A strong unbalanced type of higher nervous activity characterizes. Types of the nervous system

) properties of the nervous system that determine the nature of the interaction of the organism with the environment and are reflected in all functions of the organism. The specific value of congenital and acquired - the product of the interaction of the genotype and the environment - may vary depending on the conditions. In unusual, extreme conditions, predominantly innate mechanisms of higher nervous activity come to the fore. Various combinations of the three main properties of the nervous system - the strength of the processes of excitation and inhibition, their balance and mobility - allowed I.P. Pavlov to identify four sharply defined types that differ in adaptive abilities and resistance to neurotic agents.

T. GNI is strong unbalanced - it is characterized by a strong irritable process and lagging behind in strength inhibitory, therefore, a representative of this type in difficult situations is easily prone to violations of GNI. Able to train and largely improve under-braking. In accordance with the doctrine of temperaments, this is a choleric type.

T. VND balanced inert - with strong processes of excitation and inhibition and with their poor mobility, always having difficulty switching from one type of activity to another. In accordance with the doctrine of temperaments, this is a phlegmatic type.

T VND strong balanced mobile - has equally strong processes of excitation and inhibition with their good mobility, which provides high adaptive capabilities and stability in difficult life situations. In accordance with the doctrine of temperaments, this is a sanguine type.

T.VND weak - characterized by weakness of both nervous processes - excitation and inhibition, poorly adapts to environmental conditions, prone to neurotic disorders. In accordance with the classification of temperaments, this is a melancholic type.

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Physiology of higher nervous activity. Textbook, V. V. Shulgovsky. The textbook was created in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard for the direction of training `Biology` (qualification `Bachelor`). Classic and modern…
Physiology of Higher Nervous Activity Textbook 3rd revised edition, Shulgovsky V.. The textbook was created in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard in the direction of training "Biology" (qualification "Bachelor") ... Classical and modern ...

Temperament

Question 1: The concept and structure of temperament

Temperament - a set of individually - typological personality traits that characterize the features of the dynamics of mental activity: intensity, speed, pace and rhythm of mental processes and states, behavior and activity.

Temperament is one of the most significant personality traits. Interest in this problem arose more than two and a half thousand years ago. It was caused by the obvious existence of individual differences, which are due to the peculiarities of the biological and physiological structure and development of the organism, as well as the peculiarities of social development, the uniqueness of social ties and contacts. The biologically determined structures of personality include, first of all, temperament. Temperament determines the presence of many mental differences between people, including the intensity and stability of emotions, emotional impressionability, the pace and vigor of actions, as well as a number of other dynamic characteristics.

B. M. Teplov gives the following definition of temperament: “Temperament is a set of mental characteristics characteristic of a given person associated with emotional excitability, i.e., the speed with which feelings arise, on the one hand, and their strength, on the other” (Teplov B. M ., 1985). Thus, temperament has two components - activity and emotionality.

temperament structure.

There are 3 components in the structure of temperament:

1) Activity - the intensity and speed of human interaction with the environment.

2) Emotionality - characterizes the features of the emergence, course and extinction of emotional states.

3) Motor (motor) - characterizes the features of the motor sphere, namely the rate of reaction, muscle tone, intensity, rhythm and total number of movements.

Question 2: Types of temperament, their psychological characteristics.

Temperament types:

1. Choleric - low sensitivity, high reactivity, high activity, predominance of reactivity, high pace, high emotional excitability, low anxiety, rigidity, extraversion.

2. Melancholic - high sensitivity, low reactivity, low activity, low pace, high emotional excitability, high anxiety, rigidity, introversion.

3. Phlegmatic - reduced sensitivity, low reactivity, high activity (in terms of volitional regulation), low pace, low emotional excitability, low anxiety, rigidity, introversion.

4. Sanguine - low sensitivity, high reactivity, high activity, predominance of activity, high pace, high emotional excitability, low anxiety, plasticity, extraversion.

A sanguine person is a decisive, energetic, quickly excitable, mobile, impressionable person, with a bright outward expression of emotions and their easy change.

Phlegmatic - calm, slow, with a weak manifestation of feelings, it is difficult to switch from one type of activity to another.

Choleric - quick-tempered, with a high level of activity, irritable, energetic, with strong, quickly emerging emotions, clearly reflected in speech, gestures, facial expressions.

Melancholic - has a low level of neuropsychic activity, dull, dreary, with high emotional vulnerability, suspicious, prone to gloomy thoughts and with a depressed mood, withdrawn, shy.

Question 3. The physiological basis of temperament: properties and types of higher nervous activity.

According to the teachings of IP Pavlov, the individual characteristics of behavior, the dynamics of the course of mental activity depend on individual differences in the activity of the nervous system. The basis of individual differences in nervous activity is the manifestation and correlation of the properties of the two main nervous processes—excitation and inhibition.

Three properties of excitation and inhibition processes were established:

1) the strength of the processes of excitation and inhibition,

2) the balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition,

3) mobility (replacement) of the processes of excitation and inhibition.

The strength of nervous processes is expressed in the ability of nerve cells to endure prolonged or short-term, but very concentrated excitation and inhibition. This determines the performance (endurance) of the nerve cell.

One of the main properties of higher nervous activity is the mobility of nervous processes. The mobility of the nervous system is characterized by the rapidity of the processes of excitation and inhibition, the rapidity of their onset and termination (when life conditions require it), the speed of the movement of nervous processes (irradiation and concentration), the rapidity of the appearance of the nervous process in response to irritation, the rapidity of the formation of new conditioned connections, the development of and dynamic stereotype changes.

Combinations of these properties of the nervous processes of excitation and inhibition formed the basis for determining the type of higher nervous activity. Depending on the combination of strength, mobility and balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition, four main types of higher nervous activity are distinguished.

Weak type. Representatives of the weak type of the nervous system cannot withstand strong, prolonged and concentrated stimuli. Weak are the processes of inhibition and excitation. Under the action of strong stimuli, the development of conditioned reflexes is delayed. Along with this, there is a high sensitivity (i.e., a low threshold) to the actions of stimuli.

Strong balanced type. Distinguished by a strong nervous system, it is characterized by an imbalance in the basic nervous processes - the predominance of excitatory processes over inhibition processes.

Strong balanced mobile type. The processes of inhibition and excitation are strong and balanced, but their speed, mobility, and rapid change of nervous processes lead to a relative instability of the nervous connections.

Strong balanced inert type. Strong and balanced nervous processes are characterized by low mobility. Representatives of this type are outwardly always calm, even, difficult to excite.

Features of a person's mental activity, which determine his actions, behavior, habits, interests, knowledge, are formed in the process of a person's individual life, in the process of education. The type of higher nervous activity gives originality to a person's behavior, leaves a characteristic imprint on the whole appearance of a person - determines the mobility of his mental processes, their stability, but does not determine either the behavior, or actions of a person, or his beliefs, or moral principles.

