+Instinctual Variant Survey

[InvisibleJim]

sounds like me these days, tbh

It's not a terrible description. I can understand how siuntal thinks it is reasonably descriptive of myself.

[Aquagraph]

Sexual ||||||||||||||||||||| 66%
Social |||||||||||||||||||||||| 78%
Self Preservation |||||| 18%

I still think I'm sx/so.

[fen]

Sexual ||||||||||||||||||||| 66%
Social ||||||||||||||||||||| 70%
Self Preservation ||||||||| 22%

I'm attributing my formerly sp-first-appearance to health issues and lack of energy for much else.

Still trying to dissect the so/sx vs sx/so thing.
I definitely don't understand so lasts and have been hurt by them in the past. Though the same could probably be said for sx lasts.

And I've expressed frustration with feeling like I can't get closer to a specific person I really care about, physically. It's like, I will be as physically close to them as I can be, but it isn't enough, and it drives me bonkers. It works the same way regarding psychological distance I think. I can always sense this wall of sorts, and I just wanna break it down so I can occupy the same mental space as that one other person.
This is sort of a recent realization and that's why I'm sharing it.

@siuntal - I know you type be sp/so but I'm going to have to disagree.

[glam]

It's not a terrible description. I can understand how siuntal thinks it is reasonably descriptive of myself.

yes, she types me sp/so as well, and at the moment I do agree with this typing for myself.


there is something I want to address about this stacking:

The sp/so people I've known like contributing to the group while maintaining their autonomy. My family is sp/so heavy. This stacking seems to have difficulty with 'sticky' (sx) issues. For example: when my dad was a young hippie pothead his parents (both sp/so) decided to send him to a mental institution rather than confront him about it. They wanted to fix the problem without getting their hands dirty. As a result a lot of stuff got buried, pushed to the side, pushed off onto a professional, superficially resolved, etc. For me, 'clean' is the word that comes to mind for sp/so stacking. They tend to be discreet, trustworthy and naturally private, socially aware but not really political. I think the sp/so operates pretty independently while always being distantly involved.

http://www.the16types.info/vbulletin/content.php/242

the bolded is pretty true of myself. however the anecdote about the sp/so parents avoiding confrontation with their son by shipping him away is not something I would do. what those parents did seems born of a lack of education/experience, and perhaps adherence to socially conservative values.

if sp/so instinct is supposedly about avoiding getting your hands dirty, the way I would keep my hands "clean" in that kind of situation would be to directly confront the person, the problem, and try to work out a solution. I would feel "dirty" if the issue remained unaddressed. I am not a person to brush things under the rug, in fact I can get extremely irritated when people do this, especially if I believe the problem is not one that will easily resolve itself. however this is all assuming there is an issue to begin with (i.e. I wouldn't automatically consider a teenage boy who likes smoking weed to be a "problem".)

it seems to me that a lot of sx-last descriptions associate these types with a desire to enforce socially conservative values and/or having blind slavish faith in "the system" or "the establishment"; I don't believe this will be true of all sx-lasts, and may put people off from typing themselves as such.

[silke]

bumping this poll for new members

[Narc]

So/Sx.

I didn't realise the member stackings were so skewed towards sx/sp and sp/sx.

[Eldanen]

Sx/so here.

[nigh]

I've been a bit lost about this but back to sx now. I think that sx-first is the most common and soc-first the rarest. Near half of people seem to be sx-first. Maybe that's how it's supposed to be or whatever.

[Eldanen]

I've been a bit lost about this but back to sx now. I think that sx-first is the most common and soc-first the rarest. Near half of people seem to be sx-first. Maybe that's how it's supposed to be or whatever.

Sx primary is the rarest. Most people who claim to be this are wrong about themselves.

[nigh]

Sx primary is the rarest. Most people who claim to be this are wrong about themselves.

Well, we can respectfully disagree for now(since I don't claim any expertise or authority in this subject). What do you think is the cues or evidence for being sx-primary in other people? There are times I wonder, maybe the instinctual variants are the hardest brand of typology to type. The less the types are in number, the more generic they are.

