Written by Sophia | Axiom
Based on Aushra Augusta’s work
This introduction and the works cited in it make a variety of claims regarding the functioning of the human psyche, as well as the resulting patterns of communication on both interpersonal and societal levels. These claims should not be taken as fact. Socionics is an experimental and currently unproven theory, and one should use their own discretion to decide how much of it, if anything, they wish to subscribe to.
The theory of socionics was created by a Lithuanian economist Aushra Augustinavichute, Augusta for short (1927-2005). Having been a translator of Augusta’s work into English for years, I full-heartedly believe that her writing contains a lot of information necessary for an in-depth understanding of socionics as a system. However, there is a problem: many of Augusta’s works are not beginner-friendly, and those that are (such as On the Dual Nature of Humanity, also known as The Dual Nature of Man) do not cover a lot of important concepts that her later, more complex works do. Moreover, much of the information about these concepts is scattered across different pieces of writing, making it difficult to find. Finally, some ideas are never elaborated on or properly introduced to begin with, often because they were still in development at the time of writing.
In this write-up I will attempt to rectify these issues and introduce readers to the fundamentals of socionics gradually. I will aim to make it thorough but easy to understand even for those who have no pre-existing knowledge of socionics, information metabolism or Jung. And, most importantly, the introduction will be based on Augusta’s work: I will include her own explanations and definitions, providing context for them if necessary, and in my own writing I will do my best to avoid deviating from what I have read from her. I will also link my translations of Augusta’s lengthier pieces of writing in appropriate places, and I strongly recommend you to read the contents of the link whenever you encounter one.
Before you read the main body of the introduction, please note that the validity of socionics remains to be proven, but for the purposes of this work I will operate under the assumption that it is valid to simplify my explanations. My goal is not to present socionics as fact, but to give a comprehensive overview of it as it is outlined by its creator. If you see me assert something, take it as “this is true if Augusta’s theory of socionics accurately reflects life” rather than “this is factually true”, as I do not consider myself qualified to confidently claim the latter (see disclaimer at the top of this page).
Index
1. What is Socionics?
2. Information Metabolism Elements
3. Ego Block
4. Model A
5. Blocks and Functions
6. Intertype Relations
7. Miscellaneous
List of Augusta’s works
1. What is Socionics?
Socionics is a psychological theory proposing that different people process information in fundamentally different ways. According to socionics, each person belongs to a specific type that determines this way of processing information, and each type has its own strengths, weaknesses and blind spots.
…human psyche uses different ways of processing information. There are sixteen such ways, and each individual person masters only one of them. Together they form a unified system thanks to which man was able to become man and build everything we call “culture” today. A single way of processing information, or information metabolism, is unproductive. Even if we take a very large number of people with the same type of IM [information metabolism], this kind of social group will function sluggishly and will not be able to tackle even the simplest life problems. Humanity’s strength is in the diversity of its intelligence – the existence of the sixteen types of IM.
Aushra Augusta, Socion, or The Foundations of Socionics
The concept of information metabolism (IM) comes from the work of a Polish psychiatrist Antoni Kepinski (1918-1972), who defined it as “the exchange of signals with the environment, i.e. receiving stimuli from the environment and responding to them” [A. Kepinski, Psychopathology of Neuroses]. This is meant to parallel energy metabolism (EM) – the process of generating energy from nutrients, although the definition of EM used by Kepinski (and subsequently Augusta) also seemed to include the process of expending energy on obtaining these nutrients from the environment. In other words, while energy metabolism is the exchange of energy with the environment, information metabolism is the exchange of information, which includes its processing by the human mind.
New stimuli constantly affect the organism, and under their influence new reactions constantly happen in the organism. These reactions become signals that are sent into the environment. […]
Just as only certain forms of the environment’s energy can be used and transformed in an idiosyncratic way by a given organism, so too only certain signals from the environment are accentuated by the organism and stacked in a specific way created by this organism, leading to specific experiences and specific forms of reaction. […]
The organism must be constantly provided with new signals from the external world, and it must constantly produce new forms of reactions. However, in this constant variability of information metabolism the organism cannot go beyond its specific structure. The received and sent signals must be new, but not completely new: they cannot transgress the specific structure of a given organism. Just as each organism builds its own specific protein, so too it builds its own specific forms out of incoming signals. In the external world these forms manifest as signals sent to the environment. Everything that does not fit the structure is not accepted at all and does not appear in the organism.
Antoni Kepinski, Psychopathology of Neuroses
Note: the structure Kepinski refers to does not seem to be the same thing as socionic type, even though they are most likely connected. In particular, Kepinski describes his structure as constantly changing, stating that “each external signal … changes the structure of signal metabolism in some way, simultaneously enriching it“, but that the signals “must, to a degree, fit this structure” in order to be accepted. What I consider the most important takeaway from all this is the idea that the way we perceive information is dependent on something internal, and that this internal structure prevents certain informational signals from reaching us. This idea is at the core of socionics, as you will see later.
According to the information theory, each system only accepts the information that is adequate to itself. This means it only accepts the kinds of signals it itself can produce. A portion of the signals is perceived with more conscious awareness, and when the individual produces those same signals, it is done more consciously as well. For example, someone who does not notice their own tone of voice when speaking will also pay no attention to other people’s tone.
Aushra Augusta, The Model of Information Metabolism
If you are interested in learning more about information metabolism, on this page I compiled my translations of several fragments from Kepinski’s works discussing it.
Augusta combined Kepinski’s theory of IM with a personality system developed by Carl Gustav Jung, which divided people into sixteen psychological types. She proposed that what really differs the sixteen types is that they perceive the same information with different levels of differentiation and awareness [2], which leads to them expressing themselves in different ways.
To the reader I offer a typology that was created by Carl Gustav Jung and slightly improved by me using A. Kepinski’s theory of information metabolism. This typology makes it possible to view each individual as a bearer of a specific social function, which is determined by the type of their personality, or intelligence. The type of intelligence determines how the individual perceives information from the external world, and the kind of selection they subject this information to. This conditions their ability to give attention to different aspects of external life: the individual’s interests, aspirations, the direction of their behavior and attitude towards other people.
Aushra Augusta, The Model of Information Metabolism
Jung’s psychic types are the types of cognition, or intelligence. But it would probably be easiest to call them types of IM, since the main difference between the types of people lies in their exchange of information with the external world.
Aushra Augusta, Commentary on Jung’s Typology and Introduction to Information Metabolism
This difference in cognition and perception is one of the reasons why people may have different motivations and intentions behind the same words and actions, and why “the same words and intonations can tell different people different things” [2]. Augusta considered this to be the main source of conflicts between individuals belonging to different types of IM, with some types being more favorable than others in terms of communication for any given type. For example, in her paper On the Dual Nature of Humanity Augusta wrote that as a result of their type some people “express their thoughts in a way that is obscure and unacceptable to us” [1].
The same words mean different things when coming from different types of IM. Let us look at the simplest word “no,” said with the same intonation and in the same situation. From one person it means irrevocable determination. The other says “no” because they think saying something else in this situation would be impolite. The third wants to scan the situation, check their interlocutor’s intentions. The fourth would get offended if no one argues with them after they said this word, etc. This is type-related! Not to mention that there are also differences caused by social status, upbringing, temperament, etc.
Aushra Augusta, Socion, or The Foundations of Socionics
After having been in the same situation, different personality types remember different things. Each gives a different account in different words, accompanies it with different facial expressions, emphasizes different moments of the incident. The reason why we find one person pleasant and likeable and another unpleasant and tiring is in the speech patterns they use to express their thoughts, and in the facial expressions, gestures and intonations that accompany it. When one person hurts the other’s feelings, it is not so much their actions that lead to it, but rather the way they explain these actions and the motivations they put forth. This is why we forgive one person and do not forgive another for the same thing.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
What one type of IM calls “love”, what makes them feel loved and respected, another type may consider evidence of a lack of feelings.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
As was mentioned before, each type has weaknesses and blind spots. Therefore, in order to thrive each person needs to receive the missing information from other people, and this information needs to be presented in a form that allows the person in question to grasp it naturally and comfortably. Augusta believed that the sixteen types can be divided into eight dyads and that the types in each dyad have complementary ways of processing and sharing information, which makes them able to fulfill this need for each other just by communicating in ways that are natural to them. Such types are called duals, and in terms of information transfer they are optimal for each other.
There are 16 types of IM in total. Different types are better at selecting different signals from their environment, and they are absent-minded and forgetful about different things. What is available to some types is unavailable to others. How did these types come into being? Apparently, during the long journey of human development the personality psyche became specialized and simultaneously somewhat one-sided. Certain pairs of competing psychological attributes were formed: if one of them develops strongly during childhood, the growth of the other is inhibited. Because of this the psychic structure and personality of each individual is asymmetric and one-sided. Humans are social creatures … because, due to the one-sided development of their psyche, each person needs psychological complementation, which they receive in their social environment as they communicate and cooperate with the people whose psychic structure is different.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
Here you can read Augusta’s description of duality in more detail. Most of it should be easy to understand, and even though it does mention a couple of concepts you might not yet be familiar with, the mentions are fairly brief. As for our introductory section, I believe by now you must have an overall idea of what socionics is, which means we can start looking at its actual content.
2. Information Metabolism Elements
At the basis of socionic type (or sociotype) lies a phenomenon originally described by C.G. Jung in his book Psychological Types. In the book Jung calls this phenomenon a psychological function, but now people are more likely to use the term cognitive function.
By a psychological function I mean a particular form of psychic activity that remains the same in principle under varying conditions. […] I distinguish four basic functions in all, two rational and two irrational: thinking and feeling, sensation and intuition. I can give no a priori reason for selecting these four as basic functions, and can only point out that this conception has shaped itself out of many years’ experience. I distinguish these functions from one another because they cannot be related or reduced to one another.
C.G. Jung, Psychological Types
In addition, each of these functions can have an extraverted or an introverted attitude. Augusta combined this concept with Kepinski’s information metabolism, believing that Jung’s functions are directly related to the way our psyche processes information (in one of her articles she called Jung’s discovery “a mechanism of selection of signals perceived by the psyche” [12]).
It turns out that the human psyche divides the surrounding world into certain components, or aspects. Each type of personality receives very differentiated information about one of these aspects, and they are very conscious of this information. At the same time, their perception of information about other aspects is undifferentiated, compressed. […] To fulfill their own needs the individual needs to have an idea about the entire surrounding reality. In their service of society people cooperate. According to our current understanding, the mechanism of this cooperation is relatively simple: individual aspects of the world are reflected in the brain with different degrees of differentiation and awareness. Some aspects are only used by the individual themself; information about the other aspects is transmitted to society by the individual. The former are reflected in a relatively general way, remembered as images, experience and skills. The latter are perceived in a differentiated way, with more precision that allows the individual to consciously comprehend the information and verbally share it.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
In Augusta’s view, psychological functions described by Jung correspond to these aspects. For socionics she replaced the term “functions” with information metabolism elements (IMEs or just elements for short), with each Jungian function corresponding to two of them (for example, Jungian sensation, which can have an extraverted or introverted attitude, in socionics becomes two IMEs – extraverted sensation and introverted sensation). Each IME is our mental reflection of the corresponding aspect, a “quality of the psyche through which the individual receives information about the given aspect of the world” [1].
[Jung] referred to the individual elements (functions) as “functions with an extraverted attitude” and “functions with an introverted attitude”. Four functions with an extraverted attitude and four with an introverted attitude result in a total of eight. This is why we always speak of the eight elements, not four as Jung did.
