Thoughts on Enneagram Variants

[lbloom]

Here's a variant test on similarminds:

Variant Test

It sort of time-averages my preferences, so I don't get the resolution between sp and sx that should be there.

 

[Magic Poriferan]

Athenian, true intimacy feels good. I can understand if you've never met a person that evoked your desire to be intimate, but to never want it.... that's pretty out there.

Perhaps, but I tend to respect the sometimes alien desires of other types.

Here's a variant test on similarminds:

Variant Test

It sort of time-averages my preferences, so I don't get the resolution between sp and sx that should be there.

Variant tests are hard to find.
That's the one I generally give to people.

 

[cascadeco]

And yet, I feel that I'm a nearly even mix of SX and SP.

In the longer enneagram test that I've taken, I always end up sp/so/sx, which really doesn't make sense to me given the descriptions of the three. I certainly wouldn't rank sx last for me, as a lot of what people are saying about sx in this thread resonates with me (I also agree it should be renamed!!).

So I just took the Variant test, which I'd never done before, and got this -

Sexual |||||||||||||||||||||||| 74%
Social |||||||||||| 38%
Self Preservation ||||||||||||||||||||| 62%

It could just be my mood today, who knows. But I think it's reasonable to say my sx/sp are a pretty even mix, like you. It could also explain why I might leap into things emotionally with others, because I really WANT a deep connection, but then might get scared and for self-preservation sake could then pull back a little.

(From reading enneagram descriptions, I relate most to type 4. However, I think there's a good dose of 1 in me too.)

 

[Athenian200]

Out of curiosity, athenian, do you know your SLOAN / big five type?

rLoe|I|

Primarily Inquisitive, followed by limbic traits. Also reserved, organized, and egocentric.

Athenian, true intimacy feels good. I can understand if you've never met a person that evoked your desire to be intimate, but to never want it.... that's pretty out there.

That's not what I mean. I just don't want that kind of total Intimacy where you don't have any barriers at all, that would freak me out. I would probably want to invest a certain amount, but not pin all my hopes on something or someone. It seems a little presumptuous to say that your way is the right one. Does that make sense?

 

[disregard]

Ah... yeah. That whole "two become one" concept makes me do that blue little smiley thing too.

 

[redacted]

i just had this thought and i've put almost no analysis into it...but does anyone think SP first types correlate with Fi types? seems as if the two are quite similar.

also, wouldn't it be cool to add the variants to MBTI? i think that'd be a quite useful variable.

edit, just to be a part of this:
Sexual |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 86%
Social ||||||||||||||| 50%
Self Preservation |||||||||||||||||| 58%

i have an insanely strong intimate drive...

 

[redacted]

That's not what I mean. I just don't want that kind of total Intimacy where you don't have any barriers at all, that would freak me out. I would probably want to invest a certain amount, but not pin all my hopes on something or someone. It seems a little presumptuous to say that your way is the right one. Does that make sense?

heh, you remind me a lot of my best guy friend. he's an INFJ with an SP/SO stacking. he seems to have absolutely no interest in a relationship, at all. it's the biggest mystery ever to me!

in fact, reading some of the things you've said has given me insight into how he ticks...

and of course, no way is better than any other (however cliche that sounds).

P.S. are you 1w9 on the enneagram?

 

[Magic Poriferan]

i just had this thought and i've put almost no analysis into it...but does anyone think SP first types correlate with Fi types? seems as if the two are quite similar.

also, wouldn't it be cool to add the variants to MBTI? i think that'd be a quite useful variable.

edit, just to be a part of this:
Sexual |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 86%
Social ||||||||||||||| 50%
Self Preservation |||||||||||||||||| 58%

i have an insanely strong intimate drive...

There doesn't seem to be much of any correlation between MB type and instinctual stackings. I think this is because the two systems are different in almost every way. The address two different things, have different structures, and have different numbers of types, of which one is even and the other is odd.

 

[redacted]

There doesn't seem to be much of any correlation between MB type and instinctual stackings. I think this is because the two systems are different in almost every way. The address two different things, have different structures, and have different numbers of types, of which one is even and the other is odd.

but i was just thinking that Fi is a function about keeping in touch with your OWN feelings and desires, which seems somewhat similar to (at least loosely correlated to) the SP variant.

although Fi can desire intimacy, too...hmmm. well i'll stick by my claim that there has to be SOME correlation.

also, i don't think it matters that there are 3 possibilities with stackings. like, i'm an INFJ IPS, whereas athenian is an INFJ PSI. wouldn't that be a useful addition to MBTI?

