Content

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………	3
1. Visual diagnosis of temperament………………………………….	4
1.1. Theories for diagnosing temperament…………………………………..	4
1.2. Basic criteria for determining the type of temperament…………	6
1.3. Visual diagnostics of temperament type (psychomotor and emotional criteria)………………………………………………………………
2. Visual diagnosis of character accentuations……………………….	11
2.1. Theories of character diagnostics……………………………………………………….	11
2.1. The concept of character accentuation……………………………………...	13
2.2. Characteristics of behavioral characteristics depending on the type of accentuation………………………………………………………………
3. Visual information in communication (psychosemiotic approach)…..	20
4. Visual diagnostic methods in practical application……….	25
3.1. Graphology……………………………………………………………..	25
3.2. Physiognomy………………………………………………………….	26
3.3. “Body language”……………………………………………………………………………….	27
3.4. Diagnosis “by disease”…………………………………………..	27
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………	29
List of references………………………………………………………..	30

Introduction

Identification of patterns of combination of individual traits of specific people has different strategies and results in scientific psychology. On the one hand, the individuality of a person can be considered precisely the totality, the set of his mental properties and qualities as individual elements that together make up a certain class.

The result of the classification of individuals will be a collection of different sets of individual traits, combined according to the laws of statistics and observed empirically with varying frequency. On the other hand, individuality is defined as a type - an integral structure, within which each specific property and quality of a person receives a natural explanation. As a result of constructing a typology, qualitatively unique types of individuals are identified, correlated with each other and fundamentally different from each other.

The methods for identifying classes or types of individuals also differ in the nature of the criteria used. These may be empirical criteria obtained from the analysis and generalization of specific experimental data. As a rule, empirical classification is inductive, through a natural transition from particular cases to general ones. The deductive method of constructing a typology of individuals - from the general to the specific - involves the theoretical identification of its main fundamental features, distinctions and then the verification and substantiation of the resulting types on empirical material.

General approaches to the typology of individuality are determined by the main cognitive and practical tasks of its study.

As one of the methods for diagnosing types of temperament and character accentuation, visual diagnostics can be distinguished.

1. Visual diagnosis of temperament

1.1. Theories for diagnosing temperament

Since ancient times, it has been observed that people differ from each other in behavioral dynamics. The fact of individual differences between people, attested by common sense, was first turned into a subject of scientific analysis by the great Greek scientist Hippocrates (IV century BC), who, influenced by the natural philosophy of Empedocles, showed that the main condition for the existence of an organism is the data in it in a certain proportion and four liquids (humors) feeding it. According to Hippocrates, the presence of these fluids in different proportions in the human body determines the difference between people in the strength of their experiences.

Based humoral theory Hippocrates, depending on which of the fluids predominates in the body, four types of temperament were established: sanguine, melancholic, phlegmatic and choleric. This classification of temperaments has not lost its power to this day. There were researchers who pointed out the inadequacy of this classification, added new types, noted the presence of other variants of these types, mixed forms, and reduced the number of these types (Kretschmer), but no one doubted the existence of temperament types. The main features of anciently established temperaments – their phenomenological characteristics – are also not controversial. The difference in opinions affected the issue of explanation, understanding of temperaments, and the establishment of their psychological and physiological mechanisms.

One number of scientists considers temperament to be an innate biological property of the organism - temperament is presented as a property of any individual biological process or the integral constitution of the organism, as a property that manifests itself in the experiences and behavior of the individual. Some researchers who take a biological point of view consider the cause of individual differences to be the humoral system (Hippocrates, Aristotle, Galen), while others consider the peculiarity of blood circulation (Geller, Stahl, Lesgaft) or the metabolic process in the body (Fulier), constitution (Gal, Virenice, Gales, De-Giovani, Seago, Kretschmer, Sheldon), neurological processes (Erisberg, Henle, Zeeland), features of higher nervous activity (I.P. Pavlov and his school).

There are a number of concepts in which the properties of temperament, understood as hereditary or innate, were associated with individual differences in physique features. These typologies are called constitutional typologies . The most widely used typological model was proposed by E. Kretschmer, who in 1921 published his famous work “Body Structure and Character.” The main idea was that people with a certain type of build have certain mental characteristics. He took many measurements of body parts, which allowed him to identify 4 constitutional types:

Leptosomatic– characterized by a fragile physique, tall stature, flat chest; the shoulders are narrow, the lower limbs are long and thin;

Picnic– a person with pronounced adipose tissue, excessively obese. characterized by small or medium height, a spreading body with a large belly and a round head on a short neck;

^ Athletic– a person with developed muscles, a strong physique, characterized by tall or average height, broad shoulders, narrow hips;

Displastic– people with a shapeless, irregular structure; Individuals of this type are characterized by various physique deformations (for example, excessive height, disproportionate physique).

With these types of body structure, Kretschmer correlates two main types of temperament, which he calls schizothymic and cyclothymic. A schizothymic person has an asthenic physique, he is closed, prone to fluctuations in emotions, stubborn, little susceptible to changing attitudes and views, and has difficulty adapting to the environment. The cyclothymic has a picnic physique, his emotions fluctuate between joy and sadness, he easily contacts people and is realistic in his views.

Kretschmer develops his theory of temperaments, separately highlighting in a table “special talents” characteristic of full-fledged social variants of temperaments. For example, a cyclothymic poet is for him a “realist, a humorist,” while a schizothymic poet is more of a romantic, an artist of form. In a similar way he divides the characters of explorers and leaders.

E. Kretschmer's theory was very widespread in Europe, and in the USA, W. Sheldon's concept of temperament, formulated in the 40s of the last century, gained popularity.

In contrast to the biological point of view, psychological theories have been put forward, according to which temperament is not an innate, biological property of the body, which finds corresponding expression in the world of human experiences, but an innate property of the soul itself, the psyche (Platner, Kant, Wundt, Gefting, Stern, etc. ). According to psychological theories, temperament is connected with the body, but this connection does not have any specific character. This connection is not fundamentally different from the nature of the connection between other personality traits and the organism; the question of the relationship between the organism and temperament stands among questions in general about the relationship between the mental and the physical.
^ 1.2. Basic criteria for determining the type of temperament

The properties of temperament manifest themselves in the same way in a wide variety of activities and for a variety of purposes. For example, if a student is worried before taking a test, shows anxiety before teaching a lesson at school during teaching practice, or is anxiously awaiting the start of a sports competition, this means that high anxiety is a property of his temperament. The properties of temperament are the most stable and constant compared to other mental characteristics of a person. Various properties of temperament are naturally interconnected, forming a certain organization, structure, characterizing the type of temperament.

Psychomotor and emotional criteria for characterizing types of temperament are determined by the following basic properties.

Sensitivity- the least force of external influences necessary for the occurrence of any mental reaction in a person, and the speed of occurrence of this reaction (increased sensitivity). If certain operating conditions do not cause irritation for one person, for another they become a strong disconcerting factor. The same degree of unsatisfaction of needs by one person is almost unnoticed, while in another it causes suffering. In this case, the second one has higher sensitivity.

Reactivity– the degree of involuntary reactions to external or internal influences of equal strength (a critical remark, an offensive word, a threat, a sharp and unexpected sound).

Activity– the degree of activity (energy) with which a person influences the outside world and overcomes obstacles in achieving the goal. This includes focus and persistence in achieving a goal, focus on long-term work, etc.

The ratio of reactivity and activity is what a person’s activity largely depends on: on random external and internal circumstances (on mood, desire, random events) or on a person’s goals, intentions, aspirations, beliefs.

^ Reaction rate– the speed of various mental reactions and processes: speed of movement, resourcefulness, speed of memorization, quickness of mind.

Plastic rigidity. This is the ease and flexibility of a person’s adaptation to external influences (plasticity) or the inertia and rigidity of his behavior (rigidity).

Extraversion and its opposite quality - introversion. This is what a person’s reactions and activities primarily depend on - on external impressions that arise at the moment (extroversion) or on images, ideas and thoughts associated with the past and future (introversion). Emotional excitability - how weak an impact is necessary for an emotional reaction to occur, and at what speed it occurs. It is expressed in emotional sensitivity, impulsiveness, emotional mobility (the speed of changes in emotional states, their onset and cessation).
^ 1.3. Visual diagnosis of temperament type (psychomotor and emotional criteria)

In the process of researching the four main types of temperament (according to Hippocrates), some properties common to each type were identified.

Sanguine(based on a strong, balanced, mobile type of nervous system). What is characteristic of a sanguine person? First of all, his increased reactivity, which manifests itself in the fact that he responds vividly and with great excitement to everything that attracts their attention, is very impressionable. A sanguine person is also distinguished by increased activity - he shows great persistence and energy. His activity and reactivity are balanced - he can easily restrain his reactions and manifestations of feelings. Feelings arise and change easily, emotional experiences are usually shallow. Facial expressions are rich, mobile, expressive. The reaction rate is quite high, which is manifested in fast movements, a skipping gait, and a fast pace of speech. A sanguine person is distinguished by high behavioral plasticity and extroversion. He is inquisitive, cheerful, emotions arise easily, but they are not strong or deep, he quickly forgets insults, and is friendly.

Choleric(it is based on a strong, unbalanced – with a predominance of excitation – type of nervous system). Choleric people, like sanguine people, are also characterized by high reactivity and activity, and a fast reaction rate. But reactivity prevails over activity. That is why he is so unrestrained and hot-tempered, easily loses his temper, and is impatient. He is less plastic and more rigid than a sanguine person, hence the greater stability and constancy of his interests. He is characterized by sharpness and swiftness of movements, strength, impulsiveness, and vivid expression of emotional experiences. A choleric person takes on any business with passion and is afraid of initiatives. In communication he is quick-tempered, harsh, and does not hold back his emotions.

Melancholic(based on a weak type of nervous system). Unlike other types of temperament, a melancholic person has high sensitivity, manifested in painful sensuality and touchiness. Low reactivity and reduced activity are manifested in a melancholic person in that he rarely laughs, is not confident in himself, often and easily gets lost, and does not complete his work. He is distinguished by a slow mental tempo - his movements are sluggish, weak, he speaks slowly. Quickly gets tired of people and new surroundings, feelings arise slowly, but manifest themselves in depth. These people are easily vulnerable, although they do not show it outwardly. Tactful, soft, shy. They are characterized by suspiciousness and pessimism.

Phlegmatic person(based on a strong, balanced, inert type of nervous system). It is characterized by a relatively low level of behavioral activity, new forms of which are developed slowly, but are persistent. Possesses slowness and calmness in actions, facial expressions and speech, evenness, constancy, depth of feelings and moods. This manifests itself in the fact that it is difficult to make him laugh or angry. High activity significantly prevails over low reactivity, which determines patience, endurance, and self-control. The mental pace is slow - movements are unhurried, gait is slow, questions are not answered immediately. It is characterized by low plasticity and high rigidity. He is slow and calm, shows thoroughness in everything, is inclined to order, but slowness interferes with the process of cognition and avoids arguments. He has a stable mood and avoids quarrels. Failures and troubles do not make him angry.

Temperaments are practically never found in their pure form. Each person has predominant traits of one temperament in a combination of the temperament of another. The given characteristics do not pretend to be categorical, since the division of the temperament of all people into four groups is very arbitrary. More broadly, we can only say that temperament mainly determines the course of a person’s mental life, the dynamics of mental activity. In this regard, we can basically talk about individual differences between people in terms of temperamental properties.

One of the oldest, and at the same time most methodologically acute, problems of characterology is the elucidation of the dependencies that exist between character and temperament. Although even now there are attempts to reduce character to temperament, most scientists still believe that temperament is only the natural basis of character. Many studies have shown that if in early childhood a significant dependence of character on temperament makes itself felt in a person, then later, with the development of personality, the relationship between them changes: character becomes increasingly important, transforming temperament, which now acts mainly only as an emotional the dynamic form of existence and expression of a person’s characterological relationships and makes itself felt, first of all, in a certain emotional orientation of character properties, features of expressive movements and actions, the speed of various personal manifestations, and the course of mental processes.

^ 2. Visual diagnosis of character accentuations

2.1. Character diagnostic theories

Attempts to study character have been made since time immemorial. An independent doctrine of character was formed - characterology, which has a long history of development. The most important problems of this teaching over the centuries have been the identification of character types and their determination by external manifestations in order to predict human behavior in various situations.

Typology of characters, as a rule, is based on the existence of certain typical traits. Typical are traits and manifestations of character that are common and indicative of a certain group of people. Accordingly, a character type should be understood as the expression in the individual character of traits common to a certain group of people.

A significant influence on the development of characterology was exerted by physiognomy - the doctrine of the connection between a person’s external appearance and his belonging to a certain type of personality, thanks to which the psychological characteristics of this type can be established by external signs. Already Aristotle and Plato proposed to determine the character of a person by looking for features of similarity with some animal in his appearance, and then identified his character, as in the eastern horoscope, with the character of this animal. The most famous was the physiognomic system of Johann Kasper Lavater, who considered the main way to understand human character to be the study of the structure of the head, the configuration of the skull, facial expressions, etc.

Currently, American psychologists J. Glaive and E. Clery are trying to provide scientific evidence for these facts. They conducted many experiments, which, in their opinion, prove the enormous influence of eye color on a person’s character. For example, people with dark blue eyes are very assertive, but tend to be sentimental. They are easily moody, remember grievances for a long time, are capricious, and sometimes their actions are unpredictable. People with dark gray eyes are stubborn and courageous, they are persistent and achieve their goals, despite various difficulties.

Palmistry has no less famous and rich history than the physiognomic direction in characterology. Palmistry is a system of predicting a person’s character traits and his fate based on the skin texture of the palms. Palmistry has been known since ancient times, but its greatest dawn occurred in the 16th-18th centuries, when palmistry departments existed in many universities in Europe.

Until recently, scientific psychology invariably rejected palmistry, but the study of the embryonic development of finger patterns in connection with heredity gave a new impetus to the emergence of a new branch of knowledge - dermatoglyphics. It was, in particular, shown that the formation of the pattern of the palms of each person, as well as the development of the brain, occurs at 3-4 months of intrauterine development and is caused by the same influence of the gene set of the parents or chromosomal abnormalities of the fetus. Therefore, palmistry should be considered rather as an anatomical or physiological feature of the body, and it can be placed on a par with the constitutional direction of characterology, of which E. Kretschmer was a prominent representative. Kretschmer considered character in connection with the structure of the body as the mental constitution of a person corresponding to his bodily constitution, and explained character, ultimately, by innate, primarily endocrine factors.

More valuable in diagnostic terms can be considered graphology - a science that considers handwriting as a type of expressive movements that reflect the psychological properties of the writer. Graphological information, accumulated over centuries, established a connection between a series of facts - features of handwriting and character.

