• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

Multiple Enneagram Subtypes/Instincts Descriptions of the Enneagram Instinctual Variants

the state i am in

Active member
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
2,475
MBTI Type
infj
Enneagram
5w4
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
i identify with sx/sp more than sp/sx. i crave self-expression and intense communication too much. i need it or i start to get weary.
 

Moiety

New member
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
5,996
MBTI Type
ISFJ
Eight (8) stacks

Sexual/Self-pres


This subtype is a very charismatic. They have a very assertive energy and they demand attention. The lust of the Eight combines with the sexual instinct to make one of the most fiery of the combinations of all of the enneatypes, especially if Seven is the dominant wing. Sexual/self-pres Eights aren’t afraid to tell you what they think. The "can do" attitude that the other subtypes have is now intertwined with an outward passionate storm of energy. The sexual/self-pres Eight will be similar to the self-pres/sex Eight with respect to interests and attachment to close friends and family, but the intensity level is augmented. Since the sexual instinct is first, these Eights usually don't let an opportunity pass by to connect with those they find interesting. They can sense the power in any situation and they like to challenge people. They can enjoy making others react to them, keeping others on their toes, to find out what makes them tick. They are likely to use humor to accomplish this. When sex/self-pres Eights are unbalanced, they are very quick to anger and have a difficult time controlling their impulses.

Not exactly highly descriptive, but sure.
 

lane777

nevermore
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
635
sp/sx

These people often have an earthy, mysterious quality to them. They are quietly intense, but to others may seem oblivious to the greater social world around them, instead favoring personal interests. They are slow to commit, but once they do it is with an attitude of life commitment, to the establishment of an impermeable bond. Others can be taken aback by how suddenly and completely this type can lock into them, and by the depth of understanding of the other's condition. They attach to others at an organic, root level, in contrast to the other subvariant's surface formality. Somewhat hesitant to enter new relationships, they instead preserve the select few enduring bonds they carefully form along the way. The sanctuary of home is of paramount concern, and this type takes particular delight in decorating their spaces to reflect their cherished sense of taste and depth. Depth and discrimination characterize this stacking.

Motivation: to live in a secure, comfortable environment where they can pursue their private interests in depth.

Familiar Roles: the mate, the mystic, the quiet supporter.

Examples: George Harrison, Jackie Onassis, Eric Clapton, Emily Dickinson

+1

I used to think I was sp/so when I studied the variants separately. But going by your combination's, I definitely fit the sp/sx description most.
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
50,187
MBTI Type
BELF
Enneagram
594
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
At this point in my study of personality theories, I cannot help but think that a person's life experiences, especially those during formative years (birth to age seven) contribute to the finite selection of personality types traits available to them via genetic inheritance. :yes:

I agree, environment triggers genetic/inborn potential.

The largest influences of my life:
1. My dad's alcoholism and all the bad family dynamics that came from it.
2. Being exposed to and raised in conservative Christianity tradition from a very young age.
3. Living in the middle of rural PA with barely anyone else my age around.

I was always very very shy (I would hide being furniture when guests came to the house), and I was so quiet that my parents didn't even know I knew how to read until my kindergarten teacher told them once I started attending school. #1 and #3 above contributed to that.

I was very T in my perceptions but #1 and #2 really drove a wedge between my inner T nature and my expressed mask. Thinking outside the boundaries and challenging status quo is not acceptable in alcoholic families and strict religions, and I could not avoid the instability... not just because I was a child, but because I was a shy child and because I had nowhere else to go. Only my very very close friends got to hear my rational view of the world; meanwhile, everyone else got the demure well-behaved considerate ISFx style child. (My mom -- the only stable person in my family despite her codependency issues -- is ISFJ, and I consider the religious environment I was raised in to be very ISxJ in nature.) I developed a lot of rigorous judgments religiously, though, and felt trapped in a box most of my life with no way out; the things I was being taught didn't make sense to me in some ways, but I kept blaming myself and thinking maybe I just didn't "get it" and kept trying. (Another factor, there, then, that influenced development.)

I was always curious, but became even moreso -- it was all I had. I read voraciously and otherwise spent my time exploring the fields and terrain around my home.

A lot of my life was thus bent into exploring the world, alone, and writing about what I had learned since my social skills were so inadequate and/or fake, to me. Felt even lonelier.

