Psychological types of Jung. The concept of psychological types of Jung

Karl Gustav Jung is a very mysterious person in the scientific world, his ideas still excite the minds of contemporaries. Jung expanded the boundaries of psychiatry, many of his theories were simply shocking to the hardened scientists. In addition to scientific works, Carl Jung read many theological and esoteric treatises. An unusual scientist showed great interest in folk legends and legends. Psychology owes Jung many discoveries, which formed the basis of modern knowledge of the human mind.

Carl Gustav Jung. Psychological types

One of the most significant achievements of Carl Jung is his work on psychological types. In it he puts forward the idea that, in addition to acquired qualities, a person has certain innate features of the psyche that can not be changed. In many respects this discovery was facilitated by the observation of the scientist for young children who had not yet acquired certain character traits, but in their behavior there were serious differences.

On the basis of these differences, psychological types were identified. Jung, on the basis of numerous experiments and observations, realized that some people give their energy to the outside, they are only focused on the world around, people or objects outside cause them much more interest than the inner world. Such people psychologist called extroverts. The other type, on the contrary, pushes back from its view of the world, and not from the objective environment, internal experiences interest these subjects more than people and objects from the outside world. Their Carl Jung called introverts. Let's get acquainted with these psychological types.

Extroverts

Modern society is simply a paradise for extroverts, for it welcomes arrogance, superficiality, materialism and selfishness. But who are these extroverts? According to the concept of Jung - a psychological type of man, directed strictly outside. Such people adore the society of other people, they naturally defend their interests and strive for leadership. They can be sociable, benevolent and kind, but it is also not difficult to encounter hysterical and evil persons.

An extrovert can be the soul of a company, a leader of a movement or an organization, thanks to excellent communication skills and organizational talents. However, extraverts are extremely difficult to immerse themselves in their inner world, so they are very superficial.

Strengths and weaknesses of extroverts

Each psychological type has its strengths and weaknesses. For example, extroverts adapt well to changing the situation, they easily find a common language in any team. The concept of Jung's psychological types describes extroverts as excellent interlocutors capable of capturing the conversation of anyone who is near them. Also, such people can be great sellers or managers, they are easy to climb and move. Speaking in general, extroverts are ideally suited for living in modern superficial society of sly materialists.

But not everything is so cloudless in the impetuous world of extroverts. As psychological types of Jung say, each of them has its drawbacks. For example, extroverts are too dependent on public opinion, their worldview is built on generally accepted dogmas and concepts. They also often commit rash acts and deeds, which are later regretted. Superficiality creeps into all spheres of extrovert life, recognition in society and official awards attracts them more than real achievements.

Introverts

According to Jung's concept, the psychological type of a person directed into himself is called an introvert. Introverts find it difficult to find their place in a modern, fast-moving and hyperactive world. These people derive joy within themselves, and not outside, like extroverts. The external world is perceived by them through a layer of their own inferences and concepts. An introvert can be a deep and harmonious person, but more often than not such people are typical losers who are untidy dressed and hardly find a common language with others.

It would seem that it is awful to be an introvert, but according to the works of Carl Gustav Jung, psychological types can not be bad or good, they are just different. Introverts have not only weaknesses, but also their advantages.

Strengths and weaknesses of introverts

Introverts, despite all the difficulties that they experience in everyday life, have a number of positive characteristics. For example, introverts can be good specialists in complex areas, brilliant artists, musicians.

Also, it is hard for such people to impose their own opinion, they are not liable to propaganda. Introvert is able to penetrate deep into things, calculate the situation for many moves forward.

However, the society does not need smart or talented people, it needs brazen and active hucksters, so introverts today are assigned a secondary role. Passivity introverts often turns them into a jelly-like inert mass, sluggishly flowing along the path of life. Such people are absolutely incapable of standing up for themselves, they just experience resentment inside, falling into another depression.

