The study of individual differences, in particular character accentuations, belongs to a separate discipline - the field. The works of many scientists - Western and domestic - are devoted to this field.

Rationale for character trait research

Why it is necessary to study the types of accentuation of differences between individuals has two objectives. Firstly, this is a research goal - to identify as many groups as possible and develop specific advice for representatives of each of them. The more classes are identified, the more effective psychological recommendations for their representatives will be.

Secondly, it is necessary to know the types so that the person himself understands the characteristics and reasons for his behavior and can, in accordance with this, correct it.

Often in this regard, everyday psychology is completely insufficient. For example, there is a common belief that fat people are kind. Conversely, a thin person is sometimes perceived as anxious and wary. Of course, such a breakdown into categories may be partly correct. Even Hippocrates did not avoid such an error in classification, although already in the medical field: once upon a time, an ancient doctor directly linked the tendency to apoplexy with obesity.

The Soviet psychologist A.E. Lichko, like the German psychiatrist K. Leongard, used the concept of “accentuation” in their research. When applied to a specific property, this term means that it is highlighted more clearly than others, as if emphasized. In other words, accentuation is the expression of a certain character trait. For a person with this or that quality, certain social situations will be very painful, while others will be easily tolerated. This article will discuss the types of accentuation according to Lichko and Leonhard.

The psychology of differences is not a strict discipline. Types of accentuation are always descriptive in nature and are practically never found in their pure form. Each person can find himself in two or more types.

It should also be noted that assigning oneself to a certain category should not be aimless. When playing psychological tests, you need to ask yourself the question: “Why am I doing this?” If a person understands that he belongs to one group or another, he needs to develop for himself an appropriate compensation and self-help strategy. To do this, you need to study the advice given by psychologists for representatives of different classes and apply them to life.

Classification by A. E. Lichko

A Soviet psychologist studied the types of accentuation of adolescents. In total, he identified eleven groups. The features of the types of character accentuation in his theory have much in common with the classification of Karl Leonhard. Let's look at them in order.

Hyperthymic type

A high level of energy, the ability to quickly find contact with people, a desire for leadership - all this distinguishes the hyperthymic type of accentuation. Lichko considered hyperthymia to be a general characteristic characteristic of adolescence. High emotional tone makes representatives of this category leaders in any company. They are not aggressive. They can enter into conflict, but only if they encounter sharp opposition to their activity. Therefore, it is better not to stand in their way, but, on the contrary, to encourage them to act.

Superficiality of interests is a negative feature that the hyperthymic type of accentuation has. Its representatives may have many abilities, but their interests are unstable.

Cycloid type

The main characteristic of this category is mood variability. An elevated state is replaced by despondency and irritability. Moreover, this happens every two to three weeks.

Labile type

The emotional tone of these teenagers, Lichko noted, cannot be defined as consistently low or high. Their mood is unstable and can change very quickly. Within this category, two subtypes can also be distinguished: reactive-labile and emotionally labile. The former are prone to mood changes due to external factors. The condition of others is more determined by internal experiences.

Representatives of the labile type sometimes seem indifferent to others. But this is far from true - the real problem for some of them may be the ability to correctly express their feelings. Having deep attachments to loved ones, they do not know how to communicate them.

Astheno-neurotic type

Those who belong to this category are the main visitors to medical institutions. Their main difference is the concentration of attention on the state of their body. As soon as they feel unwell, they may suspect that they have a fatal illness - their suspiciousness reaches such proportions.

Sensitive type

The main characteristic of adolescents in this category, Lichko noted, is increased sensitivity, which is reflected in their behavior. People of the sensitive type are also characterized by painful irritability. Their weak point is large companies. They always feel uncomfortable in them, try to carefully observe what is happening, and sometimes copy the behavior of others. Representatives of the sensitive type can attract the attention of the entire company, for example, by going on some kind of prank. But they succeed poorly in this, and they return to the previous state only with even more aggravated timidity.

The advantage of representatives of the sensitive type is diligence, responsibility, and the ability to make and maintain deep friendships.

Psychasthenic type

Characterized by indecisiveness. Any everyday situation can become a source of painful uncertainty for a psychasthenic. They are distinguished by high intelligence and confidence in their conclusions. But the latter is rarely confirmed by deeds. Psychasthenics are prone to impulsive actions just at those moments when it is worth weighing the pros and cons.

Schizoid type

Despite the fact that they are very vulnerable internally, schizoids have virtually no ability for empathy - they are not sensitive to the pain of others. The schizoid type of accentuation has a positive side - they make good inventors. Most of those people who moved forward the progress of mankind were schizoid. Their main feature, which immediately catches the eye, is their eccentricity. “Not of this world,” this can safely be said about schizoids.

Epileptoid type

The most pedantic and picky type. It would seem that what is good about these character traits? But representatives of other types are difficult to imagine in some professions. For example, the best teachers of mathematics or physics are epileptoids. Their accuracy and attention to detail are undeniable advantages in teaching the exact sciences.

Hysterical type

For this category, all life is one huge stage. Some people may initially find it unpleasant to be in company with a hysterical person. After all, their main quality is a constant desire to be in the center of attention. But for certain professions, belonging to this class (its analogue in Leonhard is a demonstrative type of accentuation) is an advantage. For example, hysterics make excellent salespeople, actors, and singers.

Unstable type

Lichko's representatives of this category turned out to be the most irresponsible teenagers. These were those who had no stable interests and practically did not think about their future. Unstable people cannot concentrate on work for long; they are characterized by a constant craving for idleness and entertainment.

Conformal type

A distinctive feature of conformists is the desire not to differ from their environment. Their credo is “to be like everyone else.” A negative feature of this category is the tendency to betray in a difficult situation. A conformist person will not suffer from remorse - he will always find justification for his actions.

Types of character accentuation according to Leonard

Twelve were identified. In many ways, his classification overlaps with Lichko’s theory, and some types in them are identical. Leonhard created three categories: the first was associated with accentuations of character, the second with accentuations of temperament. The criterion for identifying the third group is personal characteristics (focus on oneself or the outside world).

First, we need to clarify the difference between temperament and character. People unfamiliar with psychology often confuse these concepts. But even some psychologists tend to believe that temperament and character are one and the same thing.

Temperament is the speed of a person’s reaction to current events. This quality is, rather, a physiological property of the nervous system. Temperament includes emotionality, degree of response, balance. Character is a social education. Starting from birth, those around them seem to leave their mark on the child. Such social interactions “sculpt” his personality.

So, Karl Leonhard carried out the classification in accordance with character, temperament and personality traits, and the criteria for identifying categories were the styles of human social interaction.

Accentuations associated with temperament

• Hyperthymic type. The main characteristics are mobility, sociability. In childhood, hyperthyms have good memory and are easy to learn. In adolescence, conflicts are possible, since the group does not always allow hypertim to take a leading position. As adults, representatives of this category remain sociable and energetic. It’s easy to find a common language with them if you don’t confront them.
• Dysthymic type. Sullenness, phlegmaticity, and inhibition of reactions are the main features of dysthymics. They are silent and seem to be incorrigible pessimists. The positive side of the dysthymic type is responsibility and a developed sense of justice.
• Labile type. He, as in Lichko’s classification, is distinguished by the ability to quickly change mood. Even a harshly spoken word can have an effect on a representative of the labile type. A good mood can be spoiled even because it rains.
• Exalted type. Representatives of this type are non-conflict, love society, and are attentive to others. The exalted type of accentuation is distinguished by amorousness, a tendency to sublime feelings, and sociability. Such people are very quickly influenced by events in the outside world - they are easily delighted by the positive ones, and panicked by the negative ones. Many designers, musicians and artists have an exalted type of accentuation.

