Ludmila Obraztsova

Self-tutor in psychology

Introduction

A psychology that is more than the leisurely exercise of learned bookworms, a psychology that is worth a person's life and strength, cannot be limited to the abstract study of individual functions; it must, passing through the study of functions, processes, etc., ultimately lead to a real knowledge of real life, living people.

S. L. Rubinstein

From all other living beings on planet Earth, a person differs primarily in the desire for knowledge. The desire to learn, to discover something new is what made it unique. This desire is inherent in each of us, it is clearly visible in any human being from the very moment of birth. And among everything that a person would like to know, the most attractive and most limitless mystery is, of course, himself.

Directly or indirectly, most of the sciences are connected with the knowledge of human nature. But only one science is engaged in a purposeful study of the human psyche - psychology. Its very name speaks for itself: psycho- translated from ancient Greek means "soul", logos- “speech, word”.

So, psychology is the science of the soul, or, as modern dictionaries define it, the science of mental processes, properties and states, as well as the patterns of development and functioning of the human psyche.

The special place of psychology among other human sciences lies in the fact that the subject and object of research coincide in it. What does this mean? The fact that in psychology the object of study is the mental activity of a person, but we study this object with the help of her own psyche.

This is the particular complexity of psychological research. It is a mistake to think that psychologists are people who can determine at a glance why a person behaves this way and not otherwise. And even more so, no psychologist will give you instant, unmistakable advice on how to improve your own life.

The book brought to your attention is intended to acquaint the reader with the basics of psychological knowledge. Surely, at least from time to time, you ask yourself questions: “Why do people behave differently in the same situation?”, “How to understand how another person feels?”, “Where do abilities and talents come from?”, “How to to act in order to convey to the interlocutor an idea that is important to me” – and so on and so forth. All these questions, of course, can be solved on the basis of common sense and simple everyday experience. But often the decisions made turn out to be wrong, and that's when we feel the need for more complete and objective knowledge.

In this book, we have tried to give an idea of ​​the various areas of the human psyche. The first two chapters are devoted to innate individual differences (temperaments and personality types). The third chapter is about the emotional sphere. In the fourth chapter, we will talk about what self-esteem is, how it is formed, and what factors affect its adequacy.

The next, fifth, chapter of the book is devoted to the study of abilities, as well as one of the important practical problems of psychology - the choice of a professional path. The sixth chapter (“Motivation and Will”) tells in detail about the motivating forces and causes of human behavior, and in the seventh we will make a brief digression into the psychology of communication between people.

Finally, the final eighth chapter will give you an idea of ​​how a person develops and changes throughout life, what difficulties and opportunities he encounters at different stages of development.

We hope that this book will be your starting point from which you will begin your long and fascinating acquaintance with the most human of all sciences - psychology.

Temperament types

Each person has a unique identity from the moment of birth. Any nurse working in a maternity hospital can confirm this: all newborns behave differently: one toddler sleeps twenty-two hours a day, the other, breaking all the rules of behavior for "normal" babies, stays awake for a long time, interestedly and carefully examining those bending over him adults, the third does not allow you to forget about yourself for a second, uttering piercing cries ...

These differences, thanks to which already in the first days of life Masha cannot be confused with Dasha, and Petya with Serezha, are nothing more than a manifestation of temperament. The attitude of parents, upbringing, life experience will further influence how these softly sniffling (or loudly screaming) convolutions will grow up, but the temperament will remain more or less unchanged “factory setting”.

Temperament is a manifestation of the type of nervous system in human activity, individual psychological characteristics of a person, in which the mobility of his nervous processes, their strength, balance are expressed.

The doctrine of different types of temperament has a long history. The founder of this doctrine is the great ancient Greek physician and scientist Hippocrates. According to this pundit, four types of fluids (juices) circulate in the human body: blood, yellow bile, black bile and mucus (phlegm). Each of them has its own special properties, and in each person these four "juices" are combined in the body in a certain proportion. This combination determines the characteristics of the body's activity, as well as its tendency to certain diseases. And besides, on how exactly the four fluids are combined and which of them prevails, the characteristics of human behavior also depend.

The names of the four types identified by Hippocrates appeared, however, several centuries later, as well as their detailed psychological descriptions. What Hippocrates called the Greek word "krasis" ("mixing"), in ancient Rome began to be called the Latin word temperamentum ("proper ratio of parts, proportionality").

The Roman physician Galen was the first to create a detailed classification of temperaments, which was based on the idea of ​​mixing four liquids. However, in Galen's classification there were as many as thirteen types (including four hippocratic ones). As Galen believed, the predominance of yellow bile in the body (lat. chole) determines choleric temperament, blood ( sanguis) - sanguine, mucus ( phlegma) - phlegmatic, and black bile ( melanos chole) is meloncholic. Actually, Galen's psychological description of these four types was not detailed, but over time it expanded and became more and more detailed.

You are probably very familiar with these terms themselves - choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic - and at least their approximate meaning. Before we go into a detailed study of the four types, try to identify which of the temperaments is described in each of the passages below:

WHO IS WHO?

1. “... temperament is much more characteristic of northern peoples, for example, the Dutch. Visit Rotterdam and you will see them. Here is a fat, tall blond with an unusually wide chest walking towards you. You can conclude that he has strong lungs, a big heart, good circulation. No, these voluminous lungs are compressed by excess fat. They receive and process only a very small amount of air. Movements are sluggish and slow. As a result, a small and agile Gascon beats a huge Dutch grenadier.

