Accentuation of character - overly pronounced character traits in a certain person, which are not considered pathological, but are an extreme variant of the norm. They arise due to improper upbringing of the individual in childhood and heredity. There are a large number of accentuations, which are characterized by their own characteristics. In most cases, they occur during adolescence.
Character accentuation: what is it?
Accentuation (accentuated personality) is a definition used in psychology. This term is understood as disharmony in the development of character, which manifests itself in the excessive expression of its individual traits, causing increased vulnerability of the individual to certain types of influences and complicating its adaptation in some specific situations. Character accentuation arises and develops in children and adolescents.
The term “accentuation” was first introduced by the German psychiatrist K. Leonhard. He refers to character accentuation as overly expressed individual personality traits that have the ability to transform into a pathological state under the influence of unfavorable factors. Leonhard made the first attempt to classify them. He argued that a large number of people have sharpened character traits.
Then this issue was considered by A.E. Lichko. By accentuation of character he understood extreme variants of his norm, when certain traits are excessively strengthened. At the same time, selective vulnerability is noted, which relates to certain psychogenic influences. Any accentuation cannot be presented as a mental illness.
A.E.Lichko
Causes
An accentuated character arises and develops under the influence of many reasons. The most basic is heredity. The reasons for its occurrence also include insufficient communication in adolescence with both peers and parents.
The appearance of sharpened character traits is influenced by the child’s social environment (family and friends), incorrect parenting style (overprotection and hypoprotection). This leads to a lack of communication. Lack of satisfaction of personal needs, inferiority complex, chronic diseases of the nervous system and physical ailments can also lead to accentuation. According to statistics, these manifestations are observed in people who work in the “person-to-person” field:
- teachers;
- medical and social workers;
- military;
- actors.
Types and types, main clinical manifestations
There are classifications of character accentuations, which were identified by A. E. Lichko and K. Leongard. The first proposed a typology of accentuations, consisting of 11 types, each of which is characterized by specific manifestations that can be observed in adolescence. In addition to types, Lichko identified types of accentuation, which differ depending on the degree of severity:
- obvious accentuation is an extreme version of the norm (character traits are expressed throughout life);
- hidden - the usual option (sharpened character traits appear in a person only in difficult life circumstances).
Types of accentuations according to A. E. Lichko:
| View | Manifestations |
| Hyperthymic | There is increased activity and mood. Such individuals cannot tolerate loneliness and monotony in life. They love communication and have a tendency to frequently change interests and hobbies. Rarely finish what they start |
| Cycloid | There are cyclical mood changes from hyperthymic to dysphoric (angry) |
| Emotionally labile | Unreasonable and frequent mood swings. People are highly sensitive. They openly express their positive emotions towards the people around them. Responsiveness, altruism and sociability are noted |
| Sensitive | Such individuals are characterized by a feeling of inferiority. There is increased impressionability. Interests lie in the intellectual and aesthetic spheres |
| Astheno-neurotic | There is increased moodiness and tearfulness. Such people quickly become tired and exhausted, and irritability often arises against this background. |
| Schizoid | Such people are characterized by isolation and like to spend time alone. It is common for teenagers to not communicate with their peers. They like to be around adults |
| Psychasthenic | Individuals with this character are prone to careful introspection and reflection. They take a long time to make a decision regarding any situation and are afraid of responsibility. Self-critical |
| Epileptoid | The behavior is characterized by attacks of anger towards other people. There is increased excitability and tension |
| Hysterical | They love to be the center of attention. Prone to demonstrative suicide and afraid of ridicule from others |
| Conformal | Dependent on other people. Submit to authority. They strive not to be different from others |
| Unstable | Craving for various interests and hobbies. Such people are lazy. They have no plans for their future |
Leonhard identified a classification of character accentuations, consisting of 12 types. Some of them coincide with the typology of A.E. Lichko. He studied the typology of characters in adults. The species are divided into three groups:
- 1. temperament (hyperthymic, dysthymic, exalted, anxious and emotive);
- 2. character (demonstrative, stuck and excitable);
- 3. personal level (extroverted and introverted).