Type of higher nervous activity and temperament

An increase in the speed of the motor response with an increase in the intensity of the stimulus was more pronounced in subjects with a strong nervous system.

As indicators of strength in relation to inhibition, the effect of elongation and repeated repetition of a differentiating stimulus on absolute light sensitivity was used. An indicator of the strength of nerve cells in relation to inhibition is the absence of changes in light sensitivity, while an indicator of weakness is a decrease in sensitivity under the action of a differentiating stimulus.

Mobility of the nervous system is a characteristic of the speed manifestations of various functions. The mobility of the nervous system is manifested in the rate of change of inhibition by excitation and, conversely, the dynamics of the nervous process, its irradiation and concentration, changes in reactions when external conditions change. The problem of mobility syndrome has not been finally solved. In the course of its development, two more independent properties were identified - lability and dynamism of nervous processes. As the main method for determining mobility, alteration of the signs of stimuli was used after the development of the corresponding conditioned responses. The indicator of mobility is the speed of alteration of the signal value until the level of conditional effects that was observed before the alteration is reached. Higher conversion speed - higher mobility.

The lability of the first system is this is a characteristic of the rate of occurrence and termination of nervous processes; it was singled out as an independent property of the nervous system. The main method for determining lability is the indicators of the critical flicker fusion frequency (CFM), that is, the flickering frequency of light flashes at which discrete flashes are perceived as even light. The higher the frequency of discrete flashes in CFM, the higher the lability of the nervous system.

The property of the dynamism of the nervous system was singled out as an independent one in the general syndrome of the mobility of nervous processes. Under dynamic of the nervous system understand the ease and speed of the generation of the nervous process by the brain structures in the course of the formation of excitatory or inhibitory conditioned reactions. As indicators of dynamism, a conditioned reflex change in the frequency-amplitude characteristics of the electroencephalogram is used. Using a sound signal as a conditioned stimulus, and a visual stimulus as a reinforcer, one can cause a conditioned reflex change in the cortical rhythm. The rate at which conditional desynchronization is generated can serve as an indicator of dynamism.

During the research, an interesting fact was discovered. It turned out that assessments of the properties of the nervous system do not coincide in the same person when using stimulation of different modalities. The need to explain these results has led researchers to single out general and particular properties. The general properties of the nervous system were associated with the activity of the regulatory zones of the cerebral cortex, while the particular properties of the nervous system reflect the functioning of those parts of the cortex that are associated with the processing of sensory information.

Thus, within the framework of the concept of the main properties of the nervous system, diagnostic methods were developed, the physiological content and structure of these properties were determined. The properties of the nervous system are divided into primary and secondary. Primary properties - strength, mobility, dynamism, lability (in terms of excitation and inhibition), secondary - the balance of primary properties in relation to the action of excitation and inhibition. These properties can be either private or public.

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4 types of higher nervous activity and temperament

Each person is born with a certain set of biological features of his personality, manifested in temperament. Significant differences in the behavior of people, due to the properties of their temperaments, are even among blood brothers and sisters, among twins living side by side. Temperaments differ among the Siamese twins Masha and Dasha, all children who received the same upbringing, have the same worldview, close ideals, beliefs and moral principles.

What is temperament? Temperament is called the innate characteristics of a person, which determine the dynamics of the course of his mental processes. It is temperament that determines a person's reactions to external circumstances. It largely forms the character of a person, his individuality and is a kind of link between the body and cognitive processes.

Temperament is a manifestation of the type of the nervous system in human activity, individual psychological characteristics of a person, in which the mobility of his nervous processes, strength, and balance are manifested.

Excitation and inhibition can be balanced or dominate each other, they can proceed with different strength, move from center to center and replace each other in the same centers, i.e. have some mobility.

The term "temperament" itself was introduced by the ancient physician Claudius Galen and comes from the Latin word "temperans", which means moderate. The very word temperament can be translated as "the proper ratio of parts." Hippocrates believed that the type of temperament is determined by the predominance of one of the fluids in the body. If blood predominates in the body, then the person will be mobile, that is, have a sanguine temperament, yellow bile will make a person impulsive and hot - choleric, black bile - sad and timid, that is, melancholic, and the predominance of lymph will give a person calmness and slowness, make phlegmatic.

Many researchers, in particular, V.S.

Types of higher nervous activity and temperament

Merlin, S. L. Rubinshtein believe that temperaments in their pure form are very rare, usually in every person they are present in various proportions. It is also not necessary to equate character and temperament. The latter only characterizes the type of the nervous system, its properties, is associated with the structure of the body and even metabolism. But, in no way connected with the views of the individual, beliefs, tastes and does not determine the possibilities of the individual.

In the nerve centers of the human brain cortex, two opposite active processes take place in a complex interaction: excitation and inhibition. Excitation of some parts of the brain causes inhibition of others, this can explain why a person who is passionate about something ceases to perceive the environment. So, for example, the switching of attention is associated with the transfer of excitation from one part of the brain to another and, accordingly, the inhibition of the abandoned parts of the brain.

In the psychology of individual differences, the following properties of temperament are distinguished: excitation - inhibition, lability - rigidity, mobility - inertia, activity - passivity, as well as balance, sensitivity, reaction speed.

Weakness of nervous processes is characterized by the inability of nerve cells to withstand prolonged and concentrated excitation and inhibition. Under the action of very strong stimuli, nerve cells quickly pass into a state of protective inhibition. Thus, in a weak nervous system, nerve cells are characterized by low efficiency, their energy is quickly depleted. But on the other hand, a weak nervous system has great sensitivity: even to weak stimuli, it gives an appropriate reaction.

An important property of higher nervous activity is the balance of nervous processes, that is, the proportional ratio of excitation and inhibition. In some people, these two processes are mutually balanced, while in others this balance is not observed: either the process of inhibition or excitation predominates. One of the main properties of higher nervous activity is the mobility of nervous processes. The mobility of the nervous system is characterized by the rapidity of the processes of excitation and inhibition, the rapidity of their onset and termination (when life conditions require it), the rate of movement of nervous processes (irradiation and concentration), the rapidity of the appearance of the nervous process in response to irritation, the rapidity of the formation of new conditional connections. Combinations of these properties of the nervous processes of excitation and inhibition formed the basis for determining the type of higher nervous activity. Depending on the combination of strength, mobility and balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition, four main types of higher nervous activity are distinguished.

Weak type . Representatives of the weak type of the nervous system cannot withstand strong, prolonged and concentrated stimuli. Weak are the processes of inhibition and excitation. Under the action of strong stimuli, the development of conditioned reflexes is delayed. Along with this, there is a high sensitivity (i.e., a low threshold) to the actions of stimuli.

Strong balanced type . Distinguished by a strong nervous system, it is characterized by an imbalance in the basic nervous processes - the predominance of excitatory processes over inhibition processes.