[Eldanen]

Well, we can respectfully disagree for now(since I don't claim any expertise or authority in this subject). What do you think is the cues or evidence for being sx-primary in other people? There are times I wonder, maybe the instinctual variants are the hardest brand of typology to type. The less the types are in number, the more generic they are.

Instinctual variants are pretty easy to identify in casual real life interaction. The sp primaries tend not to stand out at all. The socials will often be the ones gabbing at a high rate of speed. The sx primaries will stand out the most and grab the most attention. Sx primaries are crazy.

[Zola]

Probably not sp last, maybe sp/so but nowhere near certain enough to vote on the poll.

[silke]

I've been a bit lost about this but back to sx now. I think that sx-first is the most common and soc-first the rarest. Near half of people seem to be sx-first. Maybe that's how it's supposed to be or whatever.

Sx primary is the rarest. Most people who claim to be this are wrong about themselves.

Instinct variant descriptions lend themselves to the pro-Sx/anti-So bias, which goes something like sx=caring about your relationships and having a sex drive (who doesn't care about their relationships with others?) and so=being mindless herd animal subject to groupthink (why would anyone want to identify with this?). Such skewed interpretations make any of the sx-stacking more lucrative to type into, and particularly the sx/sp with is sx primacy which is often confused for being young, wanting to date and to have sex. So/sp is then the most unwanted and difficult to associate with combination.

I believe the instincts follow random distribution and are equally spread in the population (however, on forums there may be slight bias in favor of so-last and sp-primary stackings). I tallied up some of the typings from this forum and the percentages varied from 14-22% for each stacking, with sp/so being most frequently encountered but then it's the easiest for me to identify so there is some typer bias here: variant distribution

[Strangelove]

There are definitely things I can identify with in each of the instincts, but overall I think so/sp makes the most sense for me. I identify a lot with how so usually manifests in 6s, the whole looking for security through others and anxiously trying to find our footing thing. The demeanor descriptions for that stacking also really fit well, calm and slightly detached but friendly. So does the writing style... I can be, uh, long-winded to put it lightly.

The only thing I really don't identify with is being extremely comfortable in a group setting. I'm like that in groups of friends, which are the only situations my anxiety really quells in. Even being alone; if I'm alone for too long, I get depressed. Around people I barely know though, things go much better and I feel more secure if I have an easy way to guide the conversation and don't have to respond to a ton of people at once. That usually means a one-on-one conversation. Or being on-stage if I'm not put on the spot or have to prepare a lot in advance, which also bothers me. There has to be some leeway for me to collect my thoughts, and not just awkwardly read off a script.

I don't see myself as a mindless automaton at all. Neither does anyone. I do think it's kind of funny since 6 and so/sp are both usually stereotyped that way, though. I rarely outwardly challenge groupthink, more out of a fear of being disliked than anything, but inside it grates on me. Unless I'm given a reason why which makes sense to me, I won't believe something. If someone says something without a "why," my brain will instinctively question it. And I think most people are like that, to some degree.

[Galen]

So/Sx.

I didn't realise the member stackings were so skewed towards sx/sp and sp/sx.

I kinda have a feeling that So-last types are described in a particularly more favorable light compared to the others, so even those who are more So than they let on would shy away from their descriptions. I mean who doesn't wanna be the badass One-Man Storm who don't take no shit from nobody and lives by his own rules?

fwiw I don't meet nearly as many so-last types IRL as the poll would have you believe exist.

[mu4]

Some ppl say I'm So/Sp, but I think I'm Sx/Sp, either way it's cool.

[nigh]

Instinct variant descriptions lend themselves to the pro-Sx/anti-So bias, which goes something like sx=caring about your relationships and having a sex drive (who doesn't care about their relationships with others?) and so=being mindless herd animal subject to groupthink (why would anyone want to identify with this?). Such skewed interpretations make any of the sx-stacking more lucrative to type into, and particularly the sx/sp with is sx primacy which is often confused for being young, wanting to date and to have sex. So/sp is then the most unwanted and difficult to associate with combination.

