnoticed. According to Bukalov, this function is single dimensional, too, and one must be careful not to become subject of manipulation because of misuse of this function. Discussing aspects of this function makes person happy and trustful. (That's why it's called suggestive.)
- Function 6 – mobilizing function. This is a weak and unconscious function which one often understands poorly. Nonetheless, this function has a strong influence over one's actions. Individuals requires assistance from someone who uses it confidently in order to understand it. Often an individual is only aware that they are totally unaware of how to use this function. At the same time, it's 2D function, so it's capable of collecting a number of easy receipts for daily needs. Being successful in aspects of this function makes one happy and motivated. (That's why it's called mobilizing.)
- Function 7 – observant, or ignoring, or restricting function, the function of personal knowledge. This is a strong (3D according to Bukalov) but unconscious function. One generally has a good grasp of this function, but attempts to limit its use considerably. Individuals will disregard this function when an argument calls for restraint or when it will be difficult to indulge in its essence. At the same time one uses this function to restrict somebody's intervention to their privacy or territory, or other unsolicited interaction.
- Function 8 – demonstrative or background function. This function is so deeply rooted into the psyche that one is usually not consciously aware of its existence or utilization. It is as strong as the leading function (4D according to Bukalov) and it tends to act silently to protect the weakest point of the dual person. It can sound in situations of extreme irritation when the restricting function fails to break the unsolicited influence.
Note that Model A provides the justification for the type names. The
socionic name is leading-creative-extra/introversion. For example, the
ILE is intuitive leading with a logical creative function and is extroverted. The ESI has leading ethics with secondary sensing and is introverted.
Blocks of the psyche
According
to Augustinavičiūtė, the functions are paired in four blocks: the ego
block, the super-ego block, the id block, and the super-id block. The
ego block contains the leading (1) and creative (2) functions, the
super-ego block contains the role (3) and vulnerable (4) functions, the
super-id block contains the suggestive (5) and mobilizing (6) functions,
while the id block contains the observant (7) and demonstrative (8)
functions.
The functions within the ego and super-ego blocks are said to be
conscious (or "mental") functions, while those within the id and
super-id blocks are said to be unconscious (or "vital"). The functions
residing within the ego and id blocks are strong functions which are used naturally and well, while the functions of the super-ego and super-id blocks are weak functions and are used with difficulty. (In addition, using super-ego functions is stressful.)
|
|
|
Intertype relations
Socionics
postulates that the way information is communicated between different
types results in different interaction styles, called intertype
relations.
Each intertype relation has its bad and good qualities, though duality
is generally considered to be the most psychologically comfortable as a
long-term relationship. In total there are 16 relationship roles for
each type (14 when not counting the split roles in the supervision and
benefit relationship). All relations beside Request and Supervision are
symmetric. Request and Supervision relations are asymmetric and have 2
roles: Request - Requester and Request recipient, Supervision -
Supervisor and Supervisee. Each cell in the table shows who the type in
the left column is to the type in the top row.
| ILE | SEI | ESE | LII | EIE | LSI | SLE | IEI | SEE | ILI | LIE | ESI | LSE | EII | IEE | SLI | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILE | Id | Du | Ac | Mr | Rq+ | Sv+ | Cp | Mg | Se | Ex | QI | Cf | Rq- | Sv- | Cg | Sd |
| SEI | Du | Id | Mr | Ac | Sv+ | Rq+ | Mg | Cp | Ex | Se | Cf | QI | Sv- | Rq- | Sd | Cg |
| ESE | Ac | Mr | Id | Du | Cg | Sd | Rq- | Sv- | QI | Cf | Se | Ex | Cp | Mg | Rq+ | Sv+ |
| LII | Mr | Ac | Du | Id | Sd | Cg | Sv- | Rq- | Cf | QI | Ex | Se | Mg | Cp | Sv+ | Rq+ |
