Typology of people in psychology. Personality types, classification, characteristics

Well-known psychological types were identified and described by the Austrian psychiatrist and psychoanalyst C. G. Jung.

His theory of "introversion - extraversion", as well as the four types of perception of the world has developed and continues to develop.

Psychotypes of personality proposed by Jung:

  • Personality types depending on the vector of its orientation:
  1. An extrovert is a person who is psychologically oriented towards the outside world; sociable, active, active.
  2. - a person focused on the inner world; reserved, sensitive, thoughtful.
  • Psychological types depending on the predominant way of perceiving life, in other words, on the main mental function:
  1. The thinking type is a person who, in making decisions, mainly relies on logic and thinking. The sphere of feelings is suppressed.
  2. Feeling type - a person focused on, judges in terms of "good - bad", and not logically.
  3. Sensing type - a person who perceives life directly with the senses, he looks, listens, touches and makes a decision based on the information received. they are suppressed.
  4. The intuitive type is a person who relies on a "sixth" sense; such people make decisions based on intuitive, unconscious knowledge, and not on direct sensations.

Based on Jung's typology, in the seventies and eighties of the last century, the Soviet sociologist A. Augustinavichyute developed one of the most detailed and reliable personal typologies and became the founder of a scientific direction called "socionics".

  • A. E. LICCHKO

Another Soviet scientist A.E. Lichko, observing adolescents, identified psychological types that describe the types of character accentuations. Accentuation is an excessive strengthening of individual character traits, psychological deviations that border on psychopathology, but do not go beyond the norm.

  1. In adolescence, crisis age, accentuation is most pronounced.
  2. Later, the character is "smoothed out", and accentuation appears only in crisis,.
  • K. LEONHARD

The German scientist K. Leonhard proposed a similar classification, but did not limit it to the pubertal period. The classification is based on an assessment of the style of communication of a person with a close environment.

Psychological types according to K. Leonhard:

  1. Hyperthymic. Optimistic, sociable, initiative, active, conflict, irritable, frivolous.
  2. Distimny. Pessimistic, silent, closed, non-conflict, conscientious, fair.
  3. Cycloid. Changeable type, combining hyperthymia and dysthymia.
  4. Excitable. Slow, irritable, sullen, domineering, conscientious, tidy, loving animals and children.
  5. stuck. , inquisitive, fair, ambitious, touchy, suspicious, jealous.
  6. Pedantic. Formalist and neat, serious, reliable, non-conflict, passive, boring.
  7. Anxious. Timid, insecure, defenseless, pessimistic, self-critical, friendly, executive, sensitive.
  8. Emotive. Excessively vulnerable, tearful, passive, kind, compassionate, sympathetic, executive.
  9. Demonstrative. Can be both a leader and an opportunist; self-confident, artistic, courteous, captivating, extraordinary, selfish, boastful, lazy.
  10. Exalted. Extremely sociable, bright and sincere feelings, amorous, altruistic, compassionate, changeable, prone to panic and exaggeration.
  11. Extroverted. Sociable and talkative, open, executive, frivolous, prone to excitement and risk.
  12. introverted. Idealist, closed, philosophizing, non-conflict, principled, restrained, stubborn, stubborn.

Classification of personality psychotypes depending on temperament

Most often, personality typology is compiled on the basis of differences in temperaments and characters of people.

  • Hippocrates

The first known typology of personality depending on the type of temperament was proposed by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates. It still remains relevant and popular, although the scientist did not connect the individual typological features of the personality with the properties of the nervous system (as is customary now).

According to Hippocrates, the human psychotype depends on the ratio of various fluids in the body: blood, lymph and two types of bile.

Psychological types of temperament according to Hippocrates:

  1. phlegmatic - a person whose body is dominated by lymph (phlegm), which makes him calm and slow;
  2. melancholic - a person whose body is dominated by black bile (melane chole), which is why he is timid and prone to sadness;
  3. sanguine person - a person in whose body there is a lot of blood (sanguine), mobile and cheerful;
  4. choleric - hot and impulsive, in his body a lot of yellow bile (chole).

For many centuries the doctrine of temperaments has been developed and supplemented. In particular, the German philosopher I. Kant and the Russian physiologist I. P. Pavlov were engaged in this. Today, the names of the types of temperament have remained the same, but the essence has changed.

Temperament is a combination of innate features of the work of higher nervous activity. It depends on the speed and strength of the processes of excitation and inhibition in the brain. Thus, a weak type of higher nervous activity corresponds to the temperament of a melancholic; strong balanced, but inert - phlegmatic; choleric - strong and unbalanced; strong, balanced and mobile - sanguine.

  • E. KRECHMER

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the German psychiatrist E. Kretschmer identified different personality types depending on the character. This was the first character classification. Kretschmer associated the psychotype of a person with the constitution of his body.