Types of accentuations according to K. Leonhard:
| View | Characteristic signs |
| Hyperthymic | Readiness to make contact at any time. There is a clear expression of facial expressions and gestures when communicating. Energetic and proactive. In some cases, there is conflict, irritability and frivolity |
| Dysthymic | Lack of sociability. Pessimistic and melancholic mood and outlook on the future |
| Cycloid | Frequent and sudden mood changes. Behavior and manner of communication with people around you depends on your mood. |
| Excitable | Slow verbal and nonverbal reactions to the situation. If a person is emotionally excited, then irritability and aggression are noted |
| Stuck | There is boredom. They tend to be preachy and touchy. In some cases, such people are capable of taking revenge |
| Pedantic | They are passive in conflicts. Conscientiousness and accuracy in carrying out tasks are noted. There is a tendency towards tediousness |
| Anxious | Anxious states arise with or without cause. Such individuals lack self-confidence |
| Emotive | They feel comfortable only around close people. The ability to empathize and sincerely rejoice at someone else's happiness is noted. There is increased sensitivity |
| Demonstrative | Such individuals strive to take a leadership position. They are artistic. There is unconventional thinking, selfishness, hypocrisy and a tendency to boast |
| Exalted | They love to communicate and are altruists. There is a tendency to commit impulsive actions |
| Extroverted | Personalities of this type are willing to make contact with people and have a large number of friends. They are non-conflicting and easily succumb to the influence of others. Sometimes there is rash actions and a tendency to spread gossip. |
| Introverted | There is isolation, a tendency to fantasize and loneliness |
Peculiarities
According to A.E. Lichko, most types become more acute in adolescence. Certain types of accentuations arise at a specific age. Sensitive appears and develops by the age of 19. Schizoid - in early childhood, and hyperthymic - in adolescence.
Character accentuations are found not only in pure form, but also in mixed forms (intermediate types). Manifestations of accentuation are not constant; they tend to disappear in some periods of life. Character accentuation is found in 80% of adolescents. Some of them, under the influence of unfavorable factors, may develop into mental illness at a later age.
In the development of character accentuations, two groups of changes are distinguished: transient and persistent. The first group is divided into acute emotional reactions, psycho-like disorders and psychogenic mental disorders. Acute affective reactions are characterized by the fact that such people harm themselves in various ways, and there are suicide attempts (intrapunitive reactions). This behavior occurs with sensitive and epileptoid accentuation.
Extrapunitive reactions are characterized by taking out aggression on random persons or objects. Characteristic of hyperthymic, labile and epileptoid accentuation. The immune reaction is characterized by the fact that a person avoids conflicts. Occurs with unstable and schizoid accentuation.
Some people have demonstrative reactions. Psychological disorders manifest themselves in minor misdemeanors and offenses, vagrancy. Sexual deviant behavior, the desire to become intoxicated or experience unusual sensations through the use of alcohol and drugs are also found in individuals of this type.
Against the background of accentuations, neuroses and depression develop. Persistent changes are characterized by a transition from an obvious type of character accentuation to a hidden one. Psychopathic reactions may occur with prolonged exposure to stress and critical age. Persistent changes include the transformation of types of accentuations from one to another due to improper upbringing of the child, which is possible towards compatible types.
Each person is a unique personality, with a unique inner world, worldview and life experience. It is the combination of all these features that, over time, forms the unique personality structure of each of us. The complex and lengthy process of its formation occurs in close interaction with the surrounding world and people. We choose our life path, professional field of activity, and form a certain social circle.
In this process of vital activity, we show the full palette and intensity of the colors of our character - its various traits. If one of the traits manifests itself more intensely than the others, then we are talking about character accentuation. This complex concept came into use in world psychiatry and psychology in 1981, when the famous German psychiatrist Karl Leonhard, in his work “Accentuated Personality,” described the concept of accentuation and specific types of character accentuation. If this is a psychiatric concept, then what does it have to do with psychology, which deals with helping mentally healthy people? Accentuation of character is an enhanced or excessive manifestation of a specific trait or a set of individual character traits that make a person vulnerable to certain external influences. Accentuation in psychology is an extreme mental norm, beyond which negative personality changes and mental deviations begin. It is important for a psychologist to identify accentuation in order to correct its negative manifestations in a timely manner and prevent the development of mental illness.
Accentuation or originality?
How can one define character accentuation if one can often meet people in whom individual traits are clearly manifested, but do not interfere with their lives, but, on the contrary, contribute to success and make them original? Creating a theory about accentuations, Leonhard took these features into account. Each character trait manifests itself to different degrees in different people; the vivid manifestation of a particular trait does not at all indicate accentuation. Accentuation of character presupposes a certain polarity: in some circumstances it is the key to social success, and in others it hinders self-realization.
For example, in the professional sphere, a person with acute pedantry can become an indispensable worker who does everything meticulously and in a timely manner. But on the other hand, in unfavorable circumstances, this person can develop obsessive-compulsive neurosis, when he simply ceases to manage his own life and loses self-control.
Let's consider specific types of pointed features that form the basis of Leonhard's theory of character accentuations in order to have a general understanding of the specifics of accentuations. Leonhard identified the following main types of accentuations:
Accentuations are born in adolescence
In 1977, professor of Soviet psychiatry Andrei Lichko, focusing on the research of psychiatrists of that time, formed his own concept of character accentuations. In his theory, Lichko emphasized that character accentuations are born and most clearly manifest themselves in adolescence. This age period is characterized by the rapid development of all mental structures, and the formation of character reaches its apogee, a personality is born.
