Multilevel Sociotype

What is a sociotype?

Sociotype is the central concept of socionics, around which its entire system of axioms and theorems is grouped. It is the main subject of its study as a science. The fact that socionic types exist cannot be refuted by a speculative way. This can be seen only in practice, personally observing the behavior of many people and comparing the data of their observations. Therefore, a priori, a sociotype is understood as the natural disposition of a person to think and act in a certain way.

There are many interpretations of the concept of sociotype. It is important to know that there are narrow and wide interpretations of it. In a narrow interpretation, a sociotype is identical with a psychotype and concerns only the field of the human psyche. A broad interpretation treats a sociotype as a stable structure of an information system of any nature, seeking to restore itself when trying to deform. From this point of view, one can speak of a sociotype of a group of people, a sociotype of an organization, a state, a social movement, a sociotype of a theory, some kind of belief system. In this case, the term “integral type” is also used.

Socionics took the concept of the psyche type from CG Jung, the founder of the practical personality typology. Jung is a true discoverer of the type of the psyche, since he described the structure of the type, its main components are psychological functions, and gave examples of observational diagnostics.

According to Jung, the psychological type is a way to adapt the personality to the surrounding reality, during which one of the four mental functions takes a dominant position, and the opposite to it is a subordinate. The dominant function of a person consciously controls, and a subordinate function, if she came to the fore, controls the person himself. A quite definite installation of consciousness and the opposite, an installation of the unconscious that is of a compensatory nature is being formed, whose joint actions form a type of psyche.

The Polish psychotherapist A. Kempinski, the author of the concept of information metabolism (signal exchange), wrote: “The structure of information metabolism must have a certain constant gradient, the smallest on the border with the external environment, and the largest with the internal environment. . The variability of the first is tolerated without complications, and the second with great difficulty. ” Thus, a sociotype is a constant of personality, its stable inner core without taking into account the mutable shell. The destruction of this nucleus leads to the neurotization of the individual.

In socio-analysis, the type is understood more difficult. V. Lefevre, who mathematically described reflexive structures, that is, self-directed structures of the psyche, came closest to the socio-analytical interpretation. In the most concise formulation, a sociotype is a fifth-order reflexive structure. Let's go through the more complex levels of reflection and reach the depth of interest to us.

Man in statics, both externally and internally, is a zero dimension. Such a state is almost impossible, just as there is in life, say, an ideal point, which has neither length nor width. But here a person joins in communication: he finds partners, exchanges information, shows emotions - this is the first dimension of personal space. Now the next step. A person's communicative states change - his motor and emotional reactions either speed up or slow down. This is the second rank of reflection.

A person is able to lead his communicative changes, that is, he "behaves" himself. We are talking about the behavior, the third, three-dimensional dimension of personality. The nature of human behavior also changes over time. So the way to control one’s behavior is still realized. This is the fourth in order measurement. But from this point onwards, the feedback — a condition without which you cannot control yourself yourself — breaks off. It is safe to say that a person is not able to effectively track the change in the way he controls his behavior.

Visually similar phenomena are usually depicted as several times the profiles of a person’s face embedded into each other. To depict a sociotype, you need to put one profile into another profile five times. So, the sociotype as a reflexive mental structure that is not amenable to the conscious will of a person is encoded in the fifth dimension of the personal space where a person does not have direct access. This level of the psyche, in fact, affects the collective unconscious and its leading archetype - the self.

Technologically, a sociotype is formed as a combination of four Jung psychic traits that set an individual's orientation in the communicative space. In order to reach the type, you need to find those poles on the Jung scales rationality / irrationality, extraversion / introversion, logic / ethics and sensory / intuitiveness, which require the least energy for their implementation, that is, they are the most natural for you. For four pairs of signs, sixteen sociotypes are formed.

The psyche is multilayered: type, subtype, profile

The psyche in humanitarian socionics is considered as a three-dimensional system of layers stratified on each other: the deep core - the middle layers - the surface. The quality and stability of these layers naturally change from the deep core to the outer shell. The closer to the outer border, the more flexible the psyche is and the less energy is required to apply it in order to transform it.

The type itself is in the deep core. His device during the life of the means of the psyche itself does not change (maximum rigidity and stability). The term of its existence is equal to the time of existence of the mental system itself. Thus, the socionic type is an invariant of the psyche. In order to directly detect and "open" it, you need to attach a maximum load to the psyche.