Mental properties: anxiety is completely alien, from which great deeds arise that attract others. His usual state is calm, quiet well-being. It is characterized by softness, slowness, laziness, dullness of existence.<…>

2. Mental properties: increased impressionability, movements are sharp, impetuous. The flame that devours a person ... of temperament gives rise to thoughts and inclinations that are self-sufficient and exclusive. It gives him an almost constant sense of anxiety. The feeling of spiritual well-being that is easily given to another is completely unfamiliar to him: he finds peace only in the most intense activity. A man of ... temperament is destined for great deeds by his bodily organization.<…>

3. ... are distinguished by constraint in movements, hesitation and caution in decisions. His feelings are devoid of immediacy. When he enters the living room, he makes his way along the walls. These people manage to say the simplest thing with hidden and gloomy passion. Love for them is always a serious matter.

One young man ... put a bullet in his forehead because of love, but not because she was unhappy, but because he did not find the strength to confess to the object of his feelings. And death seemed to him less painful than this explanation.<…>

4 ... a person with a dazzling complexion, rather plump, cheerful, with a wide chest, which contains capacious lungs and testifies to an active heart, therefore, rapid blood circulation and high temperature. Mental properties: high spirits, pleasant and brilliant thoughts, benevolent and tender feelings; but habits are fickle; there is something light and changeable in the movements of the soul; the mind lacks depth and strength. He cannot be entrusted with the protection of an important fortress, but he should be invited to the role of a kind courtier. The overwhelming mass of the French ... and therefore there was no order in their army during the retreat from Russia.

(These "portraits" are taken from Stendhal's book "History of Painting in Italy". Quoted from: Yu. B. Gippenreiter. Introduction to General Psychology. M., 2008.)

If you were not able to identify each of the presented “portraits” at first glance, do not be discouraged - now we will get acquainted in detail with the psychological originality of various types of temperament. However, the information below will certainly seem interesting to you even if you can easily distinguish a sanguine person from a choleric person. After all, it is important not only to know exactly how these types “look”.

In practical life, it will not be superfluous to understand what are the strengths and weaknesses of different types of temperament, what is psychologically comfortable for them, and what, on the contrary, can cause stress. This information is useful both for introspection and for greater confidence in relationships with other people. Let's add one more thing: in the past, many attempts were made in psychology to connect the psychological characteristics of temperaments with certain types of physical structure (human constitution). Strictly speaking, no reliable evidence of such a relationship could be built. And yet we will give the appropriate descriptions of the "typical" appearance of choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic. For the sake of curiosity, you can try on these descriptions for yourself and your friends - perhaps a grain of truth will still be found in them?

choleric temperament

If we talk about a person that he has an "explosive temperament", then we certainly mean choleric. This is a tornado man, a walking grenade with a pulled pin. He does not even dream of peace - and anyone who is next to him will also have to forget about peace and stability.

The reserves of energy possessed by the choleric are amazing. It seems that he manages to be in several places at once and do a variety of things at the same time. Choleric at work is a whirlwind and fireworks. It seems that in his stormy social activities he should have spent at least part of the charge, but no: returning from work in the evening, he does not enter, but bursts into the house and during the dinner, which he absorbs, without sitting down on a chair for a second, manages to report family about everything that happened to him during the day, pour out a whole mountain of plans for the coming weekend, vacation and next Christmas, ask a hundred questions and answer them - and, we emphasize, all this happens out of order, but simultaneously! How he succeeds - only the happy owner of the "explosive temperament" knows.

With all this, the choleric is extremely purposeful. He instantly (but how else?) makes decisions and rushes to their execution at full speed. Because of the breathtaking speed with which he thinks, speaks and acts, because of his desire to be in time everywhere and everywhere, one may get the impression that he is an uncollected, frivolous and inattentive person. But that's not the case at all. The choleric person forms his goals not only very quickly, but also very clearly. He may, of course, not have enough time to devote others to his plans, but he himself knows perfectly well what exactly he is striving for.

Communication with choleric people is often difficult because they do not recognize any compromises and are generally prone to a contrasting perception of the world - only black and only white, no shades and halftones! For the sake of a loved one, a choleric person, without hesitation, will go into fire and into water, but he also demands the same from the object of his feelings. It is not reason that leads him through life, but passion, and passion, as you know, is blind. Calm, reasonable arguments, unhurried development of relations are unacceptable for him.

Portrait of a choleric

excitable, impulsive; energetic, decisive, purposeful, persistent; straightforward, demanding, prone to maximalism, uncompromising; pragmatic, selectively sociable.

How to communicate with a choleric:

- if he yells at you, remember: he doesn’t really yell at all, but just talks like that;

- if during the conversation the interlocutor-choleric slammed his fist on the table several times, threw a lighter on the floor, stamped his foot - this does not mean at all that further dialogue with him is impossible; You need to relieve the pressure somehow!

- if you need anything from him, tell him about it immediately, frankly and clearly: long "preparation of the ground", hints and verbose introductions that precede the conversation on the merits, deprive him of the last remnants of patience and infuriate him before you have time finally speak up

- deceiving a choleric person (even over trifles) is life-threatening! He himself is practically incapable of lying and does not forgive deceit and insincerity to his loved ones;

- remember, believe and humble yourself: he can not sit in one place for a long time, talk about one thing for a long time, “show patience” and “control oneself”. He will always react with irritation to being late, slowness, monotony and will never stop waving his arms and running around the room during an important conversation ...