• Anxious type. The main feature is a feeling of anxiety for no apparent reason. They are quickly recognized by their peers, and because of their indecisiveness, they can become an object of ridicule. Having become adults, they remain no less suspicious than they were as children. It is difficult for such people to insist on their own. However, the anxious type of accentuation has its advantages - its representatives have a rich inner world, and are also always able to adequately assess their capabilities. Among other types, they perceive reality most clearly.
• It is believed that representatives of this category “think” with feelings. Their main characteristics are kindness, responsibility, the ability to empathize, and low conflict. People of the emotive type can only feel relaxed in the company of close people. They are soft-hearted, compassionate, and also appreciate the beauty of nature more than others. When communicating with them, their feelings are always recognized. The main value for them is good relationships in the family and at work. Representatives of the emotive type are very vulnerable to callousness and rude behavior.

Accentuations in accordance with character traits

• Stuck type. A person belonging to this category can carry certain feelings within himself for years. If these are negative emotions that were not correctly expressed, then they torment the stuck person for a long period of time. The pursuit of a goal is the most important characteristic of this accentuation. The stuck type will get his way no matter what. Often for this he strives to find good travel companions. Those who get stuck become good leaders in any activity. However, if their fate is not so rosy, they may become leaders of gangster groups. In addition, like the demonstrative, stuck type of accentuation needs recognition from society. However, this must be truly deserved respect, glory that has a basis.

• Pedantic type. Like the epileptoids in Lichko’s classification, the main features of representatives of this group are scrupulousness and attention to detail. Pedantic people are highly valued in an office environment for their responsibility and efficiency. This emphasis also manifests itself in caring for one’s own health and the absence of bad habits. The other side of the coin for such people is the constant fear of making a mistake, perfectionism.

• Excitable type. Impulsiveness, irritability, the desire to satisfy surging impulses immediately - this is what characterizes the excitable type of accentuation. People belonging to this group are usually endowed with a high level of conflict, which often prevents them from building meaningful relationships. The advantage is that they live entirely in the present.
• Demonstrative type. It is easy to identify, starting from the age of two. Such kids, having once been the center of attention, then try to win it at all costs. If this tendency is supported by parents, then they almost always have an inflated self-esteem that is not really supported by anything. Students of this type can be set as an example to others. Therefore, it is not always easy to recognize that their abilities in a certain area are hardly above average. On the other hand, the demonstrative type of accentuation is distinguished by artistry and good taste in clothing.

Types of accentuations according to personality characteristics

• Introverted type. Characterized by focusing on one’s experiences and avoiding social contacts. Reality for them is secondary to the inner world. Introverts are responsible, unobtrusive, and love privacy.
• Extroverted type. Its representatives are self-confident people who love being among people and receive energy from communication. They do not tend to get hung up on aspects of their inner life and always act in accordance with what reality presents to them.

Currently, Lichko's theory is more widely used among psychologists, since the scientist conducted his research on healthy people (teenagers). Leonhard's classification is more often used by psychiatrists. Despite the names presented in both classifications, these groups have nothing to do with mental disorders. The schizoid type of accentuation, for example, in no way means the presence of schizophrenia - all terms are conditional. Different types of accentuation mean the severity of the characteristic is within normal limits.

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What is character accentuation?

To understand what character is and in what cases accentuation is spoken of, it is important to know what components it is made of, what is the difference between character and temperament.

What is character?

Unlike temperament, character is not inherited and is not an innate personality trait. It is also not characterized by constancy and immutability. Personality is formed and develops under the influence of the environment, upbringing, life experience and many other external factors. Thus, the character of each person is determined both by his social existence and by his individual experience. The consequence of this is an infinite number of characters.

However, despite the fact that each person is unique ( like his experience) there is a lot in common in the life activities of people. This underlies the division of large numbers of people into certain personality types ( according to Leonard and so on).

What is the difference between character and temperament?

Thus, temperament characterizes the dynamism of a person, and the nature of his beliefs, views and interests. Also, human temperament is a genetically determined process, while character is a constantly changing structure.
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates described four types of temperament, which received the following names - sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, melancholic temperament. However, further studies of the higher nervous activity of animals and humans ( including those conducted by Pavlov), proved that the basis of temperament is a combination of certain nervous processes.

From a scientific point of view, temperament refers to the natural behavioral characteristics that are typical for a given person.

The components that determine temperament are:

• General activity. It manifests itself at the level of mental activity and human behavior and is expressed in varying degrees of motivation and desire to express oneself in a variety of activities. The expression of general activity varies from person to person.
• Motor or motor activity. Reflects the state of the motor and speech-motor apparatus. Manifests itself in the speed and intensity of movements, tempo of speech, as well as in its external mobility ( or, conversely, restraint).
• Emotional activity. Expressed in the degree of perception ( sensitivity) to emotional influences, impulsiveness, emotional mobility.

What is personality?

Today, a person is understood as a specific individual who is a representative of his society, nationality, class or group. Modern psychologists and sociologists in defining personality, first of all, highlight its social essence. A person is born a person, but he becomes a person in the process of his social and labor activities. Some may remain infantile ( immature and failed) individuals throughout life. The formation and development of personality is influenced by biological factors, social environmental factors, upbringing and many other aspects.

Accentuation of character according to Lichko

• hyperthymic type;
• cycloid type;
• labile type;
• astheno-neurotic type;
• sensitive type;
• psychasthenic type;
• schizoid type;
• epileptoid type;
• hysterical type;
• unstable type;
• conformal type.

Hyperthymic type

The first significant difficulties appear when adapting to school. Good academic abilities, a lively mind and the ability to grasp everything on the fly are combined with restlessness, increased distractibility and indiscipline. This behavior affects their uneven studies - a hyperthymic child has both high and low grades in his diary. A distinctive feature of such children is always a good mood, which is harmoniously combined with good health and often a flourishing appearance.

The emancipation reaction is the most painful and distinct in such adolescents. The constant struggle for independence gives rise to constant conflicts with parents, teachers, and educators. Trying to escape from family care, hyperthymic teenagers sometimes run away from home, although not for long. True escapes from home are rare for this personality type.

The family usually plays a decisive role in the accentuation of a hyperthymic personality. The factors that determine accentuation are hyperprotection, petty control, cruel dictatorship, as well as dysfunctional family relationships.

Cycloid type

Typical cycloids in childhood are not much different from their peers. However, already with the onset of puberty, they experience the first subdepressive phase. Teenagers become apathetic and irritable. They may complain of lethargy, loss of energy, and that it is becoming increasingly difficult to study. Society begins to burden them, as a result of which teenagers begin to avoid the company of their peers. Very quickly they become lethargic homebodies - they sleep a lot, walk little.

Adolescents react to any comments or calls from parents for socialization with irritation, sometimes rudeness and anger. However, serious setbacks in school or personal life can deepen depression and cause violent reactions, often with suicidal attempts. Often at this moment they come under the supervision of a psychiatrist. Similar phases in typical cycloids last two to three weeks.

In labile cycloids, unlike typical ones, the phases are much shorter - several good days are quickly replaced by several bad ones. Within one period ( single phase) short changes in mood are recorded - from a bad mood to causeless euphoria. Often these mood swings are caused by minor news or events. But, unlike other personality types, there is no excessive emotional reaction.

Behavioral reactions in adolescents are moderately expressed and delinquency ( running away from home, getting into drugs) is not typical for them. The risk of alcoholism and suicidal behavior is present only in the depressive phase.