Three types of bodily constitution:

  1. Asthenic. Thin and tall people, they have elongated arms and legs, underdeveloped muscles.
  2. Athletic. People are strong, with well-developed muscles, growth is average or above average.
  3. Picnic. Overweight people with underdeveloped muscles and musculoskeletal system, of medium or small stature.

Since E. Kretschmer was a psychiatrist, he compared personality psychotypes with a tendency to one or another psychopathology and grouped them into two personality types:

  1. Schizothymics are mentally healthy people with an athletic or asthenic physique, vaguely resembling patients with schizophrenia. They are characterized by such character traits: artistry, sensitivity, alienation, selfishness, authority.
  2. Cyclothymics are mentally healthy people with a picnic physique, reminiscent of patients with manic-depressive psychosis. These are cheerful, optimistic, sociable, frivolous people.

The theory of E. Kretschmer was based only on his personal observations, but served as the basis for subsequent, more complex typologies of character. Much later, scientists came to the conclusion that the shape of the body really affects the character and individual typological characteristics of the personality. The connection between the constitution of the body and the tendency to accentuation of character (an extreme degree of the normal functioning of the psyche) and psychopathology does exist.

Classification of personality psychotypes depending on the character

People differ not only in character traits, but also in their attitude to life, society and moral values. Despite the fact that there is a concept of proper behavior, people behave differently.

The German psychoanalyst and sociologist E. Fromm introduced the concept of "social character" and defined it as a kind of identical set of character traits in the personality structure of the majority of members of a particular community. Any community, class or group of people has a certain social character.

The social character was taken as the basis for the classification of psychological personality types.

Psychological personality types according to E. Fromm:

  • "Masochist-sadist"

A person who is inclined to direct aggression at himself or at other people, if he considers them guilty of ongoing personal failures or problems of the whole society. Such people strive for self-improvement, insecure, punctual, responsible, demanding, domineering, like to terrorize others, justifying their actions with good intentions.

Psychological masochism is almost always combined with sadism. However, there are people more prone to one of the types.

Individually typological features of the "masochist": self-abasement, self-criticism, the tendency to always blame yourself for everything. "Sadist" Fromm defined as an authoritarian person. This is a man-exploiter, imperious and cruel.

  • "Destroyer"

It does not cause suffering either to itself or to people, but aggressively eliminates the cause of its troubles. In order not to feel powerless and frustrated, a person ends the relationship or interrupts the work he has begun, that is, he uses destructiveness as a means of resolving any trouble. "Destroyers" are usually anxious, desperate, cowardly people, limited in the realization of their capabilities and abilities.

  • "Conformist-machine"

Unlike the two previous psychological types, the "conformist" is passive. He does not fight, but resigns himself to difficult life circumstances. This is a too labile person who has practically lost his

He is an adaptable person who will change his point of view, behavior, principles, and even type of thinking, if the situation requires it. Such people are immoral, therefore they do not see anything shameful in changing points of view and life values.

Such a social typology does not characterize people from the best side, but it reveals the problems of society and remains extremely relevant in our time.

It is impossible to say which of the typologies is better, they complement each other. Any typology of personality allows an individual to know himself and at the same time realize his uniqueness.

The reason for the division into psychotypes

Philosophers and scientists at all times of the existence of a civilized society have tried to distinguish and single out psychological types of people from the diversity of the nature of human nature. Many classifications are based on observations of people, life experience, or the conclusions of the scientist who proposed a particular typology. Only in the last century, in connection with the flourishing of psychology, personality psychotypes became the object of research and received proper scientific justification.

Despite the variety of psychological types that exist today, it can be difficult to determine what type of personality a person belongs to. Often, when reading the classification of types and wanting to find himself, he cannot decide or finds several types at once, similar to the individual typological features of his own personality.

The disadvantage of any typology is that it cannot accommodate all possible personality types, because each person is an individual. It can be said that it rather belongs to one or another type, is more similar to it, or at some moments manifests itself in a similar way.

Any psychotype of a person is a generalization, an attempt to combine into a group close and often observed together qualities, temperamental characteristics, and other individually typological personality traits.

Personality types are often exaggerated and simplified, describing deviant behavior (even psychopathology) or only those personality traits that are pronounced and stereotypical, stereotyped.

Pure types are rare. However, every second person, reading this or that typology or passing a psychological test, easily determines his psychotype and agrees with the characterization given to him.

The more developed the personality of the individual, the more difficult it is for him to attribute himself to one or another type of personality. A harmoniously developed personality and a bright personality hardly “fits” into any individual psychotype.

Despite the imperfection of typologies and personality types, they allow you to understand yourself, notice shortcomings, and identify development paths. It is easier for people around the individual who know what psychological type he belongs to to build relationships with him and predict behavior in a particular situation.

Personality typology helps professional psychologists to carry out psychodiagnostics of the client. The psychological portrait of a person necessarily includes a description of his psychotype. Individually typological personality traits are extremely important, because they will tell about temperament, character, abilities, emotional-volitional sphere, orientation, attitudes, motivation and values ​​- about all components of individuality.

