Types of accentuations. Personal character accentuations

Leonhard's theory of accentuated personalities quickly proved its validity and usefulness. However, its use was limited by the age of the subjects - the questionnaire for determining accentuation was designed for adult subjects. Children and adolescents, lacking relevant life experience, could not answer a number of test questions, so their accentuations turned out to be difficult to determine.

The domestic psychiatrist Andrei Evgenievich Lichko took up the solution to this problem. He modified it for use in childhood and adolescence, reworked the descriptions of the types of accentuation, changed the names for some of them and introduced new types. A.E. Lichko considered it more appropriate to study accentuations in adolescents, since most of them are formed before adolescence and are most clearly manifested during this period. He expanded the descriptions of accentuated characters with information about the manifestations of accentuations in children and adolescents, and the changes in these manifestations as they grow older. Peru A. E. Lichko owns the fundamental monographs “Adolescent Psychiatry”, “Psychopathy and Character Accentuations in Adolescents”, “Adolescent Narcology”.

Accentuations of character from the point of view of A. E. Lichko

A. E. Lichko was the first to propose replacing the term “personality accentuation” with “character accentuation,” citing the fact that it is impossible to unite all a person’s personal characteristics by defining only accentuation. Personality is a much broader concept, including worldview, characteristics of upbringing, education, and response to external events. Character, being an external reflection of the type of nervous system, serves as a narrow characteristic of the characteristics of human behavior.

Accentuations of character according to Lichko are temporary changes in character that change or disappear in the process of growth and development of the child. However, many of them can turn into psychopathy or persist for life. The path of development of accentuation is determined by its severity, social environment and type (hidden or obvious) of accentuation.

Like Karl Leonhard, A.E. Lichko considered accentuation a variant of character deformation, in which individual traits become excessively pronounced. This increases the sensitivity of the individual to certain types of influences and makes adaptation difficult in some cases. At the same time, in general, the ability to adapt remains at a high level, and with some types of influences (that do not affect the “place of least resistance”), accentuated individuals cope more easily than ordinary ones.

A. E. Lichko considered accentuations as borderline states between normality and psychopathy. Accordingly, their classification is based on the typology of psychopathy.

A. E. Lichko identified the following types of accentuations: hyperthymic, cycloid, sensitive, schizoid, hysteroid, conmorphic, psychasthenic, paranoid, unstable, emotionally labile, epileptoid.

Hyperthymic type

People with this accentuation are excellent tacticians and poor strategists. Resourceful, enterprising, active, easy to navigate in rapidly changing situations. Thanks to this, they can quickly improve their professional and social position. However, in the long term, they often lose their position due to the inability to think through the consequences of their actions, participation in adventures and the wrong choice of comrades.

Active, sociable, enterprising, always in a good mood. Children of this type are active, restless, and often play pranks. Inattentive and poorly disciplined, teenagers of this type are unstable students. Conflicts with adults often arise. They have many superficial hobbies. They often overestimate themselves, strive to stand out and earn praise.

Cycloid accentuation of character according to Lichko is characterized by high irritability and apathy. Children prefer to be alone at home instead of playing in the company of peers. They experience any troubles hard and become irritated in response to comments. The mood changes from good, elated, to depressed at intervals of several weeks.

With growing up, the manifestations of this accentuation usually smooth out, but in some people they can persist or get stuck for a long time in one stage, often a depressed-melancholic one. Sometimes there is a connection between mood changes and the seasons.

Sensitive type

It is highly sensitive to both joyful and frightening or sad events. Teenagers do not like active, active games, do not play pranks, and avoid large companies. They are timid and bashful with strangers and give the impression of being withdrawn. They can be good friends with close friends. They prefer to communicate with people younger or older than them. Obedient, love their parents.

It is possible to develop an inferiority complex or difficulty adapting to a team. They place high moral demands on themselves and the team. They have a developed sense of responsibility. They are assiduous and prefer complex activities. They are very careful in choosing friends, preferring older ones.

Schizoid type

Teenagers of this type are withdrawn, preferring loneliness or the company of elders to communicating with peers. They are demonstratively indifferent and not interested in communicating with other people. They do not understand the feelings, experiences, condition of others, and do not show sympathy. They also prefer not to show their own feelings. Peers often do not understand them, and therefore are hostile towards schizoids.

Hysteroids are distinguished by a high need for attention to themselves and egocentrism. Demonstrative, artistic. They do not like it when someone else pays attention to them or praises others. There is a high need for admiration from others. Teenagers of the hysterical type strive to occupy an exceptional position among their peers, attract attention to themselves, and influence others. They often become the initiators of various events. At the same time, hysterics are unable to organize those around them, cannot become an informal leader, or earn authority among their peers.

Conmorphic type

Children and adolescents of the conforming type are characterized by a lack of their own opinion, initiative, and criticality. They willingly submit to groups or authorities. Their attitude in life can be characterized by the words “be like everyone else.” At the same time, such teenagers are prone to moralizing and are very conservative. In order to protect their interests, representatives of this type are ready to do the most unseemly actions, and all these actions find explanation and justification in the eyes of a conforming personality.

Psychasthenic type

Adolescents of this type are characterized by a tendency to reflect, introspect, and evaluate the behavior of others. Their intellectual development is ahead of their peers. Their indecision is combined with self-confidence; their judgments and views are categorical. At moments when special caution and attentiveness are needed, they are prone to impulsive actions. This type changes little with age. They often have obsessions that serve as a means of overcoming anxiety. It is also possible to use alcohol or drugs. In relationships they are petty and despotic, which interferes with normal communication.

Paranoid type

The types of character accentuation according to Lichko do not always include this variant of accentuation due to its late development. The main manifestations of the paranoid type appear by the age of 30-40. In childhood and adolescence, such individuals are characterized by epileptoid or schizoid accentuation. Their main feature is an overestimation of their personality, and, accordingly, the presence of overvalued ideas about their exclusivity. These ideas differ from delusional ones in that they are perceived by others as real, although exaggerated.

Teenagers show an increased craving for entertainment and idleness. There are no interests, no life goals, they do not care about the future. They are often characterized as “going with the flow.”

