Small groups

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Socionic types can be combined into groups that share common socionic traits. These are referred to as small groups, or quaternions if the number of types in the group is four. The most well-known small groups in socionics are quadras and clubs.

Small groups as a socionic concept generally include four types which have three Reinin traits in common. For example, the club of Pragmatists is Sensing, Logical, and Aristocratic. There are 140 such small groups.

Sortable Small Group Table

#	Diagram	Source	Small Groups	Dichotomy Triad	Types
1		Gulenko	Stimulus Seeking Uniqueness Prestige Self-Confidence Well-being	E N EN Extrovert Intuitive Carefree Extrovert Sensory Farsighted Introvert Intuitive Farsighted Introvert Sensory Carefree	ILE LIE IEE EIE SLE LSE SEE ESE ILI LII IEI EII SLI LSI SEI ESI
1		Model B	Dimension (Irrational) -4d -4d -4d -4d	E N EN Extrovert Intuitive Carefree Extrovert Sensory Farsighted Introvert Intuitive Farsighted Introvert Sensory Carefree	ILE LIE IEE EIE SLE LSE SEE ESE ILI LII IEI EII SLI LSI SEI ESI
2		Gulenko	Communication Style Business-like Passionate Cool Sincere	E T ET Extrovert Logical Yielding Extrovert Ethical Obstinate Introvert Logical Obstinate Introvert Ethical Yielding	ILE LIE SLE LSE IEE EIE SEE ESE ILI LII SLI LSI IEI EII SEI ESI
2		Model B	Dimension (Rational) -4d -4d -4d -4d	E T ET Extrovert Logical Yielding Extrovert Ethical Obstinate Introvert Logical Obstinate Introvert Ethical Yielding	ILE LIE SLE LSE IEE EIE SEE ESE ILI LII SLI LSI IEI EII SEI ESI
3		Classic	Temperament Flexible-Maneuvering Linear-Assertive Receptive-Adaptive Rigid-Stable	E P EP Extrovert Irrational Static Extrovert Rational Dynamic Introvert Irrational Dynamic Introvert Rational Static	ILE IEE SLE SEE LIE EIE LSE ESE ILI IEI SLI SEI LII EII LSI ESI
4		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	E NT ENT Extrovert Democratic Positivist Extrovert Aristocratic Negativist Introvert Democratic Negativist Introvert Aristocratic Positivist	ILE LIE SEE ESE IEE EIE SLE LSE ILI LII SEI ESI IEI EII SLI LSI
5		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	E NP ENP Extrovert Tactical Judicious Extrovert Strategic Decisive Introvert Tactical Decisive Introvert Strategic Judicious	ILE IEE LSE ESE LIE EIE SLE SEE ILI IEI LSI ESI LII EII SLI SEI
6		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	E TP ETP Extrovert Constructivist Merry Extrovert Emotivist Serious Introvert Constructivist Serious Introvert Emotivist Merry	ILE SLE EIE ESE IEE SEE LIE LSE ILI SLI EII ESI IEI SEI LII LSI
7		Gulenko	Rings of Benefit Energy Generators Energy Carriers Information Accumulators Information Generators	E NTP ENTP Extrovert Process Asking Extrovert Results Declaring Introvert Process Declaring Introvert Results Asking	ILE EIE LSE SEE LIE IEE SLE ESE ILI EII LSI SEI LII IEI SLI ESI
8		Classic	Club Researcher Humanitarian Pragmatist Social	N T NT Intuitive Logical Democratic Intuitive Ethical Aristocratic Sensory Logical Aristocratic Sensory Ethical Democratic	ILE LIE ILI LII IEE EIE IEI EII SLE LSE SLI LSI SEE ESE SEI ESI
9		Gulenko	Perceptual Groups Associative Dissociative Commutative Distributive	N P NP Intuitive Irrational Tactical Intuitive Rational Strategic Sensory Irrational Strategic Sensory Rational Tactical	ILE IEE ILI IEI LIE EIE LII EII SLE SEE SLI SEI LSE ESE LSI ESI
9		Structural	Functional Axis (Irrational) Intuitive Base Intuitive Creative Sensory Base Sensory Creative	N P NP Intuitive Irrational Tactical Intuitive Rational Strategic Sensory Irrational Strategic Sensory Rational Tactical	ILE IEE ILI IEI LIE EIE LII EII SLE SEE SLI SEI LSE ESE LSI ESI
