+Instinctual Variant Survey

[Pa3s]

Self Preservation
- Do you sensitively respond to your body's needs? When you experience discomfort do you take care to promptly eliminate its source?
Yes, unless I'm doing something important at the moment. This makes me postpone the need until I either have to fulfil it or I'm finished.

- What is your relationship with food - buying, preparing, eating? Do you monitor your nutrition? Do you invest time into food preparation and purchasing exactly the food that meets your dietary requirements?
Buying and preparing is a necessity, but I enjoy eating. I don't necessarily observe my diet, but I try not to eat too much of the same food or overly "unhealthy" stuff. Usually, I'm rather economical, but I'm prone to spend more for food that's actually good.

- How important is your home? How much time and effort have you invested in arranging your living space? Do you decorate/personalize your living space? Do you often fantasize about a perfect home? How important is order and cleanliness of your living space to you? How cozy is your current living environment?
My private space is very important to me. My room has minimal decorations, I have arranged everything the way it is mostly for reasons of functionality. The order is important to me, the cleanliness not that much (but it's still good if it's clean, I don't like rotting food lying around). I do sometimes think about my "perfect home", but I'm satisfied with the basics.

- How important is security for you? Do you regularly devote time and effort into securing and stabilizing your life?
I'm not paranoid about it, but I think it's rather important. I don't like to waste too much money on trivial things because I might need it someday. For instance, I wouldn't want to live "on the streets" for a longer time (a life some people are romanticising) because the insecurity and unpredictability would make me uncomfortable after a short time.

- Do you carefully manage your savings? Do you often think about your income? What is enough? Is salary a major part in your consideration of a job? Do you follow deals and offers that would allow you to save some money?
As I said before, I try to make the best of the money I have. I do not have to earn a lot and I don't strive to be rich, but I want to have my life covered with a little extra. I think about special offers, but I now tend to spend a little more for better and longer-lasting quality.

- Do you take care of your health? Are you up to date in your health care appointments with doctors, dentists, etc? Do you go to the gym or track you caloric intake?
Not that much I guess, I don't go to the doctors unless necessary. I don't watch my caloric intake simply because I won't get fat in any case (right now).




Sexual
- Is it easy to spark your interest? Do you often fell interested, invigorated, impassioned by someone or something (e.g. a hobby, subject, or pursuit)?
It's relatively easy, there are a lot of fascinating hobbies out there. Some people also have very interesting skills.

- Is it easy for you to hone in to that which has sparked your interest? Do you feel like your life is in some way directed by these feelings?
I have recurring interests, but it's not so easy to concentrate on one single thing. If I lose interest, I stop doing it and forget about it. Occasional, I keep going until I have finished a larger project, but more often than not, I quit it for a while and might get back to it later.

- Is being attractive to others an important quality for you? Do you easily spot attractions between other people?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It's more important that I think I look good, others might share this opinion or not, I can't control that (and I don't want to). I think I'm not very good at spotting attractions between people.

- How often do you share your personal experiences and preferences with others in conversation? Do you feel at ease when connecting to someone on emotional/personal basis? Do you feel like you need to disclose some personal information in order to relate to someone?
I share it if it's appropriate or if they ask me. It depends on who it is (obviously), sometimes it's okay, sometimes I feel rather uncomfortable, especially when someone tries to "connect" with me who I do not like. I think it's not always necessary to disclose personal information to relate.

- Do you easily discern emotional stimuli and motivations of others?
No.

- Can you easily tell when someone is flirting with you? Do you often flirt? Do people have trouble telling when you are being just friendly and when you are expressing interest in them?
I think I have a hard time to tell what a person actually wants in a conversation. Sometimes people might think I'm flirting. I'm not even sure if I flirt, it's just a part of conversation and never obviously flirting.

- What role does sexuality play in your life? Do you find it easy to openly talk about sexual topics?
Not too important. I avoid talking about it.




Social
- Do you seek to come in contact with people? Are you open? Do you strive to become acquainted with and be known to everyone in your group?
If it's a group in a work-related setting, I do try to take the initiative and encourage them to take part in the discussion, ect. Otherwise, no.

- When moving to a new place how important is it for you to make new friends? Do you feel like you have a social support network?
Not very important, even though it's sure nice to have some people you can expect help from. That's why I rarely refuse to help someone who asks me for help.

- Do you experience a sense of belonging to a community? Are you engaged with social issues? Are you a member of any organized groups? What role or position do you usually play in groups?
Not very much, but I do think about social issues and how to improve our social coexistence and organisation. I might join a organized group in the future. I don't have a specified group role.

- Do you easily notice when people behave in an inconsiderate, imprudent, discourteous, untactful manner? Does this bother you even if they aren't related to you?
Yes, I think I do. It can bother me, but it's a lot less important to me if I'm not directly involved.

- Are you sensitive to being socially ostracized? Is it important for you to be accepted by your peers? Is it important to you that your partner is acceptable to your friends and family?
No, they might have their reasons for not accepting me, but that doesn't automatically mean that it's my fault. Same applies to my parents and family. My partner has to be acceptable for me and nobody else.

- Do you engage in discussions of socially relevant topics (e.g. human rights, social contracts, justice and fairness, cultural and religious themes, political systems, recent news and events)?
Yes, I do so very often.

- Do you follow the news? Do you keep aware of what is happening with your friends and distant relatives, in your community, country, worldwide?
I try to keep myself informed.

[InvisibleJim]

@siuntal

Self Preservation
- Do you sensitively respond to your body's needs? When you experience discomfort do you take care to promptly eliminate its source?
Only if it is instantaneous. e.g. uncomfortable cushions. I've happily persisted with what looks like a chest infection for 3 years now.
- What is your relationship with food - buying, preparing, eating? Do you monitor your nutrition? Do you invest time into food preparation and purchasing exactly the food that meets your dietary requirements?
None whatsoever, I infamously do not cook unless under duress, but I do enjoy restaurants
- How important is your home? How much time and effort have you invested in arranging your living space? Do you decorate/personalize your living space? Do you often fantasize about a perfect home? How important is order and cleanliness of your living space to you? How cozy is your current living environment?
I can be quite picky about the external and internal condition of my home; particularly in the quality of fixtures and fittings. Nothing annoys me more than a draw that won't slide properly or decorations that don't fit my self image, e.g. sleigh beds and curved corners.
- How important is security for you? Do you regularly devote time and effort into securing and stabilizing your life?
Accumulation of resources which provide security are critical, but I spend about a quarter of my year travelling to unsafe places to do things; I'm averse to flirting with danger.
- Do you carefully manage your savings? Do you often think about your income? What is enough? Is salary a major part in your consideration of a job? Do you follow deals and offers that would allow you to save some money?
Yes, I'm a penny pincher, but I'm also a spender, I simply inflate my earnings to match my comfort requirements first.
- Do you take care of your health? Are you up to date in your health care appointments with doctors, dentists, etc? Do you go to the gym or track you caloric intake?
Absolutely not.

Sexual
- Is it easy to spark your interest? Do you often fell interested, invigorated, impassioned by someone or something (e.g. a hobby, subject, or pursuit)?
It's not easy but it does happen. It is rare that I do discover something new that I haven't seen before.
- Is it easy for you to hone in to that which has sparked your interest? Do you feel like your life is in some way directed by these feelings?
Yes, I tend to know what and why I like things.
- Is being attractive to others an important quality for you? Do you easily spot attractions between other people?
Not especially, I do spot attractions between others however.
- How often do you share your personal experiences and preferences with others in conversation? Do you feel at ease when connecting to someone on emotional/personal basis? Do you feel like you need to disclose some personal information in order to relate to someone?
Absolutely, I do this a lot.
- Do you easily discern emotional stimuli and motivations of others?
Yes, often to their offence, but sometimes not.
- Can you easily tell when someone is flirting with you? Do you often flirt? Do people have trouble telling when you are being just friendly and when you are expressing interest in them?
Yes,No,No but it has been a problem for others interacting with me, but then I'm pragmatic about it, sometimes there are flirty benefits to non-flirting.
- What role does sexuality play in your life? Do you find it easy to openly talk about sexual topics?
It depends who with and the context, but sometimes it can be fine.

Social
- Do you seek to come in contact with people? Are you open? Do you strive to become acquainted with and be known to everyone in your group?
Not really, people seem to know me before I have any idea who they are.
- When moving to a new place how important is it for you to make new friends? Do you feel like you have a social support network?
Absolutely zero. Having moved across the world 3 times, its a mixture of serendipity and boredom that occasionally generates friendships.
- Do you experience a sense of belonging to a community? Are you engaged with social issues? Are you a member of any organized groups? What role or position do you usually play in groups?
Not really, I am not a member of any organised groups and I usually play a devils advocates/liberal rebel role. I don't play well with others
- Do you easily notice when people behave in an inconsiderate, imprudent, discourteous, untactful manner? Does this bother you even if they aren't related to you?
Yes, because you can't have a constructive conversation without some common sense in interaction, this includes excessive social compliance or aggression.
- Are you sensitive to being socially ostracized? Is it important for you to be accepted by your peers? Is it important to you that your partner is acceptable to your friends and family?
No, but then again I don't have any particularly strong affiliation to groups and my family is more of a loose grouping than some smooshy hugfest.
- Do you engage in discussions of socially relevant topics (e.g. human rights, social contracts, justice and fairness, cultural and religious themes, political systems, recent news and events)?
Yes, these can be fairly interesting topics both in deducing the nature of the individuals and also in developing understanding.
- Do you follow the news? Do you keep aware of what is happening with your friends and distant relatives, in your community, country, worldwide?
Not a clue where most of my relatives are never mind my friends. But I do follow the 'generic' news.

So, if I rank those 0.5 for 'kinda', 1 for 'certainly', then I get 3.5 sp, 4.5 sx and 2 so. However, that assumes no answer weighting. I'll need to inform Amargith that I finally found a test that agrees with her viewpoint on my instinctual stacking.