Strong balanced movable type . The processes of inhibition and excitation are strong and balanced, but their speed, mobility, and rapid change of nervous processes lead to a relative instability of the nervous connections.

Strong balanced inert type . Strong and balanced nervous processes are characterized by low mobility. Representatives of this type are outwardly always calm, even, difficult to excite.

The type of higher nervous activity refers to natural higher data; this is an innate property of the nervous system. On a given physiological basis, various systems of conditioned connections can be formed, i.e., in the process of life, these conditioned connections will form differently in different people: this will be the manifestation of the type of higher nervous activity. Temperament is a manifestation of the type of higher nervous activity in human activity and behavior.

Features of a person's mental activity, which determine his actions, behavior, habits, interests, knowledge, are formed in the process of a person's individual life, in the process of education. The type of higher nervous activity gives originality to human behavior, leaves a characteristic imprint on the whole appearance of a person - determines the mobility of his mental processes, their stability, but does not determine either the behavior, or actions of a person, or his beliefs, or moral principles.

Temperament types

In psychology, there are four types of temperament: Choleric, Melancholic, Phlegmatic and Sanguine. It cannot be said that Melancholic is better than Choleric, and Sanguine is better than Phlegmatic. All have their pros and cons.

1. The melancholic has a weak type of nervous system and, therefore, is unstable in the face of circumstances that require overcoming or strong excitation of the nervous system. The remaining three types of the nervous system are considered strong. A person is easily vulnerable, prone to constant experience of various events, he reacts little to external factors. He cannot restrain his asthenic experiences by an effort of will, he is highly impressionable, easily emotionally vulnerable. These are traits of emotional weakness.

2. Phlegmatic temperaments, this type of temperament is called, which, being a strong type, is nevertheless distinguished by low mobility of nervous processes. Once having arisen in certain centers, they are distinguished by constancy and strength. The inert nervous system corresponds to this type. Slow, imperturbable, has stable aspirations and mood, outwardly stingy in the manifestation of emotions and feelings. He shows perseverance and perseverance in work, remaining calm and balanced. In work, he is productive, compensating for his slowness with diligence.

3. Sanguine temperament - another strong type of temperament - is characterized by the fact that the processes of excitation and inhibition are quite strong, balanced and easily mobile. A lively, hot, mobile person, with frequent changes of mood, impressions, with a quick reaction to all events taking place around him, quite easily reconciled with his failures and troubles. He is very productive at work, when he is interested, getting very excited from this, if the work is not interesting, he is indifferent to it, he becomes bored.

4. Choleric temperament - the third strong type of temperament - unbalanced, unrestrained, excitation processes prevail over weak inhibition. This type of nervous system is quickly depleted and prone to breakdowns. Fast, passionate, impulsive, but completely unbalanced, with sharply changing moods with emotional outbursts, quickly exhausted. He does not have a balance of nervous processes, this sharply distinguishes him from a sanguine person. Choleric, carried away, carelessly wastes his strength and quickly depletes.

Good upbringing, control and self-control makes it possible for a melancholic person to manifest himself as an impressionable person with deep feelings and emotions; phlegmatic, as a seasoned person, without hasty decisions; sanguine, as a highly responsive person for any work; choleric, as a passionate, frantic and active person in work. Negative properties of temperament can manifest themselves: in a melancholic - isolation and shyness; phlegmatic - indifference to people, dryness; in a sanguine person - superficiality, dispersion, inconstancy. A person with any type of temperament may or may not be capable, the type of temperament does not affect a person’s abilities, it’s just that some life tasks are easier to solve for a person of one type of temperament, others for another. Temperament is one of the most significant personality traits. Interest in this problem arose more than two and a half thousand years ago. It was caused by the obvious existence of individual differences, which are due to the peculiarities of the biological and physiological structure and development of the organism, as well as the peculiarities of social development, the uniqueness of social ties and contacts. The biologically determined personality structures include, first of all, temperament. Temperament determines the presence of many mental differences between people, including the intensity and stability of emotions, emotional impressionability, the pace and vigor of actions, as well as a number of other dynamic characteristics.

Despite the fact that repeated and constant attempts have been made to investigate the problem of temperament, this problem still belongs to the category of controversial and not completely resolved problems of modern psychological science. Today there are many approaches to the study of temperament. However, with all the existing variety of approaches, most researchers recognize that temperament is the biological foundation on which a person is formed as a social being, and personality traits due to temperament are the most stable and long-term. It is impossible to raise the question of which of the temperaments is better. Each of them has its positive and negative sides. Passion, activity, energy of the choleric, mobility, liveliness and responsiveness of the sanguine, the depth and stability of the feelings of the melancholic, the calmness and lack of haste of the phlegmatic are examples of those valuable personality traits that are associated with individual temperaments. At the same time, with any of the temperaments, there may be a danger of developing undesirable personality traits. For example, a choleric temperament can make a person unrestrained, abrupt, prone to constant "explosions". A sanguine temperament can lead to frivolity, a tendency to scatter, insufficient depth and stability of feelings. With a melancholic temperament, a person may develop excessive isolation, a tendency to completely immerse himself in his own experiences, and excessive shyness. Phlegmatic temperament can make a person lethargic, inert, indifferent to all the impressions of life. Despite this temperament, the whole life of its owner is formed as well as his character.

In our opinion, temperament changes throughout life and depends on the prevailing circumstances. Let's say a person ... a sanguine person. Everything in his life is calm. People appear in his life who begin to interrogate him, accuse him, bring him to hysterics, to tears. If such an appeal lasts longer than a month, then the person begins to cry more, becomes Melancholic. This Melancholic is constantly being pulled, humiliated. This Melancholic becomes Choleric. It can already be compared to a nuclear bomb. He starts to explode and yells at everyone who laughs from the side, who says something to him as a joke, but he does not understand. It has a negative effect on those around you. But this rarely happens. Temperament is the pace or cycle of expressing emotions and qualities.

TEMPERAMENT IS THE INDIVIDUAL FEATURES OF A HUMAN THAT CONDITION DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF INTENSITY AND SPEED OF RESPONSE, DEGREE OF EMOTIONAL EXCITABILITY AND BALANCE, FEATURES OF ADAPTING TO THE ENVIRONMENT

“Temperament is those innate characteristics of a person that determine the dynamic characteristics of the intensity and speed of response, the degree of emotional excitability and balance, the features of adaptation to the environment”

Temperament - these are the innate characteristics of a person that determine the dynamic characteristics of the intensity and speed of response, the degree of emotional excitability and balance, and the features of adaptation to the environment.

Before proceeding to the consideration of various types of temperament, we immediately emphasize that there are no better or worse temperaments - each of them has its positive aspects, therefore, the main efforts should be directed not at reworking the temperament (which is impossible due to the innate temperament), but at its reasonable use negative edges.

Mankind has long tried to isolate the typical features of the mental make-up of various people, to reduce them to a small number of generalized portraits - types of temperament. Such typologies were practically useful, since they could be used to predict the behavior of people with a certain temperament in specific life situations.