It was Lichko who formed the specific aspects that distinguish accentuations from personality disorders:
- Impact on specific areas of life. If a person with a personality disorder reacts to any external influences based on the characteristics of this disorder, then the peculiarity of accentuations is that they appear only in specific life situations.
- Instability over time. Accentuations most often clearly manifest themselves during certain periods of life: adolescence, various crises, traumatic events. The disorders are stable over time, appear at a fairly early age and intensify with age.
- Short duration of social maladjustment. Disorders constantly interfere with a person’s adaptation to life or even stop it altogether. Accentuations do not interfere with this process or cause “temporary inconvenience.”
Let's consider the classification of types of character accentuations proposed by Professor Lichko:
To determine specific character accentuations, professional psychology suggests using two qualitative methods:
- Methodology of K. Leonhard in collaboration with N. Shmishek. This technique is intended to study the character accentuations of adults of any age.
- Methodology "PDO". This is a pathocharacterological diagnostic questionnaire by Andrei Lichko, developed specifically for the study of accentuations of the character of adolescents.
Video about how certain character traits affect our health:
In addition to the classification of K. Leongrard, psychologists and psychiatrists use accentuations of Lichko's character.
He expanded and supplemented this concept and developed his own typology of characteristics of sharpened personality traits.
How to help a teenager gain self-confidence? Find out about this from ours.
Brief background
A. Lichko derived his taxonomy of character accentuations, based on G.E. Sukhareva and P.B. Gannushkin.
However, she slightly different.
Classification is intended first for the study of adolescence, covers not only accentuations, but also psychopathological character deviations.
Lichko proposed replacing the term “personality accentuations” with “character accentuations,” explaining that personality is a broader concept and cannot be assessed only from the point of view of accentuations.
Attention in research was directed to adolescence, because during this period various psychopathies begin to manifest themselves most clearly.
Types of character accentuation according to Lichko:
Accentuations of character from the point of view of A. E. Lichko
According to Lichko's theory, accentuation is temporary. In the process they may appear and disappear. These changes and personality traits sometimes develop into psychopathy and persist into adulthood.
The direction of development of sharpened personality traits is determined by the social environment and the type of accentuation. It happens obvious and hidden.
According to psychiatrist A. Lichko, accentuations are borderline states between normality and pathology.
Therefore, he built his classification on the basis of types of psychopathy.
Character accentuations - examples:
Classification
The following types of accentuations were identified:
- Hyperthymic type. Active, restless, poorly controlled by teachers. Labile, easily adapts to changing situations. Teenagers are prone to conflicts with adults, including teachers. They are not afraid of change. The mood is predominantly positive. tend to overestimate their capabilities, so they are able to take risks without hesitation.
Excitement, noisy, active companies and entertainment are acceptable to them. There are many hobbies, they are superficial.
- Cycloid. Characterized by frequent mood swings - from good to bad. They prefer loneliness and being at home than active entertainment in the company. Troubles are hard to bear. Reacts painfully to criticism and comments. There is a tendency towards apathy and is easily irritated. Changes in mood can be tied to the time of year.
In the process of growing up, pronounced features of accentuation can be smoothed out, but sometimes they get stuck at a depressed-melancholic stage. During the period of recovery, when the mood is good, one observes cheerfulness, optimism, high activity, sociability, and initiative. In the opposite state - a bad mood - they show increased sensitivity and react sharply to criticism. - Sensitive. People of this type are highly sensitive. Teenagers give the impression of being withdrawn, they do not strive to play together, and are fearful. They treat their parents well and behave obediently. It may be difficult to adapt to a team. An inferiority complex may develop.
People of this type have a developed sense of responsibility and place high moral demands on themselves and others.
Perseverance allows you to successfully engage in painstaking work and complex activities. choose carefully. They prefer to communicate with those who are older.
- Schizoid type. There is isolation, a desire to spend time alone, and isolation from the world. They are indifferent to other people and communication with them, which can manifest itself in a demonstrative avoidance of contacts. They lack such a quality as sympathy, they do not show interest in the people around them, there is no empathy and understanding of the feelings of others. they do not strive to show people their feelings, so their peers do not understand them, considering them strange.
Hysterical. They are characterized by a high degree of egocentrism. They need attention from other people and will do anything to get it. Demonstrative and artistic. They worry if attention is paid not to them, but to someone else. They should be admired - one of the important needs of the individual. Hysteroids become the initiator of activities and events, but they themselves are not able to clearly organize them. It is also problematic for them to earn authority among their peers, despite the fact that they strive for leadership. They need praise addressed to them, but they take criticism painfully. Feelings are shallow. Prone to deception, fantasies, pretense. They often display a demonstrative type of suicide in an attempt to attract attention and earn the sympathy of others.