[squark]

Self Preservation

- Do you sensitively respond to your body's needs? When you experience discomfort do you take care to promptly eliminate its source?

I feed myself when I'm hungry, sleep when I'm tired, exercise, take vitamins. However, I can tolerate discomfort for long periods of time, and just ignore it. People who are fussy about their comfort drive me nuts, and I can't help but feel a little disgusted by them. Once, someone came to visit me, and I was so pissed off that when they got there, they were more interested in making sure they got to their hotel to get a drink before the lounge closed than they were in spending more time with me. Really? Getting a drink is that important? Or one time when my uncle and dad were visiting - my uncle kept turning up the AC in my house without asking, just because he was hot. I found that rude and wasteful - so am I sp because I didn't like him making my electric bill higher just for himself when everyone else was perfectly comfortable, or is he for ignoring everyone else and being so picky about his own comfort?

- What is your relationship with food - buying, preparing, eating? Do you monitor your nutrition? Do you invest time into food preparation and purchasing exactly the food that meets your dietary requirements?

I try to eat balanced, and don't buy a lot of junk. I invest as little time as possible into food preparation as possible though. It would be awesome if people didn't have to eat at all. As it is though, I do eat healthy - for the most part.

- How important is your home? How much time and effort have you invested in arranging your living space? Do you decorate/personalize your living space? Do you often fantasize about a perfect home? How important is order and cleanliness of your living space to you? How cozy is your current living environment?

My fantasy of the perfect home would be one that takes care of itself. I've sometimes wished that there were apartment buildings with dining centers and cleaning services included in the price. Pre-furnished. So you wouldn't have to think about any of that stuff. However, I do keep my living space organized, and reasonably clean, and I sometimes put up pictures I like on the walls, or get in a mood to make things look pretty and do something decorative, but that's not too often. It's nice when things are clean and organized, and some things like my bookshelves and my closet almost always are. It's funny - in my room, my closet is all neat and organized, but then I have books and papers scattered everywhere on the floor and my bed. Whatever I'm working on tends to take over the space - so, since I'm focused on some writing I'm doing now - I have notebooks and notes and papers and books invading every space in my house. I scatter everything in front of me - whatever I'm working on, so I can see as much of it at once as possible, and then when I'm done, I gather it all back up and put it away -- but what I'm working on could take weeks or months.

- How important is security for you? Do you regularly devote time and effort into securing and stabilizing your life?

?Security? Not important. And I'm more likely to purposely destabilize my life by suddenly moving or changing something than trying to keep it too stable.

- Do you carefully manage your savings? Do you often think about your income? What is enough? Is salary a major part in your consideration of a job? Do you follow deals and offers that would allow you to save some money?

Arrrrgh. I dislike talk about money. Enough is enough to live off of - the end. I do have some savings. Salary is of ZERO consideration in a job. I look for the best price on major purchases, but don't look for deals otherwise. Maybe I should. I keep within a budget - and manage my money in order to get debts paid off as quick as possible so my money is freed up. I manage everything - but hate talking about it.

- Do you take care of your health? Are you up to date in your health care appointments with doctors, dentists, etc? Do you go to the gym or track you caloric intake?

I'm healthy. I don't go to doctors. I do go to the dentist. Exercise is good. I don't count calories.

Sexual

- Is it easy to spark your interest? Do you often fell interested, invigorated, impassioned by someone or something (e.g. a hobby, subject, or pursuit)?
Oh yes. I sometimes get frustrated or lonely though when I'm into something and don't know anyone else who will be interested in hearing about it. When I'm fired up about something, and other people seem bored or disinterested when I start excitedly talking about it - it can be alienating. So, I usually tone myself down - a lot, and don't say anything. But, I don't lose interest in whatever it is. It's all just rather solitary.

- Is it easy for you to hone in to that which has sparked your interest? Do you feel like your life is in some way directed by these feelings?

Very easy to hone in on what interests me. I can easily develop a single-minded focus on something. I'm reluctant to say that my life is directed by these feelings though, even if it is, because I like to feel like I'm controlling my life, not being controlled by anything else.

- Is being attractive to others an important quality for you? Do you easily spot attractions between other people?

I think it's important to everyone. Nobody wants to be unattractive. I notice when people are attracted to someone that I'm interested in, to the point of extreme overfocus on it at times, even though I try to pretend nonchalance or that I just have made a casual observation. Between people that I don't care about - I don't notice or care.

- How often do you share your personal experiences and preferences with others in conversation? Do you feel at ease when connecting to someone on emotional/personal basis? Do you feel like you need to disclose some personal information in order to relate to someone?

I don't tend to share myself with other people, but I find that other people will open up to me very often. I frequently have strangers telling me very personal things about themselves and their lives. A friend of mine once asked me how I did that and I didn't really have an answer for her, because I wasn't doing anything. She said, "We'll go someplace, and both be talking to someone for 5 minutes, but when we come out, you know all these personal things about whoever you're talking to, and I won't know anything about who I'm talking to." She found it weird that people just immediately start telling me things. I feel perfectly comfortable with people telling me things, but don't tend to say much about myself (or at least I don't think I do.) As to whether I need to exchange personal information in order to relate to someone --- that all depends on the degree of relating you're talking about. To really know someone, of course you have to share things, but I don't need to really know everyone, so there are plenty of surface-level interactions that I have, where I can get along with people without us really knowing a lot about the other.

- Do you easily discern emotional stimuli and motivations of others?

I don't know what this is asking particularly. I make observations of people, and have ideas on why they might be doing something . . . but I don't think I'm infallible or my guesses are always right. I can only go off the information that they show, and new information can change my previous evaluation. Don't know if I answered the question or not.

- Can you easily tell when someone is flirting with you? Do you often flirt? Do people have trouble telling when you are being just friendly and when you are expressing interest in them?

Usually can tell. No don't often flirt. Depends - some guys have misread things, but I don't have much of a problem with this afaik.

- What role does sexuality play in your life? Do you find it easy to openly talk about sexual topics?

I'd rather have sex than talk about it. I identify most with what Ashton said regarding sexual topics - most people make it boring. To me, they come across as though they're writing a technical manual or something, even if they pepper it with feeling-ish words "I love giving my bf blowjobs, because his penis is blah blah blah" Who gives a fuck? They put about as much emotion in it as describing how to paint their nails. I'd be far more interested in dialogue that was more emotional?passionate? I don't know the proper word. But mostly, I think words are not necessary. Sex is very important, but it's the experience of it that matters, not describing it to other people in bland details.

Social
- Do you seek to come in contact with people? Are you open? Do you strive to become acquainted with and be known to everyone in your group?

No. I'm pretty private and solitary.

- When moving to a new place how important is it for you to make new friends? Do you feel like you have a social support network?

Least of my concerns, although I do get lonely and want company sometimes. I don't have a social support network.

- Do you experience a sense of belonging to a community? Are you engaged with social issues? Are you a member of any organized groups? What role or position do you usually play in groups?

No to all of the above. In groups, I'm just there, no particular role. Only time I get pushed into a role is if there is an emergency or serious immediate problem that needs to be solved, then for some reason people tend to look to me for the answers.

- Do you easily notice when people behave in an inconsiderate, imprudent, discourteous, untactful manner? Does this bother you even if they aren't related to you?

I don't like inconsiderate behavior. Yes, it bothers me.

- Are you sensitive to being socially ostracized? Is it important for you to be accepted by your peers? Is it important to you that your partner is acceptable to your friends and family?

It bothers me to be cut out and ostracized - yes. It bothers me most to feel outside of a group when someone I want to be close to is inside of it though. Then, I feel cut off from that person, and even more alone. I don't like groups because I always feel like an outsider, and I'm very grateful when someone pays attention to me, and makes an effort to make me feel included or welcome. I feel like I'm always on the fringes, that even if I'm kind of a part of a group - that at any moment I could be kicked out again. I even feel that way with my family. Getting together with my family is not fun at all. I always feel like if I do something wrong, that they'll all turn on me, and I'll be cut off from them too, and then I'll be almost entirely alone. If I feel like there is one person I belong with, who is always on my side, a teammate I can count on, then I am insulated from the effects of any groups, including my family group. So, it's much more important that a partner accept me and be on my side than if he were accepted by my family. An ex of mine ingratiated himself to my family, and ended up having more contact with them than I did. I very much disliked that, because he removed my family from me as a potential source of support and tried to insert himself in my place. When we split up he went to them to tell them negative things about me, and try to turn them against me, but thankfully it didn't work.

- Do you engage in discussions of socially relevant topics (e.g. human rights, social contracts, justice and fairness, cultural and religious themes, political systems, recent news and events)?

Yes. When something comes up, I give my opinion.

- Do you follow the news? Do you keep aware of what is happening with your friends and distant relatives, in your community, country, worldwide?

I don't have TV, and so don't always keep abreast of current events. If I come across something that interests me or I think is important, I'll read about it, but I don't make any special effort to know what's going on.

[FoxOnStilts]

According to this questionnaire posted, I'm sx/sp. Still skeptical though, again, because of inconsistent definitions. BUT. By THOSE definitions, I am sx/sp.

[Animal]

My suggestion was based off some of the comparisons drawn between these two stacking on EIDB that pointed out that so/sx communication is 'messy' while so/sp is more collected and dignified but at the expense of coming off somewhat reserved.

from: http://www.the16types.info/vbulletin...inct-scrapheap

so/sx - chaotic engagement
so/sp - dignified engagement

So/sx is a 'faster' energy, less-planted, less-defined, mentally curious in a capricious way
So/sp is slower-moving, more deliberate/measured/calculated, 'higher' without coming down, intellectually steadfast

Your writing seems be more measured and collected and less capricious and immediate imo and so/sp seemed like a closer fit.