Aushra Augusta, Commentary on Jung’s Typology and Introduction to Information Metabolism
Another change in the terminology was the renaming of thinking to logic and feeling to ethics.
We do not assert that our terms are perfect and could not be replaced with anything more fitting, but they are more accurate than Jung’s. For example, when C.G. Jung counterposes the thinking types to the feeling types, it gives the impression that the former “think” and the latter “live by emotions”. However, in actuality they both think, but they think about different things: the former think about the objective in the surrounding world, and the latter – about the subjective. Because of this, if we say of the latter: “their thinking is predominantly ethical”, it will not sound as nonsensical as if we said: “their thinking is predominantly emotional”.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
Augusta assigned a special symbol to each of the eight information metabolism elements; these symbols are a common way to represent them in socionic diagrams. Since the proper names of the IMEs are quite long, in English people usually refer to them with special codes consisting of two letters. The first capital letter indicates the element’s domain: N for iNtuition, S for Sensation, T for logic (Thinking) and F for ethics (Feeling). The second lowercase letter indicates whether the element is extraverted or introverted.
Note: the usage of T and F is counter-intuitive, since the correct socionic terms are “logic” and “ethics” rather than “thinking” and “feeling”. The two-letter codes are originally from another Jung-based typology called MBTI, and because MBTI does retain the terms “thinking” and “feeling”, the codes reflect that. Most English-speaking typology communities learned of MBTI before socionics, and when they transitioned to socionics, they kept using the codes they grew accustomed to.
Below I provide definitions of the elements from two different sources, along with the symbols assigned to each element. There is a third, more in-depth set of definitions too, which can be read here.
Extraverted Intuition (Ne)
Potential energy. Through this element the individual receives information about the potential energy of the observed object and subject, their physical and mental abilities.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
The object’s content. The object’s potential energy, internal content and structure, internal capabilities. The program embedded in the object. Any concrete abilities of a person. What Karl Marx called “labour power”, i.e. the aggregate of the individual’s physical and mental capabilities.
A sense of whether hidden internal abilities and capabilities are present. This sense makes it possible to tell whether an object or phenomenon is permanent or short-lived.
Aushra Augusta, The Meaning of Symbols Used in Socionics
Note: Karl Marx introduced the concept of “labour power” in his work Capital (vol. 1, ch. 6), as follows: “By labour-power or capacity for labour is to be understood the aggregate of those mental and physical capabilities existing in a human being, which he exercises whenever he produces a use-value of any description. […] Labour-power, however, becomes a reality only by its exercise; it sets itself in action only by working.”
Introverted Intuition (Ni)
Relations between processes that happen in sequence – time. Through this element the individual receives information about the temporal relations between processes, events and actions, about whether there is time left, and whether the future is dangerous or safe.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
Time. Both objective time and the object’s subjective time. The duration of the object’s functioning or existence, which is determined by its potential energy and the expenditure of this energy per unit of time. The object’s external situation among other objects, i.e. its situation in time. Time intervals between events, the duration of specific events, the sequence of events and processes, their rhythm in time, quickness and slowness. All of this applies to external as well as internal processes.
A sense of whether something is timely, of hurry or lack thereof, etc. A sense of where the current events are positioned in time relative to other events.
Aushra Augusta, The Meaning of Symbols Used in Socionics
Extraverted Sensation (Se)
Kinetic energy. Through this element the individual receives information about the mobilization, willpower, strength and beauty of the observed objects and subjects.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
The object’s form. The object’s kinetic energy, its readiness to expend its energy. Its external qualities – color, outline, smoothness or roughness of its surface. External mobilization. A person’s will, their ability and readiness to use their will on themself and others.
A sense of whether the object is ready to exercise its will, to show its strength, whether the object is aesthetic.
Aushra Augusta, The Meaning of Symbols Used in Socionics
Introverted Sensation (Si)
Relations between processes that happen at the same time – space. Through this element the individual receives information about the qualities of the space, i.e. what happens in it and how people in this space feel.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
Note: In my translations of Augusta’s definitions of Si, the phrase “how the person feels”, as well as the word “state”, are both an adaptation of the Russian word “самочувствие”. This word is not fully translatable and is defined as “a general mental indicator of the physical and spiritual state of the individual at any given moment; consists of specific sensations and general feelings”.
State. The internal situation of the object among other objects, the way other objects affect the object’s state and are reflected in this state. You could call it a “revebration” of the space within the object. The state is conditioned by both external and internal processes.
A sense of whether something is pleasant, and of physical and aesthetic satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
Aushra Augusta, The Meaning of Symbols Used in Socionics
Extraverted Logic (Te)
The use of kinetic energy. Through this element the individual receives information about the activity of the object and subject, and their ability to work.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
External movements. Event, fact, action, change of position in space. External manifestation of the process, the form it takes. The object’s movement in space, and all other forms of external movement of objects.
A sense of whether an action is logical, and whether something that is happening can be resisted.
Aushra Augusta, The Meaning of Symbols Used in Socionics
Introverted Logic (Ti)
Objective relations between two objects and their individual properties – the ratio between them, or how one object would measure if the other object was used as a measure. Through this element the individual receives information about the objective ratio between the objects, about their weight, size, value and any other properties that are commensurate.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
Space, distance in space. Distance between objects, position in space or among other objects, hierarchy. A system as an aggregate of distances that have been established intentionally or accidentally. A system of objective, law-bound relations in nature and society. A person’s objective needs, i.e. a system of relations with various objects (starting with food) that this person needs to have. All distances are a result of external movements.
A sense of whether something is logical or reasonable.
Aushra Augusta, The Meaning of Symbols Used in Socionics
Extraverted Ethics (Fe)
Transformation of potential energy into kinetic energy. Through this element the individual receives information about the object’s excitation and excitability, and people’s moods and emotions.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
Internal processes. Internal processes that are hidden from view, often revealing themselves through sounds that come from within the object, or through the object changing its appearance (e.g. reddening of the face). For people this ranges from emotional experiences to digestion. Emotional states, moods, excitation, depression.
A sense of whether inner impulses are ethical, and whether it is possible to change something that is happening within oneself or another object.
Aushra Augusta, The Meaning of Symbols Used in Socionics
Introverted Ethics (Fi)
Subjective relation between two objects or subjects – attraction and repulsion. Through this element the individual receives information about the attractive or repulsive force of the objects and subjects, about whether they need each other, about likes and dislikes, love and hatred.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
Attractive force of objects, attraction. This can be called “subjective distance” between objects. When it comes to people, one example of this is love and hatred. The one you love is close even at a great distance, and the one you hate is far even if they are in your proximity.
A sense of whether relationships are ethical, of a person’s kindness or bad qualities, a feeling of desire or unwillingness, etc.
Aushra Augusta, The Meaning of Symbols Used in Socionics
Information metabolism elements can be described by three major dichotomies (binary traits that divide the IMEs into two mutually exclusive groups). One such dichotomy is extraversion-introversion; extraverted elements cover information about the objects and their activity, while introverted elements cover information about the objects’ relations and interdependence [2, 4]. Extraverted information is pertaining to a singular object, while introverted information involves at least two.
Note: the term “object” in this context means any entity that can be distinguished from other entites. For example, it can be a rock, an animal, a person, a clothing item, or even a specific idea or concept.
Another dichotomy is rational-irrational and it is also based on Jung’s original work. He defined it in the following way:
RATIONAL. The rational is the reasonable, that which accords with reason. I conceive reason as an attitude (q.v.) whose principle it is to conform thought, feeling, and action to objective values. Objective values are established by the everyday experience of external facts on the one hand, and of inner, psychological facts on the other. […] Most objective values—and reason itself—are firmly established complexes of ideas handed down through the ages.
C.G. Jung, Psychological Types
IRRATIONAL. I use this term not as denoting something contrary to reason, but something beyond reason, something, therefore, not grounded on reason. Elementary facts come into this category; the fact, for example, that the earth has a moon, that chlorine is an element, that water reaches its greatest density at four degrees centigrade, etc. Another irrational fact is chance, even though it may be possible to demonstrate a rational causation after the event.
C.G. Jung, Psychological Types
Jung’s rational functions also get called judging, and the irrational ones get called perceiving. However, Augusta disagreed with this distinction, stating:
Jung divided all functions into rational, judging (thinking, feeling) and irrational, perceiving (sensation, intuition). When we tested it, it turned out that all information metabolism elements, be they rational or irrational, … “perceive” as well as “judge”, and which activity outweighs the other depends only on the position occupied by the element…
Aushra Augusta, Commentary on Jung’s Typology and Introduction to Information Metabolism
Unfortunately, I could not find Augusta’s own definition of this dichotomy. Based on my reading of her materials, I would define it in the following way: irrational elements (sensation and intuition) cover information about what the objects are and how their existence and state depend on each other, while rational elements (logic and ethics) cover information about what the objects do, how they change, and how they compare and relate to each other.
Finally, the third major dichotomy is static-dynamic, and, once again, Augusta did not provide a straightforward definition I could quote. Here is my own: dynamic elements (Si, Ni, Te and Fe) cover information about everything that is characterized by a change, an interaction, or a movement, while static elements (Se, Ne, Ti and Fi) cover the kind of information that is unchanging – either “outside of time”, or “frozen in time”, the “state of affairs” in any given moment. The table below illustrates all three of the element dichotomies.
3. Ego Block
Each IME occupies its own unique position in our psyche, and the nature of this position determines our perception of and relationship with the information about the corresponding aspect. For example, it determines how detailed the information is, whether we are consciously aware of it or not, how confident we are in our usage of this information, how we prefer to discuss it with others, and whether we tend to synthesize new information of the same nature.
The positions occupied by the IMEs are called functions. There are eight of them, one for each IME, and together they form what is known as model A (A for Augusta). You can visualize model A as a box with eight empty sections (functions). You place your eight items (IMEs) in this box, one item per section, and after you are done there are no empty sections or unplaced items left. However, there is a caveat – the items must be placed in accordance with certain rules, which limits the number of possible combinations to sixteen. This is exactly how the sixteen types of information metabolism are formed.
In the next section we will examine the structure of model A in more detail, but for now let us focus on two functions out of eight – the leading (or base) and the creative. These two functions form the individual’s Ego block, or simply Ego. Each combination of the leading and the creative is unique, so knowing someone’s Ego is enough to determine their type.
Note: the other six functions are separated into three more blocks, which we will talk about in section 5.
The individual is conscious of the information covered by their Ego while also having a very nuanced, in-depth understanding of it [2, 5, 11]. It is the information we can work with most effectively, which is why the Ego largely determines the way we approach various problems and challenges.
The Ego block is socially demonstrative and autonomous, i.e. fully independent and creative. It is the individual’s creative self-realization, a means of consciously influencing the external world.
The Ego block demands the level of recognition which is adequate to its own self-evaluation. It is the block of in-depth study of one of the external world’s aspects, and complete identification with the chosen objects or relations within this aspect. The block of the most intellectual feelings and sensations.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of IEE
[In their realization of the Ego block] the individual is bold and fearless. They always know and are certain that they can find a solution, and they even like difficult situations. The individual achieves a lot on their Ego because this is where their conscious will is realized.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of SLI
Before I said that all eight functions are unique. Despite being in the same block, the leading and the creative also have a number of differences, which is why it is important to examine them individually. For this I will again turn to Augusta herself.