Temperament in translation from Latin - "mixture", "proportionality". The oldest description of temperaments belongs to the "father" of medicine, Hippocrates. He believed that a person's temperament is determined by which of the four body fluids prevails: if blood predominates ("sangvis" in Latin), then the temperament will be sanguine, i.e. energetic, fast, cheerful, sociable, easily endures life's difficulties and failures. If bile ("chole") predominates, then the person will be choleric - bilious, irritable, excitable, unrestrained, very mobile person, with a quick change of mood. If mucus ("phlegm") predominates, then the temperament is phlegmatic - a calm, slow, balanced person, slowly, with difficulty switching from one type of activity to another, poorly adapting to new conditions. If black bile predominates ("melanchole"), then a melancholic is obtained - a somewhat painfully shy and impressionable person, prone to sadness, timidity, isolation, he quickly gets tired, overly sensitive to adversity.

Academician I. P. Pavlov studied the physiological foundations of temperament, drawing attention to the dependence of temperament on the type of nervous system. He showed that the two main nervous processes - excitation and inhibition - reflect the activity of the brain. From birth, they are all different in strength, mutual balance, mobility. Depending on the ratio of these properties of the nervous system, Pavlov identified four main types of higher nervous activity:
"unrestrained" (strong, mobile, unbalanced type of the nervous system (n / s) - corresponds to the temperament of the choleric);
"live" (strong, mobile, balanced type of n / s corresponds to the temperament of a sanguine person);
"calm" (strong, balanced, inert type of n / s corresponds to the temperament of a phlegmatic person);
"weak" (weak, unbalanced, sedentary type of n / s determines the temperament of a melancholic).

71. Types of temperament and their psychological characteristics

The psychological characteristics of temperament types are determined by the following properties: sensitivity, reactivity, the ratio of reactivity and activity, the rate of reactions, plasticity - rigidity, extraversion - introversion, emotional excitability.

Consider the characteristics of four types of temperament.

A choleric is a person whose nervous system is determined by the predominance of excitation over inhibition, as a result of which he reacts very quickly, often thoughtlessly, does not have time to slow down, restrain himself, shows impatience, impulsiveness, sharpness of movements, irascibility, unbridledness, incontinence. The imbalance of his nervous system predetermines the cyclicity in the change of his activity and vigor: being carried away by some business, he works passionately, with full dedication, but his strength is not enough for a short time, and as soon as they are exhausted, he is worked out to the point that everything is unbearable for him. There is an irritated state, bad mood, loss of strength and lethargy ("everything falls out of hand"). The alternation of positive cycles of raising mood and energy with negative cycles of decline, depression causes uneven behavior and well-being, its increased susceptibility to the emergence of neurotic breakdowns and conflicts with people.

A sanguine person is a person with a strong, balanced, mobile n / s, has a quick reaction rate, his actions are deliberate, cheerful, due to which he is characterized by high resistance to the difficulties of life. The mobility of his nervous system determines the variability of feelings, attachments, interests, views, high adaptability to new conditions. This is a sociable person. Easily converges with new people and therefore he has a wide circle of acquaintances, although he is not distinguished by constancy in communication and affection. He is a productive figure, but only when there are many interesting things to do, i.e. with constant excitement, otherwise he becomes dull, lethargic, distracted. In a stressful situation, it shows the "reaction of a lion", i.e. actively, deliberately defends itself, fights for the normalization of the situation.

Phlegmatic - a person with a strong, balanced, but inert n / s, as a result of which he reacts slowly, is taciturn, emotions appear slowly (it is difficult to anger, cheer); has a high capacity for work, well resists strong and prolonged stimuli, difficulties, but is not able to quickly respond to unexpected new situations. He firmly remembers everything he has learned, is not able to abandon the developed skills and stereotypes, does not like to change habits, routines, work, new friends, it is difficult and slow to adapt to new conditions. The mood is stable, even. And in case of serious troubles, the phlegmatic remains outwardly calm.

Melancholic is a person with a weak n / s, who has increased sensitivity even to weak stimuli, and a strong stimulus can already cause a “breakdown”, “stop”, confusion, “rabbit stress”, therefore, in stressful situations (exam, competition, danger, etc.) n.) the results of the melancholic's activities may worsen compared to a calm, familiar situation. Hypersensitivity leads to rapid fatigue and a drop in performance (longer rest is required). An insignificant occasion can cause resentment, tears. The mood is very changeable, but usually the melancholic tries to hide, not to show his feelings outwardly, does not talk about his experiences, although he is very inclined to give himself up to experiences, often sad, depressed, insecure, anxious, he may develop neurotic disorders. However, having a high sensitivity of n / s, melancholics often have pronounced artistic and intellectual abilities.

72. Accounting for temperament in activities

Since each activity imposes certain requirements on the human psyche and its dynamic features, there are no temperaments that are ideally suited for all types of activities.

The role of temperament in work and study lies in the fact that the influence on the activity of various mental states caused by an unpleasant environment, emotional factors, and pedagogical influences depends on it. The influence of various factors that determine the level of neuropsychic stress depends on temperament (for example, assessment of activity, expectation of activity control, acceleration of the pace of work, disciplinary influences, etc.).

There are four ways of adapting temperament to the requirements of activity.

The first way is professional selection, one of the tasks of which is to prevent persons who do not have the necessary temperamental properties from participating in this activity. This path is implemented only in the selection for professions that place high demands on personality traits.

The second way to adapt temperament to activity is to individualize the requirements, conditions and methods of work imposed on a person (individual approach).

The third way is to overcome the negative influence of temperament through the formation of a positive attitude towards activity and corresponding motives.

The fourth, main and most universal way of adapting temperament to the requirements of activity is the formation of its individual style.

An individual style of activity is understood as such an individual system of techniques and methods of action that is characteristic of a given person and is appropriate for achieving a successful result.

Temperament is an external manifestation of the type of higher nervous activity of a person, and therefore, as a result of education, self-education, this external manifestation can be distorted, changed, and the true temperament is "disguised". Therefore, "pure" types of temperament are rarely found, but, nevertheless, the predominance of one or another tendency is always manifested in human behavior.

Temperament leaves an imprint on the ways of behavior and communication, for example, a sanguine person is almost always the initiator in communication, he feels at ease in the company of strangers, a new unusual situation only excites him, and a melancholic, on the contrary, frightens, confuses, he is lost in a new situation, among new people. The phlegmatic also finds it difficult to meet new people, shows little of his feelings and does not notice for a long time that someone is looking for a reason to get to know him. He is inclined to start love relationships with friendship and eventually falls in love, but without lightning-fast metamorphoses, since his rhythm of feelings is slowed down, and the stability of feelings makes him monogamous. In choleric, sanguine, on the contrary, love arises more often from an explosion, at first sight, but not so stable.