Okay, my first reply to this post was pretty reactionary. I apologize if you read it, lol. I don't know if you're actually going to bother reading through everyone's answers to the questions since you really only posted it for anndelise, but here are my answers anyway because I'm curious about this, even if a bit skeptical like FoxOnStilts. My answers did not turn out like I thought they would, oddly:

Self Preservation
- Do you sensitively respond to your body's needs? When you experience discomfort do you take care to promptly eliminate its source?
I try to. I’m reasonably healthy and conscientious about taking care of my body, but I tend to somewhat inept at it. E.g., I let my hands get blistered and chapped, and only really think to moisturize them only when they start to bleed. I find I often let physical aches and tensions accumulate for days at a time before I’ll think to do some yoga or something.

- What is your relationship with food - buying, preparing, eating? Do you monitor your nutrition? Do you invest time into food preparation and purchasing exactly the food that meets your dietary requirements?
Buying: Somewhat impulsive. I enjoy food, and like to try out many different things. I’m like a kid in a toyshop at the grocery story, basically picking up whatever catches my fancy. I am pretty conscious of my diet, but for ulterior reasons: my physical appearance. I basically eat good to look good, not for health reasons. However, I think this is pretty common in our culture. Why are most people at the gym? To eventually look good enough to land some ass. Preparing: I enjoy cooking. I like watching Cooking Channel and those PBS cooking shows. I like trying out new dishes from around the world and using different combinations. Eating: a weird combination of ascetic and hedonistic. I tend to overindulge in sweets. If I’m not careful, I will eat whole boxes of chocolates and cookies at one sitting. Thankfully, I seem to have a pretty fast metabolism, and it hasn’t resulted in any extra weight (which I’ve actually been consciously trying to put on). But I will try to be very strict about getting the right amount of protein, complex carbs, and fats.

- How important is your home? How much time and effort have you invested in arranging your living space? Do you decorate/personalize your living space? Do you often fantasize about a perfect home? How important is order and cleanliness of your living space to you? How cozy is your current living environment?
I like having an attractive living place, but I don’t really fantasize about the perfect home. For instance, I was quite indifferent about that “What’s your ideal house” thread. I couldn’t really think of anything. It’s not something I care all that much about. I am not a neat freak. My things are often all over the place, but I do enjoy having an organized living space after I just finish tidying up.

- How important is security for you? Do you regularly devote time and effort into securing and stabilizing your life?
I… don’t really know what this question is asking, tbh. How do you “secure” and “stabilize” your life? I am alive. What is there to stabilize? I put on my seatbelt when I get in the car and try to pay my bills on time, if that’s what it’s referring to. But this isn’t something I invest my thought in.

- Do you carefully manage your savings? Do you often think about your income? What is enough? Is salary a major part in your consideration of a job? Do you follow deals and offers that would allow you to save some money?
I’m a bit of a miser sometimes because I can be a little neurotic about money. I don’t trust myself to be able to keep myself out of the poorhouse, so I tend to let myself spend very little except for the occasional splurge every few months or so. Aside from that, I don’t really think about money all that much, or acquiring a huge salary. So long as I can pay for these things, I am content: a living space, no matter how small, in a safe and pleasant neighborhood, my gym membership, food, internet, clothes… you know, the basics. I don’t need all that much to be happy. My only real luxury is music. I’ve spent quite a lot on instruments/recording equipment, CDs (yes, I still buy CDs, lol), DVDs, concert tickets, etc.

- Do you take care of your health? Are you up to date in your health care appointments with doctors, dentists, etc? Do you go to the gym or track you caloric intake?
This actually just reminded me… my doctor referred me to a cardiologist because of a heart murmur… way back in August and I never made an appointment. I try to get to the dentist once a year, but I haven’t been for the last two.

Sexual
- Is it easy to spark your interest? Do you often fell interested, invigorated, impassioned by someone or something (e.g. a hobby, subject, or pursuit)?
Yes. I am always immersed in some obsession to the point where the rest of my life can sometimes seem rather tangential to it. It’s a problem of mine, because it sometimes will throw my life off balance. Work, school, my health, etc. will sometimes fall by the wayside because I’m off devouring everything I can find on a certain musician, actor, subject, etc. With people, I can get infatuated rather quickly.

- Is it easy for you to hone in to that which has sparked your interest? Do you feel like your life is in some way directed by these feelings?
I would say yes (see above). Although, many of the things I’m interested are guilty pleasures that I would only reveal to fellow fanatics, lol.

- Is being attractive to others an important quality for you? Do you easily spot attractions between other people?
Yes, to both questions. This sometimes is embarrassing. I find I devote more care and anxiety to my physical appearance than is seemly, although I’m not as obsessive as some guys I know who have their haircuts on a set schedule, and spend $500 on a shirt. That’s just absurd. But I do take care to look and dress attractively. I am also pretty good at predicting how long a couple’s relationship will last.

- How often do you share your personal experiences and preferences with others in conversation? Do you feel at ease when connecting to someone on emotional/personal basis? Do you feel like you need to disclose some personal information in order to relate to someone?
This comprises the majority of my conversation with people. When I can’t open up to people emotionally or share my emotions, quirks, desires, and tastes with other people, I feel very uncomfortable. This is meetings with professors, bosses, interviewers have always left me feeling disoriented and off-kilter. Formal meetings, unless I can talk about my personal interests and everyday life with the person, just feel very uncomfortable to me.

- Do you easily discern emotional stimuli and motivations of others?
I don’t understand this question…

- Can you easily tell when someone is flirting with you? Do you often flirt? Do people have trouble telling when you are being just friendly and when you are expressing interest in them?
I’m shockingly terrible at discerning flirting. I will often assume someone’s flirting with me when that isn’t the case, and be completely oblivious when it is. And yes, very much so, for the latter. I get myself into awkward situations when I’m simply being “nice.” I find I need to turn my natural version of “nice” down a notch or else I’ll be misconstrued.

- What role does sexuality play in your life? Do you find it easy to openly talk about sexual topics?
I’m very comfortable talking about sex one-on-one, but tend to stay out of group discussions about it. Talking about sex with a group just kind of grosses me out. It ruins how personal and intimate it is, and makes it… well, too “normal” and mundane if that makes sense.

Social
- Do you seek to come in contact with people? Are you open? Do you strive to become acquainted with and be known to everyone in your group?
Yes, although I tend be somewhat guarded unless I can tell at least one person in the group is interested in me. I don’t strive to be known by everyone, but I do like to be regarded well, at least by the handful of people whom I hold in high esteem: these are people I find exciting and interesting. I’m a performer, so I’m not going to lie. I do like attention and recognition.

- When moving to a new place how important is it for you to make new friends? Do you feel like you have a social support network?
Yes. I don’t know how anyone would not want this. Social connection and having friends is important for my emotional health: it gives me a way to deal with life’s stresses, have fun, and gives me a sense of identity. I don’t think I’d really feel fully realized in the world if I did not feel “known”, at least by a small group of close people. However, it can’t just be any group. I don’t like mass-market setting where people are just thrown together and I can’t get along with just anybody, like some social animals I know. My social life will usually develop around my interests.

- Do you experience a sense of belonging to a community? Are you engaged with social issues? Are you a member of any organized groups? What role or position do you usually play in groups?
Not really. I’ve always felt like a bit of the odd one out in large “communities.” I find I have too much an internal life going on that I can never really feel connected with any external group in a meaningful way. No group has ever felt in concert or in harmony with my own inclinations or perspectives enough for me.

- Do you easily notice when people behave in an inconsiderate, imprudent, discourteous, untactful manner? Does this bother you even if they aren't related to you?
I do notice it, but I’m pretty easy-going and forgiving. We all commit social gaffes sometimes. I do hate when someone dominates the conversation, though, especially when it’s about a topic I am really interested in. This happened to me the other day. I was having dinner out with a group of about seven, and these two guys were basically having a private conversation and no one else could get a word in edgewise. It was about a composer I was very much interested in and would have really liked discussing. It was frustrating, but I got over it.

- Are you sensitive to being socially ostracized? Is it important for you to be accepted by your peers? Is it important to you that your partner is acceptable to your friends and family?
Yes. This has been a big insecurity for me for most of my life.

- Do you engage in discussions of socially relevant topics (e.g. human rights, social contracts, justice and fairness, cultural and religious themes, political systems, recent news and events)?
Yes. (See most of my posts in this forum, lol.) Although, I tend to stay out of the most combative discussions. They are usually pointless, and no one is interested in revising their perspectives.

- Do you follow the news? Do you keep aware of what is happening with your friends and distant relatives, in your community, country, worldwide?
I used to, much more so than I do now. But now I find there’s just too much to keep track of that it’s more of a pointless detour from what’s really important and exciting to me, which are things are are much more tangible and accessible to me here and now.

[mikemex]

Sexual ||||||||||||||||||||| 62%
Social ||||||||||||||||||||| 70%
Self Preservation ||||||||||||||||||||| 62%

[anndelise]

hmm. ? The main reasons I usually give for why I don't type as sp-last are because I don't overspend, have no trouble managing money, and I'm a private person.

My comment was regarding linking SP with the proto-reptilian, or R-complex, part of the brain. In the linked article SP is associated with feeding, fighting, fleeing, and fucking. But then it goes on to add in ritual displays, social conformity, etc.

While also linking SO with the neomammalian brain. the article links SO with language, planning, introspection, self-awareness.

That is an acceptable theory, but then if that were the case, SP shouldn't, imo, have descriptions that include planning and worrying about money, setting aside savings, etc, as that would be an SO&SP thing, not SP. Money is a symbol for resources, not the actual resources. Also, it is a social requirement to work for someone else to give you money so that you can access needed/desired resources. That is not particularly part of the older portion of the brain, and not something we tend to see in most animals. Though it may be used in conjunction with the other parts of the brain.

