The concept of “Character Accentuation” in psychology. Description of the main types of accentuations according to K. Leonhard

Character accentuations are extreme variants of the mental norm, in which individual character traits are most pronounced, and therefore selective vulnerability is revealed in relation to a certain number of psychogenic influences with good resistance to other psychogenic influences.

Accentuations of character are most clearly manifested in adolescence; in adults they can be relatively compensated.

Description of personality accentuations according to K. Leonhard

1. Hyperthymic type. A hyperthymic personality is easily recognized in normal conversation. Talkativeness and cheerful mood immediately attract attention. Mental agility is reflected in facial expressions.

Hyperthymic natures always look at life optimistically, overcome sadness without much difficulty, and in general it is not difficult for them to live in the world. Thanks to an increased thirst for activity, they achieve production and creative success. The thirst for activity stimulates their initiative and constantly pushes them to search for something new. In society, hyperthymic individuals are brilliant conversationalists, constantly in the center of attention, and entertain everyone. They are able to talk and tell endlessly, if only they would listen to them. Such people cannot get bored, it is interesting to be with them, they sprinkle their speech with jokes, witticisms and never linger on one topic for a long time. Such people love to dominate society. Here they stand out for their increased tone, fun, resourcefulness and witty antics. In their work activities, their distinctive qualities are ingenuity and wealth of ideas. Sometimes they can be irritable, which is especially noticeable in the family circle, where there is neither a distracting lively society nor the restraining influence of superiors. All this is accompanied by frequent changes of place of work, and sometimes profession. Cloudless gaiety and excessive liveliness are fraught with danger, for such people jokingly pass by events that should be taken seriously. They constantly experience violations of ethical standards, since at certain moments they seem to lose both the sense of duty and the ability to repent. A person takes on a lot and doesn’t complete anything. Positive features hyperthymic type: sociability, energy, optimism, initiative, easy attitude to life's problems, erudition, blooming appearance, wonderful appetite. Negative traits of the hyperthymic type: impulsiveness, thoughtlessness of behavior and statements, lack of obligation, laziness, frivolity, irritability, tendency to posture and phrase. Positive situations favorable for this type: work communication, many superficial contacts, the need for operational decisions without deep elaboration. Negative (unfavorable) situations: the need for calm analysis, responsible decisions, work at a leisurely pace, forced loneliness, monotony of the situation, boredom, competition for the role of leader, control.

2. Dysthymic type. The dysthymic personality is serious by nature and usually focuses on the dark, sad aspects of life to a much greater extent than the joyful ones. A dysthymic personality can also be easily recognized in ordinary conversation simply by its shy and joyless appearance. The facial expressions of such people are inexpressive. When questioned, they usually confirm that they are always serious, and have never truly experienced feelings of free and pleasant gaiety. If the severity reaches a pathological level, it can lead to a complete loss of cheerfulness and a general slowness of reaction. A serious mood brings to the fore subtle, sublime feelings that are incompatible with human egoism. A serious attitude leads to the formation of a serious ethical position. Passivity in actions and slow thinking, in cases where they go beyond the norm, are among the negative properties of this temperament. Positive (favorable) traits of the dysthymic type: seriousness, responsibility, conscientiousness, punctuality, sense of justice. Negative traits: inertia, slowness, passivity, pessimism, recluse, inability to rejoice with others, to support the group. Positive (favorable for the dysthymic type) situations: professions such as “Man - sign systems”, “Man - nature”, which do not require work at speed. Negative (unfavorable for the type) situations: the need to quickly respond to changes in the situation, change ways of working, make decisions quickly, get along with new employees, get to know people.

3. Cyclothymic type. Affectively labile, or (with pronounced manifestations) cyclothymic, individuals are people who are characterized by alternating hyperthymic and dysthymic states. Now one or the other of these two poles comes to the fore, sometimes without any visible external motives, and sometimes in connection with certain specific events. It is curious that joyful events not only evoke joyful emotions in such people, but are also accompanied by a general picture of hyperthymia: a thirst for activity, increased talkativeness, and a rush of ideas. Sad events cause depression, as well as slowness of reactions and thinking. The reason for the change of poles is not always external stimuli; sometimes a subtle change in the general mood is enough. If a cheerful society gathers, then affectively labile individuals can find themselves in the center of attention, be the “ringleaders”, and entertain all those gathered. In a serious, strict environment, they can be the most withdrawn and silent. Positive features of the cyclothymic type: an unconventional attitude to the world, a combination of seriousness and romance, normativity, commitment, responsibility, not prone to criminal and delinquent behavior. Negative traits: immersion in one’s inner world, subjective assessments. Positive (favorable for the cyclothymic type) situations: individual pace of work, hermit lifestyle. Negative (unfavorable) situations: situations of deprivation of a familiar environment, breaking a life stereotype, working according to instructions and on time, the need for extensive communication with people regarding working conditions.

4. Emotive type. Emotivity is characterized by sensitivity and deep reactions in the field of subtle emotions. Emotive individuals are extremely soft-hearted. By this they mean that difficult experiences affect the subject too deeply, that he cannot “switch off”, he is easily moved, events occurring in a novel or in a film often cause him to cry. Such people are extremely compassionate, they cannot stand children’s tears and often begin to cry along with the offended child. Men are embarrassed to admit that they are excessively tearful, but they know their weakness and admit that they easily succumb to deep emotion. It is also necessary to ask people of emotive temperament what impression pleasant experiences have on them: do joyful events, happy experiences, family happiness, the beauty of nature evoke a deep reaction, do they feel awe in front of great works of art. Emotional reactions are more intense in such subjects when it comes to sad events, but they are also unusually strong when they are joyful. One has only to talk about events more or less connected with emotional experiences, the facial expressions of such people always express kindness or pity. Positive traits of the type: kind-heartedness, emotionality, diligence, sense of duty, goodwill and tact. Negative traits: extreme impressionability, need for a special style of relationships, forgiveness, inability to see the main thing, getting bogged down in details. Positive (favorable for the emotive type) situations: communication in the field of art, the need for subjective insight into the experiences of others, the absence of formal restrictions on communication and work and objective control. Negative (unfavorable for the emotive type) situations: family problems and illnesses, rough relationships, conflicts, injustice on the part of loved ones and management.

5. Demonstrative type. Demonstrative individuals seize any opportunity to present themselves from the best side and use it with pleasure. Demonstrative personalities generally tend to attribute to themselves very different positive traits even when they are not asked about them. Such people, as a rule, betray their hysterical essence with all their behavior: everything is exaggerated with them - the expression of feelings, facial expressions, gestures, tone. One always feels the absence of a real internal background of all these manifestations. They show themselves not as they really are, but as they show themselves to be in the circumstances. Demonstrative individuals, if questioned carefully, will readily admit their acting talent. They emphasize with satisfaction that they always felt confident in society, that even at school they recited poetry expressively, and successfully participated in children’s theatrical productions, and later - in amateur performances. The ability to play is also affected positive character given accentuation: just as they play to present themselves in a favorable light, they play very successfully on the stage. Demonstrative individuals in general are often gifted with imagination, which is so important in other areas of art. For the most part, they readily admit to flights of fancy. Since such people have a clear tendency to avoid difficulties, they often change not only their place of work, but also their profession. In stressful situations, there is a flight into illness and abnormal abilities to repress. Positive traits of the demonstrative type: emotionality, relaxedness, ability to captivate, acting abilities, brightness of expression of feelings, sociability. Negative traits: selfishness in the mask of participation, fantasism, insincerity, the ability to evade solving urgent issues, and go into illness. Positive (favorable for the demonstrative type) situations: the opportunity to put on a “show”, to be on stage in the broad sense of the word, to trade, to give orders, to “take care” of others. Negative (unfavorable) situations: the possibility of revealing the game and deception, underestimation by the “spectators”, infringement of the right to be a “star”, indifference.

6. Stuck type. The basis of the stuck, paranoid type of personality accentuation is the pathological persistence of affect. The effect of affect ceases much more slowly, and as soon as you return your thoughts to what happened, the emotions that accompanied the stress immediately come to life. The affect of such a person lasts for a very long time, although no new experiences activate it. In addition, they are called sensitive, painfully touchy, easily vulnerable, vindictive people. In such cases, grievances primarily concern pride, the sphere of hurt pride, and honor. “I can forgive an insult, but not forget it.” Usually they are greatly affected by injustice towards themselves. Persons of this type are very ambitious. There may be a desire to assert oneself, to achieve high position. Such people often achieve very high official position, although it does not always correspond to their education. In case of success, we often observe manifestations of arrogance and self-confidence. Due recognition and proper assessment of such people are constantly hampered by their conflicts with others, because of which they not only do not move up the career ladder, but are often demoted. Such people usually blame others for this, but sometimes they also realize their own guilt. They are capricious and do not tolerate objections; they are so tactless in their ambitious plans that their behavior causes sincere indignation of their colleagues. A person constantly suffering from an imaginary “bad attitude” towards himself. Positive traits of the stuck type: adherence to principles, inflexibility, restraint, thriftiness, a sense of idea and duty, self-sacrifice. Negative traits: spontaneity of attachments and grievances, suspicion, vindictiveness, arrogance, exorbitant demands on others. Positive (favorable for the stuck type) situations: situations of recognizing merit, encouraging affection, following his example. Negative (unfavorable) situations: doubt in the value of ideas and attachments, exposure to an unfair attitude towards the world.

7. Pedantic type. Representatives of this type take some work processes too seriously and double-check themselves many times, although this is not necessary. On the way home from work, they may think back to the work day, asking themselves if they did everything right. We learn that they test themselves 2-3 times before handing in the work. They also talk about how the end of the working day does not mean the end of their work worries, that when they go to bed, they think for a long time about “how everything turned out today,” and sometimes, looking ahead, they begin to “worry” about tomorrow in advance. . It also happens that such people return to the institution halfway: it seemed to them that they forgot to do something important, although this is almost never confirmed. These people are incredibly scrupulous, you can rely on them like no one else. Perhaps it is precisely for these reasons that they are entrusted with work in which mistakes are unacceptable. True, they often take longer than other people to complete a job. This is why such people often work overtime without demanding any payment. Pedants delay making a decision even when the stage of preliminary deliberation is finally completed. Before they begin to act, they want to make sure again and again that a better solution cannot be found, that better options do not exist. Anankast is not able to repress doubts, and this slows down his actions. For pedantic individuals, difficulties begin where special precision turns out to be a known hindrance in work, since there are situations when, in the interests of the work as a whole, it is possible not to strive for perfection in individual details. These people, due to their character, can even lead to conflicts in such cases. In general, such persons suffer very seriously under the burden of responsibility: the inability to do everything as their conscientiousness requires makes them unhappy. As a result, they not only do not strive for promotion, but even refuse when they are offered a more responsible, highly paid position. We often find that pedantry does not apply to all areas of life. Men who are concerned that everything goes perfectly smoothly at work often end up not being very careful at home. It is curious that for pedantic individuals it is often more acceptable to completely abdicate responsibility for an assigned task than to try to cope with it inferiorly. Positive traits of the pedantic type: commitment, even mood, reliability, decency. Negative traits: “boringness”, “literalism”, formalism, unnecessary meticulous double-checking of oneself and others, indecisiveness in uncertain situations. Positive (favorable for the pedantic type) situations: the ability to implement tasks in accordance with instructions or certain requirements of the situation, stability of relationships. Negative (unfavorable for the pedantic type) situations: demands for independent and non-standard solutions in an uncertain environment.