A lot of this got fixed in the last 5 years or so and I finally feel like I do resemble more my "natural" me -- an introvert who immensely likes people but is quickly drained by them, a thinker with empathy and a learned language of social interaction, an intuitive who is trying to keep her feet on the ground and accomplish things in the tangible world.

But that early part of my development twisted and bent me and made me rely too much on some of my natural traits. Life experience, early on, really does impact what traits are developed and how much.
 

Moiety

New member
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
5,996
MBTI Type
ISFJ
Yes traits and type are an important distinction. I think Enneagram is actually more about actual behavioral traits (actions) and MBTI about cognition (thoughts).
 

Halla74

Artisan Conquerer
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
6,898
MBTI Type
ESTP
Enneagram
7w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I agree, environment triggers genetic/inborn potential.

The largest influences of my life:
1. My dad's alcoholism and all the bad family dynamics that came from it.
2. Being exposed to and raised in conservative Christianity tradition from a very young age.
3. Living in the middle of rural PA with barely anyone else my age around.

I was always very very shy (I would hide being furniture when guests came to the house), and I was so quiet that my parents didn't even know I knew how to read until my kindergarten teacher told them once I started attending school. #1 and #3 above contributed to that.

I was very T in my perceptions but #1 and #2 really drove a wedge between my inner T nature and my expressed mask. Thinking outside the boundaries and challenging status quo is not acceptable in alcoholic families and strict religions, and I could not avoid the instability... not just because I was a child, but because I was a shy child and because I had nowhere else to go. Only my very very close friends got to hear my rational view of the world; meanwhile, everyone else got the demure well-behaved considerate ISFx style child. (My mom -- the only stable person in my family despite her codependency issues -- is ISFJ, and I consider the religious environment I was raised in to be very ISxJ in nature.) I developed a lot of rigorous judgments religiously, though, and felt trapped in a box most of my life with no way out; the things I was being taught didn't make sense to me in some ways, but I kept blaming myself and thinking maybe I just didn't "get it" and kept trying. (Another factor, there, then, that influenced development.)

I was always curious, but became even moreso -- it was all I had. I read voraciously and otherwise spent my time exploring the fields and terrain around my home.

A lot of my life was thus bent into exploring the world, alone, and writing about what I had learned since my social skills were so inadequate and/or fake, to me. Felt even lonelier.

A lot of this got fixed in the last 5 years or so and I finally feel like I do resemble more my "natural" me -- an introvert who immensely likes people but is quickly drained by them, a thinker with empathy and a learned language of social interaction, an intuitive who is trying to keep her feet on the ground and accomplish things in the tangible world.

But that early part of my development twisted and bent me and made me rely too much on some of my natural traits. Life experience, early on, really does impact what traits are developed and how much.

Yes traits and type are an important distinction. I think Enneagram is actually more about actual behavioral traits (actions) and MBTI about cognition (thoughts).

Excellent clarifications... :yes: :nice:
 

BlahBlahNounBlah

New member
Joined
Dec 16, 2008
Messages
1,458
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
7w6
I can have a difficult time trusting people who seem to have a primary social variant. It's not easy to feel connected to them. I don't feel like we're involved for the sake of the involvement itself but as part of some bigger plan they have or something. :unsure:
 

BlackCat

Shaman
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
7,038
MBTI Type
ESFP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I can have a difficult time trusting people who seem to have a primary social variant. It's not easy to feel connected to them. I don't feel like we're involved for the sake of the involvement itself but as part of some bigger plan they have or something. :unsure:

I'm like this too. Pretty much exactly. In the real world I really just don't trust/care for social mains, it's like this weird feeling that I need to get away from them. It's like "ehhh stop talking to me... please..." but I don't want to say that. Lol.

Bolded is important to me too. I get involved with people just to talk and bond with them, I really enjoy it. I don't really feel the need to socialize just to socialize, it's usually to get closer to the people or maintain the bonds that I have. When I'm picking someone to get to know I'm considering long term implications, usually. But this doesn't mean I'm not talkative, I'll talk to people just to talk to them, and I'll have a fine time doing it, but I won't feel the need to continue with it just because we had a fun time talking. I need to be comfortable with making a bond with that person.

