# Is it possible to find an introvert with dominant SO variant?



## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Is it possible to find an introvert with a dominant social variant? I've found most introverts are dominant SP or Sx variants.


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## Promethea (Aug 24, 2009)

Yes, so first introverts absolutely exist. I know a 5 who is so/sp.


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Promethea said:


> Yes, so first introverts absolutely exist. I know a 5 who is so/sp.


This is rare though right? I mean, it's sort of like finding an extrovert without SO in either their dominant or second stacking? How can an introvert even be SO though?


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## Swordsman of Mana (Jan 7, 2011)

The Great One said:


> Is it possible to find an introvert with a dominant social variant? I've found most introverts are dominant SP or Sx variants.


there are tons

Isaac Asimov: INTP 5w6 So/Sp
Arnold Schwarzenegger: INTJ 3w2 So/Sp
Julia Roberts: INFP 6w5 So/Sx
Mother Teresa: I?FJ 2w1 So/Sx
Tina Fey: INTJ 6w7 So/Sp


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Swordsman of Mana said:


> there are tons
> 
> Isaac Asimov: INTP 5w6 So/Sp
> Arnold Schwarzenegger: INTJ 3w2 So/Sp
> ...


Thank you for this. However, Tina Fey is ENTP, not INTJ.


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## LibertyPrime (Dec 17, 2010)

Those are wild guesses...they are celebrities. I can't trust it, there isn't any concrete evidence there, unverifiable and invalid ...sry to be the party pooper. Its fun and all, but ^^ not an explanation.


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## Tyche (May 12, 2011)

The Great One said:


> This is rare though right? I mean, it's sort of like finding an extrovert without SO in either their dominant or second stacking? How can an introvert even be SO though?


It's probably not that rare. I'm an ENFJ sx/sp. it takes all kinds, you know? Just because it seems unlikely doesn't mean it's next to impossible. I had plenty of introverted friends who seemed to be so doms.


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Etherea said:


> It's probably not that rare. I'm an ENFJ sx/sp. it takes all kinds, you know? Just because it seems unlikely doesn't mean it's next to impossible. I had plenty of introverted friends who seemed to be so doms.


Yes, but how would this work? Would these introverted people with dominant SO variants have really good people skills, or would they greatly care a great deal of what people thought of them like extroverts tend to do? But at the same time, would they seem to be more drained by being around people? How would this work?


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## Swordsman of Mana (Jan 7, 2011)

The Great One said:


> Yes, but how would this work? Would these introverted people with dominant SO variants have really good people skills, or would they greatly care a great deal of what people thought of them like extroverts tend to do? But at the same time, would they seem to be more drained by being around people? How would this work?


Social Instinct is the drive to be part of something larger than yourself, belong to a group, contribute to society and few yourself as part of a whole. it is a misconception that So types are all sociable, gregarious and love small talk.


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## possiBri (Jan 4, 2011)

Anything is possible... especially in the realm of personality.


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Swordsman of Mana said:


> Social Instinct is the drive to be part of something larger than yourself, belong to a group, contribute to society and few yourself as part of a whole. it is a misconception that So types are all sociable, gregarious and love small talk.


Yes, but the extroverts with a lead in SO variant (like myself) almost always do.


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## Swordsman of Mana (Jan 7, 2011)

The Great One said:


> Yes, but the extroverts with a lead in SO variant (like myself) almost always do.


you're also an ENFP 3w2, both lend themselves to good social skills. if you were, say, an ENTJ 5w6 So/Sp, you might struggle a little more with this


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Swordsman of Mana said:


> you're also an ENFP 3w2, both lend themselves to good social skills. if you were, say, an ENTJ 5w6 So/Sp, you might struggle a little more with this


That may be wrong though. I know that I have 3 w 2 somewhere in my tri-type, but there's a good chance I may be a 6 w 7 so/sx core type.