Emotionally labile type

Children are unpredictable, with frequent and severe mood swings. The reasons for these differences are minor little things (a sideways glance or an unfriendly phrase). During periods of bad mood, they require the support of loved ones. They feel good about how others treat them.

Epileptoid type

At an early age, such children are often whiny. In the older ones, they offend the younger ones, torture animals, mock those who cannot fight back. They are characterized by power, cruelty, and pride. In the company of other children, they strive to be not just the boss, but the ruler. In the groups they control, they establish cruel, autocratic orders. However, their power rests largely on the voluntary submission of other children. They prefer conditions of strict discipline, know how to please management, take over prestigious positions that provide the opportunity to exercise power, and establish their own rules.

Many have heard about such a psychological term as “character accentuations” and even read the classification of each of them, determining what is closer to them. But in order to understand accentuations more deeply, you must first understand what character is and how it is formed.

Today we will talk in detail about these concepts and analyze the classification of character accentuations according to psychiatrist Andrei Lychko.

Person's character

What is character? Psychology under this concept provides for a set of traits most characteristic of a person, which in one way or another form his attitude towards the world around him and determine his life activity and all actions. Individual characteristics are:

it affects a person’s lifestyle and activities;
helps form interpersonal relationships with others;
shapes human behavior that is unique to him.

Theories of personality accentuation

The first theory of character accentuations was developed by Karl Leogard, it became incredibly useful and most closely matched the definition of a person’s character. But its use was limited by the fact that only adults could answer the questions. Since a child or teenager, due to lack of the necessary experience, cannot answer them, it is extremely difficult to determine their accentuation.

The domestic psychiatrist Andrei Lichko began to solve the problem. He was able to modify the Leogard test to determine the character of a person regardless of his age. In addition, Lichko somewhat reworked the characteristics of the types of accentuations, renamed some of them and introduced several new types.

Lichko believed that it is very important to study character accentuations in adolescents, since they are formed in childhood and at this age they manifest themselves especially clearly. The specialist expanded the characteristics of certain accentuations due to certain manifestations in childhood and adolescence, as well as how they change with age. The psychiatrist devoted such works to this as:

"Teenage drug addiction";
"Adolescent Psychiatry";
“Psychopathy and character accentuations in adolescents.”

Accentuations of character according to Lichko and their features

Andrey Personally proposed replacing the previously existing term “personality accentuation” with “character accentuation.” He motivated the decision by the fact that all the characteristics of a person’s personality cannot be combined under the concept of accentuation. After all, personality, in his opinion, is a broad concept that includes such things as:

a person's worldview;
education;
features of upbringing;
reaction to events.

But a psychiatrist calls character a person’s external manifestations of certain events, connects it with the nervous system and relates it to narrow characteristics of behavioral characteristics.

According to Lichko, character traits are temporary changes that can develop or disappear during the process of growth and development, some can develop into psychopathy. Accentuation develops due to the following factors:

expressiveness;
type of accentuation;
social environment of a person.

Both Lichko and Leogard believed that accentuation is a type of character deformation when its individual components become strongly expressed. Due to this, sensitivity to certain types of influence increases, and in some cases adaptation to certain conditions becomes more difficult. However, the ability to adapt is predominantly preserved, but accentuated people can cope with a number of influences more easily than others.

According to Lichko, accentuations are borderline states between normality and psychopathy; the classification depends on the typologies of psychopathy.

Accentuations of character and degree of their expression

The psychiatrist noted two degrees of manifestation of a person’s accentuated characteristic traits - obvious and hidden.

Explicit degree– this is a state when the accentuated character traits of a person have excellent expression and can manifest themselves throughout life. Moreover, such traits are mostly well compensated even in the absence of mental trauma. In adolescents, maladaptation is sometimes observed.

And here with hidden degree most often appear after a particular mental trauma or during a particular stressful situation. Accentuated features mostly do not disrupt adaptation, but sometimes short-term maladjustment is observed.

Accentuation of personality character in dynamics

Psychological science has not yet thoroughly studied the problems associated with the development or dynamics of character accentuations. Andrey Lichko made the most significant contribution to the study of this problem and noted the following phenomena in the development of accentuations:

they are formed and sharpened to one degree or another during puberty, then they are smoothed out or compensated, obvious accentuations can change and become hidden;
against the background of hidden accentuations, the traits of a particular type of character are revealed under traumatic circumstances;
with one or another accentuation, certain disorders or disturbances may appear in the form of neuroses, acute effective reactions or deviant behavior;
one or another type of them can be transformed under the influence of the environment or mechanisms that were laid down by the human constitution;
acquired psychopathy is formed.

How character accentuations are correctly formed according to Andrey Lichko

The classification of character traits according to Andrei Lichko is based on teenage accentuation. The scientist directed all his research to a detailed study of the characteristics of character manifestations at this age, as well as the reasons that lead to the development of psychopathy in this period. According to the scientist, in adolescents, pathological character traits begin to manifest themselves as clearly as possible and are reflected in all areas of their lives:

in communication with parents;
in friendly relations with peers;
in interpersonal contacts with strangers.

In this way, one can unmistakably identify a teenager with a hyperthymic type of behavior, who is literally bursting with emitted energy, with a hysterical type, who tries to attract maximum attention to himself, or with a schizoid type, who, unlike the previous one, tries to isolate himself from the outside world.

At puberty, according to the scientist, character traits are relatively stable, but there are some nuances:

almost all types become more acute in adolescence, this age is the most critical for the emergence of psychopathy;
All types of psychopathy begin to form at one age or another. Thus, schizoid is formed almost from birth, psychosthenics can be identified from the age of 7, but a child with a hyperthymic type of accentuation is identified already at high school age. The cycloid type is determined from the age of 16-17, and the sensitive type from the age of 20 and older;
There are patterns of development of different types in adolescents, so the hyperthymic type can be replaced by the cycloid type under the influence of a social or biological factor.

Lichko and other experts believe that this term is most appropriately applicable to adolescents, since it is at this age that they manifest themselves most clearly. But by the time puberty ends, they begin to smooth out or compensate, some go from an obvious form to an acute one.

