Character is an established stable individual form of human existence. Since this form embodies both physical and mental nature, then general characterology is the doctrine of the signs of both physical and mental properties.
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung is a Swiss psychologist and philosopher, founder of analytical psychology.
Jung's teachings are centered on the concept of individuation. The process of individuation is generated by the entire set of mental states, which are coordinated by a system of mutually complementary relationships that contribute to the maturation of the personality. Jung emphasized the importance of the religious function of the soul. Since its suppression leads to mental disorders, religious development is an integral component of the individuation process.
Jung understood neuroses not only as a violation, but also as a necessary impulse for expanding consciousness and, therefore, as a stimulus for reaching maturity (healing). From such a positive point of view, mental disorders are not just a failure, illness, or developmental delay, but an incentive for self-realization and wholeness. The analyst plays an active role in psychotherapy. More often than free association, Jung used a kind of directed association to help understand the content of a dream using motives and symbols from other sources.
Jung introduced the concept of the collective unconscious. Its content is archetypes, innate forms of the psyche, patterns of behavior that always exist potentially and, when actualized, appear in the form of special images. Since the typical characteristics due to belonging to the human race, the presence of racial and national characteristics, family characteristics and trends of the time are combined in the human soul with unique personal characteristics, its natural functioning can only be the result of the mutual influence of these two parts of the unconscious (individual and collective) and their relationship with the realm of consciousness.
Jung proposed the famous theory of personality types, pointed out the differences between the behavior of extroverts and introverts in accordance with the attitude of each of them to the world around them.
Jung's interests extended to areas very far from psychology - medieval alchemy, yoga and gnosticism, as well as parapsychology. Phenomena that defy scientific explanation, such as telepathy or clairvoyance, he called "synchronic" and defined as some "significant" coincidences of events of the inner world (dreams, premonitions, visions) and real external events in the present, immediate past or future, when there is no causal link between them.
Jung's personality types
One of Jung's greatest contributions to modern psychology is the introduction of the concepts of "extraversion" and "introversion". These two main directions are simultaneously present in each personality, but one of them is dominant and determines the vector of human development.
Extroverts
According to Jung's concept, it is a psychological type of a person directed purely outward. Such people adore the company of other people, they naturally defend their interests and strive for leadership.
They can be outgoing, friendly and kind, but it is also easy to deal with hysterical and angry people.
An extrovert can be the life of a company, a leader of a movement or organization, thanks to excellent communication skills and organizational talents. However, extroverts find it extremely difficult to immerse themselves in their inner world, so they are very superficial.
Strengths and weaknesses of extroverts
Each psychological type has its own strengths and weaknesses. Extroverts are great at adapting to changing environments, they easily find a common language in any team. Jung's concept of psychological types describes extroverts as excellent conversationalists, capable of capturing conversation with anyone around them.
Also, such people can be great salesmen or managers, they are easy-going and mobile. Generally speaking, extroverts are ideally suited to living in today's shallow society of nosy materialists.
But not everything is so cloudless in the fast-paced world of extroverts. According to Jung's psychological types, each of them has its disadvantages. Extroverts are too dependent on public opinion, their worldview is based on generally accepted dogmas and concepts. They also often commit rash actions and deeds that they later regret. Superficiality creeps into all areas of the extrovert's life, recognition in society and official awards attract them more than real achievements.
Introverts
According to Jung's concept, the psychological type of a person directed inward is called an introvert. It is not easy for introverts to find their place in the modern, fast-paced and hyperactive world. These people draw joy from within themselves, not from the outside, like extroverts. The outside 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 slovenly dressed and have difficulty finding a common language with others.
It might seem terrible to be an introvert, but according to the works of Carl Gustav Jung, psychological types cannot be good or bad, they are just different. Introverts not only have weaknesses, they also have advantages.
Strengths and weaknesses of introverts
Introverts, despite all the difficulties they experience in everyday life, have a number of positive characteristics. For example, introverts are capable of being good specialists in complex areas, brilliant artists, musicians.
It is also difficult for such people to impose their opinions, they do not lend themselves well to propaganda. An introvert is able to penetrate deep into things, calculate the situation many moves ahead.
However, society does not need smart or talented people, it needs arrogant and active hucksters, so introverts today are assigned a secondary role. The passivity of introverts often turns them into a jelly-like inert mass that sluggishly flows along the path of life. Such people are completely unable to stand up for themselves, they simply experience resentment inside, falling into another depression.
Functions of consciousness
Describing psychological types, Jung singled out four functions of consciousness, which, when combined with the orientation of a person inward or outward, form eight combinations. These functions differ significantly from other psychological processes, therefore they were singled out separately:
- thinking
- feeling
- intuition
- sensation
By thinking, Jung understood the intellectual and logical functions of a person. Feeling is a subjective assessment of the world based on internal processes. Sensation is understood as the perception of the world with the help of the senses. And under intuition - the perception of the world based on unconscious signals.
Thinking
The mental types based on thinking are divided into introverted and extroverted. The 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 should obey his intellectual scheme. Anything that does not obey this scheme is wrong and irrational. Sometimes such people are beneficial, but more often than not they are simply unbearable for others.
As follows from the works of Carl Gustav Jung, psychological types of the introverted-thinking type are almost the exact opposite of their extroverted counterparts. 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, this psychological type has many ideas that are completely natural for him, but have no connection with the real world.
Feeling
The extraverted feeling type, as Carl Jung's psychological types say, bases his life on feeling. Therefore, thought processes, if they contradict feeling, are discarded by such an individual, he considers them unnecessary. Feelings of the extraverted type are based on generally accepted stereotypes about the beautiful or the right. Such people feel what is accepted in society, although at the same time they are completely sincere.
The introverted feeling type comes from subjective feelings that are often understandable only to 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 in appearance, they can hide completely inadequate sensory experiences.
Sensation
The feeling extraverted type perceives the surrounding reality more sharply than other psychological types. Jung described this type as a person living in the here and now.
He wants the most intense sensations, even if they are negative. The picture of the world of such a subject is built on observations of objects of the external world, which gives sensing extraverts a touch of objectivity and prudence, although in reality this is not at all the case.
The introverted feeling type is extremely difficult to understand. The main role in the perception of the world for this psychological type is played by its subjective reaction to the world. Therefore, the behavior of sentient introverts can be incomprehensible, illogical, and even intimidating.
Intuition
The intuitive type is one of the most incomprehensible and mysterious. Carl Jung's other psychological types are more rational, with the exception of the sentient. If the intuitive type manifests itself in an extrovert, then a person arises who is constantly looking for opportunities, but as soon as the opportunity is studied and clear, he abandons it for further wanderings. Such people make good businessmen or producers. They are said to have excellent instincts.
However, the intuitive type combined with introversion makes the strangest combination. Describing psychological types, Jung noted that intuitive introverts can be great artists and creators, but their work is unearthly, bizarre. In dealing with such a person, a lot of difficulties can arise, since often he expresses his thoughts only to him in one understandable way. People of this kind are fixated on perception and its 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.
