Socionics "masks". (My translation RU to ENG)

Socionics "masks": how they are helping us and how they interfere with us.

By S.K. Kameneva, T.N.Prokovyeva

Our socium is made a way so that getting into certain life situations, people put on "masks" with the not always conscious goal of presenting themselves to others in a more favorable light. This article is about what "masks" are. In what situations do they interfere with people, bring inconvenience and discomfort; and in which they help to interact with the environment and achieve the goals.

Hypothesis of many people about "masks" was made long ago and is confirmed by studies of many socionists. In the works of different researchers, "masks" have acquired different names and slightly different shades of meaning, for example, "communication model" (V.D. Yermak), "socionics accentuations" (S.I.Churyumov), "acccents of type" (V.V.Meged, A.A. Ovcharov). First about existance of these traits of a human being was mentioned in the works of Karl Jung. In the introduction to Psychological Types [1], he wrote: “Under abnormal conditions, that is, where it is about extremely strong and at the same time abnormal attitudes in mothers, a relatively homogeneous attitude can be imposed on children by violence over their individual predisposition, which perhaps would choose a different type if abnormal external conditions had not prevented it." 

If we look at this from the practical point of view, we can see that "masks" can help, but also they can interfere and distort our communication and interaction with other people.

Negative effects of the "mask"

Let's look through an option when masks "get in our way". It's, first of all, their unconscious and long-term wearing. Solving a certain life problem, a person behaves in some, perhaps even often repeated situations as a representative of a different type and doesn't realize it. Sometimes it happens that the "mask" is worn for so long that it seems to grow over the true type of a person. 

This leads to further consequences:

Firstly, when you come to a new place of work, when you appear in an unfamiliar company or on a first date, an opinion is formed about a person, determined by his mask. This is due to the fact that the first impression comes from the mask. But some time passes and the real type begins to break through. As a result, it is difficult for a person to work in the position for which he was taken, the expectations of the management are not met, which leads to disappointment and sometimes to more unpleasant consequences. 

Secondly, a person who is tuned in to personal development and uses the knowledge of socionics for this, but wears a certain “mask”, very often finds it difficult to understand his type. Confusion begins between the real type and the "mask", which leads to the fact that a person, as a rule, considers himself to be some kind of third type at all. 

As a result, the presence of "masks" leads to the fact that the real type of a person is as if it was blurred and not bright.

I.N.Kalinauskas connected intertype relations with personal issues (2). Many observations from the practice of consulting T.N. Prokofyeva and E.A.Udalova (3) connected to personal problems and also the existance of "masks". If a person wears a "mask", meaning that in one person are "two types", we can say that in-between a type and a mask there are intertype relations, which signal about an analogy of unresolved personal issues.

Now, let's look at the correlation of "masks" vs problems:

Identical (absence of a mask) - Absence of a "mask tells about the eased nature and reliability of the person. The person is honest enough with themselves and others, doesn't try to play some roles, stays adequate to oneself.

Duality mask - is connected with problem of lack of rest: The person requires rest, comfort, relaxation and support.

Activation mask - is connected to denial of the thought that problem exists and it has to be solved. There is no motivation for problem solving.

Mirror mask - connected to problems with the self-realization, development of creativity, active delivery of results.

Businesslike mask - connected to work problems: Feeling that the load of work doesn't let to live a full life. Difficulties in organizing work and priority making. Or mask is connected to problem of long search of work.

Mirage/illusionary mask - problem with inner freedom: stiffness, inability to make independent steps, escape from reality into the world of illusions. The person has accumulated internal tension, which the person does not know how to cope with. As a result - creates a tense atmosphere for others; withdrawal into the world of illusions: PC communication replacing real life, or PC games, a feeling of being lost, inconsistency with reality.

SuperEgo mask - connected to the problem of survival. Person doesn't live easily, instead - "survives", does what is "required", without comparing it with own strengths and capabilities. There is no balance of work and rest, no necessary recovery of energy.

Complete opposite mask - linked to domestic problems. A person's life is not well organized to properly recover strength/energy.