- but if you do not deceive his trust, you will show sincere attention and interest to him, and even better - approval and even admiration, he will apply all his fantastic energy and outstanding creative abilities to achieve your common goals.

Advantages and disadvantages:

Choleric people usually achieve the greatest success in all areas related to communication: the “human factor” is of particular importance for a choleric person due to his increased emotionality. Choleric does not get tired of countless conversations, on the contrary, the emotions and attitudes of others energize him. Of course, the violent disposition of the choleric often causes conflicts, but a choleric passionate about some business or idea is always ready to neglect his personal interests in favor of the common good - it is unacceptable for him to just remain in the shadows and inactivity.

The unpredictability and impulsiveness of a choleric person can turn out, depending on the situation, to be both a strength and a weakness: he can do something completely different from what was expected of him, but it is the choleric people who act as generators of ideas, because they are not afraid of novelty and are able to see the problem before others. a completely new perspective.

Choleric easily and quickly adapts to new conditions, switches from one task to another. But with the formation of stable skills and the ability to perform routine work, to act according to approved instructions, things are much worse for him. Giving out brilliant new ideas, the choleric quickly loses interest in them and is not inclined to carefully work them out, bringing them to perfection.

"Typical" appearance

Thin, often even fragile, long arms and legs, narrow chest, protruding joints; the skull is slightly cone-shaped, tapering upwards, a pointed chin, a slightly developed or oblique lower jaw, a “prominent” nose - rather long, pointed.

Personalities

A. S. Pushkin, A. V. Suvorov

Sanguine temperament

Sanguine people are everyone's favorites: sociable, cheerful and immensely charming. They often say about such people: “A surprisingly easy person!” But the ease of sanguine people is not only their advantage, but also a certain disadvantage. You feel quite happy, basking in the rays of his smile ... until you discover that exactly the same, warm and sincere smile can be addressed to your cat, and to all your friends and acquaintances, and to the cashier in the department store , and to an electrician who came to repair the wiring - in a word, to any living creature that falls into the field of view of this glorious cheerleader.

It is almost impossible to ruin a relationship with a sanguine person. In response to all your reproaches, he will smile and laugh it off, advise you "not to take such nonsense into your head" and nullify any attempts to talk seriously. And the point, of course, is not that he is stupid or indifferent. He just always strives for balance and above all puts emotional comfort. If necessary, he is able to show remarkable diplomatic skills, but his goal is always the same: for everything to be fine.

Theoretically, this position is very attractive and quite worthy, there is only one problem: if a sanguine person is convinced that very serious efforts are required to maintain harmony, he will most likely go looking for this "good" somewhere else. Unlike the choleric, the sanguine easily switches from one goal to another and is not inclined to make sacrifices.

Portrait of a sanguine

Sincere, open, sociable, talkative; optimistic, cheerful, emotional; ready for compromises, easily switches from one problem to another; plastic, able to adapt, enterprising.

How to communicate with a sanguine person:

- do not expect to get exclusive ownership of his charming smile and attentive, interested attitude;

- a sanguine person feels especially good if everyone likes it without exception; be prepared for his almost unconscious desire to charm everyone and everyone;

- in general, maintaining good relations with a sanguine person is quite simple, since he always votes for world peace and is ready to make concessions in order to maintain harmony, but you should not abuse this: he will not stand boredom, routine and indifference;

- do not demand depth, strong emotional involvement from a sanguine person - he prefers comfort. He not only loves, but also knows how to create it, and with due appreciation by others, this talent will manifest itself in full.

Advantages and disadvantages:

Sanguine people are distinguished by good switchability from one thing to another, high efficiency. A sanguine person who is carried away by business does not pay attention to external interference and irritants, quickly develops and retains the necessary new skills and abilities for a long time - but where energetic strong-willed efforts or careful monotonous work are required, sanguine people often lose to choleric and phlegmatic people.

As for choleric people, the most significant for sanguine people is the "human factor". Therefore, the optimal areas of activity for them are everything related to communication. A sanguine person can win over, convince, charm. But the role of a strong leader, as a rule, he succeeds worse.

"Typical" appearance

Short stature, rounded shape, tendency to be overweight, short limbs, wide and convex chest; round head, nose "potato", "duck" or snub-nosed, short thick neck.

Personalities

M. Yu. Lermontov, Napoleon Bonaparte

Phlegmatic temperament

At first glance, the phlegmatic is the complete opposite of the choleric. On closer examination, the owners of these temperaments reveal many similarities. This is, above all, their perseverance and desire to always achieve their goal. The only difference is the speed with which they do it. If the choleric person always overcomes obstacles in his path “with a swoop”, swiftly and recklessly, then the phlegmatic person acts very slowly and carefully, carefully weighing all the pros and cons before that. Plans never "arise" in his head, he painstakingly builds them, then bears them for a long time, and only then, having prayed and rolled up his sleeves, he proceeds to implement them.

The phlegmatic is not a warrior, but a creator. He is very peaceful, or at least too passive to get into conflict. But this does not mean that he will obey all the requirements of those around him: in stubbornness, phlegmatic people surpass, perhaps, representatives of any other temperament. If you express your dissatisfaction with his actions and try to change his plans, he will not argue and bicker with you - he will simply silently and persistently continue to follow the chosen path.