There are many pseudo-scientific classifications of psychological types that people use in everyday life. For example, the division of people depending on the time of day, when there is the greatest activity and ability to work, into "larks" and "owls".

There are a huge number of pseudoscientific tests on the Internet, more entertaining than allowing you to understand yourself. But even such psychological tests have the right to exist, since they give rise to a person's desire to know himself. What psychotypes of people are described in the science of psychology?

Over many centuries, a huge literature has accumulated on the problem of classifying people according to character. An impressive list of its authors is opened by the ancient Greeks and the physician Galen, continued by Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, and completed by modern psychologists such as Abraham Maslow, Eric Erickson, Isabel Briggs Myers and David Keersey.

A number of scholars, including Kathleen Hurley, Theodore Dobson, René Baron, Elizabeth Weigl, and Don Risso, have contributed to the development of the enneagram, a nine-dot pattern used to determine a person's character type. These nine character types are: helper, perfectionist, observer, romantic, fighter, peacemaker, follower, adventurer, and individualist.

For centuries, humanity has unsuccessfully tried to figure out who we are, what our place in the universe is, and what we stand in comparison with those who are nearby. But so far, people have only managed to establish that only by understanding themselves better will they understand the world that surrounds them.

Just as there are "poisonous" people, there are wonderful and worthy people. When you master the communication codes, you will be able to determine what type of people they are. A neat, straight nose, a determined male chin, and even teeth do not at all guarantee that their owner is distinguished by excellent spiritual qualities. Likewise, large ears and a huge hooked nose do not indicate a bad temper.

To assess the character of a person, one must not only analyze his appearance, but also it is necessary to study behavior: what he is, how he moves and holds, what kind of voice he has and what he says.

Personality test

The test below will help determine the type of character of a person. Study all fourteen sections of the test and answer the questions contained in them. If you give an affirmative answer to most of the questions in one section, then this person, by his nature, can most likely be attributed to one category or another. In order to attribute a person to one category or another, you do not need to answer “yes” to all questions in the section. And yet try to establish which traits of his character are predominant. Do not forget that some people, according to their type of character, can be attributed to several categories at once.

Is it possible to say about a person that he:

1. ...holds everything in for a long time, and then explodes and gives vent to his emotions? ...can never answer directly? ...says one thing while his body language or facial expression says something completely different?

2. ...too generous with compliments? ...says double entenders or speaks in a sensuous tone? ...rarely looks away? ...when talking, often touches the interlocutor?

3. ... often complains and seems to be constantly experiencing one spiritual crisis, then another? ...speaks in a whimpering tone? ...slouching?

4. ...doesn't like to show his feelings? ... taciturn and does not like to talk about himself? ...holding tense and constrained? ...speaks in a monotone? ...has an indifferent and impassive look?

5. ... usually does not have his own point of view and seems to always agree with what the majority thinks? ...doesn't like to cause problems? ... often mumbles, speaks softly and hesitantly? ...is embarrassed when he is forced to speak his mind, which can be seen from his posture and facial expression?

6. ...can talk with three boxes? ...tells you much more than what you wanted to know? ... often speaks hesitantly? ... loves extremes: either avoids meeting your eyes, or keeps staring at you point-blank? ...when talking, often shudders? ...feeling awkward, as shown by his posture and facial expression?

7. ... talks only about himself all the time and has little interest in anything else? ...constantly trying to earn praise? ...speaks loudly, trying to get everyone's attention?

8. ...everyone makes derogatory remarks to others in order to show his superiority? ...talks condescendingly, like a person who knows everything better than others? ...belongs strictly and severely? ...has such an expression on his face, as if he despises and condemns everyone?

9. ...likes to interrupt, refute, or criticize everything others say? ... loves to show off and tries to show that he is taller than others? ...voice, facial expression and body language gives the impression of severity and tension?

10. ... does not hide what he thinks or feels? ...very emotional and willing to share his experiences? ...speaks sincerely? ...a good listener? ... shakes hands decisively and firmly?

11. ...speaks loudly, boldly, aggressively? ...constantly makes sarcastic or derogatory remarks? ... stubborn, acting like he knows everything better than anyone else? ...moves around with a lot of noise and turmoil? ...always looking tense or irritated?

12. ... the soul of society? ... does not go into his pocket for a word, is he resourceful and witty? ...always trying to be the center of attention? ...boastful and verbose? ...constantly in motion? ... actively gesturing?

13. ...takes one wrong step after another? ...says without thinking everything that comes to mind? ...constantly immersed in your own thoughts? ...extremely sharp and direct? ... often jumps from subject to subject? ...can forget about conventions: standing or sitting too close to others or waving their arms?