The productivity of a person's work is closely related to the characteristics of his temperament. So, the special mobility of a sanguine person can bring an additional effect if the work requires him to frequently switch from one type of occupation to another, promptness in making decisions, and the monotony, regimentation of activities, on the contrary, leads him to rapid fatigue. Phlegmatics and melancholics, on the contrary, in conditions of strict regulation and monotonous work, show greater productivity and resistance to fatigue than choleric and sanguine people.

In behavioral communication, it is possible and necessary to foresee the peculiarities of the reaction of persons with different types of temperament and to respond adequately to them.

We emphasize that temperament determines only dynamic, but not meaningful, characteristics of behavior. On the basis of the same temperament, both a "great" and a socially insignificant person are possible.

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The constitutional typology of personality was proposed by Kretschmer on the basis of the allocation of four main types of physique constitution (congenital features of a person's physique are predetermined by the dynamics of the intrauterine development of an infant from three germ layers: inner, middle, outer)

The first type of physique - asthenic (mostly the development of the outer germinal layer was going on) - a person of fragile physique, with a flat chest, narrow shoulders, elongated and thin limbs, an elongated face, but a highly developed nervous system, brain ...

Temperament - these are the innate characteristics of a person that determine the dynamic characteristics of the intensity and speed of response, the degree of emotional excitability and balance, the features of adaptation to the environment.

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Types of higher nervous activity

Type classification. Greek physician Hippocrates, who lived in the 4th century. BC, wrote that each person, on the basis of the characteristics of his behavior, can be attributed to one of the four main temperaments: melancholic, choleric, sanguine and phlegmatic.

Temperament as a type of higher nervous activity

These temperaments correspond well to the four main types of higher nervous activity established by Pavlov on the basis of many years of studying the formation and course of conditioned reflexes in animals. Pavlov based the division into types on three main properties of nervous processes.

The first property is force processes of excitation and inhibition. It is determined by the pr-unit force of irritation, at which conditioned reflexes can be formed. The second property is ratio the strength of the processes of excitation and tprmpzhrnnya in other words, their balance or imbalance. Third property -ps^movement progress npch ^ zhgtr ^ ir and braking, i.e., speed, with Shka they can replace each other.

Based on the manifestation of these three properties, IP Pavlov identified four main types: weak; strong, unbalanced;

strong balanced mobile; strong balanced slow, or calm. Such a division into types of higher nervous activity is also applicable to humans, in particular to children.

Weak type. Children belonging to this type do not tolerate strong or prolonged irritations that cause them to have prohibitive inhibition. Easily occurs in them and induction braking. So, reflexes are inhibited under the influence of extraneous stimuli, especially new, unusual ones. Such a child, having got into a new environment for the first time, for example, when visiting a kindergarten for the first time, stands with his head down, does not answer questions, clings to his mother, and with persistent, repeated questions, he can easily cry. Conditioned reflexes are formed slowly, after a large number of combinations with an unconditioned stimulus. Motor activity is small and unstable. The child gives the impression of being cowardly and weak.

The weak type corresponds to the Hippocratic melancholic temperament.

Strong unbalanced type. This type is also called excitable. It is characterized by the predominance of excitation over inhibition. In children of this type, positive conditioned reflexes are formed easily, and, moreover, not only to weak, but also to strong irritation. Inhibition of reflexes, on the contrary, is difficult. Extraneous, even strong stimuli often not only do not cause induction inhibition, but intensify reflex reactions. Negative conditioned reflexes are unstable, often break down. Speech is fast, loud, but uneven. Children are very mobile

moderately excitable. In response to pain irritation, for example, during the treatment of a tooth, they can give a general unrestrained reaction that does not stop for a long time. Even a weak pain irritation can give such a reaction, for example, when applying an iodine setting to a scratch. Due to excessive excitability and weakness of inhibitory processes, children are bad, subject to discipline, often (especially in temper) behave defiantly, aggressively. If excessive excitement drags on, it can be replaced by depression, i.e., loss of strength, general 'slowness'.

This type corresponds to the Hippocratic choleric temperament. ^

There are several variants of the unbalanced type:

1. Often very capable, but highly excitable, temperamental children. Very emotional. Their speech and movements are fast. Braking processes, although reduced, but to a weak degree.

2. Short-tempered, explosive children. Normal behavior is disturbed often, but for a short time. During the explosion, they behave passionately, aggressively.

3. Children with a pronounced decrease in the processes of inhibition. They easily become slaves to their instincts. For the sake of their satisfaction, they often stop at nothing. Such children are usually called promiscuous and mischievous. Difficult to educate.

Strong balanced, mobile type. Conditioned reflexes, both positive and negative, are formed quickly. The resulting conditional connections are stable. Extinguishing, restoring and altering conditioned reflexes occurs easily and quickly. A frequent and abrupt transition from excitation to inhibition and vice versa does not disturb cortical activity. Speech is sufficiently fast, loud, emotional and at the same time smooth, with gestures and expressive, but not excessive facial expressions. Children are lively, sociable, with vivid emotions; usually show great interest in surrounding phenomena. The analytical and synthetic activity of the cerebral cortex can reach a high level. Such children are easy to educate; often show great abilities.

This type corresponds to the Hippocratic sanguine temperament.

Strong balanced, slow type. Positive and negative conditioned reflexes are formed more slowly than in children of the previous type. Speech is slow, calm, without pronounced emotions and gestures. The transition from excitation to inhibition and vice versa is slow. The child, as a rule, is distinguished by calmness, perseverance during classes, good behavior, discipline; easily copes if a difficult situation arises before him. Often such children study well and show great abilities. The received task is carried out slowly, but conscientiously.

This type corresponds to the Hippocratic phlegmatic temperament.

Plasticity of types of higher nervous activity. Typological features of higher nervous activity are determined by heredity. However, behavior is determined not only by the innate properties of the nervous system, but also by those of its features that arose under the influence of the environment surrounding the organism from the day it was born. Consequently, the innate properties of the nervous system cannot be regarded as immutable. They can be changed to some extent under the influence of education and training. The susceptibility to change, or plasticity, of the types of nervous activity is, in essence, only one of the manifestations of the general most important property of the nervous system - its plasticity, adaptability to changing environmental conditions.

The plasticity of types of nervous activity, the possibility of their alteration through exercise, education, are, in the words of Pavlov, "the most important pedagogical fact." Since environmental influences are the stronger and stronger, the younger the body, the problems of education and training from an early age are of particular importance.

Not all children are equally amenable to education. The most difficult should be considered children with unbalanced higher nervous activity, especially those who were defined above as explosive and loose.

If, however, correct educational work is carried out from early childhood, then, as experience shows, it is possible to significantly reduce the bad manifestations of typological characteristics, soften them by instilling in the child strong skills that will prevent the uncontrolled influence of instincts, as well as excessive aggressiveness and irascibility.

The type of GNI is a combination of congenital and acquired properties of the nervous system that determine the temperament of the individual.