- Conformal type. Teenagers with such accentuation easily obey the will of other people. They have no opinion of their own and follow the group. The basic principle is to be and act like everyone else. At the same time, they are distinguished by conservatism. If they need to protect their interests, they will do anything, finding justification for them. Prone to betrayal. Finds a way to survive in a team by adapting to it and adapting to the leader.
- Psychasthenic type. Characterized by indecisiveness and unwillingness to take responsibility. They are prone to introspection and are critical of their personality and actions. They have high mental abilities, ahead of their peers. Behavior may be impulsive and thoughtless in actions. They are careful and reasonable, quite calm, but at the same time indecisive and incapable of active actions that require risk and taking responsibility.
To relieve tension, they tend to use alcohol or drugs. Psychasthenics manifest themselves despotic in personal relationships, which can ultimately lead to their destruction. They are also prone to pettiness. - Unstable. They show little interest in studying, which causes a lot of worry for parents and teachers. They have a penchant for entertainment. There are no goals in life, they live one day at a time, and are not interested in anything. The main features are frivolity, laziness, idleness. They are not interested in work either. They do not like to be controlled and strive for complete freedom. They are open to communication, communicative, love conversations. They have a tendency to different types of addictions. They often end up in dangerous companies.
- Emotionally labile type. Sudden, unpredictable changes in mood. Any little thing, even the wrong glance or spoken word, can be the reason for changes in the emotional state.
The type is sensitive and needs support, especially during periods of bad mood.
Treats peers well. Has sensitivity, understands the attitude and mood of others. They become strongly attached to people.
- Epileptoid type. One of the expressed character traits is cruelty; they tend to offend younger and weaker animals. He prefers to make friends and communicate with adults; the need to establish communication with peers causes discomfort. At an early age they show traits of capriciousness, tearfulness, and require attention.
They have pride and a desire for power. If they become a boss, their subordinates are kept in fear. Of all accentuations, it is considered the most dangerous personality type, as it has a high degree of cruelty. If they need to make a career and achieve a high position, they know how to please top management, adapt to their requirements, while not forgetting about their interests. - Asthenoneurotic type. Show discipline and responsibility. However, they have a high degree of fatigue, this is especially noticeable during monotonous activities or the need to participate in competitive work. Drowsiness and fatigue can occur for no apparent reason. The manifestations of accentuation include irritability, increased suspiciousness, and hypochondria.
There is a possibility of emotional breakdowns, especially if events do not happen the way asthenics want. Irritability gives way to remorse.
In addition to pronounced types, there may also be mixed characters.
Character accentuation table:
Where is the technique used?
Lichko test expanded to 143 questions. Aimed more at children and teenagers.
Used to identify pronounced problems and accentuations in character, allows you to predict the appearance of psychopathy, begin timely correction of negative conditions, and identify dangerous individuals.
Lichko believed that it was important to study accentuations already in adolescence, since most during this period manifest themselves most clearly and are formed before adolescence.
The use of diagnostic methods, testing, and conversation allows identify the problem in a timely manner and develop a correction program.
The typology of characters is usually built on the existence of certain typical traits. Typical are traits and manifestations of character that are common and indicative of a certain group of people.
Accordingly, a character type should be understood as the expression in the individual character of traits common to a certain group of people.
It should also be noted that all typologies of human characters, as a rule, proceed from a number of general ideas.
1. A person’s character is formed relatively early in ontogenesis and throughout the rest of his life manifests itself as a more or less stable personal formation.
2. The combinations of personality traits that make up a person’s character are not random.
3. Most people, in accordance with their main character traits, can be divided into typical groups.
The concept of “accentuation” was introduced into psychology by K. Leonhard. His concept of “accented personalities” was based on the assumption of the presence of basic and additional personality traits. There are significantly fewer main traits, but they are the core of personality and determine its development, adaptation and mental health. When the main traits are significantly expressed, they leave an imprint on the personality as a whole, and under unfavorable circumstances they can destroy the entire structure of the personality.
According to Leonhard, personality accentuations primarily manifest themselves in communication with other people. Therefore, when assessing communication styles, we can identify certain types of accentuations. The classification proposed by Leonhard includes the following types:
1. Hyperthymic type. He is characterized by extreme contact, talkativeness, expressiveness gestures facial expressions, pantomimes. Such a person often spontaneously deviates from the original topic of conversation. He has occasional conflicts with people around him because he does not take his work and family responsibilities seriously enough. People of this type are often the initiators of conflicts themselves, but are upset if others make comments to them about this. Among the positive traits that are attractive to communication partners, people of this type are characterized by energy, thirst for activity, optimism, and initiative. At the same time, they also have some repulsive traits: frivolity, a tendency to immoral acts, increased irritability, projectism, and an insufficiently serious attitude towards their responsibilities. They find it difficult to endure conditions of strict discipline, monotonous activity, and forced loneliness.