14. ... attentive to others? ...speaks at length, kindly, and listens to others with genuine interest? ...usually speaks well of others? ...always says what he thinks and thinks what he says? ...talks cheerfully and enthusiastically? ...is kept open? ...feels easy and free in the company of others?

What do your answers mean?

Count how many times you answered "yes" in each of the fourteen sections. Determine in which section there were more such answers. Match the section number with the character type number below and you get a picture of that person's personality.

When analyzing a person's character type, it is important to look at it objectively, and then take the next step and remember the emotions that it causes in you. When starting to study a person to determine the type of his character, remember that the main thing is continuous observation. Please note that a person cannot be approached as an inanimate object. People change over the years, therefore, to obtain reliable results, they must be observed over a period of time.

Perhaps they behaved in a certain way a few years or months ago, but then certain events occurred and their outlook on life changed dramatically. And this means that their character traits could change - for a while, and maybe forever.

1. Passive aggressor

2. Seducer

3. Victim

4. Ice

5. Slug

7. Narcissist

9. Rival

10. Giver

11. Hooligan

12. Joker

13. Uncomprehending

14. Reliable person

As you read this chapter, you will find in it a detailed analysis of each of the existing character types. You'll learn more about what to look for by studying the person's speech, voice, facial expression, and body language, and this will help you further determine what type of character they are.

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Behavior largely depends on what kind of characters a person has. Each has its own characteristics. Character is a combination of a number of psychological properties (there are more than five hundred in total). But there are also certain nuances that appear in different situations and relationships. Character traits are divided into positive and negative, congenital and acquired. Each can tell a lot about a person.


What is the nature of a person

Correct evaluation begins with determining what types of character people have. All traits are divided into five main groups:

Social

It includes features due to the relationship:

To yourself;

Labor and I will sell it;

Society.

emotional

It includes:

expressiveness;

Impressionability;

cheerfulness;

Increased and low emotionality;

Impulsiveness;

Impressiveness;

Unstable emotionality.

Strong-willed

It includes:

purposefulness;

Determination;

persistence;

Uncertainty;

Courage;

Discipline;

Independence.

intellectual

It includes:

prudence;

Depth and flexibility of intellect;

Resourcefulness;

Mindset (practical or theoretical);

Frivolity;

Wits;

Curiosity;

Thoughtfulness.

Moral

It includes these features:

Rigidity;

Kindness;

Responsiveness;

Honesty and similar qualities.

To draw up a psychological portrait, certain qualities are noted.

What are the personality traits of a person

The positives include:

Adequacy, altruism, activity;

Fearlessness, thrift, prudence, nobility;

Generosity, good breeding, politeness, attentiveness, cheerful disposition, will, high morality;

Humanism, gallantry, harmony;

Friendliness, delicacy, conscientiousness, discipline, foresight, diplomacy, efficiency, kindness, good nature;

Naturalness;

Femininity, cheerfulness;

Caring, thrift;

Ingenuity, initiative, diligence, sincerity, intelligence;

Creativity, sociability, correctness, culture, competence, collectivism, eloquence;

Curiosity, affection, ease of communication;

Wisdom, masculinity, peacefulness, daydreaming;

Tenderness, independence, reliability, observation, resourcefulness;

Experience, sociability, charm, education, caution, responsibility, neatness, responsiveness, giftedness, objectivity;

Decency, positivity, practicality, understanding, friendliness;

Decisiveness, romance, cordiality;

Self-criticism, modesty, intelligence, conscientiousness, independence;

Tact, diligence, craving for creativity, patience;

Smiling, perseverance, poise, respectfulness, perseverance, courtesy, perseverance;

thriftiness, charisma, courage;

Chastity, purposefulness;

Sincerity, honesty, sensitivity;

Generosity, playfulness;

Energy, efficiency, enthusiasm, empathy, erudition.

Negative qualities include all the antipodes of the listed traits.

For example:

Aggressiveness;

Vulgarity;

Impudence;

Envy;

Arrogance;

deceitfulness;

commercialism;

Narcissism;

Touchiness;

Selfishness;

Callousness, etc.

Each positive trait has an opposite meaning. However, there are some qualities that can be called neutral:

Shyness;

Silence;

assertiveness;

modesty;

Dreaminess.

For some people, these are positive qualities, for others they can be negative. For example, assertiveness. In business, it is sometimes necessary, but in personal relationships it sometimes interferes greatly. Shyness is good for a girl, but is negatively perceived when it appears in a young man. When compiling a psychological portrait, all of the above positive qualities, their antipodes and other features are taken into account.

A person's character is not formed instantly, but until old age. The social environment is of great importance. For example, the volitional qualities inherent in a person manifest themselves in emergency situations when endurance, courage, stubbornness, etc. are required. Emotionality is a mental manifestation that occurs in certain situations. At the same time, feelings can be negative or positive, dynamic or stable, neutral. If we talk about intelligence, then this includes the individual characteristics and quality of thinking of the individual. For example, criticality, stupidity, breadth of soul, flexibility in any relationship, etc.

