Individuality and Type in Socionics
In 1637, Rene Descartes famously said, “I think, therefore I am.”
A person’s thoughts bring the fact of their existence into their consciousness. In this way, we achieve our sense of being through our perception of it.
Building on this, Polish psychiatrist Anton Kempinski (1918-1972) developed the concept of information metabolism. He suggested that through information metabolism, not only does our body become ours, but so does the world around us, which we uniquely perceive, experience, and react to.
In simpler terms, we claim the reality around us (including ourselves) through our thoughts. The way we organize our thinking shapes our understanding of ourselves and the world.
The concept of information metabolism, or socionic type, describes how we process information and structure our intelligence. This is akin to our mindset. For instance, we understand that an analytical mindset differs significantly from an artistic one, influencing how individuals see and react to the world.
Socionics views mindset as a complex, multi-level structure that outlines our competence in different informational areas. It identifies areas of high competence where we can think heuristically and areas where we can only accumulate skills.
Understanding the structure of someone’s intelligence helps define their competence norms and mental reactions. This is crucial for self-awareness, understanding others, and in psychological and therapeutic practices.
A person’s mentality, or the structure of their intelligence, is a robust platform for diagnosing vocational orientation in adolescents. In HR, it helps determine professional suitability, expected work styles, and team formation principles.
The socionic type acts as a framework for worldview, opening new possibilities for creating characters in literature and film, defining their traits, motivations, and relationships—vital for creatives in developing art.
Intertype relationships, a key aspect of socionics, are crucial for analyzing and improving interactions, whether between close individuals or within work teams.