The concept of "type of the nervous system" and "type of GNI" are most often used as synonyms, although not all scientists agree with this, believing that with the help of conditioned reflex techniques, the features of the functioning of the cerebral cortex are more revealed and, to a lesser extent, the features of the nervous system. systems as a whole. However, the study of the types of GNA brings us closer to understanding the true types of the nervous system, which means that it makes it possible to better understand the characterological features of a person.

According to the general features of behavior, the main types of higher nervous activity are distinguished, suggesting differences in the temperaments of animals and in the characters of people.

The first attempt to divide people into groups according to their temperament belongs to Hippocrates, who described the four types of temperament most common in life: sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric and melancholic, - explaining the nature of the individual characteristics of people's behavior by the difference in the proportions of the "vital juices" of the body: blood, mucus, caustic bile and black bile.

There have been such attempts to classify temperaments according to various accompanying features. These attempts led, in particular, to the constitutional theories of temperament, which were based on the position of the relationship of temperament with certain characteristics of the anatomical structure of the body.

The real nature of temperaments and characters was revealed by I.P. Pavlov, who, thanks to numerous experiments on animals and observations of people, came to the conclusion that it was necessary to put the features of the excitatory and inhibitory processes on the basis of such a division.

The first indicator of typological differences is the strength of the excitatory process, which can be ascertained by the rate of formation of conditioned reflexes. The second indicator is the strength of the braking process, determined by the rate of development of internal braking. And, finally, the third indicator - the mobility of nervous processes - is revealed in experiments with alteration of the signal values of stimuli (and in a number of other additional tests).

In Pavlov's classification (as well as in Hippocrates) four types of higher nervous activity are distinguished: living type (corresponds to the sanguine of Hippocrates), characterized by the great strength of the excitatory and inhibitory processes and their high mobility (the type is strong, balanced, mobile); calm type ( corresponds to the phlegmatic of Hippocrates), which has a high strength of the excitatory and inhibitory processes, but their low mobility (the type is strong, balanced, inert ); rampant type (corresponds to Hippocrates' choleric), having a strong excitatory process with a weak inhibitory one (the type is strong, but unbalanced); weak type (corresponding to the melancholic of Hippocrates), in which the excitatory and active inhibitory processes are distinguished by low strength. The character of a person of this type depends mainly on the innate temperament. However, the upbringing received and the sum of the most complex reflexes associated with social life have a great influence on the behavior of these people.

In addition, Pavlov outlined a classification of specific human types of higher nervous activity. It is based on the nature of the interaction of the first and second human signaling systems:

medium type(with balance in the interaction of both signal systems);

artistic type(with a predominance of primary signal figurative thinking);

thinking type(where second-signal abstract thinking prevails).

Typological variants of the personality of children

With the help of psychological methods (observation of the behavior of students at school, individual conversation, characteristics of teachers, a modified children's personality questionnaire Ketell), E.M. Aleksandrovskaya and I.N. Gilyasheva (1985) identified six main typological personality variants of children of primary school age (7 - 10 years). A total of 269 children studying in a public school were examined. We studied the following personality traits:

sociability, intelligence, self-confidence, excitability, dominance, risk-taking, conscientiousness, social courage, sensitivity, anxiety, self-control, tension.

The main typological variants of personality were the following.

Harmonious type (about 36%). Children in this largest group learn easily and do not experience learning difficulties. Examination according to the children's personality questionnaire reveals in them, along with a fairly high level of formation of intellectual functions, such personal properties as sociability, self-confidence, high self-control, conscientiousness, lack of anxiety. This group is divided into fox subgroups that differ in the level of excitability: children of subgroup I (about 26%) are characterized by equilibrium , children of the II subgroup (about 10%) - pronounced motor activity .

The practical orientation of schoolchildren belonging to the harmonious type is manifested in the effective mastery of educational activities, the desire for good results. The combination of these properties is a stable personality structure that provides them with quick adaptation.

Conformal type (about 12%). The behavior of schoolchildren manifests a strong dependence on the situation, the desire to conform to the environment. High school motivation, the need to advance in accordance with the established standards determine their focus on educational activities. According to the test survey, the children are quite sociable, self-confident, conscientious, have good self-control, low levels of anxiety and tension. A characteristic feature of children with a conformal personality type is the underdevelopment of cognitive activity, which makes it difficult to master the curriculum.

Dominant type (about 10%). A distinctive feature of these students is the desire for independence, domination, self-affirmation. They are sociable, active, self-confident, have social courage and risk-taking. The practical orientation of these schoolchildren is especially evident in the organization of children's games. The combination of high activity and low self-control creates adaptation difficulties associated with the assimilation of school norms of behavior.

sensitive type (about 14%). These children are timid and shy, although friendships with those they are used to are persistent. Study diligently, diligently. The dominant property, according to the test survey, is sensitivity, which is combined with such qualities as sociability, conscientiousness, high self-control, dependence.

Anxious type (about 10%). These children are characterized by extreme variability of the emotional sphere, increased impressionability; their actions are distinguished by excessive excitement, anxiety. They learn easily, they read and tell especially well. According to test data, they combine a high level of anxiety with excitability, sensitivity, self-doubt, a sense of responsibility, a good understanding of social standards,

The leading feature for children with sensitive and anxious types of personality formation is communication. It is this activity that serves as a source of emotional reinforcement, which is so necessary for them. The expectation of a positive assessment of one's actions and deeds from others determines the difficulties in the sphere of relationships. Dependence on the emotional state makes it difficult for some of them to master the curriculum.

Iptroverted type (about 18%). A distinctive feature of these students is their focus on cognitive activity, a high level of intelligence development is combined with a reduced control over the surrounding reality. A test examination revealed in these children isolation, self-doubt, social timidity, and low self-control. At the same time, children have excitability, anxiety, tension. About 6% of children in this group are characterized by passivity, poverty of the motivational sphere, lack of initiative. Loneliness, isolation from others, increased sensitivity contribute to the emergence of difficulties both in the development of social norms and in establishing contacts, and ultimately lead to a conflict, subjectively difficult situation in school.

It should, however, be noted that the physiological basis for the formation of typological personality variants, in our opinion, is the strength, balance and mobility of the processes of excitation and inhibition, studied in detail by IP Pavlov and experiments on animals. An important role in the formation of these properties of the nervous system is played by the environment (working and rest conditions, the situation in the family and the team, etc.), especially in early ontogenesis.

Questions for self-study.

1. How does human GNI differ from animal GNI?

2. What is called the first signaling system?

3. What is called the second signaling system?

4. What are the physiological mechanisms of the first and second signal systems?

5. Provide evidence (experimental and clinical) of the influence of the cerebral cortex on the functional state of internal organs.

