Master Personality Types To Improve Your Work, Social, and Romantic Life

Socionics, a comparatively new social psychology from the 1970’s returns to the roots of Carl Jung’s theory on psychological types, Sigmund Freud’s work on the conscious and subconscious and incorporates Antoni Kepinski’s information metabolism theory.

Your Social World Explained aims to introduce us to the sixteen inter-type relations after firstly describing the structural differences within the Socion. Recently updated from the previous version titled Socionics Demystified, Your Social World Explained provides an introduction to the exciting world of personality theory.

Each of the sixteen personality types is broken down into individual contexts within a theoretical and real-world discussion of their rudimentary Jungian functions or attitudes.

Jung defined several introspective and extrospective functions (or attitudes) within the psyche.

What exactly did he mean by introverted/extroverted thinking, introverted/extroverted feeling, introverted/extroverted sensing, introverted/extroverted intuition?

By investigating how each make up components of the sixteen psychological types we can see at a glance how personality types vary and provides the basis behind the rationalisation of inter-type relations.

Why do some people arouse us? Why do others irritate us? What ways can specific types of relationship be useful to us, or not? How can I do something about it through understanding how one is different and/or similar to me?

A closer look at the conscious and subconscious mind with an idea behind how information is being metabolised i.e. transmitted and received between individuals will attempt to answer the above questions.

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Full synopsis

The book begins with a brief overview of SLIDE system and its potential applications. The message is clearly presented – this is not simply another book with personality profiling – it is a book about the relations between personality types.

We then proceed with a methodical look at the psyche illustrated with the standard Model A which links together Freud’s theory of the conscious and subconscious.

Jung’s eight functions or attitudes are defined which will fit inside the model at specific positions.

Lastly, Kepinski’s work on information metabolism is elaborated upon giving us an idea of how the Jungian functions or attitudes will affect each other in the grand scheme of things in the Socion (the sixteen types).

The following chapters are organised by Quadra, which is a structural unit of the Socion.

The Quadra gives a feeling of cosiness, comfort, security, confidence and understanding. It gives one the feeling of psychotherapeutic and physical comfort, full understanding and emotional satisfaction.

PART ONE: The Socion

Chapter 1: The Alpha Quadra

In this first chapter we take a look at the Alpha Quadra members: the perceptive analyst, the caring enthusiast, the harmonious mediator, the exploring searcher.

The general theme of the members in this chapter is reflecting and delighting in.

For each member, as in all chapters are split into their eight component functions or attitudes that are individually discussed within the context of how it likely affects a person’s character that can identify with a personality type.

Chapter 2: The Beta Quadra

In the second chapter we take a look at the Beta Quadra members: the serious inspector, the diligent actor, the peaceful romantic, the intrepid marshal.

The general theme of the members in this chapter is suffering and conquering.

By now the reader should have an idea of several functions as discussed previously.

What changes now is that we begin to see how key functional differences create variations in manifested characters as new personality types become apparent.

Chapter 3: The Gamma Quadra

In the third chapter we take a look at the Gamma Quadra members: the supportive guardian, the enterprising pioneer, the laidback critic, the tactful ambassador.

The general theme of the members in this chapter is collaboration and acquisition.

As get through over half way discussing the different personality types, the reader should begin to piece together how say one person’s strong ethics or weak logic in respect to functional ordering is creating different attitudes towards each other’s characters.

The idea is, the more the reader reads, the more they understand the Socion. It wasn’t meant to be dived into at random although that will certainly be the case after a first read or two for reference sake.

Chapter 4: The Delta Quadra

In the fourth chapter we take a look at the Delta Quadra members: the insightful humanist, the decisive director, the mysterious craftsman, the vigilant psychologist.

The general theme of the members in this chapter is help and protection.

Now that we’ve discussed all the personality types with a detailed analysis of the 128 possible positions in total for all functions we have a complete picture to summarise the relations between the personality types, coming up next.

PART TWO: Intertype Relations

Chapter 5: Inner-Quadra Relations

In the fifth chapter I present a concise analysis of the four relations that exist between personality types within a Quadra, that is, relations of identity, mirror, activity and duality.

Chapter 6: Outer-Quadra Relations

In the sixth chapter I present a concise analysis of the eight relations that exist between personality types outside of a Quadra, that is, relations of partial-duality, extinguishment, super-ego, business, mirage, quasi-identity and conflicting.

Chapter 7: Asymmetrical Relations

In the seventh chapter I present a concise analysis of the two asymmetrical relations that exist. These include the relations of supervision and benefit.

