[Traditional Enneagram] Forum Statistics - % of Enneagram Types

[cascadeco]

Cool graph.


Um, because the first 3 types (5, 4, 9) are all the "avoidant" types. If you look at the sorting of the types, it's pretty much sorted in order of how much each type typically wants to interact personally (not via computer) with other people.

Yeah, agree that the prevalence of 4's and 5's especially is more due to both being avoidant and reclusive; very much in-their-head, more prone to self-absorption, and therefore more prone to being on internet forums; particularly psychology forums, as both will tend to have more issues with socialization/interacting with others/building positive relationships than some of the other e-types. imo.

Although there are probably some who are mistyped, I'm not really of the opinion that the reason we have so many is because many are mistyped; I think most probably are typed accurately, and it's the nature of the types themselves that make them more prevalent in this sort of online community.

As far as the absence of 1's, 2's, 3's, 8's... they're actually more prone to being 'out there' and DOING things - interacting with people, making things happen, striving towards goals, out in the world in more of a tangible/real way. Less likely to waste time on a forum. (imo)

 

[Zarathustra]

Excuse me if any of what I write has already been covered: I didn't read the thread.

What would you speculate on these things:
- Why would we have so few Enneagram 9s, 6s, 1s, and 2s compared to the population at large?

We don't have an underrepresentation of 6s, but we do have an underrepresentation of 8s (along with the others you mention).

I'd say, pretty simply, that these types (9s, 8s, 1s, and 2s) are just less likely to join an internet forum to discuss typology.

- Why would we have so many Enneagram 5s and 4s compared to the population at large?

Which is why we have such a huge overrepresentation of 5s (cuz they will), and, interestingly, 4s (4 is obviously correlated with INFP and INFJ, and every poll ever taken on any site ever related to typology about their membership has shown that INs are far and away the most likely to visit/join sites about typology, for what I figure are pretty obvious reasons [they're frickin INs, what better things do they have to do than get off thinking about stuff]). Also, 4s and 5s share a similar quality of investigation, just with 4s it has more to do with introspection and feelings and subjectivity, whereas with 5s it has more to do with inspection and logic and objectivity.

- It looks like the previous dominance of 4s and 5s may be decreasing and percentage of 6s is increasing. Thoughts as to why?

Well, 5s and 4s are still far and away the most overrepresented, so I wouldn't go too far on that first point.

As for the representation of 6s increasing, three potential influences:

1. Greater understanding of 6s causing people to self-identify more as 6s.
2. Increased anxiety due to the precarious state of the world causing people to self-identify more as 6s.
3. Perhaps 6s have a higher retention rate than 5s and 4s, who, for some reason, are more likely to move on.

- Any other thoughts?

Can you get statistics on both MBTI and Enneagram type of members?

i.e., the % of each MBTI type that falls under enneagram 1, enneagram 2, enneagram 3, etc.?

Also, is this some special ability you have as an administrator, or can regular members pull the same data?

 

[Udog]

Most of my thoughts on 4-6 have already been stated by others, so not going to repeat those. (I agree that 6 is becoming better understood and accepted, which partly explains its rise recently.)

What would you speculate on these things:
- Why would we have so few Enneagram 9s, 6s, 1s, and 2s compared to the population at large?

Another aspect of 9 is that 9s frequently test as other E-types. 9s are the ones most likely to sacrifice their own identity, and can do a pretty good impersonation of other E-types as required to better mesh with their environment.

2s aren't particularly popular with some people. I know an ENFP that tested as 2 (and it fit very well), but HATED the description, and decided she liked 7 more. I've seen it with another ENFP as well. The types that are more prone to accept E2 tend to be scarce on the forum.

 

[EJCC]

Ah, yes, this would also explain the excess of 2s, 9s and 4s.

Yeah. I was surprised by that too.

hmm, idea. [MENTION=8936]highlander[/MENTION] could you show us the stats broken down into male/female too please... may help.

^ Seconded!

Without reading the thread... 5 and 4 are often NT/NF which would show up as an imbalance.

This seems right to me. I mean, INTP and INFP are the most common types on the forum, right? And enneagram 5 and 4 correlate with INTP and INFP? (Not even including the IxTJ Fives and INFJ Fours on the fourm.)

Honestly, the most surprising part of the graph, to me -- besides the large number of 9s/2s/4s -- is the huge increase in Sixes. What happened? Did a lot of people change type? They're over-represented now, not over-represented.