The concept of “accentuation” was introduced into psychology by K. Leonhard. His concept of “accented personalities” was based on the assumption of the presence of basic and additional personality traits. There are significantly fewer main traits, but they are the core of personality and determine its development, adaptation and mental health. When the main traits are significantly expressed, they leave an imprint on the personality as a whole, and under unfavorable circumstances they can destroy the entire structure of the personality.
^ 2.1. The concept of character accentuation

The classification of characters depending on belonging to the extroverted and introverted type, proposed by C. Jung, has become widespread. Extraversion - introversion is considered by modern psychology as a manifestation of temperament. The first type is characterized by the personality’s focus on the surrounding world, the objects of which, like a magnet, attract the interests and vital energy of the subject, which in a certain sense leads to a belittlement of the personal significance of the phenomena of his subjective world. Extroverts are characterized by impulsiveness, initiative, behavioral flexibility, and sociability. Introverts are characterized by a fixation of individual interests on the phenomena of their own inner world, unsociability, isolation, a tendency to introspection, and difficulty in adaptation. It is also possible to divide into conformal and independent, dominant and subordinate, normative and anarchic and other types.

There are other classifications of character types. For example, a typology of character based on a person’s attitude to life, society and moral values ​​is widely known. Its author is E. Fromm, who called this classification a social typology of characters.

According to the famous German psychiatrist K. Leonhard, in 20–56% of people some character traits are so sharpened (accentuated) that under certain circumstances this leads to the same type of conflicts and nervous breakdowns.

Accentuation of character is an exaggerated development of certain character traits to the detriment of others, as a result of which interaction with other people deteriorates. The severity of accentuation can vary - from mild, noticeable only to the immediate environment, to extreme variants, when you have to wonder if there is a disease - psychopathy.

Leonhard identifies 12 types of accentuation, each of which predetermines a person’s selective resistance to some life adversities, with increased sensitivity to others, to frequent conflicts of the same type, and to certain nervous breakdowns. In favorable conditions, when it is the weak links of the personality that are not affected, such a person can become extraordinary; for example, accentuation of character according to the so-called exalted type can contribute to the flowering of the talent of an artist, an artist.

Later, a classification of characters based on a description of accentuations was proposed by A.E. Lichko. This classification is based on observations of adolescents. Accentuation of character, according to Lichko, is an excessive strengthening of individual character traits, in which deviations in human behavior that do not go beyond the norm, bordering on pathology, are observed. Such accentuations, as temporary mental states, are most often observed in adolescence and early adolescence.

Character accentuations are often found in adolescents and young men (50–80%). The type of accentuation or its absence can be determined using special psychological tests, for example the Shmishek test. Often you have to deal with accentuated personalities and it is important to know and anticipate the specific features of people’s behavior.

Since in the process of visual diagnostics the main attention is paid to motor skills (specificity of movements) and emotional psychological processes (reaction to various situations), the behavior and communication characteristics of the subject are one of the main parameters by which the accentuation of his character is determined.
^ 2.2. Characteristics of behavioral characteristics depending on the type of accentuation

Hyperthymic (hyperactive) type.

Features of communication and behavior. Excessively high spirits, always cheerful, talkative, very energetic, independent, strives for leadership, risks and adventures, does not respond to comments, ignores punishments, loses the line of what is prohibited, lacks self-criticism. It is necessary to be cautious about his unfounded optimism and overestimation of his capabilities. Energy is sometimes directed towards drinking alcohol, drugs, and promiscuous sex life.

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. Energy, thirst for activity, new things, optimism.

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. Frivolity, a tendency to immoral acts, a frivolous attitude towards responsibilities, irritability in the circle of close people.

^ Dysthymic type.

Features of communication and behavior. Constantly low mood, sadness, isolation, taciturnity, pessimism, are burdened by noisy society, and do not get along closely with colleagues. They rarely enter into conflicts; more often they are a passive party in them. They value those who are friends with them and are inclined to obey them.

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. Seriousness, high morality, integrity, justice.

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. Passivity, pessimism, sadness, slowness of thinking, “separation from the team.”

^ Cycloid type.

Features of communication and behavior. Sociability changes cyclically (high during periods of elevated mood, and low during periods of depression)

During periods of rising mood, people manifest themselves as people with hyperthymic accentuation, and during periods of declining mood – with dysthymic accentuation. During a period of recession, they perceive troubles more acutely, even to the point of committing suicide. There are cases of manic depressive psychosis

^ Emotive (emotional) type.

Features of communication and behavior. Excessive sensitivity, vulnerability, deeply experience the slightest troubles, overly sensitive to comments, failures, so they are often in a sad mood. They prefer a narrow circle of friends and relatives who understand perfectly. They rarely enter into conflicts and play a passive role in them. Resentments do not spill out.

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. Altruism, compassion, compassionate, rejoice in other people's successes. Executives with a high sense of duty. Good family men.

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. Extreme sensitivity and tearfulness May provoke attacks from ill-mannered or irritable people.

^ Demonstrative type.

Features of communication and behavior. There is an expressed desire to be in the center of attention and achieve one’s goals at any cost: tears, fainting, scandals, illnesses, boasting, outfits, unusual hobbies, lies. They easily forget about their unseemly deeds. Behavior depends on the person with whom he is dealing, high adaptability to people.

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. Courtesy, perseverance, focus, acting talent, the ability to captivate others, originality.

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. Selfishness, unbridled actions, deceit, boastfulness, shirking from work, a tendency to “get sick” at the most crucial and difficult moments. Tendency to intrigue, self-confidence and high claims. They provoke conflicts, while actively defending themselves.

^ Excitable type.

Features of communication and behavior. Increased irritability, lack of restraint, aggressiveness, sullenness, “boringness,” but flattery and helpfulness are possible (as a disguise). Tendency to be rude and use obscene language or remain silent and slow in conversation. They actively and often conflict, do not avoid quarrels with their superiors, are difficult to get along with in teams, and are despotic and cruel in the family.

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. Outside of fits of anger - conscientiousness, accuracy, love for children.

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. Irritability, short temper, inappropriate outbursts of anger and rage with assault, cruelty; weakened control over desire.

^ Stuck type.

Features of communication and behavior. “Stuck” on his feelings and thoughts, cannot forget grievances, “settles scores”, intractability at work and at home, a tendency to protracted squabbles, in conflicts they are more often an active party, the circle of enemies and friends is clearly defined. Shows a lust for power - “the boring nature of a moral teacher.”

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. The desire to achieve high performance in any business, the manifestation of high demands on oneself, a thirst for justice, integrity, strong stable views.

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. Touchiness, suspicion, vindictiveness, ambition, arrogance, jealousy, a sense of justice inflated to the point of fanaticism.
^ Pedantic type.

Features of communication and behavior. Pronounced tediousness in the form of “experiencing” details in the service can torture visitors with formal requirements, and exhaust family members with excessive neatness.

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. Conscientiousness, accuracy, seriousness, reliability in business and feelings, even mood.

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. Formalism, “cunning”, “boringness”, the desire to shift important decisions to others.

^ Anxious (psychasthenic) type.

Features of communication and behavior. Low background mood, fears for oneself, loved ones, timidity, self-doubt, extreme indecisiveness, experiences failure for a long time, doubts one’s actions. Rarely enters into conflicts, plays a passive role.

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. Friendliness, self-criticism, diligence.

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. Fearfulness and suspiciousness, due to defenselessness, sometimes serve as a target for jokes, “scapegoats.”

^ Exalted (labile) type.

Features of communication and behavior. Very changeable mood, clearly expressed emotions, increased distractibility to external events, talkativeness, falling in love.

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. Altruism, a sense of compassion, artistic taste, artistic talent, brightness of feelings, attached to friends.

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. Excessive impressionability, pathos, alarmism and susceptibility to despair.
^ Introverted (schizoid) type.

Features of communication and behavior. Low sociability, closed, aloof from everyone, communication out of necessity, self-absorbed, doesn’t say anything about himself, doesn’t reveal his experiences, although he is characterized by increased vulnerability. Treats other people with reserved coldness, even close ones. Behavior and logic are often incomprehensible to others. They love loneliness. They rarely enter into conflicts - when trying to invade their inner world. Pickiness in choosing a spouse, search for an ideal. Emotional coldness, weak attachment to loved ones.

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. Restraint, sedateness, thoughtfulness of actions, strong convictions, adherence to principles.

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. Stubbornly defending your unrealistic views. He has his own point of view on everything, often sharply different from the opinion of the majority.

^ Extroverted (conformal) type.

Features of communication and behavior. Highly sociable, talkative to the point of talkativeness, does not have his own opinion, is not very independent, strives to be like everyone else, disorganized, prefers to obey. He accepts orders from his superiors without hesitation. In society with friends and in the family, he cedes leadership to another.

Traits that are attractive to interlocutors. Willingness to listen to the “confession” of another, diligence

Traits that are repulsive and promote conflict. “A man without a king in his head”, susceptibility to other people’s influence, thoughtlessness of actions, gullibility, passion for entertainment.

^ 3. Visual information in communication (psychosemiotic approach)

Since the beginning of the 70s of the last century, a new scientific direction has been actively developing in domestic psychological science, which arose on the basis of the cultural-historical concept (L.S. Vygotsky, A.R. Luria, S.L. Rubinstein) and was called the psychosemiotic approach .

In Russian psychology, the concept of “sign” occupied a special place within the framework of the cultural-historical concept of the development of the human psyche (L.S. Vygotsky, A.R. Luria and A.N. Leontiev). As you know, it was L.S. Vygotsky considered signification (the creation and use of signs) the central difference between humans and animals and assigned a special instrumental (instrumental) function to signs, calling the sign and the method of its use the “defining” or “focus” of the entire process of mental formation, the main point of its construction.

The psychosemiotic approach is a comprehensive direction that combines the study of communication processes and human activity, taking into account the historical nature of the signs themselves, which act as unique tools of human mental activity (I.M. Sechenov, L.S. Vygotsky), objectifying and materializing socio-historical experience and processes that “impose” the system, and therefore, to some extent predetermine the result of reflection (in the sense of aspect, completeness, depth, measure, generality), the result of a person’s cognition of objective reality (M.V. Gamezo, V.F. Rubakhin) , the level of development of human activity and communication, and, accordingly, their subject - personality, the development of the entire human psyche.

The identification of the instrumental function of signs represents, first of all, the psychological aspect of the sign problem and inevitably leads to the need to pose and resolve the question of the conditions and methods of realizing this function in relation not only to the processes of cognition, but also to human activity and his communication with others.

At the center of psychosemiotics is the idea that signs are not only indicators of internal (mental) content, but also ways of its development and formation. The object of psychosemiotics is the functioning of semiotic systems of natural or artificial genesis in the activity, cognition and communication of people. The subject of modern psychosemiotics is defined as “the process of emergence, development and differentiation of various systems connected by relations of representation, mutual reflection and mutual expression, taken in unity with its results, leading to the formation of a special semiotic reality.”

The triad “sign - meaning - meaning” occupies a central place in the process of human communication. Six main functions of a person as a subject of communication - communicative (ensuring interconnection), informational (mutual expression), cognitive (mutual cognition), emotive (experience of relationships), conative (mutual manifestation, control), creative (mutual influence, transformation) - are transformed into one main one - regulatory , which at the instrumental level can explore the specifics of their implementation depending on the nature of the symbolic means used.

The most general idea of ​​a sign is associated with the so-called Fregean triangle with vertices: sign, meaning (designatum), object (denotation), the relationship between the sides of which has been the subject of debate both in philosophy and in semiotics and psychology. Central to psychology was the question of the mechanism of the relationship between sign and meaning. For example, from the position of associative theories, a sign is simply associatively connected with an object; according to phenomenological theory, the mechanism is intention, etc.

The psychological study of signs and sign systems, according to the traditional division of semiotics into three areas - pragmatics (the relationship of a sign to a person), semantics (the relationship of a sign and meaning) and syntax (the relationship between signs on an abstract level) - can be attributed to all three designated areas . “Psychological problems are present everywhere - both in semantics and in the syntax of signs, as soon as they begin to be considered in the context of human activity and relationships, communication,” wrote M.V. Gamezo.

A sign is most often defined in semiotics as a material, sensory object (phenomenon, action), acting in the process of cognition and communication as a representative (substitute) of another object or phenomenon and used to receive, store, transform and transmit information about this substitute object or phenomenon. With such a broad interpretation, the term is used in relation to any object (event, phenomenon) that carries information (message, information, knowledge) about something different from itself, and the sign system is considered as a material intermediary serving the exchange of information between two other material systems.

The connection between signs and sign systems with communication is dialectical: on the one hand, communication is a necessary condition for mastering signs and their systems, on the other hand, signs are specific tools (tools) of communication, without which its very existence is impossible. The activity of the subject is expressed in the very individual set (thesaurus) of signs used. Traditionally, a thesaurus is defined as “a stock of knowledge of one or a group of subjects, reflected in his consciousness as a system of concepts expressed in words” (K.K. Platonov, M.S. Mirimanova, etc.). Not only the content, but also the formal-dynamic and spatio-temporal parameters of each “language” have an indicative function.

Features of a person’s appearance and expression can become “signs” that will be involved in the life of an individual. How does this happen? In our opinion, the signs of a person’s external appearance function in communication indirectly by the activity of the subject himself, who selects from those generated by the field of culture those signs that correspond to his self-concept, correspond to the conditions of communication and the goals of his activity. In this regard, all semiotic manifestations of a person, willingly or unwillingly, are his self-affirmation.

Psychosemiotics of external appearance refers to the signs of “external characteristics of a person’s behavior and appearance”, “non-verbal human behavior”, “body language”. In other words, it studies all visual sign systems formed by semiotic manifestations of a person’s external appearance and carrying information in communication.

Accordingly, visually perceived information about a person and from a person is transmitted by visual signs of three visual-communicative systems: habitus (physical appearance, anatomical features of the face, other parts of the body, constitution, etc.), costume (social design of appearance: clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories , hairstyle, glasses, etc.), kinesics (any meaningful movements: facial expressions, gestures, gait, postures).

The subject of psychosemiotic study of the external appearance of the subject of communication is the role and functions of visual signs in everyday (ordinary) communication between people. In accordance with the traditions of studying communication in the mainstream of general and social psychology, visual psychosemiotics of communication studies the sign systems of external appearance as a personal phenomenon, as a communicative means and as a subject of social cognition. Thus, there is an integration of general psychological and socio-psychological research of communication, the need for which was pointed out by A.A. Bodalev, B.F. Lomov, A.V. Petrovsky et al.

Visual transmission and reception of information in communication is carried out with the help of signal-sign elements of three visually perceived semiotic systems of a person’s external appearance: habitus, kinesics and costume. Visual-semiotic manifestations of a person’s external appearance are carriers of socially developed meanings (the “sign-society” plane of analysis). Realizing the basic functions of communication, they become a multifunctional means of nonverbal communication.