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

@ *Swordsman of Mana*

Really, I believe myself to be a 6 w 7. For some reason, I get a real rush out of breaking social rules. In fact, few things give me more excitement and joy then saying something inappropriate and getting away with it. In fact, many times on this site, I literally have to go back and re-edit my posts or explain my reasoning for doing something because I later figure out that I subconsciously did something just to break the rules. In fact, I became friends with the mod *Promethea* a few posts up because she met me because of all the infractions that she used to be forced to serve me. I'm proud to say that I haven't been hit with an infraction in a year though. It's an internal struggle for me. It must be caused by anxiety though, because when I take a bendodiazapine tranquilizer, I don't really care at all about breaking social rules. I am just cool, calm, and relaxed. Unfortunately, I can't overdo it on the tranquilizers because the damn things easily stop taking as much effect if you take them too often. You will constantly have to raise the dose. This is why psychiatrists hate to prescribe them.


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## LibertyPrime (Dec 17, 2010)

<.< I thought I was so/sx because I fear rejection and what to be accepted for what I am...thou the thought of belonging to a group is not really my thing. Relying on myself and being autonomous/capable to handle what comes my way is more appealing...thou yet again I need social contact...without it I get depressed ^^;, however the bare minimum will do, few people here and there. Also life without a significant other...makes me uneasy.


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## Tyche (May 12, 2011)

Rim said:


> <.< I thought I was so/sx because I fear rejection and what to be accepted for what I am...thou the thought of belonging to a group is not really my thing. Relying on myself and being autonomous/capable to handle what comes my way is more appealing...thou yet again I need social contact...without it I get depressed ^^;, however the bare minimum will do, few people here and there. Also life without a significant other...makes me uneasy.


For me, the thought of life without a SO is unbearable. I don't know what I'd do without having one person in my life to share everything with. I love people, but I would go without a group of close friends so long as I had a deep, intimate connection with one person. I have survived without a support network of friends or a SO, and what bothered me most was not having that one person that truly loves me. Socializing with friends and people is important to my mental state, but not as important as having a SO. 

I also fear rejection and just want acceptance. Yeah, I'm a bit greedy in this regard. Even having what I want most in life by one person isn't quite enough for me. I crave deeper connections with others as well. I just want to be well liked.


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Rim said:


> <.< I thought I was so/sx because I fear rejection and what to be accepted for what I am...thou the thought of belonging to a group is not really my thing. Relying on myself and being autonomous/capable to handle what comes my way is more appealing...thou yet again I need social contact...without it I get depressed ^^;, however the bare minimum will do, few people here and there. Also life without a significant other...makes me uneasy.


I need the group. The group makes me feel very powerful. The more social praise that I receive the better. I've also noticed that even in school projects, I tend to do better with a group behind me. For instance, last semester I had to do a project that required me to argue whether Pluto was a planet or not. The class was split into two, and I had half of the class backing me as their team leader. I had more confidence in myself than I would have ever had by myself. This is bad though, because if I am in a large social setting and I find that the whole group hates me, than I will literally be like the most unconfident person ever. The group that I am around will literally change who I am as a person. 

It's like this: I used to work a job in a company as a solicitor. In that job the guy that ran it was an ESTJ 8 w 7 and the other dude was an ESTP 7 w 8. They used to get on me all the time, and I was so afraid of them that I literally lost all of my social confidence in myself whenever I was around them. When we would go to bars together, and we would approach women, I would literally be frozen with fear from their criticism. They actually thought that I was an introvert and told me that I had no people skills all the time. I literally acted like an unconfident Gomer Pile when I was around them.

Then, when I moved back to my hometown. I would then go out with new people from the college that I am attending. These people would make me feel extremely empowered because they would praise me and I wasn't threatened by them. When I was around them, I was confident, funny, and charismatic. My social skills were unbelievable when I was around them, and I would get women's numbers left and right.

The people I am around efffects me greatly.


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Etherea said:


> For me, the thought of life without a SO is unbearable. I don't know what I'd do without having one person in my life to share everything with. I love people, but I would go without a group of close friends so long as I had a deep, intimate connection with one person. I have survived without a support network of friends or a SO, and what bothered me most was not having that one person that truly loves me. Socializing with friends and people is important to my mental state, but not as important as having a SO.
> 
> I also fear rejection and just want acceptance. Yeah, I'm a bit greedy in this regard. Even having what I want most in life by one person isn't quite enough for me. I crave deeper connections with others as well. I just want to be well liked.


See I am different. I would rather have a bunch of people than just one special one. In fact, I hate just limiting myself to just one person. I feel as if it closes my options.


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## Tyche (May 12, 2011)

The Great One said:


> See I am different. I would rather have a bunch of people than just one special one. In fact, I hate just limiting myself to just one person. I feel as if it closes my options.