Hopefully that all made sense.
 

compulsiverambler

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
446
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Think I'm sp/sx. Possibly sp/so, but definitely self-pres first. It probably doesn't come across on here because I don't talk about my biggest concerns directly, but I'm ridiculously sp dominant.

My upbringing:

Everyone in my immediate family was entirely uninterested in religion. I wouldn't say I was 'raised to be non-religious' though, that suggests it was made an issue at all. I was first exposed to religious belief at school and my family only shared their views when I asked.

I was never short of attention until at least the age of six. There was always someone around who'd have time for me. All the adults I was ever around were playful, friendly, encouraging and affectionate with children. A few were stricter than others, but I was well bonded with them all and so wanted to please them with or without disciplinary threats. I did sometimes throw tantrums and get smacked, but I don't remember what about. I do remember that I would be genuinely out-of-control angry or upset, I wasn't throwing them for attention or to get my own way. I didn't have much contact with other children until I went to school, and I didn't enjoy their company much. They weren't horrible to me, I just found them too unpredictable and immature and didn't like having to learn these new rules of interaction, and often the most domineering characters would want to be my friend because I was so unassertive. I did make a few friends I liked a lot though, even loved deeply by age 8.

The strong self-preservation instinct, if caused by anything I've experienced, probably comes from the fact that by far the most distressing problems I've had have been made better and often solved by myself, because they weren't ultimately any kind of interpersonal relationship problems and no one else could help at that time. It's become habitual, then, for me to focus primarily on aspects of my well-being that aren't about satisfaction in my relationships to individuals or society. I don't find these needs anywhere near as pressing, except where they threaten my self-pres needs. I'm scared of being without practical support I might need, but emotional support and advice I feel able to mostly offer myself, even though I do feel a lot of affection for some people.
 
Joined
Dec 13, 2009
Messages
30
MBTI Type
IXFX
Enneagram
2
I've scored as so/sp, sp/so and sx/sp and scored as 2w1, 9w1 and 5w4 before....but I'll say I relate to 5w4 sx/sp the best.

BOLD is what I think is like me.

Five Stacks

Sexual/Self-pres

This subtype has a lot in common the self-pres/sexual instinctual stacking. They experience many of the same internal conflicts surrounding relationships, the need for independence and emotional expression. The sexual/self-pres subtype differs however in being more intense, more counterphobic. They entertain more dark nihilistic ideas, ideas that most others don’t want to consider.

With this subtype, a lot of energy revolves around the issue of boundaries. Sexual/self-pres Fives tend to forge strong connections quickly and deeply, but if they feel betrayed, begin to feel overwhelmed, or if they feel that the connection doesn’t serve their true needs, can seem to cut the connection precipitously and “go cold.” They have high standards for significant others. They must feel that they can share their emotions with a significant other without being judged. This is their private world that they share. Relationships can be difficult, because individuals of this subtype will still want their own space and alone time, while at other times will want intense connection. Because the social instinct is least developed, this subtype is not very concerned with how others perceive them (except their intimates). This subtype is deceptive in that they may not seem to be especially intense - until they are engaged in a conversation they find interesting. Then the intensity and emotion become apparent. The internal struggle for this subtype is similar to that of the self-pres/sexual, but more energized and volatile, and getting to know this subtype means getting to know that.

When unhealthy, the energy of the sexual instinct can combine with the dominant type Five fixation to create a very impulsive Eight-like anger. The strength of their convictions can then come out quite forcefully.
 

ayoitsStepho

Twerking & Lurking
Joined
Sep 20, 2009
Messages
4,838
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
4w3
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
so/sx/sp 4w3 ISFP
Yes, that means I'm a freak at night ;)

Just to add in for the heck of it all, I was raised by a mother [isfj] who was baptist [southern I suppose] and my dad [entp] is atheist I suppose. He WAS raised Catholic but I really don't think he connects with that. He just goes and does what he wants. So you can understand the amount of problems in the family. :doh:

I on the other hand relate more to my mothers upbringing belief but I can't say that I'm a baptist for even baptists have added a rule or two in [like not being able to dance or something] that I don't agree with. So I've learned to just follow the bible and its teachings. Boom bam. Thats what you get when you get an so/sx/sp 4w3 ISFP. :devil:
 

Asterion

Ruler of the Stars
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
2,331
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
The enneagram ninja with 9 lives strikes once again :D
 

demimondaine

New member
Joined
Mar 26, 2008
Messages
371
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4
reading through this again, i question if i'm actually 4w3 sx/sp, rather than the sx/so i believed at first. sx is completely spot-on, though. like others have mentioned, i have difficulty sometimes feeling comfortable around so-dominant people. anyone get a particular feeling from me?
 