Quasi-identical mask - linked to issues with struggling: the person is passionate about the struggle for the struggle (with someone - people, circumstances), gives this struggle more than it should be, or simply - the struggle is relevant at the moment in their lives. In any case, the presence of a "mask" complicates life, makes it difficult to concentrate, choose your own, and not someone else's, means to solve problems.

Conflictor mask - tells about a problem of choice. A person isn't inclined to make a clear choice, remaining in a state of hesitation for a long time and thereby making life difficult for himself and those around him. Such a mask also speaks of a person's inner conflict.

Kindred mask - connected to issues with self-affirmation. At their time, a person did not learn to assert himself with worthy means, he did not sufficiently master the methods of asserting his positions among people, therefore now he is forced to act against his type, breaking himself in order to "cover" his weaknesses, he is forced to introduce himself to others and even to himself (moreover, to himself - in first place) as if it was by a different person.

Semi-dual mask - issues with learning

Supervisor mask - issues with duty (this person feels himself higher than others, as if "everyone owes them something"). Considers himself entitled to make strict demands of people, without first of all demanding them from himself.

Supervisee mask - associated with the inability to ask from their debtors, with a greater inclination to repay debts than to ask from others. A person believes that "he owes everything to everyone": "conscience is the best controller." At work, there may be problems associated with the inability to ask subordinates for their performance of work.

Beneficiary mask - connected to problem of getting away from responsibilities for the execution of decisions. A person is inclined to make decisions on his own, but shift responsibility for its implementation to someone else.

Benefactor mask - associated with the problem of avoiding responsibility for decision making. A person is inclined to be an obedient performer, but not to make decisions on his own, to shift responsibility for them onto another.

How to apply these dependencies in practice?

The practice of observation and consultation has shown that a person's attitude to his problem or task for solution can be seen and understood by his own attitude to the corresponding intertype relations.

For example, a dual relations from mentioned above are associated with the problem of relaxation. Most people love to relax. And most treat their duals very well. But what if a person is afraid of his duals? A phenomenon that is not very common in socionics, but still it sometimes occurs.

Let's take ILI girl as an example who says that her duals (SEE) are very tough, demanding, that she is afraid of them. At any mentions of (SEE), she waves her hands: "No, just not that!" However, how are her resources of energy doing? The girl works "voraciously", says that neither late in the evening, nor early in the morning can she be distracted from thoughts of work. As a result, having finally been on a long vacation, she decided to switch from creative work to work “from call to call”. “To not to think too much,” she said. Will it help her?

In such cases it helps more to take the recommendation to learn regular rest. (In a grave, I know what u thinking, duh)

And not only during vacation. A full time of rest is required both in the end of the week and 1-2 hours every day. And, as practice shows, relations with duals in this case get better.

Formula:

Attitude to the problem = attitude to intertype relations

holds true for both comfortable and neutral and tense intertype relationships.

For example, conflict relations. Are they suitable for starting a family? For most people, such marriages are unacceptable. But a man says that he has lived 50 years in a happy marriage with a conflictor and would not want a different fate. Conflict relationships correspond to solving the problem of choice. Indeed, we hear from this person that he likes to make choices in different situations. He connected his many years of work with the theory of probability and mathematical statistics. And even for the soul - chose a hobby associated with constant choice, playing on exchange rates.

The developed formula is valid both for intertype relationships between people and for the relationship between a person's TIM and his “mask”.

Let's consider a case where "masks" get in our way. For example, the “mask” of the supervisee, associated with duty problems, makes its owners softer and more vulnerable. It seems that these people hardly realize their personal interests and are ready to sacrifice them in order to please society.

Here is a verbatim quote that (LII) said in a “mask” (IEE): “Everyone wants to please and be good in front of everyone. In the company you feel an urgent need to preserve the ideal relationship at all costs. It's very hard if people treat you badly."

Influence of the "mask" on the functioning of the model A elements:

One way or another, all the “masks”, including the “mask” of the supervisee, knock down the order of filling and functioning of elements in the cells of model A. This “mask” obliges its owner to work according to a weak Role element, as if passing it off as a Creative one. That is, a person "climbs" into his SUPEREGO. And, as you know, in SUPEREGO we only have what we “need”, what we “owe” to society in order to preserve our social face. And no real creativity will come of it.