10		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	N ET ENT Intuitive Yielding Positivist Intuitive Obstinate Negativist Sensory Yielding Negativist Sensory Obstinate Positivist	ILE LIE IEI EII IEE EIE ILI LII SLE LSE SEI ESI SEE ESE SLI LSI
11		Gulenko	Romance Style Childlike Victim Aggressor Caring	N EP ENP Intuitive Static Judicious Intuitive Dynamic Decisive Sensory Static Decisive Sensory Dynamic Judicious	ILE IEE LII EII LIE EIE ILI IEI SLE SEE LSI ESI LSE ESE SLI SEI
11		Structural	Ego Element (Irrational)	N EP ENP Intuitive Static Judicious Intuitive Dynamic Decisive Sensory Static Decisive Sensory Dynamic Judicious	ILE IEE LII EII LIE EIE ILI IEI SLE SEE LSI ESI LSE ESE SLI SEI
12		Gulenko	Project Groups Ideation Process General Results Concrete Results Concrete Process	N TP NTP Intuitive Constructivist Process Intuitive Emotivst Results Sensory Constructivist Results Sensory Emotivist Process	ILE EIE ILI EII LIE IEE LII IEI SLE ESE SLI ESI LSE SEE LSI SEI
13		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	N ETP ENTP Intuitive Merry Asking Intuitive Serious Declaring Sensory Merry Declaring Sensory Serious Asking	ILE EIE LII IEI LIE IEE ILI EII SLE ESE LSI SEI LSE SEE SLI ESI
14		Gulenko	Reasoning Restructures Constructors Diplomats Guardians	T P TP Logical Irrational Constructivist Logical Rational Emotivist Ethical Irrational Emotivst Ethical Rational Constructivist	ILE SLE ILI SLI LIE LSE LII LSI IEE SEE IEI SEI EIE ESE EII ESI
14		Structural	Functional Axis (Rational) Logical Creative Logical Base Ethical Creative Ethical Base	T P TP Logical Irrational Constructivist Logical Rational Emotivist Ethical Irrational Emotivst Ethical Rational Constructivist	ILE SLE ILI SLI LIE LSE LII LSI IEE SEE IEI SEI EIE ESE EII ESI
15		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	T EN ENT Logical Carefree Positivist Logical Farsighted Negativist Ethical Carefree Negativist Ethical Farsighted Positivist	ILE LIE SLI LSI SLE LSE ILI LII IEE EIE SEI ESI SEE ESE IEI EII
16		Structural	Ego Element (Rational)	T EP ETP Logical Static Merry Logical Dynamic Serious Ethical Static Serious Ethical Dynamic Merry	ILE SLE LII LSI LIE LSE ILI SLI IEE SEE EII ESI EIE ESE IEI SEI
17		Gulenko	Implementation Groups Transition of feminine to masculine Most masculine Transition of masculine to feminine Most feminine	T NP NTP Logical Tactical Process Logical Strategic Results Ethical Tactical Results Ethical Strategic Process	ILE LSE ILI LSI LIE SLE LII SLI IEE ESE IEI ESI EIE SEE EII SEI
18		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	T ENP ENTP Logical Judicious Asking Logical Decisive Declaring Ethical Judicious Declaring Ethical Decisive Asking	ILE LSE SLI LII SLE LIE ILI LSI IEE ESE SEI EII SEE EIE IEI ESI
19		Structural	Dual Axis (Irrational) or Base or Base or Creative or Creative	P EN ENP Irrational Carefree Judicious Irrational Farsighted Decisive Rational Carefree Decisive Rational Farsighted Judicious	ILE IEE SLI SEI ILI IEI SLE SEE LIE EIE LSI ESI LII EII LSE ESE
20		Structural	Dual Axis (Rational) or Creative or Creative or Base or Base	P ET ETP Irrational Yielding Merry Irrational Obstinate Serious Rational Yielding Serious Rational Obstinate Merry	ILE IEI SLE SEI ILI IEE SLI SEE LIE EII LSE ESI LII EIE LSI ESE
21		Gulenko	Stress Resistance Frozen by Stress Resistant to Stress Trained by Stress Vulerable to Stress	P NT NTP Irrational Democratic Process Irrational Aristocratic Result Rational Democratic Result Rational Aristocratic Process	ILE SEE ILI SEI IEE SLE IEI SLI LIE ESE LII ESI EIE LSE EII LSI
