Socionics

Socionics ( _ru. соционика) is a theory of information processing that incorporates elements of Carl Jung's work on "Psychological Types", Freud's theory of the conscious and subconscious mind, and Antoni Kępiński's theory of information metabolism. It has Jung's typology in base supplemented by the idea of personality type model with all 8 information aspects (unlike Jung's 4-aspect model) and the idea of type-level interpersonal interaction ("intertype relations"). The theory was developed in the 1970s and 80s mainly by the Lithuanian researcher Aušra Augustinavičiūtė, [cite web|url=http://www.socioniko.net/ru/authors/augusta.html|title=SOCIONICS: Personality Types and Relationships|accessdate=2008-05-09] a financier and teacher of political economics. [cite web|url=http://www.spock.com/do/profiles/index/Au%C5%A1ra-Augustinavi%C4%8Di%C5%ABt%C4%97|title=spock.com|accessdate=2008-05-09] The name socionics is derived from the word "society", since Augustinavičiūtė believed that each personality type has a distinct purpose in society, which can be described and explained by socionics. [cite book | author=Седых Р. | title=Информационный психоанализ. Соционика как метапсихология|publisher=НПП Менатеп-Траст| year=1994 (In Rissian. Title can be translated as: Sedikh R. "Informational psychoanalysis. Socionics as a metapsychology") Text is available [http://www.bookap.by.ru/socionica/sedix/oglav.shtm online] .]

The central idea of socionics is that information is divided into 8 different categories ("information elements"), which a person's psyche processes using "psychological functions." Different orderings of these functions result in different ways of perceiving, processing, and producing information, which in turn result in distinct thinking patterns, values, behavior, and thus different personality types. Socionics also features a theory of intertype relations which examines the interaction of these functions among types. Socionics has thus far been developed through introspection and observation; despite describing a wide range of human behavior and interaction, it has no sufficient experimental substantiation for the present. [DeLong R. [http://www.socionics.us/philosophy/scientific_theory.shtml Socionics as a Potential Scientific Theory] ]

Jung's psychological types

Carl Jung describes four "psychological functions" that are capable of becoming conscious, but in different degrees at concrete human :Jung, C.G., Psychological Types (The Collected Works of C.G. Jung, Vol.6), 1976 (1921), ISBN 0-691-01813-8 The chapter X, " [http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Jung/types.htm General description of types] " contains descriptions of basic psychological functions and 8 major psychological types.]

* Sensation - all perceptions by means of the sense organs
* Intuition - perception by way of the unconscious, or perception of unconscious events
* Thinking (logic) - interpretation of information based on whether it is correct or incorrect
* Feeling (ethics) - interpretation of information based on its ethical aspects

Each of this functions can be in "extraverted" [Jung used notation with 'extra' [Carroll, R. T., [http://www.skepdic.com/myersb.html The Skeptic's Dictionary: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator] ] , but not 'extro'] or "introverted" form. If the "dominant" function in psychological type is extraverted - the type is extraverted, if the dominant function is introverted - the type is introverted.

Sensation and intuition are called "irrational" or "perceiving" functions, and are thus named because unlike the "rational" or "judging" functions (i.e., thinking and feeling), they deal with raw perception of reality rather than the interpretation of it. If the dominant function is rational - the type is rational, if the dominant function is irrational - the type is irrational.

Beside dominant function, there is "auxiliary" function. If dominant function is extraverted, auxiliary is introverted; and vice versa, if dominant function is introverted, auxiliary is extraverted. If dominant function is rational, auxiliary is irrational; and vice versa, if dominant function is irrational, auxiliary is rational. For example, if dominant function is extraverted intuition, then auxiliary function can be introverted thinking or introverted feeling (there are 2 types with dominant extraverted intuition).

Jung's model of psychological type has all 4 functions (but with no account taken of their extraverted/introverted forms). Jung believed, that dominant function is first by parameter of conscious, auxiliary is second, and further 3rd (or "tertiary") and "inferior" functions are going. Jung's tertiary function has the same parameters extraverted/introverted and rational/irrational as at auxiliary function, and it is another function in pair of rational or irrational functions (for example, if auxiliary function is introverted thinking, then tertiary function is introverted feeling). Inferior function has the same parameter rational/irrational as at dominant function, and other extraverted/introverted parameter, and it is another function in pair of rational or irrational functions (for example, if dominant function is extraverted intuition, then inferior function is introverted sensation).