The role of visual information in communication in relation to verbal information is ambiguous; it ranges from a dominant value to an insignificant nuance. Two types of correlation between speech and visual information can be distinguished: conjugate (the semantics of visual and verbal signs are interconnected) and unconjugated (parallel) functioning. Visual signs can perform certain functions in relation to verbal information in communication: anticipatory manifestation of psychological content, semantic and others.

Visual signs of a person’s external appearance play a special role in communication and interpersonal cognition. They are an important means (tool) of nonverbal communication, implementing affective-communicative, regulatory-communicative and information-communicative functions, and become the main sources of visual information about a person, indicators of his personality.
^ 4. Visual diagnostic methods in practical application

Knowing your employee, business partner or competitor means being able to anticipate his actions in a particular situation. However, without taking into account deep psychological (including psychophysiological and genetic parameters) characteristics, relying solely on professional and business information, it is almost impossible to achieve an effective forecast about human behavior. In other words, the personality factor can work in the most unexpected way, but it is still worth trying to minimize this risk, and best of all, to extract, if not profit, then at least benefit from it.

It is no secret that the world's leading companies prefer to compile detailed psychological dossiers on their business partners, competitors and leading specialists.
3.1. Graphology

Graphology, having never been officially recognized or rehabilitated in the former post-Soviet space, nevertheless began its “technological reincarnation” already in the 90s of the last century. In France, the birthplace of psychological handwriting studies, the position of graphologist has state status, there is an extensive network of specialist training centers, which, however, has made this procedure somewhat bureaucratic. In Holland, Israel, and the United States, they rely more on the quality of the graphologist’s work than on his official status. An error in diagnosis can be costly not only for the graphologist himself. But the capabilities of the method are truly impressive, because you can learn a lot about a person from handwriting.

It is impossible to list all the possibilities of graphology. It opens, like a surgical knife, or reveals, like a developer, carefully disguised symptoms and complexes of a person, exposing his true nature. What the individual himself may not even be aware of.

Based on the handwriting of individuals, it is quite easy to predict future interpersonal relationships in a group, team or personal life. In the same way, you can trace the changes in a person before and after any events; you never know what could change in your soul after the experience. It is also possible to trace the subject’s reaction to a specific situation (for example, business negotiations) using his protocol records. Based on the specificity of the writing of some semantic words (company name, addressing someone, promises or assurances, etc.), it is possible to decipher the actual attitude or real reaction of the writer to the facts indicated in the letter. Simply put, you can find out the truth about intentions and motives, which is the highest class of any goal-oriented.
3.2. Physiognomy

Thanks to this method, we can determine the genetic characteristics of an individual, so to speak, his natural inclinations. Thus, a powerful jaw indicates a strong type of nervous system, but whether a person really took advantage of this quality in life will be shown by a physiognomic “assembly” of all elements. In someone who really turns out to be a strong personality, among other things, the chewing muscles (the so-called nodules) will clearly stand out and the jaw itself will be pushed forward. A large mouth with a weak, narrow jaw is genetically provocative nonsense for the individual: there is an irresistible desire to capture, but there is no way to hold and overpower the prey, i.e. My appetite doesn't correspond to my capabilities. But a small mouth indicates selectivity and even scrupulousness (sometimes this is perceived as capriciousness) in choosing an object of desire. But the “small-mouthed” will never miss their goal (which from the outside may seem treacherous). But developed full lips determine the so-called sensory type. Such people never make decisions without first testing the situation (in Japanese management this would be called “go and see for yourself”). And they do this with all the senses available to them.

Physiognomic analysis will not leave any organ or segment of your face unattended. Reading the genotype makes it possible to identify hitherto hidden motivating impulses in human behavior, which are often not realized by the subject himself. In addition, one can judge with greater certainty about his capabilities and inclinations.
^ 3.3. "Sign Language"

Gestures, unlike handwriting and facial features, are much easier to fake, i.e. depict what is needed at the moment. With the publication of Alan Pease's book Sign Language, this can be done on a reliable technological basis. By surrounding yourself with a platoon of image makers, you can eventually “get into character” to its maximum verisimilitude. Gestures, posture, facial expressions are the oldest communication system of the human community, and its program blocks are extremely firmly fixed in our subconscious (at the level of the so-called ancient cerebral cortex).

Of course, every people and nation has its own characteristics in transmitting information and state of mind through gestures. However, the layer of social culture is always disproportionately thinner compared to the powerful layer of the most ancient signal reflexes of communication.
^ 3.4. Diagnosis “by disease”

Another diagnostic method based on more reliable and prognostic criteria. These are our... diseases. Psychoanalysis of a person’s character and his problems based on his illnesses as a diagnostic method has become popular relatively recently, since the mid-80s of the last century. A medical record can tell too much about a person’s real, not fictitious, essence.

Today there are several more types of so-called applied visual psychodiagnostics. This is, for example, the determination of personality traits by the manner of dressing, by name (or rather, psychophonology and psychonaming - the methods and manner of pronunciation of names and names), and even by “our smaller brothers” - pets, which, according to many, are similar to their owners (or vice versa).

The point is that mastery of at least some methods of this specific branch of psychology helps in business and simply in establishing relationships with others. After all, it is much easier to find a common language with a person if you know something about him that sometimes he himself does not know!
Conclusion

In folk beliefs, legends, and sayings, we often encounter the expression of a person’s individual characteristics in his appearance. People who tend to be overweight are seen as good-natured but lazy, thin people are seen as insightful and sarcastic, those with fiery red hair are seen as having an angry temper, etc.

Hippocrates was already looking for grounds for classifying individuals. In addition to identifying types of temperament, he was the first to try to connect the constitutional characteristics and physique of people with their predisposition to certain diseases. Based on empirical comparisons, he showed that short, dense people are prone to apoplexy, while tall and thin people are prone to tuberculosis. These two types of body structure are, of course, the most general, but it was their descriptions that laid the foundation for the constitutional approach to the analysis of individuality, developed in modern psychology and psychiatry.

There have also been attempts to identify the dependence of the type of temperament and character on other physiological indicators - facial features and facial expressions (physiognomy), line patterns on the fingers and palms (palmistry and dermatoglyphics), and handwriting features (graphology).

According to psychological theories, temperament is connected with the body, but this connection does not have any specific character.

Using the visual diagnostic method, it is possible to use psychomotor and emotional criteria, i.e. characteristics of the movements and behavior of the person being diagnosed, to first determine his type of temperament or accentuation of character. With further detailed testing, this helps to obtain more accurate results, as well as to determine in advance the most suitable testing method for a given individual.

List of used literature

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   Vygotsky L.S. Psychology. M.: Publishing house EKSMO-Press, 2000.
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   Gamezo M.V.. Lomov B.F., Rubakhin V.F. Psychological aspects of methodology and general theory of signs and sign systems // Psychological problems of processing sign information, M., 1977,
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   Gippenreiter Yu. Introduction to general psychology. – M., 1996.
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   Egorova M. S., Psychology of individual differences, - M., 1997
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   Ilyin E. P. Psychology of communication and interpersonal relations. 1st edition, - M.: Education, 2009.
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   A brief dictionary of the system of psychological concepts / K.K. Platonov - M. Higher School 1984
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   Kretschmer Ernst, Body structure and character, - M., 1993.
8. 
   Labunskaya V.A. Human expression. Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 1989.
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   Leongard K. Accented personalities. - M, 1989.
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    Lichko A.E. Psychopathy and character accentuation in adolescents, L., 1983
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    Nebylitsin V.D., Psychophysiological studies of individual differences, - M., 1976.
12. 
    Nemov R.S. Psychology: Textbook. For students Higher Ped. Textbook Establishments: In 3 books. – 4th ed. – M.: Humanite. ed. VLADOS Center, 2001.
13. 
    General psychology; /Compound. E.I. Rogov - M.: VLADOS, 1995
14. 
    Basics of psychodiagnostics. Ed. Shmeleva, A. G. “Phoenix” Rostov-on-Don, 1996.
15. 
    Petrovsky A.V., Brushlinsky V.P. and etc.; General psychology: Textbook. for university students, Ed. A. V. Petrovsky. - 3rd ed., add. -M.: Education, 1986.
16. 
    Psychosemiotics of cognitive activity and communication. M.: Education, 1990.
17. 
    Rubinshtein S.L. Fundamentals of general psychology. – St. Petersburg, 2001
18. 
    Slobodchikov V.I., Isaev E.I. Human psychology. M., 1995
19. 
    Freud Z. Psychology of the unconscious - Novosibirsk, 1997
20. 
    Reader on psychology and character typology. / Editor-compiler D.Ya. Raigorodsky: BAKHRAH; – Samara; 1997
21. 
    Shevandrin N.I. Psychodiagnostics, correction and personality development - M.: Gumatin. ed. VLADOS Center, 1998.
22. 
    Jung K.G. Psychological types. M., 1998
23. 
    Yaroshevsky M.G. History of psychology. - M., 1976
24. 
    World Wide Web, materials from the site http://varvar.ru

Visual diagnosis of personality traits

Visual diagnostics of personality traits was developed based on the teachings of psychologists about character traits. Dominants got their names from terms used in psychiatry that characterize a particular mental disorder of the individual.
However, dominants or, as they are also called, accentuations, are only personality traits in which individual character traits are excessively strengthened. This leads to a person’s tendency to apply the same behavior patterns in different situations, to choose the appropriate style in clothing and accessories.
The essence of the technique is that by external signs (visual psychodiagnostics) one can determine character traits - dominants. Thus, in real time, without the use of psychological tests, you can see the psychological and communicative characteristics of your interlocutor by his behavior, by his manner of communicating and also by his appearance.

8 dominants:

1. Paranoid dominant (purposeful).
2. Hysterical dominant (demonstrative).
3. Epileptoid dominant (stuck).
4. Epileptoid dominant (excitable).
5. Schizoid dominant (strange).
6. Hyperthymic dominant (cheerful).
7. Emotive dominant (sensitive).
8. Anxious dominant (fearful).

Paranoid dominant (purposeful)
These are usually people with a powerful inner core. They live mainly by their idea, fight for it, suffer, defend it. They are not receptive to outside information. They listen only to their own opinion (“One is mine, the other is wrong...”), which often results in a reluctance to listen to others and leads to a desire to avoid problems. People of the paranoid type are strategists, but not tacticians. Their goals are global and their scale is enormous. It is this type of people who stubbornly pursue a goal that would seem unattainable for others. The life of such people is built on principles, which allows them to calmly go over their heads. The basic principle by which they live: “Whoever is not with us is against us.” They tend to lie within the framework of the idea; they consider only the end result important, and to achieve the goal, as we know, all means are good. They are demanding of themselves and others and always evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their interlocutor. Typically, people with paranoid dominance are not sensitive to stress. This is definitely a strong personality type.

Cloth: People of the paranoid psychotype are characterized by neatness, a classic style of clothing during working hours and a military style in their free time. Usually in this style there is nothing superfluous, all accessories are in place.
Facial expressions: Powerful, confident.
Gestures: Wide, cutting, pointing. Such people tend to often break distance with their interlocutor in order to confuse him.
Speech: Confident. A mentoring tone is possible. Such people like to talk about topics that only interest them. They are consistent in their presentation (first, second, third...) and often use harsh formulations, words and assessments.
Positive Communication Model: To establish rapport with such people, it is recommended to demonstrate your strength (status). In the discussion, make references to laws or opinions of authoritative people. It is worth giving a clear structure of arguments (firstly, secondly, thirdly...). An interlocutor with a pronounced paranoid dominant will most successfully listen to a powerful, authoritative person than to a subordinate. You can try to show the importance of your proposals for solving the global idea of ​​paranoia.

Hysterical dominant (demonstrative)
A hysterical dominant promotes the desire to please. Such people often imagine themselves as having the gift of acting. Life for them is a theater, and those around them are spectators. This makes them behave demonstratively and strive to be noticed. In communication one can observe mannerism and excessive talkativeness. Usually hysterics believe in what is said, despite the possible unreliability of information or inconsistency of facts. This is the result of a desire to embellish any story. Sometimes it’s enough just to listen and the “inconsistencies” will appear on their own. Such a person uses every opportunity to speak out. This is a weak type of nervous system.

Cloth: Often “provocative”, either bright or with extravagant details, is complemented by a large amount of jewelry, accessories and bright makeup for women. In men, you can see excessive jewelry or any other conspicuous details of appearance. For example, a neckerchief, an abundance of rings, etc.
Facial expressions: All emotions on the faces of people with a predominant hysterical dominant look exaggerated. These are wide smiles, open-mouthed laughter, sadness with tears, universal sorrow.
Gestures: Broad, picturesque gestures and accentuated poses predominate.
Speech: Emotional and expressive, with dramatic pauses.
Positive communication model: With such an interlocutor, the best position is that of a listener. A person with a predominant hysterical dominant reveals himself more if he pretends to believe the game. If you praise such an interlocutor, he will make any decision in your favor. To catch someone lying, you just have to ask them to repeat the story.

Epileptoid dominant (stuck)
One of the varieties of people with a predominant epileptoid dominant is the stuck epileptoid. This means that, due to his characteristics, such a person is rigid and does not switch well from one thing to another. Often these people are systematic, punctual, leisurely, and pragmatic. Preparation is important for them if any decision is to be made. Everything should always be in its place. This category of people is intolerant when someone changes its order. Such people are used to planning and writing everything down. The life principle of a stuck epileptoid: “My home is my fortress.” Contacts, as a rule, are installed poorly. From the outside it may seem that this is a gloomy or even angry person. Those who get stuck are also extremely picky when choosing friends. However, if such a person called you a friend, he will never betray you and, if necessary, will sacrifice everything for you. The epileptoid loves his job and very rarely changes jobs. His social reference point is family.

Cloth: Practical and convenient. At work he wears classic clothes, at home he prefers casual.
Facial expressions: The gaze is direct, confident, and sometimes may seem heavy to the interlocutor. Emotional outbursts are rare and insignificant.
Gestures: Clear, verified.
Speech: Slow, lethargic.
Positive communication model: A conversation with such an interlocutor is successful if you provide him with a coherent, reasoned system of evidence. The process should take place without fuss and spontaneous manifestations. The epileptoid must see “his” interest, then your cooperation is guaranteed.

Epileptoid dominant (excitable)
This feature of people with a pronounced epileptoid dominant (excitability) defines the category of tough and cruel people. They may play sports or take part in competitive activities. Excitable epileptoids, like stuck ones, are often neat and orderly. Such people prefer short haircuts, short nails, and a sporty style of clothing. They seem to be always ready to fight. You can also notice a love of order and hierarchy, and often cynicism towards others. Such people are blindly faithful to instructions. Their principle is “I followed the order...”. Excitable people are unscrupulous about the means to achieve goals and easily accuse others, including falsely, as if testing their strength. Unlike stuck epileptoids, these people are unpredictable and impulsive in their decisions. They strive to achieve their personal goals, and treat everything else according to the principle “Don’t worry about it...”. Prone to antisocial behavior, alcoholism, drug addiction. This is a strong type of nervous system.