The first element of the leading Ego block [leading] seems to match what German psychologist O. Selz called “reproductive thinking” in the 1920s, while the second element [creative] matches what he called “productive thinking”. With reproductive thinking the individual reproduces previously received information and uses it in new conditions. This form of thinking broadens the individual’s knowledge about the application of information they have acquired. The essence of productive thinking is in producing information that is completely new for the subject themself. The result of such thinking provides the individual with something they did not know before.
One might wonder why the first, most developed function, which we will call “accepting”, matches reproductive rather than productive thinking. This is because the most important thing for a living being is to not lose its contact with objective reality. If information received by the first, accepting function was not exceptionally stable and objective, the individual would not have enough competence to ensure quality control of the next function’s product.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
The [leading] function is the one the individual is most consciously aware of. The element that fulfils this function occupies a special place in the psyche. It is used creatively, and its usage is always accompanied by a noticeable sense of satisfaction. Everything related to the functioning of this element is controlled by the consciousness. If I took a specific action, arrived at a particular conclusion, or had a certain thought, it means that there was a good reason for it, that behaving differently in this situation would be wrong, unjustified, groundless. People are never shy about anything caused by their [leading], reproductive function. In this area the individual can still argue, agree with others, or make concessions, but they never feel uncomfortable, constrained or humiliated. The [leading] function is self-sufficient and creative, it does not depend on other people’s pressuring. It is always open to any new objective arguments, but never makes concessions solely based on others’ desires or perceptions. It tends to give directives and take a leadership role, and is not at all inclined to accept unconvincing or unclear instructions. It is similar to this expression: “I either teach, or learn myself”. At the same time, if others’ perception of something related to the individual’s [leading] function is different or incorrect, the individual may find it surprising or even funny, but it does not cause anger or outrage. Freedom of thought and action is recognized for everyone.
The [creative] function is more creative, less balanced, more interested in prestige, more prone to working “for the audience”. People are never shy about it, but there is a noticeable tendency to “show off”, to “shine”, to use it as a universal tool. Quite often the creative function is even somewhat speculative or coquettish. There is a desire to attract attention, to show one’s strength and abilities, to surprise and amaze. This seems to be linked to the fact that, while the [leading] function is utilized to connect with the objective world, the [creative] function is intended to create something new for one’s own and others’ benefit, something that is meant to attract, amaze and bring joy. These creations are the individual’s conclusions, decisions and artistic works, and they require a positive evaluation.
In this area we see a striving for pronounced independence. We see stubbornness, intransigence, and less acceptance of alternative viewpoints than the [leading] function shows. There is less humor in relation to the “opponents” (those who have different views and are acting in “incorrect” ways), and more of a tendency to challenge them. Evaluations such as “good – bad”, “intelligent – stupid”, “honest – dishonest”, “beautiful – ugly” are all labels that are selected based on the content or specialization of the evaluating individual’s [creative] function. Interestingly, each individual usually evaluates one, and only one, of other people’s qualities.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
Note: by “evaluating one, and only one, of other people’s qualities” Augusta probably meant that there is only one primary quality by which people tend to evaluate others, and what exactly this quality is is conditioned by the creative.
The leading and the creative share the static-dynamic dichotomy, but they do not share extraverted-introverted and rational-irrational. Let us look at Ne as an example; Ne is static, extraverted and irrational. This means that if someone is Ne leading, their creative must be static, introverted and rational. Only two elements, Ti and Fi, fit this criteria, resulting in two Ne leading sociotypes: Ne-Ti and Ne-Fi. For the same reason there are also two sociotypes with Ne as the creative: Ti-Ne and Fi-Ne. In fact, for each function-element combination there are precisely two types that have it. This is why there are sixteen sociotypes: for each of the eight IMEs there are two types with it as the leading, two with it as the creative, and so on.
The way the types are usually called in socionics is based on the type’s leading and creative functions. It consists of three words which are as follows:
- Adjective based on the domain of the leading function: intuitive, sensoric, logical or ethical;
- Adjective based on the domain of the creative function;
- Noun based on the vertness of the leading function: extravert or introvert.
For example, the Ne-Ti type would be called intuitive logical extravert, or ILE for short; the Fi-Se type would be called ethical sensoric introvert, or ESI for short; and so on.
If you know the name of type, you can easily identify its leading and creative. Let us look at the LSE type as an example; the first and second letter are L and S, which means the LSE is leading in logic and creative in sensation. The third letter is E, so we know their leading is extraverted, which also means their creative is introverted based on the rules I outlined above. This leaves us with only one option for what the LSE’s Ego block could be: Te-Si.
Below is a table that shows the shortened names of all types along with their respective leading and creative functions.
| ILE | SEI | LII | ESE | IEI | SLE | EIE | LSI | ILI | SEE | LIE | ESI | IEE | SLI | EII | LSE | |
| Leading | Ne | Si | Ti | Fe | Ni | Se | Fe | Ti | Ni | Se | Te | Fi | Ne | Si | Fi | Te |
| Creative | Ti | Fe | Ne | Si | Fe | Ti | Ni | Se | Te | Fi | Ni | Se | Fi | Te | Ne | Si |
Note: because ethical and extravert share their first letter, as do intuitive and introvert, at first this naming convention may feel confusing. Just remember that if the letter comes first or second, it refers to the domain, and if it comes third, it refers to vertness.
Before I talked about static-dynamic, extraverted-introverted and rational-irrational as element dichotomies, but they also apply to types themselves. The group the type falls into is determined by its leading function: for example, ILE is an irrational extraverted static type, IEI is an irrational introverted dynamic type, ESI is a rational introverted static type, and so on. Here I recommend you to take a break from this introduction and read Augusta’s descriptions of static-dynamic, extraverted-introverted, and rational-irrational type dichotomies.
Note: Augusta usually used the terms “schizothyme” and “cyclothyme” instead of (respectively) “rational type” and “irrational type”. These terms are based on the book of a German psychiatrist Ernst Kretschmer (1888-1964) Physique and Character, and refer to two distinct temperaments. Augusta believed there is a direct connection between Kretschmer’s and Jung’s systems, and that schizothymes are rational types while cyclothymes are irrational [12].
Another unusual pair of terms present in Augusta’s works is “extrathyme” and “introthyme”, which mean the same thing as “extravert” and “introvert”, and sometimes get incorrectly translated as “extratim” and “introtim”. These terms are based on “schizothyme” and “cyclothyme”, and Augusta believed them to be more appropriate because, to quote, “the terms ‘extravert’ and ‘introvert’ became ambiguous after the works of Eysenck, whose tests inspired a trend to call every sociable person an extravert and every withdrawn person an introvert” [1]. Hans Eysenck (1916-1997) was a British psychologist who, in his 1947 book Dimensions of Personality, proposed that extraversion and introversion exist on a scale, and the individual’s position on this scale is determined by the degree to which they seek social interactions and stimulation. This, in Eysenck’s view, is based on biological differences: extraverts have a naturally low level of cortical arousal and so seek to increase it, while the opposite is true for introverts. Eysenck’s hypothesis informs the way people usually understand extraversion and introversion today, but the socionic extraversion-introversion dichotomy is a different concept and does not always correlate with Eysenck’s scale.
There are more dichotomies that apply to types, however. Because of the way type is constructed all types necessary have one irrational and one rational element in their Ego; the rational element determines whether the type is logical or ethical, and the irrational one – whether it is sensoric or intuitive. For example, ILI is intuitive and logical while ESE is sensoric and ethical. Like with the other three dichotomies, there are Augusta’s descriptions of sensoric-intuitive and logical-ethical that I encourage you to read for yourself.
In the first section we established that there are pairs of types, called duals, whose thinking naturally complements each other. Sensation complements intuition, logic complements ethics, extraversion complements introversion and static thinking complements dynamic thinking, so these are all the dichotomies duals do not share (they do, however, share the rational-irrational dichotomy) [1]. For example, the EIE type is intuitive, ethical, extraverted and dynamic, which means their dual must be sensoric, logical, introverted and static. Only the LSI fits this description.
Human psyche is asymmetric. No one can be simultaneously extraverted and introverted, sensoric and intuitive, logical and ethical, have their inductive and deductive thinking developed equally well. However, even in regular life it is hard to get by without all these qualities.
An extrathyme needs an introthyme, an inductive type needs a deductive type, etc. A relation between the two types where all these properties complement each other we call dual relations, complementary relations, or duality. A human being is a creature that requires a pair not only physiologically, but psychologically as well. Everyone needs a dual who is close to them, be it their father, mother, brother, sister, spouse, colleague.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
Note: in this context inductive most likely means static, and deductive – dynamic.
Here are all the dual pairs, or dyads:
ILE-SEI IEI-SLE ILI-SEE IEE-SLI
LII-ESE EIE-LSI LIE-ESI EII-LSE
4. Model A
In this section we will examine the way model A is structured, which is based on the idea of information flow.
Augusta believed that, rather than being completely independent, the functions are connected into two rings, with the information flowing between the functions of each ring in a predetermined direction [2]. This means that, in addition to the external information, each function also receives some observations or conclusions from the function that comes before it in the ring. Below is a basic illustration of the way this looks.
The ring containing the Ego block is called active or mental. We are consciously aware of the information we receive through the elements of our mental ring, and because of this we can put it to words. The same cannot be said about the information from the other ring, called passive or vital. We can still use this information for our own needs, but we are not consciously aware of it and cannot convey it to others verbally.
Not all signals received and sent by the organism reach its consciousness. There are stimuli that fall below the threshold of sensitivity, that are assimilated by the nervous system but do not activate it to such an extent that it would cause a reaction of the consciousness, even though these stimuli still influence the organism’s activity in some way. There are also signals that the organism forms and transmits to the environment automatically, without it being noted by the consciousness, because due to constant repetition and reinforcement these signals only activate the part of the signaling system that is needed for the realization of this specific function; thus they remain beyond consciousness.
Antoni Kepinski, Melancholy
The active ring comprehends the information, moves it from the first to the second signal system, and shares it with other members of society. The outputted information is controlled. Apart from rare cases of pathology, the individual says and shows only what they want to say and show. […]
The passive ring stores information it receives as experience, abilities and skills of the body, in the so-called “unconscious” form. The active ring stores information in the form of differentiated images, or in the form of abstract knowledge that is easily reconstructed in memory and, should the need arise, easily moved to the second signal system.
Aushra Augusta, Socion, or The Foundations of Socionics
Note: first and second signal systems are terms introduced in 1932 by a Russian neurologist, psychologist and physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936). First signal system covers the information we receive directly through our sense organs – visual imagery, sounds, tastes, smells, etc. Second signal system works on the basis of the first, but covers semantic information that is reconstructed by the human mind through its ability to understand speech and writing. Second signal system is related to higher nervous activity and is unique to humankind, unlike the first, which animals also possess. When Augusta said that some information is “at the level of the second signal system”, she generally meant that the individual is consciously aware of this information, which enables them to share it verbally.
The mental ring receives, processes and uses information about the external world. It is comprehension of the external reality and conscious adaptation to it. Energy is used to look for new ways of adaptation and disseminate them among “members of the tribe”, to change their minds, which is mostly done through the second signal system.
The vital ring receives, processes and uses information that comes from within one’s organism, the organism in which the entire world is reflected. It is physical merging with the world. Energy is used for instinctive physical adaptation to external reality.
The vital ring is the echo of the external world in one’s own body. This echo is also externalized, but most often only other people consciously comprehend it as it becomes a part of external reality. The individual themself is usually unable to use it without necessary training. Various eastern teachings teach how to do it. The easiest start is our autotraining.