Labile type

Over time, mood swings begin to occur. At the same time, the mood changes frequently and excessively abruptly, while the reasons for such changes are insignificant. This could be either an unfriendly look from a random interlocutor or an inopportune rainfall. Almost any event can plunge a labile teenager into despondency. At the same time, interesting news or a new suit can lift your spirits and distract you from the existing reality.

The labile type is characterized not only by frequent and sudden changes, but also by their significant depth. A good mood affects all aspects of a teenager’s life. Well-being, appetite, sleep and ability to work depend on it. Accordingly, the same environment can evoke different emotions - people seem either cute and interesting, or bored and boring.

Labile teenagers are extremely vulnerable to reprimands, reprimands and condemnations, worrying deeply within themselves. Often, troubles or minor losses can lead to the development of reactive depression. At the same time, any praise or sign of attention gives them sincere joy. Emancipation in the labile type occurs very moderately and manifests itself in short bursts. As a rule, they feel good in families where they feel love and care.

Astheno-neurotic type

The main features of adolescents of this type of accentuation are increased irritability, fatigue and a tendency towards hypochondria. Irritation is noted for an insignificant reason and is sometimes poured out on people who accidentally fell under the hot hand. However, it quickly gives way to repentance. Unlike other types, there is no pronounced intensity of affect, no duration, no violent frenzy. Fatigue usually manifests itself in mental activities, while physical activity is better tolerated. The tendency to hypochondria is manifested by careful care of one's health; the heart becomes a frequent source of hypochondriacal experiences.

Running away from home, drug addiction and alcoholism are not typical for teenagers with this type. However, this does not exclude other adolescent behaviors. They are drawn to their peers, but quickly get tired of them and seek rest or solitude. Relationships with the opposite sex are usually limited to short bursts.

Sensitive type

They are extremely attached to close people, even if they treat them coldly and harshly. They stand out among other children for their obedience, and are often considered a homely and obedient child. However, difficulties are noted at school, since it frightens them with a crowd of peers, fuss and fights. Despite this, they study diligently, although they are embarrassed to answer in front of the class and answer much less than what they know.

Puberty usually passes without any special outbreaks or complications. The first significant difficulties in adaptation arise at 18–19 years of age. During this period, the main characteristics of the type are maximally manifested - extreme impressionability and a sense of personal insufficiency.

Sensitive adolescents retain their childhood attachment to the family, and therefore the emancipation reaction is rather weakly expressed. Excessive reproaches and lectures from others cause tears and despair, and not the protest typical of teenagers.

Sensitive individuals mature early, and they also develop a sense of duty and high moral demands early. Moreover, these requirements are addressed both to oneself and to others. Adolescents have the most painfully expressed feeling of their own inferiority, which with age turns into a reaction of overcompensation. This is manifested by the fact that they seek self-affirmation not on the side of their abilities ( where they can open up as much as possible), but where they feel inferior. Timid and shy teenagers put on a mask of swagger, trying to show their arrogance, energy and will. But very often, as soon as the situation demands action from them, they give up.

Another weak link of the sensitive type is the attitude of others towards them. They are extremely sensitive to situations where they become the object of ridicule or suspicion, or when the slightest shadow falls on their reputation.

Psychasthenic type

The main features of the psychasthenic type are:

• indecision;
• tendency to reason;
• anxious suspiciousness;
• love of introspection;
• the formation of obsessions - obsessive fears and concerns;
• the formation of compulsions - obsessive actions and rituals.

Specially invented signs and rituals become protection against this anxiety for the future. For example, when going to school, you need to go around all the hatches, under no circumstances stepping on their covers. Before the exam, when entering the school, you should not touch the door handles. Whenever you worry about your mother again, you need to say a spell you have invented to yourself. In parallel with obsession, a psychasthenic teenager experiences indecision. Any choice, even a small one ( going to the cinema or choosing juice), can become the subject of long and painful hesitation. However, after the decision has been made, it must be immediately implemented, since psychasthenics do not know how to wait, showing extreme impatience.

As with other types, overcompensation reactions may be observed here, in this case in relation to one’s indecision. Such a reaction manifests itself in them with exaggerated decisiveness in those moments when prudence and caution are required. This, in turn, results in a tendency to introspection about the motives of one’s actions and actions.

Schizoid type

Other characteristics of the schizoid type are:

• isolation;
• inability to make contacts;
• reduced need for communication.

Some teenagers, nevertheless, sometimes try to make acquaintances and make some contacts. However, most often this ends in failure and disappointment. As a result of failures, they often withdraw even more into themselves.

The coldness of schizoids is explained by their lack of intuition ( inability to penetrate into other people's experiences) and lack of empathy ( inability to share the joy or sadness of another). Based on this, the actions of a schizoid teenager can be cruel, and this is not due to the desire to hurt someone, but to the inability to feel the suffering of others. The emancipation reaction also proceeds in a very unique way. In a family, schizoid children can tolerate guardianship and obey a certain routine and regime. But, at the same time, they react violently to the invasion of their world of interests and hobbies. Also in society, they are furiously indignant about existing rules and orders, expressing their protest with ridicule. Such judgments can be nurtured for a long time and implemented in public speeches.

Despite their isolation and isolation, schizoid teenagers have hobbies that are usually more pronounced than others. In the first place there are intellectual and aesthetic hobbies ( hobby). Most often this is a strictly selective reading. Teenagers may be interested in a certain era of history; it may be a strictly defined genre of literature or a certain movement in philosophy. Moreover, passion may not correlate in any way ( not be interconnected) with their needs. For example, this could be a passion for Sanskrit or Hebrew. Moreover, this is never exposed ( otherwise it will be regarded as an invasion of privacy) and is often hidden.
In addition to intellectual hobbies, hobbies of the manual-physical type are also noted. This could be gymnastics, swimming or yoga exercises. At the same time, training is combined with a complete lack of interest in collective sports games.

Epileptoid type

Other characteristics of the epileptoid type are:

• emotional explosiveness;
• constant tension;
• cognitive ( thinking) viscosity;
• stiffness;
• inertia.

The first signs of psychopathy are detected in early childhood. From an early age, such children are distinguished by gloomy embitterment. Their dysphoria is manifested by whims, a desire to deliberately harass others. Unfortunately, sadistic tendencies are already noted at an early age - such children love to torture animals, beat and tease the younger and weaker. Moreover, they do all this on the sly. Also, such children are distinguished by unchildish thriftiness in their clothes and toys, as well as meticulous neatness in things. They react to any attempts to touch their things with an extremely angry reaction.

The full picture of epileptoid psychopathy unfolds during puberty, starting at 12–13 years of age. It is characterized mainly by pronounced affective ( emotional) discharges that are a consequence of prolonged and painful dysphoria. Such discharges contain swearing, severe beatings, rage and cynicism. Often the reason for anger may be small and insignificant, but it always concerns the personal interests of the teenager. In a fit of rage, such a teenager is capable of throwing his fists at a stranger, hitting a parent in the face, or pushing a child down the stairs.

Attraction to the opposite sex awakens with force, but is always colored by the dark tones of jealousy. They never forgive betrayal, both real and imaginary, and flirting is interpreted as a grave betrayal.

The emancipation reaction is very painful in epileptoid adolescents. The struggle for independence makes them extremely angry and vindictive. They demand not so much freedom and deliverance from power, but rights - their share of property and material wealth. Also extremely painful for this type of personality are reactions of infatuation. Almost everyone is prone to gambling and collecting. Very often they are driven by an instinctive desire to get rich. Hobbies also include sports, music and singing.