[lemontrees]

I'd really like to hear who you type as so/sp on here. For some reason so/sp sometimes really difficult to recognize for me irl. There's one person I think could well be so/sp, at least she's so first for sure. How would you go about distinguishing so/sp from so/sx?

This is something I've actually thought about a lot since learning the enneagram...

I think, just in terms of "feeling," so/sx has a bit of a harder "edge" beneath that so-ness. There's a "hook" there that you can't find with so/sp--I often think of chemistry as being a "hook" you feel in conversation with another person. I find that when I talk to sx-lasts I can feel too "hard," and when I talk to so-lasts (and am in a sociable, rather than withdrawing, mode) I sharply feel my own veneer. So/sp is also pretty much never bawdy/offensive, from my experience (even alpha/betas!).

I've met some really flirtatious/vivacious seeming so/sp's, including ESE, EIE, LSE, and IEE, and in conversation there is this feeling of that "scattered energy" described in enneagram writings, and also, if you talk to them long enough, an extra feeling like it would be very difficult to get to know them one-on-one. Especially if you bring up something "intense" (i.e. a violent but interesting experience) they sort of look uncomfortable, a glazed look comes into the eyes... (sx-lasts, I'm sorry for making you sound this way, feel free to form a rebuttal, lol.) But it can be hard to tell at first, if they are so/sp or so/sx. I guess you would have to try to push the conversation "deeper" and see what happens.

Don't know if that helps.

[GuavaDrunk]

Doing this is pretty interesting. (To me, I know.) Forgive the endless I-sentences, I'm not spending any more time drafting this. >.<

Self Preservation
- Do you sensitively respond to your body's needs? When you experience discomfort do you take care to promptly eliminate its source?
No. It took some practice and learning to actually consider my discomfort important enough to address it. I went through a phase of measuring my temperature whenever I felt under the weather to learn to differentiate tiredness from sickness. It also took time to be able to tell apart stomach aches due to sickness, digestion woes and menstrual cramps (arguably because I rarely get the latter.) I'm good at ignoring nature's (repeated) call(s) and often prefer to do so.

In contrast, I have learned to be competently aware of which muscle I use to make what movement and how to alter that due to lifelong practice of sports. I don't necessarily notice minor injuries/scratches/bruises, be it during a practice or in everyday life, and find these easy to shrug off. I can tell well whether a joint got twisted and how long to be kind to it.

- What is your relationship with food - buying, preparing, eating? Do you monitor your nutrition? Do you invest time into food preparation and purchasing exactly the food that meets your dietary requirements?
Preparation time typically minimised. Occasional buzzing over actually cooking something elaborate (read: that takes more than 10 minutes and one bowl to mix it in.) Don't care much about gourmet etc except when the occasional opportunity to try something slithers past my nose. I go through cycles of eating one simple dish/type of sandwich/fruit for what, a month then forgetting about it for months/years. It would take much more discipline than I currently possess to count calories/plan meals days in advance. I try to eat plants regularly. I have a habit of not drinking enough water, this to the point of coughing from thirst in the past.

My tastebuds do work and I can thoroughly enjoy a dish, it's just not a priority. People for whom it is a priority and who try to share that feeling make me uncomfortable.

- How important is your home? How much time and effort have you invested in arranging your living space? Do you decorate/personalize your living space? Do you often fantasize about a perfect home? How important is order and cleanliness of your living space to you? How cozy is your current living environment?
A home is important in the sense that I demand a space (with four walls and a door) which is mine and only mine. A nest, or kingdom, of sorts. I usually don't like people coming in or hanging around, and I momentarily hate anyone who walks around fiddling with everything.

My overall mental/emotional state is somewhat reflected by furniture arrangement. Eg: at one point I had the bed set up such that it nearly interfered with the door opening and getting in was a hint of a squeeze = did not want to deal with the world. Nowadays the door corner is clear and furniture in the other corners = more open to dealing with problems etc. Had a phase where I tried using the bottom end of the bed as a chair for the desk, that was waaaaayy too lazy, not to mention not ergonomic.

I rarely decorate but pleasing pictures hang for years in their place. It's personalised by the clutter more than anything else. Decorating a whole apartment would be an initial burst for matching colours followed by slow occasional additional touches. I rarely fantasize about a perfect home.

"Put it down somewhere convenient, don't touch or even think about it until needed again" organisation principles. Some staple items have set places, like house keys or anything that stays in the same drawer/general corner for years. I keep the space under the bed clear so I don't get any nasty ("I own THIS MUCH?") surprises. Don't care about dust or hoovering. Dishes get washed often enough to avoid life (mostly. Especially since life once evolved. That was not fun.)

tl;dr : It's important.

- How important is security for you? Do you regularly devote time and effort into securing and stabilizing your life?
Territoriality, need for space uniquely mine. Otherwise.. whut? This is something I avoid thinking about more than am indifferent to, so don't know.

- Do you carefully manage your savings? Do you often think about your income? What is enough? Is salary a major part in your consideration of a job? Do you follow deals and offers that would allow you to save some money?
Bad at things like bills and managing money. Hence salary currently being a major consideration. Pay some attention to deals. My criteria for wealth (a common one?) is enough for a place with the aesthetic basics/hobbies. Ideally enough to travel with minimal long-term planning of tickets when I feel like it.

- Do you take care of your health? Are you up to date in your health care appointments with doctors, dentists, etc? Do you go to the gym or track your caloric intake?
Somewhat, do brush teeth/shower etc. I haven't seen a doctor in a couple of years and only recently saw a dentist. I exercise through or for the current sport. Tracking caloric intake via numbers seems crazy. Tracking portion size during the day is much easier. Not much for vitamins.

Sexual
- Is it easy to spark your interest? Do you often fell interested, invigorated, impassioned by someone or something (e.g. a hobby, subject, or pursuit)?
It's easy for ideas, concepts or aesthetic effects to spark my interest. It's not so easy for people to do so. Interest sparked typically leads to strong short-term focus on interest then disinterest when tired/figured the idea out and savoured it.

Strong enthusiasm most easily felt when hanging out with fun person or group. It's easy to get hyped up on eg: making smart ass remarks to everything, figuratively poking everything and staying in that state for a while. Can lead to feeling a bit manic and frazzled, and to low-quality cracks . Passion for heightening people's moods by making them laugh, shocking being an acceptable method (social appropriateness be damned.) Some types of play-arguments, shouting for fun. When in that state I can start fiddling a lot or pretty much jumping around from the sheer energy. Can lead to uncontrollable laughter from sheer adrenaline/stress relief.

- Is it easy for you to hone in to that which has sparked your interest? Do you feel like your life is in some way directed by these feelings?
Very easy, it's like my interest suddenly hones in on one thing and everything around it is slightly hushed/pushed out of awareness. Interruptions become highly irritating. I've noticed I can generally hold steady eye-contact for long periods of times and this can make other people uncomfortable, especially since I comparatively don't blink much. This is heightened when someone has interesting information and I ask (interrogate with polite expressions) them about it.

Anecdote which should help: I once had a very involved (laughter, strong 1-on-1 focus, intense and animated voices etc) conversation which a girl I'd just met and felt very interested in her as a person etc, only to pretty much ignore her the next time I met her because I just didn't feel interested anymore. he conversation had been had, and had been mostly about discovering we had and rhapsodising about shared interests. Pretty sure that hurt her a bit.

Tracking or somehow hunting people down, (eg: playing assassin in a crowd) is one of the funnest activities I can think of. Same laser-point of attention etc. Plus, making people nervous and or edgy on purpose is funny, and I'm told I can look pretty intimidating.

- Is being attractive to others an important quality for you? Do you easily spot attractions between other people?
It's important to me, though I can wilfully ignore that. I don't easily spot things between other people unless they're friends I hang around regularly, or acquaintances I have occasion to just observe without involving myself. I've gotten better about noticing other people's moods while I talk over time.

- How often do you share your personal experiences and preferences with others in conversation? Do you feel at ease when connecting to someone on emotional/personal basis? Do you feel like you need to disclose some personal information in order to relate to someone?
I can share experiences fine, but I don't share what I felt easily. I consider things pertaining to my more sensitive emotions deeply private. Emotional and personal are different things.
Dunno, I can have a conversation about things pretty personal to the other party without being invested myself.
I seek to understand, tease apart threads in someone's mind; I don't expressly seek to *relate* to people. Relating is rare candy. In large part because it strikes me as a strange thing to do in general, and as an arrogance on my part most of the time to declare I truly and deeply personally emotionally understand whatever someone felt. (Drown in my adverbs, biatch.)

- Do you easily discern emotional stimuli and motivations of others?
As a pattern over time, yes. Telling what someone just felt right now and exactly what caused it, not really - needs more work. Getting there slowly, I hope.

- Can you easily tell when someone is flirting with you? Do you often flirt? Do people have trouble telling when you are being just friendly and when you are expressing interest in them?
I'm paranoid about people flirting with me. I rarely flirt (rejection be too high a price yo.) Don't know.

- What role does sexuality play in your life? Do you find it easy to openly talk about sexual topics?
No comment. I find it easy to talk about these as long as I am not sharing my emotional experience.

Social
- Do you seek to come in contact with people? Are you open? Do you strive to become acquainted with and be known to everyone in your group?
When the gregariousness kicks in in public. I seek contact with local or easily-reachable friends or people around whom I feel comfortable for some mysterious reason. Keeping in contact with long-standing friends can become difficult when it requires a lot of organisation per meeting.

Open about what? I don't mind talking to strangers, though that does not mean I necessarily care about what they have to say. Not at all, I can hang around a group and still be a stranger to half the people in it after six months.

- When moving to a new place how important is it for you to make new friends? Do you feel like you have a social support network?
It is important to me to have people (non-family) whom I feel I belong with - where my presence makes a personal, positive difference - or (next best thing) that can hang out/have conversations with.