I believe the instincts follow random distribution and are equally spread in the population (however, on forums there may be slight bias in favor of so-last and sp-primary stackings). I tallied up some of the typings from this forum and the percentages varied from 14-22% for each stacking, with sp/so being most frequently encountered but then it's the easiest for me to identify so there is some typer bias here: variant distribution

Actually, when I first started to have an interest in instinctual variants I used to have an entirely different bias towards them: so=being a people person who cares about other people and having relationships with them, sx=only caring about themselves and their intense feelings and whatnot. Etc. Ofc now I don't believe those. But I'm still having a hard time typing instincts in other people so I don't have anything to add to your second paragraph.

[fairylights]

I believe the instincts follow random distribution and are equally spread in the population (however, on forums there may be slight bias in favor of so-last and sp-primary stackings). I tallied up some of the typings from this forum and the percentages varied from 14-22% for each stacking, with sp/so being most frequently encountered but then it's the easiest for me to identify so there is some typer bias here: variant distribution

Why/how is sp/so easiest for you to identify?

[DaftPunk]

either sp/sx or sp/so don't know

[mu4]

Instinct variant descriptions lend themselves to the pro-Sx/anti-So bias, which goes something like sx=caring about your relationships and having a sex drive (who doesn't care about their relationships with others?) and so=being mindless herd animal subject to groupthink (why would anyone want to identify with this?). Such skewed interpretations make any of the sx-stacking more lucrative to type into, and particularly the sx/sp with is sx primacy which is often confused for being young, wanting to date and to have sex. So/sp is then the most unwanted and difficult to associate with combination.

I believe the instincts follow random distribution and are equally spread in the population (however, on forums there may be slight bias in favor of so-last and sp-primary stackings). I tallied up some of the typings from this forum and the percentages varied from 14-22% for each stacking, with sp/so being most frequently encountered but then it's the easiest for me to identify so there is some typer bias here: variant distribution

Sx is imo not even about relationships with people some of the time, but these types have a certain intensity and often obsession with something. The creation of that intensity and fulfillment of the obsession is what drives Sx types. The signs of obsession are what defines Sx types, not necessarily rebellion or some sort of iconoclastic tendencies.

So types are also not always group thinking automatons either, often they're very antisocial and against social norms, this is not out of some sense of intensity seeking, the goal is to create another social group and feel involved in that social group.

[Kim]

Sx is imo not even about relationships with people some of the time, but these types have a certain intensity and often obsession with something. The creation of that intensity and fulfillment of the obsession is what drives Sx types. The signs of obsession are what defines Sx types, not necessarily rebellion or some sort of iconoclastic tendencies.
.

Yes, I identify with sx in terms of seeking new experiences and stimulation, the drive to explore new things, etc. (7 stuff) and that might or might not be related to other people and relationships.

Generally, I have a difficult time discussing instinct stacking separately from the respective e-type, really.

[strrrng]

Ughhhhh. I relate to all 3 of these... especially the so/sx one.

What do you enneagram geniuses think I am? The ones I don't think I relate to are sx/so, so/sx and sp/so

I can't see any type but sp/sx for you (the fact that I type you 4w3 may account for some of the confusion surrounding 'so' things, many of which were actually more E3 related anyway, i.e. I'm so-last and have a strong fixation on certain forms of respect, physical being a pretty high priority). you have the insular self-control and unintended mystique that really only comes with so-last 4s. glam would be an example of an so-4, you can tell she's very attuned to the collective context and bears a certain self-control when it comes to certain social boundaries, and there's an added lightness to her presence typical of so-types (being involved in a less focused way). esper would be an example of an sp/sx 4 (though she's 5 wing). I'm an sx/sp 4 and crazedrat is an sx/so 4. overall I see the way you approach image being a combination of E3 competency (i.e. certain standards being maintained) and sp aesthetic (they won't 'come out of themselves' fully for it, it's a personal boundary, not a collective thing). the whole thing about aspiring to this or that, wanting a certain form blah blah is 4/3 stuff, so is about the social context, not needing social validation. why I don't see you as sx/sp is that you don't seem as self-immersed in the flux, there's more of a subtle, gravitational feel to your presence than the kind of misdirected, controlled tension of sx/sp's.

