Correlations of Individual Abilities and Their Combinations With Socionic Traits

1. Rationality is interpreted in socionics as the predominance of judging functions over perceiving ones. Therefore, it was natural to expect a positive correlation between rationality and (L+E), and a negative one - between rationality and (I+S).

In reality, as we can see from the table, the correlation of the difference between the sum of the perceiving functions and the sum of the judging functions with irrationality (measured by such properties basic to this trait as self-control, planning, consistency, and non-distractibility) turns out to be positive but fairly moderate, equal to 0.36 (13% of the total variance).

At the same time, almost the entire correlation is accounted for by the sum of the judging functions – logic and ethics, while the contribution of the sum of the perceiving functions is practically zero. The latter circumstance is understandable – rationality, with its mechanisms of control and planning, is provided mainly by the prefrontal part of the neocortex, which at the same time is also the center of the brain regions supporting the evaluative socionic functions. Both planning and self-control (the core of the nality factor) are provided not so much by the weakness of the perceiving functions as by the strength of the evaluative functions.

At the same time, the level of activity of ancient brain structures, which are most responsible for the strength of the perceiving functions, in fact, as we can see, has an expectedly weak effect on the activity indicators of the prefrontal cortex responsible for rationality (although still a negative one).

2. The sum of all four functions, as well as, separately, the sum of all judging (evaluative) functions and the sum of all perceiving functions, in fact, as we can see, correlate weakly positively with total extraversion (the level of the brain’s energetic competence).

As is known, the core of the extraversion factor consists of nonspecific tempo and amplitude characteristics in the functioning of the psyche, which again arise from differences between people in the resource-energy provision of processes in their CNS. What psychoanalysts, beginning with Jung, have conventionally called extraversion (the outward rather than inward orientation of mental processes) is already secondary and, as a consequence, follows from high resource-energy provision (including due to better supply of oxygen and glucose, faster neural conduction given better myelin insulation of neurons, etc.) – because outward-directed processes are higher-powered and more energy-intensive. Differences between the so-called extraverted (“black”) and introverted (“white”) functions of the psyche are also, in turn, related to the differing energy intensity of their activity.

It is fairly obvious that, in extraverts, more parallel mental processes related to information processing can occur simultaneously in the unconscious, and not one but two foci of attention can form in the dorsolateral PFC; if there is one focus of attention, it can switch more rapidly between groups of neurons. Consequently, it is precisely in extraverts that the joint and simultaneous operation of different neural networks supporting logic, ethics, intuition, and sensing becomes more probable. Therefore, the positive correlation of sums of function strengths with extraversion - both (L+E) and especially the full sum (L+E+I+S) - should not be surprising.

3. The sum of all judging functions (L+E) also shows a weak positive correlation with Judiciousness (which, in part, like rationality, in some of its nuances is also associated, unlike Decisiveness, with self-control and, especially, social responsibility). Therefore, this correlation is also understandable.

4. Logical and intuitive abilities show a weak positive correlation with the Process factor, which, in theory, is associated with better energy provision of questim functions compared with declatim functions. We will not attempt to analyze the reasons for this yet, since the semantic content of the Process factor has not been fully clarified.

Table 1. Correlations of individual abilities and their combinations with socionic traits

Sample from two questionnaires, 097 and 098 (794 persons), balanced by type composition.

Linear correlations of interest in the discussion are shown in large type.

When abilities are summed, their values normalized to a unit sample standard deviation are used.

Table 2. Correlations of individual abilities and their combinations with socionic traits

Sample from two questionnaires, 097 and 098 (794 persons), as is, without balancing by type composition.

Linear correlations of interest in the discussion are shown in large type.

When abilities are summed, their values normalized to a unit sample standard deviation are used.

Note: the results (linear correlations between indicators) are presented in two tables, calculated on two different datasets:

1. With artificial balancing of the sample to ensure equal representation of all points of multidimensional psychological space - in this case, all parasitic intercorrelations among socionic traits are minimized. The absolute magnitude of the intercorrelations is reduced by this procedure by an average factor of one and a half. The procedure itself (enhanced compared with the previously used weighting coefficients analytically derived from the simple type counts in the sample) consists in the EXCEL neural network (the “Solver” module) assigning weighting coefficients to the results of individual respondents in order to reduce the total square of all trait intercorrelations.

2. Without balancing the type composition in the sample - that is, as is, retaining all existing type imbalances in the sample.

APPENDIX: Illustrative examples of questions (with the highest loadings) used in questionnaire 097 to diagnose the factors of extraversion and irrationality

EXTRAVERSION

YES:

1. In life, I am a more ambitious person than others.
2. I actively explore the external world, influencing it through impulsive actions.
3. Both in my affairs and in my movements, I am characterized by “expansiveness.”
4. Usually I am the one who starts conversations with other people.
5. I do not mind being the center of attention more often.
6. By temperament, I am less able to sit still and more physically restless than others.
7. I know how to emotionally enthuse, uplift, and mobilize masses of people toward some kind of achievement.
8. In business, my strength lies more in enterprise than in thrift.
9. I like noisy gatherings.
10. I am demanding of the people around me and of what they say, I am easily “worked up,” and I am worse than other people at smoothing over conflicts.
11. I often experience a “hypomanic” mood, that is, a state in which my self-confidence “goes off the scale” and absolutely everything seems within my capabilities.
12. Whatever work I do, I absolutely need to be the one in charge.
13. I like to prod people, waking them from hibernation.
14. It is very important to me to win some kind of victories every day, and for them to be noticeable to others.
15. I cannot sit calmly in my seat in a daytime train compartment for more than an hour - I keep feeling the urge to go for a walk somewhere.
16. Expressing my own opinion is more habitual and easier for me than listening to and questioning someone else at length.
17. I would prefer to work more with my tongue than with my hands.
18. The initiative to ask questions in a conversation usually belongs to me - this is more natural for me than waiting for someone else’s questions myself.
19. I defend my position very firmly and confidently before people of greater power and status.
20. In my affairs, I am more often guided by the expectation of winning than by fear of losing.