Hehe. Just another difference between the J and P preference 

Yes, it does close options. That's part of what I love about it. I have a whole lot of love to give and only like a few people close to me. It's too intense to shower onto most people, even spread through a handful of people. For me, I need one person who can accept and even wants me to shower them with most of the love I have to give. The rest can be distributed through my social circle, family and humanity in general. So long as my SO is happy with the level of attention I give him, then everyone else will be too.


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Etherea said:


> Hehe. Just another difference between the J and P preference
> 
> Yes, it does close options. That's part of what I love about it. I have a whole lot of love to give and only like a few people close to me. It's too intense to shower onto most people, even spread through a handful of people. For me, I need one person who can accept and even wants me to shower them with most of the love I have to give. The rest can be distributed through my social circle, family and humanity in general. So long as my SO is happy with the level of attention I give him, then everyone else will be too.


I want to give love to many people. I don't want to put all of my eggs in one basket. You are right though, this is a classic J vs. P preference. You should go see the new Sherlock Holmes movie. It has a wonderful J vs. P argument between Holmes and Watson. Watson is getting married and Watson views his marriage as: A new beginning, a start of a new life, and a wise decision. Holmes views it as: putting ones eggs in a single basket, a closing of options, and an unnecessary risk.


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## Tyche (May 12, 2011)

The Great One said:


> I want to give love to many people. I don't want to put all of my eggs in one basket. You are right though, this is a classic J vs. P preference. You should go see the new Sherlock Holmes movie. It has a wonderful J vs. P argument between Holmes and Watson. Watson is getting married and Watson views his marriage as: A new beginning, a start of a new life, and a wise decision. Holmes views it as: putting ones eggs in a single basket, a closing of options, and an unnecessary risk.


Yeah, I still have to see that. Love Watson, such an ENFJ


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Etherea said:


> Yeah, I still have to see that. Love Watson, such an ENFJ


N? He seems like an SJ to me.


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## Tyche (May 12, 2011)

The Great One said:


> N? He seems like an SJ to me.


That's very possible. I'll have to watch the movie and see  But on second thought, you're probably right.


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## kittychris07 (Jun 15, 2010)

I'm an So/sp type. I'm an ISFJ (Fe-user).


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

I don't see why it can't be possible.

Being SO doesn't mean you like to socialize a lot. It means you are aware of the communities you belong to, you like to associate with people of similar interests, etc. An introverted SO might do things for the community on their own. They might provide ideas or contribute financially to a cause. They might be friendly with people without being gregarious or overly talkative. As someone pointed out in another thread, they might enjoy watching sitcoms (though I'm not sure about this one).
*
Edit*: I thought of a random example: Baking cookies for your co-workers. Mmm, cookies!


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

Etherea said:


> That's very possible. I'll have to watch the movie and see  But on second thought, you're probably right.


He said that he enjoys family and structure in the second movie. He seems very ESTJ to me.


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## marzipan01 (Jun 6, 2010)

The Great One said:


> Is it possible to find an introvert with a dominant social variant? I've found most introverts are dominant SP or Sx variants.


Introverts definitely can be social variants. A motive can be introverted or extroverted while the processing system (how one interprets data on achieving one's motive) can be extroverted or introverted. In MBTI we're all given two dominant functions--one extroverted and one introverted--so then, for example, an ISFJ could be driven by their Fe with the type 2 with social variant motive.


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## Zero_Origin (Sep 29, 2010)

Spades said:


> I don't see why it can't be possible.
> 
> Being SO doesn't mean you like to socialize a lot. It means you are aware of the communities you belong to, you like to associate with people of similar interests, etc. An introverted SO might do things for the community on their own. They might provide ideas or contribute financially to a cause. They might be friendly with people without being gregarious or overly talkative. As someone pointed out in another thread, they might enjoy watching sitcoms (though I'm not sure about this one).


^ This (with the exception of enjoying sitcoms; I generally find them to be tacky ). Trust me, I'm about as introverted as they come, but also undoubtedly a SO dom. More specifically, being So/Sx I'm not very talkative in large group gatherings (though I'm a great public speaker when needed), but am totally comfortable with small groups and one on ones. It's actually possible for people to mistake me as an extrovert in such situations because I have a good grasp of interpersonal dynamics. People often say I have a quiet but powerful presence.