Also, the trend I notice in terms of the change in membership over time, is towards diversification of Enneagram types on the forum. Fewer of the majority types, more of the minority types. (But the types associated with SJs are still not terribly common, because, as we know, SJs generally aren't interested in internet forums in general.) I think this change is happening not because of an influx of new people of different types, but the disappearance of lots of NTs (and maybe NFs). Can't explain the departure of the NFs, but I'll bet, since this forum is asserting itself as having a very different persona from the NT-centered forums (INTPc, INTJf), the NTs may have left to join their brethren.

Another fact worth mentioning is the entrance of Personality Nation into the arena. They seem to draw the more scholarly types, and I'm sure loads of those scholarly types are Fives.

 

[WALMART]

A lot of people are likely mistyped,

-OR-

the types that do come at a higher statistical average (fives and fours) are more intellectually inclined to explore something such as typology, versus the layman that has no interest in such trife experience (IE complacent nines). Two's, I don't know, it seems unlikely many typing themselves would type as two -_- what a dumb Enneagram type.

-OR-

something entirely different.

 

[Viridian]

The 6 and 9 description bias could work pretty well. As unhealthy states go, "melancholy/depressed" and "immersed in their own bizarre thoughts" sounds kind of "better" than "neurotic/paranoid/cowardly" or "complacent/self-numbing/neglectful".

It's also worth noting that there are a lot of special snowflakes on the Internet and many of them may gravitate toward 4 and 5 descriptions.

It's kind of like people who think they MUST be INFJs because they're "special" and "broken" and the reason other people don't get along with them is because they're sooooo insightful and 100% right about everyone all the time, and you know, that freaks people out.

I see you've discovered Tumblr.

 

[highlander]

Not sure if anyone has pointed this out yet but there are far more females in the data on that link than males.

Will that not skew things?


EDIT: hmm, idea. [MENTION=8936]highlander[/MENTION] could you show us the stats broken down into male/female too please... may help.

That's a really good point. It could absolutely skew things. Both of the "broader population" studies have a higher percentage of females. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell who on the forum is a male or female so for comparative purposes, it makes it difficult.

 

[highlander]

Can you get statistics on both MBTI and Enneagram type of members?

i.e., the % of each MBTI type that falls under enneagram 1, enneagram 2, enneagram 3, etc.?

Also, is this some special ability you have as an administrator, or can regular members pull the same data?

Quickly responding on these questions - I have been using the admin interface to pull the data, but there is also this which is available to everyone:

http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/memberlist.php?do=search

I'm kind of busy till the weekend to run the analysis (tedious - takes a little bit of time to run the numbers, put it in a spreadsheet and produce the graphs) but it would be really interesting to look at what you suggest, which is basically the opposite of what I looked at for the individual types.

 

[EJCC]

I see you've discovered Tumblr.

Yes. Tumblr girls!

(I'll bet a lot of them are secret ISFJs.)

Quickly responding on these questions - I have been using the admin interface to pull the data, but there is also this which is available to everyone:

http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/memberlist.php?do=search

I'm kind of busy till the weekend to run the analysis (tedious - takes a little bit of time to run the numbers, put it in a spreadsheet and produce the graphs) but it would be really interesting to look at what you suggest, which is basically the opposite of what I looked at for the individual types.

Thanks for this, highlander!

 

[highlander]

Y
Also, the trend I notice in terms of the change in membership over time, is towards diversification of Enneagram types on the forum. Fewer of the majority types, more of the minority types. (But the types associated with SJs are still not terribly common, because, as we know, SJs generally aren't interested in internet forums in general.) I think this change is happening not because of an influx of new people of different types, but the disappearance of lots of NTs (and maybe NFs). Can't explain the departure of the NFs, but I'll bet, since this forum is asserting itself as having a very different persona from the NT-centered forums (INTPc, INTJf), the NTs may have left to join their brethren.

Another fact worth mentioning is the entrance of Personality Nation into the arena. They seem to draw the more scholarly types, and I'm sure loads of those scholarly types are Fives.

On the first bolded point - I also thought that was really interesting. It is a good thing.

