Of the structure of a person’s qualities

The integrated structure of a person is functioning according to the number of legitimacies which are of great importance while understanding the essence of system diagnostics.

The legitimacy of system-genesis. Due to this legitimacy the qualities of a person’s structure are formed in the direction from below – upwards, from somatic level – to social both in philogenesis and in ontogenesis. Besides any level which is higher by hierarchy is formed on the basis of low-placed one. This process reminds the construction of a multi-storey house in which there may be built three floors without the fourth one. But the fourth floor can’t be built without the third, second and first floor. It means that, for example, the formation of social-psychological qualities is naturally based on the development of personality psychological characteristics. The development of the last ones, in their turn, depends on the development of qualities placed on underlying hierarchical levels, etc.

The legitimacy of hierarchy means that the qualities of higher hierarchical levels are dominating in relation to the qualities which occupy lower hierarchical levels.

Закономерность иерархии предполагает, что свойства более высоких иерархических уровней являются доминирующими по отношению к свойствам, находящимся на более низких иерархических уровнях.

Эта закономерность описывает также условия иерархического соподчинения систем (свойств, явлений, процессов и т.д.). Согласно закономерности иерархии система «А» занимает более высокое иерархическое положение по отношению к системе «Б» при наличии одного или нескольких следующих условий:

1. Система «А» непосредственно или опосредовано сформирована на основе и позже системы «Б».

2. Система «А» включает в себя систему «Б» в качестве подсистемы (компонента).

3. Система «А» изменяется медленнее, чем система «Б», но в большем диапазоне.

4. При наличии общей внешней цели система «А» более чем система «Б» способствует ее достижению.

5. На континууме «биологическое – социальное» система «А» находится ближе к социальному, а система «Б» - к биологическому.

6. На континууме «репродуктивное – продуктивное» система «А» находится ближе к продуктивному, а система «Б» - к репродуктивному.

7. На континууме «простое – сложное» система «А» находится ближе к сложному, а система «Б» - к простому.

The legitimacy of correlations describes close correlations of different qualities of the structure with each other. According to this legitimacy, the correlations between the qualities, which are placed one and the same hierarchical level, are of spontaneous character. Correlations between the qualities of different hierarchical levels are of mediated character. The longer is the distance between the hierarchical levels on which the investigated qualities are placed, the more mediated the correlations are. Ignoring this legitimacy may lead to screwed ideas about the degree of the influence of some qualities on others. For example, due to such ideas, the qualities of nervous system influence on social-psychological qualities. In this connection some erratic ideas are spread that the main distinctive feature of a good commander is the choleric temperament, and the feature of a good composer – weak nervous system, etc.

The legitimacy of metronome features the range and the speed of changing of the qualities which occupy different hierarchical levels of person’s structure. According to this legitimacy the height of hierarchical position of this or that quality is directly proportional to the quantity of the range of changes of this quality and it is inversely proportional to the speed of these changes. The higher hierarchical level the quality occupies, the slower it changes, but the more range (amplitude) of these changes it has. Here there is an analogy with the motions of the pendulum of a metronome: a long pendulum has larger range in comparison with a short one, but it has lower speed.

For example, psychic processes change more slowly than psychic states, but more quickly than personality psychological characteristics. Besides, the range of changing of psychic processes is more than the range of changing of psychic states, but less than the range of changing of personality psychological characteristics. That happens because psychic processes occupy higher hierarchical level than psychic states, but lower than personality psychological characteristics.

Since social qualities occupy the highest hierarchical level, they are characterized by the biggest range and the least speed of changes. Therefore, for example, a fast change of outlook, revealed in this or that examinee, should be interpreted as a deviation from norm, quite often connected with hypocrisy and time-serving.

CHAPTER II.