SLE

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The SLE, or Sensory Logical Extrovert, is a socionics type corresponding to the EP temperament and the Beta quadra.

Some typical manifestations of SLE information processing are described on this page.

   

SLEs are willful, independently-minded individuals who are able to recognise levels of willpower and motivation in others. They are adept at organising others effectively towards any given objective, and have no problem "getting the job done". They have no reservations about taking the initiative when they perceive that others cannot or will not do so. SLEs will often act without all the information they need to go about doing something, but can be successful nonetheless. They are very active people who think on the move, and who generally steer away from a contemplative lifestyle.

SLEs easily spot power dynamics within any given structure, hierarchy or relationship, and strive for a position where they are less subordinate to others. At the same time, SLEs are comfortable with hierarchies, and recognise that they are a part of everyday life. Their main objective lies in occupying a predominant place in any hierarchy, and because of their energetic and ambitious nature, SLEs can often seem intolerant towards and disrespectful of those of a lower social status. They will often see these people as weak or inferior in some way. Likewise, they see dependence as weakness, and so strive to minimise their dependence on others.

SLEs can be natural leaders. They are often quick to assume this role, even in alien or unfamiliar environments. They tend to have a very rigid and inflexible style of leadership, preferring a direct, single approach to achieving goals as opposed to experimentation with various methods to achieve said goals. However, if the method they're using isn't working, they won't foolishly persist, but will use or find a different one. They take full responsibility for their actions, and understand these terms when they take a leadership-based role within a group, company or organisation, as being part of what leadership is about.

SLEs are in tune with the immediate physical environment, and often seek to control or mold it to their needs or to assert themselves. They often make a point of displaying their strength to this end and often follow their instinctual urges with little inhibition. For this reason they can appear impulsive, aggressive, and rash. They can be inconsiderate of the needs of others in their attempts to pursue their goals.

   

SLEs often are adept at formulating logical systems, models, and at generating logical relationships and reasonings. They typically use such models as a basis for understanding the world. More intellectually-minded SLEs can place a great deal of focus on developing these types of considerations and see logical systems and structured views as necessary. Some SLEs have a tendency to staunchly and somewhat dogmatically adhere to their viewpoints. At the same time SLEs' use of     is largely flexible; if they perceive that their systems are not working to meet their ends, they can be relatively quick to expend and dispense with them.

SLEs predominantly focus their own power-based agenda in utilizing their logical faculties. They may be drawn to power hierarchies or environments where rules are plainly stated and enforced. They tend to gather - either legitimately or illegitimately - and retain information which they deem to be useful to their own ends; they may refer to well-known facts, statistics and historical examples to back up their claims. They are independently minded and frequently come to their own conclusions, often holding few reservations about in the face of strong moral or ideological opposition. They enjoy learning about a wide variety of things, and are motivated by the prospect of rewards and status; they like to prove their authority e.g. through a large amount of academic awards or extra curricular certificates.

SLEs tend towards simplistic, black-and-white views, and often dabble in logical absolutes. Often SLEs' have difficulty processing ambiguity and their inner sense of logical order may compel them to jump to impulsive conclusions rather than think things through. For this reason, an SLEs interpretations can be relatively subjective and suffer from a lack of other perspectives. It can be very difficult to argue with an SLE; often will they refuse to take others' advice or submit to another's logic that contradicts their own. They may be overly critical of ideas of others that do not mesh with their established interpretations.

   

SLEs are capable of offering judgments of potential or hidden qualities of other individuals or objects, but they are often based on impulse and suffer from an incomplete or limited perspective, and consequently can appear overly simplistic and one-dimensional. In some situations, they may seriously misjudge or underestimate the capabilities of others.

SLEs are often minimally confident in the evaluation of future developments or various possibilities. They may be hesitant in the arena of evaluating potential outcomes, and instead prefer to personally take charge and exert influence on their environment in order to effect their goals. They prefer relying on their instincts rather than pondering various possible outcomes to meet their ends. SLEs may speak with confidence and apparent optimism with regards to the future, but in actuality they rarely are very optimistic that events that they do not directly control over will produce favorable results.

   

SLEs have trouble evaluating the internal emotional state of other people unless it is accompanied by a visible emotional expression. They are typically inept at reading people's inner feelings and often do not expect people to react to them on the basis of sentiments that are not outwardly visible. They do not like it when they are judged morally or when their lack of attention to others' feelings is criticized. SLEs are uncomfortable in overly sentimental occasions, and in situations where they are expected or required to offer emotional support. Many SLEs are highly emotionally guarded, and may become touchy or apprehensive if they expect that others may judge their character harshly.