Cloth: An excitable epileptoid is expressed through a sporty style of clothing.
Facial expressions: The gaze is direct, aggressive, facial expressions are often small and constrained.
Gestures: Heavy, emphasized by the use of muscles (flexes muscles). This is a raw show of force.
Speech: Slow, tough.
Positive communication model: When communicating with such a psychotype of people, it is recommended to keep a distance and maintain a hard line without concessions (otherwise they will immediately begin to push). It is also important to show your importance and authority on the issue of interest. At the same time, it is advisable not to provoke an excitable epileptoid into rash actions. Or if the interlocutor “breaks down”, the situation will be difficult to keep under control. The epileptoid will gladly respond to the proposal to “be friends against...”.

Schizoid dominant (weird)
People with a schizoid dominant have their own ideas about reality, their own vision of situations. These are people who have their own personal world, where they themselves decide which laws to obey. They are characterized by creativity without patterns and unpredictable behavior. These are pronounced introverts. Their peculiarity is that they are “Not like everyone else.” They are often distinguished by their awkward and extraordinary appearance. These are either seemingly fragile people, or awkward, sometimes grotesque, sometimes awkward, outwardly angular. The type of nervous system in such people is weak.

Cloth: Often their clothes are inharmonious, may be sloppy and full of unexpected details. Unlike the hysterical dominant, schizoids do not have a clear “image”.
Facial expressions: A characteristic look “past the interlocutor to nowhere...” and a possible mismatch in facial expressions and gestures (for example, there is joy on the face, and the fists are clenched).
Gestures: Also angular, uncoordinated and awkward.
Speech: Quite highly intelligent, with an abundance of terminology, possibly indicating various sources of information.
Positive communication model: Considering the introversion of the dominant, personal communication is a burden for such people. Schizoid individuals will prefer correspondence communication. If personal contact is necessary, in a conversation with them it is necessary to avoid harsh assessments and direct criticism (schizoids are very touchy). It is better to set tasks focusing on the final result, and report (if this is the boss) only with specific results achieved. Such a person does not perceive processes.

Hyperthymic dominant (cheerful)
Hyperthymic dominant characterizes energetic people who love life in all its manifestations. Such people are often optimistic and tend to find positive aspects in any situation. They are happy about everything new and never lose heart. They are happy to make contacts and love to communicate. They are characterized by wit and an adequate sense of humor. Such a person takes on several problems at once and solves them. The hyperthymic dominant is flexible and quickly switches from one task to another. Hyperthymic people often prefer extreme recreation. This is a strong type of nervous system.

Cloth: Versatile, comfortable, not restricting movement.
Facial expressions: Lively, cheerful, energetic.
Gestures: Cheerful, fast. When it comes to movements, hypertim is fidgety, often drops things, bumps into corners and people.
Speech: Passionate. Such people may start talking and lose the thread of the conversation, but then unexpectedly return to the topic.
Positive communication model: Open, free communication with such people is recommended. They always make contact and are prone to excessive trust.

Emotive dominant (sensitive)
Emotive dominance is characteristic of the category of people distinguished by pronounced kindness. Such people are accustomed to empathizing with others. In a conversation, they usually listen carefully and show understanding. These are emotionally passive people who like to observe other people’s experiences rather than experience them themselves. Emotives like to watch television programs, series, films with emotional scenes, and read books that evoke emotions. There is a tendency to avoid conflicts, psychosomatic manifestations are possible, which intensify against the background of stress. This is a weak type of nervous system.

Cloth: Soft, pleasant to the touch, concealing movements or simply comfortable.
Facial expressions: Weak, insecure. Such people can be distinguished by the effect of “wet eyes”.
Gestures: Smooth, without angularity, they can stroke their hands during a conversation.
Speech: Quiet. Emotives are more willing to listen, they hardly object, and they rarely lie.
Positive communication model: Congruence and equality in communication are recommended with such people. It is also important to show signs of trust and it is recommended to find common interests.

Anxious dominant (fearful)
People with a pronounced anxious dominant are characterized by increased anxiety and constant reinsurance against mistakes. Such people often cannot make decisions themselves. They try to close themselves off from communication and become very worried during contacts. They have their own calming rituals (for example, wiping your feet, spitting over your shoulder, before starting work they drink coffee every day “to work through it”). They are punctual and follow instructions to avoid penalties. These are people who are restrained in their statements and actions. Their principle is “Measure twice, cut once.” Weak type of nervous system.

Cloth: Dim and closed. Dark and gray plain fabrics or fabrics with small geometric patterns are preferred.
Facial expressions: Weak, insecure.
Gestures: Self-soothing, anxious, often touches himself, wrings his hands. The postures of such people are constrained, as if in anticipation that they are about to “take off” from their place and run.
Speech: Quiet, unsure. Fear of saying the wrong thing.
Positive communication model: Such an interlocutor is recommended to show encouraging signs of attention, show trust, praise for any positive statement, and it is better not to criticize unnecessarily. If criticism is necessary, it should be presented in such a way that the opponent understands that there is nothing wrong with the current situation. Also, when communicating with “anxious” subordinates, it is necessary to give the most detailed, accurate instructions.

If it is necessary to diagnose a dominant personality, it should be remembered that dominants are only enhanced character traits. These characteristics describe “ideal” categories of personality traits. In reality, an individual most often expresses several dominants (two or three dominants), but their expression can be “blurred”, since a person is characterized by not one model of behavior, but several. Based on this technique, the diagnostician can assume which model of behavior is most consistent with successful interaction in a specific situation with a certain psychotype. To do this, in order to avoid erroneous assessments, you should always return yourself to the idea that appearances can be deceptive, just like words. Therefore, the forecast based on actions often turns out to be of higher quality.

Artem Pavlov is a consultant for intelligence services and business in the field of behavioral analysis with more than 15 years of operational experience. Expert in visual psychodiagnostics of personality. Profiler. Physiognomist. Graphologist. Former intelligence officer. Founder of the Agency for Economic and Personnel Security "D.I".

The publication was prepared in collaboration with the IPR MEDIA Publishing Center ( www.iprmedia.ru)
– educational psychologist, has extensive experience in conducting psychological diagnostics, professional and psychological selection, counseling adults and schoolchildren on issues of career guidance and personal growth, organizing and conducting research work on socio-psychological aspects. He has a number of published scientific and practical materials, and is a participant in various seminars and conferences.

Introduction

Currently, psychology has a large arsenal of tools that allow us to determine stable individual psychological characteristics of a person. Traditionally, methods such as questionnaires, conversations, tests, and personality questionnaires are used for psychodiagnostic purposes. However, there are certain limitations associated with the use of such methods. This is not a very high reliability of the results, associated with the person’s conscious control of his answers, and a long examination procedure, and the wary attitude of the subject. The test results essentially give an idea of ​​the “role mask” of the individual, formed under the influence of social experience and not always reliably reflecting its essence. Therefore, the question arises about using new approaches that are capable of providing objective information about a person, are time-efficient and anonymous for the person being tested. Such opportunities are provided by visual psychodiagnostics, based on direct observation and interpretation of a person’s external appearance and nonverbal behavior.
Nonverbal behavior, according to V.A. Labunskaya, is the external form of existence and manifestation of the mental world of the individual. Nonverbal behavior is diverse both in its composition (it includes body movements, gestures, facial expressions and many other components) and in its functions. Studying the nonverbal behavior of a communication partner allows you to understand his characteristics, draw up his psychological portrait, and correctly structure your interaction with him.
There are various techniques and methods of visual psychodiagnostics that allow, based on external signs, to draw a conclusion about the internal properties and qualities of a person. We propose to consider a person’s face as the main object of visual diagnostics. In everyday communication, a person’s face is the most accessible and most informative element of appearance. In addition, a person’s face carries the largest number of identifying characteristics that allow the formation of a psychological portrait of a person - morphological (facial features) and functional (facial expression).
This manual presents a method for identifying a person based on appearance (facial features). It was developed on the basis of K. Jung's system of psychological types using the Myers-Briggs typological questionnaire. The technique is a visual determination of a person’s predispositions (extroversion or introversion, sensory or intuition, thinking or feeling, judgment or perception), which form a person’s psychological type, according to their morphological manifestations (facial features). The basis of the methodology is the data obtained in psychological research - identified statistically reliable associations and external signs (facial features), which are identifying, acting as “benchmarks”. Visual determination of a person’s psychological type allows one to successfully solve many everyday and professional tasks.
The study of individual psychological characteristics of a person can be carried out using other non-verbal testing methods, such as assessment of constitutional characteristics, analysis of color and geometric preferences, analysis of preferred clothing, graphological examination, interpretation of drawings, etc. It is advisable to use comprehensive methods of visual psychodiagnostics. Analysis of a person’s face, interpretation of his gestures, statements and behavioral reactions complement and confirm each other, allowing the formation of a holistic psychological portrait.

Section 1. Features of personal identification based on appearance

1.1. Visual psychodiagnostics as a method for studying individual personality characteristics

1.1.1. The concept of visual psychodiagnostics

1.1.2. An excursion into the history of studying personality based on appearance

The existence of a relationship between the human body and soul has been known for a very long time. Hermes Trismegistus wrote about this 5000 years ago: “What is inside is also outside, what is outside is also inside.”
Since ancient times, people have sought to draw conclusions about the internal state of a person based on visible external signs. According to Heraclitus, a person’s morality is his destiny with which he is born, and the manifestation of morality is expressed not only in words and actions, but also in appearance.
In ancient times, much attention was paid to the study of temperaments. Scientists tried to find external manifestations of personality traits and temperament, looking for a relationship between the morphological and psychological characteristics of representatives of a particular temperament. Various theories of temperament were developed: humoral (Hippocrates, Kant), morphological (Kretschmer, Sheldon) and others.
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates (5th century BC) is considered the creator of the doctrine of temperaments. In his treatise “On Human Nature,” he pointed out that temperament is associated with the predominance in the body of one of the “vital juices”: blood (sanguine temperament), red-yellow bile (choleric), phlegm or phlegm (phlegmatic) and black bile (melancholic). temperament). Later, the humoral theory of temperament was developed by Galen.
I. Bourdon identified the following types of temperament depending on the external appearance of their owners: multi-blooded (or sanguine), nervous (or melancholic), bilious (or choleric), lymphatic (or phlegmatic). At the same time, he believed that pure types of human build are rare.
IN constitutional typologies temperamental properties were understood as hereditary or congenital and were associated with individual differences in physique characteristics. The authors of constitutional theories E. Kretschmer and W. Sheldon made a connection between body type and a person’s character, his temperament, the spheres of feelings, desires, and thinking.
In his work “Body Structure and Character” E. Kretschmer identifies the following body types: asthenic, picnic and athletic (see Table 1).

Table 1.Body types according to Kretschmer

In addition to the named types, E. Kretschmer also identified dysplastic type, which is characterized by a shapeless structure and various physique deformations (for example, excessive growth). Absolutely “pure” body types are rare; mixed types (pycnic-asthenic, pycnic-athletic, asthenic-athletic) are more common. According to the identified body types, E. Kretschmer distinguished three types of temperament: schizothymic (asthenic physique), cyclothymic (pyknic physique) and ixothymic (athletic physique).
The author of another constitutional typology, W. Sheldon, distinguished endomorphic, mesomorphic, ectomorphic body types (see Table 2).

Table 2.Body types according to Sheldon

It can be noted that the body types of W. Sheldon correspond to the constitutional types of E. Kretschmer: endomorphic - picnic, mesomorphic - athletic and ectomorphic - asthenic. According to W. Sheldon, the types of physiques he identified correspond to certain types of temperaments, which he named depending on the functions of certain organs of the body: viscetronia (Latin viscera - “insides”), somatonia (Greek soma - “body”) and cerebrotonia (Latin. cerebrum – “brain”).
The most famous and widespread theory of temperament is the theory based on the teachings of I.P. Pavlova about typological properties of the nervous system. The scientist argued that such properties of nervous processes as the strength of excitation and inhibition, their balance and mobility form the so-called type of nervous system, or type of higher nervous activity . I.P. Pavlov highlighted four types of nervous system, which in their main characteristics correspond to the four classical types of temperament. A strong, balanced, mobile type of the nervous system corresponds to a sanguine temperament, a strong, balanced, inert type corresponds to a phlegmatic temperament; a strong, unbalanced type with a predominance of excitement - choleric temperament, a weak type of nervous system is characteristic of a melancholic temperament.
According to I.P. Pavlov, temperament is a manifestation of the type of human nervous system and is detected by a number of external signs: general activity of mental activity and behavior, motor, or motor, general activity, emotional activity (sensitivity, lability). People with pronounced traits of a certain temperament are not very common; mixed temperament is usually found.
I.P. Pavlov also identified specific human types - artistic, mental, average. Each type is characterized by distinctive external signs and its own psychological characteristics. The artistic type is emotional, impressionable, and his behavior is driven by feelings, not reason. The thinking type is rational, less emotional, more prone to abstraction and mathematical reasoning.
Since ancient times, differences in the types of body structure have been noticed. Over time, various psychological characteristics began to be attributed to a certain body type. Thus, quite a few typologies were created based on the characteristics of a person’s physique.
Eugene Ledo's typology is based on the statement that the structure of the human body corresponds to five geometric shapes: quadrangle, circle, oval, triangle and cone. Each type is characterized by its own hidden abilities, instincts and passions, which are activated or remain inactive depending on the development of the individual, her life path. Disagreement between type and temperament leads to internal conflicts, contradictions in feelings, desires, actions, and character quirks. In his work, E. Ledo described five main body types and presented their psychological characteristics.
In the twenties of the last century, the French physician Claude Seago created a typology based on the idea that the human body and its disorders depend on the environment and innate predispositions. According to K. Seago, in accordance with the general shape of the body, people are divided into four categories: muscular types (with a predominance of the muscular system), cerebral types (with a predominance of the nervous system), digistal types (with a predominance of the digestive system), respiratory types (with a predominance of the respiratory system). systems). The ideas of K. Seago formed the basis of psychomorphology and had a great influence on the formation of modern constitutional theories.
Many researchers later turned to the search for new connections between the morphological and individual psychological characteristics of a person.