The idea of "cultivating" relationships to carefully craft a "network" is uncomfortable and vaguely repulsive.

- Do you experience a sense of belonging to a community? Are you engaged with social issues? Are you a member of any organized groups? What role or position do you usually play in groups?
Yes, if by 'community' you understand 'this group of people in which I happen to relate to everyone.' Such groups usually number 3 or 4 people. Or, yes in the sense 'I'm recognised by name in this group in which the aforementioned friends reside. This is comfortable, I can flit around making noise when I feel like it.'

Not engaged with social issues. I like playing the clown and the silent brooder, socially speaking.

- Do you easily notice when people behave in an inconsiderate, imprudent, discourteous, untactful manner? Does this bother you even if they aren't related to you?
Unkind or inconsiderate manners yes. Socially rude manners not necessarily (context, mood, yadda.) I am a bit of a stickler for basic to intermediate table manners though.

- Are you sensitive to being socially ostracized? Is it important for you to be accepted by your peers? Is it important to you that your partner is acceptable to your friends and family?
Only if there are no other groups around to go to. No, but I'd prefer if having the two in the same room didn't automatically cause fights. <- This criteria is slightly more important for friends than family.

- Do you engage in discussions of socially relevant topics (e.g. human rights, social contracts, justice and fairness, cultural and religious themes, political systems, recent news and events)?
Not much, partly due to not necessarily having an opinion about those, partly because I don't like arguing whatever opinions I do have (unless I have solid facts/research/theoretical understandings backing those) and partly because I consider opinions rather private.

- Do you follow the news? Do you keep aware of what is happening with your friends and distant relatives, in your community, country, worldwide?
No. Not really. I'm quite happy to meet people whenever we cross paths and then ignore them for months, unless they're really quite special or our routines throw us together anyway. Sharing a living space is not a sufficient routine for me to consider I have to care or enquire about your life. I only know what happens to my relatives because some other relative tells me or they happen to facebook about it. I would rarely seek such information out on facebook.

[FDG]

To keep you company this is whom I think is also sp/so - Pa3, mune, glam, jennifer, Kim, CPig, InvisibleJim, labster, FDG, HandiAce, Robyn, Ath, Krig and there are at least half a dozen so/sp's. Overall these are probably more so-lasts online and fewer so-firsts than in general population.

Ehh, I wish I could be as socially refined and concerned as most sp-so 7s are. Instead I'm typically direct, on-off overengaged, and coarse when disagreeing with someone. You were not here during the Joy-and-Niffweed phase, weren't you?

[blackburry]

You are most likely a type 5 (the Investigator)
with balanced wings

Social variant


Type 5 SO
Type 6 SP
Type 4 SP
Type 9 SP
Type 1 SO
Type 8 SX
Type 3 SX
Type 7 SO
Type 2 SP

[Hays]

I don't tend to share myself with other people, but I find that other people will open up to me very often. I frequently have strangers telling me very personal things about themselves and their lives. A friend of mine once asked me how I did that and I didn't really have an answer for her, because I wasn't doing anything. She said, "We'll go someplace, and both be talking to someone for 5 minutes, but when we come out, you know all these personal things about whoever you're talking to, and I won't know anything about who I'm talking to." She found it weird that people just immediately start telling me things. I feel perfectly comfortable with people telling me things, but don't tend to say much about myself (or at least I don't think I do.) As to whether I need to exchange personal information in order to relate to someone --- that all depends on the degree of relating you're talking about. To really know someone, of course you have to share things, but I don't need to really know everyone, so there are plenty of surface-level interactions that I have, where I can get along with people without us really knowing a lot about the other.

Interesting. This exact thing happens to me frequently as well; I'm not sure why. I've asked some of the people who've done this, and they told me it's because I seemed 'trustworthy'.

Likewise, I don't mind listening but I'm not one to reciprocate divulging much about myself.

Same..
I can be walking through a park and have someone approach and by the time I have reached the end of the park the other person has shared so many important areas of their lives such as - they grew up in a children's home, their first husband abused them, second husband died a few years ago but he was a good man though he had had 3 wives, daughter is not talking to her, her dog's name is Lady and is obese and on a diet and came from the RSPCA but she loves her more than anything, she doesn't like her her daughters boyfriend, she's thinking of moving closer to her son who she does like and he is expecting another child with partner, she has diabeties, she's lonely and so on and so on.
A recent example..
A friend opened up her car boot and I see large rocks and ask why she has them in her boot and she tells me that she took them from somewhere and then adds that it was from a Petrified Forest and then adds that it wasn't the worst she did that day and I say '"no you didn't - you didn't do a number one on the Petrified Forest" and she says "I did worse, I had to do a number two! & I had no tissue paper!" And that was just the start of our time together...
I could visit or be out with someone for the first time and before they realize they are telling me things and then some might occasionally stop and say I dont know why I'm telling you this as normally I tell no one but I can talk to you.
It's pretty constant.
People just share so much, they tell me everything, their sex lives, their deep dark secrets, their feelings, what's currently happening for them along with everything which has ever happened to them but it would be a much rarer occasion where I share anything about myself back in return though I have learned to open up more.

[ashlesha]

i started answering those questions but the self-pres ones were too boring and didn't inspire very detailed responses and i'm sp-first.

[Animal]

i started answering those questions but the self-pres ones were too boring and didn't inspire very detailed responses and i'm sp-first.

lmao, I felt that way about the social questions, and I went in thinking I was so-first. It may have been that it was a last set, and by then I was just sick of answering them. If those questions are accurate, I come out sx/sp/so, which is actually what I considered myself until the fact that everyone considers themselves that made me question it.

[Animal]

I was actually thinking the same thing because I felt more strongly towards the sx questions than the sp ones (though I believe description wise, sp/sx fits much better for me). That, and I think that most people would view themselves as passionate and more relationship focused than socially orientated. The social questions were... meh.

Yeah, I was thinking "On a forum filled with nerdy (read: not party animals) young people at the prime of their sexual attractiveness, who wouldn't identify most with the sx-related stuff?"

[silke]

Thanks to everyone who took their time to answer the questionnaire. I took it from one of the enneagram websites and reposted with some modifications. From the responses I gathered that the soc and the sp sections are hitting on some false stereotypes and require some further alterations.

I think starfall is sp/sx ^_^

I agree, social last seems to fit Starfall well.

Either SX/SO or SX/SP. I'll get back to you on that and explain later.

Sx/so is more likely imo - you're quite open and don't seem to have that sx/sp's yearning for privacy.

Yes. I only voted so/sp because nobody else was going to do it. There's a huge inclination for people to see themselves as sx first or second regardless of their actual stackings, and sometimes I think that so-firsts and so-seconds are MORE likely to think they're sx than some sx types.

There was a mention concerning this in the instinct workshop notes (link) that many people type themselves as sx-last and eventually discover that they are actually soc-first or soc-middle. The social instinct seems to require greater degree of abstraction to understand it well in comparison to the other two instincts, which in contrast become understood way too literally.

Also, I'm private and generally reserved with people. I'm not inclined to spill my guts to just anyone, and keep much to myself. I even told my mom this afternoon that I generally think "the less other people know, the better."

Likewise, I don't mind listening but I'm not one to reciprocate divulging much about myself.

Interesting that social-firsts, and especially so/sp's, seem to have an attitude that is diametrically opposite to this - they find security in being known, in bringing themselves to 'light' metaphorically speaking.

I'd really like to hear who you type as so/sp on here. For some reason so/sp sometimes really difficult to recognize for me irl. There's one person I think could well be so/sp, at least she's so first for sure. How would you go about distinguishing so/sp from so/sx?

Distinguishing so/sp's was tough for me, too, and generally comprehending what this stacking is all about, so when I started reading up on instincts that's the one I looked up first. From this forum I think these people are possibly the so/sp crowd: octo, hkkmr, Pookie, Animal/Baby, somnavision, HaveLucidDreams, Saberstorm, ArchonAlarion, mikemex, Snaps, Yaaroslav, and a few others. Afaik hkkmr, Animal, and octo would disagree with this assessment and type themselves as something else.

According to this questionnaire posted, I'm sx/sp. Still skeptical though, again, because of inconsistent definitions. BUT. By THOSE definitions, I am sx/sp.

What exactly is so inconsistent about these definitions? I'm not seeing it (focal Ni ftw)

[mu4]

Distinguishing so/sp's was tough for me, too, and generally comprehending what this stacking is all about, so when I started reading up on instincts that's the one I looked up first. From this forum I think these people are possibly the so/sp crowd: octo, hkkmr, Pookie, Animal/Baby, somnavision, HaveLucidDreams, Saberstorm, ArchonAlarion, mikemex, Snaps, Yaaroslav, and a few others. Afaik hkkmr, Animal, and octo would disagree with this assessment and type themselves as something else.

It depends on what Sx or So first means imo. What I'm absolutely not is Sx 2nd.

I'm Sp 2nd.

There's a few things about me which make me think I'm Sx first. I am not a social person, and spend most of my time alone. I am a very intense individual, and many people that deal with me would say I bully them into doing what I want without exception. Most of my family say that I am totally unyielding to my expectations and don't listen to what they want/etc. This is of course somewhat true, but often a pejorative as well because some of my friends often think I'm accommodating and easy to work with.

Some of my co-workers think I'm incredibly controlling and have extremely high expectations of things, and I'm very emotional about making sure they understand those expectations. I'm also a fairly angry and pissed off individual for whatever reason so that generally show in my interactions. I'm not really angry with people but they sometimes get the idea I'm angry with them. It's just some latent rage that's always at the surface of my thoughts.