[blackburry]

I just took a test:

Enneagram Test with Instinctual Variant results

You are most likely a type 4 (the Individualist) with 5 wing

Self-preservation variant

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


I think I'm a pretty spot-on 6w5. I certainly have e4 and e8 traits. howeverrrr, I'm not sure whether sp/sx or sx/sp.

[mu4]

Yes, I identify with sx in terms of seeking new experiences and stimulation, the drive to explore new things, etc. (7 stuff) and that might or might not be related to other people and relationships.

Generally, I have a difficult time discussing instinct stacking separately from the respective e-type, really.

I think the difference between Sx an So is more about obsession(sx) vs involvement(so), the enneagram writers call it "intimacy" and "personal connection" but imo the terminology is inadequate.

Obsession is different than involvement because obsession is mostly a selfish and self-oriented desire, while involvement imo is look towards forming that mutual responsible agreements(but still personal).


'

[silke]

Why/how is sp/so easiest for you to identify?

Most of my family has this stacking, so it's easier for me to feel its presence emitting a similar kind of vibe that I'm used to feeling around them. There is a combination of down-to-earth practicality, diminutive expression style, and at the same time a kind of openness to the wider social sphere. It feels like a spring of clean water bursting out from underground (sp = earth, so = clean, open vibe) or a breeze of fresh air suddenly bursting into a cramped room.

[fairylights]

Most of my family has this stacking, so it's easier for me to feel its presence emitting a similar kind of vibe that I'm used to feeling around them. There is a combination of down-to-earth practicality, diminutive expression style, and at the same time a kind of openness to the wider social sphere. It feels like a spring of clean water bursting out from underground (sp = earth, so = clean, open vibe) or a breeze of fresh air suddenly bursting into a cramped room.

I like the imagery you use to describe that stacking. Do you have similar descriptions for the others?

[squark]

I think the difference between Sx an So is more about obsession(sx) vs involvement(so), the enneagram writers call it "intimacy" and "personal connection" but imo the terminology is inadequate.

Obsession is different than involvement because obsession is mostly a selfish and self-oriented desire, while involvement imo is look towards forming that mutual responsible agreements(but still personal).


'

Good distinction imo.

[silke]

Actually, when I first started to have an interest in instinctual variants I used to have an entirely different bias towards them: so=being a people person who cares about other people and having relationships with them, sx=only caring about themselves and their intense feelings and whatnot. Etc. Ofc now I don't believe those. But I'm still having a hard time typing instincts in other people so I don't have anything to add to your second paragraph.

There is a certain warmth about the social instinct, broader inclusion, support and care, but from what I've seen it's rarely mentioned on the enneagram sites. Most descriptions associate so with wanting to be involved with group activities and preferring to socialize in groups rather than any sort of hospitality and warmth.

Ughhhhh. I relate to all 3 of these... especially the sp/sx one.

What do you enneagram geniuses think I am? The ones I don't think I relate to are sx/so, so/sx and sp/so

sp/sx would be my guess. One way to tell apart primary from secondary instinct that I've found useful is to think about which one you understand in a literal and immediate sense that is centered on your person and which instinct is the one that you use to reach out to others and create something in your environment (it's kind of like dominant vs creative function in socionics). You seem to use the sx instinct to reach out to others and involve them in a conversation, so it's likely your secondary one. Sx/sp is much more blocked than sp/sx when it comes to talking about their relationships and feelings. When and if sx/sp does this, it's often a sudden overspill (depending on how much they've trying to contain).

[answers to questionnaire]

so/sx? am I close?

I like the imagery you use to describe that stacking. Do you have similar descriptions for the others?

I like it too, I find it quicker and more accurate to type based on associated imagery than trying to analyze replies in detail. This is one of the more widely used schemes, where sp=ground, so=air, and sx=fire/electricity, but I personally don't associate sx with fiery mediums.

Sp: earthy, grounded, dense, physical, materialistic, walls, barriers, personal space, "my home is my castle".
So: breeze, wind, air, atmosphere, open spaces, visible, open, far-reaching, aether-like medium that encompasses everything.
Sx: this one is commonly associated with electricity or fire-like images (fire, heat, lightening, a volcano erupting, etc.), but to me it has an adhesive feeling to it, something that facilitates bonding or fusion.