| EIE | Rq- | Sv- | Cg | Sd | Id | Du | Ac | Mr | Rq+ | Sv+ | Cp | Mg | Se | Ex | QI | Cf |
| LSI | Sv- | Rq- | Sd | Cg | Du | Id | Mr | Ac | Sv+ | Rq+ | Mg | Cp | Ex | Se | Cf | QI |
| SLE | Cp | Mg | Rq+ | Sv+ | Ac | Mr | Id | Du | Cg | Sd | Rq- | Sv- | QI | Cf | Se | Ex |
| IEI | Mg | Cp | Sv+ | Rq+ | Mr | Ac | Du | Id | Sd | Cg | Sv- | Rq- | Cf | QI | Ex | Se |
| SEE | Se | Ex | QI | Cf | Rq- | Sv- | Cg | Sd | Id | Du | Ac | Mr | Rq+ | Sv+ | Cp | Mg |
| ILI | Ex | Se | Cf | QI | Sv- | Rq- | Sd | Cg | Du | Id | Mr | Ac | Sv+ | Rq+ | Mg | Cp |
| LIE | QI | Cf | Se | Ex | Cp | Mg | Rq+ | Sv+ | Ac | Mr | Id | Du | Cg | Sd | Rq- | Sv- |
| ESI | Cf | QI | Ex | Se | Mg | Cp | Sv+ | Rq+ | Mr | Ac | Du | Id | Sd | Cg | Sv- | Rq- |
| LSE | Rq+ | Sv+ | Cp | Mg | Se | Ex | QI | Cf | Rq- | Sv- | Cg | Sd | Id | Du | Ac | Mr |
| EII | Sv+ | Rq+ | Mg | Cp | Ex | Se | Cf | QI | Sv- | Rq- | Sd | Cg | Du | Id | Mr | Ac |
| IEE | Cg | Sd | Rq- | Sv- | QI | Cf | Se | Ex | Cp | Mg | Rq+ | Sv+ | Ac | Mr | Id | Du |
| SLI | Sd | Cg | Sv- | Rq- | Cf | QI | Ex | Se | Mg | Cp | Sv+ | Rq+ | Mr | Ac | Du | Id |
Key: Du - Duality; Ac - Activation; Sd - Semi-duality; Mg - Mirage; Mr - Mirror; Id - Identity; Cp - Cooperation; Cg - Congenerity; QI - Quasi-Identity; Ex - Extinguishment; Se - Super-ego; Cf - Conflict; Rq+ - Requester; Rq- - Request recipient; Sv+ - Supervisor; Sv- - Supervisee
Duality
Duality is a fundamental concept in Socionics.[citation needed]
Dual relations are characterized by mutual benefit and support, and are
generally viewed as optimal for friendship, intimacy, and marriage
(though sociotype is not the only factor influencing this).[citation needed] The eight dual pairs are as follows:
| LSE | |
— | |
EII |
| LIE | |
— | |
ESI |
| ESE | |
— | |
LII |
| EIE | |
— | |
LSI |
| SLE | |
— | |
IEI |
| SEE | |
— | |
ILI |
| ILE | |
— | |
SEI |
| IEE | |
— | |
SLI |
In dual relations, the leading function of one partner is the suggestive function of the other, and the creative function of one partner is the mobilizing function of the other. Thus, the ego functions (the strongest and most socialized) of each correspond to the super-id functions of the other (the area where the person needs and expects assistance). Likewise, the super-ego block of one corresponds to the id of the other. In this relation, just 1 of 4 Jungian dichotomies is shared—rationality/irrationality. Duality interaction is generally rewarding and satisfying for both parties, providing inspiration and support. Duality is a central theme of the philosophy of socionics study: Augusta often stated her position that a person who is estranged from contact with a dual partner must cope by unnaturally distorting their personality, a phenomenon called "type masking". Relationships with conflictor types are cited as particularly troublesome: it is not uncommon for a person in a close relationship with their conflictor to develop an acute neurotic condition.
The duality system is demonstrated in the following diagram,
which details function relationships between two duals, an ILE and an
SEI:
Activation
Activation
relations occur between two members of the same quadra who share either
introversion or extraversion. This relations can resemble duality since
the super-id functions are both present in the ego functions of the
other partner. However, these relations are somewhat less fulfilling
than dual relations. Each partner's dominant function is the others
mobilizing function. Activation relationships are often romantic if both
partners find each other attractive. These relationships are often very
easy to start, as both partners share either extraversion or
introversion. Introvert activation relationships appear reserved, while
extravert activation relationships appear hectic.
Semi-duality
Relations
of semi-duality are similar to relations of duality. Semi-duality
occurs between partners who lead (by leading function) each other's
dual-seeking (5th) functions but lack each other's creative functions
(to assist their mobilizing functions). As a result, both partners often
perceive elements of duality from the relationship but feel the other
partner is misplacing the correct emphasis; as semi-duals will be able
to help their partners with their dual seeking functions but both have
the least confidence in the same area of the psyche (thinking, feeling,
sensing, or intuition).