22		Gulenko	Club Displacement Iridescent Hopes Waiting Realistic Plans Avoiding Failures	P ENT ENTP Irrational Positivist Asking Irrational Negativist Declaring Rational Positivist Declaring Rational Negativist Asking	ILE IEI SLI SEE ILI IEE SLE SEI LIE EII LSI ESE LII EIE LSE ESI
23		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	EN ET NT Carefree Yielding Democratic Carefree Obstinate Aristocratic Farsighted Yielding Aristocratic Farsighted Obstinate Democratic	ILE LIE SEI ESI IEE EIE SLI LSI SLE LSE IEI EII SEE ESE ILI LII
24		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	EN EP NP Carefree Static Tactical Carefree Dynamic Strategic Farsighted Static Strategic Farsighted Dynamic Tactical	ILE IEE LSI ESI LIE EIE SLI SEI LII EII SLE SEE ILI IEI LSE ESE
25		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	EN TP ENTP Carefree Constructivist Asking Carefree Emotivist Declaring Farsighted Constructivist Declaring Farsighted Emotivist Asking	ILE EIE SLI ESI IEE LIE SEI LSI SLE ESE ILI EII SEE LSE IEI LII
26		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	EN ETP NTP Carefree Merry Process Carefree Serious Results Farsighted Merry Results Farsighted Serious Process	ILE EIE SEI LSI IEE LIE SLI ESI SLE ESE IEI LII SEE LSE ILI EII
27		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	ET EP TP Yielding Static Constructivist Yielding Dynamic Emotivist Obstinate Static Emotivist Obstinate Dynamic Constructivist	ILE EII SLE ESI LIE IEI LSE SEI LII IEE LSI SEE ILI EIE SLI ESE
28		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	ET NP ENTP Yielding Tactical Asking Yielding Strategic Declaring Obstinate Tactical Declaring Obstinate Strategic Asking	ILE LSE IEI ESI SLE LIE SEI EII IEE ESE ILI LSI SEE EIE SLI LII
29		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	ET ENP NTP Yielding Judicious Process Yielding Decisive Results Obstinate Judicious Results Obstinate Decisive Process	ILE LSE SEI EII SLE LIE IEI ESI IEE ESE SLI LII SEE EIE ILI LSI
30		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	EP NT ENTP Static Democratic Asking Static Aristocratic Declaring Dynamic Democratic Declaring Dynamic Aristocratic Asking	ILE SEE LII ESI SLE IEE EII LSI LIE ESE ILI SEI LSE EIE IEI SLI
31		Gulenko	Cognitive Styles Causal Determinist Holographic Panoramic Vortical Synergetic Dialectic Algorithimic	EP ENT NTP Static Positivist Process Static Negativist Results Dynamic Positivist Results Dynamic Negativist Process	ILE LSI SEE EII SLE LII IEE ESI LIE IEI ESE SLI EIE ILI LSE SEI
32		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	NT NP TP Democratic Tactical Constructivist Democratic Strategic Emotivist Aristocratic Tactical Emotivist Aristocratic Strategic Constructivist	ILE ESE ILI ESI SEE LIE SEI LII IEE LSE IEI LSI SLE EIE SLI EII
33		Classic	Quadra Alpha Gamma Delta Beta	NT ENP ETP Democratic Judicious Merry Democratic Decisive Serious Aristocratic Judicious Serious Aristocratic Decisive Merry	ILE ESE SEI LII SEE LIE ILI ESI IEE LSE SLI EII SLE EIE IEI LSI
34		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	NP ENT ETP Tactical Positivist Merry Tactical Negativist Serious Strategic Positivist Serious Strategic Negativist Merry	ILE ESE IEI LSI IEE LSE ILI ESI SEE LIE SLI EII SLE EIE SEI LII
35		x	Undefined 1 2 3 4	TP ENT ENP Constructivist Positivist Judicious Constructivist Negativist Decisive Emotivist Positivist Decisive Emotivist Negativist Judicious	ILE ESE SLI EII SLE EIE ILI ESI SEE LIE IEI LSI IEE LSE SEI LII