Asterion

Ruler of the Stars
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
2,331
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I thought I was sp something. I always tested sx (mind you, it also thought I was a 9 ;)), so I had a look at sx/sp and sp/sx... and I think I'm a wanderer/seeker. There's always a nagging desire for more, but I also desire security, it sort of balances. sx/sp sounds right I think.
 

ChocolateMoose123

New member
Joined
Oct 4, 2008
Messages
5,278
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I test as sx/sp and that's very accurate. I still have issues with the enneagram type. 5 or 7w8. (a bit of each of them fit sooo well).




I read 7 and I read 8 and the 5 one is spot on!

sx/sp fives:

With this subtype, a lot of energy revolves around the issue of boundaries. Sexual/self-pres Fives tend to forge strong connections quickly and deeply, but if they feel betrayed, begin to feel overwhelmed, or if they feel that the connection doesn’t serve their true needs, can seem to cut the connection precipitously and “go cold.” They have high standards for significant others. They must feel that they can share their emotions with a significant other without being judged. This is their private world that they share. Relationships can be difficult, because individuals of this subtype will still want their own space and alone time, while at other times will want intense connection. Because the social instinct is least developed, this subtype is not very concerned with how others perceive them (except their intimates). This subtype is deceptive in that they may not seem to be especially intense - until they are engaged in a conversation they find interesting. Then the intensity and emotion become apparent. The internal struggle for this subtype is similar to that of the self-pres/sexual, but more energized and volatile, and getting to know this subtype means getting to know that.

When unhealthy, the energy of the sexual instinct can combine with the dominant type Five fixation to create a very impulsive Eight-like anger. The strength of their convictions can then come out quite forcefully.
 

compulsiverambler

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
446
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
I'm quite sure that I'm self-preservation first, but I'm questioning the second one. It's hard because like most people I relate to both basic instincts to some extent, and significant portions of the descriptions are about how you come across to others. I have only the vaguest idea of how I'm perceived. I very much doubt it's warm though. Sensitivity, good intentions and understanding probably come across, but not warmth.

I've been as good as told by people close to me that I can seem emotionally cold or at best very guarded, at times when indications of emotional closeness are most expected. People who know me well still open up to me a lot though, maybe more because I'm like that than in spite of it. My fantasy life is far more intimate than my real one. The characters in my imagination are not uncomfortable with raw emotional intimacy, as I am. My fantasy world is more sp/sx,* my real one more sp/so. What does that mean? Repressed sx? Or just a weak sx instinct that can easily be sated by my mind alone?

*Although I'm doubting that's necessarily the case even, because the social instinct involves feeling an emotional charge from interacting with specific individuals as well, just from a different kind of connection or feeling or focus.
 

BlackCat

Shaman
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
7,038
MBTI Type
ESFP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
...because the social instinct involves feeling an emotional charge from interacting with specific individuals as well, just from a different kind of connection or feeling or focus.

Well the social instinct has to do with being affected and/or knowing what other people's expectations and how to appeal to people in general with what you say. To social people these things come naturally. This is weird for me to describe because it's my worst instinct. Most social people that I know get depressed when they don't associate with people. But I can withdraw and be in my lala land for weeks and not be bothered at all. People tire me, social people enjoy people's presence and are good with the dynamics in groups. But I'm totally clueless about these things. When I speak, I don't try to appeal to everyone, I appeal to the person I'm talking to (sexual first). When I post here, I don't really think at all how it will affect any random guest who is reading or people other than who I'm addressing.

I'll address how the instincts manifest when they're last I suppose.

Social last people have no problems with no socializing. They have a very personal outlook. I remember growing up I never understood why people wanted to appeal to people in general with their clothing. It all seemed so pointless, like appealing to people in general was such a waste of time. I still am that way. But yeah if you didn't get the gist of that we aren't affected by society's expectations in general and don't value appealing to the masses.