The nature of people greatly affects their perception of the environment. Some consider everyone good or bad, others - only themselves. Each person has a certain attitude:

To oneself (self-esteem, self-criticism, self-respect, etc.);

Labor (punctuality, accuracy, negligence, etc.);

Environment (politeness, isolation, sociability, rudeness, etc.).

As a result, a certain temperament is formed. It includes qualities that are constant for a particular person:

1. Sanguine people are very mobile, efficient, but they quickly get tired of hard work. They have bright facial expressions and a strong display of emotions. They are sociable, responsive, balanced. They look at everything from a positive point of view, optimistic. They have a cheerful disposition.

2. Cholerics are characterized by sharp mood swings, hysteria, impetuosity. They have frequent outbursts of anger, irascibility, but quick appeasement.

3. Melancholic pessimists, overly worried for any reason, are often in an anxious state. Such people are very distrustful of others, vulnerable, restrained, they have good self-control.

4. Phlegmatic people have very low activity. However, they are very reasonable, cold-blooded and prudent. Any business is always brought to an end.

Separately, it is worth paying attention that each nationality has its own characteristics of character, although there are many common features. The greatest diversity is among the Russians.

Their character is very different from other nationalities.

Main criteria:

A) Spiritual generosity, which most peoples do not have.

b) Compassion.

V) Craving for justice.

G) Patience, endurance, perseverance.

e) Negative qualities include pessimism, foul language, laziness, hypocrisy. To the positive - responsiveness, loyalty, compassion, humanity.

A Russian is easily distinguished by a combination of character traits, one of which is a special sense of humor that other nationalities are not always able to understand. The set of qualities is so diverse that most people have an excessive manifestation of emotions. Some traits may change throughout life. At the same time, other qualities remain unchanged. However, negative traits are not always regarded as negative. Sometimes they emphasize dignity.

For example:

1. Selfishness is not only ignoring other people, but also the observance of one's own interests in the first place. Such a person has his own opinion and will not be led by others.

2. Self-confidence can improve productivity and performance. Then a person feels self-satisfied, which ultimately brings positive results for society.

3. Envy sometimes pushes a person to work better, to achieve the best result.

4. Stubbornness helps to achieve any set goals.

The character of any person consists of positive and negative qualities. As a result, a certain type is formed. For example, a person can be lazy, but kind and sympathetic. The other is evil, but very hardworking and striving. At the same time, women are always more emotional, selfless, good-natured, patient. Men are most often restrained, decisive, responsible.

Characters of people and problems

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Character Types of human character and their features

In the behavior and activities of a person, all his individual characteristics and qualities are manifested, which in their totality determine the nature of the individual. In psychology, character is understood as the mental property of a person, which finds its manifestation in its subjective attitudes towards society, activity, oneself, one's life activity, and other people. This system of properties is constantly realized in the actions of a person, his way of life, and is also not only a prerequisite, but also the result of his real behavior in certain life situations.

Despite the fact that in all systems of human relations, his character finds its individual manifestation, the presence and combination of certain features makes it possible to predict his reaction in a certain situation or to a specific stimulus. The easiest way to do this is due to the so-called typical characters identified in psychological science, which allow you to predict the behavior of people belonging to a particular type. So, for example, people who have traits of an internal type of character ( according to K.G. Jung) in many life situations will behave very similarly (typically) - balanced, silent, thoughtful, as they are very restrained in emotional manifestation.

Character types - difficult to define

All existing types of character are formed due to the combination and subsequent synthesis of distinctive (but at the same time typical) character traits. It should be noted that the type of character is an education that is much more complicated than typical traits. In order for it to be possible to determine a specific type of character, it is necessary to identify its typical and most significant features, namely:

  • typical orientation of a person (interests, needs, attitudes, ideals, beliefs, etc.);
  • a typical manifestation of activity in various spheres of life (social, labor, cognitive, etc.);
  • typical emotional-dynamic manifestation.

All of these features clearly cannot accurately determine the types of human character. This is possible only in the complex relationships of all these features. Here it is also necessary to clarify that, despite all the stability of the type of character as a complex formation, it is also quite dynamic and plastic. This is explained by the fact that under the influence of various life circumstances, upbringing, living conditions, the cultural and historical level of development of a given society, as well as the presence of requirements for oneself, all existing types of personality develop and undergo some changes.

Classification of character types

The study of various types of character led psychology to create its classification, that is, before science there was a need to systematize the existing types. The classification of character types became possible thanks to the search and establishment of regular connections in their formation and manifestation. Numerous similar attempts have been made by psychologists from various countries, and quite often they had to face rather difficult obstacles along the way. Precisely because representatives of many psychological schools and trends tried to create their own classification of character types, today there are a lot of them. But we must remember that it is impossible to find a universal classification that could unite all existing types of characters (of different countries, times and peoples).

