Unknowns of the Psyche's 8 Functions · Part 3 · 2016
Questim & Declatim Functions
From 8 to 12 Functions
Questim & Declatim Functions · V.L.Taranov 2016
V.L.Taranov's 2016 paper (Part 3). It adds four new functions to the existing 8-function system based on the cognitive-style axis of questim/declatim (Questim-Declatim), proposing a 12-function system. The four — white questim function (Qi), black questim function (Qe), white declatim function (Di), black declatim function (De) — are rational (evaluative) functions corresponding to the four divisions of the frontal/temporal regions of the right/left brain.
Source
sociotoday.narod.ru/funkc_3.html
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V.L.Taranov, "Can Psychological Types Be Quantified? The Introduction of Four New Mental Functions," 2016
Two Findings of the Research
This paper (Part 3) contains two main findings. The first part is the statistical verification of psychological-type boundaries: at every pair of the 16 types' boundaries there is a population density of more than 30%, showing that type boundaries are "not empty." Even at boundaries of opposing or mutually complementary types they are not empty.
The second part is the introduction of four new functions: based on the cognitive-style axis of Questim and Declatim, a 12-function system that adds four to the existing 8 was proposed. After introducing the four functions, the mutual relationships among 15 socionic traits acquire a symmetric and complete structure.
What Are Questim and Declatim?
Concepts derived from socionics' known dichotomy "Questim and Declatim." Questims tend to make statements interrogatively and without emphasis, and not to push opinions on others. Declatims make assertive statements and tend to express their own claims clearly. Taranov decomposed this axis to the function level and formulated it as four independent functions.
All four functions are rational (evaluative) functions, sharing properties with logical and ethical functions but not fully coinciding. Each has its own neuroscientific basis and forms mutually complementary relationships with the existing 8 functions. Just as the Logos-Ethos pair, Qi and De (white-black static-dynamic pair) and Qe and Di (black-white static-dynamic pair) form complementary function pairs.
Connection to Democracy/Aristocracy
The combination of Qi (white questim) and De (black declatim) provides the neuroscientific basis of democracy. Like De, Qi is associated with overactivity of the left-brain frontal region, and both share egalitarian, open-toward-others properties. On the other hand, the combination of Qe (black questim) and Di (white declatim) is the basis of aristocracy. Qi and Di are associated with temporal-region overactivity and are closely tied to ancient hypothalamic instincts (aggression, territoriality). With this introduction, the democracy/aristocracy dichotomy becomes fully neuroscientifically explainable for the first time.
From 8 to 12 Functions
To the existing 8 functions (Ne·Ni·Se·Si·Te·Ti·Fe·Fi), 4 functions derived from the questim/declatim axis are added. These 4 functions are rational (evaluative) functions, and like logical/ethical functions form static/dynamic and white/black pairs.
Three grounds for the introduction:
1. These functions are provided by the cerebral cortex (like logical and ethical functions).
2. Questim/declatim functions are related to the evaluation of information.
3. In all 16 themes, rational, logical, and ethical functions cast a shadow.
1. These functions are provided by the cerebral cortex (like logical and ethical functions).
2. Questim/declatim functions are related to the evaluation of information.
3. In all 16 themes, rational, logical, and ethical functions cast a shadow.
Right-brain questim functions are advantageous in the selection stage of judging an appropriate solution in situational judgment. Left-brain declatim functions are advantageous in the subsequent execution stage of the solution. Right-brain questim functions help in solving discovery tasks; left-brain declatim functions help more in utilizing already-fixated skills.
Structure of the 12 Functions
Right brain (questim functions)
Qi
White questim function (static)
Frontal
Qe
Black questim function (dynamic)
Temporal
Left brain (declatim functions)
Di
White declatim function (static)
Temporal
De
Black declatim function (dynamic)
Frontal
Qi and Di are rational static functions (white-element side); Qe and De are rational dynamic functions (black-element side). The full set of 12 functions forms 6 pairs of complementary functions (Fe↔Ti, Te↔Fi, Qe↔Di, Qi↔De, Ne↔Si, Se↔Ni), with the properties of each pair's poles opposing yet complementing each other.
These 6 pairs correspond quantitatively to the 6 axes of the HEXACO personality model, but Taranov argues that function-based axis directions are physiologically and genetically more appropriate.
Q
The main properties of the white questim function (Qi) are roughly the inverse of those of De (black declatim function), which produces a marriage-like attraction between the two functions. Features of Qi: lack of confidence and frequent doubt or hesitation in evaluation/decision. Excessive self-criticism, lack of confidence and forcefulness. Fear of darkness (similarly, fear of any information blocking that limits the data needed for the error-detector to function). Avoidance of eye contact (also a result of lack of confidence and excessive self-criticism). Avoidance of risky situations. Strikingly painful reaction to any injustice. Lastly, individualism — resistance to obligatory collective activities and values imposed from outside (this feature is also seen in the black questim function, but the persistent importance of independence from the pressure of others' opinions is most typical of Qi). Qi is also characterized by high self-demand, responsibility, and perfectionism (introverted, rational properties), and a tendency to reduce egoism and align common interests (world, people, group) with one's own interest.