8. Anxious type. Anxiety and fearfulness can be both the result of affective exaltation and the primary personality trait of an anxious person. In children, there is a partial accentuation of the personality in terms of anxiety, fearfulness, while in adults this distinguishing feature more often characteristic of women. Children of this type, who have an anxious-fearful temperament, are afraid, for example, to fall asleep in the dark or when there is no one in the room, or to enter unlit rooms and corridors. They are afraid of dogs. Trembling before the storm. Finally, they are afraid of other children, so they often chase and tease them. They do not dare to defend themselves from attacks, which seems to provoke other, stronger and braver children to mock their fearful comrade and hit him. These are “scapegoats”, as they are usually called, or “targets”, as I would suggest calling them, because they constantly “bring fire upon themselves.” It is curious that peers immediately recognize their weak point. Such children experience a strong fear of teachers, who, unfortunately, often do not notice this, exacerbating the child’s fear with their severity. Sometimes children, at the next prank, blame the fearful child, who really becomes a “scapegoat.” For adults, the picture is somewhat different; fear does not consume an adult as completely as it does a child. People around them do not seem threatening to them, as in childhood, and therefore their anxiety is not so striking. However, the inability to defend one’s position in a dispute remains. It is enough for the enemy to speak out more energetically, and people with an anxious-fearful temperament fade away. Therefore, such people are distinguished by timidity, in which an element of humility and humiliation is felt. Along with this, anankastic timidity is also distinguished, the specificity of which is internal self-doubt. In the first case, a person is constantly on guard in front of external stimuli, in the second, the source of timidity is the person’s own behavior, which is the center of his attention all the time. These two types of shyness can be differentiated by simple observation. In both cases, overcompensation is possible in the form of self-confident or even impudent behavior, but its unnaturalness is immediately noticeable. Fearful timidity can sometimes turn into gullibility, in which there is a request: “Be friendly with me.” At times timidity is accompanied by fearfulness, which can be purely reflexive in nature, but can also be a manifestation of sudden fear. The more pronounced the fearfulness, the more likely the accompanying increased excitability of the autonomic nervous system, which enhances the somatic reaction of fear, which, through the innervation system of the heart, can make fear even more intense. Positive traits of the anxious type: commitment, impressionability, self-criticism, emotionality, interest, friendliness, reliability and constancy of attachments. Negative traits of the anxious type: the tendency to “stick” to circumstances and to people, the inability to fight back, confusion in the face of something new, lack of initiative, lack of independence, tacit consent to the unfair, but familiar course of events. Positive (favorable for the anxious type) situations: unambiguous relationships with other people, mostly favorable; precisely defined rights and responsibilities, unnecessary initiative, leadership and additional communication. Negative (unfavorable) situations: unfair accusations from others, ridicule, the need to decide on relationships, especially with new people.

9. Excitable type. The character traits developed in connection with a lack of controllability are very significant. They are expressed in the fact that the decisive factors for a person’s lifestyle and behavior are often not prudence, not the logical weighing of one’s actions, but drives, instincts, and uncontrollable impulses. The reactions of excitable individuals are impulsive. If they don’t like something, they don’t look for an opportunity to reconcile; tolerance is alien to them. On the contrary, both in facial expressions and in words, they give vent to irritation, openly declare their demands, or withdraw angrily. As a result, such individuals, on the most trivial occasion, get into quarrels with their superiors and employees, are rude, aggressively throw away their jobs, submit resignation letters, without realizing possible consequences. The reasons for dissatisfaction can be very different: they don’t like how they are treated at this enterprise, the salary is low, or the work process does not suit them. Only in rare cases is it about the severity of the work itself, because excitable individuals, as a rule, have a tendency to engage in physical labor and can boast of higher indicators here than other people. They are often irritated not so much by the intensity of work as by organizational issues. As a result of systematic friction, frequent job changes are observed. Excitable individuals also often experience a very uneven course of life, but not because they constantly avoid difficulties, but because they often express dissatisfaction, show irritability and a tendency to impulsive actions. It’s enough that they don’t like something, they immediately turn away and, without bothering to weigh the consequences, take on something new. Their excitability manifests itself especially clearly during deep affects. As anger increases, individuals with increased excitability usually move from words to “deeds,” i.e. to assault. Unpleasant events and upset feelings can lead these people to rash actions, sometimes to attempted suicide. But they are especially characterized by unbridled excitability with outbursts of rage. Excitable individuals often give the impression of primitive people, i.e. Already by their facial expressions one can judge their low intellectual mobility; they notice only what immediately catches their eye. In conversation, such people are gloomy in appearance and answer questions extremely sparingly. In a word, even here they do not know how to control themselves; Lack of self-control often leads to conflicts in communicating with people. Often in these individuals we are faced with chronic alcoholism, since in both elevated and depressed moods they willingly resort to alcohol as a stimulant. Girls also have a strong sexual desire. Positive traits of the excitable type: energy, efficiency, initiative, homeliness, thriftiness, conscientiousness. Negative traits: irritability, tendency to anger, intolerance of contradiction and independence of others, ability to “raise your hand,” unrestrained hobbies. Positive (favorable for the excitable type) situations: situations of mental and physical activity, working alone. Negative situations: situations of accusation, opposition, moral and material damage.

10. Exalted type. Such individuals tend to react deeply to individual events, but also to depressive or euphoric states in a broad general sense. Affectively exalted people react to life more violently than others. The rate of growth of reactions and their external manifestations are very intense. Affectively exalted individuals equally easily become delighted with joyful events and despair with sad ones. From “passionate jubilation to mortal melancholy,” in the words of the poet, they have one step. Exaltation is to a small extent associated with gross, egoistic incentives; much more often it is motivated by subtle, altruistic motives. Attachment to loved ones, friends, joy for them, for their success can be extremely strong. There are enthusiastic impulses that are not related to purely personal relationships. Love for music, art, nature, passion for sports, religious experiences, searches for a worldview - all this can capture an exalted person to the depths of his soul. The other pole of his reactions is extreme impressionability about sad facts. Pity and compassion for unfortunate people and sick animals can drive such a person to despair. Over an easily correctable failure, a slight disappointment that others would have forgotten the next day, an exalted person may experience sincere and deep grief. He feels some ordinary trouble of a friend more painfully than the victim himself. Fear in people with such a temperament apparently has the property of a sharp increase, since even with a slight fear that engulfs an exalted nature, physiological manifestations are noticeable (trembling, cold sweat), and hence an intensification of mental reactions. The fact that exaltation is associated with subtle and very human emotions explains why artistic people - artists, poets - especially often have this temperament. Artistic talent is something completely different from scientific ability in a particular area, such as mathematics. Positive traits of the exalted type: emotionality, expressiveness of assessments and actions. Negative traits: incontinence of feelings, anger or tearfulness, selfishness. Positive (favorable for the exalted type) situations: the opportunity to have “food” for feelings, work “for wear.” Negative (unfavorable for the type) situations: monotonous work, requirement of balanced assessments of the environment, limitation by instructions, rejection of feelings and the “depth” of the situation.

Accentuation(from lat. accentus- emphasis), Accentuation of character, Personality accentuation, Accentuated personality trait- a character trait (in other sources - personality) that is within the clinical norm, in which certain of its traits are excessively strengthened, as a result of which selective vulnerability is revealed in relation to some psychogenic influences while maintaining good resistance to others. Accentuations are not mental disorders, but in a number of their properties they are similar to personality disorders, which allows us to make assumptions about the existence of a connection between them. According to ICD-10, it is classified as one of the problems associated with difficulties in maintaining a normal lifestyle (Z73.)

Lichko A. Character accentuations as a concept in psychiatry and medical psychology

More than a quarter of a century has passed since the appearance of Karl Leonhard's book on accentuated personalities. This monograph was republished in both German and Russian. Its author contrasted accentuated personalities as variants of the norm with psychopathy as manifestations of pathology. K. Leonhard believed that in developed countries about half of the population is classified as accentuated. However, the types of accentuated personalities he described essentially represented variants of character types. Personality in psychology is a broader concept than character; it also includes abilities, inclinations, intelligence, and worldview. K. Leonhard only used the name “accentuated characters” for some of the types described. But with each type of accentuation, the personality can be very different. For example, with the epileptoid type, you can be both a fanatical Catholic and a militant atheist, have outstanding musical abilities and none, become an immoral criminal money-grubber or a fearless fighter for truth and justice. All this prompted us to develop the position of “character accentuation” and, in addition, to try to distinguish them not only from psychopathy (personality disorders), but also from the “average norm” and try to give the clearest possible definition. As is known, in Russian psychopathy psychopathy includes character anomalies that “determine the entire mental appearance” (totality of character), “do not undergo any drastic changes throughout life” (relative stability of character) and “prevent one from adapting to the environment” ( serve as a cause of social maladjustment). “Character accentuations are variants of its norm, in which individual character traits are excessively enhanced, which reveals selective vulnerability to certain psychogenic factors with good and even increased resistance to others.” Explicit and hidden accentuations of character. If a psychologist or psychiatrist turns his attention to those around him, then only about 10% of them, with short contact, judging by their manner of behavior, actions and statements in everyday life, can be classified as one of the types of accentuation described below. These are obvious accentuations of character. In adolescence, when character is still being formed and its features have not yet been smoothed out and polished by life experience, or during the period of involution, when these features may become sharpened, this percentage may be large. In most other individuals, a character type clearly manifests itself only in special conditions, when fate strikes at the place of least resistance of a given type, at its Achilles heel. For example, in a situation where it is necessary to quickly establish close informal contacts with a new environment, one will do this with interest and pleasure, easily integrate into the new environment and even take a leadership position in it, i.e. will show the traits of hyperthymia, while the other will withdraw into himself, isolate himself from others, be unable to intuitively feel the new atmosphere, prefer loneliness and “inner freedom” to the minimum necessary conformism, i.e. will reveal himself as a schizoid. But the first, under forced isolation, deprived of a wide range of contacts, limited freedom of action, and even doomed to idleness, is capable of a violent affective reaction that causes damage to him and does not at all contribute to changing the situation for the better for him, while the second will endure these conditions quite steadfastly , plunging into the inner world of fantasies and reflections. These are hidden character accentuations. This is where the majority of the population belongs. It is possible that some accentuations, being obvious in adolescence, become hidden as they grow older. To identify hidden types of character accentuations in adolescence, we have developed a special method suitable for mass examinations - the Pathocharacterological Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ). Using this method, different types of character accentuations were discovered in about two-thirds of the adolescent population. In marginal teenage populations, such as those who are antisocial (delinquent, abusing drugs and other intoxicating substances, etc.) or suffering from non-psychotic mental disorders (tendency to acute affective reactions, psychogenic depression, etc.) and chronic somatic diseases, and even among the elite part of teenagers (students of prestigious mathematical, art and English schools), the proportion of accentuators identified using PDO exceeded 80%, and sometimes reached almost 100%. Correlation between types of character accentuations and types of personality disorders. In the English-language psychiatric literature there is no concept similar to accentuated personalities or character accentuations in German and Russian psychiatry. However, a partial analogy can be drawn with the types of personality disorders in DSM-III-R and ICD-10. The difference lies primarily in the fact that character accentuations are variants of the norm; the expression of character traits does not reach such a degree as to become the cause of social maladaptation and there may be neither the totality nor stability of character noted earlier. A comparison of the types is given in the table, which also shows a comparison of our classification with the taxonomy of K. Leonhard.