The first attempts to identify and describe the main types of character were made by ancient Greek philosophers. So, Plato proposed to distinguish types of character, according to ethical principles, and Aristotle believed that a person’s character is determined by the structure and shape of a person’s face. The philosopher established the following pattern: for people with a rude character, the shape of the nose resembles an onion, for a quick-tempered person, the nose is pointed, and for noble and powerful personalities, the nose will be hooked. Aristotle also paid special attention to the similarity of the character of a person and an animal (this similarity was determined by appearance), for example, a person with a thick nose like a bull showed laziness, and if the nose resembles a pig's snout (wide, swollen nostrils) - stupidity. But, of course, Aristotle's theory never found a scientific justification.

Constitutional character theories

The most significant influence on the emergence of many character classifications was provided by constitutional theory, the most prominent representatives of which are W. Sheldon and E. Kretschmer. Their typology was based on the relationship between the type of physical constitution of the human body and the features of the manifestation of his character (the table shows the relationship between the constitution of the body and the types of character according to the constitutional theory).

Character types according to W. Sheldon and E. Kretschmer

The definition of the type of character, referring to the constitution of the body, the shape of the face or the state of the endocrine glands, could not find support for other psychological directions. Therefore, the constitutional theory was subjected to significant criticism, which in turn led to the emergence of new ideas and, accordingly, new types of character.

Typology of F. Polan's character

Among other attempts to create a new typology of character, it is worth highlighting the work of Frederic Polan. He proposed a typology based on the laws of human mental activity, as well as on the study of certain personality tendencies (forms and content). Polan singled out two typological lines, the first of which was based on the laws of combination of tendencies and their features. In this line, the scientist distinguished two sections. The first includes character types with a predominance:

  • systematic association (whole, balanced personalities);
  • systematic delay (people are reasonable and able to control themselves);
  • associations by opposites (nervous, rather restless, contradictory people);
  • associations by similarity and contiguity (a person acts depending on the situation).

Polan based the second section of the first typological line on the formal features of human tendencies, which were based on:

  • latitude (shallow, wide/narrow);
  • cleanliness (clean, calm/restless);
  • strength (emotive, passionate, adventurous, courageous/cowardly);
  • stability (stubborn, wayward, weak, constant/changeable);
  • flexibility (flexible, harsh, soft/hard);
  • sensitivity (mobile, impressionable, soft-bodied, cold).

The second line of Polan's typology was based on the predominance of certain tendencies, namely:

  • that relate to life (organic, spiritual);
  • pertaining to individuals;
  • public;
  • synthetic (combine both social and individual);
  • supra-personal (religious, philosophical and aesthetic tendencies);
  • impersonal (focus on getting pleasure, fulfilling duties and achieving certain advantages in a particular society).

There were enough shortcomings in Polan's typology, but he tried to fight against the flourishing at that time (it was in the 19th century) functionalism and schematism, pointing out the complexity and inconsistency of the human character.

Types of character according to K.G. Jung

Modern psychology widely welcomes the typology of character proposed by the famous neo-Freudian Carl Gustav Jung. He suggested that all people can be divided into certain types, depending on their orientation: internally oriented (introverts) and externally oriented (extroverts). This is how the extraverted and introverted personality types appeared (the table provides a brief description of these types).

Types of human character according to K. Jung

Each of the types presented in the table can be rational or irrational (depending on the role of the orientation of the mind). In turn, all irrational and irrational extra- and introverted types, depending on the predominance of a certain mental function, K. Jung divided into the following types:

  • thinking;
  • emotional;
  • sensory;
  • intuitive.

Thus, Jung proposed only eight types: extraverted (thinking, feeling, feeling and intuitive) and introverted (thinking, feeling, feeling and intuitive character types).

Types of character in domestic psychology

The greatest popularity in the domestic psychological science was won by the typologies of character proposed by P.F. Lesgaft and A.F. Lazursky. Lesgaft has a rather interesting classification of child character types, who said that the manifestation of a certain type depends primarily on the influence of the family environment on the emerging personality. The scientist distinguished two categories of character types, which are presented in the table.

Typology of P.F. Lesgaft

As for the typology of A.F. Lazursky, the basis of his theory was the principle of active adaptation of the individual to the environment. herself classification of character types, scientist, which includes three groups, was based on the differences between endopsyche (basic mental and psychophysiological functions) and exopsyche (the relationship of the individual to the objects of the surrounding reality), and their subsequent interaction. Lazursky proposed three groups of characters.

Typology of A.F. Lazursky

The typology of Lazursky's character was built on his use of "floating" criteria (they changed when moving to another level). Thus, with an increase in the level, the greatest importance for the formation of a certain type was given to spiritual and ideological features and, accordingly, the role of the biological foundation of the personality decreased.