Relationships of semi-duality can become very close for moderate
periods of time until correspondence is broken indefinitely. These
relationships often begin, or rekindle because of mutual interests or
friends held in common.
Mirage
Mirage
relations occur between partners whose creative functions are the other
partners' mobilizing functions, but whose dual seeking (5th) functions
are the other partners' role functions.
Relationships of mirage often become quite close and are easy to
begin because both individuals are able to communicate effectively with
one another because partners share a preference for thinking, feeling,
sensing, or intuiting.
Mirror
Mirror
relations occur between types who share the same ego functions, yet
place different emphases on them; the dominant function of one partner
is the creative function of the other. Mirror relations are
characterized by similar actions and motivations between partners, and
mutual understanding. Interactions usually result in a drawn out
dialogue, as each partner seems to keep opening up avenues of thought
which the other needs to now clarify verbally.
An important source of dissension between mirror types is the
opposing between Ej and Ip, or between Ep and Ij. Ejs find the passive,
unstable Ip behavior to be a severe hindrance in getting things done,
while Ips find the restless and proactive actions of Ej types paranoid
and stifling. Similarly, Ep types find Ij types to be somewhat dull and
boring, while Ij types see Ep types as wildly unpredictable and
impetuous.
Identity
Relations
of Identity describe relations between two individuals of the same
type. Often, both partners will have similar perceptions of situations
and problems, and will take similar actions. Partners usually understand
the motivations behind the other's actions. A relationship between
identity partners is characterized by mutual understanding,
self-development, and learning. Each is interested in the other's ideas,
and sees their value. For some types, though, such relations can soon
become depleted and uninteresting, once informational potentials have
been reached; since, broadly, there seems to be nothing more to discuss.
Cooperation
Cooperation
relations occur between partners who have the same creative function
but differing dominant functions. As a result, partners may often
perform similar activities or have similar fields of interest, but often
do not understand each other's internal motivations. Partners will
often approach their related fields with vastly different agendas and
will generate conflict when working as a team. These relations become
formal and business like as to avoid open debate and conflict.
Congenerity
People
in congenerity relations have the same dominant function but different
creative functions. They often see each other as interesting people and
can see each other’s motivations, but interact in ways the other partner
is unskilled or uninterested; often similar to mirror relationships
where ideas are communicated through drawn out dialog; easy to begin
because both partners share a similar type of intelligence and easy
communication.
Kindred
Kindred
relations (also called comparative relations) occur between types who
share the same dominant function but possess different creative
functions. Partners often see each other as interesting people and are
often able to see each other's motivations, but tailor their actions
towards areas where the other partner is unskilled or uninterested, as
the creative function for one partner is the place of least resistance
of the other.
Kindred relationships are often similar to mirror relationships
where ideas are communicated through drawn out dialog. These
relationships are easy to begin because both partners share a similar
type of intelligence, and are able to communicate it easily to one
another.
Quasi-identity
Relations
of Quasi-identity are characterized by mutual misunderstanding. One
partner's ego functions are the other partner's demonstrative and
observant functions. As quasi-identicals have opposite functions, they
will often have similar interests (id block and ego blocks contain the
same functions) and become involved in similar activities, but they
rarely understand each other's motivations or ideas.
Quasi-Identity partners often identify themselves as being very different from the partner.
Outside observers often have trouble seeing the differences that the
individual sees between themselves and the partner. At the same time,
Quasi-Identity relations are most productive to assess a new idea and
find its weak points since quasi-identicals have an expert view from the
other side.
Extinguishment
Extinguishment
relations occur between types confident in the same area of the psyche
but who place different emphases on each function. These relations often
consist of similar lifestyles but differing thought processes. Partners
will have similar interests and areas of expertise, and have little
trouble communicating with one another.
Still, misunderstanding and conflict arise when partners come to vastly different conclusions about specific ideas or events.
Super-ego
Super-ego
relations occur between types whose ego functions are the other
partners' super-ego functions. Super-ego relations are generally
characterized by differing values, discomfort, and mutual
misunderstanding.
Partners in a super-ego relationship are often fascinated or
terrified by their partners lack of similarity to themselves. Super-ego
partners are constantly aware of their total opposition in values to the
partner. Outside observers are often similarly aware.