Comparison of types of character accentuations and types of personality disorders according to DSM-III-R and ICD-10

Types of character accentuations. Our previous descriptions were based on the study of adolescents in whom the types of accentuations are especially pronounced. Further follow-up studies, when adolescents became adults after 5-10 years, made it possible to add additions to the characteristics of each type. Hyperthymic type almost always maintains high spirits, activity, enterprise and sociability, talkativeness, rapid speech, and expressive facial expressions. Its representatives, thanks to their good orientation in a changing situation, often first successfully climb the social ladder. But very often, sooner or later, a career collapse occurs due to the inability to foresee the long-term consequences of one’s actions, overly rosy hopes, indiscriminateness in choosing partners, and a penchant for adventure. But if they fail, they do not despair - they look for a new field to use their vigorous energy. In family life, they manage to combine the ease of cheating on their spouses with affection for them, if only they turn a blind eye to their adventures. In general, we can say about hypertims that they are good tacticians and worthless strategists. Some of them develop short depressive phases with age - they turn from hyperthymic into cycloid. The most conflictual and hostile relationships among hyperthyms develop with epileptoids. Poor compatibility also happens with representatives of their own type due to the struggle for leadership, and the best compatibility occurs with emotionally labile and conforming people who willingly accept leadership from hyperthymes. Cycloids They behave differently as they grow older. For some of them, the phasicity is smoothed out, for others, on the contrary, it becomes even more obvious. Finally, a small part seems to be “stuck” in one phase for many years, turning into hyperthymic or melancholic people - a rare “constitutionally depressed type” according to P.B. Gannushkin. The latter cases may be accompanied by persistent astheno-neurotic symptoms with hypochondrization. Some cycloids have a connection between phases and seasons. For some, “downturns” occur in the winter - something similar to “hibernation” sets in with constant lethargy, a drop in activity, a decrease in interest in everything, avoidance of noisy companies and a preference for the usual narrow circle of contacts. During these periods, it is difficult to endure a drastic change in the stereotype of life - moving to a new place of residence, a new job, the appearance of new family members who change their usual way of life. For others, subdepressive states usually occur in the spring, and “highs” in the fall. They themselves note this well. A striking example of this group is A.S. Pushkin: “I don’t like spring... in spring I am sick, My blood is fermenting, my feelings and mind are constrained by melancholy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And every autumn I bloom again... I again feel love for the habits of being; One by one sleep flies away, one by one hunger comes; The blood plays easily and joyfully in the heart, Desires are boiling - I am happy and young again...” “Autumn” was written by Pushkin at the age of 34. The use of tricyclic antidepressants during mild depression in cycloids is apparently irrational. There may be a tendency to “sway” phases that become more pronounced. Correction is best done with tranquilizers or Eglonil (Dogmatil, Sulpiride). Labile (emotionally labile) type character accentuation also undergoes various changes over the years. Some of its representatives seem to be approaching cycloids: they have short subdepressive phases that last for several days. For others, the features of emotional lability are smoothed out, for others they remain as in their youth. Usually, a quick intuitive perception of the attitude of others towards oneself, and excessive sensitivity to emotional rejection from others are retained. significant persons and a constant need for empathy. Representatives of this type often retain some infantilism, remain very youthful for many years, and look younger than their years. But signs of aging appear early and almost suddenly. It is as if they do not have a period of real maturity - they pass from youth to old age. In life, they find it difficult to combine with representatives of the epileptoid and sensitive types of accentuation; most of all they prefer to communicate with hyperthymic people, who lift their spirits. Sensitive type accentuation in adulthood undergoes few changes, although due to overcompensation they try to mask some features. Nevertheless, there remains constant concern about the attitude of others towards oneself, caution and timidity in contacts, and worries about one’s own inferiority complex. Psychogenic depression and phobias easily develop. If you manage to have a family and children, then sensitivity smoothes out; if you remain alone, it may even become sharper. This is especially evident among “old maids”, who are always afraid of being suspected of extramarital sexual contacts. But only occasionally does it come to “sensitive delirium of attitude” according to E. Kretschmer. Psychasthenic (anancastic) type accentuation also changes little with age. Everyone also lives with constant anxiety about the future, and is prone to reasoning and soul-searching. Indecision is combined with unexpected haste of action. Obsessions easily arise, which, like pedantry, serve as a psychological defense against anxiety. But if in adolescence psychasthenics, like sensitive ones, have a negative attitude towards alcohol and other intoxicating drugs, then as they grow older, alcoholic drinks can become more attractive as a way to suppress internal anxiety and constant tension. In relation to loved ones and subordinates, petty despotism may appear, which, apparently, feeds on the same internal anxiety. Relationships with others are sometimes spoiled by petty adherence to principles. Schizoid type accentuation is also distinguished by the stability of the main character traits. With age, isolation can be partly masked by external formal contacts, but the inner world still remains sealed off to others, and emotional contacts are difficult. Restraint in the expression of emotions and equanimity in exciting situations appear, although the ability to control oneself in schizoids may be less associated with willpower than with weakness of temperament. There is a lack of empathy and the ability to empathize. In social life, youthful nonconformism does not weaken with age: they tend to look for unconventional solutions, prefer unaccepted forms of behavior, and are capable of unexpected escapades, without taking into account the harm they cause to themselves. Enrichment with life experience does little to change weak intuition in contacts with others, the inability to understand feelings, desires, and fears unexpressed by others, which was noted by G. Asperger in schizoid children. The fate of schizoid accentuators largely depends on the extent to which they manage to satisfy their hobby. Sometimes they unexpectedly discover remarkable abilities to stand up for themselves and their interests, and force others to keep their distance. Spouses and children are often dissatisfied with their silence. In professional activities they can even be verbose, although writing is usually preferred to oral statements. In their sympathies, schizoids sometimes gravitate towards the emotionally labile, perhaps feeling in their character what they themselves lack. Epileptoid type accentuation also retains its basic features over the years, especially the combination of slow inertia in movements, actions, thoughts with affective explosiveness. In the heat of the moment, they can lose control of themselves, burst into a stream of abuse, inflict beatings - at these moments there is no trace of slowness left. In some cases, over the years, “hypersociality” with lust for power, the establishment of “one’s own rules,” intolerance of dissent, and resentment towards grievances becomes more and more apparent. Alcohol abuse is accompanied by severe forms of intoxication with aggressiveness and loss of memory of certain periods of time. If alcoholism develops, it is malignant. Some are particularly vindictive and sadistic. In groups they strive to become a ruler, in contacts they strive to subjugate and dominate others, although they are often obsequious to their superiors and the powerful, especially if they expect benefits and concessions for themselves. Pedantic neatness is visible in clothes, hairstyle, and preference for order in everything. They easily cheat on their sexual partners, but they cannot stand infidelity and are extremely jealous and suspicious. Hysterical type accentuation is characterized by boundless egocentrism, an insatiable thirst for the constant attention of the environment towards oneself. When growing up, social adaptation largely depends on the extent to which one’s profession or social position allows one to satisfy this thirst. They claim an exclusive position both in the family and during sexual contacts. Unsatisfied egocentrism in adulthood leads to the fact that the element of hysteria in social life becomes violent opposition. They revel in their own eloquence, their “outstanding” role. They win at times of transition in society, in situations of crisis and confusion. It is then that loudness can be mistaken for energy, theatrical belligerence for decisiveness, and the desire to be in everyone's sight for organizational skills. Once in power - big or small - hysterics do not so much govern as play at governing. The leadership hour of hysterics soon passes, as soon as the environment understands that problems cannot be solved with rattling phrases. Unstable type accentuation is often detected in adolescence. Judging by the follow-up reports, the fate of the majority turns out to be sad: alcoholism, drug addiction, crime. In an asocial company, the unstable remain in the role of the “six” - subordinates, subservient to the leaders, but ready for anything. Only cowardice can deter people from committing serious crimes. In cases of satisfactory social adaptation, the main features - aversion to work, thirst for constant entertainment, irresponsibility - are smoothed out, often under the influence strong personality, on which they find themselves dependent, and a strictly regulated regime. Conformal type The accentuation of character described by us still remains little recognized. Its main features are blind adherence to the customs of one’s environment, uncriticality towards everything that is drawn from one’s familiar environment and a prejudiced rejection of everything that comes from people outside one’s own circle, dislike of the new, changes, intolerance of breaking stereotypes. But all this allows you to adapt in conditions when life does not require great personal initiative, when you can swim along the channel laid out by your familiar surroundings. But even in an era of social cataclysms, conformists begin to behave like many from their usual environment - for example, to show unbridled aggressiveness. Paranoid accentuation as a special type of character. This is the most late-developing type of character: it is clearly formed in adulthood, most often at 30-40 years old. In adolescence and young adulthood, these individuals are endowed with epileptoid or schizoid traits, sometimes hysterical and even hyperthymic. Paranoid accentuation is based on an overestimation of one’s personality – one’s abilities, one’s talents and skills, one’s wisdom and understanding of everything. Hence the deep conviction that everything they do is always correct, what they think and say is always the truth, what they claim is certainly their right. It is this basis that serves for extremely valuable ideas, which P.B. Gannushkin considered main feature this type. But paranoid accentuation, as long as it has not reached a pathological level - paranoid psychopathy, paranoid personality development - is also a variant of the norm, although usually extreme. Extremely valuable ideas differ from delusional ones in that they are perceived by the immediate environment, at least by part of it, as completely real or possible and acceptable. By implementing overly valuable ideas, a paranoid accentuator will not cause obvious damage to himself or put himself in an extremely dangerous position. The absence of delusional ideas distinguishes paranoid accentuation from paranoid psychosis. But with paranoid psychopathy, the picture is also usually limited to overvalued ideas, although with severe decompensations they can transform into delusional ones. Other features of paranoid accentuation are the same as in paranoid psychopathy - paranoid personality disorder according to DSM-III-R. Namely, all people who disagree with super-valuable ideas are either ignorant or envious. Any obstacles to the implementation of their ideas awaken a militant readiness to defend their real and imaginary rights, regardless of anything. Rancor is combined with suspicion, a tendency to see evil intent and malicious conspiracy everywhere. But all these features, when accentuated, do not reach such a degree as to cause social maladjustment, especially persistent ones. And these traits themselves may not appear all the time, but only in certain situations, when either interests are infringed, or, conversely, great power is in the hands of a paranoid accentuator. Paranoid psychopathy differs from accentuation primarily in the stability of the formed character and its totality - the manifestation of its traits everywhere and always and constant social disadaptation. With severe decompensations of paranoid psychopathy, as indicated, paranoid psychosis develops when overvalued ideas turn into delusional ones. Then even those around him who were previously gullible and under the influence of a paranoid personality begin to understand the morbidity of these ideas, and the actions of the paranoid person can cause obvious harm to him. Differences in the soil on which paranoid accentuation and psychopathy are formed affect character traits. Previous epileptoidism contributes to aggressiveness, a tendency to physical sadism, violent affective outbursts when confronted by others, hypochondriacal behavior with accusations of others in harming their health (“vengeful hypochondriacs”), fanaticism and impatience with dissent. The schizoid premorbid turns into emotional coldness, indifference to the suffering of others (“mental sadism” according to E. Fromm), restraint, the ability to maintain distance in relationships with others, unconditional dedication to his overvalued idea (the epileptoid premorbid rather pushes for this idea to bring tangible benefit). Hyperthymic accentuation introduces into paranoid development unrestrained energy, incontinence, complete disregard for the real assessment of the situation, and an unfounded belief in one’s future success. Hysterical traits are manifested by posing, demonstrativeness, a desire to attract admiring glances, a demand for worship, a tendency to self-dramatization and deliberate exaltation. Mixed types of character accentuations and frequency of different types. Mixed types make up the majority. However, there are both frequent and never encountered combinations. For example, hyperthymia can be combined with hysteria or instability, but not with schizoidity or sensitivity or psychasthenic traits. As mixed types grow older, one of the components of the combination may come to the fore, depending on the conditions in which the subject finds himself. Different types of accentuations occur with different frequencies. Population norms were established for adolescence in the 1970s cohort. The hyperthymic type was determined in 4-12%, cycloid - 3-8%, emotionally labile - 2-14%, sensitive - 2-7%, psychasthenic - about 1%, schizoid - 1-8%, epileptoid - 2-9 %, hysterical - about 2%, unstable - 1-14%, conformal - 1-11%. The range of fluctuations depended on gender and age. The genesis of accentuations – heredity or upbringing? It is impossible to raise a hyperthymic, cycloid or schizoid person with any special education. Apparently, these types of accentuations are due to a genetic factor. However, among the blood relatives of epileptoids and hysteroids, there are often people with the same character traits. Nevertheless, upbringing from childhood as a “family idol” - indulgent hyperprotection with protection from difficulties, permissiveness, satisfaction of the slightest desires and whims - can instill hysterical traits in many, with the exception, perhaps, of those who are already endowed with sensitive or psychasthenic traits. Those who grow up in conditions of tough relationships with constant aggressiveness around them acquire pronounced epileptoid properties. They are most difficult to instill in emotionally labile, sensitive and psychasthenic adolescents. Hypoprotection to the point of neglect, asocial companies from childhood are able to cultivate the traits of unstable accentuation, which can also be layered on the core of other types, with the exception of the sensitive and psychasthenic. Sensitivity is likely to be either genetic or a consequence of a physical disability such as stuttering. Emotional lability is the result of infantilizing upbringing or combined with constitutional infantilism. Mixed types, from the point of view of the role of heredity and upbringing, can be divided into two groups - intermediate and amalgam. Combinations with intermediate types are determined genetically (for example, the father has epileptoid accentuation, the mother has hysteroid accentuation, their descendant is endowed with traits of both types). With amalgam types, the genetic core of one type, under the influence of the environment, especially education, is layered with traits of another type. The role of character accentuations in the development of mental disorders and implications for psychotherapy. Accentuations of character as variants of the norm should not be classified as “pre-illness”, primarily because each type creates not only an increased risk of certain mental (and possibly some somatic) disorders, namely those that are the result of a blow to its Achilles heel. But each type of accentuation has increased resistance to a number of other psychogenic influences. A representative of sensitive accentuation will easily give rise to both psychogenic depression and phobic neurosis if the immediate environment towards him is unfavorable, but will be highly resistant to the temptation and compulsion to use alcohol, drugs and other intoxicating drugs. An epileptoid in an unfavorable environment will enter into a fight, but alcohol is extremely dangerous for him and alcoholism often develops malignantly. When mental disorders occur, character accentuations attract attention primarily as a certain systematics of the premorbid background. In psychogenic disorders, accentuations play the role of soil, a predisposing factor. On the one hand, which of the psychogenic adverse effects is most likely to cause a breakdown depends on the type of accentuation. For a hysterical person, this is a loss of attention from significant persons, the collapse of hope for satisfying inflated claims. The epileptoid will more difficultly endure the infringement of his interests, the “rights” assigned to himself, the loss of valuable property, as well as the protest against his undivided rule on the part of those who, from his point of view, must bear him without complaint. A schizoid will find himself in a crisis situation if he needs to quickly establish informal emotional contacts with a new environment. A blow for him may be deprivation of his favorite hobby. A psychasthenic person has a heavy burden of responsibility, especially for others. For the emotionally labile, the most painful thing is emotional rejection from loved ones and significant others, as well as forced separation from them or their loss. Character accentuation also acts as a pathoplastic factor, leaving a strong imprint on the picture of mental disorders. For example, premorbid sensitivity contributes to the development of ideas of relation, depression, and epileptoidism contributes to ideas of persecution, dysphoria, and affective outbursts. Hyperthymia, cycloidism, and emotional lability in premorbidity contribute to affective disorders in the picture of various mental disorders. In acute psychoses, the influence of premorbid accentuation may have little effect, but the types of subsequent remissions are closely related to accentuations. The choice of the most adequate methods of psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic programs also largely depends on the type of character accentuation both in non-psychotic disorders and in psychosis. For example, hyperthymics at group psychotherapy sessions feel like fish out of water, but for a sensitive person the very environment can become a mental trauma, and an epileptoid with his desire for power, resentment and rancor can be difficult for the group. Hyperthyms cannot tolerate directive tone, emotionally labile people gravitate towards auto-training, looking for empathy and compassion. They and sensitives receive temporary relief from catharsis. Psychasthenics readily accept rational psychotherapy, but there is always a danger that for them it can turn into empty verbal chewing gum that does not correct behavior in any way. Nonverbal methods of group and behavioral psychotherapy may be more effective for them. Psychotherapy for schizoids is successful if the patient feels sympathy and trust in the psychotherapist. Hobbies for a schizoid are psychological protection and can serve as a key for contact. The epileptoid appreciates attention to his person, to his health in particular. Rational psychotherapy is perceived as advice from a competent specialist and as a way to make a carefully considered decision. Hysteroids are readily treated with suggestive methods, but the effect is only felt by the elimination of individual symptoms, which are soon replaced by others. Their compensation depends on the situation - on the possibilities of satisfying their egocentrism. With unstable accentuation, psychotherapy is ineffective. Inclusion in a group with a strong leader may help. Thus, character accentuations can serve in psychiatry and medical psychology as a taxonomy of the premorbid background in mental and psychosomatic disorders. The types of accentuation may determine the characteristics of the clinical picture, vulnerability and tolerance to various psychogenic factors, the prognosis for social adaptation and the choice of psychotherapeutic programs. In particular, in the multiaxial diagnostic classification, types of character accentuation were proposed as a special pathocharacterological axis.