The primary instinct is associated with a stable medium, while the secondary one is more dynamic, instrumental. For example So as primary instinct can be viewed as "atmosphere" (something static and continuously present) but as secondary instinct as "breeze" or "wind" (that creates differences in potential, air currents and dynamics, etc.)

[Beautiful sky]

Idk

[Narc]

Hilariously enough, I may end up joining the sx/sp ranks.

[Saberstorm]

SO/SX

Sexual |||||||||||||||||| 58%
Social ||||||||||||||||||||| 66%
Self Preservation ||| 10%

I am surprised: I thought I was SX last, but I think I honestly hate Self-Preservation. Everything I read about the SP instinct smacks of cowardliness. The object of life is to kill, to kill, to kill,* how can you do that without the loss of the self into the cause? I am a fucking fanatic. Fanatics have no self-preservation.

(* indicates a type of metaphor - akin to stand in for achievement. That is my disclaimer for the NSA watching this thread... )

I am deeply repelled by the SP instinct. I am a Samurai. I am a Dragon Slayer. The instinct of Self-Preservation is lowly, ignoble, vile. I am a Buccaneer. I am an Adventurer. I hate SP, once I read the description of it.

[fairylights]

Sx: this one is commonly associated with electricity or fire-like images (fire, heat, lightening, a volcano erupting, etc.), but to me it has an adhesive feeling to it, something that facilitates bonding or fusion.

Like a welding torch.

[ashlesha]

Hilariously enough, I may end up joining the sx/sp ranks.

you obviously know best, but i've always thought so/sx was a really good fit for you.

[mu4]

Sx: this one is commonly associated with electricity or fire-like images (fire, heat, lightening, a volcano erupting, etc.), but to me it has an adhesive feeling to it, something that facilitates bonding or fusion.

The primary instinct is associated with a stable medium, while the secondary one is more dynamic, instrumental. For example So as primary instinct can be viewed as "atmosphere" (something static and continuously present) but as secondary instinct as "breeze" or "wind" (that creates differences in potential, air currents and dynamics, etc.)

I think Sx is more than just adhesive because Sx types repel and reject just as intensely as they bond with others. It's more magnetism, which works with electricity/fire/energy imagery.

[DaftPunk]

I go with sp/so

[blackburry]

what's my stacking guyz?

[LauriesCrusador]

so/sx? am I close?

I don't have the answer. When I read this and this a year ago or so it didn't lead me anywhere.

And the other test I just did for the first time perfectly mirrors the situation. Nonetheless, seeing the result almost made me spit my tea all over the screen lol

Btw, almost never chose the "middle option" & not bullshitting you. Just saying

[Narc]

I don't have the answer. When I read this and this a year ago or so it didn't lead me anywhere.

And the other test I just did for the first time perfectly mirrors the situation. Nonetheless, seeing the result almost made me spit my tea all over the screen lol

Btw, almost never chose the "middle option" & not bullshitting you. Just saying

Your indecision is making the result reflect that. I used to have that problem with quizzes like this one.

I'd recommend doing some reading into the stackings. This article is pretty comprehensive.

[blackburry]

I don't have the answer. When I read this and this a year ago or so it didn't lead me anywhere.

And the other test I just did for the first time perfectly mirrors the situation. Nonetheless, seeing the result almost made me spit my tea all over the screen lol

Btw, almost never chose the "middle option" & not bullshitting you. Just saying

lol, that's kind of awesome.


also... I pretty much always chose the middle option and never get that, so, I hear you.

MAYBE YOU ARE COMPLETELY BALANCED.

[Aylen]

I thought I did this already.