The mental ring deals with its situations in mental ways: collection and transfer of information, dispute, evidence. Everything mostly happens at the level of the second signal system.
The vital ring deals with situations in vital ways: reception of stimuli signals and the organism’s reaction to them through the first signal system.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of SLI
Each ring consists of two horizontal blocks, and each block contains two functions. Extraverted elements are blocked with introverted elements, rational elements are blocked with irrational elements, and both elements in the same block must be either static or dynamic. I already described these rules in relation to the leading and the creative, which was one instance of the general principle.
The first function of the block (with their order being defined by the direction of the information flow) is called accepting, while the second is called producing [2]. Rather than being an element dichotomy like extraverted-introverted, accepting-producing is a function dichotomy: for example, the leading function is always accepting, even though the element it contains can be extraverted or introverted, rational or irrational, static or dynamic.
The first element of the block reflects, photographs, and reproduces reality, providing the psyche with objective information. This information is always something from outside of the psyche itself. The amount of information may not be sufficient, but the information itself is never subjective. It is always a reflection of the objective world and of oneself as a part of this objectiveness. We should note that the first element always has a sense of empathy, or a certain oneness, with that which it reflects. We will call this first element accepting, i.e. perceiving that which exists on the outside.
The second element of each block is producing. Its production is what the individual extracts from the information received through the first element. The second element can also be called creative due to the fact that, among everything that it extracts from the information provided by the first element, there is something that is not and was never a part of the objective world. This “something” is the element’s own conclusion, its idea of the corresponding aspect of the objective world – what the element thinks that aspect is, can be, or must be. Producing elements are instrumental rather than empathetic. This instrumentality has two sides: the first is the subjective way in which the individual adapts to the objective reality, and the second is creativity. This creativity is defined by fully objective information gathered through the first element, by the skills of the second element … and by other specific circumstances leading to the individual making one decision over another.
There is no doubt that in their activity producing elements also consider corresponding aspects of reality, i.e. they do not just produce, but also reflect reality to a degree. However, the real fulcrum of the individual’s thinking is in the aspects of reality corresponding to accepting elements.
Aushra Augusta, Socion, or The Foundations of Socionics
Note: this quote may remind you of Augusta’s description of productive and reproductive thinking from the third section. That description was specifically talking about the functions of the Ego block, but this, once again, was an instance of the general principle that applies to all blocks.
The following table shows the names of all blocks and functions, as well as which functions are accepting and which are producing.
| Ego | Superego | Superid | Id | |
| Accepting | Leading | Role | Suggestive | Ignoring |
| Producing | Creative | Vulnerable (point of least resistance, PoLR) | Mobilizing | Demonstrative |
Note: I believe the name “ignoring” to be misleading, since nothing Augusta ever wrote suggested that the corresponding element is “ignored”. I have also never seen this version of the function’s name anywhere outside of the English-speaking circles; in Russian socionic literature the function is usually called “наблюдательная” (observing) or “ограничительная” (limiting or restricting). However, in this introduction I am still calling it “ignoring”, because this is how it is most often called in English.
The Ego and the Superego are contained in the mental ring, while the Id and the Superid are in the vital ring. The diagram below is an updated version of the first diagram from this section, showing everything we have learned so far. (Accepting functions are marked by additional arrows pointing at them from the outside.)
Next I will talk about the rules of model A, specifically which functions share which element dichotomies. Knowing these rules will let you reconstruct the model for each type based on their Ego alone. Every rule will be supplemented by a diagram.
For a rational type all accepting elements (leading, role, suggestive, ignoring) are rational, which means that all producing elements (creative, vulnerable, mobilizing, demonstrative) are irrational. The opposite is true for an irrational type.
For an extraverted type mental accepting (leading, role) and vital producing (mobilizing, demonstrative) elements are extraverted; mental producing (creative, vulnerable) and vital accepting (suggestive, ignoring) elements are introverted. The opposite is true for an introverted type.
For a static type the entire mental ring (leading, creative, role, vulnerable) is static and the vital ring (suggestive, mobilizing, ignoring, demonstrative) is dynamic. The opposite is true for a dynamic type.
Finally, certain pairs of functions always have the same domain. These pairs are leading–ignoring, creative–demonstrative, role–suggestive, and vulnerable–mobilizing.
Now let us try to use this knowledge to build the model A for a Si leading type. I will go over the process function by function.
- Leading: Si .
- Creative: since Si is dynamic, introverted and irrational, the creative must be dynamic, extraverted and rational. Both Fe and Te fit the bill (in the previous section we already learned that the same leading function is always shared by two types). For this example let us choose Fe , which means that the type we are making this model for is sensoric-ethical introvert, or SEI ().
- Role: like the leading, it must be dynamic, introverted and irrational. Since Si is taken, only Ni fits.
- Vulnerable: like the creative, it must be dynamic, extraverted and rational. Since Fe is taken, only Te fits. (Note that if we chose Te creative, the vulnerable would be Fe.)
- Suggestive: we are now in the vital ring, and since the SEI’s mental ring is dynamic, their vital ring is static. The suggestive must also be extraverted like the creative, and irrational like the leading. This description matches both Se and Ne, and we would not be able to tell which element should be chosen if not for the last rule of shared domain. But since we know the suggestive has the same domain as the role, we can easily conclude that it is Ne . (Technically, the shared domain rule is the only one we really needed here, but I wanted to be thorough.)
- Mobilizing: shares domain with the vulnerable, so it is Ti . It is also static (since the vital ring is static), introverted (since the leading is) and rational (since the creative is).
- Ignoring: static, extraverted, irrational. Ne is already taken, so the ignoring must be Se (which is also the same domain as the leading).
- Demonstrative: only one element, Fi , is left. It is static, introverted like the leading, and rational like the creative.
The model we ended up with is the only possible configuration of elements for a type with leading Si and creative Fe (SEI). Below is a diagram illustrating this model – the structure is the same as in general model A diagrams, but each function slot is replaced with the element occupying this slot for the SEI (“leading” is replaced with Si, “creative” with Fe, and so on).
The process I outlined above can be followed to build model A for any type. You can do it yourself for practice and verify the result against the below table.
| ILE | SEI | LII | ESE | IEI | SLE | EIE | LSI | ILI | SEE | LIE | ESI | IEE | SLI | EII | LSE | |
| Leading | Ne | Si | Ti | Fe | Ni | Se | Fe | Ti | Ni | Se | Te | Fi | Ne | Si | Fi | Te |
| Creative | Ti | Fe | Ne | Si | Fe | Ti | Ni | Se | Te | Fi | Ni | Se | Fi | Te | Ne | Si |
| Role | Se | Ni | Fi | Te | Si | Ne | Te | Fi | Si | Ne | Fe | Ti | Se | Ni | Ti | Fe |
| Vulnerable | Fi | Te | Se | Ni | Te | Fi | Si | Ne | Fe | Ti | Si | Ne | Ti | Fe | Se | Ni |
| Suggestive | Si | Ne | Fe | Ti | Se | Ni | Ti | Fe | Se | Ni | Fi | Te | Si | Ne | Te | Fi |
| Mobilizing | Fe | Ti | Si | Ne | Ti | Fe | Se | Ni | Fi | Te | Se | Ni | Te | Fi | Si | Ne |
| Ignoring | Ni | Se | Te | Fi | Ne | Si | Fi | Te | Ne | Si | Ti | Fe | Ni | Se | Fe | Ti |
| Demonstrative | Te | Fi | Ni | Se | Fi | Te | Ne | Si | Ti | Fe | Ne | Si | Fe | Ti | Ni | Se |
5. Blocks and Functions
By now you know that Ego and Superego are mental, while Id and Superid are vital.
The blocks of the active [mental] socionic ring bring us information about the possibilities of intervening with the outside world, of influencing it. The blocks of the passive [vital] ring bring information about the situation and functioning of the subject of reflection, themself.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of ILE
This is not the only way to categorize the blocks, however – Augusta also divided them into potential or middle (Superego and Superid) and kinetic, expansive or business (Ego and Id) [7, 11]. In section 3 we already looked at the mental, expansive Ego block in depth, and here we will examine the other three blocks, starting from the expansive Id and moving to the middle Superego and Superid. We will also look at the individual functions each block consists of, although, unfortunately, the amount of information there is on each specific function varies, leading to some of them being underdescribed.
Note: the functions from middle blocks are often called weak, while those from expansive blocks are called strong.
Kinetic / Expansive Blocks (Ego and Id)
These two blocks are the two types of expansion into the external world. The Ego is expansion during which society gets subjugated to the individual’s intellect, while the Id is expansion during which the individual gets subjugated to society’s intellect. […]
The Ego is the individual’s contribution towards adapting society to objective reality. It is the creation of new standards of adaptation to the surrounding objects and phenomena, with this adaptation getting increasingly more rational.
The Id is the individual’s own adaptation to social reality. […]
On the Ego the individual intrudes on society and claims their rights; on the Id society intrudes on the individual’s affairs and activity, dictating its own rules of behavior.
On the Ego the individual proclaims their rights to society; on the Id the individual acknowledges society’s rights to themself, feeling bad if said society does not use its rights often.
On the Ego the individual evaluates society and what happens in it, makes categorical corrections, instills new norms of relations; on the Id it is established how much society needs the individual and their services, what their “use value” is, whether the individual and their activity get included into social energy metabolism, and to what extent.
On the Ego the individual creates new values; the Id dutifully and vigilantly serves the already accepted social values.
On the Ego the individual brags; on the Id they wait for praise instead.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of ILE
Note: see section 3 for the description of the Ego and its functions.
Id (vital)
A block for the organism’s self-realization among other organisms. Psychosomatic demonstrative block. A means of exploring the external world and demonstrating the organism’s capabilities. During the realization of this block the individual strives to be an example for others. There is a need to be noticed and noted for “good,” exemplary behavior. The block of aspirations, desires, and strivings.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of IEE
Every Id is distinguished by a certain “good sense”. This is because it usually looks for the optimal way out of the current predicament instead of speculating about all kinds of things that could be done under various conditions and in various situations. The Id looks for the one road it is able to take right now. Therefore everything the Id chooses is realistic. It is always something that can actually be done, and through which the individual can demonstrate their talents and skills. […]
When the mechanism of IM is trapped in hopelessness, the Id seeks an impulsive, narrowly-straightforward way out. It can sweep everything out of its path. If there are no available paths, the individual’s health “cannot withstand” it. This is also a breakthrough – the weakest link has burst, and the whole organism and system of IM get a break. […]
If the individual (depending on their type) decides to break away from their old lifestyle, social circle, job, etc., it is always the Id. The forms of life activity that “survive” are the ones that correspond to the aspects of this block’s elements.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of IEE
Ignoring (accepting)
The [ignoring] … is an implementation of the will and desires of others, and particular caution in satisfying one’s own needs. People try to satisfy those needs without attracting anyone’s attention, without anyone’s help. This is a [function] through which people help others, but the external help on which can be used only in exceptional cases.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of SLI
Augusta seemed to believe the ignoring function to be exceptionally programmable. For example, here is how she described the ILE’s ignoring Ni:
Which mechanisms allow other people to program the ILE’s time? This happens due to the fact that there is a kind of alarm clock inside the ILE, one that only other people can “set” and that the ILE obeys completely. This is why the ILE follows orders related to where they need to be and what they need to do, if they are also told when they need to do it. The ILE simply cannot permit themselves to be late for anything, they are unable to even if they want to. They cannot oversleep or arrive late for anything, even if people were not too serious about the time they had given. The ILE is often able to navigate time entirely without a clock, as if hypnotized. However, all this only applies if they were “programmed” by someone else, and the ILE will not arrive before the appointed time, either. After all, a program is something that is meant to be executed precisely, on the dot. If the ILE did not obey a specific time-related command, this means that the person who gave the command does not exist for them, that the ILE does not recognize them as an equal. They only obey their equals.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of ILE
Demonstrative (producing)
A means to achieve goals by changing the real situation, influencing the vitality of others.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of SLI
On the [demostrative] the individual tries to shine, to necessarily earn praise, to attract attention with their purely physical endurance. […] After all, this is the [function] where the individual’s vital energy is used.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of SLI
Every person gladly demonstrates the second element of their Id block. For the LSE [demonstrative Se] this is quality of objects, for the IEE [demonstrative Fe] – emotions, for the EIE [demonstrative Ne] – talents, for the SEI [demonstrative Fi] – relationships with people.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of ILE
Potential / Middle Blocks (Superego and Superid)
These blocks are the two channels of information about two objects that, from the perspective of the IM process, are equal: the external world, and the individual themself. The Superego is the individual’s conception of themself through the prism of what they know about the world. […] The Superid is the individual’s conception of society based on what they know about themself from this society. […]
The amount of information available to the Superego is conditioned by the individual’s social opportunities, and especially by how mobile they are.