We must not forget that adolescents with obvious accentuations are at risk, since under the influence of traumatic or negative factors their traits develop into psychopathy and one way or another affect behavior in the form of delinquency, deviation or suicidal impulses.

Classification of character accentuations

Character accentuations according to Andrei Lichko are based on the classification of personality according to Leonhard and psychopathy according to Gannushkin. The classification under consideration is represented by the following types:

cycloid;
hyperthymic;
labile;
sensitive (sensitive);
asthenoneurotic;
schizoid (introverted);
epileptoid (inert-impulsive);
unstable;
conformal;
hysterical (demonstrative);
psychasthenic (anxious and suspicious).

There is also a mixed type, combining features of various other types of accentuations.

At hyperthymic type a person is prone to a good mood, sometimes he is quick-tempered or irritable, is characterized by increased activity, energy and high performance, and has good health.

Sensitive type accentuations mean a high level of responsibility and sensitivity, self-esteem is unstable, a person is timid, fearful and impressionable.

At cycloid type character, there are frequent changes in mood, depression and irritation can suddenly give way to calmness and high spirits.

Increased, even alarming suspiciousness is typical for people with psychasthenic type character, he is pedantic, reasonable and indecisive.

It is characterized by increased changes in a person’s mood even for minor reasons; he has increased affectivity, needs empathy and communication, is infantile and fragile in terms of emotions.

Person related to asthenoneurotic type, is often irritable, capricious, gets tired quickly, has a low concentration of attention, is often suspicious, has a high level of pretension and is physically weak.

People with schizoid type individuals rarely show empathy and emotion; they are withdrawn and introverted.

People conformal type They are able to adapt well to the norms of behavior characteristic of a particular social group; they are conservative, stereotyped and banal in their reasoning.

Representatives hysterical type They are characterized by increased emotionality, require maximum attention and have unstable self-esteem. And those who belong to the unstable type have a weak will and cannot resist negative influences from the outside.

At epileptoid type impulsive and inert manifestations are combined, such as suspicion, irritability, hostility, conflict, painstakingness, determination and accuracy.

Despite the fact that Andrei Lichko developed his character accentuations based on the behavior of adolescents, his classification is often used to determine character types in adults.

Psychologists often find it much easier to communicate with patients if they know their key character traits. Such classifications help to identify key patterns of human behavior and understand it better.

Character - an individual combination of stable, significant psychological characteristics of a person that determine a typical way of behavior for a given subject in certain life conditions and circumstances (Asmolov).

Character- a personality framework, which includes only the most pronounced and closely interrelated personality traits, clearly manifested in various types of activities

Character- a set of stable properties of an individual, which express the ways of his behavior and emotional response. Human character is a fusion of innate properties of higher nervous activity with individual traits acquired during life; it consists in the individualization of personality properties and these properties are used in order to socialize (adapt) in the world. Character is the result of individualization and socialization of an individual’s properties.

Character determines the content side. It is formed on the basis of temperament in the process of education and socialization. Character is formed under the influence of both biological and social factors. The ability to influence its formation becomes the central distinguishing point in comparison with temperament (modern approach). But there were also opposing opinions.

Lazursky: Chr is formed on an anatomical and physiological basis and it is impossible to “re-educate” nature. The given features can only be sharpened or smoothed out, but they are already there from birth.

Today it is generally accepted that environmental and genetic factors are equivalent in the formation of character; character is formed throughout life. Changes in character appear in critical, stressful, difficult, painful conditions.

Character traits:

· X-ray traits appear only in socially significant conditions that have special meaning for a person.

· X-r differs from psychological states and processes in its stability.

· Formed based on temperament

· Due to the peculiarities of upbringing

· The volitional component plays a special role in the formation of a character (without will, a character is not formed). For character to be stable, the individual must have a stable attitude towards his or her characteristics. Will is a force that allows insufficiently motivated behavior to be carried out.

Character functions:

1. adaptive: any trait helps a person interact effectively with the world. It is maladaptive only in its extreme manifestation.

2. protective: x-p is formed in the environment due to the conflict between the substructures of the personality.

3. facilitating (facilitating): according to Asmolov, x-r determines the method of action in relation to the surrounding world. We behave in accordance with our traits without thinking that this saves energy. Manifestations of x-ra without thinking, contrary to consciousness, are impulsiveness (increased caution, pretentiousness). Impulsivity is a form of character automatism (habits).

4. expressive: expressions of a person’s qualitative attitude to what is happening, i.e. expression (politeness, harshness, carelessness), style of speech (oral, written).

Through the functions of x-ra we can talk about the volitional, emotional, and intellectual properties of character. Properties of x-ra- these are individually unique personality properties that manifest themselves only in typical situations (socially significant) depending on the socially typical (significant) relationships of the individual on the one hand and on the properties of the individual on the other.

Structure of the plant:

Character traits exist in its structure not chaotically, but in a harmoniously organized manner. This means that by the presence of some traits we can judge the presence/absence of others. Some authors distinguish between contradictory (a combination of opposite features) and consistent theories.

Character structure is a holistic organization of individual character traits that depend on each other and are connected to each other.

The structure can be distinguished:

1. - leading (main): they set the general direction of the personality and practically do not change.

Minor: determined by the major ones. Can be changed thanks to the volitional factor.

2. Chr manifests itself in 3 areas: - emotional (passion, sentimentality, jealousy)

Strong-willed (perseverance, determination, laziness)

Cognitive (practicality, criticality, curiosity, analyticalness, etc.)

3. All traits of the x-ra express the attitude:

To oneself (self-satisfaction, self-sufficiency)

Towards others (aggressiveness, contempt, greed, hospitality)

Committed to business, purpose, work (executiveness, prudence, passion, determination).

Types of x-ra:

Receptive: correlates with Freud's oral x. Passive absorption of resources. The environment is a source of resources -> it is necessary to maintain contact with nature.

Exploitative: The desire to get something from outside. He does this actively, aggressively. Prone to theft, kleptomania, plagiarism. Rarely considers his own ideas worthwhile, so he takes them from others. This type of crap becomes an obstacle to creativity. Characteristic: envy, jealousy, cynicism, suspicion, sarcasm, causticity, black humor.

