Since I've been reading Jung's Psychological Types, it seems that Socionics is truer to his original theories than what MBTI is. I can't vouch for the visual identification parts but MBTI left out so much detail about the versatility and motivations of each function. They look so one-dimensional according to MBTI.
I'm reading right now that Jung applies the concept of "abstract" to both Sensing and Intuiting. He calls Se abstract sensing and Ne abstract intuiting. Ni is concrete intuiting and Si is concrete sensing. In MBTI, abstraction is only connected to intuition, which excludes so much of what these functions are truly capable of. I'm just amazed at this man's ideas and how much MBTI has forsaken just to be formulaic.
I notice that F types are more drawn to the abstract (art), whereas T is more concrete (science). I would say S and T are both concrete, N and F are both abstract. I would say the concrete relates to forms of control, and the abstract relates to more subtle influence.
Also, I figure S and F are more about motivating (social), whereas T and N are more about justifying (theory).
It gets interesting when you compare types based on what they prefer to introvert-extrovert, instead of just what they are strong/weak at.
I basically define introvert (in a trait) as "internally defined / more resistant to change / harder to discuss openly" and extrovert as "externally defined / more changeable / easier to discuss openly". I think this is all fairly consistent with MBTI, Socionics, and Jung.
INTJ (and any Gamma NTJ/SFP) prefers to extrovert ST and introvert NF.
Their sense of control and concrete reality is externally defined and more changeable, more easy to discuss openly.
Their sense of influence and abstract reality is internally defined and more resistant to change, harder to discuss openly.
INTP (and any Alpha NTP/SFJ) prefers to extrovert NF and introvert ST.
Their sense of influence and abstract reality is externally defined, more changeable, more easy to discuss openly.
Their sense of control and concrete reality is internally defined and more resistant to change, harder to discuss openly.