6. What is the functional asymmetry of the human brain?

7. What underlies the allocation of GNI types?

8. What is the significance (biological, medical, social) of the typological features of human GNI?

9. Name the personality traits of a person, depending on his type of GNI.

10. What are the main stages in the development of GNI in a child? What is their essence?

11. When does a child begin to form a second signaling system?

12. What conditions contribute to the development of the child's second signaling system?

13. What are the main features of GNI in old age?

14. Name the main age-related features of mental functions.

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Danilova N. N. Functional states: mechanisms and diagnostics. M., 1985. 286 p.
To the diagnosis of abilities and temperament. M., 1986. In print.
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Individual features of human behavior, his beliefs, attitudes, habits develop gradually throughout life. The physiological basis of these features are the properties of higher nervous activity (VIA) and complex systems of conditioned reflexes, the formation of which depends on two factors: on the environment surrounding a person (family, school, society of a certain historical era, social system, practical and socio-historical human activity), and from the hereditary properties of the higher nervous activity of the individual. These properties of GNI are the strength of nervous processes (excitation and inhibition), their balance and mobility.

The most important property of higher nervous activity is the strength of nervous processes. The judgment about the degree of its severity is made on the basis of many criteria. The strength of nervous processes can be characterized by the ability of neurons to withstand prolonged excitation without going into a state of extreme inhibition under the action of a strong or long-acting stimulus. So, for example, the noise of an airplane, while not being a strong irritant for the adult passengers in it, causes prohibitive inhibition in young children with weak nervous processes.

The ability to perform long-term, uninteresting work or short-term, but high power, can serve as a characteristic of the performance of neurons. An important indicator of the strength of nervous processes is the "law of strength" formulated by I.P. Pavlov. According to this law, the magnitude of the conditioned reflex increases with increasing intensity of the conditioned stimulus. The traced dependence is clearly manifested in individuals with strong nervous processes, while in people with weak nerve cells the “law of strength” is violated: the response to a conditioned stimulus, the intensity of which increases, either does not change, or weakens (paradoxical response). One of the important manifestations of the strength of nervous processes is also resistance to the inhibitory action of extraneous stimuli.

Thus, the strength of nervous processes can be judged on the basis of several important criteria:

1) the limit of the performance of nerve cells, which is determined by the threshold of transcendental inhibition, the ability for prolonged activity of low voltage or short-term, but very powerful work;
2) attitudes towards the "law of force";
3) resistance to the inhibitory action of extraneous stimuli.

Based on these notions, according to the strength of the nervous processes of all people can be divided into two types: strong and weak.

The second property underlying the classification of GNI types is balance between the processes of excitation and inhibition. They can be balanced, but they can also prevail one over the other. In persons with a weak nervous system, protective transboundary inhibition easily develops. Therefore, it is impossible to consider the properties of the balance of processes in them. The strong type on this basis can be divided into balanced and unbalanced. The criterion for the balance of nervous processes in persons with a strong nervous system is the following data:

1) the value of the orienting reaction;
2) the rate of extinction of the orienting reaction when it occurs repeatedly;
3) the rate of formation of positive and negative conditioned reflexes;
4) the rate of extinction of the conditioned reflex when it is not reinforced.

In individuals with a predominance of the excitatory process, the magnitude of the orienting reaction is very high, and its rate of extinction is low. In these people, positive conditioned reflexes are developed relatively quickly, but the formation of all types of internal conditioned inhibition, especially differentiation, is difficult. While in people with balanced processes of excitation and inhibition, both positive and negative reflexes are developed relatively easily. There are no particular difficulties in converting reflexes from excitatory to inhibitory and, conversely, from inhibitory to excitatory.

Finally, the third property of the nervous system is mobility - depends on the speed of mutual transitions of the processes of excitation and inhibition. The criterion for evaluating mobility can be the efficiency of performing work of a high-speed nature, as well as the speed, clarity and accuracy in performing when moving from one type of occupation to another.

Thus, the use of various criteria makes it possible to judge the degree of manifestation of the main properties of GNI in different individuals. The data obtained formed the basis for the division of all people into separate types. 4 types of higher nervous activity are distinguished(Table 3). However, in a pronounced form, these four types are relatively rare. Most people belong to intermediate forms, the number of variants of which is very large. Education plays an important role in this.

Table 3

Scheme of four types of GNI according to I.P. Pavlov

Type of nervous system	Characteristics of the indicators of the nervous system according to:			Correspondence of temperaments (according to Hippocrates)
Type of nervous system		balance	mobility	Correspondence of temperaments (according to Hippocrates)
Strong, unbalanced (unrestrained)		Unbalanced, predominance of excitation over inhibition
Strong, balanced, mobile		Balanced	Mobile	sanguine
Strong, balanced, inert			Inert	Phlegmatic person
		Unbalanced, predominance of inhibition over excitation		melancholic

I.P. Pavlov considered the type of the nervous system as an alloy of the genotype, i.e. the hereditary basis of nervous activity (which determines the constitutional features of the organism, including temperament), with a phenotype, i.e. properties acquired as a result of upbringing.

It should be noted that the types of GNI are determined by innate qualities. However, in the process of development, as is known, hereditary properties do not remain unchanged, but are significantly transformed under the influence of the external environment.

The purposeful influence of environmental factors can have a certain effect on the properties of the nervous system. So, for example, the mobility of nervous processes can be somewhat increased under the action of rapidly changing stimuli, each of which requires a new response.

The strength of the nervous processes also lends itself to a certain training. This is achieved with a gradual increase in the strength and duration of the action of stimuli.

In connection with the consideration of the types of GNI in children, the question of the practical assessment of the type of GNI in order to solve the problem of the ways in which the character and behavior of a person is formed is of great importance. According to the point of view of I.P. Pavlov, there cannot be a simple correspondence between the types of the nervous system and the nature of behavior, since behavior is an "alloy" of innate traits of the type and changes caused by the external environment. The properties of the nervous system do not determine any forms of behavior, but form the ground on which some forms of behavior are easier to form and others more difficult.

In this regard, it is difficult to give a practical assessment of each type of GNI. Until a certain time, persons with a weak nervous system were considered fatalistically inferior. However, attitudes towards this type have recently changed significantly. It is known that people with weak and strong nervous systems have both positive and negative sides. For example, a weak nervous system has low endurance (negative side), but is characterized by high sensitivity, reactivity to stimuli (positive side). In contrast, a strong nervous system has great endurance (positive side) but little sensitivity to stimuli (negative side).

Thus, each property of the nervous system, from the point of view of its vital value, can be considered as a dialectical unity of opposite manifestations.

From what has been said follows the proposition that all types of higher nervous activity have the same social value. The study of types should be aimed not at finding ways to change the properties of the nervous system, but at finding the best ways and methods of education and training (for children), as well as the organization of work and life (for adults), for each type.

Typological features of human higher nervous activity depending on the relationship between the first and second signal systems. Observing various forms of behavior, as well as the peculiarities of thinking and emotional activity of people, I.P. Pavlov proposed another classification of GNI types based on the interaction of the first and second signaling systems. According to I.P. Pavlova, there are three main types of people: thoughtful, artistic and mixed.

