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Identity
¶
See also
Identity observations
Back to
Intertype relations
Introduction
¶
Identity
is one of the 14
intertype relations
. Identity is an intertype relation
between two people of the same type. For example, two people both of
type ENTp have an identity relation and are called “identicals”. The two
partners of such relation have exactly the same
IM type
.
Relations of identity are characterized by a very rapid “getting to know
you” process and the ease of communicating information to each other.
Identity partners can easily relate to each other and offer sympathy and
understanding, but rarely solutions. When interacting together on a
daily basis, both people tend to want to take responsibility for the
same areas, making cooperation difficult. Often one partner is left to
idle, which makes the relationship less cohesive than others. However,
since identical partners share the same quadra values (in the same
ways), they will take a similar aspect on life and how to approach it.
Such similarities tend to take the focus off of a competitive mindset
between the two (more than, say, kindred relations), since they can
reflect on their identical strengths & problematic aspects of their
lives.
If identicals have shared interests, they can provide a great deal of
stimulation to the other’s activity. Identicals also make perhaps the
best role models, since they represent how one can realistically develop
one’s strengths and thus gain personal fulfillment and societal
recognition. In contrast, complementary relations gravitate towards
direct interaction, where their benefits are the most profound.
In contrast to other symmetrical relations, which divide the socion into
8 pairs, and asymmetrical relations, which divide the socion into 4
rings of 4 types, 16 identical pairs are possible. See Mathematics of
socionics for a more comprehensive explanation.
Descriptions by various authors
¶
Valentina Meged, Anatoly Ovcharov
These are relations between people who are very similar. They are
characterized by good understanding and ease of communication. If built
on trust and mutual empathy, these relations are good for friendship. In
marriage, there may be difficulties due to partners’ inability to help
each other, since they have the same weak and strong aspects and have
difficulty objectively evaluating each other’s activities, goals and
accomplishments. These relations are active when partners have a common
interest, task, or project, where there is something to learn from a
more experienced partner. Without new information these relations
quickly exhaust themselves. Partners generally view each other’s
weaknesses with sympathy. Identical relations enable the partners to
take a critical look not only at each other but also at themselves from
outside.
I.D. Vaisband, publications on Socionics
Two persons of the same type understand each other very well, since
information is easily transferred between them. This is great foundation
for a teacher-student type of relationship. No one can teach faster and
clearer than an identical. However, as soon as their knowledge is
aligned, their interest in maintaining relations decreases, since they
cannot say anything new to each other for now both are equally informed.
Both are strong and weak in the same areas, so that they can not expect
support from each other in their weak aspects, and are therefore
unlikely to especially need each other. Even talking with each other can
be uninteresting: what one thinks, the other voices. If they were left
alone in a secluded spot, one might even say that they have forgotten
how to talk. Identicals react in the same manner to the same stimuli.
What is clear to one - is clear to both. What is not clear to one - is
not clear to the other either. There is no complementarity. Marriage is
advisable only if they want to devote their lives to some common cause,
as Pierre and Marie Curie.
O.B. Slinko, “The key to heart - Socionics”
Identical partners perceive the world and exert their influence on it in
very similar ways. This does not mean, however, that they are alike in
everything and will always understand and agree with each other.
However, one’s identical seems painfully obvious: his weaknesses and
problems are evident, because you have the same ones. You cannot help
because you yourself are weak in the same areas. The most frequent
feeling which arises in relation to your identical is that of sympathy.
Much is forgiven to an identical; his actions are justified as one’s
own. At times, however, such a partner becomes boring and uninteresting:
you feel that you can reach the same conclusions on your own. Situation
changes for the better when one partner in an identical pair is superior
in experience and development to the other, which happens in
parent-child, teacher-student, supervisor-worker relationships. In this
case, the transfer of information happens quickly and in a very
straightforward manner, and the difference in knowledge levels is
rapidly bridged. Identical is the best student and best teacher. This is
why in a dual family children are often of identical types to their
parents.
R.K. Sedih, “Informational psychoanalysis”
This interaction leads to an interesting effect. The mask that every
person wears for functioning in a society is almost transparent to your
identical. This has both positive and negative consequences. Deep
understanding of one’s partner allows for quick and productive learning
from his experience. On the other hand, it is difficult to communicate
with a partner who is able to see right through you. This is especially
of concern to non-dualized individuals who may have lot of problems and
little desire to display them. Situation is particularly heavy if in
addition the partners find themselves in a situation where they have to
conflict and compete. Their internal squabbles are at a risk of becoming
apparent to everyone. Very fortunate is the child who has one identical
and one dual parent. Children from such families are usually ahead of
their peers in their health and psychological development. Identical
relations are most appropriate for a parent-child, teacher-student
arrangement, as well as for friendships of medium level of comfort.
Teacher-student relations often pass onto friendship, as the student
quickly catches up with teacher. However, such friendships are unstable,
because to help one’s identical one must “detach” from oneself and own
problems. High-speed of learning also has its disadvantages; the student
may at some point challenge the authority of the teacher. This is the
cause of human progress and, at the same time, of many personal
tragedies, however, only for those who were looking for a monument to
their own merits. A person with many students who is not averse to their
opinion has a chance to move forward faster than anyone.