Further, over the core lies the middle layer, which possesses not absolute, but only relative stability. It is called a type option, or a subtype. Relative stability means that the subtype can change, although this happens rarely and only under the influence of severe life shocks in those moments when the psyche is in a transitional state (for example, adolescence, midlife crisis, etc.). In the case of the individual psyche, we are talking about a period of tens of years. Type option is manifested primarily as a person's tendency to perform a certain role in the primary group.

And, finally, the most “soft” and mobile mental layer is formed outside - a functional profile, which is often the imprint of the current habitat of the wearer of the type. It exists for as long as the type carrier resides in it. The normal life of a profile is about several years. In this case, also talk about the stereotypes of behavior. For example, the military environment makes a person rougher, female education contributes to the formation of a profile with emotionality, etc.

It is the multi-layered psyche that explains the difficulty of unequivocal diagnosis of its type. A detailed and careful examination from a close distance in front of the observer opens up a bizarre picture of strengthened and weakened functions, which resembles the overlap of two, and sometimes more types.

In addition, one should not exclude current functional states (this part of the psyche for the sake of simplicity is not indicated in the diagram). Their combination is often regarded as the fourth, most short-lived layer of the psyche. For example, when people collectively rejoice at some very significant event for them, almost all of them find themselves in the ethical-extrovert state “E”, etc. Thus, the functional state is short-lived (for an individual, it lasts from several minutes to several hours) and is completely situational. It can be thought of as a local “splash” on a functional profile.

The following order of recording a psyche model of three parts is recommended (the current state is usually not recorded): type - subtype - enhanced functions.

The image of I (the idea of ​​a person about himself) usually focuses on the middle layers of the psyche and above (the level of the subtype and accentuated functions). Awareness of oneself in a pure (standard) type is easily given only to holistic individuals with adequate self-esteem. It must be remembered that real people can consciously or semi-consciously focus on several mental layers at once - think one thing, say another, and behave in the third.

Understanding Subtypes

A subtype is the next level of detailing of the psyche in socionics after the sociotype proper and denotes a certain rather global value, ideological and, as a result of this, behavioral shift within the framework of the sociotype.

According to current theoretical concepts, a subtype arises as a result of a certain “gain” (an increase in the degree of domination in the psyche) of one of the components (parts) of a sociotype as a result of adaptation to real conditions of existence. Moreover, the conditions of existence imply not only external factors (society), but also internal ones.

A subtype is a fairly rigid and rigid structure, which, nevertheless, can still change (semi-rigid structure, rather than completely rigid, as a sociotype itself) with a very strong impact on the psyche (for example, the death of a loved one or spiritual crisis). In addition, it should be noted that in the process of adolescent crisis or mid-life crisis, the probability of changing the subtype increases, as psychological factors increase with psychological factors (“hormonal storm”). It is believed that the average person changes the subtype once or twice during his life (i.e., people who have changed more than once are possible, as well as people who have been in a fairly stable environment corresponding to their nature and who have did not change at all during life).

Like the sociotype itself, a subtype is primarily a qualitative, not a quantitative, structure. 
As the concept of "sociotype", a subtype can be used in two similar, but still different meanings.

In the first (narrow) meaning, the subtype is considered as a structure based on the sociotype itself (a sheath of a sociotype), but nonetheless it is not. With this approach, the subtype is considered regardless of the sociotype itself (as a separate level), as it were, out of the brackets. Accordingly, as a result, subtypes appear to be “common” for different sociotypes (for example, any sociotype can be a creative subtype, and it is the same for all sociotypes).
In the second (broad) meaning, the subtype is considered as a variant of a sociotype, and therefore - the subtype includes the sociotype itself as a core (respectively, if in the first case we talked about the creative subtype as such, then with this approach the subtype will be not just creative, but , for example, a creative Enthusiast). From this point of view, the sociotype itself, in turn, can be regarded as an invariant of subtypes (that is, the part that remains stable and unchanged in various variants).

It is easy to see that both of these approaches do not contradict, but complement and mutually enrich each other, however, a narrow interpretation is more often used in theoretical consideration and study of the subtype, and a broad one in solving practical problems. It can also be said that a subtype in a narrow sense acts as a rather abstraction, which is necessary for a more convenient study of a fragment of a single and integral essence of interest to us — the psyche, while considering the subtype in a broad sense, we rely on two interpretation and sociotype in a narrow interpretation), we are approaching the correct description of reality.