Conflict
Relations
of Conflict are, unsurprisingly, characterized by constantly escalating
conflict. Conflictors are the types with the most dissimilar values,
and they rarely understand anything regarding each other's motivations
or lifestyles. Conflictors may take for granted as truths what their
partners may dismiss as absurd. Sometimes they understand each other so
little that the conflict itself is not well understood, yet it prevails
under the surface, discomfiting both partners to no end. Conflictors
also are of opposite temperaments, which is a source of irritation to
both partners. Conflictors are usually rather interesting for each
other, but also very tiresome.
Request
Relations
of request are asymmetrical relations; one type requests another. The
request recipient's dual seeking function is the requester's creative
function, and as a result the request recipient often takes an interest
in the requester. However, the requester's dual seeking function is the
request recipient's place of least resistance, and the requester finds
the request recipient a highly uninteresting person. Relations of
request frequently end with the departure of the requester.
Supervision
Relations
of supervision are asymmetrical; one type supervises another. Relations
of supervision are characterized by the supervisor's attempt to
introduce his base function into the supervisee's life. The supervisor
often perceives the supervisee as an interesting person and understands
the supervisee's lifestyle, since the supervisor's creative function is
the supervisee's base function. Nonetheless, the supervisee is often on
the defensive since the supervisor's base function is the supervisee's
point of least resistance (the function most vulnerable to criticism).
The supervisee often perceives the supervisor to be the evil incarnate,
while the bewildered supervisor wonders why the supervisee reacts so
poorly to his objective and benevolent assistance.
Groups of types
Quadras
A quadra
is a group of four types in which only identity, dual, activity, and
mirror relations occur. Quadras are distinguished by offering the
greatest degree of psychological comfort among all groups containing
four types. The feeling of comfort and harmony produced by the quadra is
due to the fact that all types in the quadra seek to give expression to
the shared set of information elements in their ego and super-id blocks
and to de-emphasize the information elements in their super-ego and id
blocks.
Similar to the harmony of types within the same quadra, opposing
forces also exist. If one were to put the four quadras in a circle,
alpha-beta-gamma-delta, the two quadras facing each other would be
opposing quadras and consist entirely of quasi-identical, conflictor,
super-ego, and extinguishment relations. A person surrounded by people
of the opposing type will often feel uneasy and out of place, due to the
fact that all the people around them either lead with or seek for their
weakest function. That type of interaction is often the basis for
inherent misunderstandings between seemingly similar people (as in the
case of the quasi-identical) or two people who seem to offend each other
at every turn (often found in conflicting relations).
| 1 Alpha | 2 Beta | 3 Gamma | 4 Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| ILE (ENTp)
SEI (ISFp)
ESE (ESFj) LII (INTj) |
EIE (ENFj)
LSI (ISTj)
SLE (ESTp) IEI (INFp) |
SEE (ESFp)
ILI (INTp)
LIE (ENTj) ESI (ISFj) |
LSE (ESTj)
EII (INFj)
IEE (ENFp) SLI (ISTp) |
Clubs
Clubs are groups that reflect spheres of activity. There are 4 clubs, each with 4 types:
- Pragmatists (ST): ESTp, ESTj, ISTp, ISTj; or SLE, LSE, SLI, LSI
- Researchers (NT): ENTp, ENTj, INTp, INTj; or ILE, LIE, ILI, LII
- Socials (SF): ESFp, ESFj, ISFp, ISFj; or SEE, ESE, SEI, ESI
- Humanitarians (NF): ENFp, ENFj, INFp, INFj; or IEE, EIE, IEI, EII
Temperaments
Viktor Gulenko's hypothesis of the existence of four temperaments in socionics is as follows.
- Extraverted Rational Temperament (Ej). Extraverted rational types, namely the ESE, EIE, LIE, and LSE, are characterized by energetic and proactive behavior. (close to choleric temperament)
- Introverted Rational Temperament (Ij). Introverted rational types, namely the LII, LSI, ESI, and EII, are characterized by slow and methodical behavior. (close to phlegmatic temperament)
- Extraverted Irrational Temperament (Ep). Extraverted irrational types, namely the ILE, SLE, SEE, and IEE, are characterized by impulsive and unpredictable behavior. (close to sanguine temperament)
- Introverted Irrational Temperament (Ip). Introverted irrational types, namely the SEI, IEI, ILI, and SLI, are characterized by lack of motivation, inertia, and unstable moods and energy levels. (close to melancholic temperament)
Beside Gulenko's, there are several other theories of correlation
between temperaments and socionic types, although almost all socionic authors support Eysenck's view that temperaments do correlate with the E/I factor.