Self-esteem is one-sided. Most teenagers of this type note their tendency to have a gloomy mood and adherence to rules and neatness. However, they do not recognize their own characteristics in relationships with others.

Hysterical type

Other characteristics of the hysterical personality type are:

• increased suggestibility;
• deceit;
• fantasizing;
• theatricality;
• a tendency to show off and pose;
• lack of deep sincere feelings with great expression of emotions.

To attract attention, children begin to manipulate and show various demonstrative reactions. Over time, suicidality becomes the main behavioral reaction. In this case, we are talking about demonstration and suicidal blackmail, and not about serious attempts. Suicidal blackmail is characterized by safe methods - cuts to the veins are made on the forearm or shoulder, medications are selected from the home medicine cabinet ( citramon, activated carbon). They are also always designed for spectators - attempts to jump out of a window or throw themselves under the wheels of a vehicle are made in front of those present. Such suicidality is always signaled - various farewell notes are written, secret confessions are made.

Teenagers may blame failed love for their attempts. However, upon careful study of the circumstances, it turns out that this is just a romantic veil. The only reason for this behavior in the hysterical type is wounded pride and lack of attention. A suicidal demonstration followed by fuss and emergency help brings considerable satisfaction to the egocentrism of a hysterical teenager.

Another distinctive characteristic is the “flight into illness” of hysterical teenagers. Very often they depict mysterious illnesses, and sometimes even strive to end up in a psychiatric hospital. By getting into it they thus gain a reputation for being unusual.

Hobbies, including alcoholism or drug use, are also demonstrative in nature. Already in adulthood, hysterical individuals retain the traits of childish opposition, imitation, and infantility. As a rule, the reaction of the opposition ( negativism) manifests itself in the loss of habitual attention and the loss of the role of an idol. A similar reaction manifests itself in the same way as in childhood - withdrawal into illness, suicidal behavior, attempts to get rid of the one to whom attention has shifted. For example, if another family member appears ( new baby, mother's new husband), then all attempts will be directed towards him.

At this point, teenagers begin to signal themselves by becoming addicted to drinking or drugs, wandering off and absenteeism, and sometimes even stealing. Thus, they seem to be saying to return their previous attention, otherwise they will go astray.
The hobbies of this psychotype are always concentrated around their own egocentrism. They prefer ensembles, the stage, theaters. Self-esteem in adolescents with this type of character is far from objective.

Unstable type

They can complete tasks and not shirk from class only under very strict supervision. They have an increased craving for entertainment, idleness and total idleness. They run away from classes just to walk down the street. They are extremely unstable in their choice and try literally everything - they go to theft and start smoking while still children. Growing up quickly, they lose interest in their previous hobbies and are constantly looking for thrills and new sensations. Associated with this is a painful reaction of emancipation - teenagers strive to free themselves from guardianship in order to indulge in entertainment. They never feel true love for relatives, including parents, and treat their troubles and concerns with indifference. Basically, they use their family ties as a source of material wealth. They feel bad when alone, as they are unable to occupy themselves. As a result, they are constantly drawn to teenage groups of all kinds. However, cowardice and lack of initiative do not allow the labile teenager to take the place of leader in them.

Teenage hobbies are mainly centered around gambling. Those disciplines that require hard work disgust them. They can work only out of extreme necessity, but soon everything is quickly abandoned. Any difficulties or threat of punishment for failure to complete work causes one behavioral reaction - to run away. Unstable teenagers do not make plans, do not dream of anything or any profession. They amaze with their complete indifference to the future.

One of the main features of unstable types is weakness of will. It is this trait that can keep them in a regulated environment for some time. They can reconcile only if idleness threatens severe punishment, and there is nowhere to escape. The weak point of the unstable is the lack of supervision. Self-esteem of adolescents is far from objective; adolescents often attribute desirable traits to themselves.

Conformal type

Representatives of this accentuated type are people of their environment. Their main rule is to think like everyone else and act like everyone else. The desire to join the majority makes them imitators in everything - from clothing and home furnishings to points of view. Even in childhood, this is especially noticeable in the choice of clothes, school supplies, and hobbies. If something new appears in society ( for example style), then initially representatives of the conformist type vehemently reject everything. But as soon as a new trend flows into society, they, for example, wear the same clothes or listen to the same music as everyone else.

Due to the desire to be in accordance with their surroundings, conforming teenagers cannot resist anything. Therefore, they are a copy of their microenvironment. In a good environment they absorb all the good things, in a bad environment they absorb all the bad customs and habits. Often, such teenagers may become an alcoholic in the company of others or may be drawn into group crimes.

Their professional success owes much to two qualities - a lack of initiative and criticism. They can work a lot, as long as the work does not require constant personal initiative. They even like very intense work if it is clearly regulated. They are also remarkably uncritical. Everything that their environment says becomes truth for them. Teenagers are not inclined to change their group and choose the educational institution where the majority of their comrades go. Conformists deprived of initiative often find themselves drawn into group crimes. Therefore, the most severe mental trauma for them is expulsion from the group. Emancipation is poorly expressed, and hobbies are determined by the teenager’s environment and the fashion of the time.

Intermediate types of accentuation

Intermediate types include the labile-cycloid and conformal-hyperthymic type, as well as combinations of the labile type with the astheno-neurotic and sensitive type. The formation of intermediate types is due to developmental characteristics in the early period, educational factors and, above all, genetic factors.

Intermediate accentuated types are:

• schizoid-sensitive;
• schizoid-psychasthenic;
• schizoid-epileptoid;
• hysteroid-epileptoid;
• labile-cycloid;
• conformal hyperthymic.

Options for amalgam types are:

• schizoid-unstable;
• epileptoid-unstable;
• hysterical-unstable;
• conformally unstable.

Classification of accentuated character according to Leonhard

• demonstrative;
• pedantic;
• stuck; stuck
• excitable.

Stuck type

Any injustice can cause a strong and violent reaction. However, emotions subside after a person has “given vent to his feelings.” Anger also subsides very quickly, especially when the offender can be punished. If the emotional explosion does not take place, the affect continues much more slowly. In cases where a stuck person was unable to respond either in word or in deed, internal tension can drag on. In this case, you just have to return your thoughts to what happened, as all emotions come to life, and a new explosion is brewing. Thus, the affect of such a person will last until the internal experiences completely disappear.

Equally, such psychotypes react to social injustice. Therefore, fighters for civil justice and freedom are often found among them.
Traits of being stuck also appear in the case of a person’s failure, since ambition is very strong in such people. As a result, they become arrogant and overconfident.

Pedantic type

Pedantic people are extremely slow in making decisions and take all issues seriously - both work and everyday ones. In their discussions, pedants can drive those around them to white heat. People around us perceive scrupulousness and pedantry as banal tediousness.

The main feature of this character is total rigidity, which determines the unpreparedness for any changes. Also due to weak repression mechanisms ( or their complete absence) traumatic events are experienced by pedants for a very long time. The inability to dislodge trauma from memory leads to the fact that pedants return to it again and again. All this leads to even greater indecision and inability to react quickly. The pedantic type is non-conflict by nature, but reacts very strongly to violations of the established order.

Other qualities of a pedantic personality are:

• punctuality;
• integrity;
• accuracy;
• focus on high quality;
• indecision.

Excitable type

The main characteristic is instinctiveness - the desire to satisfy one’s needs and desires at this very moment. Such excitability is very difficult to extinguish, which is why people of this psychotype are often quite irritable and intolerant of others. At the moment of excitement, they do not think about the consequences, weakly assess what is happening, and deny any criticism.