On the Superego the individual adapts to the external world. They create a conception of their self in accordance with the social reflection of this self, and they act in accordance with this social reflection.
On the Superid the individual adapts the world to their own image. It could be said that they create the world in accordance with their personal parameters, the latter being something other people have notified and continuously notify them about as they inform the individual about this aspect of reality.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of ILE
During their realization of the Superid block the individual is apprehensive to set their own interests in opposition to those of others. This is why there is a rather pronounced inclination to “self-sacrifice,” and a need for external regulation. Something similar, but contrary, is observed on the Superego block. On their Superego the individual is afraid to “overdo it,” they try to be socially inconspicuous and unassuming, to avoid receiving corrective remarks from others. If this fails, the individual is tormented by conscience. On the contrary, on the Superid people try to have their self-sacrificing activity noticed and not accepted. If it is not noticed and the individual does not manage to “earn” corrective remarks, they are tormented by anti-conscience. What is anti-conscience? A gnawing feeling of guilt, but the guilt of others rather than one’s own. It is a feeling that those around you are guilty before you.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of EII
Superego (mental)
Socially conforming, informational block. A means of reproducing the objective picture of the external world. The block of social expectations – during the realization of the Superego the individual tries to fulfill the expectations of others.
The block for objectively reflecting, photographing reality. A means to learn about the world objectively, the “reader”-block. The block of high self-criticism – the individual’s conscience. The block of social responsibility and duty.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of IEE
The consciousness adapts to society through the Superego block. This block is the informational “rails,” and the consciousness always stays on these rails. […]
As an informational part of the person’s intelligence, the Superego has no right to be subjective. It only takes in the information, stores it and passes it on to others. […]
The Superego provides everyone willing to listen with truthful, honest information even if it is against the individual’s own interests. It does not get tired of explaining the same thing, but does not go beyond just talking about it. Information from the Superego is not something people argue about, it is something they only talk about, usually adding very little themselves. They talk about it in hope that someone else will help them figure everything out. When people recount information from the Superego, very often it is not done for the sake of discovering a new truth, but rather for the sake of finding connections and new information.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of IEE
On their Superego the individual is afraid to “overdo it,” they try to be socially inconspicuous and unassuming, to avoid receiving corrective remarks from others. If this fails, the individual is tormented by conscience.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of EII
Role (accepting)
The accepting element of the Superego [role] is “attached” to the external world as to the rails for the sake of absorbing all information and always having the needed conclusion on the producing element [vulnerable]. In other words, all of it is for the sake of the individual being able to trust their producing element. In this case the accepting element is only the means, while the producing element is the goal.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of IEE
Vulnerable, or the place of least resistance (producing)
This is the so-called place of least resistance (PoLR) of the human psyche, the main source of all conflicts, hurt feelings and misunderstandings. If the individual is close to, and cooperates with, someone whose psyche is complementary, the control over the individual’s vulnerable function is automatically passed on to that person. In this case the individual feels protected. When they act, they can rely on the other person and partially divert their attention. Yet even in such conditions this function remains the place of the biggest doubts and worries, even though it no longer leads to the individual feeling maladjusted to society. On the contrary, it becomes the basis of their creative search. But if the individual does not feel such security, any criticism from the outside, any hint or double entrende (even those that are merely inferred) bewilder them, knock them off-balance, traumatize them, lead to character accentuations and mental illnesses.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
A negative reaction to the Superego’s adaptive production is stressful to the individual, it is a hit in their place of least resistance. Often even positive reactions are perplexing and frustrating. The Superego’s production must fully fit into the surrounding reality, and that which is noticed by others is not a perfect enough fit. […]
The absence or presence of hits to the place of least resistance is the method by which the individual controls themself, and by which society regulates their behavior.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of IEE
To summarize the above – in order to avoid comments about their PoLR, each individual tries to collect as much information as they are able on their role, which they then use to form a conclusion on the PoLR. The Superego, therefore, is a block that receives quite a lot of conscious attention from us.
This does not mean that a person with the leading
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
On the PoLR “the same premises can lead to one and only one conclusion, one that is also the same in each case” [5]. In other words, the Superego is a normative block that desires objective certainty due to the individual’s inability to apply its information situationally, adapting it to the specific circumstances at hand. This differs it from the Ego, where “under different conditions different conclusions get drawn from the same facts“.
If the Superego is unable to produce a conclusion that is objectively and consistently true regardless of the changing circumstances, this means it has encountered a problem it cannot solve by itself. This problem gets transferred to the Ego (remember that in the mental ring information flows from the vulnerable to the leading!), giving rise to what Augusta called a “creative search”. Examples of this transfer can be found across Augusta’s type descriptions, and below I will provide one such example.
The problems the Ego consistently deals with are borne on the Superego. The IEI’s Ego [Ni-Fe] is always directed toward some kind of future improvement.
What kind of social creativity does the IEI arrive at, and which path leads them to it?
The IEI cannot live with two ways to act in the same situation [vulnerable Te]. Therefore, they become socially creative when the expectations of the surrounding people start conflicting. In other words, what makes IEIs transformers and philosophers is the very fact that they need norms, that they need to know the only right way to act in certain situations (the answer which does not exist). The best example of this is J.-J. Rousseau. During his life Rousseau had to mix in with different strata of society that made contradictory demands, and he could not decide which actions are actually correct. Each social stratum Rousseau was a member of placed its own demands on the people’s behavior and actions, including the actions of Rousseau himself. An action is an expression of one’s relation to reality, so how should one act if every group of people one interacts with has different expectations? Hence the slogan “Back to nature“, back to natural human behavior. The IEI, like any other type, becomes a warrior in the social sense by seeking conformist modes of behavior or conformist relationships.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of IEI
Note: “…Rousseau holds that “uncorrupted morals” prevail in the “state of nature”. […] Rousseau asserted that the stage of human development associated with what he called “savages” was the best or optimal in human development, between the less-than-optimal extreme of brute animals on the one hand and the extreme of decadent civilization on the other. “…[N]othing is so gentle as man in his primitive state, when placed by nature at an equal distance from the stupidity of brutes and the fatal enlightenment of civil man”.” (quoted from Wikipedia)
Superid (vital)
Physical base, or psychosomatic, block. A means of reproducing an objective picture of the state of one’s organism. An egocentric block, a part of the individual’s self, psychophysical state of one’s organism as it is felt by the individual. The block of the organism’s psychosomatic realization. The block of “unconscious” worries, fears and phobias, dangers of physical self-identification with others. Through the realization of this block the individual may torture themself and others, even though they only demand love and the kind of attention they need.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of IEE
Suggestive (accepting)
The individual has no personal opinion on this matter, it is something they are usually completely indifferent to, as if it is none of their concern. It is beyond their comprehension, and they happily transfer the responsibility for it to other people without even noticing themself doing so. In the area of this function the individual accepts others people’s will, opinions and instructions for granted; moreover, they do not even realize that they, too, can have some thoughts of their own on these issues. When the other person does not exert their will, the individual feels unprotected, unneeded, unloved, restless and uncared for. They get upset at those who demand that they have their own opinions and make their own decisions in the area of the [suggestive] function, those who put the responsibility for it on them. For one type this concerns emotions, for another – actions, for yet another – health, etc.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
Although it is not made explicit, this paragraph, taken from Augusta’s description of duality, is most likely related to the realization of the suggestive:
Everyone occasionally gets in a bad mood which manifests in grumbling. Duals do not get bothered by that. They never perceive this grumbling as an unpleasant reproach. Often this type of communication is the most direct and transmits extensive information to the partner in the shortest time possible. Often grumbling is just an unconscious request for the other person to explain something one does not understand. No one except the dual can react to this grumbling correctly, i.e. provide the necessary answer or explanation, or sometimes just remain silent.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
Here, the “grumbling” refers to the individual’s complaints about “things being wrong somehow”, even though the real root of this frustration is in the fact that they are not receiving information or help on their suggestive, despite unconsciously expecting it. In Theory of Intertype Relations Augusta called this expectation “a search for someone with a complementary psychological type, someone who sees the side of the individual’s life struggles that the individual themself neither understands nor sees” [3]. One example of this from the same work goes as follows:
The [ILE, suggestive Si] is rummaging through their bookshelves in search of the needed book, while grumbling about how it is impossible to ever find anything.
What do these words mean to the ILE’s dual, the [SEI, leading Si]? What the SEI hears is a complaint about how their partner never remembers anything, and so they rush to help with the search. Both are happy. The ILE is happy because they have a partner who knows everything and is skilled at everything, while the SEI is happy because they managed to improve their spouse’s mood.
The [EIE, vulnerable Si], reacts to the same comment with “I never touch your books”. They perceived the ILE’s words as a criticism of someone touching and arranging their belongings.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
Mobilizing (producing)
Mobilization under the supervision of others and with their help.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of SLI
Augusta seemed to consider the mobilizing a necessary step for the active realization of the demonstrative, a step that cannot be interrupted in any way because it is particularly vulnerable to such interruptions. Any negative or superfluous external feedback on this function demobilizes the individual and prevents them for realizing their energy on the demonstrative. In addition, the mobilizing only receives energy for its own realization after the demonstrative has enough, since the demonstrative takes priority as a producing function of an expansive block.
The summary above is my own inference from several fragments of Augusta’s writing, and I want to share a few of these fragments here. The first two were taken from Augusta’s description of the ILE type, and their focus is on the connection between the mobilizing and the demonstrative. Even though a specific type is discussed, we can identify the general principle and extrapolate it to other types.