The social instinct is the adaptive instinct and I have a hard time seeing myself as social, because I rarely adapt to the world, and adapt the world to me instead. I go to work at 11pm, I drink quite a bit, I enjoy intense experience, and I have a temper. I live a very bohemian lifestyle and basically am beholden to very little in the way of social responsibility and requirements. I wasn't kidding when I said I have always been kinda of an anarchist, because I really don't live by any rules and regulations. I sleep when I want, eat when I want, go to work when I want, I disappear when I want.

However, I don't believe the way I treat others is necessarily as bohemian, because I am often a strict and demanding individual when dealing with social situations, I expect people to cater to me somewhat and often they do quite happily for whatever reason.

The way I am is largely uncontrollable and made my life difficult when I was younger.

[Galen]

@siuntal what's the reasoning behind your self-typing as Sx/Sp? Not saying you're necessarily wrong, it's just that you tend to not reveal much about yourself on here.

[mikemex]

It depends on what Sx or So first means imo. What I'm absolutely not is Sx 2nd.

I'm Sp 2nd.

There's a few things about me which make me think I'm Sx first. I am not a social person, and spend most of my time alone. I am a very intense individual, and many people that deal with me would say I bully them into doing what I want without exception. Most of my family say that I am totally unyielding to my expectations and don't listen to what they want/etc. This is of course somewhat true, but often a pejorative as well because some of my friends often think I'm accommodating and easy to work with.

Some of my co-workers think I'm incredibly controlling and have extremely high expectations of things, and I'm very emotional about making sure they understand those expectations. I'm also a fairly angry and pissed off individual for whatever reason so that generally show in my interactions. I'm not really angry with people but they sometimes get the idea I'm angry with them. It's just some latent rage that's always at the surface of my thoughts.

The social instinct is the adaptive instinct and I have a hard time seeing myself as social, because I rarely adapt to the world, and adapt the world to me instead. I go to work at 11pm, I drink quite a bit, I enjoy intense experience, and I have a temper. I live a very bohemian lifestyle and basically am beholden to very little in the way of social responsibility and requirements. I wasn't kidding when I said I have always been kinda of an anarchist, because I really don't live by any rules and regulations. I sleep when I want, eat when I want, go to work when I want, I disappear when I want.

However, I don't believe the way I treat others is necessarily as bohemian, because I am often a strict and demanding individual when dealing with social situations, I expect people to cater to me somewhat and often they do quite happily for whatever reason.

The way I am is largely uncontrollable and made my life difficult when I was younger.

Sounds a lot more LSE than SLI.

[mu4]

Sounds a lot more LSE than SLI.

Um, I don't think any LSE or SLI is anything like me.

[mikemex]

Um, I don't think any LSE or SLI is anything like me.

Yeah, good point.

[Raver]

Very interesting results.


You are most likely a type 9 (the Peacemaker) with 1 wing

Sexual variant


Type 9 SX
Type 4 SP
Type 6 SO
Type 7 SP
Type 2 SP
Type 5 SX
Type 3 SO
Type 1 SX
Type 8 SO

[LauriesCrusador]

According to the test:




And I must say, it will never cease to amaze me how some people can write a novel when answering questions that can be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no'... No offense! Just WOW!

[Galen]

According to the test:




And I must say, it will never cease to amaze me how some people can write a novel when answering questions that can be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no'... No offense! Just WOW!

Because simple "yes" or "no" answers provide no explanation for why the person answers in a certain way. Plus such an answer removes all possibility for contextualized nuance when regarding questions that attempt to make broad sweeping generalizations about a person's behavior.

[Beautiful sky]

IDK

Ask @Jadae

[silke]

Okay, my first reply to this post was pretty reactionary. I apologize if you read it, lol. I don't know if you're actually going to bother reading through everyone's answers to the questions since you really only posted it for anndelise, but here are my answers anyway because I'm curious about this, even if a bit skeptical like FoxOnStilts.

I remember seeing it but I must have forgotten to include it my reply which I drafted later, my apologies. I couldn't find it now (guessing you deleted it? ) but to answer some of your questions from memory: The information I posted up comes from Enneagram Institute forum which is one of more serious discussion boards devoted to the topic. A few of EIDB members have spent close to a decade studying the enneagram; they also have various workshops, retreats, etc., so I find that the information that can be found there is generally of higher quality than what gets posted at other places by people who only has a passing interest in enneagram. I put together that "horrible" scrapheap article by compiling some of the more insightful posts from EI discussion threads, so think of it as haphazardly organized informal lecture notes. I thought it would be a good way of sharing with others some of the more interesting and thoughtful contributions that I've encountered. In the course of my investigation of enneagram and instincts what I've discovered is that it's a lot like socionics - if you only read the profiles, you'll end up with shallow stereotypes and never attain a more fundamental understanding and a more instinctive feel for it.

i started answering those questions but the self-pres ones were too boring and didn't inspire very detailed responses and i'm sp-first.

lmao, I felt that way about the social questions, and I went in thinking I was so-first. It may have been that it was a last set, and by then I was just sick of answering them. If those questions are accurate, I come out sx/sp/so, which is actually what I considered myself until the fact that everyone considers themselves that made me question it.

I was actually thinking the same thing because I felt more strongly towards the sx questions than the sp ones (though I believe description wise, sp/sx fits much better for me). That, and I think that most people would view themselves as passionate and more relationship focused than socially orientated. The social questions were... meh.

From what I've gathered, the first instinct is akin the base function in socionics - it provides a general background and becomes so habitual and ingrained into one's perception that it slips out of conscious awareness. It is the second and the third instincts that stand out most vividly (third one mainly as lack/uncertainty/apprehension), while the first instinct becomes an 'internalized' way of being. This could explain why the questions relating to the 1st instinct seem so repetitious and boring.

It depends on what Sx or So first means imo. What I'm absolutely not is Sx 2nd.

I'm Sp 2nd.

There's a few things about me which make me think I'm Sx first. I am not a social person, and spend most of my time alone. I am a very intense individual, and many people that deal with me would say I bully them into doing what I want without exception. Most of my family say that I am totally unyielding to my expectations and don't listen to what they want/etc. This is of course somewhat true, but often a pejorative as well because some of my friends often think I'm accommodating and easy to work with.

Some of my co-workers think I'm incredibly controlling and have extremely high expectations of things, and I'm very emotional about making sure they understand those expectations. I'm also a fairly angry and pissed off individual for whatever reason so that generally show in my interactions. I'm not really angry with people but they sometimes get the idea I'm angry with them. It's just some latent rage that's always at the surface of my thoughts.

The social instinct is the adaptive instinct and I have a hard time seeing myself as social, because I rarely adapt to the world, and adapt the world to me instead. I go to work at 11pm, I drink quite a bit, I enjoy intense experience, and I have a temper. I live a very bohemian lifestyle and basically am beholden to very little in the way of social responsibility and requirements. I wasn't kidding when I said I have always been kinda of an anarchist, because I really don't live by any rules and regulations. I sleep when I want, eat when I want, go to work when I want, I disappear when I want.

However, I don't believe the way I treat others is necessarily as bohemian, because I am often a strict and demanding individual when dealing with social situations, I expect people to cater to me somewhat and often they do quite happily for whatever reason.

I agree with the sp-second, but not the sx-first.

Asserting your own judgments is a consequence of having strong creative Ti - this is described in some of the profiles for SLEs and Ti-ILEs. If you observe IP sx's they don't behave in the manner that you're describing, which indicates that this has little to do with sx instinct. The readiness with which you come in contact with others, the concern for the health of the 16T community, the ease with which you add your opinions to the ongoing discussions, all point towards social first.

My comment was regarding linking SP with the proto-reptilian, or R-complex, part of the brain. In the linked article SP is associated with feeding, fighting, fleeing, and fucking. But then it goes on to add in ritual displays, social conformity, etc.

While also linking SO with the neomammalian brain. the article links SO with language, planning, introspection, self-awareness.

That is an acceptable theory, but then if that were the case, SP shouldn't, imo, have descriptions that include planning and worrying about money, setting aside savings, etc, as that would be an SO&SP thing, not SP. Money is a symbol for resources, not the actual resources. Also, it is a social requirement to work for someone else to give you money so that you can access needed/desired resources. That is not particularly part of the older portion of the brain, and not something we tend to see in most animals. Though it may be used in conjunction with the other parts of the brain.

Good point, these questions reflect the common sp stereotypes that link this instinct to materialism. I've taken these survey questions from another website and reposted with some minor modifications. From the replies above I've gathered that theys are only marginally better than the tests linked in the OP, so consider them a beta version.

Your own replies showed a strong awareness of sx instinct, but sp and so were split.

Very interesting results.
You are most likely a type 9 (the Peacemaker) with 1 wing
Sexual variant

mhm

[Galen]

Good point, these questions reflect the common sp stereotypes that link this instinct to materialism. I've taken these survey questions from another website and reposted with some minor modifications. From the replies above I've gathered that theys are only marginally better than the tests linked in the OP, so consider them a beta version.

What I find about Sp firsts is that they're generally not any more concerned with physical assets than any other type. What I do see them obsess about is their own sense of personal space, time, and energy, and when they see any of these as compromised they flip the fuck out. My sp mom is generally very liberal with her money, and her room is always a giant mess; but don't try to clean it up for her or she'll get maaaad.

[silke]

@siuntal what's the reasoning behind your self-typing as Sx/Sp? Not saying you're necessarily wrong, it's just that you tend to not reveal much about yourself on here.

I've typed as sp/sx for a long while but my relations with so/sx and sp/so instincts tend to be better than the contra-flow stackings. With sp/sx's I seem to enter a cycle of mutual correction or a game of tug-of-war where we would be pulling the carpet from under each other's feet. Prolonged interaction gets dulls and quenches itself somehow. Interaction with sp-firsts in general seems to induce some kind of minor existential angst in me after a while. The contrarian, exclusivist, rebuffing attitude of sx/so's seems unusual and alarming. The so/sp stacking seemed completely alien until I read the bit about culture wars and bringing 'apollonian light' to the patches of darkness and then it was like "oh". I would say that from these descriptions I relate more to strong sp one, the wanderer, I've even lived up the description by moving four times over the past seven years, which could be a consequence of me being brought up in almost completely sp-first environment. And then my longest relationship has been with an sx/sp, so in the end it just made more sense.

