Evidence
- Empathic or Intellectual or Practical or Social
- Leader or Teacher or Explorer or Fighters
The eight type names are all evidence based concepts - adhering to real networks in the brain. The sub-types are equally based on science:
- Active or Stable or Hyperactive or Passive
Worldviews
Your worldview represents your
needs, what activities you need to engage in to retain your health, attention, and motivation. It also represents what you are conscious of, and what you focus on in the world around you.
Empathy
Our information about empathy is derived from scientific research on the Frontopolar and Default-mode network in the brain. In difference with the psychological definition, we define empathy as the ability to consciously give or speculate on the personality, values and inner motives to both human and non-human objects, and the ability to consciously alter or change your personality, values, and motives. In neojungian typology's science section, the frontopolar network is mapped under the name Abstract Association along with research on Conceptual thinking, while the Default-mode network is mapped under the name 'Organic Encoding'.
Intelligence
Intellectual types use networks in the brain related to Abstract Association (The Frontopolar network & Conceptual thinking) and Mechanic Encoding (The Task-positive network & Procedural memories). It's semi-related to the psychological concept of fluid intelligence, but these types may not necessarily score high on IQ tests depending on how they express their intelligence. Instead, we define intellectual types by their ability to consciously speculate on or give patterns to how the environment and the people/objects in an environment are structured to function, as well as the ability to change how the environment or how objects function depending on what is considered efficient.
Social thinking
Social thinking is also, in part, related to the psychological definition of empathy. Relying on Organic Encoding (Episodic thinking & motive/personality based thinking) and Concrete Association. (Empirical, tangible thinking.) Social types are defined by their ability to map out and remember the identity, appearance and values of the people in their environment, their social roles, expectations, and duties, as well as their ability to change and alter people's behavior and social expectations.
Temperaments
A temperament represents a behavioral response: how you do something, and how you express something. Your temperament ties in with your worldview, causing an unique way of expressing your worldview, your values, and your thoughts to others.
Attention temperaments
Leaders and Explorers have a higher attention span than the other two types, as a result of the genotype Val/Met. When healthy, they understand new information faster than the other temperaments. Their working memory is higher. They show a higher awareness and concentration than Fighters and Teachers, and can retain their concentration for a longer time than Teachers and Fighters can. They are less sensitive to depressions and can function more easily despite experiencing overall low motivation and energy, acting based on what they know they must do. They are more driven by learning and gaining new information and knowledge. When healthy, they can pick up on and notice alot in their environment that other types miss.
Energy temperaments
Teachers and Fighters have a higher energy and overall motivation than the other two types. Teachers and Fighters show an overall higher motivation and spirit than Leaders and Explorers, at the cost of being less aware and knowledgeable. Teachers and Fighters are more sensitive to the effects of depression, finding it very difficult to function when their energy or motivation drops. They are more driven by emotional incentives and having pleasant experiences, and they can maintain intense emotional states longer than Leaders and Explorers do. When healthy, they can make decisions faster than the other types.
Leadership
Leader-types are based on the neurological network 'top-down processing' (Evaluative thinking) which is used to study your current knowledge, values, and thoughts
before you take in new information, as well as to filter out information that doesn't fit in your system. Leaders also use the neurological function 'proactive control' (Execution) which is used when your mind is set on a decision or goal, and when you keep yourself and the people in your group in the direction of said decisions/goals.
Exploring
Explorers use the neurological network 'bottom-up processing' (Explorative thinking) to study new information and changes and to make sure your current knowledge is updated and accurate with the present moment. Explorers can't filter out information that they dislike, and instead are driven to act to remove information that is wrong or inappropriate from their surroundings. Explorers, like teachers, rely on 'reactive control' (Processing) which is used to brainstorm options, possibilities, and to reconsider decisions and goals, causing them to adapt to changes, and to make decisions based on their gut and what feels right in the moment, rather than to follow prior decisions and goals.