The ILE always feels great and completely safe in a stream of other people’s positive emotions [mobilizing Fe], especially if those people care about the way the ILE feels physically. At the same time, the ILE gets lost whenever there is any emotional unfriendliness, which is a blow to their weakest link of IM. They are not afraid of what are called real dangers, those simply excite their activity. What is dangerous to the ILE is the unfriendliness of others around them, not having people around who would have a positive attitude towards them. Why? Probably because an emotional blow to the Superid tells the ILE that society does not approve of the realization of their Id. This kind of blow is a way to draw energy away from this realization. The ILE’s Id acts only insofar their Superid is provided with emotional excitation to turn “potential” energy into actual energy. An emotional blow removes this inner excitation, sort of denies it, crosses it out as wrong, erroneous. This is why the ILE loses heart. […]
Emotions are not visible in dangerous situations when they (or extraverted ethics) are the second element of the Superid, as is the case for the ILE. This is because all inner excitation is used on the Id’s external activity instead. When it comes to manifestations of activity, the Id, being an expansive block, takes priority over the middle Superid block. The ILE’s inner excitation is only realized in emotions on the Superid when it is not realized in activity on the Id. Hence in dangerous situations this type is not emotional, instead being tense and very resourceful. The higher the tension, the more resourceful the ILE is. All excitation is meant to be used on the Id first and foremost. Only the “surplus” is realized on the Superid: the ILE only emotes in excitatory, but safe situations, or after the danger passes. In other words, when there is a surplus of energy that cannot be used in activity, an “auxiliary valve” opens and the ILE “emotes”.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of ILE
Another mention of the mobilizing can be found in Theory of Reinin Dichotomies. In it Augusta states that it is dangerous to receive “extraneous noise” on this function, since it leads to the individual’s “attention getting dispersed” and “demobilizes this type of personality“. She called such “extraneous noise” a second point. Here are a few examples of the second point affecting the types’ performance:
For the types
During an exam or lecture you can interrupt these types with exclamations or questions as often as you like, but only as long as these interruptions pertain to the business at hand rather than being purely emotional. Any emotionality that leads them aside knocks these types off track. In general they must not be distracted from emotionally inspiring ideas by anything that is not related to the given situation. […]
For the types
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Reinin Dichotomies
Note: the original paragraph mentions LSE and LIE, rather than LSE and ESE. This must be an error because the text talks about the mobilizing function and the LIE type does not have mobilizing Ne, while the ESE does. For this translation I took the liberty of changing LIE to ESE.
Only the Superego cares about others’ evaluations. If society is outraged by the activity of the individual’s Ego, the individual argues their reason for doing what they did, and is certain they are in the right until proven otherwise. If they do receive such proof, they are glad they acquired new experience, and do not worry about their mistake. If it is the Id’s realization that causes outrage, the individual is outraged as well – “if you knew, why did you not tell me in time?”.
It could be said that with their middle blocks the individual tries to be more humble than what society expects. During realization of the individual’s Superego others must note their social humility, and during realization of the Superid they must notice the individual’s care for others.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of ILE
Unfortunately, there is no article by Augusta that would be devoted to describing the nature of all blocks and functions thoroughly. All of the above descriptions were taken from her works on other topics, particularly sociotype portraits and intertype relations, and this is why the fragments vary in their level of detail and depth. However, there are additional descriptions that were not quoted here; they can be found on the compilation pages for Ego, Superego, Superid and Id.
Note: when you read these compilations or Augusta’s type descriptions, you will come across the term “half-phases”. This term is originally from Augusta’s paper Socion, or The Foundations of Socionics and refers to the four steps, or phases, of the energy and information metabolism cycle. Each phase includes two half-phases, one extraverted and one introverted, of which one is always in the mental ring and the other in the vital ring. The order of the phases corresponds to the information flow in the two rings and goes as follows: role (1/1) – suggestive (1/2), vulnerable (2/1) – mobilizing (2/2), leading (3/1) – ignoring (3/2), creative (4/1) – demonstrative (4/2). Generally, when Augusta mentions half-phases while describing types, she means the same thing we now call functions. You can consult the table on this page when you need to remember which function corresponds to a specific half-phase.
The blocks of duals are meant to interact with one another. Consider the following diagram that shows models A for the ILE-SEI dyad (if you do not remember which symbol stands for which IME, you can consult section 2 or this page).
Look at this diagram closely, and you will see that these types have the exact same blocks: for example, Ne-Ti is the ILE’s Ego and the SEI’s Superid. In dual pairs one dual’s Ego always matches the other’s Superid, and one’s Superego always matches the other’s Id. Notice that mental blocks match vital blocks: this is one of the crucial things that make dualization possible.
The mental ring only becomes physically active after being activated by the vital ring of the dual, or at least those of other people. The Ego block only engages in activity after acquiring followers who want to use its ideas, but are unable to implement them on their own. The Superego, too, only moves from talk to action after the people it provided with information start to act on their own, and it becomes necessary to straighten their line of action.
There is a certain “irradiation” of physical activity, which is transferred from one type’s vital ring to another person’s mental blocks (that are formed from the same half-phases of EM). With its own physical activity the Id forces the dual’s Superego to act, “provokes” it. Thus the Superego becomes the Id’s “acolyte”, with the Id feeding on the information it receives from the Superego. Similarly, with its helplessness the Superid provokes the dual’s Ego to real activity.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of SLI
Another necessary condition for dualization is one partner’s potential blocks matching the other’s kinetic blocks.
Potential energy blocks provide the partner with information. The Superego brings information about the external world, the Superid brings information about the successful or unsuccessful functioning of one’s own organism. And kinetic energy blocks provide the partner and oneself with decisions. The Ego block decides exactly what the partner’s Superid must think about in order to maintain good health and ensure they remain physically active. The Ego subordinates the partner’s thoughts to its own, and through this relieves the partner of the pangs of anti-conscience. The Id block, through the individual’s actions, decides what the partner will have to do. The Id subordinates the partner’s activity to its own activity, and relieves the partner of the pangs of conscience about any inappropriate feelings or inappropriate activity, as well as worries about their indecision.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of SLI
In the process of dualization information accumulated on the Superego is “opened” and involved in the social information metabolism (SIM) with the help of the dual’s Id. On the contrary, the Superid is covered, shielded from SIM by the dual’s Ego.
Aushra Augusta, The Characteristic of ILE
Some additional information about the cooperation of the duals’ blocks can be found here.
There is another way to categorize the blocks and functions they contain, but this categorization is not just important for duality: it is also the basis for the separation of types into quadras.
A quadra is … formed from four types of IM, or two dual dyads that activate each other … . Members of the same quadra are united by a certain commonality of interests, and most importantly, by the absence of opportunities for conflict. They always understand each other and do not see anything offensive or hurtful behind each other’s words and actions. Their teamwork is extremely fruitful and productive.
Communication within one’s own quadra relieves physical and psychological fatigue, activates the individual, improves their vitality, and provides psychological immunity to life adversities. A quadra is the ideal psychotherapy group. Quadras can be formed from a rather high number of people, and it is not at all necessary for there to be an equal number of each of the types of IM.
It is noteworthy that if a person from another quadra enters such a group, they either feel extremely uncomfortable, or cause this kind of discomfort to the entire quadra. “Who wins” is determined by the ratio of the types of IM. Some “outsiders” are barely noticed by the quadra, while others “split” it, “tear it apart.”
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
What do quadras provide to a person? A protection of their activity and ideal conditions for their self-realization. There is no stagnation or outbursts of aggression if everyone is active and feels satisfaction from this activity recognized by their quadra.
Aushra Augusta, Natural Quadrization
There are four quadras in total, and each quadra is named after a letter of the Greek alphabet: alpha (α), beta (β), gamma (γ) and delta (δ). Below I list the types each quadra contains.
Alpha: ILE-SEI, LII-ESE
Beta: IEI-SLE, EIE-LSI
Gamma: ILI-SEE, LIE-ESI
Delta: IEE-SLI, EII-LSE
The dichotomy which the concept of quadra is based on is verbal – non-verbal, with the Ego and the Superid being verbal. Quadra is defined as a group of four types whose verbal blocks contain the same four elements, which is exactly what makes their communication so psychologically beneficial.
The main feature of the verbal blocks is the fact that everything related to the aspects reflected by these blocks gets discussed a lot without any embarrassment. Any arguments, discussions, attacks are possible. All of this is at the level of an intellectual discussion game, or help for those who do not understand something. On the other hand, the actual realization of these blocks happens individually, i.e. preferably without witnesses, especially those witnesses who are inclined to be critical.
Non-verbal blocks are the blocks of collective activity, and this is the area where people are careful with conversations and jokes. The only thing allowed here is the transfer of objective information, what one has seen or heard without one’s own comments.
Quadrals are able to cooperate due to the fact that their verbal (as well as non-verbal) blocks are formed from the same half-phases of IM. Therefore, under no circumstances do they seem tactless, unfriendly, or hostile to each other. If they are not doing or saying something, it is clear that they cannot do it or do not know it.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Reinin Dichotomies
Note: in most modern socionic circles the verbal elements are instead called valued, and the non-verbal ones are called unvalued or subdued. However, these terms have connotations attached to them that Augusta’s original works did not have, as the Superego and the Id were never described as blocks whose information the person values less, considers less important, or is repelled by.
For an example let us look at the verbal blocks of each type in quadra alpha.
ILE: Ego Ne-Ti, Superid Si-Fe
SEI: Ego Si-Fe, Superid Ne-Ti
LII: Ego Ti-Ne, Superid Fe-Si
ESE: Ego Fe-Si, Superid Ti-Ne
You can see that only four elements are presents in the verbal blocks of each type: Ne, Si, Ti and Fe. These are the verbal elements of quadra alpha.
The verbal elements of each quadra necessarily contain one element from all four domains: intuition, sensation, logic and ethics. Below I provide a list of verbal elements for all quadras.
Alpha: Ne, Si, Ti, Fe
Beta: Ni, Se, Ti, Fe
Gamma: Ni, Se, Te, Fi
Delta: Ne, Si, Te, Fi
You may notice that certain pairs of elements always come together: Ne-Si, Ni-Se, Ti-Fe and Te-Fi. The reason for this is that, if you have one element from the pair in your Ego, the other is necessarily present in your Superid (both verbal blocks). For example, if someone’s Si is leading, their Ne is necessarily suggestive (and leading for their dual), and if their Si is creative, their Ne is mobilizing (and creative for their dual). These element pairs are known as axes. Being “on an axis” means that the person in question belongs to a quadra with the corresponding verbal elements (alpha and delta are on the Ne-Si axis, but alpha is also on the Ti-Fe axis while delta is not).
More information about quadras can be found on this page. I will finish this section with a table that shows all three major block and function dichotomies we discussed.
| Ego | Mental | Kinetic (expansive, business) | Verbal |
| Superego | Mental | Potential (middle) | Non-verbal |
| Superid | Vital | Potential (middle) | Verbal |
| Id | Vital | Kinetic (expansive, business) | Non-verbal |
6. Intertype Relations
The role each element plays in our psyche determines both the way we perceive the corresponding information, and the way we ourselves express it. Our interactions with each person are largely conditioned by the similarities and differences in our two ways of perception and expression, and since all sixteen types are unique, the specifics of our communication with each will also be unique. In socionics this is described by the theory of intertype relations, or ITRs [3] (duality being one such ITR).
Some forms of informational relations lead to short-term bursts of emotions or short-term emotional closeness. Others are steady, consistent, and grow even stronger over time. Still others (business relations) lead to neither emotional closeness nor conflicts. In some forms of relations the participants attract one another, in others they repel one another, and the former is not always better for the individual than the latter.
Some form of relations are conductive to the realization of the individual’s physical and mental energy, and increase the individual’s vitality. Others hinder such realization and have a destructive effect on the psyche. The former improve the individual’s position among other people and the latter worsen it, because, by improving or worsening the exchange of information with the environment, they change the conditions in which the psyche is functioning, and the “efficiency” of the given model of IM.
