The Emotional Center
The Instinctual Center
The Intellectual Center
Enneagram Types: Get to Know the 9 Personality Types
In the study of personality through the enneagram, we must base ourselves on 9 different personality traits according to a classification, the classification we are talking about is about the types of enneagrams. Each one with its characteristic features
What are the enneagram types
A well-known term for the Enneagram personality test, it is a system of classification of personalities within this tool, divided into 9 different types, where each one has its characteristics and patterns of behavior, thoughts and feelings.
An Enneagram Type is more than a simple label or description; it is a tool used by many experts and psychologists for self-knowledge and personal development. Each of the enneatypes are studied individually to develop tools that contribute to personal knowledge and relationships with the outside world and the different enneatypes.
The Nine Enneagram Types
To better understand the behavior of the Enneagram classification, we need to know the 9 Enneatypes. Each one groups different concepts regarding personality and allows us to better understand the personality around different virtues, fears and desires. Here is a brief summary of each one:
| Type | Name | Brief Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Perfectionist | Motivated by the desire to live correctly, improve, and avoid mistakes. |
| 2 | The Helper | Seeks to feel loved, appreciated, and be of help to others. |
| 3 | The Achiever | Desires to be successful, valued, and admired for their achievements. |
| 4 | The Individualist | Longs to find their identity, be authentic, and different from others. |
| 5 | The Investigator | Motivated by the desire to know, understand, and discover. |
| 6 | The Loyalist | Seeks security, support, and to be loyal to others. |
| 7 | The Enthusiast | Desires to be happy, plan stimulating activities, and avoid pain. |
| 8 | The Challenger | Wants to be self-sufficient, protect their own, and control their environment. |
| 9 | The Peacemaker | Seeks inner peace, harmony, and to avoid conflicts around them. |
How do I know my Enneagram?
Although you probably already have an idea of how to do it, to discover your enneagram type, you need to take an enneagram test. This test consists of a series of questions designed to identify your dominant personality type. It is a powerful tool that helps you understand your deepest motivations and behaviors.
Our advice to ensure that the result is as close as possible to your real enneatype is to take the test supervised by a professional. If that is not possible, when taking the test, do not think about the result you want, but rather, think about what you feel and what best identifies you. For your development, the best way to know your enneatype is through the Enneagram test.
Enneagram meaning types
The Enneagram is a profound system that delves into the core of human personality, offering a comprehensive framework to understand the nine distinct types that represent different ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Each type in the Enneagram system has unique meanings and implications, helping individuals gain deep insights into their own and others’ personalities. The concept of Enneagram meaning types goes beyond simple categorization, providing a path to self-awareness and personal growth.
The Significance of Enneagram Types
At its core, the Enneagram identifies nine personality types, each symbolizing a distinct pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting. These types are not arbitrary; they are rooted in ancient wisdom and modern psychology, offering a holistic view of human behavior. Understanding the meaning behind each Enneagram type allows individuals to uncover the fundamental motivations, fears, and desires that drive their actions.
Each Enneagram type has its own unique set of characteristics:
- Motivations: What drives each type to act? Understanding the core motivations provides insight into why people behave the way they do.
- Fears: What does each type fear the most? Recognizing these fears helps in addressing and overcoming them.
- Desires: What does each type desire or aspire to? Knowing these desires can guide individuals towards fulfilling their true potential.
The Broader Impact of Enneagram Meaning Types
The Enneagram meaning types are not just about individual growth but also about improving our collective human experience. By understanding the nine types, we can:
- Enhance Interpersonal Dynamics: Whether in personal relationships, workplaces, or communities, the Enneagram fosters better understanding and collaboration.
- Promote Emotional Intelligence: It encourages a deeper awareness of emotions and motivations, enhancing emotional intelligence.
- Facilitate Conflict Resolution: Recognizing the underlying fears and desires of different types can help in resolving conflicts and fostering a more harmonious environment.
Your Basic Enneagram Personality Type
Enneagram Types are a fascinating way to explore your basic personality type. The Enneagram system consists of nine distinct personality types, each represented by a number on the Enneagram diagram. While you may find elements of yourself in all nine types, one type will resonate most strongly with you. This dominant type is your basic personality type.
Everyone is born with one of these nine types, influenced by inborn temperament and other pre-natal factors. This idea is widely accepted among Enneagram experts who agree that our dominant type is established at birth. This inherent orientation shapes how we adapt to our childhood environment and forms unconscious attitudes towards our parental figures. By the age of four or five, a child’s sense of self begins to solidify, and they start to navigate the world independently.
The overall orientation of our personality is shaped by a combination of genetic and environmental factors from our childhood. For a deeper dive into the developmental patterns of each personality type, you can refer to detailed descriptions in books such as “Personality Types” and “The Wisdom of the Enneagram.” There’s also an insightful discussion on the theory in “Understanding The Enneagram.”
Here are some essential points about the basic Enneagram types:
- Fixed Personality Types: People do not change from one basic personality type to another.
- Universal Descriptions: The descriptions of Enneagram types are universal and apply equally to males and females.
- Fluctuating Traits: Not every trait of your basic type will be evident all the time, as you may exhibit healthy, average, and unhealthy traits.
- Neutral Number Designation: Numbers are used to designate each type because they are value-neutral, covering the full range of attitudes and behaviors without bias.
- No Hierarchical Ranking: The numerical ranking of types is not significant. Being a Nine is not better than being a Two.
- No Type Superiority: No type is inherently better or worse than any other. Each type has unique strengths and weaknesses.
Identifying Your Basic Enneagram Type
To determine your basic Enneagram type, taking the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator (RHETI® version 2.5) can be very helpful. This tool identifies your dominant personality type, which provides a foundation for understanding your behaviors and motivations.
When reflecting on your personality, consider which of the following nine roles fits you best most of the time. Alternatively, think about which set of traits most accurately describes you:
- Type One: Principled, purposeful, self-controlled, perfectionistic.
- Type Two: Generous, demonstrative, people-pleasing, possessive.
- Type Three: Adaptable, excelling, driven, image-conscious.
- Type Four: Expressive, dramatic, self-absorbed, temperamental.
- Type Five: Perceptive, innovative, secretive, isolated.
- Type Six: Engaging, responsible, anxious, suspicious.
- Type Seven: Spontaneous, versatile, acquisitive, scattered.
- Type Eight: Self-confident, decisive, willful, confrontational.
- Type Nine: Receptive, reassuring, complacent, resigned.
These descriptors provide a snapshot of each type, capturing their core characteristics. Recognizing your Enneagram type can help you understand your intrinsic motivations and pave the way for personal growth and self-improvement.
By exploring the Enneagram types, you embark on a journey of self-discovery that highlights your unique assets and challenges, guiding you toward becoming your best self. Dive deeper into the world of Enneagram types and uncover the profound insights that can transform your understanding of yourself and others.
Enneagram Typing System
The Enneagram Typing System is a powerful and insightful tool used to categorize human personalities into nine distinct types. This system is not just a random collection of traits but a well-organized framework that offers deep insights into the human psyche. It’s structured as a 3 x 3 arrangement of nine personality types, distributed across three Centers: the Instinctive Center, the Feeling Center, and the Thinking Center. Each Center encompasses three types that share common assets and liabilities, providing a comprehensive understanding of different personality dynamics.
What is the Enneagram Typing System?
At its core, the Enneagram Typing System is a model that categorizes personality types based on their primary motivations, fears, and behaviors. This model is rooted in ancient wisdom and modern psychology, offering a holistic approach to understanding human nature. Here’s how it breaks down:
- Instinctive Center: This Center focuses on instincts and gut reactions. The three types within this Center are driven by issues of control, power, and survival. They include:
- Type 8: The Challenger
- Type 9: The Peacemaker
- Type 1: The Reformer
- Feeling Center: This Center revolves around emotions and interpersonal relationships. The types here are primarily concerned with their image and how they are perceived by others. They include:
- Type 2: The Helper
- Type 3: The Achiever
- Type 4: The Individualist
- Thinking Center: This Center is centered around thoughts and analysis. The types within this Center are primarily focused on security and competency. They include:
- Type 5: The Investigator
- Type 6: The Loyalist
- Type 7: The Enthusiast
Each Center reflects a fundamental aspect of human experience—instincts, feelings, and thoughts. The three types in each Center share certain core characteristics and challenges, offering a nuanced understanding of how different personality traits manifest.
The enneagram types structure
The Enneagram Structure may appear complex at first glance, but it is actually quite straightforward. Understanding the Enneagram Types becomes easier if you take a moment to sketch the Enneagram yourself.
Start by drawing a circle and marking nine equidistant points along its circumference. Assign each point a number from one to nine, placing nine at the top for symmetry and by convention. Each point represents one of the nine basic Enneagram types.
These nine points on the circumference are interconnected by the Enneagram’s inner lines. Notably, points Three, Six, and Nine form an equilateral triangle within the circle. The remaining six points connect in the following sequence: One connects to Four, Four to Two, Two to Eight, Eight to Five, Five to Seven, and Seven back to One. These connections form an irregular hexagram, adding depth to the Enneagram’s structure.
Knowing more deeply the Types
The inner lines of the Enneagram are essential for understanding the dynamic interactions between different Enneagram Types. They illustrate the ways in which each type relates to others, providing insights into the pathways of integration and disintegration that each type experiences.
By exploring the Enneagram Structure, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of how the nine Enneagram Types interact and influence one another. This deeper insight into the Enneagram’s structure helps illuminate the intricate dynamics of human personality, fostering greater self-awareness and personal growth.
Understanding these connections is crucial for anyone looking to delve deeper into the Enneagram. The lines reveal how each type can grow towards integration or fall towards disintegration, offering a roadmap for personal development and self-improvement.
In summary, the Enneagram Structure provides a clear and insightful framework for understanding the nine basic Enneagram Types and their interrelationships. By visualizing and sketching the Enneagram, you can better appreciate the simplicity and depth of this powerful system, paving the way for greater self-knowledge and personal growth.