Cognitive Concept of Psychological Types in the Context of the

Problem of Intercultural Communication

M. R. Makhaev

1,2 a

, Kh. E. Mamalova

and B. R. Zakrailova

Moscow International University, Nazran, Russia

Kh. Ibragimov Complex Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Grozny, Russia

Chechen State University, Grozny, Russia

Keywords: Psychological Type, Carl Jung, Cognitive Paradigm, Mental Function, Intercultural Communication.

Abstract: This article reveals the theoretical foundations of the cognitive concept of psychological types, which is being

developed by a research team based on the "Laboratory of Cognitive Research of Consciousness named after

Said Makhdikhon Sattorov" and Moscow International University. This concept is positioned as an effective

tool for solving problems of intercultural communication. The cognitive concept is based on the main

provisions of the concept of psychological types by Carl Jung (Jungian Psychological Types Theory). We

have proposed a new terminology for the designation of mental functions (S, I, E, L), classes of mental

functions (class of constructive functions and class of receptive functions), areas of function work (exoversion

and endoversion instead of extraversion and introversion) and 16 psychological types. New definitions are

given to the basic concepts of the theory of psychological types. The psychological type is described as a

cognitive system of receiving, converting, storing and transmitting information.

1 INTRODUCTION

In the context of large-scale globalization, the

problem of intercultural communication is one of the

central ones in modern society (Zhang, 2011; Shi,

2015).

Fundamental and applied research on this

problem is carried out within the framework of

various scientific disciplines (Sun, 2017).

In particular, the problem of intercultural

communication is studied in differential psychology.

We believe that typological concepts are effective

tools for solving the problem of intercultural

communication.

The typological approach makes it possible to

analyze intercultural communications in the context

of identifying the behavioral characteristics of

representatives of different cultures.

Modern psychological scientists claim the

existence of a national character, as

stable features characteristic of members of a

particular national (ethnic) community, features of

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4238-3663

perception of the world, motives of actions (ideas,

interests, religion).

The peculiarities and specifics of the behavior of

a particular nation is a structural element of the

national character.

We believe that each ethnic group belongs to a

certain psychological type.

In modern differential psychology, Carl Jung's

theory of psychological types has proved to be

promising.

The theory of psychological types was first

outlined by Carl Jung in the work "Psychological

types" in 1921 (Jung, 2001).

The Swiss scientist, as a result of long-term

observations of the behavior of his patients, came to

the conclusion that there are stable typical differences

between people.

Jung introduced a number of terms to denote the

typical differences he discovered: "extraversion" and

"introversion" as two attitudes, as well as "thinking",

"feeling", "sensation" and "intuition" as four mental

functions.

Makhaev, M., Mamalova, K. and Zakrailova, B.

Cognitive Concept of Psychological Types in the Context of the Problem of Intercultural Communication.

DOI: 10.5220/0011608400003577

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Actual Issues of Linguistics, Linguodidactics and Intercultural Communication (TLLIC 2022), pages 131-135

ISBN: 978-989-758-655-2

 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

131

1.1 Extroversion-Introversion

By extraversion, Jung meant the direction of psychic

energy (libido) outward – to objects of external

reality.

Introversion, on the contrary, presupposes the

direction of psychic energy to the inner world of the

subject.

Thus, an extrovert in his life is influenced by

external objective processes, and also influences them

himself.

An introvert, on the contrary, seeks to distract his

consciousness from external objects, "... as if he had

to protect himself from the excessive power of the

object" (Jung, 2001).

An introvert is focused on his subjective

experiences, feelings, mental states. For an extrovert,

objective facts, external processes and states are a

priority. By mental function, Jung meant a form of

mental activity (a form of libido manifestation),

which fundamentally remains equal to itself under

various circumstances.

Jung used 4 mental functions in his classification.

1.2 Thinking – Feeling

If the functional essence of thinking is the definition

of what something that exists means, then the essence

of feeling lies in the value significance of what exists.