1.1.3. Modern approaches to personality diagnostics based on appearance

In modern psychology, the problem of the relationship between external and internal is considered simultaneously from different sides.
Most of the work of scientists is devoted to the phenomenon of social perception .
O.G. Kukosyan identifies three areas of research in this area:
– formation of the first impression about a person;
– perception of his appearance and behavior;
– formation of the concept of another person as a person.
In the course of research on social perception, factors influencing the process of human perception by a person and the formation of the concept of another person as an individual are examined, typical mistakes that a person makes when assessing the people around him are identified. In the works of V.N. Kunitsyna, V.M. Senchenko, G.G. Finikova, V.F. Bagrunova, O.G. Kukosyan, A.M. Zimichev and other domestic scientists provide data on the influence of the age, gender, and professional characteristics of the perceiving person. Many works by foreign researchers (Bruner, Allport, Secord, Permuter, Wyer, etc.) are devoted to the consideration of mechanisms for attributing certain qualities to a cognizable personality.
Features of the perception of physical appearance are discussed in detail in the studies of A.A. Bodaleva, G.G. Guseva, A.M. Kolesova, V.N. Panferova, E.E. Smirnova, A.M. Zinina, I.F. Vinichenko, V.F. Shendrick and others. In physical appearance, scientists especially highlight the face and some of its elements.
The problem of the first impression of another person in Russian psychology was studied by such scientists as A.A. Bodalev, A.A. Leontyev, V.N. Kunitsyna, V.N. Panferov, G.M. Biryukova, I.A. Urklin, G.V. Dyakonov and others. Features of the first impression of another person have been traced depending on a wide range of factors such as gender, age, education, occupation and marital status of adults. Similar studies in foreign psychology were carried out by S. Asch, G. Kelly, D. Bruner, R. Tagiuri, G. Allport, T. Newcome and others.
In recent years, much attention has been paid to nonverbal communication research , since it became clear that this component of human social behavior plays a more important role in the life of society than previously thought.
Such scientists as V. Reich, D. Efron, R. Birdwhistell, G. Allport, E. Hall, P. Ekman and others dealt with issues of nonverbal behavior. Among domestic researchers of nonverbal behavior, the names G.M. Andreeva, L.I. Antsyferova, A.G. Asmolova, E.A. Ermolaeva, V.N. Kunitsyna, V.A. Labunskoy, A.A. Leontyeva, B.D. Parygina, V.N. Panferova, E.V. Rudensky, V.P. Trusov and many other scientists. The general problems of nonverbal communication, ethnopsychological and ethnopedagogical aspects of nonverbal means of communication, issues of decoding received nonverbal information and other aspects of nonverbal communication are explored. Specific methods of “reading” nonverbal behavior are set out in the works of A. Pease, D. Nirenberg, G. Calero and others. Research in the field of applied psychology is devoted to such components of nonverbal communication as postures, facial expressions, gestures, gaze, breathing, etc.
Another group of psychological research is devoted to clarification of existing constitutional typologies.
Soviet scientists B.G. Ananyev and N.N. The convoys were supplemented by the previously developed constitutional typologies of E. Kretschmer and W. Sheldon. Researchers have found that performance, mobility or rigidity of behavior largely depend on the type of build. N.N. Obozov also suggested three-component typology of behavior, according to which such types of behavior are distinguished as thinker, interlocutor, practitioner. Each type is characterized by peculiar external manifestations (features of walking, posture, gestures, facial expressions), as well as certain preferences in choosing the field of professional activity.
A.G. Safronov, along with the analysis of the constitutional type, also proposes to consider type of human energy distribution. He proceeds from the fact that man is an energetic being, and his physical structure is a reflection of his energetic structure. According to the method of energy distribution, he distinguishes such pronounced types as schizoid, hysterical, rigid, “collapsed,” and oral. These are pure types, but in a real type these pure types are mixed in certain proportions.
A great contribution to the study of temperament was made by the works of B.M. Teplova, V.S. Merlina, I.M. Paley, L.B. Ermolaeva-Tomina and many others.
IN AND. Kulikov developed modern morphology of traditional temperament types , which can be used in visual psychodiagnostics. For each type of temperament, certain external signs correspond (characteristics of individual elements of the face and head as a whole). In his work, V.I. Kulikov describes the morphological and psychological features of the asthenoid and picnic types of human constitution. Psychological types I.P. Pavlova in the research of V.I. Kulikov are represented by limb and trunk types of human constitution (opposite), each of which has its own distinctive morphological characteristics and psychological characteristics.
E.V. Rudensky suggested considering such behavioral signs for rapid diagnosis of personality psychotype (epileptoid, hyperthymic, psychasthenic, etc.) such as appearance, demeanor, features of communication with other people.
Thus, modern visual diagnostics includes various scientific directions and methods. Techniques of psychological observation are being developed that take into account the psychological patterns of people’s perception and understanding of each other and are used to study and evaluate the characteristics of people.

1.1.4. Appearance features that serve as identification marks

Information about the individual psychological characteristics of a person can be obtained on the basis of various external signs.
According to I.M. Sechenov, outlines of the face and general silhouette of the body are the most important identifying features of a person for people who perceive him. As some modern studies show, the role of supporting characteristics for most people is played by height, eyes (color), hair (color), facial expressions, nose, and body features. According to other sources, the most informative parts of the body include the eyes, lips, hands, and legs (feet). At the same time, most people quickly notice features in their appearance that are a deviation from the models accepted by these people as the norm (characteristic features). These are the so-called special signs.
In the literature on social perception it is customary to distinguish (see table 3):
– static features – anatomical features that make up the physical appearance of a person;
– dynamic features – functional signs characterizing expressive behavior;
– moderately stable signs (complementary, clarifying).

Table 3.External parameters of personality research

All these external signs are used to identify a person and compile a psychological portrait.

1.2. Formation of a psychological portrait of a personality based on appearance

1.2.1. Features of people's perception and understanding of each other

Person's perception by person- this is a direct, visual-figurative reflection by one person of another, as a result of which the concept of a specific personality is formed. The process of perceiving a person by a person is an important stage in building interpersonal communication.
The process of reflecting the external appearance includes two levels of knowledge:
– concrete-sensory (perception);
– abstract-logical (interpretation).
Reflecting the appearance as a whole or its individual elements from an aesthetic point of view does not always cause a conscious attitude (positive or negative) in the perceiver towards the communication partner. And if appearance itself acts as an objective source of information about another person, then the attitude towards appearance plays the role of a subjective background against which the process of cognition takes place. The emerging attitude determines the general direction of the socio-psychological interpretation of the individual.

Visual psychodiagnostics is a branch of psychodiagnostics based on the study of the external characteristics and appearance of a person in order to penetrate into the internal psychological content of the individual. There is a relationship between the external and the internal, and the psychological characteristics of a person can be determined by analyzing the physical body of a person and its external manifestations.

The existence of a relationship between the human body and soul has been known for a very long time. Hermes Trismegistus wrote about this 5000 years ago: “What is inside is also outside, what is outside is also inside.” Since ancient times, people have sought to draw conclusions about the internal state of a person based on visible external signs. According to Heraclitus, a person’s morality is his destiny with which he is born, and the manifestation of morality is expressed not only in words and actions, but also in appearance. In ancient times, much attention was paid to the study of temperaments.

Scientists tried to find external manifestations of personality traits and temperament, looking for a relationship between the morphological and psychological characteristics of representatives of a particular temperament. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates (5th century BC) is considered the creator of the doctrine of temperaments. In his treatise “On Human Nature,” he pointed out that temperament is associated with the predominance of one of the “vital juices” in the body:

• - blood (sanguine temperament),
• - red-yellow bile (choleric),
• - phlegm or phlegm (phlegmatic) and
• - black bile (melancholic temperament).

Since ancient times, differences in the types of body structure have been noticed. Over time, various psychological characteristics began to be attributed to a certain body type. Thus, quite a few typologies were created based on the characteristics of a person’s physique. Eugene Ledo's typology is based on the statement that the structure of the human body corresponds to five geometric shapes: quadrangle, circle, oval, triangle and cone. Each type is characterized by its own hidden abilities, instincts and passions, which are activated or remain inactive depending on the development of the individual, her life path. Disagreement between type and temperament leads to internal conflicts, contradictions in feelings, desires, actions, and character quirks.

To recognize and measure individual psychological characteristics of a person (mental processes, personality traits, intellectual abilities), psychological diagnostic methods are traditionally used . Psychodiagnostic problems are solved both with the help of tests and with the help of non-test methods for determining the individual psychological characteristics of a person, which include methods of visual psychodiagnostics.

The main methods of visual psychodiagnostics are observation, conversation, biographical method, morphological and graphological analysis, physiognomy, palmistry, etc. Such human features as physique, facial features, shape of hands, fingers, nails, facial expressions, and gestures are analyzed. Such externally observable human preferences as the color of clothing and interior, appearance design, jewelry used, pets, personal car, etc. are also considered. A variety of visual diagnostic techniques are used: Luscher color test, the “Verbal Portrait” technique by V.P. Kulikova, Szondi’s technique, etc.

In modern psychology, the problem of the relationship between external and internal is considered simultaneously from different sides. Most of the works of scientists are devoted to the phenomenon of social perception. O.G. Kukosyan identifies three areas of research in this area:

• - formation of the first impression about a person;
• - perception of his appearance and behavior;
• - formation of the concept of another person as a person.

In the course of research on social perception, factors influencing the process of human perception by a person and the formation of the concept of another person as an individual are examined, typical mistakes that a person makes when assessing the people around him are identified. Features of the perception of physical appearance are discussed in detail in the studies of A.A. Bodaleva, G.G. Guseva, A.M. Kolesova, V.N. Panferova, E.E. Smirnova, A.M. Zinina, I.F. Vinichenko, V.F. Shendrick and others. In physical appearance, scientists especially highlight the face and some of its elements.

The problem of the first impression of another person in Russian psychology was studied by such scientists as A.A. Bodalev, A.A. Leontyev, V.N. Kunitsyna, V.N. Panferov, G.M. Biryukova, I.A. Urklin, G.V. Dyakonov and others. Features of the first impression of another person have been traced depending on a wide range of factors such as gender, age, education, occupation and marital status of adults. Similar studies in foreign psychology were carried out by S. Asch, G. Kelly, D. Bruner, R. Tagiuri, G. Allport, T. Newcome and others.

In recent years, much attention has been paid to research on nonverbal communication, as it has become clear that this component of human social behavior plays a more important role in the life of society than previously thought.

Such scientists as V. Reich, D. Efron, R. Birdwhistell, G. Allport, E. Hall, P. Ekman and others dealt with issues of nonverbal behavior.

Among domestic researchers of nonverbal behavior, the names of G.M. are known. Andreeva, L.I. Antsyferova, A.G. Asmolova, E.A. Ermolaeva, V.N. Kunitsyna, V.A. Labunskoy, A.A. Leontyeva, B.D. Parygina, V.N. Panferova, E.V. Rudensky, V.P. Trusov and many other scientists.

Researchers have found that performance, mobility or rigidity of behavior largely depend on the type of build. N.N. Obozov also proposed a three-component typology of behavior , according to which, such types of behavior as thinker, interlocutor, and practitioner are distinguished. Each type is characterized by peculiar external manifestations (features of walking, posture, gestures, facial expressions), as well as certain preferences in choosing the field of professional activity.

A.G. Safronov, along with the analysis of the constitutional type, also proposes to consider type of human energy distribution . He proceeds from the fact that man is an energetic being, and his physical structure is a reflection of his energetic structure. According to the method of energy distribution, he distinguishes such pronounced types as schizoid, hysterical, rigid, “collapsed,” and oral. These are pure types, however, in a real type these pure types are mixed in certain proportions.

Thus, modern visual diagnostics includes various scientific directions and methods. Techniques of psychological observation are being developed that take into account the psychological patterns of people’s perception and understanding of each other and are used to study and evaluate the characteristics of people. Information about the individual psychological characteristics of a person can be obtained on the basis of various external signs.

According to I.M. Sechenov, the outlines of the face and the general silhouette of the body are the most important identifying features of a person for people who perceive him. As some modern studies show, the role of supporting characteristics for most people is played by height, eyes (color), hair (color), facial expressions, nose, and body features. According to other sources, the most informative parts of the body include the eyes, lips, hands, and legs (feet).

At the same time, most people quickly notice features in their appearance that are a deviation from the models accepted by these people as the norm (characteristic features). These are the so-called special signs.

In the literature on social perception, it is common to distinguish

• - static features;
• - anatomical features that make up the physical appearance of a person;
• - dynamic features;
• - functional signs characterizing expressive behavior;
• - moderately stable signs (complementary, clarifying).

Reflecting the appearance as a whole or its individual elements from an aesthetic point of view does not always cause a conscious attitude (positive or negative) in the perceiver towards the communication partner. And if appearance itself acts as an objective source of information about another person, then the attitude towards appearance plays the role of a subjective background against which the process of cognition takes place. The emerging attitude determines the general direction of the socio-psychological interpretation of the individual. The level of logical knowledge of a person by a person is expressed in judgments about each other, the content of which is the determination of abilities, character, temperament, needs, social status, type of activity and behavior.

During the perception of a person by a person, a certain set of personal characteristics is attributed to the perceived person on the basis of private details of his appearance and behavior noticed by the perceiver. Certain patterns of human perception by humans. Research shows that the formation of the image of another person, the nature of the psychological interpretation of his appearance depends on such characteristics of the perceiving person as:

• - age, gender, professional and social affiliation;
• - individual life experience;
• - individual psychological characteristics (needs, interests, life goals, motives, self-esteem, self-confidence);
• - the system of concepts formed in a person (experience of knowing people in general);
• - the nature of the relationship between the perceiver and the perceived.

All information coming from the outside world is interpreted depending on the characteristics of the person receiving it. Therefore, the objectively perceived features of another person’s physical appearance can change significantly and even be distorted. There are effects that distort a person's perception of a person:

• - primacy effect (the opinion formed at the beginning very often determines the attitude towards a person or event for a long time);
• - halo effect (means the influence of the general impression of a person on the perception and assessment of the private properties of his personality: if the general impression is favorable, then the positive qualities of the person are overestimated, and the negative ones are either obscured or somehow justified);
• - the sequence effect (consists in the fact that the judgment about a stranger is most influenced by the information that is presented first, and if it concerns a familiar person, then the most recent information about him);
• - projection effect (an unconscious tendency to transfer undesirable qualities and properties to another person);
• - the effect of leniency (excessive uncriticality when assessing another person);
• - effect of preliminary information (preliminary information automatically forms a search attitude, perception in external data and human behavior of what confirms the available information received from other persons or from documents);
• - boomerang effect ( people usually subconsciously resist any strong external pressure). These effects must be taken into account when organizing interaction with communication partners.