For example, Jung's model for 2 types: extraverted intuitive-thinking (ILE, ENTP) and introverted feeling-sensory (ESI, ISFJ)

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Model A

Aušra Augustinavičiūtė developed a model of personality called "Model A", which includes "all" eight information elements, as opposed to only four information elements of Jung's model and Myers-Briggs typology. [Аугустинавичюте Аушра " [http://bookz.ru/authors/augustinavi4ute-au6ra/augustvich02/1-augustvich02.html Теория функций. Функционика.] " (In Russian) The title can be translated as "Function theory. Functionics."] Apparently, that every human (with normal psychology, i.e. not suffering from mental defects such as autism) can perceive and process information of any among eight information aspects. A function's position in Model A reflects the nature of its usage by a particular type. The following diagram is an example of the positions of the functions as expressed in Model A (numbers of functions are in "Viktor Gulenko"'s notation). Note that, although often these functions are numbered 1 to 8, this does not mean that the functions are ordinal in strength, as is the case in MBTI. Example for ILE (ENTP) type:

Nature of functions

* 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.
* 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.
* 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. 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 one's dual-seeking function to overcome the problems associated with the role function.
* Function 4 - "place of least resistance" or the painful function, 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 one's hidden agenda to overcome the problems associated with this function.
* Function 5 - "suggestive", or inspired 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 ones own devices, the suggestive function goes unnoticed.
* Function 6 - "activation", the hidden agenda or estimative 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 individuals is only aware that they are totally unaware of how to use this function.
* Function 7 - "observant" or the ignoring function, the function of personal knowledge. This is a strong 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.
* Function 8 - "demonstrative" function. This function is so deeply rooted into the psyche that one is usually not consciously aware of its existence or utilization.

Blocks of the psyche

According to Augustinavičiūtė, there are four blocks of the psyche: the ego block, the super-ego block, the id block, and the super-id block. The ego block contains the dominant (1) and creative (2) functions, the super-ego block contains the role (3) and PoLR (4) functions, the super-id block contains the suggestive (5) and activation (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"). Similarly, the functions residing within the ego and id blocks are strong functions which are expressed naturally and good, while the functions of the super-ego and super-id blocks are weak and expressed with difficulty and not infrequently incorrectly.

The 16 types in Model A

Intertype relations

The field of Intertype Relations within Socionics attempts to describe the nature of information interchange between two different people based on their socionic type.

Temperaments

There is "Viktor Gulenko"'s hypothesis of four temperaments in socionics. [cite book | author=Гуленко В. | title=Менеджмент слаженной команды. Соционика для руководителей | publisher=Астрель | year=2003 (In Rissian. Title can be translated as: Gulenko V. "Management of well co-ordinated team. Socionics for managers.") Text is available [http://bookap.by.ru/socionica/gulenco2/oglav.shtm online] ]

"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, еhere 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 E/I factor.

Methods of type identification

There are some general methods:

1) Analysis of behavior, interview (including special questionnaires), biography

2) Tests

3) Analysis of nonverbal behavior (mimic, gestures, plastique, etc.)

Socionists often use several methods when determining a personality type.

Separately, it's need to say about analysis of nonverbal behavior (also called "image method"). It's rather popular method (popularized by Aušra Augustinavičiūtė), but rarely used as basic method, more as auxiliary. It's intuitive generalization of practice mostly. It is based on analysis of impressions from nonverbal behavior of typing man and associating them with features of types. This method can use all information, not only visual, but basicaly typer amounts by this kind of information.

As exotic, there's also physiognomy method of type determing used by small subset of socionists, where type is supposed correlating whith form of nose, ears, legs or something like that. [http://www.socionics.com/advan/vi/vi.htm Sergey Ganin's "Visual Identification"] method is combination of physiognomy and image methods.

Cultural influence

Socionics originated in Vilnius and has developed extensively in the former Soviet Union in the past 30 years. In the Russian-speaking world (primarily Russia and Ukraine, but also the Baltic States, Central Asia, and Russian communities abroad) socionics has grown significantly in popularity, and is now a topic of discussion among large numbers of amateurs, as well as a group of a few hundred professionals. Clubs for socializing, theoretical discussion, exchange of experience, and other activity exist in many large cities across the former USSR. A couple journals exist, as well as a number of organizations which periodically hold conferences in Kiev, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities.