Accentuations are overly expressed character traits that belong to an extreme variant of the norm, bordering on psychopathy. With this feature, some character traits of a person are sharpened, disproportionate in relation to the general personality, leading to a certain disharmony.

The term “personality accentuation” was introduced in 1968 by the German psychiatrist K. Leonhard, who described this phenomenon as overly expressed individual personality traits, which had a tendency to transition to a pathological state under the influence of unfavorable factors. Later, this issue was considered by A.E. Lichko, who, based on the works of Leongrad, developed his own classification and coined the term “accentuation of character.”

And although an accentuated character is in no way identified with a mental illness, it is important to understand that it can contribute to the formation of psychopathologies (neuroses, psychoses, etc.). In practice, it is very difficult to find the line to separate “normal” from accentuated individuals. However, psychologists recommend identifying such people in groups, because accentuation almost always determines special abilities and psychological disposition to specific types of activities.

Classifications

Accentuations of character in terms of severity can be obvious and hidden. Explicit accentuation is an extreme variant of the norm, when certain character traits are expressed throughout life. The manifestation of hidden accentuations is usually associated with some kind of traumatic circumstances, which, in principle, is a common variant of the norm. During a person’s life, the forms of accentuations can transform into one another under the influence of various external and internal factors.

Lichko classification

The most common and understandable classifications of character types include the above-mentioned systems developed by Leonhard and Lichko. Lichko largely studied character accentuations that can be observed in adolescence, and in his classification the following types are distinguished:

Leongrad classification

The classification of character types proposed by Leongrad, who studied character accentuations mainly in adults and identified the following types, is in many ways similar:

One of the modifications of the Leongarad classification is the system of Shmishek, who proposed dividing the types of accentuations into accentuations of temperament and character. Thus, he classified hyperthymicity, dysthymicity, cyclothymicity, anxiety, exaltation and emotivity as accentuations of temperament. But the author classified excitability, stuckness, demonstrativeness and pedantry directly as character accentuations.

Examples

The most striking examples of types of character accentuations include popular heroes of modern animated films and literary works endowed with pronounced personal characteristics. Thus, an unstable or dysthymic personality type is well illustrated in the hero of the famous children's work“The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Pierrot, whose mood is usually joyless and depressed, and whose attitude to surrounding events is pessimistic.

Eeyore from the cartoon about Winnie the Pooh is best suited to the asthenic or pedantic type. This character is characterized by unsociability, fear of disappointment, and concern for his own health. But the White Knight from famous work“Alice in Wonderland” can easily be attributed to the extroverted schizoid type, characterized by intellectual development and unsociability. Alice herself belongs, rather, to the cycloid type, which is characterized by alternating increased and decreased activity with corresponding mood swings. The character of Cervantes' Don Quixote is revealed in a similar way.

The emphasis on the demonstrative type of character is clearly manifested in Carlson - a narcissistic character who loves to brag, always striving to be the object of everyone's attention. Winnie the Pooh from the children's work of the same name and Matroskin the cat can safely be classified as the excitable type. These two characters are similar in many ways, as both are characterized by an optimistic disposition, activity and immunity to criticism. An exalted character can be observed in the hero of the modern cartoon “Madagascar” King Julian - he is eccentric, inclined to exaggerately demonstrate his own emotions, and does not tolerate inattention to himself.

The labile (emotional) type of character accentuation is revealed in Tsarevna-Nesmeyan, but the fisherman from the fairy tale by A.S. Pushkin’s “About the Fisherman and the Fish” is a typical representative of the conformist (extroverted) type, for whom it is easier to adapt to the opinions of others than to defend his point of view. The paranoid (stuck) type is characteristic of most purposeful and self-confident super-heroes (Spider-Man, Superman, etc.), whose life is a constant struggle.

Forming factors

An accentuated character is formed, as a rule, under the influence of a combination of various factors. There is no doubt that one of the key roles in this is played by heredity, that is, certain innate personality characteristics. In addition, the following circumstances may influence the appearance of accentuations:

• Appropriate social environment. Since character is formed from early childhood, greatest influence The development of personality is influenced by the people surrounding the child. He unconsciously copies their behavior and adopts their characteristics;
• Deformative education. Lack of attention from parents and other surrounding people, excessive care or strictness, lack of emotional closeness with the child, excessive or contradictory demands, etc.;
• Failure to meet personal needs. With an authoritarian type of management in the family or school;
• Communication deficit in adolescence;
• Inferiority complex, inflated self-esteem or other forms of disharmonious idea of ​​one’s own personality;
• Chronic diseases, especially those affecting the nervous system, physical disabilities;
• Profession. According to statistics, character accentuations are more often observed among representatives of such professions as actors, teachers, medical workers, military, etc.

According to scientists, character accentuation most often manifests itself during puberty, but as one grows older it turns into a hidden form. As for the genesis of the phenomenon under consideration, a number of previously conducted studies show that, in general, education itself cannot create conditions in which, for example, a schizoid or cycloid personality type could be formed. However, with certain relationships in the family (excessive indulgence of the child, etc.), it is quite possible that the child will develop a hysterical accentuation of character, etc. Very often, mixed types of accentuations are observed in persons with a hereditary predisposition.

Peculiarities

Character accentuations are found not only in their “pure” form, which is easily classified, but in a mixed form. These are the so-called intermediate types, which are the result of the simultaneous development of several different traits. Taking into account such personality traits is very important when raising children and building communication with teenagers. It is also necessary to take into account the features of an accentuated character when choosing a profession, when identifying a predisposition to a particular type of activity.

Very often, an accentuated character is compared to psychopathy. Here it is important to take into account the obvious difference - the manifestation of accentuations is not constant, since over time they can change the degree of expression, smooth out or disappear altogether. Under favorable life circumstances, individuals with an accentuated character are even able to reveal special abilities and talents. For example, a person with an exalted type can discover the talent of an artist, actor, etc.

As for the manifestations of accentuations in adolescence, this problem is very relevant today. According to statistics, almost 80% of teenagers have character accentuations. And although these features are considered temporary, psychologists talk about the importance of their timely recognition and correction. The fact is that some of the pronounced accentuations under the influence of certain unfavorable factors can transform into mental illness already in adulthood.

Treatment

Excessively pronounced accentuation of character, leading to obvious disharmony of the personality, may indeed require certain treatment. It is important to emphasize that therapy for the problem under consideration must be inextricably linked with the underlying disease. For example, it has been proven that with repeated traumatic brain injuries against the background of an accentuated nature, the formation of psychopathic disorders is possible. Despite the fact that character accentuations themselves are not considered pathologies in psychology, they are quite close to mental disorders for a number of reasons. In particular, an accentuated character is one of the psychological problems in which it is not always possible to maintain normal behavior in society.

To start a conversation about such a psychological concept as character accentuation, you must first decide what character is. In psychology, this term refers to a set of basic, established personality traits of a person that not only distinguish him from others, but also leave a certain imprint on his life.

Character is manifested in everything - in relation to life, work, oneself, the opposite sex, etc. We can say that it is thanks to their character that people are interesting to each other. Imagine that people have no character, then they will most likely be like robots.

Sharpening or exacerbation

Character traits make people unique or even unique. But sometimes it happens that throughout life certain character traits in people begin to manifest themselves most intensely, i.e. become aggravated or sharpened. Moreover, this usually happens unexpectedly, under the influence of some external factors.

It is precisely this sharpening that is commonly called accentuation. It turns out that the concept of character accentuation means excessive saturation of personality traits, which manifests itself in the uniqueness of a person’s behavior in a given situation, his attitude towards life, himself and the people around him.

Let us take as an example a personality trait such as anxiety. In people without “sharpness,” it manifests itself as some anxiety in unexpected situations. But in the case of accentuation, it is presented as nervousness, anxiety, or even persecution mania. Thus, accentuation is not a pathology, but it is no longer the norm, it is like a borderline condition, which, if measures are not taken in time, can become psychopathy and require treatment.

Translated from Latin, the word “accentus”, from which the term we are considering is derived, means “strengthening”. Although it is generally accepted that this is not an excess of certain norms, in some specific situations it happens that accentuations prevent a person from living ordinary life, violate value orientations personality.

The fact is that accentuations go beyond the framework of behavior that is familiar and accepted in society, and therefore many perceive such a person as not entirely normal and, of course, have a negative attitude towards this kind of personality manifestation. The particular danger of this psychological phenomenon is that over time and under the influence of external factors it intensifies, and this can lead to serious mental disorders.

Various classifications

The concept of “personality accentuation” was introduced by a German psychologist named Leonhard. He divided overly expressed personality traits into 12 main types. So, here are the main accentuations of character according to Leonard:

1. Hyperthymic type - manifests itself in the form of excessive optimism and activity. People with this type constantly strive for activity throughout their entire lives and are focused only on success; they have a tendency, or rather even a need, to experience.