[Galen]

I've typed as sp/sx for a long while but my relations with so/sx and sp/so instincts tend to be better than the contra-flow stackings. With sp/sx's I seem to enter a cycle of mutual correction or a game of tug-of-war where we would be pulling the carpet from under each other's feet. Prolonged interaction gets dulls and quenches itself somehow. Interaction with sp-firsts in general seems to induce some kind of minor existential angst in me after a while. The contrarian, exclusivist, rebuffing attitude of sx/so's seems unusual and alarming. The so/sp stacking seemed completely alien until I read the bit about culture wars and bringing 'apollonian light' to the patches of darkness they seem to seek out and then it was like "oh". I would say that from these descriptions I relate more to strong sp one, the wanderer, which could be a consequence of me being brought up in almost completely sp-first environment.

I see, I get that same sense of mutual correction with sp/sxs too under extensive interaction. I also remember you talking about how So/Sps look very reptilian, and I'm not sure how related this is to being So-last or Sx/Sp in particular but I definitely get the same reaction. My entire family is Sp-first as*well, so I get what you mean about relating to the strong sp version.

What do you mean about "Apollonian Light?"

[silke]

I see, I get that same sense of mutual correction with sp/sxs too under extensive interaction. I also remember you talking about how So/Sps look very reptilian, and I'm not sure how related this is to being So-last or Sx/Sp in particular but I definitely get the same reaction. My entire family is Sp-first as*well, so I get what you mean about relating to the strong sp version.

What do you mean about "Apollonian Light?"

In the Apollo-Dionysus 'dichotomy', Apollo usually represents light, clarity, higher reasoning faculties. In case of so/sp's bringing 'apollonian light' manifests as bringing what they deem as superior reasoning or superior cultural values to people, places, and situations that to them seem devoid of them in so/sp's view. This has the effect of instigating cultural and ideological tensions and strife (example). What I meant relates to this quote:

"...The interest is in sending light where there is a claim of enlightenment so as to show that there is in fact really darkness there. In other words, the search party (made of light) has now inadvertently (yet advertently) lit up the space that was, in their opinion, not genuinely light-filled (or enlightened).

Like all neurosis, it has a circular quality to it, where the soc-first person is attracted to someone who is giving off light, and yet such enlightenment is seen, by the soc-first, as a high status position, i.e.- something the soc-first is envious of. And hence the impulse is to, you might say, double the light to uncover 'truth' and bring photographic exposure into darkness, so as to bring the other person down, status-wise."

[woofwoofl]

In the Apollo-Dionysus 'dichotomy', Apollo usually represents light, clarity, higher reasoning faculties. In case of so/sp's bringing 'apollonian light' manifests as bringing what they deem as superior reasoning or superior cultural values to people, places, and situations that to them seem devoid of them in so/sp's view. This has the effect of instigating cultural and ideological tensions and strife (example). What I meant relates to this quote:

"...The interest is in sending light where there is a claim of enlightenment so as to show that there is in fact really darkness there. In other words, the search party (made of light) has now inadvertently (yet advertently) lit up the space that was, in their opinion, not genuinely light-filled (or enlightened).

Like all neurosis, it has a circular quality to it, where the soc-first person is attracted to someone who is giving off light, and yet such enlightenment is seen, by the soc-first, as a high status position, i.e.- something the soc-first is envious of. And hence the impulse is to, you might say, double the light to uncover 'truth' and bring photographic exposure into darkness, so as to bring the other person down, status-wise."

This got me thinking about certain ExTps doing this "I'm clever because I'm right within my own parameters and it is amusing! laugh with me lol" humor that just drives me straight up the fucking wall! Strikes me as condescending, pretentious, empty, useless, and annoying. Energy would be best spent anywhere but there as far as I'm concerned. so/sp works like totally well for the most notable offenders haha, and yeah, this kinda humor is usually told in front of an audience, or else it's just them reasoning through things...

Also wonder if this is one of many things that pissed me off about South Park, liked it better when it was more anal probes up Cartman's ass and less Trey and Matt up their own and each others' asses...

Anything on Reggie Watts? I'm getting pissed in a really familiar way haha; think the dude's Ne-ILE, and yeah, if it turns out he's so/sp, then I'm onto something...

[mu4]

Asserting your own judgments is a consequence of having strong creative Ti - this is described in some of the profiles for SLEs and Ti-ILEs. If you observe IP sx's they don't behave in the manner that you're describing, which indicates that this has little to do with sx instinct. The readiness with which you come in contact with others, the concern for the health of the 16T community, the ease with which you add your opinions to the ongoing discussions, all point towards social first.

I'm not really very ready to come into contact with others. I prefer to maintain a level of anonymity and secrecy about myself and I share confidences as a way of testing the waters so to speak. I do not let people within my social sphere without first approving them by observation.

Intimate
Intimate Fives trust only a few people but then do so totally. Friendship is based on the sharing of confidences. Intimacy is equivalent to exchanging secrets. Can go from enigmatic, deliberate distance to intense, unguarded openness. Seductive invitation to sharing secrets; seek a total merging. When entranced can be a little kinky. A great movie example is James Spader in sex, lies and videotape. Sharing intimate sexual secrets is what he gets women to do on videotape. Both Monsieur Hire and Mr. Lemorne in The Vanishing show this theme albeit perversely. Ben Kingsley in Turtle Diary also enjoys secrecy and is a little more normal.

Social
Social Fives connect with groups of like-minded people. Enjoy living in the flow of a group interest, sharing knowledge and affiliations. May prefer specialized or esoteric areas of knowledge that exclude all but the initiated. Could live in high society, know the "right" people, belong to the best clubs. Might enjoy speaking a professional language that few people understand. Can be quite friendly but, at times, terrific snobs. Romanticize secret elitist group membership; concerned with titles, degrees, credentials, etc. Realm of academia. Peter O'Toole in Goodbye, Mr. Chips is a good movie example. Also, Anthony Hopkins in 84 Charing Cross Road.

As far as the Social 5 I don't fit that at all, instead of knowing the "right" people, I know the right people by proxy. I have one friend who maintains all of my "right" people connections, I don't participate in that. I prefer people to see me as enigmatic and mysterious, someone who is one of the "right" people to know but impossible to know. I don't really connect with like minded people, I connect with basically no-one. I share knowledge not to connect with people, but generally to learn thru the debate or challenge a opinion or simply to practice my sparring skills. If I have a connection with someone, which is rarely, there is generally no need for my opinions very often.

Sexual moves to Social The sexual subtype (one on one) will seek the greater world or social arena to find a desired mate. The sexual subtype is normally happy tucked away in a secluded setting with one significant other. However, when alone or in search of a mate, this subtype will behave much more like the social subtype. One must be with others to find ?the other?. Once the mate is selected, the social activity will be replaced by the dominant drive for time spent in union with the other one on one. At first the sexual subtype may spend time with the potential mate in the company of others. They become a pair even in groups. Then when the passion for deeper connection is ignited the sexual subtype will want to bond totally with their desired other. When the mate is determined, the sexual subtype will return to one on one style of relating. Ideally, this is intense time spent with the desired other or mate. An area of pain and disappointment for this subtype is when they have a mate that is unwilling to pay attention to their degree of connection and intimately share their deepest and innermost thoughts.

When I am in a relationship I tend to block everything else out, or when I'm intensely involved in something I tend to block everything else out. I disappear. Then I disappear once that other obsession has completed and continue something else. This is one of the reasons why I almost always move in immediately in a relationship or they move in because I desire that constant companionship and when I disappear due to some shift of attention, I need them to be around just so they completely disappear out of view. I do not call or text or keep in contact with people unless I want to see them immediately.

[Cuddly McFluffles]

I haven't had a ton of luck with the instinctual variants.

Is it possible to be SP in a passive way, or does it have to be proactive? I am extremely concerned with material security, but I do relatively little to ensure that I maintain it (I overspend and don't really budget). I'm very messy, past the point of what is healthy. I put off taking care of my body's needs, even though that's incredibly stupid when one is hypoglycemic (I'm not diabetic, but I really shouldn't push my luck). I can definitely identify with fearing whether I really can take care of myself and survive on my own. At the same time, I would not consider myself a conscious risk-taker; I'm very "familiar is safe"-like.

[Galen]

I haven't had a ton of luck with the instinctual variants.

Is it possible to be SP in a passive way, or does it have to be proactive? I am extremely concerned with material security, but I do relatively little to ensure that I maintain it (I overspend and don't really budget). I'm very messy, past the point of what is healthy. I put off taking care of my body's needs, even though that's incredibly stupid when one is hypoglycemic (I'm not diabetic, but I really shouldn't push my luck). I can definitely identify with fearing whether I really can take care of myself and survive on my own. At the same time, I would not consider myself a conscious risk-taker; I'm very "familiar is safe"-like.

How much do you find yourself concerned about how your time, energy, and/or space are allocated?

[Cuddly McFluffles]

How much do you find yourself concerned about how your time, energy, and/or space are allocated?

*headtilt* How so? Are you asking whether I guard them jealously from others, or whether I try to use them responsibly?

[Galen]

*headtilt* How so? Are you asking whether I guard them jealously from others, or whether I try to use them responsibly?

Just whether you find yourself trying to prioritize these assets; how often you feel that you have enough, keep it to yourself, how you expend it, etc. Is this something that you think about a lot, do you find yourself getting very anxious when this aspect of life isn't balanced?