Impulsivity of a pathological nature is noted in all spheres of life, including in drives. Such individuals eat and drink everything, are impulsive and promiscuous in the sexual sphere. Most of them become chronic alcoholics. They do not think about the danger or the consequences both for themselves and for family life. Among chronic alcoholics you can find many excitable individuals. Promiscuity in sexual relations leads to the fact that such people have many illegitimate children at an early age, both in women and men. Many of them may take the path of prostitution.

The excitable type is in many ways similar to epileptic psychopathy. This manifests itself in heaviness of thinking, slowness of thought processes and difficulty in perceiving other people's thoughts. A state of constant emotional arousal provokes multiple conflicts. As a result, such people often do not take root in any team. This is also aggravated by the fact that some of them support their opinions not only with shouts and all kinds of demonstrations, but also with their fists. Also, such people are characterized by destructive behavior - destroying objects, breaking glass, and the like.

Demonstrative type

As they grow up, they continue to fantasize, using deception to attract attention. This is explained by the fact that the words spoken seem to them to be true at the moment. Another character trait is connected with this - the ability to forget what a person does not want to remember.
The demonstrative type is characterized by a constant desire to be the center of attention. To get attention, such people tend to adapt very quickly to a new environment. Thus, the demonstrative type is distinguished by mobility and, at the same time, inconstancy.

Due to their originality of thinking and actions, demonstrative people can carry others along with them. At the same time, they often focus on themselves, which can push people away.

Other types of accentuations according to Leonhard are:

• Hyperthymic accentuation. These are very active people who are characterized by sociability and restlessness. When communicating with them, gestures, active facial expressions and other non-verbal means of communication prevail.
• Dysthymic accentuation. Unlike the previous type, these are serious people who are often in a depressed mood. They are characterized by silence, pessimism and low self-esteem. As a rule, these are homebodies.
• Anxious accentuation. This type is characterized by timidity, fearfulness and lack of self-confidence. They are worried about various fears, they experience troubles painfully hard. Also, from an early age, they are distinguished by responsibility, tact, and are endowed with high moral qualities.
• Exalted accentuation. Differs in sociability, exaltation and altruism. However, this does not prevent such individuals from quickly falling into depression.
• Emotive accentuation. This type is characterized by increased empathy - a heightened sense of connection and sympathy for other people.
• Cyclothymic accentuation. This type is distinguished by a combination of hyperthymic and dysthymic features, which appear alternately.

Psychopathy and character accentuations in adolescents

• totality;
• durability;
• violation of social adaptation.

Despite the fact that the degree of character anomalies is difficult to quantify, psychologists and psychiatrists still distinguish degrees of accentuations. These degrees are based on certain indicators.

Indicators that influence the severity of psychopathy are:

• severity, duration and frequency of decompensations ( breakdowns), phases;
• severity of social behavior disorders;
• degree of social ( work, family) maladjustment;
• degree of self-esteem ( the psychopath's criticality towards himself).

Severe psychopathy

Severe degree of psychopathy

Moderate degree of psychopathy

Psychopathic development and marginal psychopathy

In diagnosing this character anomaly, it is important not only to identify the main accentuated traits, but also to note the harmful influence of the environment. This is often wrong ( defective) upbringing.

The most common types of defective upbringing that influence the formation of psychopathy are:

• Hypoprotection. This type of defective parenting is characterized by a lack of care and control over behavior. At the same time, hypoprotection is not limited to meeting basic needs, that is, children do not go naked and hungry. Basically, this concerns the lack of attention, care and true interest of parents in the affairs of the teenager. Hypoprotection can also be hidden, when control over a teenager’s behavior seems to be carried out, but in fact it is only a formalism. This type of education is especially dangerous when accentuation is based on unstable and conformist types. As a result, teenagers find themselves in antisocial companies and quickly adopt a bad lifestyle. Also, lack of care is very harmful in hyperthymic, epileptoid and schizoid accentuation.
• Dominant hyperprotection. This type of defective parenting is characterized by excessive guardianship, petty control and even surveillance. Such constant control grows into a whole system of constant prohibitions. In turn, constant prohibitions and the inability to make even minor decisions of their own confuse the teenager. Very often, children and adolescents create the following value system - everything is not allowed with adults, but everything is possible with their peers. This type of upbringing does not allow a teenager to analyze his own actions and learn independence. In addition, the sense of responsibility and duty is suppressed; the teenager ceases to be responsible for his own actions. Hyperprotection is most dangerous for hyperthymic adolescents, since it leads to a sharp increase in the emancipation reaction. Teenagers, or even children, rebel against oppression in the most aggressive ways.
• Emotional rejection. Characterized by emotional coldness, lack of care and affection. With this type of defective upbringing, a child or teenager constantly feels that they are burdened and that they are a burden in the life of their parents. Often such defective upbringing occurs within the framework of hidden emotional rejection on the part of the parents, when they do not recognize the true hardships with their son or daughter. Allegedly, common sense suppresses this rejection of children as unworthy. Sometimes such rejection turns into a reaction of overcompensation in the form of emphasized care and exaggerated attention. However, children and especially teenagers feel this false attitude well. A schizoid teenager reacts to such insincerity by withdrawing into himself, building an even bigger wall between himself and his family. The unstable type rushes to look for an outlet in the company of friends.
• Conditions of abusive relationships. This type of defective upbringing is manifested by open and severe reprisals for minor offenses. At the same time, very often they simply “take it out” on the child. However, abusive relationships do not only affect the child or adolescent. A similar heavy and harsh atmosphere dominates the entire environment. Very often, brutal massacres are hidden from prying eyes, and the family looks “healthy” in appearance. Growing up in abusive relationships is very dangerous for epileptoid and conformist types. In this case, there is a high risk of psychopathic development. However, mental indifference and beatings also affect other types of personalities in an unhealthy way. Such families have the highest risk of developing psychopathy.

Diagnosis of character accentuations and psychopathy

• first scale ( hypochondria scale) measures the traits of the astheno-neurotic personality type;
• second scale ( depression scale) indicates a hypothymic personality type;
• third scale ( hysteria scale) designed to identify individuals prone to neurotic reactions of conversion ( hysterical) type;
• fourth scale ( psychopathy scale) - diagnoses sociopathic personality type;
• fifth scale– is not used to diagnose personality type, but is used to determine male or female personality traits ( imposed by society);
• sixth scale ( paranoid scale) characterizes touchiness and diagnoses the paranoid type;
• seventh scale ( anxiety and psychasthenia) intended for diagnosing anxious and suspicious personality types;
• eighth scale ( schizophrenia and autism scale) determines the degree of emotional alienation, indicates the schizoid type and the autism spectrum;
• ninth scale ( hypomania scale) indicates a hyperthymic personality type.

In addition to the MMPI test, the Cattell questionnaire and the Schmishek test are used in the diagnosis of accentuations and psychopathy. The first questionnaire is a widely used method for assessing individual personality characteristics and is intended to describe individual-personal relationships. The Shmishek test is aimed at diagnosing accentuation according to Leonhard.

Schmishek test for diagnosing the type of accentuation according to Leonhard

There are two variants of this technique - adult and children.
They consist of the same number of questions and, accordingly, have the same types of accentuations. The difference lies in the wording of the questions, that is, the children's version contains questions adapted for children, the adult version - for adults. The theoretical basis of both options is the theory of accentuated personalities, according to which all personality traits are divided into basic and additional. Basic traits are the core of personality; they determine a person’s character.