2. Dysthymic is, first of all, silence, inhibition of reactions and behavior, and some slowness. People with this accentuation always experience a heightened sense of justice and try to find the truth everywhere and in everything. This is the so-called fighter for truth.

3. Affectively labile - this type is expressed in a person’s constant orientation towards standards, which he strives to strictly comply with.

4. Affectively exalted – manifested by increased excitability, inspiration and emotionality. Such people are always inclined to contacts, and the value of communication for them is excessive, and they also strive to elevate feelings - both their own and those of others.

5. An anxious type of accentuation is timidity, humility, fearfulness, diligence, but at the same time self-doubt and excessive self-criticism.

6. Emotive type - expressed as kindness, impressionability, diligence, timidity, as well as the desire to always help everyone and a tendency to compassion.

7. The demonstrative type of accentuation is excessive boastfulness, ambition, turning into vanity. People with this type almost always focus in life on their “I” and place themselves much higher than those around them, considering themselves the standard. At the same time, they are characterized as deceitful and hypocritical.

8. Pedantic type of accentuation - the name speaks for itself. Such a person is extremely punctual, demanding, incredibly clean and neat to the point of unbearability. On the other hand, this type is indecisive and non-conflict, and is also often unsure of itself.

9. Stuck type of accentuation - people with such accentuation are often vain, touchy, suspicious, stubborn and conflict-ridden. It is difficult to build relationships with them because they are jealous to the point of mania, and also because their mood can change with catastrophic speed - from depression to uncontrollable joy.

10. Excitable – manifested by a quick temper and pedantry. Such people are slow-moving and live mainly by instincts.

11. Extroverted – the attitudes of such a person are, first of all, contact and openness, as well as extreme sociability, sometimes reaching the point of frivolity. Such people often commit spontaneous, thoughtless actions.

12. Introverted is the opposite of the previous accentuation, and, therefore, it manifests itself as isolation, silence, gloominess and restraint.

Typology according to Lichko

There is also a slightly different typology of accentuations. Its author was the Soviet psychiatrist A.E. Lichko. He was sure that character accentuation was an extreme variant of the norm, and argued that this could not be considered a psychological pathology.

Lichko is known in psychology for having studied character accentuations in adolescents in the most detail. He divided the types of this concept into two large groups - explicit and hidden. And if the first group is clearly expressed and manifests itself throughout a person’s life, then the second most often begins to manifest itself only after some kind of mental trauma.

It is worth noting that Lichko was the first psychologist who traced the development of character accentuations throughout a person’s life. According to his research, this phenomenon begins in people when they are in puberty.

Over time, accentuations can be smoothed out or compensated, and then, under the influence of external traumatic factors, one or another accentuation develops. Against their background, a person’s behavior changes, and then this can even become the cause of psychopathy.

So, here are the accentuations of character according to Lichko:

• Sensitive the type of accentuation is often expressed in the form of hyper-responsibility and sensitivity. Such people usually have unstable self-esteem; they are very impressionable, but at the same time fearful and timid.
• Hyperthymic type - its owners are often in a good mood, sometimes irritable and hot-tempered, but they are constantly active, feel good and have high performance.
• Cycloid– is expressed in frequent changes in mood, from complete calm to excessive irritability and depression. Moreover, this change occurs cyclically, by alternating phases. These people often have such a character trait as exaltation - an elevated mood that reaches incredible enthusiasm.
• Labile the type of character accentuation is manifested by fragility and some immaturity, as well as the need for friendship and support.
• Asthenoneurotic– it is characterized by moodiness, low concentration, high fatigue, weakness and irritability.
• Schizoid type of accentuation manifests itself as isolation, low emotionality, delving into oneself, dryness in relation to even close people.
• Psychasthenic type - primarily characterized by increased suspiciousness. At the same time, the psychasthenic type is expressed in pedantry and excessive prudence.
• Epileptoid The type combines suspicion, accuracy, hostility, and irritability. Also, epileptoid accentuation is manifested by determination and painstakingness.
• Hysterical accentuation is expressed in the form of excessive emotionality and instability of self-esteem. People who are characterized by hysterical accentuation often require increased attention from others. Moreover, this applies to both close people and strangers.
• Conformal type is, first of all, a high ability to adapt to types of behavior characteristic of a particular social group into which the individual falls.
• Unstable– usually expressed by a person’s weak will and the fact that he is unable to resist negative influences.

Let us note that Lichko studied such a concept as character accentuation in adolescence, but despite this, the types of character accentuation he identified can also be applied to adults.

Testing

In order to determine what accentuation of character traits is characteristic of a particular person, psychologists use a special test called the MMPI. It can be used to identify, for example, paranoid accentuation. It is expressed in the form of painful sensitivity, increased suspicion, high conflict and the desire to dominate big amount of people.

The same test can determine the excitable type of accentuation, which is characterized by increased impulsiveness, insufficient self-control, especially in relation to one’s drives and impulses, as well as insufficient ability to control oneself.

In the above test there is also such a type of accentuation as expansive, which in psychology is sometimes called schizoid in another way. Such people usually have a bad character and are often cruel and heartless. They are practically unable to empathize with others, in relationships even with those closest to them they show coldness and do not take anyone’s opinion into account.

However, under the mask of such a tough person, self-doubt and dissatisfaction with life are often hidden. If work on such accentuation is not started in time, it can lead to the development of psychopathy.

Only a professional psychologist can determine what type of accentuation a person has. If you carefully read what the typology of character accentuations is and find that you have similar traits, then contact a specialist who will not only conduct testing, but also tell you what to do so that the expressed traits do not develop into psychological pathology.

Parents of teenagers should pay particular attention to this issue, because their accentuations often violate value guidelines and can be causes of deviant behavior. And the most important advice

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Types of character accentuation- these are multiple types of characters in which individual traits have passed into a pathological state. Some accentuated character traits are often compensated to a sufficient extent, but in problematic or critical situations an accentuated personality may exhibit disturbances adequate behavior. Accentuations of character (this term originates from the Latin (accentus), which means emphasis) - are expressed in the form of “weak points” in the personality’s psyche and are characterized by selective vulnerability to certain influences with increased stability to other influences.

The concept of “accentuation” has been presented in the development of several typologies throughout its existence. The first of them was developed by Karl Leonhard in 1968. The next classification became more widely known in 1977, which was developed by Andrei Evgenievich Lichko, based on the classification of P. B. Gannushkin, made back in 1933.

Types of character accentuation can directly manifest themselves and can be hidden and revealed only in emergency situations, when behavior becomes most natural.

Individuals of any type of character accentuation are more sensitive and susceptible to environmental influences and, therefore, have a greater tendency to mental disorders than other individuals. If any problematic, alarming situation becomes too difficult for an accentuated person to experience, then the behavior of such an individual immediately changes dramatically and the accentuated traits dominate.

Leonhard's theory of character accentuation has received due attention because it has proven its usefulness. Only the specificity of this theory and the questionnaire attached to it to establish the type of character accentuation was that they were limited by the age of the subjects. The questionnaire was calculated only on the character of adults. That is, children or even teenagers are not able to answer a number of questions because they do not have the necessary life experience and have not been in such situations before to answer the questions posed. Consequently, this questionnaire would not be able to truthfully determine a person’s existing character accentuation.

Understanding the need to determine the type of character accentuation in adolescents, psychiatrist Andrei Lichko took up this matter. Lichko modified Leonhard's questionnaire. He rewrote the descriptions for the types of character accentuation, changed some of the names of the types and introduced new ones.

Lichko expanded the description of the types of character accentuation, guided by information about the expression of accentuation in children and adolescents and changes in manifestations as the personality develops and grows up. Thus, he created a questionnaire on the types of character accentuations in adolescents.

A. Lichko reasoned that it would be more appropriate to study the types of character accentuations of adolescents, based on the fact that most accentuations are formed and manifested precisely in this age period.

To better understand the types of character accentuation, examples must be given from familiar episodes and persons. Most people know the most popular cartoon characters or characters from fairy tales; they are deliberately portrayed as too emotional, active or, on the contrary, passive. But the point is that it is precisely this expression of extreme variants of character norms that attracts one to oneself, such a person is interested, someone is imbued with sympathy for her, and someone is simply waiting for what will happen to her next. In life you can meet exactly the same “heroes”, only in different circumstances.

Types of character accentuation examples. Alice from the fairy tale “Alice in Wonderland” is a representative of the cycloid type of character accentuation; she had alternations of high and low activity, and mood swings; Carlson is a vivid example of a demonstrative type of character accentuation; he loves to brag, possesses, and is characterized by pretentious behavior and a desire to be the center of attention.

The stuck type of character accentuation is typical for superheroes who are in a constant state of struggle.

A hyperthymic type of character accentuation is observed in Masha (the cartoon “Masha and the Bear”), she is spontaneous, active, undisciplined and noisy.

Types of character accentuation according to Leonard

Karl Leonhard was the founder of the term "accentuation" in. His theory of accentuated personalities was based on the idea that there are main, expressive and additional personality traits. The main features, as usual, are much smaller, but they are very expressive and represent the whole personality. They are the core of personality and are of decisive importance in its development of adaptation and mental health. Very strong expressions of basic personality traits impact the entire personality, and under problematic or unfavorable circumstances they can become a destructive factor for the individual.

K. Leonhard believed that accentuated character traits of a person can primarily be observed when...

The emphasis of personality is determined by the style of communication. Leonhard created a concept in which he described the main types of character accentuations. It is important to remember that Leonhard’s characterization of character accentuation describes only the types of behavior of adults. Karl Leonhard described twelve types of accentuation. All of them, by their origin, have different localizations.

The labile type of character accentuation is manifested in rapid changeability of mood and entire emotional state. Even when there are no obvious reasons for great joy or great sadness, a person switches between these strong emotions, changing his entire state. Such experiences are very deep, a person may lose his ability to work.

The asthenoneurotic type of character accentuation is expressed in the personality’s tendency to. Such a person is often irritable, constantly complains about his condition, and gets tired quickly. The irritation can be so strong that they may yell at someone for no reason and then regret it later. They depend on the mood and the influx of hypochondria. If you feel good, then the person feels more confident.

The sensitive type of character accentuation is expressed in high, timidity, and isolation. Sensitive individuals have a hard time establishing new contacts, but with those people they know well, they behave cheerfully and at ease. Often, due to their experience of feelings of inferiority, they overcompensate. For example, if a person was previously too shy, then as he matures, he begins to behave too relaxed.

The psychasthenic type of character accentuation manifests itself in a person’s tendency to obsessive states, in childhood they are susceptible to various phobias. They are characterized by anxiety, arising against the background of uncertainty and uncertainty about one’s future. Prone to introspection. They are always accompanied by some kind of rituals, the same type of obsessive movements, thanks to this they feel much calmer.

The schizoid type of character accentuation is manifested in the inconsistency of feelings, thoughts and emotions. A schizoid has a combination of: isolation and talkativeness, coldness and sensitivity, inactivity and determination, antipathy and affection, and so on. The most striking features of this type are a low need for communication and avoidance of others. Inability to empathize and show attention is perceived as a person’s coldness. Such people are more likely to share something intimate with a stranger than with a loved one.

The epileptoid type of character accentuation manifests itself in an angry-angry state. In this state, a person’s irritability and anger accumulates and after some time splashes out in prolonged outbursts of anger. The epileptoid type of accentuation is characterized by inertia in various aspects life activity – emotional sphere, movements, life values and rules. Often such people are very jealous, mostly without reason. They try to live for today's reality and what they have; they do not like to make plans, fantasize or daydream. It is very difficult for the epileptoid personality type.

The hysterical type of character accentuation is characterized by increased egocentrism, thirst for love, universal recognition and attention. Their behavior is demonstrative and feigned in order to gain attention. It is better for them to be hated or treated negatively than to be treated indifferently or neutrally. They approve of any activity in their direction. For hysterical personalities, the worst thing is the possibility of being unnoticed. Another important feature of this type of accentuation is suggestibility, aimed at emphasizing advantages or admiration.

An unstable type of character accentuation manifests itself in the inability to comply with socially acceptable forms of behavior. Since childhood, they have shown a reluctance to learn; it is difficult for them to concentrate on learning, complete tasks, or obey their elders. As they grow older, unstable individuals begin to experience difficulties in establishing relationships, especially difficulties in romantic relationships. They find it difficult to establish deep emotional connections. They live in the present, one day at a time, without plans for the future or any desires or aspirations.