It is very difficult to get a phlegmatic out of himself, and we do not advise you to even try to do this: if your attempt is successful, then this “success” will not only be the first, but also the last - an angry phlegmatic will not leave you even a wet spot. Slow and complacent, awkward and a little funny phlegmatic in a state of rage is transformed beyond recognition; he will simply crush the one who dared to disturb his peace. Fortunately, it is almost impossible to bring a phlegmatic person to such a state.

Phlegmatic portrait

Closed, reserved, silent; peaceful, reliable, constant; slow, conforming; purposeful, patient, persistent, stubborn, pragmatic.

How to communicate with a phlegmatic:

- do not demand quick decisions and actions from him - the speed of reactions is completely inaccessible to him. This is a biological property, and not laziness, absent-mindedness, or anything else of the same kind. All meetings and events in which the phlegmatic takes part should be planned taking into account this peculiarity;

- in the same way, be sure to notify him of all your plans ahead of time: he needs time not only to get ready for a visit, but also in order to generally get used to the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe upcoming visit. Phlegmatic people do not tolerate any suddenness;

- never try to "re-educate" him. This should not be done at all with anyone and never, but with phlegmatic people such behavior is especially unacceptable. If the sanguine person has a very developed ability to adapt to the requirements of others, and the choleric person can at least be interested and captivated by something extraordinary, then the phlegmatic recognizes only his choice and his path. At best, you will waste your time and energy trying to convince him, and at worst (if your claims against him reach a certain critical mass), you will provoke an explosion of indescribable power.

Advantages and disadvantages:

The phlegmatic is the most efficient of all types of temperaments, and the productivity of his labor is the highest. Damage to this remarkable performance can be a frequent change in working conditions, the inconsistency of the requirements. The need to make decisions quickly puts the phlegmatic in a very uncomfortable position, but this does not mean at all that he can only be good as a performer. Where it is required to maintain stable processes (rather than looking for new opportunities), a reliable and confident phlegmatic person can do an excellent job in leadership work.

"Typical" appearance

A dense, well-knit figure, a massive physique, well-developed muscles, arms and legs are short or medium in length, often a tendency to be overweight, a short and wide chest; wide angular skull, large nose, short neck.

Personalities

M. I. Kutuzov, I. A. Krylov

Melancholic temperament

Melancholics are extremely vulnerable beings. Perhaps getting along with melancholics is more difficult than with anyone else. Although, at first glance, many of the “problematic” features of other temperaments are absent in their character: unlike choleric people, they are not “explosive” at all, they have neither the boundless stubbornness and slowness of phlegmatic people, nor the desire to squander their smiles and constantly change hobbies , so characteristic of sanguine people. Soft, submissive, touching melancholics are truly "white and fluffy" ...

And yet, it is precisely the establishment of relations with a melancholic that can become a serious test for you. The fact is that the melancholic almost always feels deeply unhappy. He has very low self-esteem, he is extremely insecure, full of all sorts of fears and anxieties. He probably has poor health, and even if there are no real diseases, he will definitely find a whole bunch of imaginary diseases in himself. The melancholic is ready to be offended or upset because of any trifle (perhaps even existing only in his imagination). It always seems to him that he is not loved, not appreciated, not given enough attention to him. And is it any wonder if all the people around are so good, interesting, attractive, and only he, poor, unfortunate, has not distinguished himself in anything, does not shine in anything, is not capable of anything - and so on ad infinitum.

It must be said that such a dismissive attitude of the melancholic towards himself is completely unjustified. Yes, he really does not have a lot of energy; according to the “strength of nervous processes” parameter, three types of temperament are classified as “strong”, and only melancholic is characterized as “weak”. But melancholics also have a lot of advantages. Due to the fact that they constantly listen to their own feelings and sensations, they willy-nilly learn to feel other people.

The melancholic, like no one else, knows how to understand, sympathize and console. In the complex world of human feelings, experiences and emotions, he navigates with his eyes closed. He is afraid to act, but thinks a lot. Sensitivity and well-developed intuition are very characteristic of melancholic people. And, finally, they often have an almost impeccable taste and are sincere connoisseurs of beauty.

Portrait of a melancholic

Timid, shy, insecure; does not know how to adapt, quickly gets tired; romantic, sensitive; anxious, vulnerable.

How to communicate with a melancholic:

- always take into account his emotional weakness and instability: these are not whims or a manifestation of a bad character, but the peculiarities of the functioning of the nervous system, and nothing can be done about it;

- praise, encourage and support him as often as possible - the melancholic needs this more than anyone else. At the same time, in no case do not invent merits or achievements that are actually not even in sight: a sensitive melancholic instantly recognizes insincerity. Just pay close attention to what he says and does, and you will definitely notice something that really deserves praise;

- be prepared for the fact that you will never be able to completely change the self-esteem of a melancholic, making it consistently high, no matter how much effort you make. But if you constantly show him your attention and sincere interest, his self-confidence will still gradually increase;

- do not reproach him for constant complaints, but do not overreact to them too sharply; a melancholic will always find something to complain about and something to worry about, but you can’t plunge into the abyss of his despair with him. By doing this, you will not help him and significantly harm your own emotional health.

Advantages and disadvantages:

Melancholics are often distinguished by high mental abilities, but they manifest themselves very unstable. This is due to significant emotional mobility: a melancholic quickly grasps a new one, but weakness and instability lead to the fact that just as quickly learned can be lost.