Types of social characters E. Fromm

The very concept of "social character" in psychology appeared thanks to the teachings of Erich Fromm, the founder of humanistic psychoanalysis. By character, Fromm understood the energy of a person (or rather, its specific form), which appears in the process of dynamic adaptation of the various needs of the individual to a specific lifestyle in society. As for the social character itself, according to the scientist, it includes a certain set of those features that are manifested in the majority of representatives of a certain social group and which appeared as a result of their joint experiences and a similar lifestyle.

E. Fomm believed that the interaction of people with the environment occurs in two directions:

  • through assimilation (the acquisition of various things and their subsequent use, and this is an unproductive path);
  • through socialization (knowledge by the individual of himself and other people, which is a productive way).

The types of social characters were singled out by Frome precisely among unproductive orientations (their characteristics are presented in the table below).

Types of social characters according to E. Fromm

Opposite to unproductive strategies, Frome singled out only one productive one - conventionally called "adequate self-realization", which has three dimensions (or hypostases): work, love and thought. Thus, a productive (or) fruitful orientation is an indicator of a mature and healthy personality, which is capable of self-realization and full understanding (and acceptance) of oneself.

The main types of character in modern psychoanalysis

The first psychoanalytic typology of characters was proposed by Z. Freud, who singled out the following types: oral, anal, phallic and genital (their characteristics are presented in the table).

Types of human character according to Z. Freud

Types Types of psychological protection Typical character traits
oral projection, denial, introjection optimism/pessimism, gullibility/suspicion, admiration/envy, manipulativeness/passivity
anal intellectualization, formation of reactions, isolation, destruction of the deed stinginess / generosity, tightness / expansiveness, accuracy / uncleanliness, scrupulousness / absent-mindedness
phallic crowding out vanity/self-hatred, elegance/excessive simplicity, chastity/viciousness
genital sublimation socialization, adaptation and efficiency in activities

The most famous in the world in psychological circles was the classification of character types proposed by the modern American psychoanalyst Alexander Lowen. The psychotherapist identified the following personality types:

  • oral character type (high dependence on others, mood swings, feelings of emptiness, need for support, fear of rejection, hypersensitivity, tendency to depression and infantilism);
  • masochistic character type (constant need for suffering, increased sensitivity, insight, passivity, uncertainty and constraint);
  • hysterical character type (ambition, realism, high control over one's own behavior, arrogance, high emotionality with simultaneous restraint);
  • schizoid character type (weak connection between thoughts and feelings, difficulty in spontaneous actions, low self-esteem, individualization, the presence of affective disorders, that is, inadequacy of emotional reactions);
  • type of character psychopathic (dominance, increased anxiety, concern for the image, concern for control over the situation);
  • the type of character is phallic-narcissistic (self-confidence, ambition, arrogance, vigor, aggressiveness, expressiveness, flexibility and perseverance).

Types of character and temperament

The formation of a person's character is significantly influenced by temperament, which plays the role of the basis on which an individual personality pattern emerges - his character. Depending on the prevailing type of temperament, four types of character are respectively distinguished: sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, melancholic.

The first and most striking type of character - a sanguine person has the following traits: sociability, activity, openness, energy, optimism, positive attitude, high performance and good lability. In the phlegmatic type of character, such traits as restraint, rationality, diligence, diligence, poise, calmness, reliability, peacefulness are manifested.

The choleric character type has mainly the following features: irascibility, resentment, aggressiveness, impulsiveness, activity, excitability, harshness and activity. For the melancholic type, the most characteristic features are: passivity, anxiety, self-doubt, isolation, imbalance, sentimentality and sensitivity.

In conclusion, it should be noted that among the whole variety of typologies of characters, each of them should primarily serve not for their schematization or typification, but for a deeper understanding of the characteristics of various types of character and the study of their individual manifestation.

Personality is the unique definition of a person. Each has its own characteristics of character and behavior, partly inherited, and partly acquired in society. Often a person knows his personality type, but some features may be hidden or not yet realized. People with a similar typology find a common language easier. Knowing your type, you can choose and tune in to a particular profession. To determine it, special tests are used, and then the result is deciphered.

Basic personality types

Typology of personality is one of the most important aspects in sociology. More than a century ago, the German philosopher Eduard Spranger developed his own classification of personality systems, identifying 6 main "ideal" types based on their motivational orientation:

  • social, seeking to communicate and establish social ties;
  • aesthetic, prone to self-expression and experiences;
  • economic, builds his life in accordance with the search for profit and the principles of utility;
  • theoretical, focused on obtaining new knowledge;
  • religious, seeks to find the highest meaning of life;
  • political type, striving for dominance.

It is clarified that in practice a person has never met with one of these types in its pure form, in each the dominant type and echoes of the others are distinguished.

Famous psychologists and philosophers have identified many other classifications based on certain signs and characteristics: Ernst Kretschmer correlated the type of personality in accordance with the constitution of the body, Jung divided all people into extroverts and introverts.