• 1. The rule of putting yourself in the place of your interlocutor (reflection). It is recommended to consciously perceive the interlocutor, try to look at the situation through his eyes. This allows you to penetrate into the inner world of your partner, determine his state, intentions, motives, thoughts and feelings.
• 2. Interlocutor typing rule . It is recommended to begin observation by identifying the types of communication partners according to well-known psychological typologies. For example, people belonging to different age, social, professional groups, and different temperaments have a certain typology.
• 3. Individualization Rule . Based on the typological characteristics of the interlocutor, one should not limit oneself to general characteristics, but further specify the collected psychological information and consider the basic personal qualities of a person (social, professional, individual).
• 4. Motor playback rule . It is recommended to repeat some components of your partner’s behavior: take the same pose, facial expression, join in the dynamics of movement, manner and content of speech.
• 5. Rule of resistance to socio-psychological effects that reduce the reliability of psychological observation. The observer should try to be objective, independent, not to succumb to first impressions, and not to judge a person only by directly observed facts. It is important to evaluate the interlocutor not by one detail, but by a complex of psychological signs (facial expressions, gestures, intonation, pace of movements, etc.); study the interlocutor at different moments, in different situations, change the conditions of observation. It is advisable to double-check your impressions, compare the observation results with what was previously known about the person, and take into account the influence of national traditions, upbringing, environment, and physical health in order to avoid errors in the interpretation of non-verbal behavior.
• 6. The rule for recording elements of the interlocutor’s appearance and behavior . Recording the results of observations allows for a better study of them in the future. There are three main ways of recording observed signs:
  • - recording the results of observation during communication, if possible, unnoticed by the subject of study;
  • - use of technical means (video and sound recording) during communication; - records of observation results immediately after communication.

The first impression is a complex psychological phenomenon that includes several components: sensory, emotional and logical (evaluative judgments). Research by Russian scientist A.A. Bodalev showed that the first impression is formed within the first 2-3 minutes and then subconsciously influences the person. At the same time, non-verbal signals during the first 12 seconds of communication during acquaintance account for approximately 92% of the total volume of information received.

At the first impression, the assessment of the psychological qualities of a person occurs without a comprehensive analysis of his characteristics; it depends on the emotional and aesthetic attitude to the appearance of the perceived person.

The following factors influence the formation of the first impression: :

• - characteristics of the perceived person
• - characteristics of the perceiver himself
• - social background of communication

The creation of a first impression of a person is influenced by the following characteristics of the perceived person: such as appearance (clothing style, hairstyle), human expression (emotional states, posture, gaze, smile), demonstrated behavior, communication features. All other things being equal, most people are quicker to notice features in their appearance that are a deviation from the appearance patterns that these people accept as the norm. In this regard, we can talk about the most expressive external types that attract the attention of most people. To better understand your communication partner, you need to take into account how he tries to present himself.

By showing various emotions, showing a state of depression, restraint or, conversely, optimism, carelessness, a person often seeks to disguise his actual mental state at the moment and his attitude to the current situation. Sometimes people consciously play certain roles.

The formation of the first impression of a partner is also influenced by the characteristics of the perceiver himself. . Very often, in creating an impression of another person, the mechanism of projection is involved, when the perceiver can attribute to another person traits that are actually inherent in himself, and not in the person being assessed.

For example, self-confident people are more likely to rate others as friendly and friendly to them, while people who lack self-confidence view others as cold and unfriendly to them. At the same time, the mechanism of projection manifests itself not only at the level of states, but also at the level of projection of personal qualities, when a person can see in a communication partner those negative traits that characterize him as a person.

Negative communication experiences also significantly reduce the effectiveness of the communication process. Those communication errors that once led to unpleasant consequences for a person seem to accumulate in his subconscious and, when the situation repeats, make it difficult to communicate with his current partner. This can be behavior, gestures, speech, or external resemblance to the partner with whom the person had a negative experience of communication.

The formation of the first impression is influenced by conditions , in which communication unfolds, or the social background against which the process of communication and cognition of another person takes place. For example, a tall person against the background of short people seems even taller, and a calm face against the background of laughing faces attracts attention more strongly. The importance of social background in forming an impression of a person is clearly visible in experiments. Thus, in one experiment, a man with an inconspicuous appearance was introduced to two groups of strangers, who then had to talk about the impression that this man made on them. At the same time, a man was invited to one of these groups together with a woman with a bright attractive appearance, and to another he was accompanied by an ugly and sloppily dressed woman.

As a result, the first group of experts rated the man’s positive qualities much higher than the second; the general attitude towards the man on the part of the first group also turned out to be more favorable.

Thus, the first impression is very important for further interaction. Therefore, each person needs to be able to “present himself” in the best possible way, highlight his undoubted advantages and smooth out his shortcomings. Taking into account the basic patterns of how people perceive each other, you can consciously shape your image, consciously influencing another person. Standards of appearance serve as unique “triggers” for the process of interpreting human properties.

The degree of generalization of the standards used by a person in assessing the behavior and mental qualities of an individual increases with the formation of the person’s personality, from preschool childhood to old age. Thus, for a first-grader who has little communication experience and a small amount of knowledge about people, the content of the standards is very narrow, elementary and specific.

Later, the student meets new people with different physical appearances, but performing the same actions, and, conversely, outwardly similar, but behaving differently. He accumulates knowledge about the assessments given by significant adults to the behavior and personality traits of these people, as a result of which there is a gradual increase in the generalization of standards. An increase in the number of standards also occurs with frequent communication with different categories of people differing in gender, age, professional affiliation, etc. Thus, a person accumulates an unequal supply of impressions over the course of his life. In addition to standards that allow a partner to be classified into any class in the system of “types” formed by the perceiver, there are also “sets of qualities” that a person attributes to those persons whose “class” it seems to him has been established.

This phenomenon of “attribution” is called stereotyping, and sets of ascribed qualities are called evaluative stereotypes. The mechanism of stereotyping is as follows: having discovered certain (characteristic) features in the behavior and appearance of another person, the perceiver assigns him to the corresponding category of people and endows him with all the properties inherent in these people. V.N. Parfenov identifies 3 classes of standards and stereotypes interpretation of personality by appearance:

• - anthropological,
• - social,
• - emotional and aesthetic.
• 1. Anthropological standards and stereotypes are the most common, established in the practice of communication. Noticing a trait of some anthropological type in a person’s external appearance (for example, a face), the perceiver attributes to the partner personality traits of the corresponding nationality, gender, age or a familiar person (“soft gentle face - looks like my mother, very feminine character, gentle, faithful” ).
• 2. With the social method of interpretation, the knower proceeds from the standards of external appearance as signs of the social status and role functions of the perceived person. Finding signs of a social standard in their appearance, people classify each other as a specific social category of people and characterize the personality of the other in accordance with ideas about this category (for example, judgments such as “officer”, “athlete”, “teacher” imply a certain set of personal qualities) . At the same time, attention is paid to the design of appearance with clothing and cosmetics. It is noted that social standards and stereotypes provide a more adequate reflection of a person’s personal essence compared to anthropological ones.
• 3. Emotional and aesthetic standards determine the general attitude towards a person, while physical beauty, attractiveness and facial expression are taken into account, and psychological qualities seem to “come out” of this attitude and are conditioned by it.

The emotional path of interpretation can come both from an attitude towards the face as a whole (emotional-integrative path), and from an aesthetic assessment of its individual features (primarily lips, eyes, nose, less often - chin, forehead, cheekbones) (emotional-analytical path) . Examples of judgments: “a sweet smile - quiet, modest”, “an arrogant facial expression - an arrogant person.” The most common is the emotional-integrative method of interpretation, based on facial expression as a whole.

As a result of people’s perception and knowledge of each other, a psychological portrait of a communication partner is formed.

A psychological portrait is a description of a personality that includes a complex of personal characteristics. The set of characteristics is determined depending on the specific task (vocational selection, career guidance, psychological counseling, etc.) When drawing up a psychological portrait of a person, a whole range of personality parameters is usually taken into account , such as:

• - biopsychic properties (temperament, gender and age characteristics, health status);
• - mental properties and processes (features of the intellectual, cognitive and emotional-volitional spheres of the personality);
• - characterological qualities that express various relationships: attitude towards other people (sociability, dominance, tact, friendliness, willingness to compromise);
• - attitude to work (responsibility, hard work);
• - attitude towards oneself (modesty, complacency, uncertainty, pride); attitude towards property (generosity or greed, neatness or sloppiness);
• - personality orientation (needs, motives, life plans, value orientations, attitudes);
• - mental education (knowledge, abilities, skills, habits, life and professional experience, behavioral stereotypes);
• - socio-psychological characteristics of behavior (social and interpersonal status; lifestyle and work, communication style).

Such a set of parameters can only be obtained as a result of a comprehensive psychodiagnostic study using tests. However, to solve many problems you can use another a way to compile a psychological portrait of a person - based on external signs.

To compile a psychological portrait based on appearance, it is advisable to consider the following external manifestations of personality:

• - facial expressions, gestures, tempo-intonation features of speech (indicate a person’s temperament);
• - vocabulary and nature of statements (indicate professional affiliation);
• - content of statements (talks about motives, value guidelines);
• - pronunciation (talks about nationality, places of permanent or long-term residence);
• - gestures, manner of wearing clothes (help to judge age, experience and status).

The objectivity of a psychological portrait can be achieved only as a result of identifying and assessing the entire complex of external signs of a person’s states and properties. It is noted that in psychological portraits compiled on the basis of external signs, two types of judgments are distinguished:

• - emotional-evaluative judgments (they depend on the impressions and perceptions of the perceiver, as well as on his attitudes and ideas, and are determined by sympathy or antipathy for a person);
• - descriptive characteristics (they relate to the perceived person and are determined by his personal characteristics).

Value judgments are divided into evaluative and evaluative-interpretative. Evaluative judgments themselves are the most general and least informative statements, especially if they are not reasoned (for example, “positive girl”), so it is better not to use them in communication. Evaluative-interpretative judgments (“good”, “evil”) can also be reasoned or unreasoned (“a person is self-confident and stupid”).

It is best to use descriptive characteristics that recreate the psychological appearance of a person - these are personality traits, associations, emotional-evaluative characteristics, and appearance traits. The most interesting is the consideration of the possibilities of figurative generalization. A figurative generalization is especially closely connected with a person’s personality; it has a stronger impact on feelings than a conceptual generalization, and most fully reflects reality, since it includes what is not realized, but is directly experienced, felt, felt. Therefore, the use of images and associations provides a person with new opportunities.

When identifying a person based on appearance by recreating an image-representation of a person, drawing up a psychological portrait occurs with the help of supporting points - benchmarks, which make it possible to give a personality typification based on the most general characteristics (such as, for example, the ability to “designate” a person in one word, giving him a figurative characteristic) .

Imaginative characteristics give a more complete and vivid picture of a person than just a list of personal characteristics. The use of visual and well-known characteristics allows in some cases to “guess” various details of behavior, habits, zodiac sign and other individual characteristics, which is inaccessible to ordinary logic.

When recreating a psychological appearance, the following terms can be used:

• - generally accepted personal characteristics (“serious”);
• - integral definitions of personality (“modern”, “experienced a lot”, “interesting”, “bungler”, “gray personality”);
• - figurative characteristics (“Tatyana Larina”);
• - associations;
• - terms that psychologically interpret expressive behavior (“sullen face”);
• - physiognomic concepts (reflecting the connection between features of appearance and character: “smart forehead”, “strong-willed chin”).

The following can be used as images:

• - names of animals (“owl”, “fox”, “pig”);
• - names of plants (“weeping willow”, “tiger lily”);
• - characters from literary works (“Kolobok”, “Pierrot”, “gnome”);
• - ideas about any social category, role (“teacher”, “warrior”, “nurse”, “soul of the company”);
• - inanimate objects (“cold star”, “toy”).

Each person, entering into interpersonal interaction, from the first minutes of communication forms a certain impression of his partner based on external signs. Understanding the psychological characteristics of a person, his mental state, mood, motivation for communication allows us to determine the prospects for communication and build the desired line of behavior with him. This is especially important for people whose professional activities involve interaction in the “person-to-person” system, for example, for teachers, psychologists, HR managers, and executives. They need to be able to analyze the external manifestations of students, clients or employees, correlate their external appearance with the internal psychological world and correctly interpret observed facts.

Methods of visual psychodiagnostics allow you to quickly collect information about a person, draw up his psychological portrait, and predict the effectiveness of a particular human activity. Visual psychodiagnostic methods are actively used in psychotherapy, socio-psychological training, advertising, and various branches of psychology. In addition, visual psychodiagnostic skills can be applied by a person to himself. Often, many people find it difficult to understand their own psychological problems due to the work of defense mechanisms. And studying the signals of your physical body allows you to realize your actual psychological state, your true desires and needs.

Visual psychodiagnostics

Introduction

Chapter 1. Visual diagnostics of temperament

1.1 Constitutional typologies according to E. Kretschmer

Chapter 2. Methods of visual psychodiagnostics

1 Physiognomy

2.2 Body language and movements

2.1 Language of hands and feet

2.2.2 Eye behavior

Conclusion

Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

Visual psychodiagnostics is a new and relatively independent branch of psychology, the task of which is to study the “external” characteristics of a person’s behavior and appearance in order to penetrate into the “internal” psychological content of the individual and optimize the use of the capabilities and individual characteristics of each person.

The relevance of this topic lies in the fact that in conditions of increasing the role and importance of the human factor in the development of all spheres of social life, the need to develop psychological problems of improving work with people increases, the solution of which is associated primarily with scientifically based diagnostics of personal, individual-typical and professional problems. important qualities of students and workers, providing HR specialists, teachers and managers with accessible and reliable methods of selection and training.

In modern psychology, the problem of the relationship between external and internal is considered simultaneously from different sides. Most of the work of scientists is devoted to the phenomenon of social perception, which includes three areas: the formation of a first impression of a person, the perception of his appearance and behavior, the formation of the concept of another person as an individual. These problems were dealt with by such scientists as A.A. Bodalev, A.A. Leontyev, V.N. Kunitsyna, V.N. Panferov, G.M. Biryukova, S. Ash, G. Kelly, and others. Much attention is paid to research into nonverbal communication. Specific methods of “reading” nonverbal behavior are outlined in the works of A. Pease, D. Nirenberg, G. Calero and others.

The purpose of this work is to study the features of visual psychodiagnostics.

Achieving this goal involves solving the following tasks:

· Consider the features of personality typology depending on constitutional characteristics;

· Reveal the basic methods of visual psychodiagnostics (physiognomy, body language and its movements).

Research methods: analytical, study of literature in this field.

The course research was written using literature on general psychodiagnostics and physiognomy. The bibliography is presented at the end of the course work.

Visual psychodiagnostics is an independent scientific and practical direction in the psychology of working with people. The study of visual psychodiagnostics as a science, practice and art of knowing people by their external signs is professionally necessary for every worker whose subject of work is Man.

.Visual diagnostics of temperament

1.1Constitutional typologies according to E. Kretschmer

Various moral and psychological characteristics have long been attributed to a certain body type. Many typologies have been created based on the characteristics of a person's physique.