1.Dysthymic type. He is characterized by low contact, taciturnity, and a dominant pessimistic mood. Such people are usually homebodies, are burdened by noisy society, rarely enter into conflicts with others, and lead a secluded lifestyle. They highly value those who are friends with them and are ready to obey them. They have the following personality traits that are attractive to communication partners: seriousness, conscientiousness, and a keen sense of justice. They also have repulsive features. This is passivity, slowness of thinking, clumsiness, individualism.
3. Cycloid type. He is characterized by fairly frequent periodic mood changes, as a result of which the manner of communication with other people also often changes.
During periods of high mood, such people are sociable, and during periods of depressed mood, they are withdrawn. During periods of elation, they behave like people with hyperthymic accentuation of character, and during periods of decline, they behave like people with dysthymic accentuation.
4. Excitable type. This type is characterized by low contact in communication, slowness of verbal and non-verbal reactions. Often such people are boring, phony and gloomy, prone to rudeness and abuse, to conflicts in which they themselves are an active, provoking party. They are difficult to get along with in teams and domineering in the family. In an emotionally calm state, people of this type are often conscientious, neat, and love animals and small children. However, in a state of emotional arousal, they are irritable, quick-tempered, and have poor control over their behavior.
5. Stuck type. He is characterized by moderate sociability, boringness, a penchant for moralizing, and taciturnity. In conflicts, such a person usually acts as an initiator, an active party. He strives to achieve high performance in any business he undertakes and places increased demands on himself; especially sensitive to social justice, at the same time touchy, vulnerable, suspicious, vindictive; sometimes overly arrogant, ambitious, jealous, makes exorbitant demands on loved ones and subordinates at work.
6. Pedantic type. A person with this type of accentuation rarely enters into conflicts, acting as a passive rather than an active party in them. In his service, he behaves like a bureaucrat, making many formal demands on those around him. At the same time, he willingly cedes leadership to other people. Sometimes he torments his family with excessive claims to neatness. His attractive traits are conscientiousness, accuracy, seriousness, and reliability in business, while his repulsive traits that contribute to the emergence of conflicts are formalism, boringness, and grumbling.
7. Anxious type. People with this type of accentuation are characterized by: low contact, timidity, self-doubt, and a minor mood. They rarely enter into conflicts with others, playing a mainly passive role in them; in conflict situations they seek support and support. They often have the following attractive traits: friendliness, self-criticism, and diligence. Due to their defenselessness, they also often serve as “scapegoats”, targets for jokes.8. Emotive type. These people prefer to communicate in a narrow circle of select people with whom they establish good contacts and whom they understand “at a glance.” They rarely enter into conflicts themselves, playing a passive role in them. They carry grievances within themselves without “splashing” out. Attractive traits: kindness, compassion, heightened sense of duty, diligence. Repulsive traits: excessive sensitivity, tearfulness.
9. Demonstrative type. This type of accentuation is characterized by the ease of establishing contacts, the desire for leadership, the thirst for power and praise. Such a person demonstrates high adaptability to people and at the same time a tendency to intrigue (with an externally soft manner of communication). People with this type of accentuation irritate others with their self-confidence and high claims, systematically provoke conflicts themselves, but at the same time actively defend themselves. They have the following traits that are attractive to communication partners: courtesy, artistry, the ability to captivate others, originality of thinking and actions. Their repulsive traits: selfishness, hypocrisy, boasting, shirking from work.
10. Exalted type. He is characterized by high contact, talkativeness, and amorousness. Such people often argue, but do not lead to open conflicts. In conflict situations, they are both active and passive parties. At the same time, persons of this typological group are attached and attentive to friends and relatives. They are altruistic, have a sense of compassion, good taste, and show brightness and sincerity of feelings. Repulsive traits: alarmism, susceptibility to momentary moods.
11. Extroverted type. Such people are highly contactable, they have a lot of friends and acquaintances, they are talkative to the point of talkativeness, open to any information, rarely enter into conflicts with others and usually play a passive role in them. When communicating with friends, at work and in the family, they often cede leadership to others, prefer to obey and be in the shadows. They have such attractive traits as a willingness to listen carefully to another, to do what is asked, and diligence. Repulsive peculiarities: susceptibility to influence, frivolity, thoughtlessness of actions, passion for entertainment, participation in the spread of gossip and rumors.