[Cuddly McFluffles]

Just whether you find yourself trying to prioritize these assets; how often you feel that you have enough, keep it to yourself, how you expend it, etc. Is this something that you think about a lot, do you find yourself getting very anxious when this aspect of life isn't balanced?

I don't know. This feels like a pretty vague question.

If anything, I tend to feel that I have too much time. The day stretches before me, and I wonder what I'm going to do (but what I need to do is inevitably swept under the rug, and then I freak out when I suddenly have a ton of work to cram into a few hours). I spend my time and energy on what interests me, and I get first priority on where it goes. I may offer to work overtime, but only if I feel like it, and then not too much. (If you're familiar with Oldham styles, I rank high on Leisurely.)

Too much space? No such thing. Too little space. Hell yes. Bubble. But then, do you mean physical space, like my room, or more in the "personal space" sense? The only thought I give to my physical space is usually, "I should probably clean this. Oh well. *goes back to the computer*". Or I might think I'd like to pretty it up but don't have the money or forget the thought before implementing it. I like clean spaces, but I don't usually put the effort into cleaning it myself. I don't give a ton of thought to my personal space, but I can get snappish if it's invaded.

[LauriesCrusador]

Because simple "yes" or "no" answers provide no explanation for why the person answers in a certain way. Plus such an answer removes all possibility for contextualized nuance when regarding questions that attempt to make broad sweeping generalizations about a person's behavior.

Haha. Yeah, I know that. Believe me. But that doesn't change the fact that answering such a questionnaire in detail is killing because I have simply little patience for stuff like that and it never occured to me to analyze why I do this or that the way I do or anwer in a certain way and that makes answering the questionnaire with more than a simple yes or no pretty difficult/challenging and I had to find a way in which I answer the questions at the same time not crashing my mouse and/or keyboard. No idea how people can just sit down and answer the questions one after another. Anyways, I did it. FINALLY! Wohooooo!!!

But I guarantee this was the last questionnaire for the rest of my life!

[LauriesCrusador]

Self Preservation

- Do you sensitively respond to your body's needs? When you experience discomfort do you take care to promptly eliminate its source?
No & No, just ignore. I eat when I have time, one can easily ignore the sensation of hunger (after a while it goes away anyway), usually have to force myself to drink enough, especially in winter ...and when I feel I get sick I just ignore it and go on until it actually knocks me out (i.e.not able to drive anymore or go downstairs to leave my appartment). Basically, eliminating by ignoring.

- What is your relationship with food - buying, preparing, eating? Do you monitor your nutrition? Do you invest time into food preparation and purchasing exactly the food that meets your dietary requirements?
Hate cooking. I can easily eat the same shit over and over, day after day and I usually have to force myself to buy some fresh things (so that I do not eat the same canned food every day) but only choose food that is quick to prepare (i.e.no longer than 15 min.). Really like to go out for dinner with friends, though!

- How important is your home? How much time and effort have you invested in arranging your living space? Do you decorate/personalize your living space? Do you often fantasize about a perfect home? How important is order and cleanliness of your living space to you? How cozy is your current living environment?
I do not feel at home in the privacy of my home (my own 4 walls) regardless of whether it's cozy/decorated/personalized or not, I only feel at home outside. Never though about a "perfect home" and wonder what it is... maybe one that cleans itself but then just stay away from my stuff! Order is not important at all, live by the motto everybody can handle order but only a genius can master chaos. I clean when I have to as far as the chaos allows it but rotting food lying around is a no-no!

- How important is security for you? Do you regularly devote time and effort into securing and stabilizing your life?
Not at all and never thought about it, just waste of time.

- Do you carefully manage your savings? Do you often think about your income? What is enough? Is salary a major part in your consideration of a job? Do you follow deals and offers that would allow you to save some money?
I suck with money. I'm thriftless, bad with paying bills and often have my account overdrawn even though you will be charged with ?% pa interest. See? Don't even know how much. Don't think about my income and to me it's enough if I can pay my bills and can purchase what I want or is needed, like DVR, TV, computer or new car or whatever. It's prolly wrong to say that salary doesn't play a role at all but certainly not a major part in consideration of a job (already rejected jobs where the salary would've been awesome).

- Do you take care of your health? Are you up to date in your health care appointments with doctors, dentists, etc? Do you go to the gym or track you caloric intake?
No, never came to mind to take care of my health and I just go to the dentist regularly, is all. Usually it's better to stay away from doctor's offices anyway, you just get ill there. Tracking my caloric intake isn't necessary since I'm outside all day and exercise enough.


Sexual

- Is it easy to spark your interest? Do you often fell interested, invigorated, impassioned by someone or something (e.g. a hobby, subject, or pursuit)?
Yeah, very easy but I lose interest in things as quickly as they interest me unless something really fascinates me but then I usually feel the need to share it with someone and it is pretty frustrating when either nobody is around or people are not interested and do not share or understand my enthusiasm. Doesn't kill my interest, though.

- Is it easy for you to hone in to that which has sparked your interest? Do you feel like your life is in some way directed by these feelings?
Yes, and I might even block everything else out until I have no choice but to get on with other stuff I have to do.

- Is being attractive to others an important quality for you? Do you easily spot attractions between other people?
The latter yes, one just sees it. The former.... definitely important for me to be attractive to my SO.

- How often do you share your personal experiences and preferences with others in conversation? Do you feel at ease when connecting to someone on emotional/personal basis? Do you feel like you need to disclose some personal information in order to relate to someone?
Usually I keep it rather general and only share my personal experiences and preferences when asked, depends on the people, circumstances, issue though. Do you feel at ease when connecting to someone on emotional/personal basis? Ugh! The question in itself makes me feel queasy.... No, I don't and I already lost friends because I do not really connect to people. No idea how to answer this. I think one can also relate to someone without disclosing any personal informations.

- Do you easily discern emotional stimuli and motivations of others?
Huh? Question needs to be rephrased.

- Can you easily tell when someone is flirting with you? Do you often flirt? Do people have trouble telling when you are being just friendly and when you are expressing interest in them?
Not sure if I can easily tell when someone is flirting with me. Sometimes, but I also might miss it. I like to flirt, though. As for the last question, you need to ask others for that but I think they notice.

- What role does sexuality play in your life? Do you find it easy to openly talk about sexual topics?
I find it funny and entertaining to talk about sexual topics but I do no have a wild sex-life.


Social

- Do you seek to come in contact with people? Are you open? Do you strive to become acquainted with and be known to everyone in your group?
Seeking? Strive? Sounds pretty desperate. But I have no problem to chat totally strangers up and become acquainted with everyone in a group (even though I forget their names in a heart beat), it's just more casual and superficial. I think I'm open at times, but I also like to maintain my privacy. Close friends know me well but strangers and acquaintances often only get a peek into my life and to them I may remain a (total?) mystery.

- When moving to a new place how important is it for you to make new friends? Do you feel like you have a social support network?
I'm unconcerned about making new friends and since I get about a lot it will happen automatically sooner or later. Plus, making acquaintances or just more shallow friendships or just getting to know some random people with whom you can do something together is sufficient, and if there's nobody and you have to spend some time alone it's also not the end of the world. As for the latter question, it never occured to me to get a social support network even though I know there are people who would be there for me but tbh, there's nothing worse or more irritating than people who want me to talk about my problems/feelings trying to convince me that this helps yada-yada-yada and try to pry it all out of me. I work things out for myself, just once I confided a situation to a selected person to get his interpretation of the situation.

- Do you experience a sense of belonging to a community? Are you engaged with social issues? Are you a member of any organized groups? What role or position do you usually play in groups?
Ai, Avaaz for instance if that counts. As for the first and last question, way too broad. There're are many answers to it.

- Do you easily notice when people behave in an inconsiderate, imprudent, discourteous, untactful manner? Does this bother you even if they aren't related to you?
I notice immediately when people behave in an inconsiderate manner. Imprudent too. Discourteous and untactful... depends, might miss it. Inconsiderate does bother me! The others can be really funny.

- Are you sensitive to being socially ostracized? Is it important for you to be accepted by your peers? Is it important to you that your partner is acceptable to your friends and family?
The only thing I do know is that you can't be everybody's darling and since people can be rather hostile chances are good that you might be cut out or ostracized at some point, it's just the way it is. And if people also try to turn others against you... that says everything, doesn't it? It's not worth getting upset about people at all and ruining your day(s). Just turn around and move on. It does bother me when others are cut out or socially ostracized, though. Then I can't help but feel the need to step in...

- Do you engage in discussions of socially relevant topics (e.g. human rights, social contracts, justice and fairness, cultural and religious themes, political systems, recent news and events)?
I often engage in discussions about liberty, justice, too much gov power, recent news and events (depends on what it is, though). The rest just gets some superficial attention.

- Do you follow the news? Do you keep aware of what is happening with your friends and distant relatives, in your community, country, worldwide?
Yes, I usually follow the news and keep aware of what is happening worldwide and in my country. Just wanna know. As far as friends are concerned, we exchange when we run into each other and I see most of them more or less regularly anyway due to the same interests. Furthermore I do not text, email or call them.

[glam]

sp/soc

This type is generally private and reserved, and especially serious and practical minded in their focus to gain material security and in making useful connections that support their goals. When they do form a connection, loyalty is very important to them and they will not hesitate to end a relationship on grounds of disloyalty. This type may lack a certain degree of interpersonal warmth which can give the impression of coldness or disinterest in others, even a sense of selfishness. May be drawn to groups that attract like minded individuals, as in business clubs or volunteer organizations where a shared professional culture can facilitate social bonds. They tend to live conservatively and dress in an inconspicuously appropriate fashion befitting their status in life. May have a characteristically blunt and direct style of communication that can take others some getting used to. They are particularly strong in matters of commitment and sacrifice, and enjoy being the benefactors in assisting society's practical needs.

Motivation: to attain a position of material and societal security.

sounds like me these days, tbh