Instinctual Variant Test Results


Instinctual variant theory holds that your instinctual drives can be divided into three forces. The Sexual force drives you to seek closeness, like you would experience in a strong romantic relationship or a close friendship. The Social force drives you to consider the wider community, where you and others stand, what everyone thinks/feels/needs of you and what you think/feel/need of them. The Self Preservation force drives you to maintain individual concerns - security, health, comfort, etc.. Each person will have a different mix of these three variants. Your results suggest the following mix:

SX/SP’s:
This is a very volatile type. They are driven to form connections but have very high demands of their partners. When their powerful fantasies don’t match reality, they become very restless. They take the fire and passion of the sexual instinct and turn it inward. This can cause both brooding and fiery outbursts. Dramatic mood swings are very likely with this type. This subtype of Four could be considered the most classic Four, because of the way they seem to embody the archetype of the tortured artist, although not all Fours of this subtype are artists. Stereotype aside, this subtype does tend to bring their emotions into focus more readily then the other subtypes of Four. What is under the surface with the self-pres/sexual is now bubbling to the surface. This subtype can resemble type Seven because of their drama, passion for experience and tendency to suffer from frustration when life seems dull. Like type Seven, they can seem to throw themselves into experience.

When healthy, this subtype learns to balance the need for passion with the less obvious need for groundedness which can come from solid and focused relationships with others and with their creative outlets.

sx/sp - total inward gives way to total outward in jerky bursts, usually directed at one person in particular, can't focus on the overall group, but may move rapidly from one total focus to the next

The SX/SP pursues bonds with more energy and are more likely to "lose themselves" in the feelings of a relationship. The SP/SX is more likely to maintain themselves independent of the relationship, but yet be dependent upon the other person. The reason for this is that SPs consider their mates as part of themselves, basically.

SX/SP: This is perhaps the most internally conflicted of the stackings, and potentially the most inconsistent in behavior. This may occur as a blockage of the sexual instinct which can be redirected as a more generally brooding and troubled personality. They may isolate themselves for long periods of time before reemerging. They live according to a strictly personal outlook and are not particularly concerned with the approval of others outside of their immediate concern. They seem to be searching for something, the missing piece. If they find a soulmate they will unite without fanfare, forming a secret bond, dealing with formalities as an afterthought. Powerful sexual impulses facing inner resistance may manifest symbolically in the psyche, giving way to soulful interpretations of the unconscious. Under periods of stress severe sexual tensions may manifest as erratic, impulsively destructive behavior. Can seem restless, torn between the comforts of a stable home life and the urge to wander. May be prone to self medicating.

SX/SP variants are more likely to idealize other people outside of the relationship, but are unlikely to ever consider cheating, because of the SP secondary. SP/SX are usually utterly faithful and would not likely even think of cheating as this would amount to "hurting themselves."

Motivation: to know the heart, reconcile inner conflict, form a secure union.

Familiar roles: the devotee, the seeker, the wanderer

The SX/SP description seems a little harsh and a bit too "feeling triad" biased, although parts of it are accurate. My experience with them is that their sexuality is only slightly inhibited by having the SP in secondary position. The right person brings them out of their "shell" quite easily.

The SX/SP can seem a little selfish in expecting to have their "needs" met, compared to the SP/SX who usually attempt to meet their own needs first and seem "cold" instead of selfish. As I told Marie in the SP thread, they can be really into someone at first and go pretty cold if they suddenly feel that person isn't right for them. On the bright side, they (SP) tend to be the most emotionally faithful variant and are always there for the people who are close to them in their lives.

“You are right about the SX/SP tendency for having some trouble with relationships. The SP variant tends to just look for someone similar to themselves, and they are usually pretty satisfied when they find that person, although this can take a while. SX/SPs often bond with others that have qualities that they find intriguing at the present that might not bode well for them in the future, and realize later that they neglected their SP secondary and are not getting what they truly want out of the relationship. On the positive, they tend to have a variety of fascinating experiences with others, and they usually have a better sense of how people truly click than the SP does.”

The SX/SP usually wants some kind of ideal qualities in other people and the realities of these other people's flaws is sometimes difficult for the variant to handle. On the other hand, it seems this variant gets "taken advantage" of more than the others due to their strong urge to connect and the fact that they do not usually have an excessive number of outside contacts outside the relationship like the SX/SO does. http://www.experienceproject.com/sto...neagram/180432

Sexual	||||||||||||||||||||||||	78%
Social	||||||||||||	38%
Self Preservation	|||||||||||||||	50%