The Gnostic view of humanity divided people into one of three basic categories: Somatics (body), Psychics (mind) and Pneumatics (spirit).

The Psychics were those people who were more mentally aware of the world and truth. Psychics were less "animal" than the Somatics, but did not possess the spiritual understanding that the Pneumatics did. Psychics were deemed capable of being "saved" by a Pneumatic bringing them the light of gnostic inner knowledge, but were not automatically enlightened.