12. Introverted type. It, unlike the previous one, is characterized by very low contact, isolation, isolation from reality, and a tendency to philosophize. Such people love solitude; They come into conflict with others only when they attempt to unceremoniously interfere in their personal lives. They are often emotionally cold idealists with relatively little attachment to people. They have such attractive traits as restraint, strong convictions, and integrity. They also have repulsive features. This is stubbornness, rigidity of thinking, persistent defense of one’s ideas. Such people have their own point of view on everything, which may turn out to be erroneous, differ sharply from the opinions of other people, and yet they continue to defend it, no matter what.
Later, A.E. Lichko proposed a classification of characters based on a description of accentuations. This classification is based on observations of adolescents. Accentuation of character, according to Lichko, is an excessive strengthening of individual character traits, in which deviations in human behavior that do not go beyond the norm, bordering on pathology, are observed. Such accentuations, as temporary mental states, are most often observed in adolescence and early adolescence. Lichko explains this fact as follows: “Under the influence of psychogenic factors that address the “place of least resistance,” temporary adaptation disorders and deviations in behavior may occur” (Lichko A. E., 1983). As a child grows up, the characteristics of his character that appeared in childhood, while remaining quite pronounced, lose their sharpness, but over time they can clearly appear again (especially if a disease occurs).
The classification of character accentuations in adolescents, which Lichko proposed, is as follows:
1. Hyperthymic type. Teenagers of this type are distinguished by their mobility, sociability, and a penchant for mischief. They always make a lot of noise into the events happening around them, and they love the restless company of their peers. Despite good general abilities, they show restlessness, lack of discipline, and study unevenly. Their mood is always good and upbeat. They often have conflicts with adults - parents and teachers. Such teenagers have many different hobbies, but these hobbies, as a rule, are superficial and quickly pass. Teenagers of the hypertympiac type often overestimate their abilities, are too self-confident, strive to show off, boast, and impress others.
2. Cycloid type. Characterized by increased irritability and a tendency to apathy. Teenagers with accentuation of this type of character prefer to be at home alone, instead of going somewhere with their peers. They have a hard time with even minor troubles and react extremely irritably to comments. Their mood periodically changes from elated to depressed (hence the name of this type). The periods of mood swings are approximately two to three weeks.
3. Labile type. This type is characterized by extreme mood variability, and it is often unpredictable. The reasons for an unexpected change in mood can be the most insignificant, for example, someone accidentally dropped a word, someone’s unfriendly look. All of them are capable of sinking into despondency and a gloomy mood in the absence of any serious troubles or failures. The behavior of these teenagers largely depends on their momentary mood. The present and future, depending on the mood, can be perceived either in light or in dark tones. Such teenagers, being in a depressed mood, are in dire need of help and support from those who can improve their mood, who can distract them and cheer them up. They understand and feel the attitude of the people around them well.
4. Asthenoneurotic type. This type is characterized by increased suspiciousness and capriciousness, fatigue and irritability. Fatigue is especially common during intellectual activity.
5. Sensitive type. He is characterized by increased sensitivity to everything: to what pleases and to what upsets or frightens. These teenagers do not like large companies or outdoor games. They are usually shy and timid in front of strangers and therefore are often perceived by others as withdrawn. They are open and sociable only with those whom they know well; they prefer communication with children and adults to communication with peers. They are obedient and show great affection for their parents. In adolescence, such adolescents may experience difficulties adapting to their peer circle, as well as an “inferiority complex.” At the same time, these same teenagers develop a sense of duty quite early and display high moral demands on themselves and the people around them. They often compensate for deficiencies in their abilities by choosing complex activities and increased diligence. These teenagers are picky about finding friends and acquaintances for themselves, show great affection in friendships, and adore friends who are older than them.
6. Psychasthenic type. Such adolescents are characterized by accelerated and early intellectual development, a tendency to think and reason, to introspect and evaluate the behavior of other people. However, they are often stronger in words than in deeds. Their self-confidence is combined with indecision, and categorical judgments are combined with haste in actions taken precisely at those moments when caution and prudence are required.
7. Schizoid type. The most significant feature of this type is isolation. These teenagers are not very drawn to their peers; they prefer to be alone, in the company of adults. They often demonstrate outward indifference to the people around them, lack of interest in them, poorly understand the conditions of other people, their experiences, and do not know how to sympathize. Their inner world is often filled with various fantasies and special hobbies. In the external manifestations of their feelings, they are quite restrained, not always understandable to others, especially to their peers, who, as a rule, do not like them very much.
8. Epileptoid type. These teenagers often cry and harass others, especially in early childhood. Such children, as Lichko notes, love to torture animals, tease younger ones, and mock the helpless. In children's companies they behave like dictators. Their typical traits are cruelty, power, and selfishness. In the group of children they control, such teenagers establish their own strict, almost terroristic orders, and their personal power in such groups rests mainly on the voluntary obedience of other children or on fear. Under conditions of a strict disciplinary regime, they often feel at their best, try to please their superiors, achieve certain advantages over their peers, gain power, and establish their dictatorship over others.