One of the important questions in the theory of subtypes is the question of their number (especially if we consider subtypes theoretically as ideal constructs). When addressing this issue can be approached from two sides - from the theory and from the practice. From a theoretical point of view, a subtype can be thought of as some qualitative reinforcement of a part of a sociotype, and therefore there should be as many subtypes as we select elements within a sociotype - 2, 4 (rings and blocks), 8 (separate functions) or 16 (taking into account the signs of ). From a practical point of view, the level of detail should be sufficient to solve real problems, sufficiently fully describe all the options, but not to be redundant. Accordingly, when developing the theory of subtypes, it is necessary to find a compromise between these two approaches,

Today, the DCNH subtype system is the most common and used as a standard when the subtype is considered as an enhancement of the temperamental pair of functions:

D (dominant) subtype (also sometimes referred to as a linearly energetic subtype) - as an enhancement of the E + P functions thus, such a person acts as a motivator for the people around them and as a group mover;

The C (creative) subtype (also sometimes referred to as a flexible-agile subtype) - as an enhancement of the I + F functions - a variant of a sociotype characterized by non-standard perception of situations and non-standard reactions to them, the introduction of a new one gives the opportunity to develop flexibly choosing the direction of movement (and this group can be as an informal team or family, and a sufficiently large organization);

N (normalizing) subtype(also sometimes referred to as a balanced and stable subtype) - as an enhancement of L + R functions - a variant of a sociotype characterized by the identification, establishment and maintenance of norms and rules governing both the formal and informal aspects of life, the ordering of the surrounding space (in the widest sense - from allocating for each thing your personal place to behavior in public places). This variant of the sociotype transfers the situation of uncertainty and constant unpredictable change of rules worse than others (however, it should be remembered that the comparison goes between the options within one sociotype and the situation that for a normalizing LSI will be perceived as a situation of uncertainty and cause comfort, for a normalizing LII, it can be perceived as certain and regular

H (harmonizing) subtype (also sometimes referred to as a susceptible-adaptive subtype) - as an enhancement of S + T functions - a variant of a sociotype characterized by sensitivity to changes in the broadest sense (from changes in one's own body to changes in the development of an organization), developed aesthetic sense. This variant of the sociotype transfers aggravated conflicts and contradictions worse than others, as a result of which it is inclined to "pour oil on the storm", and if it is impossible to eliminate the conflict, it is inclined to distance itself from the situation physically and psychologically.

Subtype Theory: DCNH System

1. The problem of intratype differences

Why are people of the same type so different? This question has long been concerned about every sensible socionics-practice. Why do two carriers of one and the same psychological system, having the same structure, demonstrate in the same situation so different patterns of behavior?

Do a simple experiment. Collect 3-4 people of the same type, no matter which one the specialist from which school identified them. Give them any available task (jointly solve an intellectual problem, play the situation, etc.) and observe their behavior. And you will see that, despite the identity of types, some of them will be more active, others more passive, some more resourceful, others more conservative, etc. The most interesting thing is that the more representatives of the same type you collect the more differences between them will find. Thus, the depth of the typology can be increased further.

This state of affairs should not be surprising. Other areas of perception are similarly arranged. Indeed, looking at, for example, the painted surface, in the main color of paint, you will usually see one or another shade, and in the sound of a musical instrument you hear, pick up some characteristic ringtone - timbre. Here you hold in your hands a seal that does not change with time, but the prints are different each time. So in the psyche of a real person - a carrier of the type, there is almost always an admixture of some other type. I call this admixture a subtype, or type variant.

We encounter a similar phenomenon in other sciences. Recall isomerism - the ability of chemical compounds, without changing its composition, to form substances with different properties. Type variants are nothing but peculiar psychological isomers. The existence of subspecies within a species is also perceived as quite normal.

I suggested my solution to the problem of systemic description of intratype differences for a long time - in the late 80s. In this report I would like to state the current state of the problem.

Purely theoretically, the subtype problem is solved in two ways.

The first path runs through the introduction of special dichotomies. In relation to the usual all-type dichotomies, they are concretizing, thus acting as the factors of the lower level. I call this method combinatorial-dichotomous.

The second way is to consider the strengthening of certain functions within the framework of the classical sociomodel. The fact is that the manifestation (it’s also manifestation) of a function is not equal to its location - a hierarchical place in the structure of the psyche. Equally located, that is, occupying the same position in the social model functions, may have completely different degrees of severity. This circumstance, according to the ideology of this approach, forms subtype features in behavior. Such a concept, unlike the aforementioned combinatorial-dichotomous approach, can be called functional-positional.

Combinatorial dichotomous and functional positional concepts do not contradict one another, but complement each other. Therefore, the specialists of the School of Humanitarian Socionics apply both of these approaches. It all depends on the goal that the researcher sets himself.