For people of the artistic type, the predominance of specific sensory-figurative thinking, based on the activity of a more developed first signal system of reality, is characteristic. These people are more prone to synthesis. Representatives of people with a pronounced artistic type of GNI I.P. Pavlov considered L.N. Tolstoy and I.E. Repin.

For people of the mental type, the predominance of the second signal system of reality is characteristic. They are more prone to analytical, abstract, abstract thinking. To this type vnd i.p. Pavlov attributed the famous German philosopher Hegel, the creator of the theory of the origin of species to the English scientist C. Darwin, and others.

In addition, there is a category of people who have the first and second signaling systems equally developed. People with this type are prone to both abstract and sensory-figurative thinking. Their I.P. Pavlov referred to the mixed type. To this category, among the outstanding figures of science and art, he attributed the versatile gifted Leonardo da Vinci - a brilliant artist and mathematician, anatomist and physiologist. The mixed type of GNI, according to the scientist, was possessed by the German poet and philosopher Goethe, the creator of the periodic system of elements D.I. Mendeleev, an outstanding chemist, talented Russian composer A.P. Borodin.

Thus, in adults, depending on the ratio in the activity of the first and second signaling systems, three types of GNI are distinguished. Special studies carried out in the middle of the last century in the laboratory of A.G. Ivanov-Smolensky showed that children have similar types of GNI.

The classification of the GNI of children, built taking into account the functioning of the signaling systems, contains four types. It is based on the ability of nervous processes in children to mutually transition from one signal system to another, from one form of thinking to another. This classification is shown in fig. 5.2.

Each individual has predominantly genetically determined features of the functioning of the nervous system, which determine differences in the nature of the response to the same effects of the physical and social environment and, therefore, form the basis for the formation of behavior.

IP Pavlov singled out three main properties of nervous processes: strength, balance and mobility.

The strength of nervous processes - This is the ability of nerve cells to maintain adequate performance under significant stress of excitatory and inhibitory processes. It is based on the expression in the central nervous system of the processes of excitation and inhibition. People with a stronger nervous system are more resilient and stress-resistant.

Balance of nervous processes - this is a balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition, which creates the basis for a more balanced behavior.

Mobility of nervous processes indicates the ability to quickly transition from excitation to inhibition. People with a more mobile nervous system have a greater flexibility of behavior, they quickly adapt to new conditions.

Subsequently, additional properties of nervous processes were identified.

Dynamism – the ability of brain structures to rapidly generate nervous processes during the formation of conditioned reactions. The dynamism of nervous processes underlies learning.

Lability - the rate of occurrence and termination of nervous processes. This property allows you to make movements with great frequency, quickly and clearly starting and ending the movement.

Activation characterizes the individual level of activation of nervous processes and underlies the processes of memorization and reproduction.

Various combinations of these characteristics of nervous processes determine one or another type of temperament and, to some extent, properties of character and personality. For example, the strength of the excitation process underlies endurance, energy, efficiency, ardor, courage, courage, activity, courage, ability to overcome difficulties, initiative, risk-taking, independence, determination, perseverance. And the braking force determines such properties as caution, self-control, patience, secrecy, restraint, composure.

When the processes of excitation and inhibition are unbalanced, when excitation prevails over inhibition, a tendency to increased excitability, a tendency to take risks, ardor, intolerance, a predominance of perseverance and pliability appear. Such a person is rather a person of action, waiting and patience are difficult for him. And such character traits as caution, endurance, restraint, calmness, lack of propensity for excitement and risk are associated with the predominance of inhibition processes in the nervous system. Balance, i.e. the presence of a balance between inhibition and excitation implies moderation, prudence, dimension in activity, combined with the possibility of applying sufficient effort to achieve the goal, and if necessary, risk. With pronounced mobility of excitatory processes, impulsivity may occur, a tendency to quickly interrupt the work begun when it ceases to arouse interest. It is difficult for such a person to develop perseverance in achieving a goal. When combined with the mobility of the inhibitory process, responsiveness to external stimuli, sociability, initiative can occur - it is difficult for such people to be secretive, attached and constant.

Based on various combinations of the three main properties of nervous processes, various types of GNI are formed. In the classification of I.P. Pavlov, four main types of GNI are distinguished, differing in adaptability to external conditions:

1) strong, unbalanced ("unrestrained") type It is characterized by a high strength of excitation processes that predominate with inhibition. This is a person with a high level of activity, quick-tempered, energetic, irritable, carried away, with strong, quickly emerging emotions that are clearly reflected in speech, gestures and facial expressions;
2) strong, balanced, mobile (labile or "alive") type characterized by strong balanced processes of excitation and inhibition with the ability to easily change one process to another. These people are energetic, with great self-control, decisive, able to quickly navigate in a new environment, mobile, impressionable, vividly expressing their emotions;
3) strong, balanced, inert (calm) type characterized by the presence of strong processes of excitation and inhibition, their balance, but at the same time low mobility of nervous processes. These are very hard-working, able to restrain, calm people, but slow, with a weak manifestation of feelings, it is difficult to switch from one type of activity to another, committed to their habits;
4) weak type characterized by weak excitatory processes and easily occurring inhibitory reactions. These are weak-willed, dull, dreary people, with high emotional vulnerability, suspicious, prone to gloomy thoughts, to an oppressed mood, they are shy, often succumb to other people's influence.

These types of GNA correspond to the classical description of temperaments by Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician who lived almost 2.5 millennia before IP Pavlov (Table 13.2).

Table 13.2

Correlation of types of higher nervous activity and temperaments according to Hippocrates

However, usually the combination of properties of the nervous system is more diverse, and therefore one rarely sees such "pure" types of HNA in life. Even I. P. Pavlov noted that between the main types there are "intermediate, transitional types, and you need to know them in order to navigate in human behavior."

It is interesting to note that the main types of GNI are common to humans and animals. But along with them, I. P. Pavlov singled out types that are peculiar only to man, based on the different ratio of the first and second signal systems:

– artistic type - differs by a slight predominance of the first signal system over the second. Persons belonging to this type are characterized by an objective, figurative perception of the world around them, a tendency to operate with sensual images in the process of thinking;
– thinking type - characterized by the predominance of the second signal system over the first. Representatives of this type are characterized by the presence of pronounced abilities for abstraction, operating in the process of thinking with abstract symbols, well-developed abilities for analysis;
– middle type - differs in balance of signaling systems. It applies to most people. Representatives of this type are characterized by both figurative impressions and abstract conclusions.

This classification is associated with the functional interhemispheric asymmetry of the brain, the features of their interaction: it is believed that the artistic type corresponds to the right hemisphere dominance and predominantly simultaneous (holistic) way of processing information, and the mental type corresponds to the left hemisphere dominance and successive (sequential) way of processing information.

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