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Introduction to socionics
¶
Socionics
(
IPA <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet>
:
/?so?si’niks/ <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA_chart_for_English>
)
is a theory of interpersonal interaction based on patterns of
information selection and processing. Socionics has 16
types
and 16 kinds of
intertype relations
.
Furthermore, it divides information itself into
8 varieties
.
The primary source of inspiration for socionics was
Jung’s Typology
. Socionics developed in the 1970s and 80s
in the former Soviet Union and was cut off from western psychology,
including similar typological systems such as the
MBTI
. Today
socionics is popular in the Russian speaking world and is beginning to
make inroads into other cultural realms.
For readers familiar with the MBTI, socionics will seem easy to grasp at
first, but readers should be careful to note differences in theory and
descriptions. Much knowledge from the MBTI cannot be carried over neatly
into Socionics, because the definitions of fundamental concepts, and the
behaviors predicted by the two theories, do not exactly match. Any
correspondence between types is provisional at best.
Recommendations for studying socionics
¶
At the moment there are no courses on socionics taught outside the
former Soviet Union, and only this summer have the first books in
English been published. However, there is a lot of information on
socionics available from different sources on the Internet. By combining
personal study with some
forum interaction
or meeting with other people who study socionics, you can learn it quite
well without courses.
Much of the theory of socionics is explained in terms of
Model A
and
information elements
.
However, to gain a full understanding of socionics - and especially
intertype relations
- it is necessary to see it in practice. A good way to begin is by
determining
your own type, as well as those of your
family, friends, and even casual acquaintances. Human behavior is messy,
so keep in mind that not everything may fit exactly. When in doubt,
consider relationships before behavior; relationships, while perhaps the
most abstract part of socionics, lie at its foundation. Use all
available resources to your advantage; discussion with other socionics
enthusiasts can be both educating and fun.
Resources for beginners
¶
For more introductory information, visit our page of
socionics resources
or browse through our section on
classical socionics
.