Another important preliminary question that cannot be ignored: how many subtypes should be allocated? The answer is that the number of subtypes should be no less than the average size of the groups with which you are dealing. In small groups - the lower link of the collective hierarchy - it is enough to distinguish from four to eight subtypes of the base type. If you have to deal with socion - an entire system of closely interacting small groups, which represent the highest level of a communicative organization, then the question of whether to distinguish the impurity or shade of all 16 sociotypes in each type becomes on the agenda.

2. How to select four subtypes

This level of detail is required when you, for example, are faced with the problem of choosing one of three or four of the same type of candidates for a vacant position, or several representatives of the same type work together and you need to decide which of them to appoint as the main one, etc. .

Yes, and in my personal life sometimes you have to make a choice in favor of one of several familiar duals. Each of them is good in its own way, so you want to save them all. But even if you intend to communicate with them all, you have to figure out for yourself the order in which to meet, how intensively the communication should proceed in each case, which tasks to solve with this dual, and which tasks with that, etc. Refusing to prioritize , you will bring chaos into the communicative system, and it will collapse over time.

2.1 Three pairs of polarities

The first polarity: contact / distance.

Its first pole means the predominance of the need for communication, and the second - the need for distancing. Pronounced extraverts as well as extraverted introverts will fall into the category of contact people. Distant respectively are pronounced introverts, but also introverted extraverts that avoid intensive contacts. The scale of vertness is thus split into four internal gradations.

The second polarity is terminality / initiality.

By terminology, I mean the ability to bring to the end and the tendency to ordering. Under initiation is the opposite ability to initiate, it is easy to switch and the concomitant disorder in things and deeds. As you can see, this is a concretization of the usual dichotomy of rationality / irrationality. It would be wrong to think that any rational at home reigns in order, and he is clearly planning everything, and any irrational throws things around and planning. In reality, two intermediate gradations often occur between the extreme poles.

To terminal people belong, firstly, pronounced rationals, and, secondly, ordered irrationals. Pronounced irrationals, as well as unordered rations, will have initial behavior.

And the third, additional polarity is connectivity / ignorance.

The basis of this scale is the sensitivity to changes in the external environment. Connectors are very sensitive to such changes, and ignorers, as the name says, are able to ignore it.

This polarity is a subtype refinement of the classic dynamics / statics dichotomy.

Combining these three scales, we obtain the following four subtypes: 
- contact, terminal, connective - dominant subtype (D); 
- contact, initial, ignorative - creative subtype (C); 
- distant, terminal, ignorative - normalizing subtype (N); 
- distant, initial, connective - harmonizing subtype (H).

2.2 Strengthening a pair of functions
- Strengthening linearly-assertive functions (E and P), whatever position this pair occupies within the framework of a social model, forms the dominant subtype. 
- Strengthening agile functions (I and F) leads to the emergence of a creative subtype. 
- Gaining balanced stable functions (L and R) gives the normalizing subtype. 
- Strengthening of susceptible-adaptive functions (S and T) - harmonizing subtype.

These functions are enhanced in pairs, because they have similar energy.

2.3 Models of behavior in the autonomous group

The four above-mentioned subtypes are also identified experimentally. This is done by observing the behavior patterns of participants in an autonomous group of four identical types. Dominant is better than others to cope with the role of leader, creative - the generator of ideas, normalizing - closer, harmonizing - corrector.

The working group of the SHGS checked the presence of these informal roles in a number of experiments conducted during 2006.

If there are not four, but three people in a group, then two roles are combined in one person. Most often, the leader and generator of ideas, closer and harmonizer, as they are closer in energy. Although in life there are any, the most incredible combinations.

If a small group consists of different types, then not only a subtype, but also a typical factor begins to influence the distribution of roles. However, the general type factor, as evidenced by our observations, in the conditions of close communication at close distances, is rather the background than the determining factor.

2.4 Test situations

A subtype is also detected through the fixation of human behavioral responses to specialized test situations. Once in this situation, the subject is forced to show such qualities as perseverance or resourcefulness, ingenuity or pliability. This application direction is just beginning to be created. His first priority is the selection of such tasks, which can be equally efficiently solved in any of four ways, or, conversely, clearly specialized in the method of solution.

3. How do subtypes affect intertype relationships?

Of course, their influence is significant, especially in conditions of intensive and dense contacts in a limited area.

However, first we will build the very system of relations arising between subtypes within an autonomous four-type group. Most clearly it turns out to describe them with the following two polarities: 
- by the presence of a leader: symmetrical relations (equal, without a definite leader) versus asymmetric (unequal, requiring a fixed leader); 
- on the direction of communication: attractive relations against repulsive; 
- according to the place and time of the action (additional polarity): consecutive relations versus parallel relations.