Another strong disadvantage of the "mask" of the supervisee is the confusion associated with the interaction of the Base TIM element and the Restrictive element of the "mask". This leads to both difficulties in diagnosis and difficulties in finding ways of help and self-help. Let's take an example of what the confusion is.

It is noted that the above-mentioned (ILE) in the "mask" (LSI) very often gets out of difficult situations for themselves by limiting themselves and others according to Logic of Actions Te. When you start talking to him on this aspect, you can see that the questions of the Logic of Actions seem complicated to him, as if he was put in frames. As a result, it turns out that the Restrictive element of the "mask" seems to restrict the work of the Base element of the real TIM. But it is precisely a well-functioning Base element that is an indicator of person's reliability.

The Restrictive element of the type (ILE) is Intuition of Time Ni, for its “mask” (LSI) it works as an Activation one. This leads to the fact that it is very difficult for a person to find inner freedom: instead of limiting the unnecessary activity of the environment according to the Intuition of Time, he feels the need to activate actions according to it. Intuition of Time is perceived as a referential element, forcing to follow the norms adopted in the referent group, a person is very afraid to be late, to do something at the wrong time.

The "mask" of the supervisee also prevents its owner from establishing true trust in close ones. This is due to the confusion in the work of the Suggestive element. It is very difficult for people with this problem to relax and unwind. It seems to them that they cannot devote to themselves the time that they should devote to others. “I cannot take care of myself and my appearance, as I have too many obligations to my mother-in-law. And even if there is free time, since I do not work, but sit with a child, I have to spend this time with him"- this is the problem expressed by the girl (LII) already mentioned by us about the fact that she is unable to follow her appearance, and she would very much like to. In this quote, words such as "must" and "obligation" were used. This is how the one-sided sense of duty is expressed in people with the "mask" of the supervisee.

How can "masks" help us:

Now let's consider the second option of "masks", namely those cases when they help us. This is a short-term putting on a "mask" of this or that TIM, which can be both unconscious and conscious, when a person specially takes the appearance of some socionics type.

This can be used in interaction with a boss or subordinates in order to win over a person, in negotiations with business partners, in acting, in diplomacy and politics. And also in personal life... For example, knowing the type of future mother-in-law and knowing she is (EII), a girl with a TIM (SLE) (intertype relationship - conflict) during short-term meetings can put on a "mask" (LSE) (dual for mother-in-law). It is necessary to note that it is easier for statics to put on "masks" of static types, and for dynamics - dynamic ones. Depending on which TIMs are open for a given (SLE), in order to reduce the tension in relations, he can also wear, for example, a "mask" (IEE), this is a mirror type for the mother-in-law.

PoLR of (EII) is Se, and the Suggestive element is Te. Both of these elements are one-dimensional. For (SLE) and (LSE) these elements are four-dimensional.

But the fact is that the elements that (SLE) has in consciousness, (LSE) have in the subconscious. LSE provides support on them without words in deeds from the subconscious block. And (SLE) overloads these elements of the mother-in-law with a huge amount of information. Because of this, for SLE, in order to play the dual of (EII), it is necessary to feed him information from his ID, that is, from the Base and Restrictive elements. However, this is not very easy, because it's not very comfortable to talk about these elements a lot. But building a relationship with the future mother-in-law, you don't need to talk a lot, it is better, on the contrary, to listen more - and then the chances of being liked will increase.

Another necessary factor is the reduction of information from the Lead element, since it falls on the PoLR of (EII). After all, if a person puts on a “mask” of LSE or IEE, then information about Se should not sound in such a volume, in which it is presented by SLE. Information should be short and clear, without ambiguity.

Thus, we examined the options when the "masks" hinder us, and when they help. Using this knowledge, we can manage our quality of life, bringing comfort, well-being into it and avoiding situations when the “mask” binds us and does not allow us to develop. We can also manage our socialization, establishing favorable contacts with people of any socionics types, briefly putting on the necessary "masks".