Only certain forms of informational relations are required for our psychological balance, wellbeing, and full realization of our intellectual and physical energy. However, society is composed of all types of intelligence, so it is impossible to avoid other forms of relations. So far we have no evidence for the idea that any forms of informational relations are harmful in all cases. The only thing we have established is that some forms are harmful in absence of other forms, those that are needed for psychological immunity. More specifically, we have established that, when people are participating in relations with complementary types of IM, destructive forms of relations lose their power over them. Most likely we will come closest to the truth by saying that all forms of relations are good when a safe distance is maintained, and that this safe distance is different for each of them.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
It is important to note that, even though Augusta tended to describe intertype relations in a rather prescriptive manner, she did allow for the possibility of some improvement when it came to the imperfect (i.e. non-dual) relations, suggesting the following:
Understanding that the partner’s unacceptable behavior is conditioned by an objective psychological structure rather than ill will makes it possible to consciously adapt, at least partially. Besides, it is easier to seek compromise when one is aware that, even though their partner does not fully satisfy them, this partner themself cannot be fully satisfied either.
Aushra Augusta, On the Dual Nature of Humanity
For duals the same functions always contain the same elements: one partner’s leading is always the other’s suggestive, one’s demonstrative is always the other’s vulnerable, and so on. Other intertype relations are also defined by the way the two models A map onto each other, and the general characteristics of the relation remain the same regardless of the exact types of both participants. For example, the duality between the ILE and the SEI has the same positive effect on the duals’ psyche as one between the EIE and the LSI (though, of course, there are also a lot of specifics that are unique to each dyad).
Informational relations can be separated into symmetric and asymmetric. When the influence of one participant is stronger than that of the other, the relation is asymmetric. To put it another way, in symmetric relations the strength with which the two individuals attract or repel each other is equal, and how much the participants gain or lose is equal as well. In asymmetric relations one of the individuals feels that they gain or lose more than the other.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
In symmetric ITRs the differences between the two models are also symmetric. The ILE’s leading Ne is suggestive for their dual SEI, and the SEI’s leading Si is suggestive for the ILE; the ILE’s creative Ti is mobilizing for the SEI, and the SEI’s creative Fe is mobilizing for the ILE; and so on. The same principle applies to all symmetric relations, of which there are twelve: identity, duality, mirror, activation, mirage, business, superego, extinguishment, conflict, quasi-identity, kindred and semi-duality; the diagrams on this page illustrate all of them. The page also contains Augusta’s descriptions of the ITRs, though the compilation is not complete yet.
If twelve ITRs are symmetric, does that mean that four are asymmetric? Yes, but not quite. There are only two distinct asymmetric relations, called by Augusta the relations of social request and social control; however, since these relations are asymmetric, they result not in two, but in four separate positions the individual may find themself in during communication. In the relation of social request one partner (requester or inductor) unconsciously issues said request to the other partner (receiver or recipient), who then tries to fulfill it; Augusta believed this process to be the “driving force of progress” [3]. Likewise, the relation of social control (usually translated to English as supervision) has the supervisor and the supervisee, with the latter being under the former’s control. Each type participates in each relation on both sides: for example, the ILE supervises the LSI, but are themself supervised by the EII.
The relations in which experience and social request get transferred are at the base of the psychic mechanism of social progress. These relations perform two functions: 1) transfer the experience accumulated and consciously comprehended by some types of IM to other types of IM; 2) create social request, i.e. identify the unfulfilled needs of some types of IM in order to turn these needs into other types’ social interests, correcting and directing the activity of the latter types in a particular way.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
First, one type of IM begins having some needs that they are not entirely conscious of, but that are clearly unfulfilled and lead to irritation or confusion. […] This is the emergence of a social problem that turns into a social request for the [recipient]. The mechanism of transfer of experience and social request activates when the inductor’s discomfort reaches the recipient’s consciousness. The fulfilled social request enriches society with something new, but this novelty is understood by the next recipient rather than society at large: society rejects this novelty or does not consider it actively enough, but the individual will take it as a request.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
Social request is an assignment that is truly social rather than individual. We cannot say that the inductor consciously issues the request – rather, what the recipient perceives as a request is the discomfort their inductor encounters during the fulfillment of their own life program. […] The social nature of the request also manifests in the fact that the requester does not directly benefit from its fulfillment.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
The recipient perceives the psychological discomfort of their inductor as a request because the inductor is seen as socially valuable, or as someone who performs particularly valuable functions. The recipient identifies their inductor with society, and the inductor’s needs – with the needs of society.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
The recipient sees their inductor’s ideas in a more differentiated than they themself do. You could say the recipient continues the inductor’s ideas in their mind when they see them.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
The relations of social control play a supporting role in the mechanism of social progress. Their function is to control the … recipient of one’s dual … . This is the essence of cooperation between the individuals with complementary psyches in the mechanism of social progress: one issues a social request, and the other just as unconsciously and automatically monitors its fulfillment.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Intertype Relations
As the above quotes mention, along with social request the inductor passes on their own experience to the recipient. This latter part is emphasized in the traditional English name for this relation: the relation of benefit. Accordingly, the inductor is called benefactor, and the recipient – beneficiary.
The diagrams illustrating benefit and supervision can be found here. Because of the importance Augusta attached to the asymmetric relations, particularly benefit, I strongly encourage you to read her writings about both benefit and supervision (please note that at the moment only a compilation of fragments from the benefit description is translated, as the original description is very long).
Below I show which types are in a relation of benefit with which, with the arrows pointing from the benefactor to the beneficiary:
ILE -> EIE -> SEE -> LSE -> ILE
SEI -> LSI -> ILI -> EII -> SEI
LII -> SLI -> ESI -> IEI -> LII
ESE -> IEE -> LIE -> SLE -> ESE
As you can see, when you choose a starting type and move from benefactor to beneficiary, you eventually arrive back at the same type. The self-contained groups of the four types that are in a relation of benefit with each other are known as benefit rings, or rings of social progress.
Supervision follows the same pattern, forming supervision rings, or rings of social control (arrows point from supervisor to supervisee):
ILE -> LSI -> SEE -> EII -> ILE
SEI -> EIE -> ILI -> LSE -> SEI
LII -> IEE -> ESI -> SLE -> LII
ESE -> SLI -> LIE -> IEI -> ESE
Each dual dyad supervises and benefits another dual dyad. For example, the ILE-SEI dyad supervises and benefits the LSI-EIE dyad: the ILE supervises the LSI and benefits the EIE, and the SEI supervises the EIE and benefits the LSI. The following diagram illustrates this.
There is something interesting going on with supervision. Let us look at models A of the four types forming one supervision ring.
The mental and vital rings of these four types share the direction of the information flow, but they get “rotated” for each consecutive type. For example, this is how the ILE’s model A turns into that of their supervisee the LSI:
The ILE’s leading and creative “move” one step counterclockwise to become, respectively, the LSI’s vulnerable and leading. Because of this, supervision rings always “match” the mental rings of the corresponding types. For example, ILE (leading Ne) -> LSI (l. Ti) -> SEE (l. Se) -> EII (l. Fi) -> ILE (l. Ne) matches the Ne -> Ti -> Se -> Fi -> Ne ring, which is mental for all four types. (Of course, all elements shift and not just the Ego: mental elements “move” counterclockwise, while vital ones “move” clockwise.)
Below I attach the table of intertype relations (the letter designations come after the table itself). There is also a convenient tool you can use to quickly check the ITRs for each type (just click on the desired type). The tool uses alternative names for a few of the ITRs: contrary for extinguishment, illusionary for mirage, and cooperation for business. To change the language, press the gear icon in the upper right corner.
| ILE | SEI | LII | ESE | IEI | SLE | EIE | LSI | ILI | SEE | LIE | ESI | IEE | SLI | EII | LSE | |
| ILE | i | d | m | a | mg | bs | B | S | e | se | q | c | k | sd | s | b |
| SEI | d | i | a | m | bs | mg | S | B | se | e | c | q | sd | k | b | s |
| LII | m | a | i | d | b | s | sd | k | q | c | e | se | S | B | bs | mg |
| ESE | a | m | d | i | s | b | k | sd | c | q | se | e | B | S | mg | bs |
| IEI | mg | bs | B | S | i | d | m | a | k | sd | s | b | e | se | q | c |
| SLE | bs | mg | S | B | d | i | a | m | sd | k | b | s | se | e | c | q |
| EIE | b | s | sd | k | m | a | i | d | S | B | bs | mg | q | c | e | se |
| LSI | s | b | k | sd | a | m | d | i | B | S | mg | bs | c | q | se | e |
| ILI | e | se | q | c | k | sd | s | b | i | d | m | a | mg | bs | B | S |
| SEE | se | e | c | q | sd | k | b | s | d | i | a | m | bs | mg | S | B |
| LIE | q | c | e | se | S | B | bs | mg | m | a | i | d | b | s | sd | k |
| ESI | c | q | se | e | B | S | mg | bs | a | m | d | i | s | b | k | sd |
| IEE | k | sd | s | b | e | se | q | c | mg | bs | B | S | i | d | m | a |
| SLI | sd | k | b | s | se | e | c | q | bs | mg | S | B | d | i | a | m |
| EII | S | B | bs | mg | q | c | e | se | b | s | sd | k | m | a | i | d |
| LSE | B | S | mg | bs | c | q | se | e | s | b | k | sd | a | m | d | i |
i – identity
d – duality
m – mirror
a – activation
mg – mirage
bs – business
B – benefactor
S – supervisor
e – extinguishment
se – superego
q – quasi-identity
c – conflict
k – kindred
sd – semi-duality
s – supervisee
b – beneficiary
7. Miscellaneous
Reinin dichotomies
In 1984 Russian socionist Grigory Reinin mathematically proved that there are fifteen different ways to divide the sixteen types into two equal sized groups based on a certain principle [4]. These fifteen ways are called Reinin dichotomies or Reinin traits, and include the four dichotomies that come from Jung’s original work: extraverted-introverted, intuitive-sensoric, logical-ethical, and rational-irrational. However, usually people use the term “Reinin dichotomies” to refer to the remaining eleven dichotomies in order to distinguish them from the Jungian ones.
Each of the eleven Reinin dichotomies can be derived from the four “base” ones. For example, the static-dynamic dichotomy we discussed earlier is at the intersection of extraversion-introversion and rationality-irrationality: irrational extraverts and rational introverts are static, while rational extraverts and irrational introverts are dynamic. Another example is tactical-strategic, which is at the intersection of rationality-irrationality and intuition-sensation: rational sensoric types and irrational intuitive types are tactical, while irrational sensoric types and rational intuitive types are strategic.
Each Reinin dichotomy corresponds to a certain pattern in the structure of model A: for example, irrational extraverts and rational introverts are the eight types whose mental ring consists of static elements, which is what makes these types static. These patterns are what Augusta focused on when she described the Reinin dichotomies.
I already mentioned static-dynamic and tactical-strategic. Other Reinin dichotomies are asking-declaring, positivist-negativist, constructivist-emotivist, process-result, obstinate-yielding, carefree-farsighted, democratic-aristocratic, merry-serious, and judicious-decisive. The online tool I recommended in section 6 can also be used to check which type has which traits (it uses subjective in place of “merry” and objective in place of “serious”). So far not many descriptions of the dichotomies are translated, but those that do get translated will be listed on this page.
