There are four archetypal models of behavior in society that are described in numerous typologies. In socionics, they are commonly referred to as subtypes (read more about subtypes here: bestsocionics.com/subtypes).
D-subtype (Dominant) – a leader, manager, coordinator; a person who strives to organize others, communicate with the team, and negotiate. They adapt well to corporate rules of behavior and easily find an approach to people.
N-subtype (Normative) – a stabilizing element; a person who tends to order everything, dislikes change and any encroachment on their habitual way of life. They are very consistent and reliable, making them a responsible worker. However, as a leader, they lack flexibility, are conservative, and poorly respond to new opportunities.
C-subtype (Creative) – a rebel, a person who brings chaos to established routines. They cannot stand boredom and sharply react to any attempts to limit their freedom. They excel in creative professions or extreme situations. They can be trusted to put out fires or catch criminals, and they will do an excellent job as long as they are not bored.
H-subtype (Harmonic) – the most peaceful, non-confrontational subtype. They are not driven to change anything in the world, rather, they simply observe everything from a distance, looking for something interesting for themselves. They like people who can stimulate them and show them interesting opportunities, as they themselves are too passive. They do well in creative fields such as design, music, blogging, as well as in philosophical and religious activities.
However, in practice, it’s not that simple, and not just one subtype determines the field in which we are best suited to work. Recommendations for each individual depend on how the socionic and psychosophic type intersect with the subtype model of behavior, that is, on what information interests and is better absorbed by the person, and on what they focus their attention. Let’s see how this works using the example of the ILI-VFLE type.
Balzac, as we know, maximizes his potential in activities related to his inert valued functions – Ni and Fi. For example, he may be a writer who comes up with interesting plotlines, writes about time travel or generational connections, and pays close attention to character development and their relationships (as George Martin does in his famous “A Song of Ice and Fire” saga). ILI also does well as a forecaster, news analyst or innovative manager.
Strong contact Logic (Creative Te + Demonstrative Ti) allows Balzac to quickly and easily understand new information, acquire skills and teach them to others. Therefore, work that involves applying ready-made technologies, in a broad sense, suits this type, although it doesn’t fully reveal all of their hidden abilities.
The psychosophic type VFLE, in turn, expresses itself most fully through its processional functions – Physics and Logic. This can be professions related to teaching various sports (coaching), or with the development of new technologies that allow more efficient satisfaction of people’s needs (for example, the development of new, more environmentally friendly methods of food cultivation). It can also be any intellectual activity, but it is worth remembering that Balzac is not interested in delving into useless theoretical knowledge, and wants to realize himself in work with skills, technologies and action algorithms.
So, how will ILI-VFLE manifest itself in combination with each of the subtypes?
If this is a Dominant subtype, then it will be oriented towards working on projects, managing them and implementing something new in the management process. This is a good strategic manager who looks far ahead and takes into account all possible factors, making a forecast for the development of the company. In combination with 1V, such a person easily takes responsibility for the team and feels very confident in the director’s chair, while the Fourth Emotion helps him to maintain clear thinking even in the most critical situations.
In combination with a Normative subtype, this type does not strive to be in the limelight and, rather, thirsts to become a good specialist, a professional in his field (like, for example, Severus Snape – a character from the book by J.K. Rowling “Harry Potter”). He can be an excellent forecaster, political scientist, analyst, since large volumes of data that need to be analyzed do not scare him. He is characterized by great devotion to the cause he is engaged in. Given his excellent control over his emotions, foresight, a desire to establish long-term relationships, this person can also become an excellent diplomat.
If an ILI-VFLE subtype has a Creative subtype, the focus should shift from working in a team to individual self-expression. This could involve activities such as dancing, sculpture or handicrafts, and such a person could come up with new and more convenient models of computer technology. They could become an eccentric teacher or an individual sports coach. An example of an ILI with a Creative subtype is Alexander Vasilyev, the frontman of the russian band “Splin”.
In combination with a Harmonic subtype such as Balzac-VFLE, all areas related to intellectual and handicraft creativity, dance and physical culture would also be suitable. However, it is better to prefer work where there is not too much contact with the public, as this depletes the Harmonic subtype. The best thing to do is to engage in something calm, such as opening your own yoga and spiritual self-improvement school, writing books or working as a makeup artist in a beauty salon.
As you can see, a lot depends on the subtype, and it helps to better specify the sphere of activity that is suitable for a particular socionic and psychophic types.