The conformal type of character accentuation is expressed in the desire to blend in with others, not to be different. They easily, without hesitation, accept someone else’s point of view, are guided by common goals, adjust their desires to the desires of others, without thinking about personal needs. Get attached very quickly close circle and try not to be different from others; if they have common hobbies, interests or ideas, they also immediately pick them up. In his professional life they are uninitiative and try to do their job without being active.

In addition to the described types of character accentuation, Lichko additionally identifies mixed accentuations, since accentuation in pure form is not observed very often. Individual accentuations that are the most expressive are interconnected, while others cannot be characteristic of one person at the same time.

36.CHARACTER ACCENTUATIONS.TYPES OF ACCENTUATIONS

Accentuationcharacter- 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.

The author of the concept of accentuation is German psychiatrist Karl Leonhard; he coined the term “accented personality.” A.E. Lichko clarified this term, changing it to the term “accentuation of character”, since personality, in his opinion, is too complex a concept, rather suitable for psychopathy.

According to A.E. Lichko, according to the degree of severity, two types (two stages) of accentuations can be distinguished:

Explicit accentuation is an extreme variant of the norm. Problematic character traits are quite pronounced throughout life, in both problematic and prosperous situations. Obvious accentuation in everyday life is called a Psychopath (not to be confused with Psychopathy as a personality disorder).

Hidden accentuation is a common variant of the norm. Problematic character traits of this type manifest themselves mainly in difficult life situations, stress and conflicts, although in favorable circumstances we may have a completely nice person in front of us.

Accentuation is personality traits that are more pronounced than the personality pattern, but not as prominent as in psychopathy. Accentuation of character is a consequence of both hereditary factors and one or another type of child upbringing. The factors of upbringing that provoke and perpetuate accentuations include overprotection, indulgent upbringing, emotional rejection, cruel or contradictory upbringing, upbringing in conditions of the “cult of illness”

Different researchers identify different accentuations. The most widespread classifications are those of K. Leonhard and A.E. Lichko, other classifications can be found in A.P. Egides, E.A. Nekrasova and V.V. Ponomarenko, N.I. Kozlov and other authors.

In his work “Accented Personalities,” Karl Leonhard identified ten pure types and a number of intermediate ones.

Pure types:

1.Demonstrative(self-confidence, vanity, boasting, lies, flattery, focus on one’s own self as a standard). An analogue of the hysteroid type according to Lichko.

2.Emotive(kindness, timidity, compassion). - Analogue of the labile type according to Lichko.

3.Hyperthymic(desire for activity, pursuit of experiences, optimism, focus on success);

4.Dysthymic(inhibition, emphasizing ethical aspects, worries and fears, focus on failure);

5. Labile(mutual compensation of traits, focus on different standards);

6. Anxious(fearfulness, timidity, humility);

7.Exalted(inspiration, sublime feelings, raising emotions to a cult). Analogue of the labile type according to Lichko.

8.Pedantic(indecisiveness, conscientiousness, hypochondria, fear of self-inconsistency with ideals). An analogue of the psychasthenic type according to Lichko.

9.Stuck(suspicion, resentment, vanity, transition from elation to despair); - an analogue of Ixotim, Viscous character according to Kretschmer. Another analogy is the epileptoid.

10.Excitable(hot temper, ponderousness, pedantry, focus on instincts). Analogue of the epileptoid type according to Lichko.

The other two types are extroverted And introverted type, were described by K. Leonhard as intermediate types, since they relate not so much to character, but to the personal level.

Karl Leonhard is primarily a psychiatrist, and his classification of accentuation types is closest not to healthy people, but to psychiatric practice. A.E. Lichko described mostly mentally intact people and younger people, namely teenagers and young men.

According to the classification of A.E. Lichko, the following types of character accentuations can be distinguished:

Hyperthymic type- a constant sign is a good mood. Energetic, hyperactive. Friendship is superficial, the soul of the company. Unforgettable. Conformist. Romantic. Loves sex. Straightforward. Fair. Family are entertainment partners. Get along easily with others. I'm a sucker with money. Doesn't have a career. The organizer is not bad, but temporary. Hardworking as part of a team. Working professions. They drink. A non-domestic person. Speech is fast and slurred. Memory and erudition are mediocre. Reflection is weak or absent. Thinks in terms of axioms. Adventurer. Creativity is primitive, unsophisticated. Self-taught. The will is strong. Easily influenced. Dare. Angry. Authentic, does not seek to impress. The level of claims is low. The humor is greasy and rude. Not religious. Empathy is not very developed. Anarchy is characteristic.

Cycloid type- with the cycloid type of character accentuation, the presence of two phases is observed - hyperthymia and subdepression. They are not expressed sharply, are usually short-term (1-2 weeks) and can be interspersed with long breaks. A person with cycloid accentuation experiences cyclical mood changes when depression alternates with high mood. When their mood declines, such people show increased sensitivity to reproaches and do not tolerate public humiliation well. However, they are proactive, cheerful and sociable. Their hobbies are unstable; during periods of recession, they tend to give up on things. Sex life is highly dependent on the rise and fall of their general condition. In the elevated, hyperthymic phase, such people are extremely similar to hyperthymic people.

​Labile type- The main feature of the labile type is extreme mood variability, rapid and little predictable switching of the emotional state... A rich sensory sphere, high sensitivity to signs of attention. Severe mental pain from emotional rejection from loved ones, loss of loved ones and separation from those to whom they are attached. Sociability, good nature, sincere affection, social responsiveness. They are interested in communication, are drawn to their peers, and are content with the role of a ward.

Astheno-neurotic type- the overall picture is of a thin person with narrow shoulders, thin arms and hands, a long and narrow chest, and a belly devoid of fat. The face of an asthenic person is usually long, narrow and pale; in the profile there is a sharp discrepancy between the elongated nose and the small lower jaw, and therefore it is called angular in shape. The corresponding character type is schizotim. Closed (so-called autism), serious, prone to fluctuations in emotions from irritation to dryness, stubborn, difficult to change attitudes and views. Has difficulty adapting to a new environment and is prone to abstraction.

Sensitive type- excessive sensitivity, impressionability, high moral demands primarily on oneself, low self-esteem, timidity and shyness. Under the blows of fate, they easily become extremely cautious, suspicious and withdrawn. Dressed tastefully, moderately. Good-natured and attentive facial expression. Attentive, monitors the reactions of others. Efficient and dedicated. Capable of showing kindness and mutual assistance. Very sociable and sociable. Social recognition is important. Interests in the intellectual and aesthetic sphere.

Psychasthenic type- determines the tendency to introspection and reflection. Psychasthenics often hesitate when making decisions and cannot bear high demands and the burden of responsibility for themselves and others. Such subjects demonstrate accuracy and prudence; their characteristic feature is self-criticism and reliability. They usually have an even mood without sudden changes. In sex, they are often afraid of making a mistake, but in general their sex life is uneventful.

Schizoid type- Speech: “There is porridge in my mouth.” Not plastic. This is a formula man. Original thinking, but inconsistent. In creativity, the process is important, not the result. In science, it is a generator of ideas. In religion - a theologian. Ideas are paradoxical and often premature. Schizoids are the mind of the earth. Intellectual aggression. Doesn't feel good about the other person. Creators of meaningful humor (including black). Wooden face mask. Lack of image. Sex is speculative. Family is an application to intellectual existence. There is a creative mess on the table. He gravitates towards theoretical research and calculations.

Epileptoid type- speech is intelligible. Standard thinking. Restrained, but explosive. Loves order. Ultimate. Lawyer. Moralizer. Stingy. Conservative. Esprit de corps. Conductor of ideology. Inquisitor. Progressive career. Brings justice. Reliable. Sex is normal. Family man. My home is my castle. "Trench" friendship. He is an officer, a teacher, a doctor.

Hysterical type - hysterical personality, hysterical - consists of the following traits. Firstly, this is the desire to stand out, attract the attention of others, and be the center of attention. Secondly, artistry, imagination, ease of getting used to any role and any invented truth. And thirdly, the lack of objectivity in relation to others and to oneself. Characterized by ease of self-justification and natural self-deception. You probably found out that these are the most characteristic female traits. That's right, hysteroids are more often women.

Unstable type- An unstable type of character accentuation determines a person’s laziness and reluctance to work or study. These people have a pronounced craving for entertainment, idle pastime, and idleness. Their ideal is to remain without outside control and be left to their own devices. They are sociable, open, helpful. They talk a lot. Sex for them is a source of entertainment, sexual life begins early, the feeling of love is often unfamiliar to them. Prone to consuming alcohol and drugs.

Conformal type- the conformist type is characterized by conformity to the environment; such people strive to “think like everyone else.” They cannot tolerate drastic changes, breaking a life pattern, or being deprived of their usual environment. Their perception is extremely rigid and severely limited by their expectations. People with this type of accentuation are friendly, disciplined and non-conflicting. Their hobbies and sex life are determined by their social environment. Bad habits depend on the attitude towards them in the immediate social circle, which they are guided by when forming their values.

Lichko’s system found further development as a typology of characters or psychotypes. They are described in the books of A.P. Egides, E.A. Nekrasova and V.V. Ponomarenko. A.P. Egides described healthy people and adult people, and in his classification there are paranoid, epileptoid, hysteroid, hyperthymic and schizoid. Let us emphasize once again that these psychotypes have nothing in common with diseases such as paranoia, epilepsy, hysteria and schizophrenia. We are talking about terms that define a normal “personality pattern.”

Types of character accentuations describe not only the character itself, but also the personality. Personality is a broader concept than character; it includes intelligence, abilities, worldview...

As in the case of psychopathy, different types can be combined, or mixed, in one person, although these combinations are not arbitrary.

In order to understand what is meant by character accentuations, it is necessary to analyze the concept of “character”. In psychology, this term is understood as a set (or set) of the most stable human traits that leave an imprint on a person’s entire life activity and determine his relationship to people, to himself and to business. Character finds its manifestation both in a person’s activities and in his interpersonal contacts and, of course, it gives his behavior a peculiar, characteristic shade only for him.

The term character itself was proposed Theophrastus, who was the first to give a broad description of the 31st type of human character ( read about), among which he identified the boring, boastful, insincere, talkative, etc. Subsequently, many were proposed various classifications character, but all of them were built on the basis of typical traits inherent in a certain group of people. But there are times when typical character traits manifest themselves in a more vivid and original way, which makes them unique and original. Sometimes these traits can “sharpen”, and most often they appear spontaneously, under the influence of certain factors and in appropriate conditions. Such sharpening (or rather the intensity of traits) in psychology is called character accentuation.

The concept of character accentuation: definition, essence and degree of expression

Accentuation of character– excessive intensity (or intensification) of a person’s individual character traits, which emphasizes the uniqueness of a person’s reactions to influencing factors or a specific situation. For example, anxiety as a character trait in its usual degree of manifestation is reflected in the behavior of most people who find themselves in extraordinary situations. But if anxiety acquires the characteristics of accentuation of a person’s character, then the person’s behavior and actions will be distinguished by the predominance of inadequate anxiety and nervousness. Such manifestations of traits are, as it were, on the border of normality and pathology, but, under the influence of negative factors, certain accentuations can turn into psychopathy or other deviations in a person’s mental activity.

So, accentuation of a person’s character traits ( in the lane from lat. accentus means emphasis, intensification) inherently do not go beyond the boundaries of the norm, but in some situations they quite often prevent a person from building normal relationships with people around him. This is due to the fact that each type of accentuation has its own “Achilles heel” (the most vulnerable spot) and most often the impact of negative factors (or a traumatic situation) falls on it, which can further lead to mental disorders and inappropriate behavior person. But it is necessary to clarify that accentuations themselves are not mental abnormalities or disorders, although in the current International Classification of Diseases (10th revision), accentuations are all included and are included in class 21/item Z73 as a problem that is associated with certain difficulties in maintaining normal for a person's lifestyle.

Despite the fact that the accentuation of certain character traits, in their strength and characteristics of manifestation, quite often go beyond the boundaries of normal human behavior, they cannot in themselves be classified as pathological manifestations. But it must be remembered that under the influence of difficult life circumstances, traumatic factors and other stimuli that destroy the human psyche, the manifestation of accentuations intensifies and the frequency of their repetitions increases. And this can lead to various neurotic and hysterical reactions.