Accumulative: Tendency to accumulate, save. The main thing is not to receive, but to save. In the emotional sphere, restraining feelings. One's own: suspiciousness, suspicion, stinginess, greed, litigiousness.

Market: Correlates with neuroticism according to Freud. The whole world, in their opinion, is “buying and selling.” Develops in oneself the qualities necessary for society, which can be sold more profitably (I myself am an object of purchase and sale). Weak willpower, love is built on the exchange of something. The desire to do what they think will be useful in life, and not what they want.

Productive: Learns about the world around him and other people. Productivity is the ability to use your strengths to the fullest and realize your potential. It is important to develop the qualities that you already possess. “-” traits need to be transformed: stubbornness into perseverance, a tendency to exploitation into initiative. This is the only type who is capable of true love and is not afraid of intimacy.

Accentuations of x-ra (according to Lichko):

The concept of “accentuation” was introduced by K. Leonhard (50s): A. is the extreme version of the x-ra norm, providing a person’s resistance to some life events and increasing sensitivity to others.

According to the famous German. psychiatrist K. Leongard, in 20-30% of people, some character traits are so sharpened (accentuated) that under certain circumstances this leads to the same type of conflicts and nervous breakdowns.

Typically, accentuations develop during the development of character and smooth out as they grow older. Character traits with accentuations may not appear all the time, but only in some situations, in a certain environment, and are almost undetectable under normal conditions. Social maladjustment with accentuations is either completely absent or short-lived.

Character accentuation – exaggerated development of certain character traits to the detriment of others, as a result, interaction with other people deteriorates. The severity of accentuation can be different - from mild, noticeable only to the immediate environment, to extreme options, when you have to wonder if there is a disease - psychopathy (painful deformity of character, as a result, relationships with people sharply deteriorate, total, irreversible, leads to social disadaptation) . But unlike psychopathy, accentuations do not appear constantly; over the years they can significantly smooth out and approach the norm.

Ganushkin: A normal personality is an incompatible concept. Because personality is individuality, and the norm is average, unremarkable.

A.E. Lichko (80s): there is no need to separate the accentuation of x-ra and the accentuation of temperament (as was done by Leonhard). Any accentuation of a person is almost an accentuation of a person.

Accented personality type according to K. Leonhard (1976)	Type of character accentuation according to our classification
Demonstrative	Hysterical
Pedantic	Psychasthenic
Stuck
Excitable	Epileptoid
Hyperthymic	Hyperthymic
Dysthymic
Affectively labile	Cycloid
Affectively exalted	Labile
Emotive	Labile
Anxious (fearful)	Sensitive
Extroverted	Hyperthymic-conformal
Introverted	Schizoid
Same	Sensitive
	Unstable
	Conformal
	Asthenoneurotic

Hyperthymic type:

Hyperthymic teenagers are characterized by great mobility, sociability, talkativeness, excessive independence, a tendency to mischief, and a lack of a sense of distance in relation to adults. From the first years of life, they make a lot of noise everywhere, love the company of their peers and strive to command them. The main feature of hyperthymic teenagers is almost always a very good, even elated mood. Only occasionally and for a short time is this sunshine darkened by outbursts of irritation, anger, and aggression.

The good mood of hyperthymic teenagers is harmoniously combined with good health, high vitality, and often a blooming appearance. They always have a good appetite and healthy sleep... The reaction of emancipation is especially clear. An uncontrollable interest in everything around makes hyperthymic teenagers indiscriminate in their choice of acquaintances. Always a good mood and high vitality create favorable conditions for reassessing your abilities and capabilities. Excessive self-confidence encourages you to “show yourself,” to appear before others in a favorable light, and to boast.

Hyperthymic-unstable The psychopathization option is the most common. Here the thirst for entertainment, fun, and risky adventures comes more and more to the fore and pushes one to neglect classes and work, to alcoholism and drug use, to sexual excesses and delinquency - which can ultimately lead to an asocial lifestyle...

Hyperthymic-hysteroid option is much less common. Against the background of hyperthymia, hysteroidal features gradually emerge. When faced with life's difficulties, failures, desperate situations and the threat of serious punishment, a desire arises to pity others (even to the point of demonstrative suicidal actions), and to impress with one's originality, and to boast, to “show off.”

Hyperthymic-affective the variant of psychopathization is distinguished by an increase in the features of affective explosiveness, which creates similarities with explosive psychopathy. Outbursts of irritation and anger, often characteristic of hypertimics, when they encounter opposition or fail, here become especially violent and arise at the slightest provocation. At the height of passion, self-control is often lost

Cycloid type:

In adolescence, you can see two variants of cycloid accentuation: typical and labile cycloids.

Typical cycloids in childhood are no different from their peers or more often give the impression of hyperthymia. With the onset of puberty, the first subdepressive phase occurs. She is distinguished by a tendency towards apathy and irritability. What was previously easy and simple now requires incredible effort. It becomes more difficult to study. Human society begins to become burdensome, the company of peers is avoided, adventures and risks lose all attractiveness. Minor troubles and failures, which usually begin to fall due to a drop in performance, are extremely difficult to experience. Serious failures and criticism from others can deepen a subdepressive state or cause an acute affective reaction with suicidal attempts. In typical cycloids, the phases are usually short and last two to three weeks...

Labile cycloids, in contrast to typical ones, are in many ways close to the labile (emotionally labile or reactive-labile) type. The phases here are much shorter - several “good” days are followed by several “bad” ones. “Bad” days are more marked by a bad mood than by lethargy, loss of energy or poor health. Within one period, short changes in mood are possible, caused by relevant news or events.

Adolescent behavioral reactions in cycloids, both typical and labile, are usually moderately expressed. Hobbies are unstable - during subdepressive periods they are abandoned, during periods of recovery they find new ones or return to previously abandoned ones. Self-esteem of character in cycloids is formed gradually, as the experience of “good” and “bad” periods accumulates. Teenagers have not yet had this experience, and therefore self-esteem may still be very inaccurate...

Labile type.