Laima Stankevichyute “Intertype relations”
First love is often one’s dual or identical. Two persons of the same
type are very well aware of each other. Their behavior and activities
often bear very noticeable similarities. They even speak using the same
kind of verbal constructions. Identicals are often clear to each other
and share some values. Collaboration is usually successful, but marriage
can be difficult. First of all, because where there is lack of
information, there is lack on both sides. In addition, in close
communication, instructions and wishes seem to be offensive and
ill-timed. Families consisting of two identical types often break down.
A.V. Bukalov, G. Boiko, “Why Saddam Hussein made a mistake, or what is
Socionics”
These relations are interesting because if you look at the other person
it is as if you’re looking at yourself from the outside. For people who
know Socionics, in the type stereotypes become especially evident in
these relations. Identicals understand where the other is coming from.
The motives that guide the other person are clear, which helps to
correct own behavior. The protective mechanisms of the psyche are also
visible, which is a kind of mask worn by people in presence of others.
These relationships are best when there is a need to transfer
accumulated knowledge and experience, for example, while studying,
because the student understands the teacher perfectly well, and the
teacher can easily see needs of the student. This is especially
noticeable when subtypes match. Different subtypes take somewhat longer
to understand each other: to the Si-SEI it will seem that Fe-SEI is
overly active and disturbs the “emotional space” too much; to the Ne-ILE
it seems like Ti-ILE is overly cautious, even limited, caught up
analyzing narrow problems. Identicals look at the world with the same
eyes, so after the transfer of the experience has been completed, they
have nothing more to say to each other and relations grow cold. One
exception to this is cases when they have to work on a common goal or
objective.
Victor Gulenko, “Criteria of reciprocity”
Monotonous debate
Communication is productive only at different levels of knowledge. In
this case, an interesting discussion starts up. When identicals are on
equal intellectual levels, debate becomes protracted and quickly gets
tiring. With some pleasure you try to break the monotony of these
relations by encouraging your partner to take actions that are
uncharacteristic for his temperament. There is usually good
understanding but no deep interest in each other. If you do not disturb
the balance artificially, you will not avoid subsequent clash of
interests.
Binary signs of intertype relations
Partners intuitively understand each other’s motives and oppose any
attempt to normalize their behavior, to subordinate their freedom to any
restrictions, however fair. Identical pair is extremely democratic and
violates all frameworks and traditions.
Identity relations quickly manifest their cold nature. Identical types
easily calculate the logic of each other’s behavior and therefore
quickly lose mutual interest. They show a tendency towards
intellectualization - the importance of cognitive interests and
intellectual discussions.
Identical pair combines similar outlook on life, often adopts the same
side on issues, shares in hobbies and interests. Plans that identical
partners create together are colorful and promising, but have little
chance to get implemented as they intended.
Identical relations quickly grow boring and monotonous due to similarity
of temperament and understandable ways of the partner. Basic human
passions rarely change throughout life. And if such changes occur, their
causes and meaning, are easily understood. It becomes more difficult to
dispel the dullness of these relations.
Identical partners are so much alike in their preferences, that as a
couple they adapt to each other even more. This similarity is initially
attracts. They strive to achieve even greater understanding and in
pursuit of this process will eventually lose the outcome. Their
socionics aspects are summed up and the contribution of each thus
becomes indistinguishable.
Advice on getting along
These relations require constant influx of new varied information that
can be discussed. During the discussion, there is a tendency to engage
in intellectual debates, trying to prove one’s intellectual superiority.
Therefore, try to go out more often, socialize, visit the theater,
museums, parks, or simply even take walks in populated places.
Divide household responsibilities and don’t stress anyone’s priority.
Keep in mind that identical relations will never provide what partners
expect of out of them, so be prepared for disappointments and
adjustments to plans to make them more realistic. The less pleasant side
of these relations is that there is an ongoing uncertainty with regard
to one’s partner. As soon as such doubts arise, set aside your emotions
and rationally try to figure out what’s wrong. Without understanding of
the general pattern of partner’s behavior, an explanation of the
particulars briefly stabilizes these relations. Don’t let arrogance take
over these relations. Try to communicate democratically, with a sense of
humor.
V.V. Gulenko, A.V. Molodtsev, “Introduction to socionics”
These is a lot of understanding between identical partners, but also an
inability to truly help one another. Seeing this, identical partners are
likely to develop a sense of sympathy for each other. You want to
support or justify your partner in any way, since you feel that in this
situation you would have done the same. On the other hand, communication
quickly gets boring. Not receiving new information from the partner, you
see the futility of such relations. Uninformative partner seems boring
and dull. Over time, relations become either neutral or cool. This is
not surprising, because after the exchange of information it is not
interesting to keep up a conversation, knowing well in advance that you
could reach the same conclusions. One exception to this is if there is
very large difference in the experience or knowledge. Then there may be
great interest and attraction towards each other. Such relationships are
ideal for teacher-student type of interaction. Collaboration in this
case is also effective, as it adds two forces in same direction.