Error Correction

Each small group is a group of four types that share three dichotomy traits in common. Any combination of two of these three traits is enough information to define the small group. Since each small group is defined by all three traits, defining two selects the small group and implies what the third trait must be.

When using dichotomies to type a person, this redundancy can be used to double check observations. For instance, a person who is introverted and irrational, must be the receptive-adaptive temperament, and must also be a dynamic type. If all four of these traits, the three dichotomy and one small group, the are diagnosed independently and agree with each other, it is much more likely the assessment is correct. It is still possible to get a false positive, but it would require getting two dichotomy traits and the small group wrong. This dichotomy relation of two traits implying a third is true even for undefined small groups. The only difference is the description of the small group cannot be used as a check. In this case, it would still require two mistakes to get a false positive. In practice, it is likely that additional traits will be explored to check an original observation. It is very important to remain objective to avoid confirmation bias.

Even though all dichotomies are mathematically related through small groups, if a trait is not very accurate, it can harm the overall assessment. No method is always correct, so testing for the third dichotomy trait always increased the chances of getting inconsistent results. For traits that are reliable, this is worth it because the small chance of error is traded for a much higher confidence. However, traits that are not reliable harm the entire system, and are likely to contradict other correct observations.

In the case of an inconsistency, another method is needed to resolve the error. Some people apply small groups and dichotomies in a first phase to focus what model A questions to ask in a second phase. Others test as many traits as they can and then average the results.

There is not a consensus which dichotomies and small groups are reliable, so it is up to each individual practitioner to try them out and decide what combinations to use. Hopefully, in the future, rigorous scientific trials can test the accuracy of each concept and method, but for now, most of these concepts are still experimental.

Tetrachotomies

A tetrachotomy is like a dichotomy, but with four elements, instead of two. When applied to the types, each element of a tetrachotomy is a small group.

A tetrachotomy represent an overall theme of the four small groups it divide. Quadra is the tetrachotomy of alpha, beta, gamma and delta. Club is the tetrachotomy of the researcher, humanitarian, socialite and pragmatist small groups. Temperament is the tetrachotomy of flexible-maneuvering, receptive-adaptive, linear-assertive and rigid-stable small groups.

By far, the most common tetrachotomies are combinations of three dichotomies. The table of all 140 small groups are grouped by this kind of regular tetrachotomy. However, it is possible to mix the small groups from two regular tetrachotomies together as long as they share a dichotomy division in common. When two related tetrachotomies are mixed, they result in a conjugate pair of mixed tetrachotomies. There are over a two thousand ways to create unique mixed tetrachotomies, but only four make sense in the context of model A. They are created by mixing regular tetrachotomies #9 with #14 and #19 with #20. All four of these tetrachotomies share the P {irrational, rational} dichotomy. The reason for mixing is the functional and intertype relation structure of model A, which is made asymmetric by rationality. These specific tetrachotomies can be mixed to group all the base functions or all creative functions together.

This is necessary to produce some of Reinin's intertype relation tetrachotomies using type dichotomies, like the square (relaxation) and health group. Square is four types that all have the same leading quadra value and health group is four types with the same leading strength.

Dynamic Socionics

There has been further research on all 35 of the small group systems at the Dynamic Socionics Center, headed by Vladimir Mironov. The related resources are linked in the further reading section below, and there is also a one of a kind book written on the subject called "Semantics of information aspects" by Kochubeeva LA, Mironova VV, and Stoyalova ML. All of the resources mentioned in this section as in Russian, so further translation and acquisition of information in English would be greatly appreciated.

Semantics of information aspects book: http://www.dynamicsocionics.ru/magazin-socionics/product/view/2/3.html

Further reading

• Small Groups (Quaternions) by Dmitriy Lytov (in Russian)
• Dynamic Socionics Small Groups by Vladimir Mironov (in Russian)