Even when in introspective mode (which is still the vast majority of the time), my thoughts and interests are often centered on moral/spiritual concerns on a societal - even global - level, where I would love to be able to make a difference. Reality being what it is, however, I'm limited to supporting my friends when able and helping out in the community from time to time.


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## Narrator (Oct 11, 2009)

There was an example on the enneagram boards ages ago about the SX instinct, some might be really into making love lots, some might be/become celibate, some might be excellent at making love, some might be more shaky, though the feelings are in the right place. Preference doesn't mean someone will be good, just that it's where their focus is; it can cause alot of anxiety.

SO firsters might be the outsider who obsesses about the norm, defines themself against it and focuses on being critical about it.


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## kittychris07 (Jun 15, 2010)

I thought Watson was considered ISFJ, at least in the books. I think a lot of typing-threads have called him that.


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## PlushWitch (Oct 28, 2010)

Afaik, my ISFJ husband is also an Sp/So (9w1).
It seems to be quite common for ISFJs to have the So variant at least second.


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## Narrator (Oct 11, 2009)

Yes, I think this sounds accurate about ISFJs , also if I'm right in saying sx is the more assertive Instinctual Variant, I think it would be something we're less likely to be dominant in, and given that sp ties in with out nature too, it is likely we will be sx lasters.
~Or atleast the more stereotypical image of ISFJs.


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

PlushWitch said:


> Afaik, my ISFJ husband is also an Sp/So (9w1).
> It seems to be quite common for ISFJs to have the So variant at least second.


SO second doesn't surprise me one bit. For example, my father is an ISFJ with a SX/SO variant.


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## GaudiyaVaisnavi (May 13, 2012)

My tritype is 954, the most withdrawn/introverted one of all, and I'm so/sx. When I take Myers-Briggs tests online (I'm an INFP) they always tell me that I have stronger preference / higher percentages in N and F than in introversion. One test even told me I was an extrovert, but I knew without a doubt that that was wrong. I'm not shy, I love people and when I'm in the mood to talk with them, I'm super warm, congenial, open, friendly, and honest with them. Even when I'm not in the mood to talk with them, I'm still very sweet and kind on the outside while inwardly gritting my teeth against the super-strong urge to get away and go back to doing what I really want to do, which is to get into a room by myself and read or write. For my whole life, reading and doing creative things by myself have been my favorite activities; I've always been perfectly honest with people that although I like them or love them, I still prefer being by myself above all. But what do I want to do with my writing and creativity? I want to produce something that will help people and contribute to saving the world. I love people, and would want to be with them if I didn't have so many thoughts and ideas churning in my head that I am literally TORTURED by not being able to get away and spend quiet hours exploring, considering, analyzing, developing and writing down. Most of what I think about, talk about and write is essentially centered around people / personalities / characters. I have such a strong drive / need to research and create (my 5 and 4 respectively) that I simply don't have enough time in the day to hang out with people in person, though I'd love to do that if only I could get my projects done first. But my projects are enormous and will take years to complete, and who knows what other projects will have cropped up by then. I'd like to become more socially active at some point (ASAP, but realistically I don't know when it will happen). I am extremely sensitive to the feelings and expectations of others, and my core 9 loathes disappointing them... I tend to have a lot of guilt over being so withdrawn because it's unusual and other people can't understand it and I feel like they can't respect what they don't understand / what's different from them, that they can't see the value in what I'm doing, and that they're wondering when I'm going to get it together and join in. At the same time, I KNOW that I'm doing what I need to do for myself, and that it's healthier to take care of my own needs than to live for others and get spread thin and burned out. So I pat myself on the back for that and try my best to be strong and confident about what I'm doing rather than constantly feeling guilty. And if anyone actually comes to me and asks me to get more involved in some social undertaking, I feel the obligation to agree but usually resist that like crazy, dig my heels in and find some excuse so that I can keep my time free for doing what I need to do at home by myself. I do get on Facebook occasionally and connect with friends there -- that's much easier for me to get into than face-to-face get-togethers. I do invite friends over once in awhile but it's always due to a feeling of obligation and concern for their feelings, i.e. not wanting them to feel unloved or neglected -- for my own sake I would never need to do this and would rarely be inclined. But on Facebook I send friend requests to almost everybody I know. My core 9 cares a lot about relationships, wants to be connected and in touch with everybody on Earth and wants to merge with the whole Universe in loving, caring, deep awareness. I would love to be deeply in touch with every soul in the whole world, know everything about what's going on in the lives of each and every human being and find ways to help them overcome their problems and find their way to ecstatic happiness. The problem is I'm not God, so I can't play that role... I'm too limited in my abilities. The number of my friends on Facebook is too big, I feel spread too thin already -- I can't keep up with the lives and doings, cares and concerns of them all (especially since I don't get on there every day). I begin to see that I HAVE to narrow it down to the few that I really care most about in order to take deeper and better care of those ones. I write a hell of a letter, and offer good, incisive/insightful advice (when it's asked for) due to all the deep thinking, analyzing and understanding people I spend my time doing... or so my friends say. 