Communication between overlapping subtypes is much more pleasant and
easy. With mismatched subtypes partners perceive each other with some
suspicion; it seems that the other person is somehow misdirected.
Identical relations are of great educational value, because they allow a
person to look at himself or herself more objectively and evaluate own
strengths and weaknesses. And taking a look at ourselves is not always
pleasant. Even own voice recorded on tape seems not so much worse than
one thought. These relationships help to develop proper self-estimation.
Ekaterina Filatova, “Art of understanding yourself and others”
Such relations are extremely productive in teacher-student type of
interaction: no one can teach as well and learn as quickly as an
identical. However, as soon as their knowledge equalizes, their interest
in one another is lowered, since they cannot tell anything new to each
other. They have the same reactions to the same stimuli. Both are strong
and weak in the same areas, so that they cannot expect support from each
other in the areas of their weak functions. It even happens that they
have nothing to talk about because identicals think along the same
lines.
If a married couple is in dual relations, and the child inherits the
type of one of the parents, these are extremely favorable conditions for
the child’s development. As there can be no better teacher than an
identical, there can be no better guardian than a dual: from the side of
the dual support is always felt, dual loves you without asking for
anything in return, just for “who you are”. Unfortunately, in many
families parenting is done only by one parent. In this case, if the
parent’s type is identical to that of the child, he teaches the child
well, but the child does not feel a sense of security and support for
the weak functions. The child then has to become self-sufficient
quickly; he may develop into a cold personality, with rigid structural
attitudes, and exaggerated desire for prestige both at work and at home.
If, however, he is brought up by his dual, the child feels supported
from early years, grows used to being loved “for who he is” without
making any effort, but then he grow up poorly adapted to handle
difficult situations, since he is not in the habit of at least to some
extent compensating for his weak functions, as the burden was previously
alleviated by his dual parent.
For many children of school age, compatibility with their teacher, who
teaches all the subjects at the primary level, may be decisive for many
years of future studies. If the student is identical of the teacher, he
readily understands him or her, studies well and, of course, receives
high marks. For those children whose socionic type is not very
compatible with the type of the teacher, studying is difficult. Such a
child usually falls behind in studies and can even develop insecurity in
own abilities.
Identical partnership between two intuitive types is more difficult
because neither has much interest in the prosaic, but alas, necessary
household duties - they find it much more interesting to talk about some
exciting challenges. The relationship of this kind are more likely to be
productive for creative work, especially if they have common spheres of
activity. For example, two representatives of type IEI can sufficiently
enrich each other’s knowledge in the humanitarian fields, if one of them
is, for example, a psychologist, and another - a physician. In these
relations, a lot depends on people’s level of development, range of
interests and spheres of activity.
Eugene Gorenko, Vladimir Tolstikov, “Nature of self”
These relations provide the best understanding because strong functions
of partners coincide. Thus partners act and think very similarly in many
instances. Disadvantage of these relations is that there is no element
of surprise in behavior of the other. In addition, there remain a number
of vital issues that are not solved because both partners are strong in
same qualities, whereas the opposite qualities are not represented at
all in these relations.
Sergei Ganin
Homoverted - Symmetrical - Rhythmical
These are relations of complete understanding between partners but with
an inability to help each other. Identical partners see the world with
identical eyes, identically work out received information, come to
identical conclusions and have identical problems. Identical partners
usually experience sympathy towards each other, trying to support and
justify each other.
Identical relations have a negative side too. Interaction with an
Identical partner may quickly become boring unless partners have common
interests, working on the same project, or if one partner has sufficient
preponderance in knowledge so a teacher and student situation can
develop. Usually when partners do not receive any new information from
each other they find no use in such interaction and their relations can
become neutral.
However, periodically even neutral relations come alive for a short
period of time. It happens when partners discover new things about each
other. If Identical partners feel a mutual attraction to each other
their relations can be really loving and caring.
In order for Identical relations to last, one partner has to take a role
of the Dual as if it was a Duality relationship. Usually it happens
naturally. If the two are introverts, one often subconsciously attempts
to take care of the extroverted side of things, if the two are thinking
types, then one would try to fill the resulting emotional void etc.
Different backgrounds and function developments of Identical partners
could help in this case, however as with any other relationship there
has to be a driving force behind it to keep it going.
The result of Identical relations is self-development, because these
relations can help you to look at your own abilities and disabilities
from a different angle. Identical relations can be compared with
watching a video of oneself. In conclusion, only these relations can
provide a person with correct self-evaluation.
Theoretical properties of identical relations
¶
Model A
¶
Identical types have identical functions.
Reinin traits
¶
Identity types have all 15
Reinin traits
in common.
This is the only relationship for which this is true; all other pairs
share exactly 7 (for mathematical reasons that a more knowledgeable
mathematician could explain).
External links
¶
Identical relations
by
Sergei Ganin