People with a dominant thinking function

(thinking types) give more weight to reason in their

decisions. Judgments of the thinking type are based

on what meaning should be attributed to the facts in

question. And the way in which an individual deals

with the facts themselves will depend on this meaning

(Jung, 2001).

Feeling types neglect thinking in favor of the

emotional factor (feelings) and the adaptation of the

individual will depend entirely on the sensory

evaluation that he attributes to these facts

(Jung, 2001).

1.3 Sensation – Intuition

The functional essence of sensation is to establish that

something exists, and the essence of intuition is to

assume where this something came from and where it

should go.

People with a predominant sensation function

(sensing types) are focused on the reality tangible by

the senses, on specific events, details.

For people with a predominant function of

intuition (intuitive types), on the contrary, actual

reality is taken into account only to the extent that it

looks like it provides shelter to opportunities that

become the main driving force, regardless of the way

in which real things are presented in the present

(Jung, 2001).

1.4 Rationality – Irrationality

All these four mental functions were distributed by

Jung into two classes: a class of rational functions and

a class of irrational functions.

Rational functions most fully fulfill their purpose

in accordance with the laws of reason, principles and

norms.

The essence of irrational functions is the pure

perception of reality.

Thus, the class of rational functions includes

thinking and feeling, since it is the moment of

judgment (the relationship with principles and norms)

that has a decisive influence in their work.

Sensation and intuition are irrational functions,

since they detach themselves from everything rational

(extra-rational).

1.5 Psychological Types

Jung emphasized that in the struggle for existence and

adaptation, each person instinctively uses his most

developed (differentiated) function, which as a result

becomes the criterion of the habitual way of reacting.

For example, for a thinking type focused on

objective logical judgments, sensation, feeling and

intuition recede into the background.

Each of the most developed mental functions can

function in two settings: extroverted and introverted.

As a result, the combination of two attitudes and

functions allowed Jung to discover 8 psychological

types (Table 1).

Table 1: Classification of Jung's psychological types.

Attitudes \

Function

classes

Rational

functions

Irrational functions

Extroverts

Extroverted

thinkin

Extroverted sensing

Extroverted

feelin

Extroverted

intuitive t

Introverts

Introverted

thinking type

Introverted sensing

type

Introverted

feelin

Introverted intuitive

TLLIC 2022 - I INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE "ACTUAL ISSUES OF LINGUISTICS, LINGUODIDACTICS AND

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2 MATERIALS AND METHODS

Our research team is based on the "Laboratory of

Cognitive Research of Consciousness named after

Said Makhdikhon Sattorov" and Moscow

International University has developed a new

cognitive concept of psychological types based on the

developments of Carl Jung.

Our concept is developed within the framework

of the cognitive paradigm, the basic category of

which is the category "information".

By information we mean a set of information

about external (objects) and internal (subjective

states) reality, which can be perceived, transformed,

transmitted and stored in memory in a certain way.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Jung correctly noted that psychology is a virgin land

where the language still needs to gain a foothold. The

temperature, as you know, can be measured in

Reaumur, Celsius or Fahrenheit, and the only thing to

do here is to say which method was used to measure

in each given case (Jung, 2001).

In the cognitive concept, the terminological

apparatus of the theory of psychological types has

been updated.

Jung defined mental function as a form of mental

activity that remains equal to itself in various

situations.

Since Jung associated mental function with the

concept of "libido" ("psychic energy"), it (mental

function) is a form of manifestation of libido (at a

certain energy level).

However, the concept of "libido" ("psychic

energy") is excluded from our terminological

apparatus, since it is vague and speculative in its

content, and also corresponds to the foundations of

psychoanalysis to a greater extent.

Our concept is developed within the framework of

the cognitive paradigm and in it the description of

mental functions is based on the category

"information", which, along with such categories as

"substance" and "energy" is one of the fundamental in

modern science.

Thus, the attitude in the cognitive concept is a

source of information flows (internal and external),

the mental function is a form of information

manifestation, and the psychological type is a

cognitive system (detailed definition in 3.5).

