Descriptions by various authors
Valentina Meged, Anatoly Ovcharov
These are relations between people who are very similar. They are characterized by good understanding and ease of communication. If built on trust and mutual empathy, these relations are good for friendship. In marriage, there may be difficulties due to partners' inability to help each other, since they have the same weak and strong aspects and have difficulty objectively evaluating each other's activities, goals and accomplishments. These relations are active when partners have a common interest, task, or project, where there is something to learn from a more experienced partner. Without new information these relations quickly exhaust themselves. Partners generally view each other's weaknesses with sympathy. Identical relations enable the partners to take a critical look not only at each other but also at themselves from outside.
I.D. Vaisband, publications on Socionics
Two persons of the same type understand each other very well, since information is easily transferred between them. This is great foundation for a teacher-student type of relationship. No one can teach faster and clearer than an identical. However, as soon as their knowledge is aligned, their interest in maintaining relations decreases, since they cannot say anything new to each other for now both are equally informed. Both are strong and weak in the same areas, so that they can not expect support from each other in their weak aspects, and are therefore unlikely to especially need each other. Even talking with each other can be uninteresting: what one thinks, the other voices. If they were left alone in a secluded spot, one might even say that they have forgotten how to talk. Identicals react in the same manner to the same stimuli. What is clear to one - is clear to both. What is not clear to one - is not clear to the other either. There is no complementarity. Marriage is advisable only if they want to devote their lives to some common cause, as Pierre and Marie Curie.
O.B. Slinko, "The key to heart - Socionics"
Identical partners perceive the world and exert their influence on it in very similar ways. This does not mean, however, that they are alike in everything and will always understand and agree with each other. However, one's identical seems painfully obvious: his weaknesses and problems are evident, because you have the same ones. You cannot help because you yourself are weak in the same areas. The most frequent feeling which arises in relation to your identical is that of sympathy. Much is forgiven to an identical; his actions are justified as one's own. At times, however, such a partner becomes boring and uninteresting: you feel that you can reach the same conclusions on your own. Situation changes for the better when one partner in an identical pair is superior in experience and development to the other, which happens in parent-child, teacher-student, supervisor-worker relationships. In this case, the transfer of information happens quickly and in a very straightforward manner, and the difference in knowledge levels is rapidly bridged. Identical is the best student and best teacher. This is why in a dual family children are often of identical types to their parents.
R.K. Sedih, "Informational psychoanalysis"
This interaction leads to an interesting effect. The mask that every person wears for functioning in a society is almost transparent to your identical. This has both positive and negative consequences. Deep understanding of one's partner allows for quick and productive learning from his experience. On the other hand, it is difficult to communicate with a partner who is able to see right through you. This is especially of concern to non-dualized individuals who may have lot of problems and little desire to display them. Situation is particularly heavy if in addition the partners find themselves in a situation where they have to conflict and compete. Their internal squabbles are at a risk of becoming apparent to everyone. Very fortunate is the child who has one identical and one dual parent. Children from such families are usually ahead of their peers in their health and psychological development. Identical relations are most appropriate for a parent-child, teacher-student arrangement, as well as for friendships of medium level of comfort. Teacher-student relations often pass onto friendship, as the student quickly catches up with teacher. However, such friendships are unstable, because to help one's identical one must "detach" from oneself and own problems. High-speed of learning also has its disadvantages; the student may at some point challenge the authority of the teacher. This is the cause of human progress and, at the same time, of many personal tragedies, however, only for those who were looking for a monument to their own merits. A person with many students who is not averse to their opinion has a chance to move forward faster than anyone.
Laima Stankevichyute "Intertype relations"
First love is often one's dual or identical. Two persons of the same type are very well aware of each other. Their behavior and activities often bear very noticeable similarities. They even speak using the same kind of verbal constructions. Identicals are often clear to each other and share some values. Collaboration is usually successful, but marriage can be difficult. First of all, because where there is lack of information, there is lack on both sides. In addition, in close communication, instructions and wishes seem to be offensive and ill-timed. Families consisting of two identical types often break down.