Neuroscientific basis:Indicates intensified activation of the frontal zone of the right cerebral cortex. Closely related to active functioning of the right-brain's powerful error-detector. Malicious explosive reactions and temporal-lobe-epilepsy symptoms uncharacteristic of Qi usually arise from intensified activation of the right-brain temporal-lobe region. Low activation of the temporal cortex (including auditory cortex) is also associated with the visual channel being dominant over the auditory channel as the main information source.
Main properties (from funkc_3.html questionnaire traits)
- Lack of confidence; frequent doubt or hesitation in evaluation/decision
- Excessive self-criticism; lack of confidence and forcefulness
- Fear of darkness (fear of information blocking)
- Avoidance of eye contact
- Avoidance of risky situations
- Strikingly painful reaction to any injustice
- Individualism — resistance to obligatory collective activities imposed from outside
- High self-demand, responsibility, and perfectionism
- Reduced egoism; tendency to align common interests with one's own
- Questim speech style — tendency to state interrogatively and without emphasis
- Persistent importance of independence from the pressure of others' opinions
Q
Main properties of the black questim function (Qe): tendency toward critical disagreement and negation, impatient opposition to others' opinions, hypersensitivity, explosiveness, vindictiveness. In both visual and auditory analyzers, the right-hemisphere portion is dominant (to a lesser degree than Qi). Predisposition to explosiveness indicates particular hyperactivity of the right temporal-lobe cortex and hippocampal cortex — usually seen in right-temporal-lobe epilepsy, arising from excitation radiating from the right temporal cortex to the right hypothalamic nucleus. Qe operates in the posterior part of the right cerebral cortex (temporal); Qi operates in the anterior part (frontal). Those with Qe may show outbursts of anger (which subside quickly) and some dangerous aggression. Qe is characterized as an aristocratic function (perhaps even more contrastive than the balance of ethical/logical functions). Qe's work occurs primarily in the posterior part of the right cerebral cortex (temporal).
Neuroscientific basis:Associated with activation of the temporal region of the right cerebral cortex. Outbursts of anger arise from activation of the right temporal-lobe cortex and hippocampal cortex. Those with this function show characteristic symptoms related to excitation of ancient hypothalamic instincts — association with hostile explosive reactions and with the onset of sexual reactions (less in degree than ChS ≈ Se). High activation of the temporal-lobe cortex (including auditory cortex) is characteristic, indicating dominance of the auditory analyzer.
Main properties (from funkc_3.html questionnaire traits)
- Strong tendency toward critical disagreement and negation
- Impatient opposition to others' opinions
- Hypersensitivity and explosiveness (predisposition to outbursts of anger that subside quickly)
- Vindictiveness — difficulty being released from long-held grudges
- Right-hemisphere portion of visual analyzer is dominant
- Connection with excitation of ancient hypothalamic instincts
- Enjoys arguing in debate; tendency to "corner" opponents
- If they believe the minority is right, they assert it to the majority without fear
- Connection with aristocratic properties (harsh attitude toward outgroups)
- Properties related to right-temporal-region overactivity
D
Main properties of the white declatim function (Di): conservatism (because critically evaluating everything new is difficult, must rely on others' opinions). Stickiness of thought (perseverance) — every action must be carried through to completion, and sentences must be spoken to the end. Tolerance for monotonous activity. Uncritical credulity toward instructed information. Negative attitude toward multi-coloredness / multi-choice (because choosing is difficult). Positive, dogmatic attitude toward discipline and obedience (as a means of simplifying life). Demand for paternalistic societies with authoritarian regimes (where one can also rise high simply by being an uncritical, obedient, unthinking executor of orders). Weakened self-criticism (common to all declatims). Furthermore, related to Di: from Nicholas I to Dostoevsky, supporters of conservative ideology had above-average Di.
Neuroscientific basis:Associated with dominant overactivity of the temporal region (especially temporal lobe and hippocampal cortex) of the left cerebral cortex. Responsible for executing/maintaining fixated beliefs and skills. Functions more effectively at the activity stage with skills fixated after training. In contrast to De, which mainly affects only the frontal region, Di is associated with the temporal region.
Main properties (from funkc_3.html questionnaire traits)
- Conservatism — difficulty critically evaluating new things
- Stickiness of thought (perseverance) — need to complete started actions/sentences to the end
- High tolerance for monotonous activity
- Uncritical credulity toward instructed information
- Negative attitude toward multi-choice (decisions are difficult)
- Positive, dogmatic attitude toward discipline and obedience
- Affinity for authoritarian / paternalistic societies
- Weakened self-criticism (common to declatims overall)
- Difficulty switching — hard to transition between tasks
- Historical connection with conservative ideology
D
Main properties of the black declatim function (De): hyperactivity. Tendency toward optimism, cheerfulness, and laughter. Talkativeness. Tolerance of long monotonous, intensive loads (like a marathon). Tolerance and difficulty being irritated. Trust and goodwill toward people. Effort to approach at short distances. Suggestibility. Generosity in which anger subsides quickly. Self-confidence and conceit (walking around "with belly thrust forward"). Tendency to prioritize "quantity over quality" in activity, betting on quantity over perfectionist insistence. High "assertive" speech style (what is typically understood as declativeness in the narrow sense). No "eternal" problems or doubts. The position of those with De: "the world is simple and beautiful, there is nothing complicated." Unlike Di, no "sticky" features that irritate ordinary people are found in their behavior; through energy, good personality, self-confidence, and openness, they easily accept any signs of life around them.