9. Hysterical type. The main feature of this type is egocentrism, a thirst for constant attention to one’s own person. Adolescents of this type often have a tendency toward theatricality, posing, and panache. Such children have great difficulty in enduring when in their presence someone praises their friend, when others are given more attention than themselves. For them, an urgent need is the desire to attract the attention of others, to listen to admiration and praise addressed to them. These teenagers are characterized by claims to an exceptional position among their peers, and in order to influence others
to attract their attention, they often act in groups as instigators and ringleaders. At the same time, being unable to become real leaders and organizers of the cause, or to gain informal authority, they often and quickly fail.
10. Unstable type. He is sometimes mischaracterized as a weak-willed, go-with-the-flow type of person. Adolescents of this type show an increased tendency and craving for entertainment, indiscriminately, as well as for idleness and idleness. They do not have any serious, including professional, interests; they almost never think about their future.
11. Conformal type. Teenagers of this type demonstrate opportunistic, and often simply thoughtless submission to any authority, to the majority in the group. They are usually prone to moralizing and conservatism, and their main life credo is “to be like everyone else.” This is a type of opportunist who, for the sake of his own interests, is ready to betray a comrade, to leave him in difficult times, but no matter what he does, he will always find a “moral” justification for his action, and often more than one.
There are other classifications of character types. For example, a typology of character is widely known, built on the basis of a person’s attitude to life, society and moral values. Its author is E. Fromm, who called this classification a social typology of characters. “Social character,” writes Fromm, “contains... a selection of traits, an essential core of the character structure of the majority of group members, which developed as a result of the basic experience and way of life, common for this group" *. According to the author of this concept, social character determines the thinking, emotions and actions of individuals. Different classes and groups of people existing in society have their own social character. On its basis, certain social, national and cultural ideas develop and gain strength.
However, these ideas are passive in themselves and can become real forces only when they meet special human needs.
Having summarized observational data on the behavior of various people and correlating them with the practice of working in the clinic, E. Fromm derived the following main types of social characters.
1. “Masochist-sadist. This is the type of person who tends to see the reasons for his successes and failures in life, as well as the reasons for observed social events, not in the prevailing circumstances, but in people. In an effort to eliminate these causes, he directs his aggression towards a person who seems to him to be the cause of failure. If we are talking about himself, then his aggressive actions are directed towards himself; if other people act as the cause, then they become victims of his aggressiveness. Such a person does a lot of self-education, self-improvement, and “remaking” people “for the better.” With his persistent actions, exorbitant demands and claims, he sometimes brings himself and those around him to a state of exhaustion. Such a person is especially dangerous for others when he gains power over them: he begins to terrorize them, based on “good intentions.”
According to Fromm, people of this type, along with masochistic tendencies, almost always have sadistic tendencies. They manifest themselves in the desire to make people dependent on themselves, to acquire complete and unlimited power over them, to exploit them, to cause them pain and suffering, to enjoy the way they suffer. This type of person was called by Fromm an authoritarian personality. Similar personal qualities were characteristic of many despots known in history; Fromm included among them Hitler, Stalin and a number of other famous historical figures.
2. ^Destroyer.” It is characterized by pronounced aggressiveness and an active desire to eliminate, destroy the object that caused frustration and the collapse of hopes in a given person. “Destructiveness,” writes Fromm, “is a means of getting rid of the unbearable feeling of powerlessness.” People who experience feelings of anxiety and powerlessness and are limited in the realization of their intellectual and emotional capabilities usually turn to destructiveness as a means of solving their life problems. During periods of great social upheaval, revolutions, and upheavals, they act as the main force that destroys the old, including culture.
3. “Conformist automaton.” Such an individual, faced with intractable social and personal life problems, ceases to “be himself.” He unquestioningly submits to circumstances, to any type of society, to the requirements of a social group, quickly assimilating the type of thinking and mode of behavior that is characteristic of most people in a given situation. Such a person almost never has either his own opinion or an expressed social position. He actually loses his own “I”, his individuality and is accustomed to experiencing exactly those feelings that are expected of him in certain situations. Such a person is always ready to submit to any new authority; if necessary, he quickly and easily changes his beliefs, without particularly thinking about the moral side of such behavior. This is a type of conscious or unconscious opportunist.
The classification of characters depending on belonging to the extroverted and introverted type, proposed by K. Jung, has become widespread. As you remember, extroversion-introversion is considered by modern psychology as a manifestation of temperament. The first type is characterized by the personality’s focus on the surrounding world, the objects of which, like a magnet, attract the interests, vital energy of the subject, what in
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Features of character manifestation
Character a person is manifested, first of all, in those actions that can be expected from him with a high degree of confidence. Such actions, as a rule, are conscious, weakly dependent on specific circumstances, predictable and predetermined by a person’s past experience. “You need to ask the past about the future, because people’s behavior remains unchanged. This happens because people lived, live and will live with the same passions, coming to the same results,” noted N. Machiavelli. Many projective tests are built on the idea of an established behavioral stereotype. Noticeable stability of actions in various situations of everyday life is the most objective criterion for the presence of certain character traits in a given individual. It’s not for nothing that people say that if you sow an action, you will reap a habit; if you sow a habit, you will reap a character.