3.1 Endoversion – Exoversion

The terms extroversion – introversion, many years

after the publications of Carl Jung, have become

ambiguous.

This is largely due to the fact that the original

interpretations of these terms have been proposed by

various psychologists (for example, Eysenck).

We consider it correct to use the new terms

"exoversion" and "endoversion" instead of the usual

terms "extraversion" -"introversion".

We also propose to consider attitudes as types of

intentionality, and not libido directions, as in Jung.

Intentionality is the focus of consciousness on

certain sources of information.

If a person's consciousness is directed to external

sources of information, then this is an exovert

intentionality. Therefore, an exovert is a type aimed

primarily at external objects.

Endovert intentionality is the orientation of

consciousness towards internal sources of

information.

A person with a predominant endovert

intentionality – endovert, on the contrary, is

concerned with distracting his consciousness from

objects, "... as if he had to protect himself from the

excessive power of the object" (Jung, 2001).

His attention is directed from external objects to

himself, to his Ego.

To denote these two types of intentionality, we

have introduced two corresponding signs: a) the "+"

sign for the exoversion b) the "-" sign for the

endoversion.

3.2 Class of Constructive Functions and

Class of Receptive Functions

As noted above, Carl Jung divided the four mental

functions into two classes, which he called the class

of rational functions and the class of irrational

functions.

In our opinion, the concepts of "rational" and

"irrational" are not quite correct to apply to the

analysis of functions.

For example, a feeling type (according to Jung)

may well behave irrationally if its dominant sense

function has tremendous power over it.

We believe that those functions, the essence of

which consists in the absolute perception of reality,

are more correctly called receptive functions (from

the Latin word "receptio").

Accordingly, the functions, the essence of which

is to coordinate actions with the laws of reason,

Cognitive Concept of Psychological Types in the Context of the Problem of Intercultural Communication

133

principles and norms, we will call constructive

functions (from the Latin "constructivus").

3.3 Receptive functions: Sensitive

function (S function) – Intuitive

function (I function)

S function is a receptive mental function associated

with the reception, transformation, transmission and

storage of information about specific properties of

objects (S+) and the state of their internal

environment (S-).

I function is a receptive mental function

associated with the reception, transformation and

transmission of information about the potential of

objects (I+) and subjective images (I-).

3.4 Constructive functions: Logitive

Function (L function) – Emotive

Function (E function)

L function is a constructive mental function

associated with the reception, transformation,

transmission and storage of information about

external (L+) and internal (L-) objective laws and

processes.

E function is a constructive mental function

associated with the perception, transformation,

transmission and storage of information about

feelings, emotional states and values manifested in

the act of communication (E+) or in the process of

self-reflection (E-).

3.5 Psychological Types

The psychological type is a cognitive system of

receiving, transforming (processing), transmitting

and storing information (its various forms),

possessing intelligence and will.

Information exchange is carried out with the help

of four mental functions.

16 psychological types were identified in the

cognitive concept (see table 2).

The fact is that we identify a psychological type

not by one dominant function, as Jung did, but by two

dominant functions.

A similar method of identifying psychological

types is also used in other typological concepts

(Filatova, 2012; Tieger, Barron-Tieger, 2011;

Augustinaviciute, 1997; Briggs Myers, Myers, 2014).

Of the two dominant functions, one will be

constructive and the other receptive.

Dominant functions are the strongest functions

that process information as differentially as possible

and in large volumes. These functions are dominant.

Accordingly, the least powerful functions will be

subdominant.

For example, if S and L are dominant, then I and

E will be subdominant.

In addition, it is important to take into account that

the functions are in one of two possible positions: the

basic position and the subsidiary position (Jung used

the terms "main" and "auxiliary").

If for a type with dominant S and L functions, the

latter (i.e. L) is the basic, then S will be subsidiary.

This is a constructive sensitive-logitive type, since it

is the constructive function that is the base for it.

