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Dichotomies
¶
A dichotomy is a binary trait that divides phenomena into one of two opposite categories. Dichotomies are a necessary attribute of any typology. For example,
Jung’s Typology
divides people using four dichotomies: extraverted / introverted, rational / irrational, thinking / feeling, and intuitive / sensing. There are 16 possible combinations of the axes or poles of these four dichotomies.
Dichotomies in Jung’s Typology and in socionics exist side by side with functional models and are generally recognized to be a result of the positioning of various
information elements
in different
functions
of the model, rather than an independent property. For example, rationality/irrationality and extroversion/introversion dichotomies are defined by the information element positioned in first function of the type, while sensing/intuition and ethics/logic dichotomies are determined by the identity of information elements found in the ego block of the type. Dichotomies are fundamentally built into the rules of information element and function positioning in model of the TIMs.
Dichotomies are applied in treatment of other key aspects of socionics, such as
intertype relations
. These influences are perhaps harder to understand, since intertype relations theory was originally built upon the interaction of IM elements rather than dichotomies. However, several contemporary socionists, such as
V. Stratievskaya
and
V. Gulenko
, apply both Jungian and Reinin dichotomies to further explain the dynamics and properties of various intertype relations, as well as expand upon such subjects in socionics as characterization of quadra and quadra progression. Smilexian socionics is another attempt to achieve descriptions that factor in dichotomous influences.
Compared to the
Myers-Briggs Typology
, socionics employs quite a few additional dichotomies. Some socionists, like
Viktor Gulenko
, integrate into their systems dichotomies from outside socionics, especially to characterize
intratype differences
.
Formal Properties
¶
All dichotomies are:
Jointly Exhaustive
- Each dichotomy can categorize all elements in its group.
Mutually Exclusive
- An element cannot fit both traits at the same time.
Dichotomies in socionics have two additional properties:
Central
- Pairs of traits have the same number of elements.
Symmetric
- Traits can be divided evenly in half by other related dichotomies
The only exception to the last two rules is the identity dichotomy, a mathematically necessary dichotomy for Reinin’s style of structure.
Type dichotomies
¶
In socionics, each type is characterized by one trait (or pole) of each
of the following 15 dichotomies. The first four are referred to as the
Jungian foundation
, and the other 11 are
referred to as
Reinin dichotomies
, named after
the socionist
Grigoriy Reinin
, who mathematically
demonstrated the existence of a total of 15 orthogonal dichotomies.
Technically speaking, the Jungian foundation is a subset of the Reinin
dichotomies, although they are given much more attention in socionics
and are not questioned.
Each Reinin dichotomy is either dependent or independent of (and hence
“orthogonal to”) each of the dichotomies in the Jungian foundation. Its
“tier” is the number that it is dependent on. This means that the number
of dichotomies in the
n
th tier must be
4
C
n
, where
C denotes
combination
.
The idea of grouping dichotomies into “tiers” seems to have come from
Dmitriy Lytov
, and not G. Reinin himself.
In 2003, a socionics research group at the laboratory of
interdisciplinary researches of The Institute of Biology and Psychology
of Humans (IBPCH) has conducted a study which attempted to test for,
characterize and substantially augment what is known about several
Reinin groups, presented actual statements made by research subjects, as
well as advance and test a number of hypotheses. Their publication can
be found here:
Reinin Dichotomies: Study Results
.
Jungian foundation (or first-tier dichotomies)
¶
Extraverted / Introverted
(sometimes called
Extratim
/
Introtim
)
Sensing / Intuitive
Ethical / Logical
Rational / Irrational
(sometimes
called
Shizotyme
/
Cyclotyme
or
Rigid
/
Labile
)
This first grouping of dichotomies, the
Jungian foundation
, is used universally among
socionists. The rest are somewhat controversial, but popular among many
socionists. To understand where they came from, read about the
Reinin dichotomies
.
Second-tier dichotomies
¶
Static / Dynamic
Yielding / Obstinate
(sometimes called
Resource-protecting
/
Interest-protecting
)
Aristocratic / Democratic
Tactical / Strategic
Constructivist / Emotivist
Carefree / Farsighted
(sometimes called
Incidental
/
Cautious
)
Third-tier dichotomies
¶
Merry / Serious
(sometimes called
Subjectivist
/
Objectivist
or
Ascending
/
Descending
)
Judicious / Decisive
(sometimes called
Reasonable
/
Resolute
or
Peripheral
/
Central
)
Positivist / Negativist
Process / Result
(also known as
Right
/
Left
or
Evolutory
/
Involutory
)
Fourth-tier dichotomies
¶
Asking / Declaring
(sometimes called
Questim
/
Declatim
or
Interrogative
/
Declarative
)
Function dichotomies
¶
Functions
can be categorized by using seven
Function dichotomies
:
Mental
/
Vital
Accepting
/
Producing
Strong
/
Weak
Inert
/
Contact
Valued
/
Subdued
Evaluatory
/
Situational
Bold
/
Cautious
Element dichotomies
¶
Information elements
can be categorized by
using seven
element dichotomies
:
Extroverted / Introverted
Irrational / Rational
Static / Dynamic
External / Internal
Abstract / Involved
Alpha / Gamma
Beta / Delta
Links
¶
Type
dichotomies
¶
Rationality and irrationality
Extraversion and introversion
Sensing and intuition
Ethics and logic
Static and dynamic
Process and result
Positivist and negativist
Asking and declaring
Constructivist and emotivist
Carefree and farsighted
Yielding and obstinate
Tactical and strategic
Merry and serious
Judicious and decisive
Asking and declaring