The theory of personality accentuation was developed by German psychiatrist Karl Leonhard (publications dated 1968), and developed in 1977 by Soviet psychiatrist Andrei Evgenievich Lichko, who formulated two degrees of expression of this character trait:

In modern psychiatry there is no division between conventionally normal, “ordinary” people and accentuated individuals. This feature can manifest itself or become excessively intensified in combination with unfavorable life circumstances, and also provoke the occurrence of certain mental disorders in accordance with a certain type of accentuation.

1. Demonstrative (hysterical) type

The characteristic features of the hysterical type include excessive pride, pronounced egocentrism, a high need for social attention, praise and approval of abilities and actions. In addition, hysterical individuals have a pronounced ability to repress unpleasant facts or circumstances from consciousness; they can lie, changing the veracity of events, without realizing it (repression mechanisms).

1. Hyperthymic type

This type of accentuation is manifested by increased sociability, talkativeness, a high degree of independence in decision-making and actions, and an increased thirst for activity. Such individuals have high creative potential and are innovators, but too often switch from one type of activity to another. The danger is that hyperthymic natures rarely finish what they start and are not inclined to pay attention to negative events and circumstances. They are more likely than others to violate the circumstances they have taken upon themselves, and under certain conditions, cheerfulness gives way to irritability.

1. Cycloid type

Personalities with cycloid accentuation are characterized by the presence of alternating two phases - hyperthymic (high mood and increased activity) and depressive (low mood, the so-called period of blues). These periods are usually short-lived, lasting 1-2 weeks and alternating with long breaks. This type of accentuation is more common in women than in men.

1. Psychosthenic type

Such people can be called pedants. They are indecisive, prone to introspection, hesitation, and reasoning. Psychosthenics are often unable to move from thinking about a situation to action, because they are not sure that better solutions do not exist. They are suspicious, and the mechanisms of repression are practically not expressed in their mental activity. A high danger for pedants is responsibility for their own lives and, even more so, for the fate of other people. They are neat, reliable and overly self-critical.

1. Schizoid type

This type of personality is characterized by a certain “isolation”. They do not have intuition and empathy, and are not inclined to establish deep emotional contacts with other people. Personalities of the schizoid type are not inclined to communicate, are not talkative, and are withdrawn. They do not share their experiences even with close people, they are dreamers, and have interests that have been stable for a long time.

1. Asthenic type

The main features include irritability and fatigue too quickly. In addition, accentuated individuals of the asthenic type are prone to excessive anxiety about their future and negative premonitions about their own destiny and, especially, health. Such people are distinguished by accuracy and discipline, and if the implementation of what is planned is not possible, they react excessively emotionally. In addition, the asthenic personality type is characterized by sudden emotional outbursts on minor occasions.

1. Sensitive type

The main characteristic features of this type are timidity, resentment and lack of self-confidence. Such individuals are usually overly sensitive, dependent on the opinions of others, and often display elements of humility and humiliation. People with a sensitive type of accentuation constantly feel their own inferiority, which can sometimes be compensated by episodes of self-confident behavior that turns into insolence. Being dependent on social recognition, they can be overly trusting or, conversely, fearful. They are prone to good deeds and often help others.

1. Epileptoid (excitable) type

People with epileptoid accentuation have certain difficulties in being able to control their actions. They are driven by uncontrollable urges and instincts. A person of the epileptoid type is characterized by an angry or sad mood and a high degree of irritability. They often accumulate negative emotions, taking the opportunity out on any person, regardless of their social status, and are not aware of the negative consequences of their outbursts. They react painfully to material losses and, if they occupy a leadership position, to elements of insubordination. In love relationships, people often become too jealous, and alcohol intoxication can lead to aggressive actions.

1. Emotionally labile type

The main distinguishing feature is a constantly changing mood, alternating hyperthymic and dysthymic states, both depending on ongoing events or external circumstances, and without any reason. Pleasant events are accompanied by increased activity, a desire for new activities, and high self-esteem, which can unexpectedly give way to depression, sadness, and slow reactions. Such people are very vulnerable and have a hard time experiencing separation from loved ones and emotional rejection. They are good-natured and responsive, sociable and prone to creativity.

1. Unstable type

Such people are characterized by a lack of motivation to work or study, a desire for idleness, entertainment, and a lack of control. When it comes to work, they are too lazy, not inclined to fulfill their obligations, undisciplined and indifferent. At the same time, individuals with an unstable type of accentuation are sociable, open, easily make contacts and are quite friendly. They begin sexual activity early, considering it as one of the entertainments, but are incapable of deep emotional attachment.

1. Conformal type

Such individuals are characterized by a stable willingness to obey the decision of the majority, stereotyped actions, lack of independence, and unoriginal judgments that are not due to a low level of intelligence. Conforming individuals have a negative attitude towards change, the loss of a stable environment, and are overly conservative. Being highly dependent on public opinion, conforming individuals, once in a certain environment, receive a good education and a decent job - if this is valued in their social environment.

Determining the type of personality accentuation

To determine whether a person belongs to accented personalities, today the voluminous questionnaire of K. Leonhard, MMPI, Shmishek is most often used.

This helps to determine the type of accentuation and personality not only for medical purposes to clarify possible decompensation and certain mental disorders characteristic of each accentuation, helping psychiatrists, psychologists and psychotherapists to provide better medical care. Determining the type of accentuation can also help in social spheres with:

• selection of teaching methods in secondary and higher schools,
• psychological counseling in solving interpersonal and family problems,
• forming a workforce, selecting specialists, establishing interaction within the framework of projects,
• resolving issues of career guidance, choosing a priority direction of development, preferred profession or specialty, which is described in more detail in other articles on our website.

Accentuation of character is the most complex type of norm on the verge of mental illness, which is characterized by inharmonious personality development: some traits will be overly expressed and sharpened, while others will be too suppressed. The concept of character accentuation in psychology was developed as an “accentuated personality,” but was later narrowed to the indicated option.

Personality character accentuations: stages

In the course of diagnosing character accentuations, two types of accentuations are distinguished, which differ in severity:

1. Hidden accentuation. This is a common option in which negative character traits make themselves felt only in individual, difficult situations, despite the fact that in ordinary life a person can be quite adequate.
2. Explicit accentuation. This phenomenon is a borderline variant of the norm. In this case, usually throughout a person’s life, in almost any situation, the manifestation of problematic character traits can be noted. A pronounced accentuation in everyday life is usually called “psychopath”.

This general description of character accentuations allows us to distinguish between concepts and give a more correct assessment of a person’s condition.

Accentuations of character and psychopathy

There are special criteria that make it possible to distinguish the accentuation of a person’s character as the boundary of normality from pathology. There are only three of them:

1. A character is called pathological if it is stable and practically does not change throughout life.
2. The degree of negative character manifestations is also very important for diagnosis. If a person has psychopathy, then he displays the same negative traits everywhere, at work, at home, in his close circle, and among strangers. If a person changes depending on conditions, then we are talking specifically about the peculiarities of character accentuation.
3. The most striking sign is the emergence of difficulties due to the character of both the person himself and those around him. If the traits do not interfere with social adaptation, then we are not talking about psychopathy, but about accentuation.

Such signs make it possible to differentiate concepts and determine whether a character is the norm or not.

The typology of characters is usually built on the existence of certain typical traits. Typical are traits and manifestations of character that are common and indicative of a certain group of people.

Accordingly, a character type should be understood as the expression in the individual character of traits common to a certain group of people.

It should also be noted that all typologies of human characters, as a rule, proceed from a number of general ideas.

1. A person’s character is formed relatively early in ontogenesis and throughout the rest of his life manifests itself as a more or less stable personal formation.