Self concept of “character accentuation” was introduced by a German psychiatrist Karl Leonhard(or rather, he used the terms “accentuated personality” and “accentuated personality trait”). He also made the first attempt at their classification (it was presented to the scientific community in the second half of the last century). The term was later clarified A.E. Lichko, who by accentuations understood extreme variants of the norm of character, when some of his traits are excessively strengthened. According to the scientist, there is a selective vulnerability that relates to certain psychogenic influences (even in the case of good and high resistance). A.E. Lichko emphasized that, regardless of the fact that any accentuation, although it is an extreme option, is still the norm, and therefore it cannot be presented as a psychiatric diagnosis.

Degree of severity of accentuations

Andrei Lichko identified two degrees of manifestation of accentuated traits, namely: explicit (the presence of clearly defined traits of a certain accentuated type) and hidden (under standard conditions, traits of a particular type appear very weakly or are not visible at all). The table below shows more detailed description these degrees.

Degrees of severity of accentuations

Dynamics of personality character accentuation

In psychology, unfortunately, today problems related to the development and dynamics of accentuations have not yet been sufficiently studied. The most significant contribution to the development of this issue was made by A.E. Lichko, who emphasized the following phenomena in the dynamics of types of accentuations (stage by stage):

• the formation of accentuations and sharpening of their features in a person (this happens during puberty), and later they can be smoothed out and compensated (explicit accentuations are replaced by hidden ones);
• with hidden accentuations, the features of a particular accentuated type are revealed under the influence of psychotraumatic factors (the blow is applied to the most vulnerable place, that is, where there is the least resistance);
• against the background of a certain accentuation, certain disorders and deviations arise (deviant behavior, neurosis, acute affective reaction, etc.);
• types of accentuations undergo a certain transformation under the influence of the environment or due to mechanisms that were constitutionally laid down;
• the formation of acquired psychopathy occurs (accentuations were the basis for this, creating a vulnerability that is selective to the adverse effects of external factors).

Typology of character accentuations

As soon as scientists turned their attention to the peculiarities of human character and the presence of some similarities, various typologies and classifications immediately began to appear. In the last century scientific research psychologists were focused on the peculiarities of the manifestation of accentuations - this is how the first typology of character accentuations in psychology appeared, which was proposed back in 1968 by Karl Leonhard. His typology became widely known, but the classification of types of accentuations developed by Andrei Lichko, who, when creating it, relied on the work of K. Leonhard and P. Gannushkin (he developed a classification of psychopathy), became even more popular. Each of these classifications is designed to describe certain types of character accentuation, some of which (both in Leonhard’s typology and Lichko’s typology) have common features of their manifestations.

Character accentuations according to Leonard

K. Leongard divided his classification of character accentuations into three groups, which he identified depending on the origin of the accentuations, or more precisely, where they are localized (related to temperament, character or personal level). In total, K. Leonhard identified 12 types and they were distributed as follows:

• temperament (natural formation) included hyperthymic, dysthymic, affectively-labile, affectively-exalted, anxious and emotive types;
• The scientist classified demonstrative, pedantic, stuck and excitable types as character (socially determined education);
• At the personal level there were two types – extra- and introverted.

Character accentuations according to Leonard

K. Leonhard developed his typology of character accentuations based on an assessment of people’s interpersonal communication. Its classification is aimed primarily at adults. Based on Leonhard’s concept, a characterological questionnaire was developed, authored by H. Smišek. This questionnaire allows you to determine the dominant type of accentuation in a person.

The types of accentuation of Shmishek's character are as follows: hyperthymic, anxious-fearful, dysthymic, pedantic, excitable, emotive, stuck, demonstrative, cyclomitic and affectively exalted. In the Shmishek questionnaire, the characteristics of these types are presented according to Leonhard's classification.

Accentuations of character according to Lichko

Basis of classification A. Lichko were accentuations of character in adolescents, because he directed all his research on studying the characteristics of character manifestation in adolescence and the reasons for the appearance of psychopathy in this period. As Lichko argued, in adolescence, pathological character traits manifest themselves most clearly and find their expression in all areas of a teenager’s life (in family, school, interpersonal contacts, etc.). Adolescent character accentuations manifest themselves in a similar way, for example, a teenager with a hyperthymic type of accentuation splashes his energy everywhere, with a hysterical type he attracts as much attention as possible, and with a schizoid type, on the contrary, he tries to protect himself from others.

According to Lichko, they are relatively stable during puberty, but when talking about this, it is necessary to remember the following features:

• most types become more acute during adolescence, and this period is the most critical for the emergence of psychopathy;
• all types of psychopathy are formed at a certain age ( schizoid type is determined from an early age, the traits of a psychosthenic appear in elementary school, the hyperthymic type is most clearly noticeable in a teenager, the cycloid type is mainly in youth (although in girls it can manifest itself at the beginning of puberty), and the sensitive type is mainly formed by the age of 19);
• the presence of a pattern of transformation of types in adolescence (for example, hyperthymic features can change to cycloid), under the influence of biological and social factors.

Many psychologists, including Lichko himself, argue that for the puberty period the term “character accentuations” is most ideally suited, because it is teenage character accentuations that manifest themselves most clearly. By the time the puberty period comes to an end, accentuations are mostly smoothed out or compensated, and some move from obvious to hidden. But it should be remembered that adolescents who have obvious accentuations constitute a special risk group, since under the influence of negative factors or traumatic situations these traits can develop into psychopathy and affect their behavior (deviation, delinquency, suicidal behavior, etc.). ).

Character accentuations according to Lichko were identified on the basis of the classification of accentuated personalities by K. Leonhard and psychopathy by P. Gannushkin. Lichko’s classification describes the following 11 types of character accentuations in adolescents: hyperthymic, cycloid, labile, asthenoneurotic, sensitive (or sensitive), psychasthenic (or anxious-hypochondriac), schizoid (or introverted), epileptoid (or inert-impulsive), hysterical ( or demonstrative), unstable and conformal types. In addition, the scientist also called a mixed type, which combined some features of various types of accentuations.

Accentuations of character according to Lichko

Although A.E. Lichko studied mainly teenage accentuations of character; his typology is widely used to identify accentuations in adults.

They are hypertrophied and manifest themselves in the form of “weak points” in the individual’s psyche - its selective vulnerability to certain influences with good and even increased resistance to other influences. Individual accentuated character traits are usually sufficient compensation. However, in difficult situations, a person with an accentuated character may experience behavioral disturbances. Accentuations of character, its “weak points” can be obvious and hidden, manifesting themselves in extreme situations. Persons with personal accentuations are more susceptible to environmental influences and are more susceptible to mental trauma. And if an unfavorable situation strikes a “weak spot,” then the entire behavior of such individuals changes sharply—the features of accentuation begin to dominate (Fig. 95).

The types of accentuated personalities have not yet been definitively determined. They are described by K. Leongard and A. E. Lichko. However, these authors give an overly detailed classification of accentuations. We distinguish only four types of accentuated personalities: excitable, affective, unstable, anxious (Table 12).

Rice. 95. Character Structure

Unlike accentuation of character, they do not cause general social maladjustment of the individual.

Manifesting intensely in adolescence, character accentuations can be compensated over time, and under unfavorable conditions, develop and transform into “edge” psychopathy.

Types of character accentuations

The main types of character accentuation include:

• excitable;
• affective;
• unstable;
• anxious;

Sometimes accentuation borders on various types of psychopathy, therefore, when characterizing and typologizing it, psychopathological schemes and terms are used. Psychodiagnostics of the types and severity of accentuations is carried out using the “Pathocharacteristic Diagnostic Questionnaire” (developed by A. E. Lichko and N. Ya. Ivanov) and the MMPI personality questionnaire (the scales of which include zones of accentuated and pathological manifestations of character).

Accentuation of character according to A. Lichko

According to the level of manifestation of character traits, characters are divided into average (normal), expressed (accentuated) and beyond the norm (psychopathy).

The central, or core, relationships of the individual are the relationship of the individual to others (the team) and the relationship of the individual to work. The existence of central, core relationships and the properties determined by them in the structure of character has important practical significance in the upbringing of a person.

It is impossible to overcome individual character flaws (for example, rudeness and deceit) and cultivate individual positive qualities (for example, politeness and truthfulness), ignoring the central, core relationships of the individual, namely, attitude towards people. In other words, you cannot form only a certain property; you can only cultivate a whole system of interrelated properties, while paying the main attention to the formation of central, core relationships of the individual, namely relationships to others and work.

Integrity of character, however, is not absolute. This is related to that. that the central, core relationships do not always completely determine the others. In addition, the degree of integrity of character is individually unique. There are people with more integral and less integral or contradictory characters. At the same time, it should be noted that when the quantitative expression of a particular character trait reaches extreme values ​​and appears at the border of norms, so-called character accentuation occurs.

Accentuation of character- these are extreme variants of the norm as a result of strengthening of individual traits. Accentuation of character under very unfavorable circumstances can lead to pathological disorders and changes in personality behavior, to psychopathy, but it is wrong to identify it with pathology. Character properties are determined not by biological laws (hereditary factors), but by social ones (social factors).

The physiological basis of character is an alloy of traits such as the highest nervous activity and complex stable systems of temporary connections developed as a result of individual life experience. In this fusion, systems of temporary connections play a more important role, since the type of nervous system can form all the social qualities of a person. But, firstly, systems of connections are formed differently in representatives of different types of nervous systems and, secondly, these systems of connections manifest themselves in a unique way depending on the types. For example, decisiveness of character can be cultivated both in a representative of a strong, excitable type of nervous system, and in a representative of a weak type. But it will be nurtured and manifested differently depending on the type.

Attempts to construct a typology of characters have been made repeatedly throughout the history of psychology.

All typologies of human characters proceeded and proceed from a number of general ideas.

The main ones are the following:

• a person’s character is formed quite early in ontogenesis and throughout the rest of his life manifests itself as more or less stable;
• Those combinations of personality traits that make up a person’s character are not random. They form clearly distinguishable types that make it possible to identify and build a typology of characters.

Most people can be divided into groups according to this typology.

One of the interesting character classifications belongs to the famous Russian scientist A.E. Lichko. This classification is based on observations of adolescents.

Accentuation of character, according to Lichko, is an excessive strengthening of individual character traits (Fig. 6), in which deviations in human psychology and 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. The author of the classification explains this factor as follows: “...under the influence of psychogenic factors that are addressed to the “place of least resistance,” temporary adaptation disorders and deviations in behavior may occur.” As the child grows up, the characteristics of his character that appear in childhood remain quite pronounced and lose their severity, but with age they can again appear clearly (especially if a disease occurs).

In today's psychology, there are 10 to 14 types (typologies) of character.

They can be defined as harmonious and disharmonious.

Harmonious character types are characterized by sufficient development of the main character traits without highlighting, isolation, or exaggeration in the development of any particular traits.

Disharmonious ones manifest themselves by identifying different character traits and are called accentuated or accentuated.

In 20-50% of people, some character traits are so sharpened that a “distortion” of character occurs - as a result, interaction with people worsens, difficulties and conflicts arise.

The severity of accentuation can be variable: from mild, noticeable only to the immediate environment, to extreme variants, when you have to think about whether there is a disease - psychopathy. Psychopathy is a painful deformity of character (while maintaining a person’s intelligence), as a result of which relationships with other people are sharply disrupted. But, unlike psychopathy, character accentuations manifest themselves inconsistently, over the years they can completely smooth out and approach the norm. Accentuations of character are most often found in adolescents and young men (50-80%), since these are precisely the periods of life that are most critical for the formation of character, the manifestation of uniqueness, and individuality. Then the accentuations can be smoothed out or, on the contrary, intensified, developing into neuroses or psychopathy.

Rice. 6. Character accentuation scheme according to E. Filatova and A.E. Testicle

You can consider twelve disharmonious (accentuated) character types (according to K. Leonhard’s typology) and describe their positive and negative qualities, which may affect professional activity of a person - we need this to confirm the foundations of personality differentiation in the aspect of a person’s characterological properties.

Hyperthymic type

Almost always different good mood, high vitality, bursting energy, uncontrollable activity. Strives for leadership and adventure. It is necessary to be cautious about his unfounded optimism and overestimation of his capabilities. Traits that are attractive to interlocutors: energy, thirst for activity, initiative, a sense of new things, optimism.