Character and temperament
Temperament is the biological basis (prerequisite) of character. Natural temperament is influenced primarily by the level of hormones and enzymes in the body, the properties of the nervous system, etc.
The influence of the biological basis is very strong, but it can manifest itself in different ways. A high level of testosterone in a bandit and a sincerely believing preacher will lead to diametrically opposed actions.
Character is built on top of temperament with relative freedom. The character may be strong, but not very temperamental. He may be a temperamental person, but with a weak character. Character is the characteristics of a person’s behavior that make it easy or difficult to interact with him. Temperament in the narrow sense of the word is the energy and dynamics of behavior, this is the brightness, strength and speed of emotional response.
For the motor sphere, adjectives describing temperament will be “fast”, “agile”, “sharp”, “sluggish”, and character qualities will be “collected”, “organized”, “neat”, “lax”. To characterize the emotional sphere in the case of temperament, words such as “lively”, “impulsive”, “hot-tempered”, “sensitive” are used, and in the case of character - “good-natured”, “closed”, “distrustful”.
Temperament, according to E. Kretschmer, is closely related to the structure of the body. Character - to a small extent. At the same time, the boundary separating temperament and character is still quite arbitrary. The word temperament is often used in a broader sense, as a description of personality traits. And then the description of the types of temperament according to Hippocrates can be read as a description of the types of character.
Human character and personality
Individuality(from lat. individual- indivisible, individual) - a set of characteristic features and properties that distinguish one individual from another; originality of the psyche and personality of the individual, originality, uniqueness. Individuality is manifested in traits of temperament, character, clothing (appearance), specific interests, qualities of perceptual processes. Individuality is characterized not only by unique properties, but also by the originality of the relationships between them. The prerequisite for the formation of human individuality is, first of all, the environment where he grows up, the associations he accumulated in childhood, upbringing, peculiarities of family structure and treatment of the child. There is an opinion that “one is born as an individual, one becomes an individual, and one defends individuality” (A.G. Asmolov).
In psychology, this term is used to describe 2 phenomena:
· individual psychological differences (individuality as the uniqueness of a person’s psychological properties)
· hierarchical organization of a person’s psychological properties (individuality as the highest level of this organization in relation to the individual and personal) (see integral individuality).
In the second case, individuality is determined by the unity of a person’s properties, and in the first - only by his distinctive properties.
CHARACTER- personality quality that summarizes the most expressed, closely
interconnected and therefore clearly manifested in various forms
activity properties of personality. Character - “framework” and substructure
personality, superimposed on its basic substructures.
significant and sustainable.
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Accentuation of character traits- this is an extreme variant of the norm, in which certain character traits are excessively strengthened, as a result of which selective vulnerability is revealed in relation to a certain kind of psychogenic influences with good resistance to others. In other words, accentuation is a variant of mental health (norm), which is characterized by particular severity, sharpness, and disproportion of certain character traits to the entire personality and leads to a certain disharmony.
Characteristics of types of character accentuation
The main types of accentuation of characters and their combinations:
Hysterical or demonstrative type, its main features are egocentrism, extreme selfishness, an insatiable thirst for attention, the need for veneration, approval and recognition of actions and personal abilities.
Hyperthymic type - high degree of sociability, noisiness, mobility, excessive independence, tendency to mischief.
Asthenoneurotic- increased fatigue when communicating, irritability, a tendency to worry about one’s fate.
Psychosthenic- indecision, tendency to endless reasoning, love of introspection, suspiciousness.
Schizoid- isolation, secrecy, detachment from what is happening around, inability to establish deep contacts with others, unsociability.
Sensitive- timidity, shyness, touchiness, excessive sensitivity, impressionability, feelings of inferiority.
Epileptoid (excitable)- a tendency to repeated periods of melancholy-angry mood with accumulating irritation and a search for an object on which to vent anger. Thoroughness, low speed of thinking, emotional inertia, pedantry and scrupulousness in personal life, conservatism.
Emotionally labile- extremely changeable mood, fluctuating too sharply and often for insignificant reasons.
Infantile-dependent- people who constantly play the role of an “eternal child”, who avoid taking responsibility for their actions and prefer to delegate it to others.
Unstable type- constant craving for entertainment, pleasure, idleness, idleness, lack of will in study, work and fulfilling one’s duties, weakness and cowardice.