I'm warm, energetic, loud-voiced and enthusiastic when I'm hanging out with others in person, and I have so much love for life that I actually thought I could have a 7 in my tritype. I never expected my tritype to be the most withdrawn one of all; there are certainly other introverts who are WAY more shy, inhibited and wallflower-ish than I am, so I assumed at first that my tritype COULDN'T be the maximum-introverted one. When I realized it was, though, then I realized it must be my so/sx that colored it more warm and vivacious than the tritype is stereotypically said to be. This explanation fits me SO much better than having a 7 (or any other extroverted type) in my tritype and relying on sp variant to explain why I'm so withdrawn. I've always been sp-deficient... I have wild and crazy ideas like going off into the woods and surviving on berries and herbs (not that I've ever done it, but the idea appeals to me a lot)... I have no fear of death whatsoever either for myself or for my loved ones. Both in the sense that I tend to think nothing bad will happen, and that even if it did, I don't envision myself being intensely disturbed about it. I MIGHT be disturbed when the time came -- but I don't ENVISION myself being disturbed, when I picture the possibility here and now. So the idea of sp variant to counterbalance an extroverted type in my tritype made zero sense to me. That sounds more like "I just want to enjoy myself and have a healthy body, and I don't care that much about others' needs, I'm just going to worry about taking care of my own." Whereas I'm like, "I don't care that much what happens to my body or anyone else's, I just need to know that EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD (including me) is spiritually and emotionally well and happy. And I need to jealously safeguard my time alone so that I can pursue my 5-ish 'disembodied mind' tendencies." 

Thanks for asking this question, I'm happy that I could answer it. Sorry for writing so much, I tend to be overly long-winded!


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## aconite (Mar 26, 2012)

GaudiyaVaisnavi said:


> I'm warm, energetic, loud-voiced and enthusiastic when I'm hanging out with others in person, and I have so much love for life that I actually thought I could have a 7 in my tritype. I never expected my tritype to be the most withdrawn one of all; there are certainly other introverts who are WAY more shy, inhibited and wallflower-ish than I am, so I assumed at first that my tritype COULDN'T be the maximum-introverted one. When I realized it was, though, then I realized it must be my so/sx that colored it more warm and vivacious than the tritype is stereotypically said to be. This explanation fits me SO much better than having a 7 (or any other extroverted type) in my tritype and relying on sp variant to explain why I'm so withdrawn. I've always been sp-deficient... I have wild and crazy ideas like going off into the woods and surviving on berries and herbs (not that I've ever done it, but the idea appeals to me a lot)... I have no fear of death whatsoever either for myself or for my loved ones. Both in the sense that I tend to think nothing bad will happen, and that even if it did, I don't envision myself being intensely disturbed about it. I MIGHT be disturbed when the time came -- but I don't ENVISION myself being disturbed, when I picture the possibility here and now. So the idea of sp variant to counterbalance an extroverted type in my tritype made zero sense to me. That sounds more like "I just want to enjoy myself and have a healthy body, and I don't care that much about others' needs, I'm just going to worry about taking care of my own." Whereas I'm like, "I don't care that much what happens to my body or anyone else's, I just need to know that EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD (including me) is spiritually and emotionally well and happy. And I need to jealously safeguard my time alone so that I can pursue my 5-ish 'disembodied mind' tendencies."


