Труды Е. П. Ильина как энциклопедия современной психологии

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the scientific heritage left by E. P. Ilyin, whose works are characterised by fundamentality, descriptive accuracy and expertise, and thus can be defined as an encyclopaedia of modern psychology. Within the framework of his scientific perspective, E. P. Ilyin created detailed systemic descriptions of properties located at all hierarchical levels of an individual’s structure and the psychological structure of personality: somatic and psychophysiological properties, mental states and processes, and psychological and socio-psychological properties of an individual. Somatic properties were described by E. P. Ilyin in the beginning of his scientific work, shortly after he had received medical education. Later, in two volumes of historical essays and numerous articles, he focused on solving the problem of interrelations between the physiological and the mental. A number of books and papers by E. P. Ilyin are devoted to psychophysiological properties. His made an innovative contribution to the development of psychophysiology by discovering two new properties of the nervous system — the “external” and “internal” balance of the nervous system, by inventing of a number of instrumental methods for diagnosing the typological properties of the nervous system and motor memory, and by describing typological symptom complexes of the properties of the nervous system. In his research devoted to mental states, E. P. Ilyin offered detailed and reliable descriptions of motivational-volitional and emotional states, and the states of monotony, mental satiation, emotional burnout, and emotional stress. Mental processes, according to E. P. Ilyin, are manifested in the abilities of the individual. He formulated an original theory of abilities, where abilities are defined as a composition of psychic functions and innate inclinations. Another series of books by E. P. Ilyin are devoted to the psychological properties of the personality. One of his latest works, “Psychology of Conscience: Guilt, Shame, Remorse”, describes some the most important moral psychological properties of a person: conscience, honesty and others. Ilyin suggested that in the modern world, conscience and honesty come to the fore in the sphere of professional selection. The monograph “Psychology of Communication and Interpersonal Relations” is devoted to sociopsychological properties. It offers detailed and accurate descriptions of the forms of partner influence, various types of manipulation, and emotional states in the process of communication, as well as age- and gender-specific features of communication. The author concludes that the content of E. P. Ilyin’s works covers the main branches and areas of modern psychology. Each of the books written by him is encyclopaedic in the area declared in the title.