Personality types regarding temperament

Temperament is an individual property of a person, manifested by a combination of spiritual and mental properties and reflecting his attitude to the surrounding reality.

According to the teachings of Hippocrates, the type of temperament depends on the predominance of one of the juices in the body: blood - sanguine cheerful and active, phlegm - phlegmatic calm and slow, bile - choleric more impulsive, black bile - melancholic, often sad and fearful.

When determining the psychological characteristics, the main criteria for temperament are distinguished:

  • sensitivity explains how small the force of influence can be for the occurrence of a psychological reaction;
  • reactivity reflects the degree of involuntary reaction to certain influences;
  • activity shows how energetically a person influences the surrounding world and society;
  • ratio of activity and reactivity;
  • plasticity and rigidity determine how easily a person adapts to new conditions and situations;
  • the reaction rate reflects the speed of the main psychological processes;
  • extraversion and introversion - the dependence of a person's activity on impressions or on thoughts related to past experience is revealed.

Characteristics of the main types of temperament:

Temperament Criteria sanguine Phlegmatic person Choleric melancholic
sensitivityLively responds to everything that attracts his attentionThe mood is almost independent of what is happening around.impatient, impulsiveToo touchy, sensitive
ReactivityIncreasedMalayahighMalaya
ActivityIncreasedhighhighLow
Reactivity to activity ratiobalancedActivity prevails over reactivitybalancedbalanced
Plasticity or rigidityHigh plasticityRather rigidityRather rigidityRigidity
Reaction rateVery fastCalm, slowAverageShort
Extra or introversionextrovertMore like an introvertMore like an extrovertintrovert

Temperament is determined by the type of nervous system, that is, it is inherent from birth. You can’t completely change it, but you can look at situations differently and correct behavior.

Classification: 16 personalities

In psychology, another typology is distinguished in accordance with the predominance of certain aspects of personality in a person: mind, energy, essence or character, tact and individuality. Based on this, 4 groups of personalities are distinguished, each of which includes 4 more subtypes - a total of 16 types or personalities.

Analytics group

This group includes:

Diplomats include:

  • Activists - they are decisive and moral. Many activists tend to make helping others, charity, the goal of their lives. They easily join the team, are very polite towards others, but always clearly defend their positions and views. Being socially active, they often forget about themselves.
  • Intermediaries - they care about the process, not the result. They are driven by the principles of honor and morality, they speak beautifully and, on a subconscious level, create the hallmarks of their ideas. They have a penchant for languages. Unlike others, mediators focus their attention on one significant goal and on several important people in life - they do not scatter their efforts, otherwise they may be left with nothing.
  • Coaches are natural motivators and mentors. They proudly demonstrate their knowledge and skills to others and are very happy when they manage to "reach every mind" with serious facts or emotional impact. The main weakness of trainers is the desire for introspection and reflection.
  • Wrestlers - enjoy social interactions, so they are frequent guests at parties and ringleaders in companies. The self-esteem of such individuals largely depends on the ability to make independent original decisions; such people are bored in a monotonous job. Wrestlers easily switch their attention and know how to relax after work.

Guardian group

Includes:

  • Administrators - always follow the established rules, clearly fulfilling their duties. Such people are proud of the work done, operate with facts, not emotions, have self-sufficiency. Complaining is considered a sign of weakness. Reliability is one of the main negative qualities of an administrator in the long run, when others begin to use his help.
  • Defenders - consist entirely of contradictions. Always looking for security, but not opposed to change; quite secretive and silent, but easily join the company. Such people are true altruists who give their all, wanting to receive in exchange only kindness and gratitude. Often pedantic, they like to put off things for later, but they always do everything at the appointed time.
  • Managers are the law and order of modern society. The main qualities are honesty and determination, they show by their example that everything can be achieved through hard work. Such people are team players, constantly waiting for help and support, but are unhappy when colleagues do not meet a high level.
  • The consul always strives to improve his social status. Such individuals are always in the spotlight, really listen to the interlocutor and delve into the conversation. They like to be useful, they are not averse to being even altruists, as long as they see their need and gratitude for their work.

Seeker group

This group includes:

  • Virtuosos who are born creators. They love to explore the world around them with rationalism and inspired curiosity. Willingly help others, share experience, strive to constantly improve existing mechanisms. Such personalities are very mysterious - they are friendly, but often closed, calm, restless. All decisions are made on the basis of practical realism.
  • Artists love to experiment with appearance and behavior and break the conventional wisdom. Mostly introverts, but they spend their free lonely time on introspection and reassessment of their own values. They are very sensitive to people's feelings. They do not love and do not plan their future, they live here and now.
  • Dealers are very comfortable in the spotlight and love to discuss burning topics related to the immediate present. They do not build long-term plans, do everything at once, correct mistakes on the go. Most of all, they are prone to a risky life, they are hard to adapt to the generally recognized norms of society.
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