NO:

21. In relation to people of the sex that interests me sexually, I often behave insecurely, am afraid to show my feelings, and am afraid of looking ridiculous.
22. My speech is not very melodic; rather, it is constrained, difficult, and tense, with pauses between words or even within a word.
23. I am diplomatic and would never “tell the unvarnished truth to someone’s face.”
24. It is true that I do not know how to “pressure” others; I neither know how nor like to control the people around me.
25. I get used to people slowly and keep my distance in communication for a long time.
26. Work that others find monotonous and repetitive is often to my liking, neither making me sleepy at all nor dissipating my attention in the least.
27. Compared with others, I am more cautious, measured, unhurried, and circumspect in communication, conversations, and contacts.
28. When I need to assess some step and make a business decision, I am usually indecisive and prone to hesitation.
29. One should live quietly and inconspicuously.
30. I often suffer from a lack of self-confidence and assertiveness.
31. I derive more pleasure, motivation, and vital energy from all kinds of frightening and painful fantasies than from bright and optimistic ones.
32. I grasp new ideas slowly and with delay.
33. In society, I experience a lack of self-confidence and assertiveness.
34. I can derive enjoyment from a quiet and measured life.
35. Unfortunately, it is psychologically difficult for me to lead an active lifestyle, maintain high self-esteem, and achieve set goals.
36. It is true that I am not very independent; I am more of a follower than a leader, but I can be a devoted member of a team.
37. I can easily spend an entire day without saying a word.
38. What I like most is a state of silence and calm.
39. I find it difficult to think quickly and move quickly.
40. I am taciturn and very rarely begin saying something aloud on my own initiative.

RATIONALITY

YES:

1. I always think through my plans for tomorrow in advance.
2. I react painfully to any unfinished business.
3. Any departures from order and laws always outrage me.
4. All my life, I have strictly been guided by a sense of duty and clear, constant principles.
5. I try to follow rules exactly.
6. I plan and “schedule” my life years ahead (or did so in my youth).
7. I tend to plan too much and worry excessively about the future, sometimes getting “stuck” on it.
8. I worry more often than others.
9. Qualities characteristic of me are responsibility, scrupulousness, and honesty.
10. It is characteristic of me simultaneously that I respect almost everything unusual and new, but cannot tolerate chaos, any kind of cheating, or any instability.
11. When making decisions, I always carefully weigh the long-term consequences of my actions - how they will affect my reputation, what risks they may entail, etc.
12. I believe that prank calling (telephone pranks carried out under someone else’s name) should be prohibited under threat of large fines.
13. I am often too tense.
14. When I go to bed in the evening, I always spend several minutes thinking about the next day.
15. I am always concerned with increasing my social status.
16. I have a very strong striving for quality and perfection in everything I do.
17. I am not an indifferent person; I am not prone to a “couldn’t-care-less” attitude.
18. I avoid touching anything dusty or dirty - I am squeamish and afraid of catching something.
19. If I deserve a punishment, I always accept it as my due and try to correct myself.
20. I get upset when something does not go my way.

NO:

21. Saving money and sober calculation in business or household affairs are very difficult for me.
22. I can often occupy myself with some nonsense that, although of no practical significance, is amusing.
23. I often do something under the influence of my momentary mood.
24. Assessments of the past and thoughts about the future occupy me little; I mainly live in the present moment and the current day.
25. My character probably contains more indifference and imperturbable disregard than that of others.
26. I become enthusiastic easily, but just as easily and quickly cool off and become disappointed.
27. More often I am irritated not by people without principles, but, on the contrary, by those who are rigidly fixated on their principles.
28. Sometimes I do work carelessly; I often lack diligence.
29. I was usually able to concentrate and sit down to prepare for an exam only on the eve of it, or one or two days before the exam, but never earlier.
30. I devoted less attention and effort to obtaining an education and building a career than many others did.
31. I am able to ignore problems, either not noticing them or not attaching importance to them.
32. When I borrow some small thing belonging to someone else, I do not worry about it and am in no hurry to return it, and sometimes I forget to return it altogether.
33. When a chain of events begins to change according to a scenario not envisaged by the initial plan, I take it completely calmly - I am able to derive benefit from any development of events as I go.
34. My worldview fully corresponds to the sayings “Against a crowbar there is no defense,” “Don’t get caught,” and “Not caught - not a thief.”
35. I live by going with the flow and solve problems only when they arise.
36. I do not give a damn about other people’s opinions.
37. I have often been reprimanded for failing to carry out instructions.
38. Usually I am not interested in and do not want to think about tomorrow.
39. My plans often turn out to be unrealistic, and how I use my time is ultimately always determined by the situation, not by the plan.
40. As a rule, I prefer improvisation to lengthy preparation.

V. L. Talanov, May 2022