What is unacceptable for the people around him is: frivolity, a tendency to immoral acts, a frivolous attitude towards the responsibilities assigned to him, irritability in the circle of close people.

Conflict is possible during monotonous work, loneliness, under conditions of strict discipline, constant moralizing. This causes that person to become angry. Such a person performs well in work that requires constant communication. These are organizational activities, consumer services, sports, theater. It is typical for him to frequently change professions and jobs.

Dysthymic type

The opposite of the first type: serious. pessimist. Constantly low mood, sadness, isolation, reticence. These people are burdened by noisy societies and do not get along closely with their colleagues. They rarely enter into conflicts; more often they are a passive party in them. They greatly value those people who are friends with them and tend to obey them.

People around them like their seriousness, high morality, conscientiousness and fairness. But such traits as passivity, pessimism, sadness, slowness of thinking, “separation from the team” repel others from getting to know and become friends with them.

Conflicts occur in situations that require vigorous activity. For these people, changing their usual lifestyle has a negative impact. They do well in work that does not require a wide range of communication. Under unfavorable conditions they tend to neurotic depression. This accentuation occurs most often in people of melancholic temperament.

Cycloid type

The accentuation of character is manifested in cyclically changing periods of rise and fall of mood. During periods of rising mood, people manifest themselves as people with hyperthymic accentuation, and during periods of declining mood, as people with dysthymic accentuation. During a recession, they perceive troubles more acutely. These frequent changes in mental state tire a person, make his behavior unpredictable, contradictory, and prone to changing professions, places of work, and interests.

Excitable type

This type of people has increased irritability, a tendency to aggression, lack of restraint, sullenness, and boringness, but flattery, helpfulness, a tendency to rudeness and obscene language or silence, and slowness in conversation are possible. They actively and often conflict, do not avoid quarrels with their superiors, are difficult to get along with in the team, and are despotic and cruel in the family. Outside of fits of anger, these people are conscientious, careful and show love to children.

People around them do not like their irritability, short temper, inadequate outbursts of rage and anger with assault, cruelty, and weakened control over desire. These people are well influenced by physical labor and athletic sports. They need to develop self-control and self-control. Due to their lack of harmony, they often change jobs.

Stuck type

People with this type of accentuation get stuck on their feelings and thoughts. They cannot forget grievances and “settle scores” with their offenders. They have official and everyday intractability and a tendency to protracted squabbles. In a conflict, they are most often the active party and clearly define their circle of friends and enemies. They show a love of power.

The interlocutors like their desire to achieve high performance in any business, the manifestation of high demands on themselves, a thirst for justice, integrity, strong, stable views. But at the same time, these people have traits that repel others: resentment, suspicion, vindictiveness, arrogance, jealousy, ambition.

Conflict is possible when pride is hurt, unfair resentment, or an obstacle to achieving ambitious goals.

Pedantic type

These people have a pronounced “boringness” in the form of worrying about details; in the service they are capable of tormenting them with formal requirements, and exhausting their families with excessive neatness.

They are attractive to others because of their conscientiousness and accuracy. seriousness, reliability in deeds and feelings. But such people have a number of repulsive character traits: formalism, “cunning”, “boringness”, the desire to shift decision-making to others.

Conflicts are possible in a situation of personal responsibility for an important matter, when their merits are underestimated. They are prone to obsession and psychasthenia.

For these people, professions that are not associated with great responsibility, “paper work,” are preferred. They are not inclined to change jobs.

Anxious type

People of this type of accentuation are characterized by low mood, timidity, timidity, and lack of self-confidence. They constantly fear for themselves and their loved ones, experience failure for a long time and doubt the correctness of their actions. They rarely enter into conflicts and play a passive role.

Conflicts are possible in situations of fear, threats, ridicule, and unfair accusations.

People around them like their friendliness, self-criticism and diligence. But timidity and suspiciousness sometimes serve as a target for jokes.

Such people cannot be leaders or make responsible decisions, since they are characterized by endless worry and weighing.

Emotive type

A person of this type of character is overly sensitive, vulnerable and deeply worries about the slightest troubles. He is sensitive to comments and failures, which is why he is most often in a sad mood. He prefers a narrow circle of friends and relatives who would understand him perfectly.

He rarely enters into conflicts and plays a passive role in them. He does not splash out his grievances, but prefers to keep them inside. Those around him like his compassion, pity, and expression of joy at the success of others. He is very efficient and has a high sense of duty.

Such a person is usually a good family man. But his extreme sensitivity and tearfulness repel those around him.

He perceives conflicts with a loved one, death or illness tragically. Injustice, rudeness, and being surrounded by rude people are contraindicated for him. He achieves the most significant results in the field of art, medicine, raising children, caring for animals and plants.

Demonstrative type

This person strives to be the center of attention and achieves his goals at any cost: tears, fainting, scandals, illnesses, boasting, outfits, unusual hobbies, lies. He easily forgets about his unseemly deeds. He has a high adaptability to people.

This person is attractive to others due to his courtesy, perseverance, focus, acting talent, ability to captivate others, as well as his originality. He has traits that repel people from him, these traits contribute to conflict: selfishness, unbridled actions, deceit, boastfulness, a tendency to intrigue, shirking from work. A conflict for such a person occurs when his interests are infringed, his merits are underestimated, or he is toppled from his “pedestal.” These situations cause him to have hysterical reactions.

Exalted type

People with this type of accentuation have a very changeable mood, talkativeness, and increased distractibility to external events. Their emotions are clearly expressed and are reflected in falling in love.

Traits such as altruism, artistic taste, artistic talent, brightness of feelings and affection for friends are liked by interlocutors. But excessive impressionability, pathos, alarmism, and susceptibility to despair are not their best traits. Failures and sad events are perceived tragically; such people have a tendency to neurotic depression.

Their environment of existence is the sphere of art, artistic types sports, professions related to closeness to nature.

Introverted type

People of this type of accentuation are characterized by low sociability and isolation. They are aloof from everyone and enter into communication with other people only when necessary; most often they are immersed in themselves and their thoughts. They are characterized by increased vulnerability, but they do not say anything about themselves and do not share their experiences. They even treat their loved ones coldly and reservedly. Their behavior and logic are often not understood by others.

These people love solitude and prefer to be in solitude rather than in noisy company. They rarely enter into conflicts, only when trying to invade their inner world.

They are picky in choosing a spouse and are busy searching for their ideal.

They have a strong emotional coldness and weak attachment to loved ones.

People around them like them for their restraint, sedateness, thoughtfulness of actions, strong convictions and adherence to principles. But stubbornly defending one’s unrealistic interests, views and having one’s own point of view, which is sharply different from the opinion of the majority, pushes people away from them.

Such people prefer work that does not require a large social circle. They are prone to theoretical sciences, philosophical reflections, collecting, chess, science fiction, and music.

Conformal type

People of this type are highly sociable, talkative to the point of talkativeness. Usually they do not have their own opinion and do not strive to stand out from the crowd.

These people are not organized and tend to obey others. When communicating with friends and family, they cede leadership to others. Those around these people like their willingness to listen to others, their diligence. But at the same time, these are people “without a king in their heads”, subject to the influence of others. They do not think about their actions and have a great passion for entertainment. Conflicts are possible in situations of forced loneliness and lack of control.

These people are easily adaptable to new work and cope well with their job responsibilities when tasks and rules of behavior are clearly defined.

Character accentuations are strongly expressed character traits that are on the border with. With accentuations, certain traits are so pronounced in relation to other characteristics that they appear disproportionate to the overall picture of the personality.

For the first time, the concept of accentuations was discussed by Leonhard K, a German psychiatrist, who by this term understood the excessive expression of personality traits, which under unfavorable conditions take on pathological forms. In domestic practice, the successor of the German school was A.E. Lichko, who, based on the works of Leonhard, developed his own classification of accentuations and introduced into practice the very concept of “character accentuation.”

Of course, any type of accentuation should not be considered a disorder, but it is worth considering that accentuation is fertile ground for the development of psychoses, neuroses and psychosomatic disorders.

In truth, the line between “norm” and pathology is so thin that it is extremely difficult to squeeze borderline accentuations between it. It takes a long time to diagnose accentuation.

Accentuations can be divided into hidden and explicit. The obvious form is precisely a borderline state that runs like a red thread through a person’s entire life.

The latent form manifests itself only in conditions of a traumatic or stressful situation and, in general, is a normal phenomenon. It is important to note that accentuations are dynamic; they change throughout life, but the basis remains the same factor.

Now let’s look at personality accentuations according to A.E. Lichko:

It is worth noting that Lichko based his classification on teenagers, while his German teacher worked with a wider population. Therefore, it seems necessary to provide a classification according to Leonhard:

There is another modification of the Leonhard model, which we will touch upon briefly. Shmishek proposed dividing character accentuations into subtypes: in fact, characteristics of character and temperament.

He classified as temperamental:

• hyperthymia;
• dystimacy;
• anxiety;
• emotiveness;
• cyclothymic;
• exaltation.

And to character accentuations:

• getting stuck;
• pedantry;
• excitability;
• demonstrativeness.

Now let's move on to the reasons for the formation of these changes in character.

Reasons for development

Accentuations develop due to the influence of many factors, the key role among which is most likely played by heredity. The manifestation of such hereditary burden is facilitated by:

Character accentuations manifest themselves most clearly at puberty, when the whole world of a teenager changes. Over time, they often turn into a latent form.

For the most part, it has been shown that heredity plays a leading role in the formation of such character. Social conditions By themselves, they cannot turn a person into a hysteroid, although they can teach an overprotected child to use hysterical behavior as a means of achieving goals. In addition, most people with character traits exhibit mixed and dynamic complexes of manifestations, which suggests that accentuations tend to change.

Important Notes

It is worth understanding that the above classifications are only a supporting structure, an abstraction that extremely rarely actually works in practice. Of course, all these character accentuations exist, but their “pure” forms do not occur - except in the case of gross pathologies.

For children whose behavior clearly shows signs of changes in character, it is extremely important to create special educational conditions that neutralize the readiness to develop obvious forms. Moreover, a clear understanding of character traits is extremely important when determining a person’s professional affiliation. After all, pronounced accentuations automatically exclude certain types of professions from consideration.

Often, character accentuations are close to psychopathy, so it is extremely important to take into account the only difference: the manifestations of accentuations are not permanent, they are situational and, in principle, predictable. Moreover, most people are aware of their characteristics and strive to control them.

Psychopathy constantly affects a person’s life, negatively affecting his social contacts, roles in society and close relationships. Psychopathy practically does not smooth out or change over time, much less disappear. They are beyond human control.

Accented people have the opportunity to reveal strengths of their nature, psychopathic changes are negative in nature and, in principle, have a destructive effect on the individual and the social environment.

When it comes to the topic of prevalence among adolescents, this is a very pressing problem. Approximately 82% of children aged 12 to 18 years have problems of this kind. Of course, such characteristics are assessed as related to age, but an inadequate response to them on the part of adults and the education system can “reinforce” such behavior.

At the same time, the problem of character accentuations can be corrected during this period. Left out of control characteristics On the contrary, a teenager’s behavior can evolve into serious psychological problems in future.

Treatment

In principle, unexpressed accentuations do not require treatment. However, the accentuation of character, which prevents one from leading a full-blooded social life may require some adjustment.

It is especially worth paying attention to people with character accentuations who have suffered head injuries. After a TBI, a serious exacerbation of the severity of certain character traits may follow.

If exacerbations are associated with some other diseases (infections, injuries, paralysis), then first of all it is worth treating the primary disease, and then starting psychotherapeutic work.

We also note that accentuations are not considered by psychiatrists as pathologies, but their closeness to psychopathy requires psychotherapeutic treatment. The usual course of therapy is aimed at teaching a person greater control over their conditions and literally enlightening them about their own characteristics. As a rule, people who better understand their behavior with great success he is controlled.

Character accentuations are diagnosed through filling out a battery of tests and talking with a doctor, and sometimes through additional medical history collection. Treatment is psychocorrective in nature and is carried out in a group, individual or family form.

Pharmacological agents are used extremely rarely, but their use may indicate an incorrect diagnosis - probably it concerns psychopathy.

In general, character accentuations are amenable to psychological correction and are overcome by people.