This text was born in a discussion on Facebook, but I want to keep it whole. I have long believed that the term “function” in psychology is used inadequately as a concept. In Russian and Ukrainian, “function” is something that is performed, carried out, it is a “role”. It is much more correct to consider mental structures (in the first approximation – mental processors), which perform the function (functions) (psycho)information metabolism, others perform mental functions, have properties such as attention, imagination, memory etc., or have functions attention, imagination, memory as components of the general function of implementing the process of (psycho)informational metabolism. Memory, imagination, attention – these are not processors, but dynamic or static properties of processors, their qualities, their “abilities”, what they are functionally capable of, like any device, circuit, computer. And the fact that they are called psychological functions is simply unsuccessful philology. Psychologists call everything mental functions, without understanding the difference between a structure or system and its properties, qualities and modes of operation.
The psyche as an integral system or structure consists of a number of subsystems (substructures, or processors) of perception and information processing, among which the logical, sensory, ethical and intuitive subsystems form an integral psycho-informational system of perception and information processing, described by model A and its extensions, implementing information metabolism according to differentiated information aspects.
At the same time, what is conventionally called in socionics FIM “logic” 6 (or logical psycho-informational substructure or subsystem) is a substructure (special structure) of the psyche (or processor) that carries out the function of logical processing of information – i.e. the function of logical thinking (logical judgment).
FIM “sensorics” 4 (or sensory psychoinformational substructure or subsystem) is a substructure (special structure) of the psyche (processor) that carries out the cognitive function of processing sensory information (sensory perception).
FIM “ethics” 5 (or ethical psychoinformational substructure or subsystem) is a substructure (special structure) of the psyche (processor) that performs the function of processing the processes of feeling. The result of this function is an emotional reaction, feeling or ethical judgment.
FIM “intuition” 3 (or intuitive psychoinformational substructure or subsystem) is a substructure (special structure) of the psyche (processor) that performs the function of processing intuitive perception processes. The result of this function is the identification (understanding) of hidden (potential) qualities of objects or trends in the dynamics of their evolution.
Such understanding puts everything in its place. there are structures or subsystems, and they perform certain functions. This is, very simply, – as there is one policeman, and he performs the role of a traffic controller, his function. And another policeman – performs the role of a guard, and the third – performs the function of an investigator … Moreover, such a definition indicates the presence in the psyche of other structures and subsystems that are additional to those considered in socionics. These subsystems, like the psyche as a whole, have such properties as memory, imagination, attention, the ability to form an attitude, selection and differentiation of information, speed, power, etc., depending on their structure and the number of parameters for processing information, which is determined by the dimensionality of the operating space of a specific processor or the entire system.