I want to emphasize that the above characteristics of the relations are not tensile abstractions, but completely verifiable experimentally with fairly specific parameters.

Combining these polarities, we get the following picture: 
- Symmetric attractive relations. Conditionally called subtype duality. Occur between opposite subtypes. They have a harmonizing, smoothing character. It’s difficult at first, but then partners are increasingly beginning to appreciate the advantages of the division of labor that this relationship gives them. The tougher the conditions of existence, the stronger they are. 
- Symmetrical repulsive relationships. They are called subtype identities. Their character is creativity. Occur between the same subtypes. Initially, they cause a mutual upsurge, but over time, disagreements grow in the dyad and mutual disappointment sets in. Strength tests, as a rule, do not pass. Useful for duplication, reservation, shift preparation.
- Asymmetrical attractive relationships. The working title is a subtype order. Their character includes, pushing, unilaterally activating. D-subtype dominates C-subtype. It dominates the N-subtype. Normalizing, in turn, dominates the H-subtype. A harmonizing paradoxically affects the dominant participant. Thus the circle closes. These relationships are the main accelerators of group dynamics. 
- Asymmetric repulsive relationships.For their names we will use the conditional name subtype revision. They have the character of rationing, retention within, unilateral braking. Directed in the opposite direction compared to the order. Useful in terms of correction, error correction. Dominant revises harmonizing. Harmonizing revises the normalizer. Normalizing slows down and corrects the creative. A creative - dominant. And here the circuit closes, only in the opposite direction against the main vector.

And now, brief conclusions on the specialization of intertype relations: 
- identical subtypes contribute to intellectual development (understanding, learning, generating ideas in their field); 
- custom subtypes are most suitable for social activity, intensive work, expansion outside; 
- audit subtypes are specialized in psychological stabilization, balancing dreams and realities, most suitable for friendship, education; 
- dual subtypes give physical compatibility (life, intimate relationships).

4. The next step is the selection of eight subtypes.

This task becomes relevant when the group increases to 7-8 people.

To distinguish between eight subtypes, an additional scale is added - primary / secondary, which reflects the hierarchy of personal needs.

It should be noted that theoretically there should be seven such differences (including the already known three polarities). However, the description of the whole range of subtype dichotomies is not the subject of this report.

Any type of behavior in order to meet the needs of a group can be both primary and secondary. Primary needs are the needs of a specific, current nature (food, health, shelter, family, intimacy, etc.). Secondary needs - deep, higher (career, social status, spiritual world, cognition, etc.). No questionnaires using this scale have yet been created.

Experimentally, these subtypes are derived through an internal role in an octal identity group. 
Dominance by primary needs generates the intragroup role of the Motivator (psychologists call it the informal leader), and by secondary needs the role Engine (the formal leader). 
Creativity for primary needs contributes to taking on the role of the Contactor, and on the secondary - the role of the Innovator of the group. 
Rationing on primary needs gives the role of the Conscience of the group, and on the secondary needs - the Coordinator. 
And, finally, primary harmonization leads to the role of Designer, and secondary harmonization leads to the role of Expert.

Most often, our school defines the octal subtype not by dichotomy, but by strengthening one of the eight functions of the socionic model. Here I derived the following pattern. 
Strengthening the function E forms a demonstrative-artistic behavior. Corresponds to primary domination - through emotional pressure, the ability to inspire or scare. Primary dominance in animals is associated with bright colors, shouts, expressive facial expressions and gestures. 
Strengthening the function P forms a stuck behavior. This mode of dominance is secondary. These are business leaders who persevere and persevere.

Both of these behaviors are often found together, combining on the principle of a role mask. This suggests that dominance, although it manifests itself through two varieties, is still a whole process. 
Strengthening the function F forms excitable behavior. This is interpreted as primary, instinctive creativity. It gives a non-standard quick decision in an extreme situation that is critical for survival. 
Strengthening function I forms affective-labile behavior. This is a secondary creativity associated with intellectual fantasy, non-standard ideas aimed not at breaking the deadlock, but at solving problems of the future.

Both of these functions often work in conjunction as two sides of a single innovation and implementation process. 
Strengthening the function R gives alarmingly suspicious behavior. This is the primary rationing that does not require a formal fixation of the rules, based on tradition. 
Strengthening the function L leads to the formation of formal-pedantic behavior. It is secondary in nature to meet group-wide needs. Based on the regulations, instructions, official laws.

Both of these behaviors can act together, reinforcing each other. Conscientiousness and pedantic attitude to their duties are considered as two sides of normalizing behavior. 
Strengthening the function S leads to the formation of astheno-neurotic behavior. This is the primary, vital harmonization associated with the value of bodily comfort. 
Strengthening of function T forms the fenced off and self-invaded, up to autism behavior. This is the harmonization of the secondary, spiritual-mental plan.

Both of these behaviors are equivalent, that is, they often develop together and reinforce each other. It is known that for meditations of the mind it is necessary to relax the body.

If we proceed further according to our algorithm, then the next stage of subtype detailing will be 16 subtypes. I encounter them so far only when solving career guidance tasks, when you have to select a profession for a person at the junction of different fields of activity. This most difficult level will be considered in our subsequent works.

Functional type profile and accentuation

The psyche is considered in the SHGS as a multilevel formation consisting of a hard core and a changeable shell. But the shell itself is also not uniform. The most mobile part of it serves to adapt the carrier type to the current communicative environment. As a result of this adaptation, a functional profile arises - a picture of functions strengthened and weakened (in relation to the “pure” type).

A functional profile exists for as long as a person’s being in the environment to which he has adapted. When changing the environment of stay to a different one, with other requirements for the norms of behavior, inevitably occurs the restructuring of the functional profile.

Useful for practice is the classification of functional profiles. There are bright and dull, on the one hand, as well as clear and blurry (diffuse), on the other hand, profiles.

A bright and clear profile indicates an adequate self-esteem and a person’s readiness to perform a certain role in a group. People with this profile should be selected for teamwork in the first place.

Bright, but blurred profile indicates the desire of a person to be implemented in a variety of different environments. As a rule, this is accompanied by difficulties of self-identification, a long search for their role in the group. They say about such people “they want to sit on several chairs at once”. Such a person is rather a free player than an integrated team member.

A dull, but clear profile is typical for people with good potential for productive teamwork, but under-implemented, with low self-esteem. It can also serve as an indicator of caution, unwillingness to give accurate information about their personal qualities.

Dim and blurred profile - the most unfortunate option for socionics involved in building teams. A person with such a profile is either a loser with very low self-esteem, or it is an indicator of the respondent’s total unwillingness to participate in the study. In this case, help can monitor his behavior or the involvement of tests of achievement.

Here is an example of a bright and clear functional profile (cumulative data from FAP-1 and FAP-2):

Accentuated function is a heightened, but energetically unbalanced function that does not form a stable role in the group. It abruptly and suddenly manifests itself in behavior. This is what you involuntarily pay attention to when you meet a person. The formal indicator of a possible accentuation is considered to be a peak on the graph of a functional profile with a low degree of other functions of the same vertness.
Some accentuations lead to personal problems. A typical problem case is the accentuation of the 8th position. Such a state of mind - intrapsychic repayment - requires from a person increased energy consumption to maintain an approximately equal level of manifestation of a pair of functions of one installation, but opposite to vertex (P - L, E - R, F - S, I - T). In a conversation with such a person, you often hear that they misunderstand him, that he is really different. This is either an extrovert, prone to self-discovery, or, conversely, an introvert, seeking to external effects.

An example of a functional profile with an accentuation (in function I):

In ShGS, eight functional accentuations are considered, namely: 
1. L - pedantry (special forethought, strict adherence to the rules even in trifles) 
2. P - stuck (persistent to bring fanatism to the end despite the circumstances and resistance of others) 
3. E - demonstrativeness (attracting attention to oneself by reincarnations, extravagant antics and other artistic techniques) 
4. R - sensitivity (conscientiousness, anxiety, fearfulness, even trivial feelings) 
5. F - excitability ( increase of aggression up to rough violence in a short time) 
6. S - astheno-neurotic behavior (irritability when forced to change the usual comfortable conditions)
7. I - lability (differences of motivation with a large amplitude - from the desire to act immediately to complete indifference to what is happening) 
8. T - autism (isolation from the outside world, a deep withdrawal into the artificial world of your imagination).

Accentuations are often combined in pairs. For example, the character played by Dustin Hoffman in the movie Rain Man combines autistic and pedantic accentuation.

Accentuated functions

The concept of accentuated functions came to socionics from psychology. The term “accentuation” was introduced by the German psychiatrist Carl Leonhard, who wrote the book Accentuated Personalities (1976). In it, he outlined his classification of accentuations and gave examples of their manifestations in real people, as well as examples of classical literature characters.

What is it, accentuation? This is an underlined, aggravated personality trait that distinguishes a person from other people through well-marked features of behavior. Accentuation is not a pathology, although it gives a person many inconveniences in life. For the sake of justice, it should be noted that there is a probability of accentuation going to a pathological state under adverse conditions.

The study of accentuation used Aushra in the development of socionic typology. In particular, in her work “On the dual nature of man,” she made an unequivocal comparison of accentuations of Leonhard and Licko with 16 sociotypes. True, there were more types than accentuations, so several lines of the table turned out to be empty at Aushra.

It is believed in humanitarian socionics that there is no such linear dependence, therefore accentuation is not determined by type or its first function. In other words, in every type any function can be accentuated.

Based on my practice, I present the following mandatory signs of an accentuated function: 
· strong severity in behavior, 
· energy instability, 
· inadequacy of the situation.

Anxious function is usually accompanied by anxiety, and even complexes. That is, what are you obsessed with, what is gnawing at you, what are you intensely thinking about and at random trying to realize in behavior, that is your accentuation. You systematically and intensely think about money and get involved in unproductive commercial projects - accentuation of “P”, think of unmotivated aggression that you find it difficult to restrain in yourself - accentuation of “F”, etc.

Attention! Do not fall into the error of supporters of the information paradigm, who believe that the constant concentration of thought on some object or event leads to an accentuation. On the contrary, the accentuation that has already arisen is reflected in obsessive thought.

Many especially talented representatives of abstract sciences (mathematics, programmers) have a strong T-accentuation (autism, deep immersion in their mental images, even ignoring external reality). The Russian mathematician Grigori Perelman, who was awarded the Millennium Prize by the Clay Institute (USA) for proving the Poincaré conjecture, seems to have this accentuation.

If accentuation leads to genius, then is it necessary to fight it? - I think no. But in other cases, if you want to stay in the community, it makes sense to change something, to correct. The unstable-excess mental function is “treated” primarily by balancing. For "T", for example, its equivalent "S" is required. How to establish a balance between harmony of abstract mathematics and harmony of concrete-aesthetic? Just do not reach the carelessness of clothing and neglect of the body.

Another way is to pour your problem energy out. As an example of this way, the characteristic behavior of today's youth in numerous Internet communities can serve, where many of its representatives present themselves in some kind of caricature-exaggerated image that has little in common with their real “I”. In this way, they temporarily relieve stress from accentuated functions.

What is the difference between a functional profile and a subtype? Humanitarian Socionics

We live with you in the intellectual era of poststructuralism. This is a special perception, when after one structure there is another, and behind it there is a third, and so on. As a result, we obtain a diffuse and flickering picture-lore. The “post-structural” way of presenting the surrounding reality in our consciousness is still perceived by many with bewilderment or even censure. Especially those who are brought up in the traditions of mechanism and determinism of the sciences of the industrial society.

Meanwhile, we live with you in a new psychological and social reality, when the perceived picture of the world seems poorly structured, fuzzy, clip, mixed, decentralized. In international politics, this is called a multipolar or hybrid world. In socionics, this mental state reflects a multi-level concept of personality. There are at least three such layer levels — the type itself, the subtype, and the functional profile.

The functional profile is the lowest stable layer of the personality, that is, manifested in a specific behavior or solution of current tasks. This is the quantitative expression of all functions, which can be measured by skills tests and presented on a graph. For example, the function "E" can be measured by the number of adequately transmitted emotional states. Function “L” - points in tests for logical intelligence, etc. Combinations between functions can be any. In fact, this is the degree of manifestation of each function in a particular life regardless of the place they occupy in the type.

Profile is primarily evaluated by two criteria - 1) brightness and 2) clarity. Socionics would like your functional profile to be bright and clear. But in reality, it is often fuzzy, blurred. Analog, not discrete.

The same level of psyche is dealt with in the modern psychology of personality by the “big five” (Big five). This technique empirically revealed five personal factors that can be combined with each other in any proportions. In fact, this is an analog representation of the psyche. Socionics, however, goes further and takes not five, but eight factors.

But in what relation to the functional profile is the subtype?

A subtype is the most stable part of a functional profile. To select a subtype, you need to take, firstly, the three most highly developed functions, and, secondly, to make sure that these functions are also closely interconnected, working in a coordinated manner.

A subtype is a higher layer of personality because it shows how you use your functional profile when interacting with others. This stable functional complex is manifested in the characteristic behavior of a person when roles are distributed in a small group of four participants and therefore can be tested experimentally.

Summing up, I will cite the most important dichotomies that describe the levels of the psyche. Firstly, these are constant and variable levels and secondly, deep (unconscious) and superficial (conscious) levels.

Then type is a deep and constant part of personality. Subtype - deep, but variable layer. The functional profile is a variable surface layer of the psyche.

The image I - the idea of ​​a person about himself - is built on a functional profile. Accentuated function is especially well recognized. A person who is inexperienced in psychological subtleties is inclined to put I at the center of his image and consider it basic.

What three functions form a subtype in Humanitarian socionics?

A subtype is a stable part of a functional profile that changes little when retested. The core of the subtype defines three functions (2 + 1) , the proportions between which are preserved for a long time. The remaining functions are individual features or situational reactions.

What functions form the normalizing subtype? In addition to the structural logic L and the ethics of relations R, which third function enters into it - the intuition of time T or the sensation of comfort S?

The correct answer is: S is sensory comfort, as this function is related to stability. The intuition of time reflects changes and dangers, that is, the loss of a familiar state to which you have already adapted. Consequently, it is not a norm-forming character.

But I would like to remind once again how subtypes can be distinguished in Humanitarian socionics .

The first way is through special dichotomies that resemble traditional Jung ones, but are not reduced to them. First, it is the stress-contact dichotomy "distantness".

Contact types are not afraid of danger, they come into contact with the enemy, they do not keep their emotions in themselves, but they translate either into struggle (dominant) or into creative searches and non-standard actions (creative). The easiest marker - in an extreme situation, they blush, become excited, sharpen, etc. Distant types, respectively, evade danger, freeze, disguise, keep stress in themselves. In the case of a real danger, they more often turn pale and numb, rather than blush and become excited.

And, secondly, the dichotomy of orderliness "initial - terminal". Western typologies have mastered the last dichotomy, but they call it, of course, in their own way, in particular, assertiveness - turbulence. It is clear that the turbulent types correspond to our unordered.

And now we define the normal through the corresponding poles of the dichotomy. The normalizing type will be the one who leads an orderly lifestyle (both in everyday life - the world of things and in relationships) and distributes (evades, freezes, goes into itself, clings) in stress. Consequently, the normic is a distantly ordered version of the psyche type.

The second way to define a subtype is through a stable triple of functions. Here it is important that two conditions are met:

1) these functions would be strongly pronounced outside and 2) would work in a coordinated manner.

Further, in this triple of functions, select the two, which should come first. And the third function in the formula is an additional one. This is a 2 + 1 formula.

If we see that the extrovert managerial functions P and F are expressed in the functional profile of a person , then we have the right to assume that he has a dominant subtype . As an additional function is E - ethics of emotions, which gives the ability to speak and hue of hysteria.

If we find in the profile a strong pair of functions E and I , then we assume creativity . The third function here is F , it is added, indicating pugnacity and boldness, in some degree or another, inherent to the creative.

About normalizing I have already said. This subtype is primarily expressed in terms of L and S , which means tendency towards order and stability. The third function Rshows how sensitive, disturbing and doubting it is.

And harmonizing . The presence of a very sensitive T and R functions in your profile indicates the presence of this subtype , and the third function, S, additionally indicates how much your desire for harmonization is materialized (harmony of body and soul).

There is also a third way to explore the subtype - purely practical. To do this, you need to include you in a group of four people and assign you to perform a difficult task in competition mode According to the position that you occupy in the group, you can fairly confidently judge your subtype. But this is more difficult, and not only in terms of time, but also because of the inability of our people to cooperate in groups. It may happen that instead of working together we get conflicts and disassembly - the first extreme - or everyone is isolated and refuses to interact - the second extreme. That is, the group may simply not start.

The complexity of the psyche in the course of evolution increases, as the tasks and forms of his social life that are solved by man become more and more difficult. Therefore, the differentiation (detail) of the personality typology increases over time. If in antiquity, only 3-4 types were distinguished, for example, the theory of Hippocratic temperaments - Galen or the natural philosophical doctrine of the four elements, then Jung already identified eight types. Then the next step was taken. In the MBTI and in the Socionics of Aushra, the number of types has reached 16. And finally, in Humanitarian Socionics, we go first to 32, and by now to 64 types of personality. Thus, the power of typology doubles each time. And this is a natural process.

So, 64 stable variants of personality are almost separate types, because the differences between them are very large. In this sense, the word type in psychology roughly corresponds to the term "species" in biological systematics. For example, the wolf (canis lupus, other species - coyote, jackal) and dog, although they are very close animals (the difference in their DNA is minimal), but are not perceived by us as something identical.

Although at the physical level the differences within the same type are very large, but at the intellectual level (thinking style), it is possible that they are much smaller. Therefore, we could get more reliable results if we created a test for the forms of thinking.