Other models
In addition to Model A, two other models are in wide use by socionists. Model B, created by Aleksandr Bukalov,
is designed to reconcile the socionics standpoint with the so-called
"Model J" (Jung's outlook) and uses sixteen functional components
instead of eight. The model uses the same eight functions as Model A,
but further differentiates them by attributing positive and negative
polarities to each. Model B also refines Model A's strong/weak concept by attributing vectors of dimensionality to each function. This allows it to describe with precision why some functions are relied on more than others.
The four dimensions are
- Globality (also thought of as "time")
- Situation
- Cultural normatives
- Experience
Experience is the lowest dimension; globality is the highest.
The importance of the dimension system lies in its clarification of the
differences between strong and weak functions. Although any type may
learn information specific to any function with adequate study, only the
strong functions have the vectors of situation which are required to
create new knowledge. The types are thus reliant on each other in their
search for understanding.
Model T
In 2006, Viktor Talanov sought to identify cognitive correlates for functions. Recent advances in cognitive psychology have facilitated understanding of information processing at the cognitive level. Introversion has been correlated to high brain-blood levels; extroversion to lower levels. Viktor Talanov has proposed
to identify the processing centers of the four Jungian functions—logic,
ethics, intuition, and sensing—as a first step towards demonstrating
the existence of the function types. (called simply "functions" in
socionics).
Methods of type identification
Socionists often use several methods when determining a personality type.
- Analysis of behavior, interview (including special questionnaires), biography
- Tests
- Analysis of nonverbal behavior (mimic, gestures, plastique, etc.)
Nonverbal behavior (also called image method) is a particularly popular method popularized by Aušra Augustinavičiūtė, but rarely used as basic method, more as auxiliary.
It is based on analysis of impressions from nonverbal behavior and
associating them with features of types. Often the image method is used
to create an initial hypothesis about a person's type, which is tested
against more reliable methods.
Several socionists have linked type traits to regular facial expressions and constancies of gaze.
Development of socionics
Academics
Currently socionics has wide academic recognition and is taught in
over 150 universities in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other CIS
countries, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Romania. Its methods are used in a variety of humanitarian and technical disciplines, as evidenced by more than 800 doctoral theses.
International Institute of Socionics and various universities have been
performed numerous experiments to test the theory of socionics, which
was attended by over 10,000 people.
Socionics has been brought up at conferences on psychology, where
its practical applications were discussed. For instance, in 2005,
socionics was discussed at the British and East European Psychology
Meeting in Kraków, Poland, which was attended by British, American and Eastern European psychologists. Psychologist Rosemary Nodder from the University of Hertfordshire represented socionics for the event.
Empiricism
The problems of socionics, its methodology and prospects for development are brought up frequently at International Socionics conferences (see list of conference talks (in Russian)).
Criticism
The
opinion of scientific community about socionics is not uniform.
Socionic analysts and theorists see it as "the fusion of science and
technology that makes it possible to predict behavior and activity style
of an individual, group of people, and society as a whole" and "the
science that discovered the laws of human compatibility".
Psychophysiologist Sergey Bogomaz considered socionics post-Jungian
typology which is more promising than MBTI due to the inclusion of
greater number of typological features and the formulation of
prerequisites for the study of intertype relationships. He have found the theory of intertype relationships a valuable contribution of Aušra Augustinavičiūtė to Jungian psychology. In later publications Bogomaz used socionics and Jungian typology for psychological research.
Philosopher L. M. Monastirsky identified the use of speculative categories as the first shortcoming
of socionics. Secondly, he stated that it lacks clearly defined typing
method and each socionics school defines methods of their own. At the
same time Monastirsky, recognizing the potential of socionics, proposed
to turn to the concept of a socionic type for carrying out some research
in the field of the methodology of science.
An important issue in the field of socionics is the problem of
convergence between type diagnoses of different analysts. Vladimir Ermak
showed that ignorance of model A of the type of information metabolism
leads to numerous mistakes in the definition of a socionic type. In the early 2000s, socionic analysts to develop more rigorous approaches to type diagnosis.