Information flow and process-result
I want to specifically highlight the process-result dichotomy as one that is somewhat special due to all process and all result types having the same direction of the information flow. For an example let us look at the diagram showing models A for ILE (process) and IEE (result):
You can see that, while both types are Ne leads, information in their models flows in opposite directions. For instance, the ILE has Fi flowing into Ne and Ne flowing into Ti, while the IEE has Ti flowing into Ne and Ne flowing into Fi. All process types share their direction with the ILE, and all result types – with the IEE.
Process direction: Ne -> Ti -> Se -> Fi -> Ne, Si -> Fe -> Ni -> Te -> Si
Result direction: Ne -> Fi -> Se -> Ti -> Ne, Si -> Te -> Ni -> Fe -> Si
Duals share process-result because one dual’s mental ring is the exact same as the other dual’s vital ring, which means that the direction of the flow is also the same. For example, both the ILE and the SEI have a Ne -> Ti -> Se -> Fi ring, except it is mental for the ILE (leading -> creative -> role -> vulnerable) and vital for the SEI (suggestive -> mobilizing -> ignoring -> demonstrative); see last diagram in section 5. Types in the same supervision ring share process-result as well because they, too, have the same direction of the information flow (as discussed in section 6).
The subsection of Augusta’s paper Socion, or The Foundations of Socionics, titled 16 models A of IM, has a diagram showing the models for all types, including the direction of the information flow (positivist static and negativist dynamic types are process, while negativist static and positivist dynamic types are result).
Are there any groups of types other than quadras?
There are many other ways to separate the types into groups of four. Such groupings are referred to as small groups, the most well known ones being temperaments (EJs – extraverted rationals, EPs – extraverted irrationals, IJs – introverted rationals, and IPs – introverted irrationals) and clubs (NTs – logical intuitive types, NFs – ethical intuitive types, STs – logical sensoric types, and SFs – ethical sensoric types). The small groups Augusta herself described with the most detail are what she called blockings – groups of four types that have the same blocks (democratic rationals, democratic irrationals, aristocratic rationals and aristocratic irrationals) [2, 4].
The reason Augusta considered the blockings important was that, due to shared direction of the information flow and accepting-producing elements, the types in the same blocking end up perceiving the world in a similar way [2]. For instance, for aristocratic rationals (LSI, EIE, LSE, EII) accepting Te is always blocked with producing Si, and accepting Fe is blocked with producing Ni, which leads to the following perception:
For [aristocratic rationals] certain actions [accepting Te] always lead to a certain state and certain aesthetic feelings [producing Si]. These feelings are a result of an action or an objective process. Therefore, to provide oneself with proper sensations, one needs to study proper processes, forms of human activity. At the same time, emotions [accepting Fe] cause a sense of danger or safety [producing Ni]. This means that the only thing capable of providing the individual with a sense of safety is proper emotions, their own and other people’s.
Aushra Augusta, Socion, or The Foundations of Socionics
Contrast that to democratic rationals (LII, ESE, LIE, ESI), who have Te-Ni and Fe-Si instead:
For [democratic rationals], people’s work activity and deeds [accepting Te] lead not to aesthetic feelings, but rather to a sense of safety in the future [producing Ni]. Emotions, excitation [accepting Fe], lead to aesthetic feelings and aesthetic delight [producing Si].
Aushra Augusta, Socion, or The Foundations of Socionics
A more thorough description of the blockings can be found in Augusta’s paper Socion, or The Foundations of Socionics, in section 3, which is titled Blocks of IM.
Additionally, in Theory of Reinin Dichotomies Augusta gives an overview of clubs, which can be read below.
Note: the word octave here refers to two opposite quadras, or quadras that do not share any verbal and non-verbal elements. Alpha and gamma form the democratic octave, while beta and delta form the aristocratic octave.
There is no doubt that the highest number of pure theorists can be found in the democratic octave, among the intuitive logical types. Yet those quadras are also the ones that have the most practical and, as I would say, the most social or socialized sensoric ethical types.
The aristocratic octave has theorists of a different kind, they [intuitive ethical types] are more so theorists of inner, spiritual and cultural processes. It is no wonder that Belinsky
The democratic octave has:
a club of impractical theorists –
a club of practical doers, or businesslike people –The aristocratic octave has:
a club of humanitarian artists, disseminators of culture –
a club of technocrats and state officials –Here is what we know about clubs. Quadras invigorate people, but no one wants to become completely closed off in their quadra. That is also boring, there is not enough variety and, perhaps, not enough disagreements that could serve as an impetus to development. This role is fulfilled by discussion clubs, which unite people based on their shared interest in specific sides of social life. Clubs facilitate business growth, they help people hone and perfect their intellectual “weapons”. All logical types are quite strongly drawn to other logical types, sensoric types are drawn to other sensoric types, etc. […]
People always tend to gather around some kind of table. A quadra is fun without alcohol, it is only a hindrance there. This is also the case for a club, as long as there is an exchange of information, arguments, discussions. But without alcohol it is hard to become so united with your club that you accomplish something concrete together. It is not a quadra. […]
Discussion clubs are formed from members of quadras with completely opposite verbality. One might wonder how such people manage to not offend or hurt each other with their words or actions. This is because the same [elements] for them are all located either in program blocks [Ego, Id], or base blocks [Superego, Superid]. The Ego and the Id can only joke about the other person’s “narrow-mindedness”, and this “narrow-mindedness” always manifests itself during teamwork, in situations that require concrete activity. But otherwise, outside of work, even one’s extinguishment type feels like a kindred spirit.
Aushra Augusta, Theory of Reinin Dichotomies
So far I have not seen Augusta talk about other small groups, nor did she write descriptions of individual quadras.
Is type innate? Is it possible to change types?
Originally Augusta theorized that people are born rational (schizothymic) or irrational (cyclothymic), and the rest of their type is formed before the age of five, which is conditioned by the types of the people close to the child [3]. However, later she changed her mind about the innate nature of rationality, stating so in a letter from 1991 [27]. In the same letter Augusta indicates that it is possible to change type for certain people, mentioning the ability of the yogis to do it.
On the other hand, in her commentary on Jung’s typology Augusta writes that changing a person’s type is impossible, and such an attempt will lead to illness. She then quotes the following passage from Jung’s book Psychological Types:
As a rule, whenever such a falsification of type takes place as a result of external influence, the individual becomes neurotic later, and a cur can successfully be sought only in a development of that attitude which corresponds with the individual’s natural way.
C.G. Jung, Psychological Types
Note: the position Augusta took in this article (and in general) is that Jung’s typology and socionics describe the same thing, with socionics merely being more developed. For this reason everything she says about Jung’s types is to be understood as applying to socionic types as well.
Our observations show that this process always takes place when people do not have partners with complementary psyche, as a result of which everyone tries to make everyone else into their dual. The one who cannot withstand this fight is forced to give up the realization of some part of their personality and becomes neurotic.
Aushra Augusta, Commentary on Jung’s Typology and Introduction to Information Metabolism
Here, both Jung and Augusta seem to be talking about an attempt to change someone else’s type. So perhaps Augusta believed you can change your own type, but not that of another person. Alternatively, she might have considered it impossible to change types in general at first, but changed her mind later on.
Is it possible to type fictional characters?
Augusta did type fictional characters and believed that “a writer’s talent and class can be measured by the number of types of IM they can see, understand and describe” [24]. The idea seems to be that a good writer can end up portraying various types accurately enough thanks to good understanding of people and their psychology, and the deeper someone’s understanding of people is, the more kinds of people they would be able to represent in their writing. However, even the best writers are not immune from making errors in their portrayal of types different from their own, since they do not have access to some information available to those types. Augusta has a short article about this topic.
Which types did Augusta write type descriptions for?
Augusta completed the descriptions for seven types. Two of them, IEI and IEE, are fully translated. Three more, ESI, SLI and EII, are uploaded to this website as machine translations that I slightly revised. Finally, the remaining two descriptions for ILE and LSI were machine translated and revised by a community member who goes by Karniv, with me translating select fragments by hand. I plan to eventually translate all descriptions myself, but considering how much text they contain, this process may take a while.
Augusta’s descriptions are quite long, but much of the information they contain is useful even outside of the type in question. For instance, the nature of blocks and functions is often discussed, with the examples of the specific type serving as an illustration of the general rule or tendency. The descriptions show how Augusta actually applied her theory; “mechanism of IM” is a term she often used, and that seems to be how she viewed model A – not as a static collection of traits, but as an intricate mechanism that is always in motion. Out of everything I read from Augusta the type descriptions were arguably the most useful in teaching me how to think about socionics, which is why I would encourage everyone to go over them (out of the two fully translated ones IEE offers more insight than IEI).
Is there a list of Augusta’s typings?
Augusta did publish a list of her typings as an appendix to one of her papers. This list is available here; I will also link the machine translated version of it (due to the quirks of machine translation LSE translates to FEL and ILI translates to OR). Do note, however, that there are a few errors, in particular:
- René Descartes is listed twice, as LII and IEE;
- Walter Scott is listed twice, as LIE and SEE;
- Alexei “Alyosha” Karamazov, a character from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel The Brothers Karamazov, is listed as LSE. The original just says “A. Karamazov”, and while Alexei is the only character with a fitting initial, this typing may be an error. The reason I think so is because of Augusta’s EII description, in which she uses Alexei as an example of an EII. While it is possible for her to have changed her typing, EII to LSE seems like an unlikely switch.
Because of conflicting typings in the first two cases and inconclusive evidence in the third, I would treat these three individuals as untyped to make sure an error is avoided. Some other works I already shared or mentioned (type descriptions, Measure of Writer’s Talent, Natural Quadrization) have additional typings not present in the list. Note that, much like with Alexei, some typings of the same people differ between sources.
List of Augusta’s works
Note: machine translations are marked with an * symbol. For each Russian source I tried to find the best available online version. Those that I could not find online at all I copied myself from my book of Augusta’s collected works.
- On the Dual Nature of Humanity: Russian, English*
- Socion, or The Foundation of Socionics: Russian, English
- Theory of Intertype Relations: Russian (mirror), English*
- Theory of Reinin Dichotomies: Russian, English*
- The Characteristic of IEE: Russian, English
- The Characteristic of IEI: Russian (mirror #1, mirror #2), English
- The Characteristic of ILE: Russian (mirror #1, mirror #2), English*
- The Characteristic of EII: Russian (mirror #1, mirror #2), English*
- The Characteristic of ESI: Russian (mirror #1, mirror #2), English*
- The Characteristic of LSI: Russian (mirror #1, mirror #2), English*
- The Characteristic of SLI: Russian (mirror #1, mirror #2), English*
- Commentary on Jung’s Typology and Introduction to Information Metabolism: Russian, English*
- Model of Information Metabolism: Russian, English*
- Personality vs Personality Type: Russian
- Letters and Notes: Russian, English*
- Our Socionic Nature and Asocionness of Society: Russian
- The World of Jung: Russian, English*
- Leader in Science, Government, and Arts: Russian, English*
- Socionic Sketches: Russian, English*
- Two Vertizations: Russian
- Another Argument in Support of the Notion that Every Person Uses All Types of Cognition: Russian, English*
- Natural Quadrization: Russian (p. 49), English
- Why is it Hard to Read Jung?: Russian
- Measure of Writer’s Talent: Russian (p. 48), English
- The Project of the Updated and Extended List of Famous Persons and Literary Characters Classified Into Types in Accordance With C.G. Jung’s Typology: Russian
- The Meaning of Symbols Used in Socionics: Russian, English
- Extracts From Letters (1987 – 1991): Russian
Classic Socionics 