Emotional overload is contraindicated for melancholics, the sphere of interpersonal relationships is not their element, despite a well-developed intuition: too much stress. But intellectual work that does not require constant communication is what you need: a melancholic can perfectly analyze, design, plan, and easily cope with large amounts of information.

"Typical" appearance

Fragility of appearance, thinness, long thin arms and legs, narrow flat or concave chest, thin waist and relatively broad shoulders and hips; the skull tapers downwards, the forehead is high, the chin is sharp, the lower jaw is weak, the nose is long and often pointed.

Personalities:

P. I. Tchaikovsky, N. V. Gogol

Having familiarized yourself with the portraits of the four types of temperament, you may have doubted: it seems that some features are very reminiscent of yourself or your friends, but exactly none of the people you know fit the descriptions presented.

There is nothing surprising here. There are no “pure” choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic people in the world, we can only talk about the predominance of one of the types. Features characteristic of a type can be expressed to a greater or lesser extent. It was not in vain that we began the story with ancient history: remember, the very word "temperament" means "mixing parts."

So, traits of all types are mixed in each of us, but the proportion in which this cocktail is composed determines the characteristics of reactions and behavior. Some scientists believe that depending on the specific situation and the psychological atmosphere (favorable or stressful), one of four types may come to the fore.

How to write a psychological portrait of a person? Examples on this topic are quite diverse, but before providing them, it should be remembered that each person has a certain choleric, sanguine, melancholic and phlegmatic. It has been proved that in its pure form belonging to one or another type of nervous activity is rare. Most often, one individual combines a set of personal qualities that can be adjusted.

However, the basis of temperament remains constant. How can this be tracked in practice? Before assessing the psychological portrait of a person, an example of writing should be focused on how a person navigates in society. One goes through life without deviating from clear rules, the other, on the contrary, is creative and resorts to innovative methods.

Psychologists are unanimous in their opinion that one should begin with a description of temperament. Without this, it is impossible to make a psychological portrait of a person. A sample of any characteristic reflects, first of all, the type of the nervous system.

Sanguine and choleric

Each type of temperament is distinguished by its own peculiarity, therefore, an individual approach is required for each personality. Sanguine people are owners of a strong nervous system and easily experience a change in mental processes: their excitation is quickly replaced by inhibition and vice versa. Because of this, they tend to not always fulfill the promises and need to be controlled.

But their positive traits usually outweigh the negative ones. Such individuals are endowed with sociability, sociability and optimism. In most cases, sanguine people are leaders and often occupy leadership positions in social life.

Cholerics are known for their unbalanced nervous system. The process of excitation in them prevails over inhibition. Cholerics feel the need to be busy all the time. They, like sanguine people, strive for leadership, but are often too assertive and quick-tempered.

Therefore, people around often find choleric people aggressive and conflicted. However, their vigor and purposefulness can only be envied. They are recommended to realize themselves in society as military, rescuers, doctors.

Phlegmatic and melancholic

In the course of research, scientists came to the conclusion that phlegmatic people are endowed with a strong type of nervous system. But, unlike sanguine people, these individuals are inert. They take a long time to make a decision and slowly evaluate their strength.

It is important not to push the phlegmatic, otherwise they will be very annoyed and may quit the job they have begun. Many believe that these individuals often tend to succumb to gloomy thoughts. But in fact, they rarely get depressed. Their positive features are constancy, reliability and thoroughness.

Melancholics are owners of a weak, unbalanced type of nervous system.
They are very sensitive and tend to get upset when pressured and given harsh instructions. Due to their softness, melancholics often cannot resist the dictator and withdraw into themselves.

This eloquently reflects their psychological portrait of personality. An example in psychology shows that it is important for such individuals to master professions related to communication and caring for others. After all, the distinguishing features of melancholic people are the ability to empathize and show mercy.

Psychological portrait of a person. Writing example

Perhaps many readers will think: "Is the personality characteristic so important today?" In fact, social life requires realization from the individual. Moreover, it is important that the activity is not only useful and well paid, but also brings moral satisfaction to a person.

Platonov's method is able to help a modern employer competently involve each member of the team in the process of activity. For example, the scientist emphasizes that the phlegmatic works best with the melancholic, the choleric with the sanguine. In addition, Platonov singled out important points from the structure of a person’s character:

• In this case, diligence, responsibility, initiative of a person are evaluated. The main question is whether he realizes his potential, given to him by nature, or not.
• Attitude towards others. It is known that the production process is involved in relationships, and how harmonious they are depends on the coherence of work and the final result. Therefore, it is estimated how responsive, respectful and flexible an individual is in society.
• Attitude towards oneself. Today, the motto "love yourself" does not lose its relevance. After all, a person who cares about his appearance, a healthy lifestyle, not only evokes pleasant emotions, but is also able to attract positive events to himself. That is why a beginner is advised to pay attention to his appearance when he is going to an interview.

Characteristic example

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude: everyone is able to make a psychological portrait of a person. An example of writing about yourself might look like this: “The basis of my temperament is melancholic. I am moderately hardworking and responsible. Minus - suspiciousness, which prevents me from achieving success. I act according to my natural potential and am able to develop self-confidence through psychological training. Relationships in the team do not always work out well. I am friendly, but shy, hardly defend my opinion. I am quite picky about myself, I doubt in many ways, I have several bad habits, but I am trying to get rid of them.