Are you completely sure your head fix isn't 7? I'm a core 7, but I value my time alone, I like researching and analysing things, gathering knowledge and wisdom. Seven is not an "extroverted type" in the MBTI sense, there are introverted 7s too. Since you're a 4-fixed Nine, having two withdrawn fixes (and a withdrawn core type) would make you plenty withdrawn regardless of your third fix.


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## TaylorS (Jan 24, 2010)

I'm an introvert and an social variant. Although I am an introvert I still oriented towards doing my part as something larger then myself. I have a collectivistic attitude.


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## MBTI Enthusiast (Jan 29, 2011)

I think the social variants come out differently in each type. I had no idea that my dad was an INTP Type 5 so dom until I read the individual description for it. 



> Social Fives focus their avarice and hoarding in the social realm, meaning that they socialize through their particular areas of expertise. Fives endeavor to master some skill or body of knowledge, and they relate to others primarily through that area of their mastery. As social types, Social Fives are more comfortable interacting with people, but their comfort is largely dependent on having a context for being in a social situation. They need a particular task or function that gives them the confidence to interact with people (for example, being the DJ at a party, or having a specific topic of discussion at a social event).They enjoy talking intensely with other people who share their (sometimes esoteric) interests—either in person or through the Internet. Social Fives feel that their expertise is what they can "bring to the table" since they make it their business to learn things that others may need. While generally quiet, Social Fives can become quite talkative if their area of knowledge becomes the topic of conversation—anything from computer expertise to trivia about movies or comic books is fair game. Less healthy Social Fives can become elitist, feeling others are too unintelligent to understand their thoughts or conversation. They can also be fiercely argumentative, losing social connections by reactively proving others' ideas inadequate.


As you can see from that paragraph alone, being a social instinct doesn't automatically mean talkative, gregarious, and social in the colloquial meaning of the word.


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## GaudiyaVaisnavi (May 13, 2012)

Aconite: Thanks for your question, and sorry it took me so long to have the chance to get back on here and answer. I appreciate your clarifying that Type 7 doesn't necessarily have to be extroverted. You're right, of course; being a core 7 you know more about it than I do from firsthand experience, but even I, newbie that I am, have noticed threads here on PerC where some people were talking about themselves as being introverted 7s. However, I also keep seeing people write stuff like "with sp first, he would be more introverted" and "so-first would increase her desire to hang out with others." Since Type 7 is famous as being the MOST extroverted type, it's difficult for me to be confident that a so-first Type 7 could still be introverted -- although, as you said, having 4 and 9 as the other fixes would certainly maximize the chances. What would you say? I'm interested in the answer to this question not only for my own sake, but also with regard to core 7s who have 4 and 9 in the tritype. I see in your sig that you're sx/sp. Are you an introvert, or does "valuing your time alone" not extend quite that far? Would you think it possible for a so-first 7 to be introverted??

Anyway -- to answer your question about my head fix: I'd say that it all depends on how the concept of tritype is defined. If it's a simple matter of seeing what's the primary style by which I regularly relate to the world in the realm of the head center during ordinary circumstances, then there is no question about it any longer. After taking the Enneacards sampler test and spending hours & hours reflecting in-depth on the way I've been throughout my life, it's now crystal-clear to me that I have WAY more 5 than 7 in my personality, and that the 7ishness in me only became more prominent than the 5ishness during a time of great stress. BUT, I've seen people say that one's tritype fixes are the strategies one goes to, one after the next, when one's core strategy and that of its wings & lines of connection have all been exhausted. And some people say that tritype fixes other than one's core type do not integrate or disintegrate. If those ideas are considered to be true, then the only explanation would be that I've got an enormous 5-wing on my 4-fix, and that 7 is my third fix that I go to when 4 & 5 have been exhausted. I don't subscribe to this idea because it doesn't do a good job AT ALL of explaining me and my behavior, whereas the concept of three types (9, 4 & 5) in my nature that are all present in me at the same time when I'm healthy and peaceful and that interact and change places with each other in a fluid way, complementing each other harmoniously and/or sometimes fighting one another for primacy, and taking turns receiving maximum expression in no particular order, describes me PERFECTLY and was a giant shock of recognition, exhilaration and enlightenment for me when I discovered it. 

