[MENTION=13589]Mal+[/MENTION] sorry, I didn't know you were an expert. Were the articles you wrote peer-reviewed? Can you show them to me?
If you're the expert, then I'd like to ask you a question:
Is there a more objective way to assign enneagram (core) types to people rather than reading descriptions and making wild guesses? Is there anything concrete and objective about the enneagram and, if so, where should I start?
For instance, using MBTI, I don't need to read descriptions of ENFP to decide I'm one (that would never have helped me): I just need to read about cognitive processes, which are much clearer and objective.
With the enneagram, is there something similar? If I try to think about triads, then I would assign her core type automatically to the heart triad.
Yesterday I read this on a forum, let me know if it makes sense to you:
There are two variables, each with three values. 3 x 3 = 9, so that's the number of types right there.
The first variable is sort of the behavioral variable. This is the one that really decides how a person approaches challenges is life. to put it vaguely. The best single words I've found for these types so far is pursuing, avoiding, and anticipating.
So, pursuing types have targets that they very pro-actively pursue. It could be that they seek pleasure, or they aim to pre-emptively tackle problems, the actual target of their pursuits is determined by other variable. They are impatient, impetuous people. They also tend to over-estimate the benefit end of cost-benefit analyses, which is one of the things that make them aggressive. They expect to profit from adventures. These types are 3, 7, and 8.
So then we have avoidant types. They generally over-estimate the cost end of cost-benefit analyses. These people tend to spend more time on avoiding what they don't like than they do on seeking what they do like. When they can't avoid stress, they often fall into an almost fatalistic state of passivity. Throwing weight around is something these types seem to have particular distaste for. These types are 4, 5, and 9.
So, the anticipating types do not pursue nor avoid these highlights of life. They stand and deal with them whenever they come. They handle life like a tetris player. These people have a more balanced view of cost-benefit analysis, but perhaps too balanced sometimes. These people don't like making dramatic decisions the same way the other two can, which can make for missed opportunites. These types are 1, 2, and 6.
The second variable is one that regards emotional states and responses. They can be turbulent, supressive, or controling, for lack of better words.
The turbulent ones are the people that do not hinder their emotions at all. They let their moods tempestually flare with every feeling as it is set off. Their emotions run wild. They often seem to tilt toward being more negative than positive, but I think this is largely just because there are more negative emotions than positive ones, not because these types particularly want to dwell on negativity. These types are 4, 6, and 8.
The suppressive types try to keep their emotions from speaking up. They tend to believe that they can work best when they are not hearing thier emotions much or at all. By defualt they are well composed people. But when they fail to successfully supress their emotions, it often results in awkward displays. These types are 1, 3, and 5.
The controlling types are the ones that try to manipulate the flow of their own feelings to their advantage. These are the people that try to think positive. They make an effort to both display desirable emotions to others, and to also frequently reassure themselves of such good feelings. Most usually pick feelings like confidence, happiness, or love to project, but they may develop whatever feeling is appealing to them. They are also prone to suffering from denial, and usually take it very hard if their self-assurances can be completely disproven. These types are 2, 7, and 9.
So, to summarize the types:
Pursuing/Turbulent = 8. Avoiding/Turbulent = 4. Anticipating/Turbulent = 6. Pursuing/Suppressive = 3. Avoiding/Suppressive = 5. Anticipating/Suppressive = 1. Pursuing/Controlling = 7. Avoiding/Controlling = 9. Anticipating/Controlling = 2.
If I follow these variables, then she doesn't pursue not anticipate events, she just avoids them, and she is in touch with her emotions, so that makes her a 4.
PS: I've been thinking about what you meant when I mentioned using Te as a stress function and you replied I should use enneagram terms: "a 7 going to 1" (I liked that). OK, then for an ENFP that isn't a 7, like for instance a 4, would the equivalent of the MBTI stress function (Te) be a 2...? does it mean ENFPs type 4 do not lash out in the same way I do?
[MENTION=6561]OrangeAppled[/MENTION] what is it to be an Sp-dom then?