The main feature of the labile type is extreme mood variability. We can talk about the emerging formation of a labile type in cases where the mood changes too often and too abruptly, and the reasons for these fundamental changes are insignificant. Mood is characterized not only by frequent and sudden changes, but also by their significant depth. Well-being, appetite, sleep, and ability to work depend on the mood of a given moment. Representatives of the labile type are capable of deep feelings, great and sincere affection. Labile teenagers are very sensitive to all kinds of signs of attention, gratitude, praise and encouragement - all this gives them sincere joy, but does not at all induce arrogance or conceit. The emancipation reaction in labile adolescents is expressed very moderately. Self-esteem is distinguished by sincerity.

Astheno-neurotic type

The main features of astheno-neurotic accentuation are increased fatigue, irritability and a tendency to hypochondriasis. Fatigue is especially evident in mental activities. The irritability of neurasthenics is most similar to affective outbursts in adolescents of the labile type. The tendency towards hypochondriasis is a particularly typical feature. Delinquency, running away from home, alcoholism and other behavioral disorders are not typical for adolescents of the astheno-neurotic type. The self-esteem of astheno-neurotic adolescents usually reflects their hypochondriacal attitudes. They note the dependence of bad mood on poor health, poor sleep at night and drowsiness during the day, fatigue in the morning. When thinking about the future, concerns about one's own health occupy a central place.

Sensitive type

Shyness and timidity are evident from childhood. Such children are often afraid of the dark, shy away from animals, afraid to be left alone, feel timid and shy among strangers, in a new environment, and are generally not inclined to communicate easily with strangers. All this sometimes gives the impression of isolation, fenced off from the environment and makes one suspect autistic tendencies characteristic of schizoids. The early interest in abstract knowledge and “childish encyclopedicism” characteristic of schizoids also does not appear. The onset of puberty usually occurs without any particular complications. Difficulties in adaptation often occur at 16-19 years of age. It is at this age that both main qualities of the sensitive type, noted by P. B. Gannushkin, appear - “extreme impressionability” and “a sharply expressed sense of one’s own insufficiency.” The emancipation reaction in sensitive adolescents is rather weakly expressed. The feeling of inferiority in sensitive adolescents makes the overcompensation reaction especially pronounced. Due to the same reaction of overcompensation, sensitive teenagers find themselves in public positions (prefects, etc.). They are nominated by educators, attracted by obedience and diligence. However, they are only sufficient to carry out with great personal responsibility the formal side of the function entrusted to them, but informal leadership in such teams goes to others. Unlike schizoids, sensitive teenagers do not isolate themselves from their friends, do not live in imaginary fantasy groups and are not able to be the “black sheep” in the ordinary teenage environment. The self-esteem of sensitive adolescents is distinguished by a fairly high level of objectivity. The weak link of sensitive individuals is the attitude of others towards them. They find it intolerable to be in a situation where they become the object of ridicule or suspicion of unseemly acts, when the slightest shadow falls on their reputation or when they are subjected to unfair accusations...

Psychasthenic type

Psychasthenic manifestations in childhood are insignificant and are limited to timidity, timidity, motor awkwardness, a tendency to reasoning and early “intellectual interests”... The main features of the psychasthenic type in adolescence are indecision and a tendency to reasoning, anxious suspiciousness and a love of introspection and, finally, ease of formation of obsessions - obsessive fears, concerns, actions, rituals, thoughts, ideas. The fears of a psychasthenic are entirely addressed to the possible, even to the unlikely, in the future (futuristic orientation). Real dangers and hardships that have already happened are much less frightening. Specially invented signs and rituals become protection against constant anxiety about the future. Another defense is specially developed pedantry and formalism. Indecision and reasoning in a psychasthenic teenager go hand in hand. Any independent choice, no matter how insignificant it may be - for example, which film to go see on Sunday - can become the subject of long and painful hesitation. However, a decision already made must be implemented immediately. Psychasthenics do not know how to wait, showing amazing impatience. The tendency to introspection most of all extends to thinking about the motives of one’s actions and actions, and manifests itself in the company in one’s feelings and experiences. Self-esteem, despite the tendency to introspection, is not always correct. There is often a tendency to find in oneself a wide variety of character traits, including completely unusual ones.

Schizoid type

The most significant feature of this type is considered isolation (Kahn; 1926), fenced off from the environment, inability or unwillingness to establish contacts, decreased need for communication... Sometimes spiritual loneliness does not even bother a schizoid teenager who lives in his own world. But more often, schizoids themselves suffer from their isolation, loneliness, inability to communicate, and inability to find a friend to their liking. Lack of empathy is the inability to share the joy and sadness of another, to understand the insult, to feel someone else's excitement and anxiety. This is sometimes referred to as a weakness of emotional resonance. To the range of schizoid characteristics we can add the inability to convince others with our own words. The inner world is almost always closed from prying eyes. The reaction of infatuation in schizoid adolescents is usually more pronounced than all other specific behavioral reactions of this age. Hobbies are often distinguished by their unusualness, strength and stability. Most often we come across intellectual and aesthetic hobbies. The self-esteem of schizoids is distinguished by a statement of what is associated with isolation, loneliness, difficulty in contacts, and misunderstanding on the part of others. Attitudes towards other problems are rated much worse. They usually do not notice the contradictions in their behavior or do not attach any importance to them. They like to emphasize their independence and independence.

Epileptoid type

The main features of the epileptoid type are a tendency to dysphoria, and the closely related affective explosiveness, a tense state of the instinctive sphere, sometimes reaching an anomaly of drives, as well as viscosity, stiffness, heaviness, inertia, leaving an imprint on the entire psyche, from motor skills and emotionality to thinking. and personal values. Affective discharges can be a consequence of dysphoria - adolescents in these states often themselves look for a reason for a scandal. But affects can also be the fruit of those conflicts that easily arise in epileptoid adolescents as a result of their power, intransigence, cruelty and selfishness. Love among representatives of this type is almost always tinged with dark tones of jealousy. The emancipation reaction in epileptoid adolescents is often very difficult. Things can reach the point of a complete break with relatives, towards whom extreme anger and vindictiveness appears. The reaction of infatuation is usually quite pronounced. Almost all epileptoids pay tribute to gambling.

