What is Socionics?

Socionics is a mix of Sociology, Social Psychology and Psychoanalysis. It arose in the former Soviet Union in the 1970’s and 1980’s primarily by a Lithuanian Psychologist by the name of Aushra Augusta.

It is a collective theorem containing Carl Jung’s work on Psychological Types, Sigmund Freud’s theory of the conscious and subconscious minds and Antoni Kępiński’s theory of information metabolism.

Why should I learn Socionics?

• To gain an awareness of different ways of thinking and resulting lifestyles.
• To increase your level of tolerance towards others with inter-type relations’ theory.
• To help resolve your relationship issues lowering your need for external assistance.
• To guide your ‘good-for-me’ relations and better tolerate ‘bad-for-me’ relations.
• It’s free, as in ‘freedom of speech‘, to learn, discuss and apply.

What is information metabolism all about?

It is a theory of social interaction concerned with how we metabolise or digest information transmitted and received by individuals.

Similar to energy metabolism in the body we assume that different types of interaction have resulting effects on our brains.

For example, a relation of ‘duality’ can calm you down allowing you to discuss and possibly resolve your issues and neuroses.

On the other hand a relation of ’supervision’ can make you feel inferior if you got the ’short end of the stick’ in this unequal relationship.

These observations set the scene so to speak for accurately predicting how different types of relationship will proceed over time.

What type should I date?

All types, with your new found awareness of Socionics and inter-type relations.

What about this ‘duality’?

There is probably no such thing as the perfect relationship unless you wish to follow a specific doctrine on the subject. ‘Duality’ is not the solution per se although it is an awareness of a potentially good relationship with long-term harmony suitable for marriage.

Read this article for a study of ‘duality relations’. One of 16 possible inter-types relations exposed by Socionics.

How is Socionics different to the MBTI^®?

• Socionics is considered by many a more advanced model of the psyche than the MBTI^®.
• Socionics goes back to the roots of Carl Jung’s Psychological Types and by many to be considered as Jungian Psychology done right.
• Socionic types have a different internal structure (usually a different functional ordering) to the MBTI^® types thus you’re always best advised to forget everything you know about it and begin again with Socionic types.
• Socionics requires a somewhat more involved understanding of how types relate whereby the ‘reference point’ is more the interactions themselves rather than individual types.
• Socionics in my opinion is much less authoritarian regarding your overall supposed personality while conversely the MBTI^® tends to sum you up in a way that’s riddled with The Forer Effect.

You may also download my e-article entitled Socionics vs MBTI^® for a round-up of the main differences.

How do I develop my Socionic type?

Through the benefits of social interaction. Some examples:

• Your ‘dual’ relation can help unlock the secrets that rest within your subconscious because they are, structurally speaking, a representation of your subconscious.
• Your ’supervisory’ relation can help you see how your inferior function would be if it were constantly dominant i.e. within the ego and most in touch with reality.
• Your ‘beneficiary’ relation can give you advice because they can instinctively see one of your subconscious weaknesses that they take for granted in their ego.
• Your ‘identical’ relation can appreciate all your flaws since they are technically a clone of your psyche and can offer advice on problems they have overcome given their own unique life experiences.

And so on with another 12 inter-type relations to be explored.