From reading the last three chapters, the reader should have a good understanding of the different inter-type relations.

Similarly to the psychological types themselves, there is no downright good or bad relation per se although with the information presented; democratic opinions should be motivated perhaps with plenty of awe moments of realisation.

$17.97 USD

Target audience

This book on the SLIDE system would probably appeal to the following groups:

* Psychology students/teachers
* Psychiatric professionals
* Teenagers and young adults
* Relationship counsellors

Your Social World Explained serves as an introductory guide to the subject of inter-type relations and also as a reference book for future lookup.

The level would be beginner-intermediate and is generally accessible to anyone with an interest in Social Psychology or Sociology.

The readership therefore is those with a new or previous interest in personality typing who would like a better understanding of how personality types relate.

It would also be aimed at those who’ve previously looked at the MBTI or have read personality profiles that don’t really provide a complete understanding of underlying Jungian psychology i.e. how the various functions or attitudes described by Jung come together.

$17.97 USD

What readers have to say

The following reviews is for the previous version of the book: Socionics Demystified.

Positive reviews

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

Substantive and Engaging!, May 21, 2009
By Manolo Blahnik (USA)

Spencer Stern's Socionics Demystified is a comprehensive guide to recognizing the cognitive lenses by which we digest and interpret information. Socionics Demystified focuses on the major theoretical and true to life perspectives that guide the contemporary science of personality combining psychology and sociology.

The book has numerous useful applications providing a sound basis for understanding what affects others' perception of you, and how you can use that understanding to your advantage in your everyday relationships. It's not a manipulative mindset, but rather a way of seeing things from the other person's perspective.

I highly recommend Socionics Demystified to anyone who wants to significantly improve their people skills and especially their ability to positively influence people.

Source: Amazon.com/Reviews

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

Great introduction to this pioneering field, April 11, 2009
By M. Lund (Australia)

"It is not our purpose to become each other; it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is." ~Hermann Hesse

In 'Socionics Demystified', London's Spencer Stern has contributed one of the most lucid expositions on the pioneering field of Socionics published to date. Spencer's sharp observations on the differences between the '16 Types' provides us with valuable insights into how we can more confidently navigate the confusing social world we inhabit it the early twenty-first century.

Socionics is a cutting edge branch of Social Psychology that emerged from Russia in the 1970s. Similar to the Myers Briggs typology, although more sophisticated, the Socionics personality-typing system is based on the concept of the eight cognitive functions that were first discovered by Carl Gustav Jung and refined by subsequent generations of psychologists and researchers.

According to Socionics, each of the 16 types of human metabolizes information differently depending on the order of ‘information elements’ in their psyches. These differences contribute significantly to the conflict that erupts between individuals due to differing communication styles and value systems.

Socionics goes beyond the Myers-Briggs typology to explain how each of the 16 types has a unique relationship with each of the others types. By explaining how these relationships operate depending on the psyches of the individuals involved, Spencer demonstrates how those savvy enough to know how the people in their lives view the world, can benefit themselves and others immensely by responding to interactions in ways that are mutually beneficial.

The 'small groups' that Spencer outlines in 'Socionics Demystified' provide an even richer way to understand how in society different types of humans repel each other while others can band together and achieve remarkable things through the natural synergy that evolves between them.

The ramifications for having this knowledge more widely available and discussed may be deep as countless people continue to struggle to understand how best they can contribute to the world on their own terms and thrive within a series of dynamic relationships.

Spencer Stern must be applauded for helping to refine this hopefully soon to be burgeoning field of Socionics by writing this easy to understand guidebook and companion website - http://www.definitive-socionics.info/.

Source: Amazon.com/Reviews

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

Outstanding, the next big thing!, July 18, 2007
By Trancer108 "En-trancer" (UK)

This is set to turn the world of personality theory upside down!

Though at first I was sceptical about moving away from MBTI, I must admit that Socionics has a lot to offer. The depth and coverage of this book is well worth the money, and you will want to read the book again and again, even if its just to get a grasp of the theory. Such a useful tool has been made accessible and is set to start a personality revolution.

Based on Jung's personality types, this builds bridges and creates a whole new world of understanding. The sections on relationships are really useful tools. I am an INFp, and I found a whole new meaning and hope to this in this book. Dividing into functional types rather than pigeon holes, Socionics is an interesting twist in your Bloody Mary.

Source: Amazon.com/Reviews

$17.97 USD