Hysterical type

Its main feature is boundless egocentrism, an insatiable thirst for constant attention to one’s own person, admiration, surprise, veneration, and sympathy. At worst, even indignation or hatred directed at oneself is preferred, but not indifference and indifference. All other qualities of the hysteroid are fueled by this trait. Among the behavioral manifestations of hysteria in adolescents, suicidality should be put in first place. We are talking about frivolous attempts, demonstrations, “pseudo-suicides,” “suicidal blackmail.” The emancipation reaction can have violent external manifestations: running away from home, conflicts with relatives and elders, loud demands for freedom and independence, etc. However, in essence, the real need for freedom and independence is not at all characteristic of adolescents of this type - from the attention and care of loved ones they They don’t want to get rid of it at all. Hobbies are almost entirely concentrated in the area of the egocentric type of hobby. The self-esteem of hysterical teenagers is far from objective. Those character traits that can make an impression at the moment are emphasized.

Unstable type

Kraepelin (1915) called representatives of this type unrestrained, unstable (Given the similarity of the names “labile” and “unstable”, it should be noted that the first refers to the emotional sphere, and the second to behavior). Schneider (1923) and Stutte (1960) more emphasized the lack of will in their names (“weak-willed”, “weak-willed”). Their lack of will clearly appears when it comes to study, work, fulfilling duties and obligations, achieving goals that are set for them by relatives, elders, and society. However, in the search for entertainment, representatives of this type also do not show assertiveness, but rather go with the flow. Indifference to their future, they do not make plans, do not dream of any profession or any position for themselves. They live entirely in the present, wanting to extract maximum entertainment and pleasure from it. Weakness is, apparently, one of the main traits of the unstable. It is weakness of will that allows them to be kept in a harsh and strictly regulated regime. The self-esteem of unstable adolescents is often distinguished by the fact that they attribute to themselves either hyperthymic or conformist traits.

Conformal type

P. B. Gannushkin (1933) aptly outlined some of the features of this type - a constant readiness to obey the voice of the majority, stereotypes, banality, a penchant for walking morality, good behavior, conservatism. The main character trait of this type is constant and excessive conformity to one’s immediate familiar environment. These individuals are characterized by distrust and a wary attitude towards strangers. Representatives of the conformal type are people of their environment. Their main quality, the main rule of life is to think “like everyone else,” to act “like everyone else,” to try to have everything “like everyone else.” Trying to always be in accordance with their environment, they are completely unable to resist it. Therefore, a conformist personality is completely a product of its microenvironment. Conformity is combined with amazing uncriticality. Everything that their usual environment says, everything that they learn through their usual channel of information is the truth for them. In addition to all this, conformist subjects are conservatives by nature. They do not like new things because they cannot quickly adapt to them and find it difficult to adapt to a new situation. They are uninitiative.

Mixed types. These types account for almost half of the cases of obvious accentuations. Their features are easy to imagine based on the previous descriptions. The combinations that occur are not accidental. They obey certain patterns. Traits of some types are combined with each other quite often, while others - almost never. There are two types of combinations.

Intermediate types are caused by endogenous patterns, primarily genetic factors, and also, possibly, developmental features in early childhood. These include the already described labile-cycloid and conformally hyperthymic types, as well as combinations of the labile type with astheno-neurotic and sensitive, astheno-neurotic with sensitive and psychasthenic. This may also include such intermediate types as schizoid-sensitive, schizoid-psychasthenic, schizoid-epileptoid, schizoid-hysteroid, hysteroid-epileptoid. Due to endogenous patterns, transformation of the hyperthymic type into the cycloid type is possible.

Amalgam types are also mixed types, but of a different kind. They are formed as a result of the layering of traits of one type onto the endogenous core of another due to improper upbringing or other chronically acting psychogenic factors. Here, too, not everything is possible, but only some layers of one type on top of another. These phenomena are discussed in more detail in the chapter on psychopathic developments. It should be noted here that the hyperthymic-unstable and hyperthymic-hysteroid types represent the addition of unstable or hysteroidal traits to the hyperthymic basis. The labile-hysteroid type is usually the result of layering and hysteria on emotional lability, and schizoid-unstable and epileptoid-unstable - instability on a schizoid or epileptoid basis. The latter combination is characterized by an increased criminal risk. In the hysteroid-unstable type, instability is only a form of expression of hysteroid traits. The conformist-unstable type arises as a consequence of raising a conformist teenager in an asocial environment. The development of epileptoid traits based on conformity is possible when a teenager grows up in conditions of tough relationships. Other combinations are practically never found.

Related information.

Plan.

1. Introduction.

2. Hyperthymic type

3. Cycloid type

4. Labile type

5. Astheno-neurotic type

6. Sensitive type

7. Psychasthenic type

8. Schizoid type

9. Epileptoid type

10. Hysterical type

11. Unstable type

12. Conformal type

13. Mixed types.

14. On the dynamics of character accentuations

15. Literature

Introduction.

Character is a set of stable personality traits that determine a person’s attitude towards people and the work they do. Character is manifested in activity and communication and includes what gives a person’s behavior a specific, characteristic shade

During the period of character formation, its typological features, not yet smoothed out and obscured by life experience, are revealed so clearly that they sometimes resemble psychopathy, i.e., pathological character anomalies. With age, the features of accentuations usually smooth out. This allowed us to talk about “transient teenage accentuations of character” [Lichko A.E., 1977].

Depending on the degree of expression, we have identified two degrees of character accentuation: obvious and hidden (Lichko; Aleksandrov, 1973).

Explicit accentuation. This degree of accentuation refers to extreme variants of the norm. It is distinguished by the presence of fairly constant traits of a certain type of character.

In adolescence, character traits often become sharper, and under the influence of psychogenic factors that address the “place of least resistance,” temporary adaptation disorders and behavioral deviations may occur. As one grows up, character traits remain quite pronounced, but are compensated for and usually do not interfere with adaptation.

Hidden accentuation. This degree, apparently, should be classified not as extreme, but as normal variants of the norm. In ordinary, familiar conditions, traits of a certain type of character are weakly expressed or do not appear at all. Even with prolonged observation, varied contacts and detailed acquaintance with the biography, it is difficult to form a clear idea of a certain type of character. However, traits of this type can clearly, sometimes unexpectedly, emerge under the influence of those situations and mental traumas that place increased demands on the “place of least resistance.” Psychogenic factors of a different kind, even severe ones, not only do not cause mental disorders, but may not even reveal the type of character. If such traits are identified, this, as a rule, does not lead to noticeable social maladjustment.