Teaching
Teacher-types rely on the neurological network 'top down processing' (Evaluative thinking) just as leaders do, to study their current knowledge, values, and thoughts
before reacting to new information, as well as to filter out new information that doesn't fit. But Teachers instead of proactive control, use reactive control (Processing) which is used to brainstorm options, possibilities, and to gather information or insight
before making a decision. Teachers prepare for possible events ahead of time.
Fighters
Fighters use the neurological network 'bottom up processing' (Explorative thinking) to study new information and changes, and to make sure your current knowledge is updated and accurate with the present moment. Fighters can't filter out information that they dislike, and instead are driven to act to remove information that is wrong or inappropriate from their surroundings. Fighters, like Leaders, rely on 'proactive control' (Execution) which is used when your mind is set on a decision or goal, and when you keep yourself and the people in your group in the direction of said decisions/goals.
Sub-types
In comparison with the other concepts, the sub-types aren't based on any specific networks in the brain. Instead, they are based on our modulation of energy and attention. Attention reflects consciousness and awareness, while energy represents motivation and preferences. The sub-types reveal how intimately personality is connected with health, motivation, and focus in neojungian typology. By studying your personality and your sub-types,
you can learn more about how to deal with concentration and motivation-related issues.
The Active State
When in an active state, your prefrontal dopamine levels begin to gradually increase. As a result, your attention span is fairly high. You can fairly easily visualize what is coming up ahead. You can somewhat easily make changes and plans. You can with effort resist impulses and guide your responses ahead of time. Active states cause medium exciteability. We feel overall motivated to act. We feel pleasure when we complete tasks successfully. We can make decisions fairly easily. Things feel overall exciting, refreshing and new. We begin to anticipate changes, as dopamine not only increases in the prefrontal regions, but also in the striatal regions, responsible for making us feel motivated and excited. When we are in an active state, we are in touch with ourselves, feeling mindful and centered. When dopamine levels run high, this state makes us experience a state of flow.
The Stable State
Stable states cause our overall exciteability to gradually decrease. We begin to struggle with motivation, and we don’t feel as motivated upon completion of tasks. As a plus, we are resistant to emotional turmoil, and we can ignore negative emotions more easily. We struggle to make decisions. Things feel mundane, like we’re stuck in a rut, which can lead to depression long-term, but can also boost critical thinking – helping us see things more realistically. This is the result of low levels of striatal dopamine. When in a stable state, your prefrontal dopamine levels gradually increase, potentially to very high levels. As a result, your attention span peaks in this state, causing a state of hyperfocus. You can easily visualize what is ahead. You can make changes and plans whenever necessary. You can resist impulses and guide your responses ahead of time and for a long period of time. The Stable type responds to how we are when our clarity is at its highest, but when our motivation is overall low.
The Hyperactive State
Hyperactive states cause higher exciteability. We feel motivated to act. We feel satisfied when we complete tasks. We can make decisions easily. Things feel exciting, refreshing and new. We’re highly anticipative, wanting something new to happen, which can lead to restlessness. This is the result of gradually increasing striatal dopamine, which tends to peak when we are in this state. Our prefrontal dopamine is low, causing us to struggle to visualize what is ahead. We think less clearly. We struggle to maintain our attention and focus. We find it hard to resist impulses and to guide our responses in a careful manner. The hyperactive sub-type corresponds to how we are when our energy and motivation is at it's highest, but when we struggle to think clearly.
The Passive State
Passive states cause our overall exciteability to drop. We struggle with motivation, and we don’t feel satisfied upon completion of tasks. We struggle to make decisions. Things feel mundane, like we’re stuck in a rut, which can lead to depression. This is the result of gradually decreasing striatal dopamine. Our prefrontal dopamine is also decreasing, causing us to struggle to visualize what is ahead. We think less clearly, and are highly susceptible to becoming manipulated or controlled by others. We struggle to maintain our attention and focus. We find it hard to resist impulses and to guide our responses in a careful manner. The Passive type responds to how we are when our overall brain activity is low, and when we lack incentives. We are emotionally detached and in a state of auto-pilot.
In-depth resources
Advanced resources can be read about here.