This method helps the individual to overcome psychological barriers, correct their behavior and change many things in their lives for the better. The leader, in turn, often focuses on the psychological portrait of the individual. The writing pattern is usually freeform, but there are large companies that provide a service pattern.

How does the Platonov method work in psychology?

In fact, the described method is successfully applied in the field of psychiatry and psychology. After all, before helping a person in solving his problem, a specialist characterizes his personal qualities.

So, how to write a psychological portrait of a person? The examples of this are quite varied. One of them implies, in addition to describing the type of temperament, also the definition of the emotional side of the human character. For example, experts consider 4 types of emotions: demonstrative, pedantic, stuck, excitable.

The demonstrative type is distinguished by its emotionality. Such people violently express their emotions and often "play for the audience." But thanks to their artistry, they are able to understand the interlocutor well. Therefore, if a representative of a demonstrative type turned to a specialist for help with a request to help him decide on a profession, then the most successful recommendation for him is to choose a public activity. Or you can learn a specialty

The pedantic personality type is prone to indecision and a constant sense of fear. He is characterized by hesitations and doubts. However - punctuality, prudence and accuracy - are taken as a basis by a specialist and help to offer this type a certain method of resolving the situation.

Two difficult types

Are there any difficulties when a psychological portrait of a person is drawn up? An example of writing according to Platonov shows: yes, this happens. For example, there are 2 types of personality: stuck and excitable. At first glance, they are similar.

And some individuals are able to intertwine in character. But a professional in his field is still able to figure it out. For example, stuck-type personalities are distinguished by the fact that they are able not to demonstrate their negative emotions for a long time. “Revenge is a dish served cold” is an expression that perfectly fits the description of their condition. Such individuals are touchy, vindictive. First of all, they are offered programs to get rid of old grievances.

The excitable personality type is manifested in constant discontent and irritability. These negative phenomena lead to the fact that the individual is in conflict with the outside world and with himself. What leads to such a state? The psychologist carefully works with the applicant, trying to collect bit by bit all the details of life events, taking into account his temperament, genetic characteristics, social conditions and circle of acquaintances.

Platonov's method in society

Palatonov's method is used in various creative shows, politics, and science. Indeed, in this activity, first of all, a psychological portrait is important. A famous person, just like an ordinary person, cannot avoid such a characterization. In this case, the scientist Platonov proposes to consider the intellectuality and orientation of a person.

That is, does he have a certain talent and will be able to realize it, based on willpower? In addition, experts take into account the ability of a person to manage their emotions and control moods and feelings.

Self-esteem - the basis of the characteristic

Experts pay special attention to the self-esteem of the individual. Many types of social activities put special emphasis on this when they make up a psychological portrait of a person. Example writing: “Korolev Ivan Stepanovich has high mathematical abilities, but low self-esteem. Can he manage the team? Currently, no."

This is not the whole list of issues that Konstantin Platonov touches upon in his writings. The description of a person's personal qualities depends on the circumstances and the field of activity that requests them. As a rule, the psychological portrait is individual and may be confidential.

A psychological portrait is a verbal description of a person that contains the characteristics of an individual and his likely behavior under certain circumstances. Detailed information about a person is needed when choosing a profession, hiring an employee for a certain position, in marriage agencies, to determine the prospects for joint family life. A psychological portrait of a person is compiled based on the results of tests, various questionnaires (Kettell, Mehrabian, Eysenck) and communication with a psychologist.

Why is a psychological portrait of a person used?

The psychological portrait plays a fundamental role in choosing the future type of activity. Before entering an educational institution, you need to find out in which area a person can achieve great success. After all, nothing good will come of it if you do something that you don’t like.

Thanks to a well-composed psychological, stakeholders can get to know a person better, understand the motives of his behavior. With the help of such a description, it is possible to identify lies, a tendency to conflict, strong and weak character traits.

Many managers, when applying for a vacant position, test candidates to determine the qualities and abilities of applicants. It is important for managers to know how a person will act in a difficult environment, whether he will be able to solve problems, whether the individual has the character traits necessary to complete the task.

The psychological portrait of the child will help the teacher find an approach to his student. If adults want to reach the hearts of children, they need to know. By determining the type of temperament of each child, you can correctly plan the process of his upbringing.

Psychologists, at the request of the client, make up a psychological portrait of a person in order to find him a suitable life partner. After all, it is known that two polar personalities will not be able to build harmonious relationships. If partners want to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings, they must have similar values, a suitable temperament, think the same way and work together towards the cherished goal.

The main components of the psychological portrait of a person

Before describing the psychological portrait of an individual, you should find out what criteria make it up. Each person inhabiting the planet is an individual. Any individual has basic and programming characteristics. The basic criteria are the temperament, character, as well as the abilities of the individual. Programming criteria - orientation, intelligence and self-awareness.

Individuals, depending on susceptibility, are divided into the following types:

1. Reality oriented.

Easily get used to any role, they know how to adapt to any situation. Make the right decisions quickly.

1. Oriented to the past.

Act in accordance with established rules and laws. Good performers.

1. Future oriented.

May exhibit inappropriate behavior. Do not accept hierarchy. They are the authors of many ideas.

Components of a psychological portrait of a person:

1. Temperament.

Based on the specific features of the nervous system. Defines the behavior pattern of an individual. His features are difficult to correct. There are 4 types of temperament: sanguine (balanced psyche, flexible behavior, liveliness), choleric (emotionality, mood variability, thirst for novelty), phlegmatic (inertia, poise, shyness), melancholic (vulnerable psyche, pessimism, vulnerable nervous system).