A.V. Bukalov, G. Boiko, "Why Saddam Hussein made a mistake, or what is Socionics"
These relations are interesting because if you look at the other person it is as if you're looking at yourself from the outside. For people who know Socionics, in the type stereotypes become especially evident in these relations. Identicals understand where the other is coming from. The motives that guide the other person are clear, which helps to correct own behavior. The protective mechanisms of the psyche are also visible, which is a kind of mask worn by people in presence of others. These relationships are best when there is a need to transfer accumulated knowledge and experience, for example, while studying, because the student understands the teacher perfectly well, and the teacher can easily see needs of the student. This is especially noticeable when subtypes match. Different subtypes take somewhat longer to understand each other: to the Si-SEI it will seem that Fe-SEI is overly active and disturbs the "emotional space" too much; to the Ne-ILE it seems like Ti-ILE is overly cautious, even limited, caught up analyzing narrow problems. Identicals look at the world with the same eyes, so after the transfer of the experience has been completed, they have nothing more to say to each other and relations grow cold. One exception to this is cases when they have to work on a common goal or objective.
V.V. Gulenko "Criteria of reciprocity"
Monotonous debate
Communication is productive only at different levels of knowledge. In this case, an interesting discussion starts up. When identicals are on equal intellectual levels, debate becomes protracted and quickly gets tiring. With some pleasure you try to break the monotony of these relations by encouraging your partner to take actions that are uncharacteristic for his temperament. There is usually good understanding but no deep interest in each other. If you do not disturb the balance artificially, you will not avoid subsequent clash of interests.
Binary signs of intertype relations
Partners intuitively understand each other's motives and oppose any attempt to normalize their behavior, to subordinate their freedom to any restrictions, however fair. Identical pair is extremely democratic and violates all frameworks and traditions.
Identity relations quickly manifest their cold nature. Identical types easily calculate the logic of each other's behavior and therefore quickly lose mutual interest. They show a tendency towards intellectualization - the importance of cognitive interests and intellectual discussions.
Identical pair combines similar outlook on life, often adopts the same side on issues, shares in hobbies and interests. Plans that identical partners create together are colorful and promising, but have little chance to get implemented as they intended.
Identical relations quickly grow boring and monotonous due to similarity of temperament and understandable ways of the partner. Basic human passions rarely change throughout life. And if such changes occur, their causes and meaning, are easily understood. It becomes more difficult to dispel the dullness of these relations.
Identical partners are so much alike in their preferences, that as a couple they adapt to each other even more. This similarity is initially attracts. They strive to achieve even greater understanding and in pursuit of this process will eventually lose the outcome. Their socionics aspects are summed up and the contribution of each thus becomes indistinguishable.
Advice on getting along
These relations require constant influx of new varied information that can be discussed. During the discussion, there is a tendency to engage in intellectual debates, trying to prove one's intellectual superiority. Therefore, try to go out more often, socialize, visit the theater, museums, parks, or simply even take walks in populated places.
Divide household responsibilities and don't stress anyone's priority. Keep in mind that identical relations will never provide what partners expect of out of them, so be prepared for disappointments and adjustments to plans to make them more realistic. The less pleasant side of these relations is that there is an ongoing uncertainty with regard to one's partner. As soon as such doubts arise, set aside your emotions and rationally try to figure out what's wrong. Without understanding of the general pattern of partner's behavior, an explanation of the particulars briefly stabilizes these relations. Don't let arrogance take over these relations. Try to communicate democratically, with a sense of humor.
V.V. Gulenko, A.V. Molodtsev, "Introduction to socionics"
These is a lot of understanding between identical partners, but also an inability to truly help one another. Seeing this, identical partners are likely to develop a sense of sympathy for each other. You want to support or justify your partner in any way, since you feel that in this situation you would have done the same. On the other hand, communication quickly gets boring. Not receiving new information from the partner, you see the futility of such relations. Uninformative partner seems boring and dull. Over time, relations become either neutral or cool. This is not surprising, because after the exchange of information it is not interesting to keep up a conversation, knowing well in advance that you could reach the same conclusions. One exception to this is if there is very large difference in the experience or knowledge. Then there may be great interest and attraction towards each other. Such relationships are ideal for teacher-student type of interaction. Collaboration in this case is also effective, as it adds two forces in same direction. Communication between overlapping subtypes is much more pleasant and easy. With mismatched subtypes partners perceive each other with some suspicion; it seems that the other person is somehow misdirected. Identical relations are of great educational value, because they allow a person to look at himself or herself more objectively and evaluate own strengths and weaknesses. And taking a look at ourselves is not always pleasant. Even own voice recorded on tape seems not so much worse than one thought. These relationships help to develop proper self-estimation.
Socionics - the16types.info - Identical Relations