Neuroscientific basis:Affects only the frontal region of the left cerebral cortex; the temporal region remains under-activated. The absence of epileptic-like symptoms common to temporal-cortex hyperactivity, and indifference to the auditory information channel (preferring to speak due to overactivity of the frontal speech area), indicate this. De subjects prefer speaking (overactivity of the anterior speech area) over listening (overactivity of the temporal cortex).
Main properties (from funkc_3.html questionnaire traits)
- Hyperactivity, optimism, cheerfulness, tendency to laughter
- Talkative — prefers speaking to listening
- High tolerance for long monotonous, intensive loads
- Tolerance and difficulty being irritated
- Trust and goodwill toward people
- Approachability at short distances — quickly opens up
- Suggestibility
- Generous goodwill in which anger subsides quickly
- Self-confidence and conceit (high self-affirmation)
- Tendency to prioritize quantity over quality in activity
- High assertive speech style (asserting without doubt)
- Indifference to "eternal" problems and questions
- No "stickiness" of thought — none of Di's conservative stagnation
Q&A — On the Introduction of the Questim/Declatim Functions
Q1. Is LII always Questim (Qi)?
In other words, are introverted/rational/logical/intuitive people necessarily white questim and not declatim? An exact answer requires research. Some positive correlation should exist, but the connection is likely weak. Variation in questim/declatim may signify that the function in question is in the program position. For instance, there are two male IEI characters; both are interrogatively doubting, and another is similarly an unwavering Di-type, conservative — confirmed by the author's observation.
Q2. Are questim/declatim functions the only ones closely related to brain hemisphere asymmetry?
No, not only those. White sensing shows clear directionality toward the left-brain frontal area (especially in Si and De, many properties are likely high in questim-ness). White sensing also shows attraction to the right brain. Therefore, it should not be surprising if Ni and Qi/Qe, Si and De, show above-standard correlations. Numerical correlations from experiments — all sociodiagnostic questionnaires including the author's are not yet aimed at measuring questim/declatim function values with sufficient precision. This is a task for subsequent refinement research.
Q3. Is optimism a feature of declatim?
Compared with declativeness, optimism is considered a far more "powerful" social trait than questim-ness. With respect to forming new functions, the appearance of the function situation following four unprecedented properties (positivism, democracy, process, questim) is a direct result caused by intuitive/sensing functions. What acts as the function of optimism is the property of negativism/optimism; the content of questim/declatim affects the property of pessimism/optimism but goes far beyond it.
Q4. Three grounds for introducing the four functions
First, they are provided by the cerebral cortex (like logical/ethical functions). Second, questim/declatim functions are related to the evaluation of information. Third, in all 16 themes, rational, logical, and ethical functions cast a shadow. Right-brain questim functions are advantageous in the stage of selecting an appropriate solution in situational judgment; left-brain declatim functions are advantageous in the subsequent stage of executing the solution.
Conclusion
1
On Type Boundaries
The hypothesis of strict boundaries between psychological types has been decisively and unconditionally refuted by this study. The hypothesis of half-eliminated boundaries (appearing at the level of statistical tendencies) is considered neither refuted nor confirmed. More detailed verification requires research using sociodiagnostic questionnaires whose questions ensure maximum equality in the dispersion loading of all 136 diagnostic vectors used. Border-type representatives exist in reality, in great numbers. That people with such pronounced properties really exist in psychology can also be confirmed by anyone's experience.
2
On the Introduction of Questim/Declatim Functions
The four additional socionic functions introduced in this paper (white and black questim, white and black declatim) are rational (evaluative) functions with clear substantive content and fairly understandable physiological basis. After their introduction, the structure of relationships among 15 social properties takes a symmetric form and acquires fully complete properties. Therefore, their introduction is justified and appropriate. The functions of the questim pole of the brain are clearly drawn to the right cerebral cortex (white questim Qi to the frontal region, black questim Qe to the temporal region). The functions of the declatim pole are likewise drawn to the left cerebral cortex (Qi and Di are rational static functions; Qe and De are rational dynamic functions).
3
The Full Set of 12 Functions
The full set of 12 functions yields 6 complementary function pairs (Fe-Ti, Te-Fi, Qe-Di, Qi-De, etc.), on the basis of which 6 personality traits can be constructed. Quantitatively, these properties match the most modern 6-factor model of personality (HEXACO), but the directions of the function-based personality-trait axes have, compared with HEXACO, clearly more physiological grounding and are more genetically appropriate. Questions about the mutual relationships within TIM of the two groups of rational functions (logical/ethical and questim/declatim) are not fully clarified and require further research.