SLEs will often tread carefully in their interpersonal relationships. They may fear psychological distance from others, which they often try to overcome by seeking respect and appreciation from others. They have few qualms about taking the iniative, and they may seek affirmation by attempting to engage or protect the other person. However, on some individuals their behaviour may have the opposite effect of their intentions; their protection may be viewed as jealousy and their advances as immature or inappropriate. SLEs can usually maintain an air of formality when necessary, and have the potential to be very direct and undeceiving partners, but they tend to find such interaction stifling; they usually prefer colorful emotional environments in which they are free to act on their impulses and exert control.

SLEs are often under the impression that while they might gain respect or admiration from others, they can never be truly loved by anyone. Sometimes, SLEs can become paranoid about their relationships with others; they may fear that current relations will affect future relations in some way e.g. a bond with a potential partner in the present might "ruin" a relationship with a future spouse.

   

SLEs are active, impulsive individuals who often suffer from a lack of restraint or moderation. They are typically inclined to perceive most situations through the guise of their instincts and in some situations may act without thinking twice; in so doing, they may bite off more than they can chew.

SLEs tend to be largely unaware of the extent of their mentalistic capacities. They may form logical representations of a situation, beliefs, or schemas of thought by jumping to conclusions fairly quickly and haphazardly. They often seem unaware of the subtle intricacies of many situation and are not generally attuned to the ambiguities or problematic interpretations that their manners of thought generate. They often think too quickly and may require intellectual maneuvering and refocusing in order to slow down their thought patterns.

SLEs often seek a deeper sense of meaning in life. They can be oblivious to implications of deeper meaning, hidden symbols, or metaphysical ideas. They may aggressively or impulsively seek answers from multiple sources, meaning, or truth and often appreciate individuals who can express to them their deeply thought out philosophical, symbolic, mysterious, mystical or spiritual worldviews.

They are attracted to individuals who they see as sharing the SLEs's own broad goals and beliefs, but who are more inclined towards reflection than action, and able to put the SLEs' own goals and actions in the context of a higher meaning and objective.

   

SLEs tend to highly value vibrant emotional environments in which they can freely interact and be themselves, without incurring moral judgment or inflaming their natural emotional guard. They, however, are usually minimally proficient at providing an emotional impetus to relieve atmospheres which they perceive as overly dull. SLEs who try to exert their influence on the emotional atmosphere may not get the desired emotional response and may feel offended or as though they have little control over the situation. In unfamiliar situations, they may feel the need to maintain their emotional guard and can appear unfriendly, brusque, unwelcoming, or insensitive. This can detrimentally lead to further group antagonism and estrange the SLE from others.

SLEs are most comfortable in dynamic environments in which they are able to let loose and not worry about guarding themselves emotionally. They interact most freely with people skilled at creating these open-ended types of emotional environments, who have little interest in moral judgments external to the general mood or expression, and who react tactfully and non-critically. They also especially are inclined towards large group environments with a common shared goal, which they can use as a basis for amicable interaction. Environments of this sort can bring out the inner expression and purpose of SLEs, and can serve as an emotional release.

   

SLEs are often aware of their internal physical state or how aspects of the outside environment are affecting them internally. However, they do not devote great conscious attention to such matters, or to preserving their physical well-being in their environment.

SLEs can usually manage to create for themselves an environment of comfort, but said comfort extends to very little, as they see no need to occupy themselves with creating excessively cosy atmospheres. SLEs are often unconcerned with what they eat and drink or about specific aspects of their surrounding environment. Some SLEs are quite capable of living with the bare minimum of physical needs and not feeling remotely disturbed or unsettled by their circumstances. In most SLEs, personal comfort is closely related to their interactions with the outside world or the status symbols that they can display towards the outside. An SLE might measure his comfort by the amount of "bling" or "cool gadgets" that he possesses as opposed to the fluffiness of his blanket.

   

SLEs can be very practical, hard-working individuals who may devote attention to helping others with technical, bureaucratic, logistical, or functional day-to-day affairs. They often, however, are ambivalent to large bodies of factual information, productivity or efficiency. They rarely consider such matters with much interest. SLEs see people who are overly obsessed with business concerns, productivity or efficiency as incredibly dry and overly serious, and may playfully mock such individuals.

This article incorporates text from Wikisocion, the free Socionics wiki.