One of these typologies was systematized by E. Kretschmer. Its main position was the belief that people with a certain body type have certain mental characteristics. In this regard, E. Kretschmer developed a typology of physique, which includes asthenic, athletic, and picnic types. The appearance of these body types is characterized by the following data:

· asthenic (from Greek - weak) - a person of fragile build, with a flat chest, narrow shoulders, elongated and thin limbs, an elongated face, but a highly developed nervous system and brain. From childhood, asthenics are very weak and delicate, they grow quickly, without showing a tendency to increase muscle volume or fat throughout their lives.

· picnic (from Greek - thick, dense) - this type is distinguished by a massive torso and a tendency to form fatty layers on the torso with a weak musculoskeletal system. Average height, dense figure, soft wide face on a short massive neck, solid belly.

· athletic (from Greek - wrestling, fight) - strong skeleton, pronounced muscles, proportional strong physique. The athletic type is characterized by strong development of the skeleton and muscles, elastic skin, powerful chest, broad shoulders, and confident posture.

In addition to the named types, E. Kretschmer also identified a dysplastic type, characterized by a shapeless structure and various physique deformations (for example, very tall growth).

In accordance with the identified body types, E. Kretschmer distinguishes three types of temperament:

·Schizothymic:

A schizothymic person is withdrawn, prone to reflection, to abstraction, has difficulty adapting to the environment, is sensitive, and vulnerable. Among schizothymic people, Kretschmer identified the following varieties: “sensitive people”, idealistic dreamers, cold domineering natures and egoists, crackers and weak-willed ones. In schizothymic people, there is an oscillation between sensitivity and coldness, between acuteness and dullness of feelings (“he will offend another and at the same time he will be offended”). Has an asthenic physique.

Among historical heroes who had schizothymic properties, their successes are mainly due to the following typological traits: persistence and systematic consistency, Spartan severity, coldness in relation to the fate of individual people, on the one hand, and a refined aesthetic sense and incorruptible justice, on the other, and in peculiarities of his compassion for the groans of the weak and wounded, pathos towards the suffering of the people and a penchant for idealism in general. The downside of these advantages is a tendency to doctrinaire, a lack of goodwill, pleasant natural philanthropy, understanding of a specific situation and the characteristics of individuals. They can be divided into the following groups:

) pure idealists and moralists,

) despots and fanatics,

) people of cold calculation.

The schizothymic type of people is distinguished by a long nose and angular profile, an excessively high middle part of the face with oval ovoid outlines, and a thin, slender figure with a coarsely prominent muscle-bone relief.

· Cyclothymic:

A cyclothymic person is the opposite of a schizothymic person, his emotions fluctuate between joy and sadness, he is sociable, frank, good-natured, and realistic in his views. Among cyclothymics, Kretschmer identifies varieties: cheerful talkers, calm humorists, sentimental quiet people, carefree lovers of life, active practitioners. Among the cyclothymics, the following types of historical leaders can be distinguished:

) brave fighters, folk heroes,

) living organizers of a large scale,

) conciliatory politicians.

Has a picnic build.

The cyclothymic type, on the contrary, is distinguished by a pycnic figure with a full, soft face, having a broad outline in the shape of a shield or pentagon and a harmonious profile, a short neck, rounded body shape and a tendency towards fat deposits.

Cyclothymes are distinguished by their sociability, realism and easy adaptation to the environment. They are not people of strict consistency; they are prone to compliance and compromise. The negative aspects of cyclothyme are manifested in a tendency to superficiality, tactlessness, inconstancy, overestimation of one’s own capabilities, and recklessness.

·Ixothymic.

Iskotimik is a person of little impressionability, with restrained gestures and facial expressions, and low flexibility of thinking. Has an athletic build.

.Methods of visual psychodiagnostics

2.1Physiognomy

Physiognomy is a scientifically unfounded doctrine aimed at determining a person’s personality type and his spiritual qualities, based on an analysis of the characteristic features of the head (in particular, its front part) and facial expression. To understand the characteristics of a person, they study the shape of the face, nose, eyes; it is also important to understand the general pattern of their manifestations, to understand what expressive movements of parts of the face characterize certain experiences.

Face shapes

It’s best to start reading a face by determining the shape of the face. Often geometric shapes are used to describe it - circle, oval, rectangle, square, rhombus, triangle, trapezoid.

The most common descriptions of such persons are:

· An oval, like a round face, is associated with good nature, peacefulness, gentleness and charm. A round-faced person is sometimes considered narrow-minded and simple-minded, a little ambitious, but he does not strive for fame. A round face with a high bridge of the nose, prominent cheekbones and sparkling eyes speaks of a person’s innate organizational abilities and his desire for leadership. It is difficult for him to be in a state of inaction; he is too energetic and cheerful. The round shape of the head is usually associated with the predominance of endoderm in the body - tissue that facilitates the absorption of nutrients - which can explain the desire for comfort, tasty food and pleasant company. A round face shape characterizes people with heavy weight. If such a person also has a small nose, then this is a sign of a carefree nature: he is a gourmet, loves the comforts of life, and is a great lover.

· The main features of a triangular face are a high and wide forehead, prominent cheekbones, a small bony nose, deep-set eyes, and a small, slightly protruding chin. People with such a face are highly sensitive and incapable of strong attachment. This type of face is considered bony because there is little soft tissue between the cheekbones and chin. A triangular face shape is often observed in thinkers, intellectuals, as well as in cunning, resourceful, jealous people, lacking devotion and affection. They may find it difficult to get along with other people because they are more focused on their inner world. In positive cases, these people turn to science, philosophy and art; in the negative, they are spies, scammers, shameless businessmen. They often become instigators of protests and demonstrations, and sometimes fanatical leaders of unpopular causes. Having failed, they retreat and become hermits.

· A square face is typical for people who are proactive, energetic, disciplined, efficient, with an indefatigable thirst for success; they are completely devoted to their work. Frank and open to communication, they are at the same time “difficult” in communication, sometimes heartless, harsh and straightforward to the point of cruelty. They are persistent in achieving their goals, very determined, but often give the impression of being slow-witted and rude people. They make good performers, although they themselves persistently strive for leadership. Women with this face shape are distinguished by their desire for dominance.

Square and oblong faces are associated with the predominance of mesoderm - the tissue from which the musculoskeletal system is formed. People of this type are proactive, assertive, persistent.

· If you have a rectangular face, the width of your forehead is the same as the width of your jaw. This is the so-called aristocratic form, since most rulers and people in power have this type of face. They usually have organizational talent and the ability to work with other people to achieve their goals. Typical character traits of such people are intelligence, sensitivity, forethought, foresight, justice and calmness. They usually achieve success in life.

· The trapezoidal face shape has much in common with the triangular face shape, although it differs from it in many significant aspects. This face is characterized by a wide forehead and a slightly narrowed (but not pointed chin). A person with such a face is smart, receptive and intelligent, sensitive, artistic, but he does not have the spirit of a fighter. Women are optimists. They live happily, creating a pleasant atmosphere for others.

· The diamond-shaped face is a derivative of two triangles connected at their bases or something like a square “placed” on an angle. Such people are characterized by rigidity, stubbornness, dogmatism, autonomy of existence, and the ability to adapt (at the same time acquiring the features of squares or triangles). These people are strong and powerful, uncomfortable in interaction (they are inconvenient to “put down” and even less convenient to “put down”). They strive to personalize power, love and can resist or withstand a siege battle. Diamonds, like squares, have a fairly large internal reserve of energy and due to this they can support the reproduction of their resources. The internal area of ​​the rhombuses is important here: “thin”, sharply flattened rhombuses (like spear tips) serve more for striking than defense. Such people often become military commanders and senior managers.

Facial zones

The face is divided into three zones - upper, middle and lower:

· Intellectual - the upper one occupies the entire forehead, it starts at the hairline and ends at the eyebrow line. The size and shape of the forehead determine mental activity and real understanding of life.

· Emotional - the middle part of the face includes the entire space below the eyebrows to the very tip of the nose, i.e. it is equal to the length of the nose. It reflects the degree of sensitivity, spiritual depth and inner content.

· Vital - the lower part, starting from the line of the nostrils, consists of the lips and chin, carries the idea of ​​​​a person’s energy, his love for pleasure and base instincts, the desire for profit and satisfaction.

On an ideal face, all three zones are balanced and proportional. This means that all facial features are in place, they are not too long or short, not too small or large and have no defects. But such faces are rare. Therefore, in order to correctly understand a person by their face, you need to figure out which of the three zones is reflected more clearly. And having learned this, we can assume what drives the personality - instinctiveness, sensitivity or intelligence.

The size, shape and position of the head also provide information about a person. Physiognomists believe that the owner of a large head is often lazy, immodest and shameless.

If the occipital part is highly developed, then this person has a good memory, is quite brave and smart.

If the forehead is more pronounced (highly convex), then, most likely, this is not a very kind person; it is more difficult for him to remember information and work with it.

A very small head belongs to weak, insincere, possibly deceitful individuals. If it is held on a long neck, then the person is often angry and is an accumulation of some shortcomings, and maybe even vices. When the neck is practically absent, the head seems to be pulled into the shoulders, then its owner suffers from envy and is prone to flattery.

A person who is proportionally built, when the parameters of the head are harmoniously combined with the whole body, is also distinguished by the harmony of personal characteristics - he is open, sincere, generous in relationships with people, wise in making decisions, true to his word.

A pointed head is found in vain people prone to antisocial behavior.

Peruvian Indians still place tight bandages on the heads of newborn boys that deform the skull. Eventually it takes the shape of a tower or becomes sharper at the front and back. According to Peruvian beliefs, this gives a person courage in battle and wisdom in solving life's problems.

Each person has a certain head position. Thus, a head thrown back is characteristic of vain and ambitious people, and a head tilted forward is characteristic of intellectual or overly obliging people.

Short, with irregular outlines - a sign of poor health. One, clearly defined wrinkle across the forehead is a sign of luck. Two or three transverse wrinkles, and even reinforced by a vertical one intersecting them, promise success. The presence of wrinkles of various shapes is a sign of longevity and glory. Thinkers and talented administrators have two short but deep wrinkles between the eyebrows. Deep folds descending from the nostrils are a sign of a long life of great success.

If the upper side of the triangle is wide, it is a sign of a true friend, a practical person, a business person. He is more interested in official affairs than home and family. The narrow upper side of the triangle indicates the possibility of family troubles. A rounded forehead indicates an independent character. The hair of an artist, artist, or creative person in general is often arranged in the shape of the letter “M.” Such people do not worry about tomorrow. A broken line on the forehead indicates a difficult childhood.

In physiognomy, attempts have been made, depending on the position, shape, thickness, “pattern” and color of the eyebrows, to draw certain conclusions about the personal characteristics of their owner.

Wide, long eyebrows are considered ideal. If a man has them against the background of pleasant-looking skin, then he is considered an intellectual. The same eyebrows on a woman indicate that she is a coquette.

Thick eyebrows are characteristic of a stubborn, decisive and domineering person, sparse eyebrows, on the contrary, for a weak and indecisive person.

Arched eyebrows indicate a light and sentimental character.

Fractured is about the distrustful and critical. Eyebrows that constantly move during a conversation indicate vanity and boasting.

Eyebrows hanging over the eyes - about cunning and resourcefulness, narrow and short eyebrows - about a noble and even character.

Long and rough eyebrows - about the simplicity and rudeness of a person.

Straight eyebrows are characteristic of a rational and direct person, short and thick - explosive.

Everyone knows that a person receives the most reliable information through the eyes. They serve as unique nervous devices that provide 80% of all information entering the body.

Eye size is directly related to the emotionality of a person.

Large eyes usually indicate sensitivity of the soul and impressionability, often - courage and desire for leadership. Rarely, they are a sign of gentleness and calmness.

In people with small, deep-set eyes, emotionality is much less pronounced. This does not mean that they are soulless, just that their feelings are hidden from prying eyes. They try not to introduce any emotional elements into solving business issues.

Small eyes often belong to closed, complacent, and sometimes stubborn people. Often people with such eyes are distinguished by amazing constancy of feelings and actions.

The distance between the eyes is a sign of tolerance, i.e. patience. The further the eyes are located from each other, the more space is covered by vision, and the closer the eyes are, the smaller the view. A person with wide-set eyes has high tolerance. It is easy to communicate with him because he is open and trusting. However, in solving practical problems he is prone to hesitation, is slow, often waits until the problem is resolved by itself, and begins to act belatedly; when the situation risks getting out of control. When dealing with such people, it is necessary to take into account their indecisiveness and sluggishness. If you have to solve some problems together or entrust such a person with a responsible task, it is advisable to set clear deadlines and gently remind them of them.

People with close-set eyes have low tolerance, and therefore high concentration and a desire for excellence. They react painfully when the situation does not develop as it should in their opinion. Their desire to put everything in order sometimes, not unreasonably, gives the impression of being excessively demanding, including to themselves. When communicating with them, one must be tolerant of their dissatisfaction with all sorts of mistakes and imperfections. It’s better not to give reasons for such dissatisfaction.

The outer corners of the eyes are an indicator of the criticality of the individual. People with eyes whose corners point downwards tenaciously notice everything that goes beyond the frame. In personal relationships, they are often picky and quarrelsome. When communicating with them, you need to be prepared for unsolicited critical comments, but you should not be offended by them. After all, if you turn to this person for advice, you can be sure of receiving useful advice, since a critical person knows how to notice not only shortcomings, but also advantages, new unexpected opportunities.

A person whose outer corners of the eyes are raised does not have critical perception. It is easy to communicate with him, he is not inclined to be sarcastic and find fault with little things. However, he does not know how to see promising prospects behind the little things. Therefore, you should not rely too much on his judgment and advice.

The upper eyelid demonstrates a person's tendency to think. In people with a penchant for analysis and reasoning, the upper eyelid is slightly lowered. Large eyes with a lively sparkle; with a single beautifully shaped eyelid, which is usually half-closed. Such eyes are endowed with a person who enjoys power and authority. He never makes his judgment until he thoroughly understands the issue and analyzes all the initial data. When something needs to be planned or explained, he will do it thoroughly, conscientiously and with pleasure.

Small eyes with double lower eyelids, with black irises, the upper eyelid is barely visible. Such people are usually restless, have an unstable temperament, and do not get along well with others. They have weak analytical skills. Such people do not like to think and act impulsively, straightforwardly, and can go ahead until they achieve what they want.

The nose is an indicator of will and activity. By its size and shape one judges strength of character, insight, curiosity, secrecy, suspicion, and intellectual abilities. Thus, the width of the nose in comparison with its length plays an important role in determining the character of a person: the wider the nose - both short and long - the more stable the character of its owner.