Sexual last people have a really awkward time with intimacy. Sexual is all about one to one interactions; and one thing I've noticed in sexual last people is that they seem to present themselves the same way to everybody; all the time. They don't adjust for one to one interactions very much.

I figure you may relate somewhat to what I'm saying because we're both withdrawn types (I'm 9w8 sx/sp).

Also here are some descriptions of sp/so and sp/sx type 5's-

sp/so-

Self-pres/Social

In the average health range, this instinctual stacking is warm, friendly, and loyal. They need their down time and have no problem spending time alone. They actually value it very much. They feel an energy drain from people’s demands on them. This instinctual stacking is what is described in most Enneagram books. The most notable and potentially frustrating thing about people of this type is the difficulty involved in getting really close to them. While they can usually handle themselves socially, they always hold back when it comes to intensity or intimacy in a relationship which can frustrate a sexual variant type. Others are aware that there is more going on beneath the surface, but it can’t really be accessed. These Fives are masters at minimizing their needs. Even though they shy away from intense personal relationships they often have a lot of intuition about others. Their detached level of personal involvement somehow brings objectivity to their insights. They can be the most practical of the instinctual stackings.

Their issues usually revolve around demands made on their time. This can become problematic in personal relationships. This subtype has an ideal vision of what a close or romantic relationship should be, but given their concerns for protecting their space and time and lacking the instinctual drive of a strong sexual instinct, energy just doesn’t flow in that direction. Because this subtype is good at minimizing their needs they can get along fine with few relationships or without a romantic partner. With the social instinct second in the stacking, they generally do find friends or colleagues and they may even be married, but the need to maintain their own time to pursue their interests is always a point of contention.

sp/sx-

Self-pres/Sexual


This subtype, like the self-pres/social, is more typical of the depictions of type Five. The self-preservational instinct accentuates the self-contained, withdrawing tendencies of the Five. Fives of this subtype love their time alone with a passion, and pursue it more actively even than the other subtype of self-pres Five, although with the sexual instinct second, they often want to find time for intimates as well. On the down side, they have more disdain for people and little use for the social aspects of life. They want to be left alone or they want to share their inner world with their intimates. The intensity of the sexual instinct is reserved for their intimates and even there it is sporadic. The self-pres energy gives this subtype a solid foundation and some degree of practicality.

These Fives are conflicted when it comes to experiencing and expressing emotions. They usually default to emotional repression and to detached intellectual analysis. This is a dynamic common to all Fives, but with the self-pres/sexual instinctual stacking, the balance of these forces is pretty precarious and it seems as though the scales are being constantly adjusted one way or another. As the social instinct is the least developed, the social arena gets the drier more intellectual approach almost by default.
 

compulsiverambler

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
446
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Thanks for the help, BlackCat. :)

Well the social instinct has to do with being affected and/or knowing what other people's expectations and how to appeal to people in general with what you say. To social people these things come naturally. This is weird for me to describe because it's my worst instinct.
That comes kind of naturally, though not wholly comfortably. In work situations for example, I notice that I'm not completely natural. I'm too aware of my rank and role to relax and be myself. Sticking to models of behaviour that are definitely acceptable feels safer. Although I'd prefer to relax like everyone else, I can't make myself do it. It happens automatically. That might be due to anxiety though, mightn't it? Or maybe sp/sx types wouldn't manifest anxiety that way, I don't know.

Most social people that I know get depressed when they don't associate with people. But I can withdraw and be in my lala land for weeks and not be bothered at all.
I start to go a bit mad if I don't talk to anyone for more than about a week. Is that due to instincts though, or just degrees of introversion? Surely extroverted social lasts will experience a need to associate with people too.

People tire me, social people enjoy people's presence and are good with the dynamics in groups. But I'm totally clueless about these things. When I speak, I don't try to appeal to everyone, I appeal to the person I'm talking to (sexual first). When I post here, I don't really think at all how it will affect any random guest who is reading or people other than who I'm addressing.
I usually prefer group dynamics to one-to-one dynamics, unless the subject is quite personal or delicate or I want to explore a subject more deeply than is easy in groups. There are more people to express themselves and so more chance of interesting conversation developing, and there's less pressure on me to keep that conversation flowing at all times. Within that setting though, I will often end up having one-to-one chats with someone who's as interested in something as I am, and that can be the most stimulating part (according to enneagraminstitute.com, even social first types may enjoy one-to-one interactions more, it's just the desired intensity that's different). I'm not sure quite to what extent I 'do' socio-emotional intensity. How intense is intense?