Psychopathy is an anomaly of character that, according to P. B. Gannushkin (1933), “determines the entire mental appearance of an individual, leaving its imperious imprint on his entire mental makeup”, “during life... are not subject to any sudden changes”, “prevent... adapting to the environment”. These three criteria were designated by O. V. Kerbikov (1962) as the totality and relative stability of pathological character traits and their severity to the extent that disrupts social adaptation.

Adaptation disorders, or, more precisely, social maladaptation, in cases of psychopathy usually last throughout adolescence.

These are the three criteria - totality, relative stability of character and social maladjustment - that allow us to distinguish psychopathy.

The types of character accentuations are very similar and partially coincide with the types of psychopathy.

There are two classifications of types of character accentuations. The first was proposed by K. Leongard (1968) and the second by A. E. Lichko (1977). We present a comparison of these classifications made by V.V. Yustitsky (1977).

Accented personality type according to K. Leonhard	Type of character accentuation, according to A.E. Lichko
Labile (affectively labile and affectively exalted)	Labile cycloid
Super mobile Emotive	Labile
Demonstrative	Hysterical
Super punctual (pedantic)	Psychasthenic
Rigid affective Uncontrollable (excitable)	Epileptoid
Introverted	Schizoid
Fearful (anxious)	Sensitive
Unfocused or neurasthenic	Astheno-neurotic
extroverted	Conformal
Weak-willed	Unstable
-	Hyperthymic
-	Cycloid

Hyperthymic type

This type of psychopathy is described in detail by Schneider (1923) and P.B. Gannushkin (1933) in adults and G.E. Sukhareva (1959) in children and adolescents. P.B. Gannushkin gave this type the name “constitutionally excited” and included it in the group of cycloids.

Information from relatives indicates that from childhood, hyperthymic adolescents are distinguished by great mobility, sociability, talkativeness, excessive independence, a tendency to mischief, and a lack of a sense of distance in relation to adults. From the first years of life, they make a lot of noise everywhere, love the company of their peers and strive to command them. Teachers of children's institutions complain about their restlessness.

The main feature of hyperthymic teenagers is almost always a very good, even elated mood. Only occasionally and for a short time is this sunshine darkened by outbursts of irritation, anger, and aggression.

The reaction of emancipation is especially clear. Because of this, conflicts easily arise with parents, teachers, and educators.

As a rule, there is a tendency to unauthorized absences, sometimes for long periods. True escapes from home are rare among hyperthymic people.

An uncontrollable interest in everything around makes hyperthymic teenagers indiscriminate in their choice of acquaintances. Alcoholization poses a serious danger for hyperthymic individuals from adolescence. They drink in company with friends.

The reaction of hobby in hyperthymic adolescents is distinguished by the richness and variety of manifestations, but most importantly, by the extreme inconsistency of the hobby.

Always a good mood and high vitality create favorable conditions for reassessing your abilities and capabilities. Excessive self-confidence encourages you to “show yourself,” to appear before others in a favorable light, and to boast. But the self-esteem of hyperthymic teenagers is quite sincere.

The hyperthymic-unstable variant of psychopathization is the most common. The decisive role in the fact that hyperthymic-unstable psychopathy grows on hyperthymic accentuation is usually played by the family. Both excessive guardianship - hyperprotection, petty control and cruel dictatorship, and even combined with dysfunctional family relationships, and hypoguardianship and neglect can serve as incentives for the development of hyperthymic-unstable psychopathy.

The hyperthymic-hysteroid variant is much less common. Against the background of hyperthymia, hysteroidal features gradually emerge.

The hyperthymic-affective version of psychopathization is distinguished by increased features of affective explosiveness, which creates similarities with explosive psychopathy. Outbursts of irritation and anger, often characteristic of hypertimics, when they encounter opposition or fail, here become especially violent and arise at the slightest provocation.

CYCLOID TYPE

As is known, this type was described in 1921 by Kretschmer and first became widely used in psychiatric research. P.B. Gannushkin (1933) included four types of psychopaths in the “cycloid group”: “constitutional-depressive”, “constitutionally-excited” (hyperthymic), cyclothymic and emotionally labile. He considered cyclothymia as a type of psychopathy.

In adolescence, you can see two variants of cycloid accentuation: typical and labile cycloids.

Typical cycloids in childhood are no different from their peers or more often give the impression of hyperthymia. With the onset of puberty (in girls this may coincide with menarche), the first subdepressive phase occurs. She is distinguished by a tendency towards apathy and irritability. In the morning you feel lethargic and lack of strength, everything falls out of your hands.

Previously noisy and lively teenagers during these periods become sluggish couch potatoes.

Serious failures and criticism from others can deepen a subdepressive state or cause an acute affective reaction with suicidal attempts.

In typical cycloids, the phases are usually short and last two to three weeks.

Cycloid teenagers have their own “places of least resistance.” The most important of them is probably the instability of a radical break in the life stereotype.

Adolescent behavioral reactions in cycloids, both typical and labile, are usually moderately expressed. Emancipatory aspirations and reactions of grouping with peers intensify during the period of recovery. Hobbies are unstable.

Self-esteem of character in cycloids is formed gradually, as the experience of “good” and “bad” periods accumulates. Adolescents have not yet had this experience, and therefore self-esteem may still be very inaccurate.

LABILE TYPE

This type is most fully described under various names: “emotionally labile” (Schneider, 1923), “reactive-labile” (P.B. Gannushkin, 1933) or “emotionally labile” (Leongard, 1964, 1968), etc.

In addition to the classification of K. Leongrard, psychologists and psychiatrists use accentuations of Lichko's character.

He expanded and supplemented this concept and developed his own typology of characteristics of sharpened personality traits.

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Brief background

A. Lichko derived his taxonomy of character accentuations, based on G.E. Sukhareva and P.B. Gannushkin.

However, she slightly different.

Classification is intended first for the study of adolescence, covers not only accentuations, but also psychopathological character deviations.