On the departure of some NTs and NFs - as this thread shows - though the number of ENTPs and INFJs are up, there seems to be a slight trend towards more balancing of membership across MBTI types as well. I hadn't really noticed that. They might not at PersonalityNation because the activity on that forum seems to have slowed but could be somewhere else. There was a period over a year ago where we had significant downtime where we did lose some members. Thankfully since then, things have been pretty stable. The culture of the forum does impact the mix of members. There is one in particular I was on for a short bit that I got turned off of specifically due to what I felt was heavy handed moderation. My reaction come to think of it may have something to do with being an Enneagram 6! This forum has always attempted to cater to all types. If anyone has ideas as to how we can involve or attract more diversity, that would be a good discussion to have.

 

[Viridian]

Yes. Tumblr girls!

(I'll bet a lot of them are secret ISFJs.)

(Disclaimer: Yes, I do realize that Tumblr is home to a lot of communities that cater to disenfranchised and socially invisible members of society, aspiring artists and writers and reaction gif lovers. It's also seemingly swarming with CuriousFeeling clones cranked up to eleven, judgmental zealots, pretentious hipsters and people who think they should never have to speak with proles who don't enjoy talking about politics 24/7. And yaoi fangirls.)

/PC tangent

 

[Such Irony]

What would you speculate on these things:
- Why would we have so few Enneagram 9s, 6s, 1s, and 2s compared to the population at large?
- Why would we have so many Enneagram 5s and 4s compared to the population at large?
- It looks like the previous dominance of 4s and 5s may be decreasing and percentage of 6s is increasing. Thoughts as to why?
- Any other thoughts?

I think there are fewer 2's because they are out there helping others and less likely to be introspective and wondering about their enneatype.
I think there are fewer 1's because they are out there fixing injustices. Again less likely to be introspective and question their enneatype.
I think 6's and 9's frequently mistake themselves for another enneatype. Maybe it's the way the type descriptions are written. 6's and 9's descriptions seem too ordinary and commonplace and less 'interesting' than some of the other types like 4 and 5, which seem more unique. Not suprisingly 4 and 5 are the two enneatypes that a disproportinally high percentage of enneagram enthusiasts self-type as. Much like there's a disproportionate number of MBTI enthusiasts self-typing as INxx types.

I think as time passes many of the 4's and 5's realize they are 6's. I think compared to other types, there seems to be a greater outward diversity as to how 6 behavior can manifest. Think phobic vs. counterphobic. They can look like two completely different styles.

 

[Jeffster]

Call for comments from:

[MENTION=4358]Jeffster[/MENTION]

Okay, my comment is...

You left me out of your chart. You have ISFP 7 as 0%. *sniff*

You know, unless you're just counting me as not giving a damn, which would also be accurate.

 

[EJCC]

CuriousFeeling clones cranked up to eleven

Whoa. That was slightly more judgy than I was expecting. But discounting how you dissed her just then, I agree about the annoying Tumblr groups you were talking about. Honestly, just because you're a teenager and you feel like no one understands you, it doesn't mean you're an INFJ, or a 4 -- like [MENTION=7063]SilkRoad[/MENTION] was saying. (Was it SilkRoad?) For example, I fit that description in my early to mid teens, but that doesn't make me an NF or a 4 -- it makes me a 1 disintegrating to 4, and an ESTJ going into INFP shadow mode. (Also it makes me a TEENAGER.)

 

[Viridian]

Whoa. That was slightly more judgy than I was expecting.

Hence the "cranked up to eleven".

If I did diss her, I'll write a formal letter of apology. In Times New Roman and with proper paragraphs.

(Also, I'm mostly talking about how she writes in the "what are you feeling righ now?" thread specifically.)

 

[highlander]

Okay, my comment is...



You left me out of your chart. You have ISFP 7 as 0%. *sniff*

You know, unless you're just counting me as not giving a damn, which would also be accurate.

Alas, the reason is that your Enneagram type is listed as 7", which might be some other meaningful number to you but doesn't match with the two options I searched for which were 7w6 and 7w8.

 

[Craft]

I don't understand why you guys are any doubtful about the fact that JCF=Enneagram. JCF is just more specific.

 

[highlander]

I don't understand why you guys are any doubtful about the fact that JCF=Enneagram. JCF is just more specific.

Huh?

 

[Craft]

Huh?

For me, there is no point in separating/isolating them, which is what you have attempted to do. 5 is always Ti. 4 is always Ji but mainly Fi.

 

[SD45T-2]

(But the types associated with SJs are still not terribly common, because, as we know, SJs generally aren't interested in internet forums in general.)

I'm pretty sure this is a myth propagated by people on typology forums. Their logic generally seems to be: There aren't many SJs around here, therefore SJs must not like forums.