Something that seriously puts me off being around someone, even if they intrigued me at first, is when they seem to want to spend a party or lunchbreak or something attached to my hip and focus intently on interacting with just me, especially in personal conversation that makes us have to withdraw from everyone else. I like teaming up with a person or two who I'm comfortable with, for moral support, a guarantee of good company and someone to get involved in different things with, as long as we're both free to keep separating without rejection, jealousy or abandonment feelings getting involved. Just as toddlers see their mothers as a safe base from which to explore. It's not exclusive and so doesn't smother or trap you.

I don't need a lot of good friends by any stretch of the imagination, more than a few and I'd fear having too many demands made on my time, but if I had to socialise every day, I prefer it to be with a variety of people than one person exclusively, even if I liked them very much. I'd start to feel bored and resentful of them otherwise.

The use of fora is an interesting subject. I think for me, this is probably an expression of my self-pres and social instincts, though in the past when I was lonely it probably served as an outlet for my sexual one very much too. Currently though, I am able to socialise with people I like, when I like, and I have people I can talk to personally who understand me.

My interest in this forum is most often sp-oriented (learning and talking through something interesting and potentially helpful to me) or socially oriented. Although I'm sometimes helping a specific person with something because I'd like to help them, I do think about the impact of many of my posts on 'the group' and don't have much interest in forming more personal friendships through the Internet as this seems like a poor and currently unnecessary substitute I don't get much out of any more (whereas it still seems like a reasonable source of a sense of community).

Perhaps the reason my social instinct manifests itself more visibly online is that as a Five I find it much easier to find groups which I fit in to and understand and participate in fluently here, rather than a sign that my social instinct is relatively trivial to me. I'm not sure.

I remember growing up I never understood why people wanted to appeal to people in general with their clothing. It all seemed so pointless, like appealing to people in general was such a waste of time. I still am that way. But yeah if you didn't get the gist of that we aren't affected by society's expectations in general and don't value appealing to the masses.
I relate to this too, but it depends on which group or mass we're talking about. I do want to be accepted by people I might depend on for something, whether it's friendship, employment, help or just for not physically assaulting me for looking weird. That's probably the sp instinct in disguise. But I do also like feeling a part of a group for pleasure rather than plain security as long as I don't have to contrive fitting in, which I'm poor at anyway and is more trouble than its worth. I'll either find somewhere I fit in naturally, or I'll do without it.

Sexual last people have a really awkward time with intimacy. Sexual is all about one to one interactions; and one thing I've noticed in sexual last people is that they seem to present themselves the same way to everybody; all the time. They don't adjust for one to one interactions very much.
I adjust in the form of anxious self-censorship, as I explain above, but not differently for specific people and their personality. Just for the role I feel is safest, usually the 'non-threatening, rank-accepting, inoffensive person there's nothing more to see of so stop looking before she Fs up in front of you and you decide to sack her'. I'm guessing that's not quite what you're talking about. I'll also not say things that I think the other person will have no interest in, even when socialising casually, because there's no point. That's as far as one-to-one adjustment tends to go for me, that I'm aware of. I'm not sure though, I might change more than I think I do. It's not easy for me to see myself through others' eyes so I'm not sure. Are you talking about self-adjustments in response to the emotion or energy level of other people? Because I don't think I do them very much. The content of my speech changes but not the manner, really. I'm outwardly quite unresponsive to the states of other people, as I said before.

Also here are some descriptions of sp/so and sp/sx type 5's-

sp/so-



sp/sx-
I'd not seen that before. I'm leaning more towards the sp/so now, but I'll give myself longer to think about it because I tend to come to new conclusions too impulsively, as frequenters of this section may have noticed. :smile:
 

BlackCat

Shaman
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
7,038
MBTI Type
ESFP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Based on what you've written here, I'd say sp/so. That's what I got from you at first anyways (before you got into finding it for yourself). As a 5 it can be difficult to identify the social instinct because of the 5's naturally withdrawn nature. Glad I could help.
 
Top