2. The combinations of personality traits that make up a person’s character are not random.

3. Most people, in accordance with their main character traits, can be divided into typical groups.

The concept of “accentuation” was introduced into psychology by K. Leonhard. His concept of “accented personalities” was based on the assumption of the presence of basic and additional personality traits. There are significantly fewer main traits, but they are the core of personality and determine its development, adaptation and mental health. When the main traits are significantly expressed, they leave an imprint on the personality as a whole, and under unfavorable circumstances they can destroy the entire structure of the personality.

According to Leonhard, personality accentuations primarily manifest themselves in communication with other people. Therefore, when assessing communication styles, we can identify certain types of accentuations. The classification proposed by Leonhard includes the following types:

1. Hyperthymic type. He is characterized by extreme contact, talkativeness, expressiveness gestures facial expressions, pantomimes. Such a person often spontaneously deviates from the original topic of conversation. He has occasional conflicts with people around him because he does not take his work and family responsibilities seriously enough. People of this type are often the initiators of conflicts themselves, but are upset if others make comments to them about this. Among the positive traits that are attractive to communication partners, people of this type are characterized by energy, thirst for activity, optimism, and initiative. At the same time, they also have some repulsive traits: frivolity, a tendency to immoral acts, increased irritability, projectism, and an insufficiently serious attitude towards their responsibilities. They find it difficult to endure conditions of strict discipline, monotonous activity, and forced loneliness.

1.Dysthymic type. He is characterized by low contact, taciturnity, and a dominant pessimistic mood. Such people are usually homebodies, are burdened by noisy society, rarely enter into conflicts with others, and lead a secluded lifestyle. They highly value those who are friends with them and are ready to obey them. They have the following personality traits that are attractive to communication partners: seriousness, conscientiousness, and a keen sense of justice. They also have repulsive features. This is passivity, slowness of thinking, clumsiness, individualism.

3. Cycloid type. He is characterized by fairly frequent periodic mood changes, as a result of which the manner of communication with other people also often changes.

During periods of high mood, such people are sociable, and during periods of depressed mood, they are withdrawn. During periods of elation, they behave like people with hyperthymic accentuation of character, and during periods of decline, they behave like people with dysthymic accentuation.

4. Excitable type. This type is characterized by low contact in communication, slowness of verbal and non-verbal reactions. Often such people are boring, phony and gloomy, prone to rudeness and abuse, to conflicts in which they themselves are an active, provoking party. They are difficult to get along with in teams and domineering in the family. In an emotionally calm state, people of this type are often conscientious, neat, and love animals and small children. However, in a state of emotional arousal, they are irritable, quick-tempered, and have poor control over their behavior.

5. Stuck type. He is characterized by moderate sociability, boringness, a penchant for moralizing, and taciturnity. In conflicts, such a person usually acts as an initiator, an active party. He strives to achieve high performance in any business he undertakes and places increased demands on himself; especially sensitive to social justice, at the same time touchy, vulnerable, suspicious, vindictive; sometimes overly arrogant, ambitious, jealous, makes exorbitant demands on loved ones and subordinates at work.

6. Pedantic type. A person with this type of accentuation rarely enters into conflicts, acting as a passive rather than an active party in them. In his service, he behaves like a bureaucrat, making many formal demands on those around him. At the same time, he willingly cedes leadership to other people. Sometimes he torments his family with excessive claims to neatness. His attractive traits are conscientiousness, accuracy, seriousness, and reliability in business, while his repulsive traits that contribute to the emergence of conflicts are formalism, boringness, and grumbling.

7. Anxious type. People with this type of accentuation are characterized by: low contact, timidity, self-doubt, and a minor mood. They rarely enter into conflicts with others, playing a mainly passive role in them; in conflict situations they seek support and support. They often have the following attractive traits: friendliness, self-criticism, and diligence. Due to their defenselessness, they also often serve as “scapegoats”, targets for jokes.8. Emotive type. These people prefer to communicate in a narrow circle of select people with whom they establish good contacts and whom they understand “at a glance.” They rarely enter into conflicts themselves, playing a passive role in them. They carry grievances within themselves without “splashing” out. Attractive traits: kindness, compassion, heightened sense of duty, diligence. Repulsive traits: excessive sensitivity, tearfulness.

9. Demonstrative type. This type of accentuation is characterized by the ease of establishing contacts, the desire for leadership, the thirst for power and praise. Such a person demonstrates high adaptability to people and at the same time a tendency to intrigue (with an externally soft manner of communication). People with this type of accentuation irritate others with their self-confidence and high claims, systematically provoke conflicts themselves, but at the same time actively defend themselves. They have the following traits that are attractive to communication partners: courtesy, artistry, the ability to captivate others, originality of thinking and actions. Their repulsive traits: selfishness, hypocrisy, boasting, shirking from work.

10. Exalted type. He is characterized by high contact, talkativeness, and amorousness. Such people often argue, but do not lead to open conflicts. In conflict situations, they are both active and passive parties. At the same time, persons of this typological group are attached and attentive to friends and relatives. They are altruistic, have a sense of compassion, good taste, and show brightness and sincerity of feelings. Repulsive traits: alarmism, susceptibility to momentary moods.

11. Extroverted type. Such people are highly contactable, they have a lot of friends and acquaintances, they are talkative to the point of talkativeness, open to any information, rarely enter into conflicts with others and usually play a passive role in them. When communicating with friends, at work and in the family, they often cede leadership to others, prefer to obey and be in the shadows. They have such attractive traits as a willingness to listen carefully to another, to do what is asked, and diligence. Repulsive peculiarities: susceptibility to influence, frivolity, thoughtlessness of actions, passion for entertainment, participation in the spread of gossip and rumors.

12. Introverted type. It, unlike the previous one, is characterized by very low contact, isolation, isolation from reality, and a tendency to philosophize. Such people love solitude; They come into conflict with others only when they attempt to unceremoniously interfere in their personal lives. They are often emotionally cold idealists with relatively little attachment to people. They have such attractive traits as restraint, strong convictions, and integrity. They also have repulsive features. This is stubbornness, rigidity of thinking, persistent defense of one’s ideas. Such people have their own point of view on everything, which may turn out to be erroneous, differ sharply from the opinions of other people, and yet they continue to defend it, no matter what.

Later, A.E. Lichko proposed a classification of characters based on a description of accentuations. This classification is based on observations of adolescents. Accentuation of character, according to Lichko, is an excessive strengthening of individual character traits, in which deviations in human behavior that do not go beyond the norm, bordering on pathology, are observed. Such accentuations, as temporary mental states, are most often observed in adolescence and early adolescence. Lichko explains this fact as follows: “Under the influence of psychogenic factors that address the “place of least resistance,” temporary adaptation disorders and deviations in behavior may occur” (Lichko A. E., 1983). As a child grows up, the characteristics of his character that appeared in childhood, while remaining quite pronounced, lose their sharpness, but over time they can clearly appear again (especially if a disease occurs).

The classification of character accentuations in adolescents, which Lichko proposed, is as follows:

1. Hyperthymic type. Teenagers of this type are distinguished by their mobility, sociability, and a penchant for mischief. They always make a lot of noise into the events happening around them, and they love the restless company of their peers. Despite good general abilities, they show restlessness, lack of discipline, and study unevenly. Their mood is always good and upbeat. They often have conflicts with adults - parents and teachers. Such teenagers have many different hobbies, but these hobbies, as a rule, are superficial and quickly pass. Teenagers of the hypertympiac type often overestimate their abilities, are too self-confident, strive to show off, boast, and impress others.