In the West, however, socionics exists as little more than an internet phenomenon due to its novelty, relative obscurity and a competition with Myers-Briggs's typology. It was first introduced in English on the Internet in the mid 90s when Russian socionist Sergei Ganin created [http://www.socionics.com socionics.com] . Although there do exist English discussion forums where some discussion of the theoretical and practical aspects of socionics does occur, little information about Socionics has dispersed beyond them. Little or no research on socionics has been published in English-language scientific journals. American-born socionist, Rick DeLong recently launched [http://www.socionics.us socionics.us] and [http://www.wikisocion.org/en/ Wikisocion] .

ee also

* Carl Jung
* Analytical Psychology
* Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
* Keirsey Temperament Sorter
* Jungian Type Index
* Jung Type Indicator
* Interpersonal compatibility

References

External links

Informational resources

* http://www.socioniko.net/en/index.html (Multilingual Socionic Site)
* http://www.socionics.us
* http://www.wikisocion.org/en/ (The Free Encyclopedia of Socionics)
* http://www.socionics.com
* http://www.socionics.ibc.com.ua (International Institute of Socionics)
* http://www.definitive-socionics.info
* http://www.socionika.com (collection of some notes)

ocionic forums, blogs, communities

* http://www.the16types.info/vbulletin/
* http://www.socionicsworkshop.com/discussion/
* http://forum.socionix.com
* http://www.socionics.com/forums/
* http://socionist.blogspot.com
* http://www.socionics.us/philosophy/community.shtml

Dating sites

* http://www.sociolove.com
* http://www.socionicsdating.com
* http://www.typetango.com (Myers-Briggs)

Tests

* http://www.socionics.us/tests.shtml (by Rick DeLong)
* http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp (by HumanMetrics)
* http://spt.skeletus.com/eng/ (Skeletus Personality Test)
* http://www.socionics.com/sta/sta-1-r.html (by Sergei Ganin)
* http://www.41q.com ("41 Questions")
* http://www.neurocareusa.com/GWtest/gwtest.html (by Horace Gray, Joseph Wheelwright and Robert Winer)
* http://www.mypersonality.info/personality-types/ (by MyPersonality)
* http://www.personalitytest.net/types/index.htm (by Personality Test Center)
* http://www.king.igs.net/~rogersk/psychtst.htm (test at "Shrinkwhere")
* http://similarminds.com/jung.html (by SimilarMinds)
* http://www.kisa.ca/personality/ (test at kisa.ca)
* http://www.eggheadcafe.com/articles/mb/default.asp (by Peter Bromberg)
* http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/whatamilike/index.shtml (by BBC)
* http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/mmdi-re/mmdi-re.htm (Mental Muscle Diagram Indicator)
* http://www.socioniko.net/en/1.1.types/test.html#oldtest (short test by Dmitri Lytov and Marianna Lytova)
* http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html (by Ross Reinhold)
* http://4np.net/ddli/ (by Terence Duniho and Fergus Duniho, [http://www.ling.rochester.edu/~duniho/ddli/index.html description] )
* http://tap3x.net/indicators/5level2b.html (by John Fudjack and Patricia Dinkelaker)
* http://www.lovetype.com/quiz.html (by Alexander Avila) [*]
* http://russellrowe.com/Myers-Briggs%20Typology%20System.htm (by Russell Rowe) [*] [* - manual calculation of result]

Types of famous people

* http://www.socioniko.net/en/celebr/index.html - Dmitri Lytov, Marianna Lytova
* http://socionics.us/celebrities.shtml - Rick DeLong
* http://socionics.com/advan/famous.htm - Sergei Ganin
* http://socion2.narod.ru/celsoclists_en.htm - Sol
* http://celebritytypes.tripod.com - econdude
* http://keirsey.com - David Keirsey [*]
* http://www.typelogic.com - Joe Butt, Marina Heiss [*]
* http://www.mypersonality.info/personality-types/famous-people/ [*]
* http://www.knowyourtype.com/famous.html [*]
* http://www.typetango.com [*] [* - typology similar to socionics]