The ideal proportions are those in which the nose makes up exactly a third of the face and is equal in height to the forehead and the distance from the base to the chin. Types of an ideal nose include:

· a beautiful narrow, straight, “aristocratic” nose, belonging to a harmonious and integral personality, which is distinguished by restraint and calmness, internal harmony, kindness, sociability and goodwill (people around them like people with a beautiful nose, which is why they often become leaders and favorites of society);

· a straight nose with a rounded tip and shaped wings personifies a reasonable, courageous, passionate and assertive nature; such a nose is characteristic of people of art, people of authority and those who achieve the greatest success in adulthood;

A long nose, as a rule, is a sign of pronounced individuality, efficiency and pride; it indicates constraint and excessive pride.

Short noses disrupt the harmony of the face, but their owners, as a rule, are freedom-loving people who are not inclined to strictly adhere to rules. They are sensual, impulsive, quick-tempered, inconsistent in actions, but with an “open soul” and optimists.

Excessive fullness of the nose, regardless of shape, indicates the warmth and optimism of the character of its owner; such a person is good-natured, has somewhat rustic inclinations, sometimes an unkempt appearance, a narrow outlook, and can be grumpy.

A narrow nose is a sign of a cold, pessimistic nature with an unclear future:

thin, as if chiseled, belongs to an impressionable, subtle, intelligent and internally balanced nature;

thin, somewhat forward, occurs in a person who is distinguished by great ambition, hard work, intelligence, the desire to set difficult goals for himself, but also a tendency to selfishness.

Snub nose is a sign of the lucky ones. The bearers of such perky noses, as a rule, avoid hard work, count on luck in life, they are capricious, eccentric and unpredictable in their reactions: a slightly snub nose is found in a person who is distinguished by innate gaiety, simplicity of character, breadth of nature and spiritual harmony; a strongly upturned nose indicates that its owner is a healthy, courageous person who does not retreat from danger.

A “potato” nose (thick and snub-nosed) indicates a spontaneous, assertive, but easy-going character.

A nose downward indicates the selfishness and unsociability of its owner.

Congenital crooked nose is evidence of resilience and enterprise, the ability to control others, changeability in feelings, but also hypocrisy, envy and jealousy. A crooked nose, deviated to the right or left, is a sign of arrogance, envy and suspicion of its owner.

A straight nose characterizes people who are delicate, compliant, with well-developed intuition, distinguished by a thirst for knowledge and a love of work. They have good reactions, a developed sense of humor, and value health and physical strength.

Humped noses belong to those who are distinguished by a high sense of self-esteem, arrogance, passion and responsibility in work, love of mental activity, caring for the family, and fidelity in marriage.

A strongly protruding nose distinguishes a person whose character is reflective, whose individuality is extraordinary, who is suitable for the type of leader, a high sense of justice, impressionability, and energy. It is no coincidence that this type received the everyday name “proud nose.” At the same time, such a nose can be a sign of isolation, irresponsibility and curiosity.

A flat and wide nose means a lack of faith in one’s own capabilities; such a person is pedantic, with clear principles, hardworking, he is characterized by strong will and perseverance. He is unsociable, with a fickle mood and a tendency to fits of discontent (especially those whose nose widens sharply at the bottom).

The nose, which is an extension of the forehead, is a sign of vanity.

A duck nose speaks of softness, weak will, and susceptibility to the influence of others.

The nose of an “expert” - this facial expression is observed in children, for example, if they find something tasteless or are bored with their parents’ moral teachings. People who are very picky often shift the skin on their nose, resulting in transverse wrinkles at the root of the nose (for some, periodically, for others, constantly). The muscle that controls such facial expressions simultaneously raises the wings of the nose and the upper lip, which, in turn, leads to the formation of two folds between the nose and lips.

Small ears (up to 6 cm in length) mean frivolity, a lively character, a brilliant but superficial mind. Small ears are a sign of trouble and sensuality; they serve as an indicator of the high speed qualities of an individual and are often observed in sprinters.

Large, well-formed ears indicate a love of truth and the fact that in youth their owner was not too energetic. Moderately large ears with well-defined convolutions indicate musical abilities, large ears (more than 7 cm) indicate self-confidence and punching power.

Elongated ears indicate delicacy and impressionability; wide ears are strength of character, sound mind, realism; ears turned back indicate impulsiveness, great impressionability, and emotionality.

Lagging (protruding) ears distinguish impressionable people endowed with intuition. Protruding, large ears (protruding ears) are quite common and in some cases indicate the stupidity and ingenuity of the subject.

After the eyes, this is the second thing we always pay attention to. The mouth brings us information about sensuality, softness, pliability, love, friendship, i.e. about the emotional world of a person. People with big mouths are born “invaders”; they strive to keep as much different information close to them as possible, in order to then digest it and appropriate it, finally saying. "It is mine!" They will never miss their goal, they will do any job perfectly if they see their own benefit in it.

A small mouth indicates a weak character and concern in the struggle for survival. Such people have to show great dexterity and even cunning in their actions. They probably know what they want and don’t try to scatter their forces, which they don’t have enough of, especially for large prey. But there is more than enough diligence.

There are descriptions of the relationship between various characteristics of hair and the characteristics of human behavior or the state of the body.

If the hair is thick and coarse, then its owner is a wild and stubborn nature, sometimes even tough and rude. Such people more easily endure the pain and hardships of life, are straightforward in communication and are a stranger to delicacy, perhaps because they do not grasp the shades of other people’s feelings and subtext in statements. It is easy to make them laugh with a crude joke, but it is impossible to make them appreciate a subtle aphorism.

Soft, delicate, like a child's hair belongs to compliant, fearful, good-natured and sensitive people. Their body and soul are distinguished by a fragile structure and increased vulnerability. This type of hair is more common in women than in men.

Good-natured people with a positive outlook on life have thick and soft hair.

Blonde hair is almost always thinner and softer than others. A light frame of the face creates the impression of greater balance, calmness, modesty and even meekness. Such people are distinguished by good nature, sincerity, marital fidelity, and attachment to traditions. Women with blond hair are intelligent and friendly. Blonde hair is rare, and what is rare attracts people with its unusualness.

White hair speaks of the cold, weak and fearful nature of its owner, lack of empathy.

Red hair often indicates courage, but also vindictiveness and cunning of its owner, and in women it also indicates passion and capriciousness. They are distinguished by a strong attachment to family. They do not like to change their place of work or place of residence. Red-haired men and women are very powerful and complex in character. They are principled, ambitious, stubborn, strong in spirit.

Fair-haired people are fair, moderate and submissive.

Light blonds are hardworking, tactful and inclined to give in.

Black hair belongs to stubborn, fickle, capricious and passionate natures, blue-black hair belongs to strong personalities with great vital energy and a tendency to strong experiences. Dark-haired women are temperamental and highly sexual.

Curly, curly hair is more common among multi-talented people, but not everyone manages to reveal their talent. Such people are distinguished by their amorousness, frivolity and thirst for sensual pleasures. They are capable of lies and tend to complicate even simple situations.

Sparse and thin hair is evidence of a bad, crafty and evil character.

Long, freely growing hair has long been considered a sign of independence and self-confidence; long hair for men means involvement in the world of art and music.

A short haircut for women means the presence of masculine character traits.

A haircut for women is a desire for independence, the originality of an emancipated woman.

People with unmanageable hair often have stubborn personalities.

People who turn gray early are nervous and quick-tempered, which may indicate illnesses or difficult trials they have experienced, but often such people live to an old age. Gray hair is the result of depigmentation and excess consumption of animal foods. Women with an unbalanced nervous system often change their hair color and haircut shape.

visual diagnostics temperament physiognomy

2.2Body language and movements

2.1 Language of hands and feet

Almost all of us have studied foreign languages. However, there is another international language, publicly accessible and understandable, about which until recently little was known - this is the language of gestures, facial expressions and human body movements.

The peculiarity of body language is that its manifestation is determined by the impulses of our subconscious, and the absence of the ability to fake these impulses allows us to trust this language more than the usual, verbal method of communication. Body language can be faked, but for a very short time, since soon the body will involuntarily transmit signals that contradict its conscious actions. I would like to note that it is difficult to fake and imitate body language over a long period of time, but it is useful to learn to use positive, open gestures to successfully communicate with other people, and to get rid of gestures that carry a negative, negative connotation.

Palms and information transmitted with their help

From time immemorial, an open palm has been associated with sincerity, honesty, devotion and trust. Vows are usually taken with the palm of the hand over the heart; in court, when testimony is given, the hand is raised with an open palm, the Bible is held in the left hand, and the right hand is raised up so that it can be seen by members of the court.

The best way to find out whether the interlocutor is frank and honest with you at the moment is to observe the position of his palms. When people are completely honest with you, they extend one or both palms to you. When a person begins to open up, he usually opens his palms completely or partially to the interlocutor. Like other body language gestures, this is a completely unconscious gesture; it suggests that the interlocutor is telling the truth at the moment. When a child is lying or hiding something, he hides his palms behind his back.

Likewise, if a person wants to hide something, he will hide his hands in his pockets or keep them crossed while explaining. Thus, hidden palms can suggest that he is hiding the truth.

Gestures of arms and hands

Fingers clasped. This gesture denotes disappointment and a person's desire to hide his negative attitude. This gesture has three options: crossed fingers raised at face level (it will be more difficult to negotiate with a person (hands lie on the table, on your knees when sitting, or below in front of you in a standing position.

Spiral position Hands. This gesture has two options: hands with the spire up and hands with the spire down.

The first position is usually adopted when the speaker expresses his opinion or sets out his ideas. The second position is used when a person does not speak, but listens.

Putting your hands behind your back. This is considered a gesture of a confident person with a sense of superiority over others. If you take this pose in particularly stressful situations, you will feel less stressed, more confident and even in control.

The "hands behind your back" gesture is different from the "hands behind your back with wrist lock" gesture, which indicates that the person is upset and trying to pull himself together. In this case, one hand grabs the wrist so tightly as if it is trying to keep it from throwing a punch. Interestingly, the more angry a person is, the higher his hand moves on his back.

Thumb accentuation. Sticking your thumbs out indicates a person’s power, superiority, and even aggressiveness.

The meaning of gestures associated with touching hands on various parts of the face

The hand-to-face gesture does not always mean lying. This may be the first sign of deception, doubt, uncertainty, lying or exaggeration of a real fact.

A person assumes an assessment pose if he rests his cheek with his fingers clenched into a fist, and his index finger rests on his temple.

When the index finger is pointed vertically towards the temple and the thumb supports the chin, this indicates that the listener has a negative or critical attitude towards the speaker or the subject of his message. Often, the index finger may rub or pull on the eyelid as negative thoughts thicken. The longer a person maintains these gestures, the longer his critical attitude will remain.

The "stroking the chin" gesture means that the person is trying to make a decision.

Hands as barriers

Hands on chest. This is, in essence, an attempt to isolate oneself from an impending threat or unwanted circumstances. One thing is for sure, if a person is nervous or adopts a critical or defensive posture, he crosses his arms over his chest. This is a clear signal that he feels unsafe or threatened.

Another common option for an incomplete barrier is a gesture in which a person holds his own hands. This gesture is usually used by people standing in front of a large audience when receiving an award or when giving a speech.

Disguised gestures associated with crossing arms

Disguised gestures associated with crossing the arms are very sophisticated, refined gestures used by people who are constantly in the spotlight. To make this gesture, the hand moves across the body towards the other hand, but instead of grasping that hand, it touches a purse, bracelet, watch, cufflinks or some other object located on or near the opposite hand. And again a barrier is formed and a state of security is established.

Protective barrier formed using legs

Like protective barriers formed with the arms, crossing the legs is a sign of a person's negative or defensive attitude.

Crossing your legs over your legs to form an angle indicates that there is a spirit of competition and contradiction here.

A person with a quick reaction, who is very difficult to convince in an argument, often sits with his legs crossed and his arms clasped around his legs.

This is a sign of a firm, stubborn person who requires a special approach to achieve a common language.

2.2.2 Eye Behavior

The basis for real communication can only be established when you communicate with the person face to face. If you feel comfortable when communicating with some people, then with others you feel uncomfortable and distrustful. This mainly has to do with the way they look at you, the length of their gaze, and how long they can hold your gaze.

If a person is dishonest or hiding something, his eyes meet yours less than 1/3 of the time. If a person's gaze meets your eyes more than 2/3 of the time, it could mean one of two things: first, he or she finds you very interesting or attractive, in which case the pupils of the eyes will be dilated; secondly, he or she is hostile towards you and is non-verbally challenging you; in this case, the pupils will be constricted.

Business Look

When conducting business negotiations, imagine that there is a triangle on the forehead of your interlocutor. By directing your gaze to this triangle, you create a serious atmosphere, and the other person feels that you are in a businesslike mood. Provided that your gaze does not fall below the other person's eyes, you will be able to control the progress of negotiations with your gaze.

Social View

When your gaze drops below the other person's eye level, it creates an atmosphere of social interaction. Experiments on the study of gaze characteristics have shown that during social communication, the eyes also look at the symbolic triangle on a person’s face, in this case located on the line of the eyes and the mouth area.

CONCLUSION

Visual psychodiagnostics is the ability to determine the characteristics of human psychology by external signs. The basic principle on which this system is based is the following: the human psyche is projected onto his physical body. However, unlike the psyche, which is not visible, the physical body is immediately visible. By looking at the physical body and analyzing certain parameters, we can draw conclusions regarding the mental state of a person, both global and local, i.e. current. This is useful for determining the psychological and personal characteristics of a person, his mental state before starting to communicate or during communication, in order to determine whether communication is moving in the right direction. In addition to the above, the skills of visual psychodiagnostics are interesting because they can be applied to oneself. It is often difficult for a person to see and understand his own psychological problems, because... There are protective mechanisms at work - special mental barriers that do not allow a person to adequately assess his own condition. But the physical body is always visible. You cannot hide it from yourself, and by looking in the mirror, using the appropriate schemes, you can draw conclusions regarding your real psychological state.

Man is a complex creature. Not a single simple scheme for describing him will work, because man is not just a complex being, but also hierarchically complex. There is a hierarchy of psychological levels, each of which is tied to the others. Mastery of each level provides a certain set of opportunities for diagnosing a person.

The simplest level of analysis of a person is the analysis of his constitutional type. Constitutional type is the general structure of the physical body. The physical structure of a person is subsequently superimposed on character, intelligence, complexes, upbringing, and attitudes. This work describes the three most common types of human body structure or constitution, discovered by E. Kretschmer: asthenic. athletic and picnic. He associated each of them with a special type of character.

Another level of human analysis is physiognomy - the science of studying faces. The work provides a detailed analysis of how the shapes of the head, nose, eyes, lips, and ears characterize a person’s emotional experiences.

Thus, mastery and ability to read expressive movements involves a keen understanding of the shades and nuances in the facial expression, gesture, posture and body movement of another. Individual psychological characteristics of a person can be recognized by the structural features of the body, facial features and other characteristics.

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