1. Character.

These are the original features of each individual. Character is manifested in communication and in the process of social activity. For each individual, a characteristic is compiled on the basis of attitudes towards the following aspects of life: work (laziness, diligence), people (sociability, isolation), oneself (selfishness, modesty), objects of the material sphere (stinginess, generosity).

1. Capabilities.

These are individual characteristics of an individual. Through their abilities, people achieve success in a certain area of ​​life. Abilities develop during training.

1. Orientation.

It is based on motivation. It determines the activity and behavior of the individual. Orientation is focused on some task, communication or on oneself. Some individuals strive to satisfy their physiological needs and provide themselves with comfortable living conditions. Others are looking for themselves in various areas of social activity, trying to realize their creative abilities.

1. Emotionality.

Its essence is the involuntary reaction of a person to external stimuli. Arise against the will and desire of the individual. Feelings about a certain situation reflect the depth of significance for the individual of various events. A strong-willed person must be able to suppress his emotions, not to show his true feelings to others.

1. Intelligence.

Determines the level of education of the individual. Depends on the acquired knowledge, age, specifics of the profession. Thanks to the intellect, an unfamiliar situation is assessed, important decisions are made, and behavior is regulated. With the help of intelligence, an individual adapts to a new environment, correctly builds his relationships with other people. Intelligence is the ability to think rationally and act expediently in a situation.

1. Sociability.

The ability to communicate is an important character trait. Communication reveals the individual characteristics of people. Thanks to communication, there is a transfer of information, information about feelings, thoughts, knowledge of the subjects of the conversation.

1. Self-esteem.

On the basis of introspection, the individual develops an emotional-value attitude towards his own person. Self-esteem can be adequate, overestimated or underestimated. The individual evaluates his own abilities, achievements, his place in society.

If you have identified low self-esteem in yourself, then you should contact a specialist, for example, a psychologist-hypnologist Nikita Valerievich Baturin.

1. Volitional qualities.

Qualities of character influence the life and actions of people. Strong-willed individuals make decisions independently, are not afraid of difficulties, they are decisive and persistent. Weak people are often weak-willed. Such individuals fail to realize themselves in society, although they have all

1. Self control.

The upbringing of a person and the ability to lead in society depend on self-control. People who do not know how to control their feelings, words, behavior are not able to build friendships or partnerships with others.

1. Ability to work together.

Different individuals have different capacities for collective work. The ability to work in a team is the ability to adapt to other people, to listen to a different point of view.

How is a psychological portrait of a person compiled?

In order to correctly draw up a psychological portrait of an individual, one should adhere to the following rules:

• the method of studying the individual must correspond to the purpose of the experiment, the age of the person, the level of his education;
• in addition to a personal conversation with an individual, two personality questionnaires and three projective methods should be used;
• compare the data based on the results of all studies, trace their correlation;
• create comfortable testing conditions for the examined individual;
• compose a portrait so that its text is understandable to people who do not have a psychological education.

What methods are used to compile the necessary psychological portrait:

• the study of the emotional-volitional sphere - the SAN method, the Spielberg test, Bas-Darka, Nemchin;
• study of the cognitive-cognitive area - an intelligence test, Wexler, memorization of 10 words, exclusion of superfluous, equality matrices, Schulte tables;
• examination of the interpersonal-social sphere - the Etkind color test, the Bales, Leary method, sociometry;
• study of motivations and needs - Orel methodology, types of work motivation according to Gerchikov, career anchors, 14 basic needs according to Murray.

What projective techniques are used in the study of the inner world and the transfer of its content to the outer one:

• drawing "house, tree, person";
• the image of a fictional animal;
• psychogeometry;
• Rorschach spots.

What personality questionnaires are used to identify certain characteristics in an individual:

• Leonhard test;
• 16-factor Cattell questionnaire;
• MMPI (full or abbreviated version).

• the initials of the subject, his age, profession;
• the purpose of the study (for example, for compliance with the position held);
• methods that were used;
• the behavior of the individual during testing (trembling of hands, strong excitement);
• research results;
• psychological characteristics of the individual and the forecast regarding his behavior;
• conclusions, wishes, recommendations.

An example of writing a psychological portrait of a person

Only an experienced psychologist can make a psychological portrait of any person. The specialist chooses which corresponds to the purpose of a particular study. In order to analyze yourself on your own, you should use simplified methods, for example, DISC personality typology testing or socionics. Similar tests are easy to find on the Internet and take online. With their help, you can find out your type of character.

An example of a psychological portrait of a personality based on the questionnaires of Cattell, Mehrabian, Eysenck:

• Nikiforova Elena, 20 years old, student;
• character traits: sociable, has many friends, good-natured, emotional, often acts under the influence of emotions, impulsive, prone to aggression;
• temperament: according to the Eysenck questionnaire, sanguine, easy to get to know and communicate with, perfectly adapts to unusual living conditions;
• intelligence: according to the results of the Cattell questionnaire, intelligence is above average, has abstract thinking, excellent quick wit, quickly perceives new information;
• motivation: according to the questionnaire, Mehrabiana is motivated to achieve her goal, that is, success;
• emotional stability: average, easily excited, too emotional, uncompromising, irritable;
• communication skills: talkative, active, often distrustful, prone to leadership, independent, knows how to behave in a new team;
• Summing up: the test results are within the normal range, attention should be paid to excessive suspicion and inflexibility of the subject.

