Fi (Introverted Ethics) / R (Relations)

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Introverted Ethics according to Aushra Augustinavichiute

This is a subjective relation between two carriers of potential or kinetic energy, showing how much a certain object or subject is attracted or repelled by other objects or subjects. Thanks to this element of IM an individual feels which objects attract them and which repel them. This aspect of perception provides information about whether an object needs another object, about presence or lack of mutual or unilateral needs.

One perceives direct information about this aspect of the objective world (the information obtained through the first signal system) as a need for other people and for specific objects that satisfy one’s physical, cultural and spiritual desires. In other words, this aspect covers one’s desires and interests that are directed at animate and inanimate objects. This includes feelings of like-dislike, love-hate, a desire to acquire some kind of object, greed or lack thereof, etc. Higher feelings of this kind are called “ethical” due to the fact that the interrelations between people’s needs are mostly regulated by ethical norms.

When this aspect of perception is in the leading position, the individual has an ability to see, evaluate, shape and change their own desires and the desires of other people. They always know who wants what from whom. They are able to set their own knowledge of the subjective world in opposition to the knowledge of others, and their own desires – to the desires of others. They also have an aptitude for providing themselves with necessary relationships, and confidence in their ability to influence other people. Their accurate assessment of others’ needs allows them to avoid risky collisions while satisfying their own needs. It also creates an ability to manipulate others’ attachment to oneself, and an ability and striving to manipulate others’ ethical feelings and others’ striving to bring these feelings in line with the social ideal.^[1]

Introverted Ethics according to WSS

Aspect: Personal attitudes and bonds of trust. People naturally possess set characteristics of their personality which make them a certain way, and result in a certain character. The quality of this character can manifest sentimentally in what someone feels is good or bad, the inner sentiment experiencing attraction and repulsion to various stimuli. Similarly, a person's character can be likewise judged to be good or bad by others. In this way, two people of mutually attracting characters can come together in a close bond, or if repulsing, move apart.

Metabolism: The individual consults their personal attitudes towards people and events they encounter, registering whether they are attracted to or repulsed. In this way, judgments are formed on people's character assessing whether they are good and trustworthy, or not. From this judgment, an appropriate psychological distance can be established and maintained, with liked people being kept close as friends, and disliked people being kept away with animosity. In doing so, the individual decides their relationships with others.

Strength: The person has a good awareness of their subjective opinions towards other people and things, knowing with confidence what feels wrong or right to them. With other people, they can confidently decide on a person's character, judging whether they are good for them or not. They will be able to integrate these judgments into their treatment of others with appropriate nuance, setting the right sort of relationship with each person they interact with, allowing stable, reliable loyalties. They can expertly tell apart their friends from their foes, as well as business relations and acquaintances.

Value: In valuing sincere treatment of people by individual merit, the person places an emphasis on the stability and reliability of their relationships with others, trying to treat each person in line with the way the unique relationship feels to them, based on character judgment. They will prioritise their relations with the people they like, giving preferential treatment and opening up in ways they would not with acquaintances, losing their usual formality. Fidelity is seen as especially important, and the person will try to know where they stand with others, being hurt by those who violate their bond.^[2]

Introverted Ethics according to SHS

Morals, values, judgements of what’s good and bad; traditions, rituals, stereotypes; attachments, habits; respiratory system.

Intellectually:

The intellectual and communicative aspects of R manifests themselves as veiled or hidden assessments. Reasoning in the R-state manifests as a person being afraid to admit to themselves and others that they prefer one object over another. In this state, a choice is made between two logically identical options. There is another strategy of R-thinking–consciously choosing the opposite of what one really prefers. Thus, the R-judgments are rational, there is a reason for them, even if it is hidden, but they may seem absolutely illogical from the outside.

Socially:

A person in the R-state is able to play an informal role of a harmonizer in a team. Their actions are aimed at maintaining a warm and friendly psychological climate, smoothing out sharp corners, and reconciling people. A person performing an R-role does not act as a judge or a “resolver” of conflicting opposites, but as a conciliator. They know how to calm people down, to relieve emotional tension. Personal preferences, of course, do not disappear, instead they are carefully hidden.

Psychologically:

The R-state is experienced as an inner attraction to someone or something, manifested as a deep attachment. Interestingly, this state is not emotional at all. There is no expression in it, but there is a long-term dependence of a moral and ethical nature. The R-state is a guarantee of fidelity in a relationship. It is like a compass needle, which, whenever you try to turn a frame, returns to its preferred northern direction. Our R shapes us how we perceive people, places, and time periods as our own and akin, or as alien and foreign.

Physically:

The R-state is very difficult to identify, precisely because its true attitude is hidden behind indifference or behind an opposite preference. It can be detected by subtle misalignments of what is being said and minor disruptions in a normal way of communication. A voice may tremble slightly, the facial complexion may change slightly, the eyelids may momentarily flutter and quickly assume their normal blinking–all these are reliable signals of the R-state. Indirectly manifested likes and dislikes, attraction to or repulsion from a person, accompanied by a slight internal excitement, physically indicate that you are observing a R-state.^[3]

References

[1] Aushra Augustinavichiute, Socion - The Foundation of Socionics
[2] WSS, The IM Elements - Judgments
[3] SHS, Functional State R - Relationship Ethics