Lichko proposed replacing the term “personality accentuations” with “character accentuations,” explaining that personality is a broader concept and cannot be assessed only from the point of view of accentuations.

Attention in research was directed to adolescence, because during this period various psychopathies begin to manifest themselves most clearly.

Types of character accentuation according to Lichko:

Accentuations of character from the point of view of A. E. Lichko

According to Lichko's theory, accentuation is temporary. In the process they may appear and disappear. These changes and personality traits sometimes develop into psychopathy and persist into adulthood.

The direction of development of sharpened personality traits is determined by the social environment and the type of accentuation. It happens obvious and hidden.

According to psychiatrist A. Lichko, accentuations are borderline states between normality and pathology.

Therefore, he built his classification on the basis of types of psychopathy.

Character accentuations - examples:

Classification

The following types of accentuations were identified:

Hyperthymic type. Active, restless, poorly controlled by teachers. Labile, easily adapts to changing situations. Teenagers are prone to conflicts with adults, including teachers. They are not afraid of change. The mood is predominantly positive. tend to overestimate their capabilities, so they are able to take risks without hesitation.
Excitement, noisy, active companies and entertainment are acceptable to them. There are many hobbies, they are superficial.
Cycloid. Characterized by frequent mood swings - from good to bad. They prefer loneliness and being at home than active entertainment in the company. Troubles are hard to bear. Reacts painfully to criticism and comments. There is a tendency towards apathy and is easily irritated. Changes in mood can be tied to the time of year.
In the process of growing up, pronounced features of accentuation can be smoothed out, but sometimes they get stuck at a depressed-melancholic stage. During the period of recovery, when the mood is good, one observes cheerfulness, optimism, high activity, sociability, and initiative. In the opposite state - a bad mood - they show increased sensitivity and react sharply to criticism.
Sensitive. People of this type are highly sensitive. Teenagers give the impression of being withdrawn, they do not strive to play together, and are fearful. They treat their parents well and behave obediently. It may be difficult to adapt to a team. An inferiority complex may develop.
People of this type have a developed sense of responsibility and place high moral demands on themselves and others.

Perseverance allows you to successfully engage in painstaking work and complex activities. choose carefully. They prefer to communicate with those who are older.
Schizoid type. There is isolation, a desire to spend time alone, and isolation from the world. They are indifferent to other people and communication with them, which can manifest itself in a demonstrative avoidance of contacts. They lack such a quality as sympathy, they do not show interest in the people around them, there is no empathy and understanding of the feelings of others. they do not strive to show people their feelings, so their peers do not understand them, considering them strange.
Hysterical. They are characterized by a high degree of egocentrism. They need attention from other people and will do anything to get it. Demonstrative and artistic. They worry if attention is paid not to them, but to someone else. They should be admired - one of the important needs of the individual. Hysteroids become the initiator of activities and events, but they themselves are not able to clearly organize them. It is also problematic for them to earn authority among their peers, despite the fact that they strive for leadership. They need praise addressed to them, but they take criticism painfully. Feelings are shallow.
Prone to deception, fantasies, pretense. They often display a demonstrative type of suicide in an attempt to attract attention and earn the sympathy of others.
Conformal type. Teenagers with such accentuation easily obey the will of other people. They have no opinion of their own and follow the group. The basic principle is to be and act like everyone else. At the same time, they are distinguished by conservatism. If they need to protect their interests, they will do anything, finding justification for them. Prone to betrayal. Finds a way to survive in a team by adapting to it and adapting to the leader.
Psychasthenic type. Characterized by indecisiveness and unwillingness to take responsibility. They are prone to introspection and are critical of their personality and actions. They have high mental abilities, ahead of their peers. Behavior may be impulsive and thoughtless in actions. They are careful and reasonable, quite calm, but at the same time indecisive and incapable of active actions that require risk and taking responsibility.
To relieve tension, they tend to use alcohol or drugs. Psychasthenics manifest themselves despotic in personal relationships, which can ultimately lead to their destruction. They are also prone to pettiness.
Unstable. They show little interest in studying, which causes a lot of worry for parents and teachers. They have a penchant for entertainment. There are no goals in life, they live one day at a time, and are not interested in anything. The main features are frivolity, laziness, idleness. They are not interested in work either. They do not like to be controlled and strive for complete freedom. They are open to communication, communicative, love conversations. They have a tendency to different types of addictions. They often end up in dangerous companies.
Emotionally labile type. Sudden, unpredictable changes in mood. Any little thing, even the wrong glance or spoken word, can be the reason for changes in the emotional state.
The type is sensitive and needs support, especially during periods of bad mood.

Treats peers well. Has sensitivity, understands the attitude and mood of others. They become strongly attached to people.
Epileptoid type. One of the expressed character traits is cruelty; they tend to offend younger and weaker animals. He prefers to make friends and communicate with adults; the need to establish communication with peers causes discomfort. At an early age they show traits of capriciousness, tearfulness, and require attention.
They have pride and a desire for power. If they become a boss, their subordinates are kept in fear. Of all accentuations, it is considered the most dangerous personality type, as it has a high degree of cruelty. If they need to make a career and achieve a high position, they know how to please top management, adapt to their requirements, while not forgetting about their interests.
Asthenoneurotic type. Show discipline and responsibility. However, they have a high degree of fatigue, this is especially noticeable during monotonous activities or the need to participate in competitive work. Drowsiness and fatigue can occur for no apparent reason. The manifestations of accentuation include irritability, increased suspiciousness, and hypochondria.
There is a possibility of emotional breakdowns, especially if events do not happen the way asthenics want. Irritability gives way to remorse.

In addition to pronounced types, there may also be mixed characters.

Character accentuation table:

Where is the technique used?

Lichko test expanded to 143 questions. Aimed more at children and teenagers.

Used to identify pronounced problems and accentuations in character, allows you to predict the appearance of psychopathy, begin timely correction of negative conditions, and identify dangerous individuals.

Lichko believed that it was important to study accentuations already in adolescence, since most during this period manifest themselves most clearly and are formed before adolescence.

The use of diagnostic methods, testing, and conversation allows identify the problem in a timely manner and develop a correction program.

How to identify character accentuations? Psychologist's comment: