The Enneagram is a personality theory that classifies personalities into nine types. This test will tell you your Enneagram type and which Greek god has the same type of personality as you. Get the wisdom to brighten your life through this test.
The idea of personality typology, a way to group people based on a general type, has been interesting and studied for a long time. Many personality types today exist, but some professionals are still unsure if they are accurate because none are based on science.
Still, tests such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) are often used by businesses, universities, and other groups to determine what kind of person someone is. In the same way, the Five-Factor Model is the most widely accepted theory of personality in the field of psychology.
But while the above theories are fairly new in the social sciences, the Enneagram, an older personality typing system, has stood the test of time by giving results as valid as the Big Five and MBTI. Here, we'll talk about the Enneagram's history, how it works, as well as what, if anything, it can inform you about your personality.
The Enneagram is a type of psychology that divides people into nine basic personality types. The word "enneagram" comes from Greek and refers to a nine-pointed symbol of three shapes: a circle, a triangle, and a hexagon.
As a theory of personality, the Enneagram shows us the nine main ways we interact with and respond to the world. These personality strategies also have basic fears, wants, and patterns of behavior that are usually easy to predict.
The Enneagram theory says that by the time a person is an adult, they have developed one of nine main personality strategies (or types) that help them deal with the outside world. The fears and wants accompanying each type are examined to determine what drives someone to act the way they do.
But this doesn't mean the Enneagram classifies everyone into one of nine groups. Instead, it says that personality is linked and has many different parts. Over time, every person will show signs of all nine Enneagram types.
Still, the Enneagram test shows a person's "core" type, which stays the same over time. It then tries to figure out the variety of actions that go with it, which gives information about a person's personality.
The Enneagram comes from Sufism, a type of Islamic mysticism. But, even though it has spiritual roots, the Enneagram has nothing to do with any modern religion and is not a religious symbol.
In the early 1900s, Russian thinker Gurdjieff brought the Enneagram to the West. Still, in the 1950s, Chilean psychiatrist Oscar Ichazo simplified the ideas for Western scholars by comparing Enneagram to Pythagorean math.
In the 1970s, American psychiatrists Claudio Naranjo and John Lilly brought the Enneagram to the United States. Naranjo wrote a lot about how the theory could be used. Today, the Enneagram is used by psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health professionals, religious groups, and businesses as another way to learn more about people.
The Enneagram is pretty easy to use, but there are a few things to remember. In some situations, participants are asked to read about the nine personality types and determine which best describes them. Administrators may utilize a test like the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator (RHETI) to choose a person's essence personality type.
Once you know where you are on the Enneagram, the two methods on either side of you, called "wings," also affect who you are as a whole. Most of the time, one wing affects people more than the other, but traits from both can appear in different situations. The best way to define your personality is to look at how your chief type interacts with your wings.
It's important to say again that the point of the Enneagram isn't to put everyone into one personality type. So, taking the Enneagram test doesn't necessarily put a label on a person's personality. Instead, it gives people tools and information to comprehend themselves and each other better.
The Enneagram of Personality, or Enneagram for short, started as a model of the human mind. It is thought that Oscar Ichazo in the 1950s and Claudio Naranjo in the 1970s came up with the nine personality types that fit together. The nine types, called enterotypes, are shown by the nine points of a shape called an enneagram, where the name comes from. The Enneagram is used in many different ways, such as:
People think it can help them understand how their personalities work. Often, the goal is to improve how people interact with each other, reach a higher level of enlightenment, or help people become more self-aware. The Enneagram can also help you grow spiritually.
The Riso Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator, or RHETI, is the most well-known enneagram test. The Enneagram Institute was started by Russ Hudson and Don Richard Riso in 1997 to study and improve the Enneagram. They made an Enneagram test that has been proven by science.
The Riso Hudson Enneagram Test comprises 144 statements that go together. Each pair of statements on the test must be chosen honestly. The Enneagram RHETI test gives you a full picture of your personality. The Integrative Enneagram Questionnaire is another popular test based on the Enneagram.
The iEQ9 is also a test that has been proven by science. The 175 questions on the test take about 30 minutes to answer. The test is always updated to reflect the most recent findings in psychology and neuroscience.
The Enneagram identifies nine distinct personality types.
This type of person is also called the pinnacle or the reformer, and they tend to be responsible, organized, moral, and orderly. They care about morality, want to get better, pay attention to details, and have trouble with the tone of their internal voice. Because of these traits, perfectionists can sometimes seem harsh or critical of themselves and others. Perfectionists fear being bad and want to be honest and do good.
Helpers are caring, warm, kind, knowledgeable, and understanding. They are soothing and positive, and it's easy to make them happy. Helpers must give so much to other people that they sometimes forget to meet their needs. The main As afraid of is being desired or not good enough, and they want to be loved.
This core personality type is also called "the performer," People with it often feel pressured to stay busy and get things done. Achievers have important traits like being efficient, determined, and ambitious. They are competitive, worried about their appearance, active, charming, and focused on their goals. Achievers also have trouble with their weaknesses. The achiever's biggest fear is letting others down; their biggest wish is to be liked and valued.
Individualists think they are special and are usually sensitive, introspective, and quiet. They are honest about how they feel and are obsessed with being real. They are often imaginative, artistic, moody, and focused on themselves. Individualists' biggest fear is that they won't have any identity or personal meaning; their main objective is to locate meaning in their lives.
Investigators are curious, observant, and eager to learn. They are also known as observers. Investigators are smart, thoughtful, private, and analytical. They tend to keep to themselves, making it hard for them to get along with others. The main thing an investigator fears is being useless or defenseless, and they want to be capable and skilled.
Loyalists care about safety, planning, and solving problems. They are also called "guardians." They like clear roles and are liable, careful, and protective, making them feel suspicious, paranoid, anxious, and afraid. The main thing loyalists fear does not have safety, and the main thing they want is to have it.
The enthusiast, or dilettante, is spontaneous, likes to try new things, is excited, and has a sense of adventure. Enthusiasts care about freedom and are often "the life of the party." They have trouble making commitments and can be compelled to do things repeatedly. The main thing that an enthusiast fears is being locked up or in pain, and the main thing that they want is to be content or happy.
The challenger or controller is strong and confident, which makes them a good leader most of the time. They are strong and independent, able to make hard choices and care about doing what is right. Even though they often help others, challengers are also considered bossy and controlling. The challenger's biggest fear is that someone else will control them, and their biggest want is to be in charge.
Peacemakers are laid back, down-to-earth, and have an open mind. People like and depend on them because they care about harmony, boundaries, and comfort. They sometimes have trouble saying what they think, which makes them act in a passive-aggressive way. The peacemaker's biggest fear is getting lost and alone, and their biggest wish is peace and stability.
The Enneagram is not utilized in evidence-based psychology because there isn't enough research. Instead, many professionals use the MBTI, which is based on the ideas of well-known psychiatrist Carl Jung. Still, many people think of the Enneagram as a personality test on par with the others because its results are always similar to those of other tests.
Personality tests such as the MBTI can tell you what kind of person you are, but the Enneagram is more interested in your defenses and how you deal with the outside world. The Enneagram is becoming more and more popular, and it is also being used in therapy settings. Studies show that knowing the Enneagram can assist with developing oneself spiritually and personally, developing an ego, and improving family therapy.
The Enneagram Test can tell you a lot about how you think and act, but it can also tell you a lot about your relationships. There are 81 possible ways for relationships to interact between the nine categories. Sharing such information with your partner or friends can help them understand you better.
When businesses use the Enneagram with their employees, they can learn a lot that can help them be more productive and have better relationships at work. It can show people how they can be most productive at work, letting each other shine in their strengths and giving hard tasks to others on the team. This inventory is not a "tell all" type of test.
A simple personality test can't tell people everything they need to know about themselves. But if you use it with critical analysis it can help you improve your relationships and learn more about yourself in many different situations. The Enneagram Test has shown that it is a good and useful way to evaluate people.