2. Cycloid type. Characterized by increased irritability and a tendency to apathy. Teenagers with accentuation of this type of character prefer to be at home alone, instead of going somewhere with their peers. They have a hard time with even minor troubles and react extremely irritably to comments. Their mood periodically changes from elated to depressed (hence the name of this type). The periods of mood swings are approximately two to three weeks.

3. Labile type. This type is characterized by extreme mood variability, and it is often unpredictable. The reasons for an unexpected change in mood can be the most insignificant, for example, someone accidentally dropped a word, someone’s unfriendly look. All of them are capable of sinking into despondency and a gloomy mood in the absence of any serious troubles or failures. The behavior of these teenagers largely depends on their momentary mood. The present and future, depending on the mood, can be perceived either in light or in dark tones. Such teenagers, being in a depressed mood, are in dire need of help and support from those who can improve their mood, who can distract them and cheer them up. They understand and feel the attitude of the people around them well.

4. Asthenoneurotic type. This type is characterized by increased suspiciousness and capriciousness, fatigue and irritability. Fatigue is especially common during intellectual activity.

5. Sensitive type. He is characterized by increased sensitivity to everything: to what pleases and to what upsets or frightens. These teenagers do not like large companies or outdoor games. They are usually shy and timid in front of strangers and therefore are often perceived by others as withdrawn. They are open and sociable only with those whom they know well; they prefer communication with children and adults to communication with peers. They are obedient and show great affection for their parents. In adolescence, such adolescents may experience difficulties adapting to their peer circle, as well as an “inferiority complex.” At the same time, these same teenagers develop a sense of duty quite early and display high moral demands on themselves and the people around them. They often compensate for deficiencies in their abilities by choosing complex activities and increased diligence. These teenagers are picky about finding friends and acquaintances for themselves, show great affection in friendships, and adore friends who are older than them.

6. Psychasthenic type. Such adolescents are characterized by accelerated and early intellectual development, a tendency to think and reason, to introspect and evaluate the behavior of other people. However, they are often stronger in words than in deeds. Their self-confidence is combined with indecision, and categorical judgments are combined with haste in actions taken precisely at those moments when caution and prudence are required.

7. Schizoid type. The most significant feature of this type is isolation. These teenagers are not very drawn to their peers; they prefer to be alone, in the company of adults. They often demonstrate outward indifference to the people around them, lack of interest in them, poorly understand the conditions of other people, their experiences, and do not know how to sympathize. Their inner world is often filled with various fantasies and special hobbies. In the external manifestations of their feelings, they are quite restrained, not always understandable to others, especially to their peers, who, as a rule, do not like them very much.

8. Epileptoid type. These teenagers often cry and harass others, especially in early childhood. Such children, as Lichko notes, love to torture animals, tease younger ones, and mock the helpless. In children's companies they behave like dictators. Their typical traits are cruelty, power, and selfishness. In the group of children they control, such teenagers establish their own strict, almost terroristic orders, and their personal power in such groups rests mainly on the voluntary obedience of other children or on fear. Under conditions of a strict disciplinary regime, they often feel at their best, try to please their superiors, achieve certain advantages over their peers, gain power, and establish their dictatorship over others.

9. Hysterical type. The main feature of this type is egocentrism, a thirst for constant attention to one’s own person. Adolescents of this type often have a tendency toward theatricality, posing, and panache. Such children have great difficulty in enduring when in their presence someone praises their friend, when others are given more attention than themselves. For them, an urgent need is the desire to attract the attention of others, to listen to admiration and praise addressed to them. These teenagers are characterized by claims to an exceptional position among their peers, and in order to influence others

to attract their attention, they often act in groups as instigators and ringleaders. At the same time, being unable to become real leaders and organizers of the cause, or to gain informal authority, they often and quickly fail.

10. Unstable type. He is sometimes mischaracterized as a weak-willed, go-with-the-flow type of person. Adolescents of this type show an increased tendency and craving for entertainment, indiscriminately, as well as for idleness and idleness. They do not have any serious, including professional, interests; they almost never think about their future.

11. Conformal type. Teenagers of this type demonstrate opportunistic, and often simply thoughtless submission to any authority, to the majority in the group. They are usually prone to moralizing and conservatism, and their main life credo is “to be like everyone else.” This is a type of opportunist who, for the sake of his own interests, is ready to betray a comrade, to leave him in difficult times, but no matter what he does, he will always find a “moral” justification for his action, and often more than one.

There are other classifications of character types. For example, a typology of character is widely known, built on the basis of a person’s attitude to life, society and moral values. Its author is E. Fromm, who called this classification a social typology of characters. “Social character,” writes Fromm, “contains... a selection of traits, an essential core of the character structure of the majority of group members, which developed as a result of the basic experience and way of life, common for this group" *. According to the author of this concept, social character determines the thinking, emotions and actions of individuals. Different classes and groups of people existing in society have their own social character. On its basis, certain social, national and cultural ideas develop and gain strength.

However, these ideas are passive in themselves and can become real forces only when they meet special human needs.

Having summarized observational data on the behavior of various people and correlating them with the practice of working in the clinic, E. Fromm derived the following main types of social characters.

1. “Masochist-sadist. This is the type of person who tends to see the reasons for his successes and failures in life, as well as the reasons for observed social events, not in the prevailing circumstances, but in people. In an effort to eliminate these causes, he directs his aggression towards a person who seems to him to be the cause of failure. If we are talking about himself, then his aggressive actions are directed towards himself; if other people act as the cause, then they become victims of his aggressiveness. Such a person does a lot of self-education, self-improvement, and “remaking” people “for the better.” With his persistent actions, exorbitant demands and claims, he sometimes brings himself and those around him to a state of exhaustion. Such a person is especially dangerous for others when he gains power over them: he begins to terrorize them, based on “good intentions.”

According to Fromm, people of this type, along with masochistic tendencies, almost always have sadistic tendencies. They manifest themselves in the desire to make people dependent on themselves, to acquire complete and unlimited power over them, to exploit them, to cause them pain and suffering, to enjoy the way they suffer. This type of person was called by Fromm an authoritarian personality. Similar personal qualities were characteristic of many despots known in history; Fromm included among them Hitler, Stalin and a number of other famous historical figures.

2. ^Destroyer.” It is characterized by pronounced aggressiveness and an active desire to eliminate, destroy the object that caused frustration and the collapse of hopes in a given person. “Destructiveness,” writes Fromm, “is a means of getting rid of the unbearable feeling of powerlessness.” People who experience feelings of anxiety and powerlessness and are limited in the realization of their intellectual and emotional capabilities usually turn to destructiveness as a means of solving their life problems. During periods of great social upheaval, revolutions, and upheavals, they act as the main force that destroys the old, including culture.

3. “Conformist automaton.” Such an individual, faced with intractable social and personal life problems, ceases to “be himself.” He unquestioningly submits to circumstances, to any type of society, to the requirements of a social group, quickly assimilating the type of thinking and mode of behavior that is characteristic of most people in a given situation. Such a person almost never has either his own opinion or an expressed social position. He actually loses his own “I”, his individuality and is accustomed to experiencing exactly those feelings that are expected of him in certain situations. Such a person is always ready to submit to any new authority; if necessary, he quickly and easily changes his beliefs, without particularly thinking about the moral side of such behavior. This is a type of conscious or unconscious opportunist.

The classification of characters depending on belonging to the extroverted and introverted type, proposed by K. Jung, has become widespread. As you remember, extroversion-introversion is considered by modern psychology as a manifestation of temperament. The first type is characterized by the personality’s focus on the surrounding world, the objects of which, like a magnet, attract the interests, vital energy of the subject, what in