Socionics The level of development of the function: the humanitarian dimension

1. What criteria should I take?

The topic in socionics is complex because it overlaps with many already sufficiently developed topics, for example, with the topic strong and weak points in the socionic type. Nevertheless, we understand that the level of development and the energy force or even the experience of the function do not always coincide. In the level of development, among other things, there is a certain ethical component, which implies not only superiority in efficiency, but also what can be called the “education” of a function.

The increase of the level of the function to the highest level is not achieved by any experience, but by the fulfillment of the social order from the whole of the socion and its correction through revision. Thus, in the development of the function, it is necessary to add an obligatory humanitarian component - actions for the benefit of the whole of the socion.

To begin with, we will proceed from the fact that there are two understandings of the level of development of any function. And in the first place I will put the following understanding: how do you use a function - locally (for yourself, self-centered) or globally, for others, for society as a whole, according to the mission of the type.

The levels here are: I - you - they. That is, for the first person (for yourself), for the second person (for you, that is, for loved ones) or for the third person (for them, that is, for people from the far circle). If we reduce development to only one dichotomy, then the lower level of development will have a function that works for itself, and the upper level of development for others.

Or I can formulate it like this: on the one hand, there is a primitive level — the animal, and on the other hand, the human level is spiritual. The function of the low level corresponds to the world of animals, and the high level to the human community. The human community differs from animals not in the mind, but in the mind — that is, in humanitarian values ​​and non-material culture.

In the civilizations of the West, there is the idea that “life is a journey that needs to be carefully planned” and effectively passed. This is a technical understanding of development. In non-Western civilizations, a person with his heart feels the need to justify his life. Someone - to justify before God. Someone has to justify before ancestors or before his conscience. In socionics, the uppermost level is socion, so the type develops vertically from individual egoism towards fulfilling its social mission.

Also, the level of development of the function can be interpreted already in the technical aspect as its dimension, that is, sophistication, qualification, complexity of the tasks it solves, the number of degrees of freedom it possesses.

Consider the dimension on the example of body movement. Only forward and backward - one degree of freedom. Forward and to the side (plane) - two degrees of freedom. We will add “up - down”, we will get three degrees of freedom. Three coordinates give volume. And, finally, the inward-outward movement leads to the emergence of a fourth degree of freedom. This is a volume of volume or volume. Here reflection begins - the ability to assess one’s own internal states from the point of view of the external situation.

Thus, if we take into account both criteria - the criterion “for whom” and the criterion “how”, the development of the function has four main manifestations.

1. Function developed for others (level of social mission)

2. Function developed for oneself (self-affirmation level)

3. Primitive function for others (the level of rituals, stereotypes, laws of the pack)

4. A primitive function for yourself (the level of animal stagnation).

2. Example of development levels for structural logic

Consider for example the level of intelligence as the dimension of a logical function. Here we inevitably encounter the third criterion of a developed function — the ability to interact with other functions. Therefore, the level of intelligence is associated with the training of the interaction of introverted logic L with other functions, primarily sensorics and intuition.

In total, we distinguish four levels of structural logic in the complexity of solving intellectual tasks by it.

1. Low level (aka one-dimensional intelligence): a person thinks only about the current situation. The complete dominance of concrete-sensory thinking over imagination and abstract-speculative (intuitive) thinking. Sees only individual objects and elements. With great difficulty, it captures patterns. It draws conclusions from the “Post hoc ergo propter hoc” pattern, which means “after this, therefore, for this reason”.

2. Medium level (two-dimensional intelligence): a person is capable of abstract thinking. That is, it compares, classifies, draws conclusions "if-then." Able to distinguish between the system and the individual elements of which it is composed. However, average intelligence is not able to go beyond the system in which it lives. Well trained traditional, well-established areas of knowledge, where everything is laid out on the shelves and there is no internal contradictions.

3. Intellect is above average (three-dimensional): a person is aware of how he thinks - in words, visual images or sensations, what kind of operation he performs in his mind, for example, comparison or classification. If he has a classification, then he realizes by what criterion it is produced. That is, he is able to look at the object of thinking from the outside, from the super-system.

4. High intelligence (four-dimensional): a person compares various ways of thinking or types of logic (in particular, sequential or parallel logic) among themselves and selects the most effective of them to solve the task before him.

It is also interesting to track the interaction of logic with intuition. I will make one of my future reports on the developmental levels of intuition of time - the function T, which is determined by the forecast horizon and the number of branches in the future scenario.

3. What is the development of each of the eight mental functions?

So, in the school of humanitarian socionics we will understand the level of development of functions as its balance between the dimension (the ability to solve complex tasks) and the mission (corresponding to its high purpose), as well as the efficiency of interaction with other functions.

The manifestation of a high level of function, I consider first of all what social and psychological “civilization” as opposed to primitive barbarism.

Let's start with the power sensorium F

High level: decisiveness, self-confidence, ability to take a punch, imperiousness, impressiveness, influence, grandeur, status, fighting spirit, enlightened authoritarianism, the mandate of heaven (power from God - the highest authority), generosity

Primitive level: greed, rudeness, unmotivated aggressiveness, tyranny, humiliation of the weak, animal instincts, “there is strength — mind is not necessary”, zealotry, boorishness.

Sensory Comfort S

High level: aesthetics, subtle skills, comfort, care, pleasure, tenderness, grace, agility, experience, memory.

Primitive level: philistinism, conformism, consumerism, mediocrity, idleness, laziness, hypochondria, whining, pereborchivost, satiety.

Ethics of E emotions

High level: artistry, sociability, eloquence, enthusiasm, inspiration, brightness, entertainment, expressiveness, charisma.

Primitive level: show off, false, false, scandalous, hysterical, exalted, stupid jokes, talkativeness, manipulativeness, intrigue, sudden mood swings, internal emptiness with external flatulence.

Relationship Ethics R

High level: loyalty, loyalty, honesty, conscience, kindness, trust, psychological support, self-sacrifice, respect for the traditions of their family and kind.

Primitive level: anxiety, tearfulness, pity, moralism, hypocrisy, bias, conservatism, petty touchiness, capriciousness.

Business logic P

High level: efficiency, concentration, dedication, endurance, productivity, organizational skills, the ability to defend their point of view.

Primitive level: narrowness, jam, obsession, categorical, black-and-white judgments, greed, loathing, careerism, mechanism, suspicion, fussiness.

Structural Logic L

High level: intelligence, clarity, discipline, prudence, objectivity, thoroughness, reliability, orderliness, perfectionism.

Primitive level: rigidity, pedantry, bureaucracy, formalism, digging into trifles, criticism, resonance, dullness, dullness, sluggishness.

Intuition of opportunity I

High level: curiosity, talent, courage, ingenuity, originality, the solution of non-standard problems, innovation, creativity, freedom.

Primitive level: dispersion, inconsistency, distractibility, irresponsibility, boasting, randomness, uncontrollability, familiarity, infantilism.

Intuition of time T

High level: mind, wisdom, strategy, foresight, imagination, depth, imagery, vision of the future or past, meaning of life, philosophy, psychology, archetypes, parallel or hidden world.

Primitive level: mysticism, detachment, superstition, fear, self-digging, unreasonable states of depression, apathy, depression, strange habits, eccentricities, sociopathy.

4. Results

Summing up, we summarize the information on the level of development (civilization) function. For this are three criteria, namely:

• Qualification (ability to solve complex problems of their specialization)
• Socion is higher type (sociocentrism instead of egocentrism)
• Consistency (the ability to effectively interact with other functions)

In concluding the report, I formulate a simple socionic conclusion, which concerns the influence of the level of development on your relationship: it makes sense to fully communicate only with an equal level of development, otherwise you will not be understood, misjudged and accepted in your circle.

2nd report at the 34th IIA Conference, September 18, 2018

V. V. Gulenko, School of Humanitarian Socionics