 

[Magic Poriferan]

but i was just thinking that Fi is a function about keeping in touch with your OWN feelings and desires, which seems somewhat similar to (at least loosely correlated to) the SP variant.

although Fi can desire intimacy, too...hmmm. well i'll stick by my claim that there has to be SOME correlation.

also, i don't think it matters that there are 3 possibilities with stackings. like, i'm an INFJ IPS, whereas athenian is an INFJ PSI. wouldn't that be a useful addition to MBTI?

It would certainly be a useful addition to the MBTI. I was just saying that I don't believe there is a type correlation.

 

[redacted]

It would certainly be a useful addition to the MBTI. I was just saying that I don't believe there is a type correlation.

i guess i'm not trying to say IxFPs are more likely to be self pres. what i'm saying is that the function Fi itself is probably more developed in those who are self pres first. like my INTJ friend, for example, has very strong Fi, and she's self pres first. even my INFJ friend has a very well developed Fi, and he's self pres first. (these are all my opinions of their functions, i must admit.)

 

[prplchknz]

Sexual |||||||||||||||||| 58%
Social ||||||||||||||| 42%
Self Preservation |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 82%

 

[Magic Poriferan]

Sexual |||||||||||||||||| 58%
Social ||||||||||||||| 42%
Self Preservation |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 82%

Your mood really changes you score.


This is beginning to look very much like my instincts thread.

 

[prplchknz]

hmm well when I took this one i was half asleep.

 

[Ezra]

Urchin, do you have Riso & Hudson's The Wisdom of the Enneagram? If not, I advise you to get it. That page I directed you to is good (and is probably the only free site on the variants, except maybe this one), but the definitions of the variants of each type are far more definitive and clear cut in R&H's book. The only thing they don't do which the Ocean Moonshine Enneagram site does do is account for the differences in each variant e.g. sx/so and sx/sp are different. R&H don't go into that level of detail.

 

[Ezra]

Here's a variant test on similarminds:

Variant Test

It sort of time-averages my preferences, so I don't get the resolution between sp and sx that should be there.

FTR, that one is not that good. It uses definitions such as if you're sociable you're an so-first. This one is a bit better, although if you want to know if you're an so- or sx-second (just for example if you're an sp-first), then delve into the Ocean Moonshine link.

Your mood really changes you score.

I agree.

 

[lbloom]

FTR, that one is not that good. It uses definitions such as if you're sociable you're an so-first. This one is a bit better, although if you want to know if you're an so- or sx-second (just for example if you're an sp-first), then delve into the Ocean Moonshine link.

I agree. I've done this one before, and it works well.

Type 5 SX
Type 7 SP
Type 9 SX

 

["?"]

Here's a variant test on similarminds:

Variant Test

It sort of time-averages my preferences, so I don't get the resolution between sp and sx that should be there.

Thanks for the reference link Ibloom. I know that I have taken variant test before, but I don't recall this one. The questions were actually well written. The results confirmed where I had been leaning for some time as so/sp:

Sexual |||||||||||||||||| 54%
Social |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 82%
Self Preservation |||||||||||||||||||||||| 74%

I am pretty sure of my E-TYPE, and the description below seems to fit me well:

Social/Self-pres

Social Nines feel the need for validation and for "fitting in" but they feel these indirectly. They move towards others in a way which can resemble Twos, but they are motivated by a desire to initiate and maintain contact without provoking conflict. On the high side, the social/self-pres Nine generally knows a lot of people and gets along with most everyone. They are helpful people who generally have a great sense of humor. They get involved with the social environment. They might be the soccer coach, or if politically inclined, they might join and participate in a political party. When in leadership roles, they lead by consensus and charm. Their skill is in conflict management. With the sexual instinct last, they tend to avoid intensity, but they are actively involved with people.

Intimate relationships might be frustrating for the partner of this subtype of Nine because the Nine's social engagements might make the partner feel as though the Nine is connected with everyone except them. Sometimes this subtype can use their social connections in a passive-aggressive way against the partner; they might withhold attention from the partner in lieu of spending time with friends.