If, on the contrary, S is basic and L is subsidiary,

then this is a receptive sensitive-logitive type.

In addition, if the receptive sensitive-logitive type

is an exovert (S+, L+), then it is a sensitive-logitive

exovert, i.e. its dominant functions are aimed at

performing operations with external sources of

information.

The dominant function in the base position is the

most powerful function.

If the power of each function is evaluated on a

four-point scale, then the dominant function in the

base position has 4 points.

The dominant function in the subsidiary position

is an auxiliary dominant function, has a power of 3

points.

The subdominant function in the basic position

has a power of 2 points, and the subdominant function

in the subsidiary position has a power of 1 point (is

the weakest).

Table 2: Classification of Psychological Types in the

Cognitive Concept.

Type of intentionality

Constructive types Receptive

types

Exoverts S+

(

L+

)

(

S+

)

L+

I+

(

E+

)

(

I+

)

E+

S+

(

E+

)

(

I+

)

L+

I+ (L+) (S+) E+

Endoverts S- (L-) (S-) L-

I-

(

E-

)

(

I-

)

E-

S-

(

E-

)

(

I-

)

L-

I-

(

L-

)

(

S-

)

E-

3.6 Psychological Types

Jung was right when he argued that the basic

psychological functions in the same individual rarely

or almost never have the same strength or the same

degree of development. Usually one of the functions

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has a preponderance in both development and

strength (Jung, 2011).

The strength of the functions within the

framework of the developed field model (F model) is

proposed to be determined by the degree of their

brightness in the field system.

The degree of brightness of mental functions is

calculated by the formula (1)

A/G (1)

where A is the number of positive responses for a

function in the test, and G is the total number of

responses in the test for the same function.

For example, if in the test for calculating the

degree of brightness of constructive functions, 15

positive answers to L and 5 positive answers to E

were obtained from 20 questions, then the brightness

coefficient of the L function is 0.75, and the

brightness coefficient of the E function is 0.25.

If in the test for calculating the degree of

brightness of receptive functions, 11 positive answers

to S and 9 positive answers to I were obtained from

20 questions, then the brightness coefficient of the S

function is 0.55, and the brightness coefficient of the

I function is 0.45.

Thus, the dominant functions – L and S are

identified.

The next step is to determine whether the type is

an endovert or an exovert (that is, the type of

intentionality), and whether it is constructive or

receptive.

This problem is solved in a similar way, i.e. the

brightness coefficients of these parameters are also

calculated.

Let the test for the type of intentionality have 13

positive responses to the exoversion and 7 positive

responses to the endoversion. It turns out: the degree

of exovertibility is 0.65, and the degree of

endovertibility is 0.35.

Similarly, in the test for determining

constructivity-receptivity. Let the constructivity be

0.35 and the receptivity be 0.65.

Thus, a receptive sensitive-logitive exovert, i.e.

(S+) L+, has been identified.

For this type, the basic dominant function is the S

function, and the subsidiary dominant function is the

L function.

Since this is an exovert type, both dominant

functions have a "+" direction, i.e. they are aimed at

performing operations with external concrete objects.

Accordingly, the subdominant functions will be I-

and E-

Our model is called a field model because it

describes the psychological type as a field system

with a core and periphery.

The core of the field is occupied by the strongest

(dominant) functions – in our case, these are S+, L+.

The weakest (subdominant) functions are

peripheral (I- and E-).

4 CONCLUSIONS

Thus, in this article, the theoretical and

methodological foundations of the cognitive concept

of psychological type, developed by an international

team of scientists based on the typological ideas of

Carl Jung, were outlined.

The cognitive concept considers the

psychological type as a cognitive system of receiving,

processing, storing and transmitting information.

This cognitive process is carried out by 4 mental

functions working in two directions: external

(exoversion) and internal (endoversion).

A total of 16 such cognitive systems have been

identified.

Our concept can be used in solving problems of

intercultural communication, because it allows us to

see psychological types in representatives of each

culture and predict the interaction between them.

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