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Melancholic temperament

Melancholics are extremely vulnerable beings. Perhaps getting along with melancholics is more difficult than with anyone else. Although, at first glance, many of the “problematic” features of other temperaments are absent in their character: unlike choleric people, they are not “explosive” at all, they have neither the boundless stubbornness and slowness of phlegmatic people, nor the desire to squander their smiles and constantly change hobbies , so characteristic of sanguine people. Soft, submissive, touching melancholics are truly "white and fluffy" ...

And yet, it is precisely the establishment of relations with a melancholic that can become a serious test for you. The fact is that the melancholic almost always feels deeply unhappy. He has very low self-esteem, he is extremely insecure, full of all sorts of fears and anxieties. He probably has poor health, and even if there are no real diseases, he will definitely find a whole bunch of imaginary diseases in himself. The melancholic is ready to be offended or upset because of any trifle (perhaps even existing only in his imagination). It always seems to him that he is not loved, not appreciated, not given enough attention to him. And is it any wonder if all the people around are so good, interesting, attractive, and only he, poor, unfortunate, has not distinguished himself in anything, does not shine in anything, is not capable of anything - and so on ad infinitum.

It must be said that such a dismissive attitude of the melancholic towards himself is completely unjustified. Yes, he really does not have a lot of energy; according to the “strength of nervous processes” parameter, three types of temperament are classified as “strong”, and only melancholic is characterized as “weak”. But melancholics also have a lot of advantages. Due to the fact that they constantly listen to their own feelings and sensations, they willy-nilly learn to feel other people.

The melancholic, like no one else, knows how to understand, sympathize and console. In the complex world of human feelings, experiences and emotions, he navigates with his eyes closed. He is afraid to act, but thinks a lot. Sensitivity and well-developed intuition are very characteristic of melancholic people. And, finally, they often have an almost impeccable taste and are sincere connoisseurs of beauty.

Portrait of a melancholic

Timid, shy, insecure; does not know how to adapt, quickly gets tired; romantic, sensitive; anxious, vulnerable.

How to communicate with a melancholic:

- always take into account his emotional weakness and instability: these are not whims or a manifestation of a bad character, but the peculiarities of the functioning of the nervous system, and nothing can be done about it;

- praise, encourage and support him as often as possible - the melancholic needs this more than anyone else. At the same time, in no case do not invent merits or achievements that are actually not even in sight: a sensitive melancholic instantly recognizes insincerity. Just pay close attention to what he says and does, and you will definitely notice something that really deserves praise;

- be prepared for the fact that you will never be able to completely change the self-esteem of a melancholic, making it consistently high, no matter how much effort you make. But if you constantly show him your attention and sincere interest, his self-confidence will still gradually increase;

- do not reproach him for constant complaints, but do not overreact to them too sharply; a melancholic will always find something to complain about and something to worry about, but you can’t plunge into the abyss of his despair with him. By doing this, you will not help him and significantly harm your own emotional health.

Advantages and disadvantages:

Melancholics are often distinguished by high mental abilities, but they manifest themselves very unstable. This is due to significant emotional mobility: a melancholic quickly grasps a new one, but weakness and instability lead to the fact that just as quickly learned can be lost.

Emotional overload is contraindicated for melancholics, the sphere of interpersonal relationships is not their element, despite a well-developed intuition: too much stress. But intellectual work that does not require constant communication is what you need: a melancholic can perfectly analyze, design, plan, and easily cope with large amounts of information.

"Typical" appearance

Fragility of appearance, thinness, long thin arms and legs, narrow flat or concave chest, thin waist and relatively broad shoulders and hips; the skull tapers downwards, the forehead is high, the chin is sharp, the lower jaw is weak, the nose is long and often pointed.

Personalities:

P. I. Tchaikovsky, N. V. Gogol

Having familiarized yourself with the portraits of the four types of temperament, you may have doubted: it seems that some features are very reminiscent of yourself or your friends, but exactly none of the people you know fit the descriptions presented.

There is nothing surprising here. There are no “pure” choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic people in the world, we can only talk about the predominance of one of the types. Features characteristic of a type can be expressed to a greater or lesser extent. It was not in vain that we began the story with ancient history: remember, the very word "temperament" means "mixing parts."

So, traits of all types are mixed in each of us, but the proportion in which this cocktail is composed determines the characteristics of reactions and behavior. Some scientists believe that depending on the specific situation and the psychological atmosphere (favorable or stressful), one of four types may come to the fore.

The dominant temperament manifests itself in a comfortable environment, surrounded by close people, when a person is relaxed and has no need to defend or attack. A less pronounced, additional temperament comes to the fore in formal communication with strangers (for example, in transport or in a store, etc.). The third, even less pronounced type is manifested in official relations, when you need to “keep yourself within” and keep a distance (communication with superiors or subordinates at work, etc.). This is the so-called "role" type of temperament: a person acts in a situation where not so much his personal qualities are important as his social role.

Finally, the least pronounced type of temperament can manifest itself in extremely rare, emotionally very significant, stressful situations, such as the loss of loved ones, a natural disaster, a sudden loss of a job, etc. It is not without reason that people in this state are often said to have “changed to unrecognizability, ceased to be themselves”: in fact, a person always remains himself, but in such extreme conditions often those properties that were hidden, never manifested before, appear on the surface.