Functions of consciousness

Describing psychological types, Jung identified four functions of consciousness, which, combined with the direction of the person inside or outside, form eight combinations. These functions are significantly different from the rest of the psychological processes, so they were singled out separately - thinking, feeling, feeling, intuition.

Under thinking, Jung understood the intellectual and logical functions of man. Feeling is a subjective assessment of the world, based on internal processes. By sensation is meant the perception of the world through the senses. And under intuition - the perception of the world, based on unconscious signals. To better understand the psychological types of Jung, let's take a closer look at the functions of the psyche.

Thinking

Types of the psyche based on thinking are divided into introvert and extraverted. Extraverted thinking type bases all its judgments on intellectual conclusions about the surrounding reality. His picture of the world is completely subordinated to logical chains and rational arguments.

Such a person believes that the whole world must obey his intellectual scheme. Everything that does not obey this scheme is wrong and irrational. Sometimes such people benefit, but more often than not they are simply unbearable for others.

As follows from the works of Carl Gustav Jung, the psychological types of the introvert-mental kind are almost the exact opposite of their extroverted brethren. Their picture of the world is also based on intellectual fabrications, but they are based not on a rational picture of the world, but on its subjective model. Therefore, such a psychological type has many ideas, completely natural to him, but not having any connection with the real world.

Feeling

Extraverted feeling type, as the psychological types of Carl Jung say, bases his life on feeling. Therefore, the thought processes, if they contradict the feeling, are rejected by such an individual, he considers them unnecessary. Feelings of the extrovert type are based on generally accepted stereotypes about the perfect or correct. Such people feel what is accepted in society, although they are completely sincere.

The introverted feeling type comes from subjective feelings, often understood only by him. The true motives of such a person are usually hidden from outside observers, often people of this type look cold and indifferent. Quiet and benevolent outwardly, they can hide completely inadequate sensory experiences.

Feeling

The sensing extraverted type perceives the surrounding reality more sharply than other psychological types. Jung described this type as a person living here and now.

He wants the most intense sensations, even if they are negative. The picture of the world of such a subject is based on observations of the objects of the external world, which gives sensing extroverts a patina of objectivity and discretion, although in reality this is not so.

An introvert sensual type is extremely hard to understand. The main role in the perception of the world for this psychological type is played by his subjective reaction to the world. Therefore, the actions of sensing introverts can be incomprehensible, illogical and even frightening.

Intuition

Intuitive type - one of the most incomprehensible and mysterious. Other psychological types of Carl Jung are more rational, except for the sensible. If the intuitive type is manifested in the extrovert, then there is a person who is constantly looking for opportunities, but as soon as the opportunity is learned and clear, he throws it for the sake of further wandering. Of these people, good businessmen or producers are obtained. They are told about them that they have a great flair.

However, the intuitive type in combination with introversion forms the most strange combination. Describing psychological types, Jung noticed that intuitive introverts can be excellent artists and creators, but their work is of an ethereal, bizarre character. In communication with such a person there can be a lot of difficulties, since often he expresses his thoughts only to him in one understandable way. People of this kind are obsessed with perception and description. If they do not find an outlet for their feelings in creativity, then it becomes difficult for them to take their place in society.

Can I change my psychological type?

Psychological types are not found in pure form. In each person there is both an extrovert and an introvert, but one of these types is dominant.

So are things with the functions of consciousness, that is, if you have a feeling type before you , this does not mean that he does not use intellect, just feelings play a decisive role in his life. According to Jung's concept, the psychological type of a person remains unchanged throughout his life. However, it can be slightly adjusted, subject to external circumstances.

If you are not comfortable with your psychological type, do not be discouraged or try to fight with your nature. It is much more reasonable to build a literate life strategy that will take into account your strengths and weaknesses. Despite the fact that the dominant type can not be changed, this does not mean that it is impossible to somehow change. Most of the characteristics of the human nature are not innate and unchanging. In addition, psychology is not physics, it is only assumed, not affirmed, so everything is in your hands. Those who want to learn more about this topic, can read a wonderful book - Jung K.G. "Psychological types."