Socionics for foreigners

[Dmitri Lytov]

Dear colleagues,

I invite you to visit online lectures on socionics that I (together with my wife) actually conduct in English for Bulgarian psychologists:

http://www.socionika.psihologia.net

Just ignore the topics titled in Bulgarian, and read numbered topics titled in English. The lectures will last 1-2 more weeks, we are going to upload 6-7 more topics (4 are already uploaded).

Although their forum is closed for new visitors, you can watch and then comment here. It is probably the first attempt to explain socionics in terms understandable for non-Russian audience, because Russian books on socionics are filled with Russian stereotypes and sometimes make Western readers confused.

We also performed detailed comparison between socionics and Myers-Briggs typology, their similarity and their difference (in fact, we have to consider the difference in each topic).

[LevKamensky]

i'd love to read that. but public displays of affection tend to irritate me.

[metaiwan]

Thanks for providing the link. It's got some very good information that's alot clearer than we are used to.

[SFVB]

Interesting articles. As an american, I can say resolutely that it will take some time before american typologists and psychologists readily abandon MBTI and other various psycho-metric measurement tools, as it is their bread and butter and socionics is much more scientific and difficult to grasp for someone who does not come to it with an objective mind. To be fair, MBTi has at least opened the door to the concept of typology, but it is nevertheless fatally flawed (as you know), and therefore turns many would be converts away from typology in general.

In my opinion, I think the most effective way socionics can be communicated, especially in a naturally skeptical society such as the US, is through detailed functional analysis. People like to know where their behavior stems from, and are willing to explore things beyond simple environmental factors (hence all the self-help books on the bookshelves here in the US). Observing inter-type relations in controlled experiments is going to be the most important, as to see the various dynamics played out between different functions in different places in the socionics model. I also believe that the only way one can truly identify a person's type accurately is through one on one observation and profiling, which requires a deep knowledge of the principles of socionics models, and a willingness to spend time, objectively, with all 16 types. V.I., remote typing (although possible with enough research), are very difficult to rely on. Perhaps a strong test to indicate type will be developed over time, but in the mean time, one must rely on good ol' human analysis and intuition to be sure of a person's type. But, the time, as indicated by the prevalence of reality shows displaying (albeit at times phoney) relationship dynamics as entertainment, is probably as good as any to begin to share this with the skeptical american (and to some extent european) public, and I hope that people like yourself continue to publish more and more articles in socionics for us English speakers to absorb.

[Dmitri Lytov]

V.I., remote typing (although possible with enough research), are very difficult to rely on.

Thanks for an interesting comment! However, let me make two remarks:

1. V.I. is not the "visit card" of socionics, it's just the favorite method of Sergei Ganin, who owns socionics.org The overwhelming majority of socionists uses quite different methods.

2. The test you told about already exists (or at least, it working beta-version). You can download it from http://socioniko.narod.ru/en/

[SFVB]

1. V.I. is not the "visit card" of socionics

Yes, thank god!

The test you told about already exists (or at least, it working beta-version).

I'll check it out. Thanks for the link. I know your site well. I've visited it many times but was not aware that there was an english version of the test. Thanks again!

[metaiwan]

I favor using a lot of different methods to investigate types myself. Visual identification is never one of them. Usually before I meet the person I know what their role is at their job (Secretary, manager). Then I see what kind of psychological distance they use towards me, and how I can affect that. I notice how their judgements and percievements are made. Most of all, I try to intuitively match my first impression with the impressions and relationships of my already known type relationships. Then I try to notice their relationships with others, if I have guesses on other's types. On the types I have understood completely, the NTs, I can tell them right away. The other types, especially NFs, I have trouble typing.

[trey]

hey Dmitri, nice work thus far. the extraversion/introversion section was encouraging, as it made rare mention to the often indirect relationship between E/I and social communication; i hope this is expanded upon. looking forward to reading the rest, thanks.

[Dmitri Lytov]

Today we have completed uploading new topics to the above mentioned forum. You are welcome to download them and to use as a short manual. If you want to use them at any site, please indicate our names.
Critical remarks are also welcome.

[Dmitri Lytov]

Money, damned money and money again! They decide everything. Maybe I will move the site to a new host this summer, but not earlier.

[indigoroom]

idea: paypal link for donation
i'm sure there are people who would like to donate

[Angel von Himmel]

Hah! The bot is speaking spanish now!

[nobrainer]

I favor using a lot of different methods to investigate types myself. Visual identification is never one of them. Usually before I meet the person I know what their role is at their job (Secretary, manager). Then I see what kind of psychological distance they use towards me, and how I can affect that. I notice how their judgements and percievements are made. Most of all, I try to intuitively match my first impression with the impressions and relationships of my already known type relationships. Then I try to notice their relationships with others, if I have guesses on other's types. On the types I have understood completely, the NTs, I can tell them right away. The other types, especially NFs, I have trouble typing.

Wow, great method! You might as well toss a coin for extra accuracy.