The way I see it, I've got both 5 and 7 in my nature no matter which one is my head fix. There's a natural harmonic resonance between 9 and 7 due to the positive attitude they share, and if 5 is my fix, it has a line of connection to 7, so that's a double connection to 7 that would make it easy for me to feel conscious of having Type 7 in my nature. Conversely, if 7 is my fix, then it has a line of connection to 5, and my 4-fix could easily have a 5 wing, so that would be a double connection again. So perhaps it's somewhat of a moot point. But I hate leaving things undecided, and for me, it makes more sense to say that my fix is 5 than 7, because now I see that my connection with 7 is far looser/more tenuous and my connection with 5 is far more integral. As a kid I wasn't bubbly and open with strangers like I am now; I stayed on the sidelines and fixed them with a level, penetrating gaze, remaining silent, observing and serious. I was never high-energy, never outgoing or gregarious. I had no need for friends like my 6w7 younger brother did; I didn't mind playing with friends, often I enjoyed it, but I was cool and detached -- it wasn't of any great importance to me to have them. I didn't flit from one activity to the next in a restless way; I had lots of patience and was thoroughness and perfectionism personified, completing one task to the nth degree before moving on to the next. Only as a teenager did I start giving open, friendly vibes to people I knew less well. I was not a super energetic, enthusiastic originator or propagandist of big ideas as to what my friends and I could do together; I loved contributing my ideas to whatever project we were all working on together, but overall I was a passive cooperator with the group's ideas for what to do. Again, the issues that feel 7ish to me -- choosing to do something fun to distract myself from something else that's boring, difficult or painful, skipping feverishly from one thing to the next with a very short attention span, feeling like I can never be satiated/never have enough fun, etc. -- really only manifested after I got into my difficult marriage, and now that I'm out of it my Type 5 patience, diligence and left-brained abilities have come back for the most part. I'm still warmer and friendlier with people now than I was as a kid, but I attribute that to my 9-nature taking charge over that portion of my behavior. I attribute my passionate enthusiasm about things to my 4-component, now that I'm aware of it. If you're right about wings integrating, then my 1-wing would have integrated to 7 whenever I was particularly healthy and happy, so that could have added some 7ishness during good times. Plus, my core 9 integrates to 3, and I imagine that 3ish dynamism plus 9ish positivity would look fairly 7ish as well. The difference is that 4, 1 and 3 are all perfectionistic whereas I'm under the impression that 7 is not, and except when unhealthy, I've never given up my extreme perfectionism. I've always been SUCH a quality-over-quantity person that I would much rather not do something at all (even if I really really want to do it) unless I can do it absolutely right in every detail. I have the impression that 7s usually tend to be kind of quantity-over-quality in their achievements, and although I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule, I still think that my warm, friendly manner and occasional soaring, exuberant, excitable, dynamic, energetic moods are better explained in other ways than by assuming the presence of 7 in my tritype. If you wish to discuss it any further, though, that would be OK with me. 

Thank you again for clarifying the I/E Type 7 thing and asking me about my tritype. I'd love to hear how you experience your three fixes, too! Just because I experience mine as fluidly interchanging doesn't mean that's everyone's experience; what is yours? 

By the way, how do I tag people? Do they have to be my friends on here first?


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## BeauGarcon (May 11, 2011)

@_GaudiyaVaisnavi_: Why do you think you are an 9? Every post you made is remarquably self-referential, typical for fours. And you also explain very expansively (not something typical for nines to do). You don't seem like a nine at all.


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## aconite (Mar 26, 2012)

GaudiyaVaisnavi said:


> Aconite: Thanks for your question, and sorry it took me so long to have the chance to get back on here and answer. I appreciate your clarifying that Type 7 doesn't necessarily have to be extroverted. You're right, of course; being a core 7 you know more about it than I do from firsthand experience, but even I, newbie that I am, have noticed threads here on PerC where some people were talking about themselves as being introverted 7s. However, I also keep seeing people write stuff like "with sp first, he would be more introverted" and "so-first would increase her desire to hang out with others." Since Type 7 is famous as being the MOST extroverted type, it's difficult for me to be confident that a so-first Type 7 could still be introverted -- although, as you said, having 4 and 9 as the other fixes would certainly maximize the chances. What would you say? I'm interested in the answer to this question not only for my own sake, but also with regard to core 7s who have 4 and 9 in the tritype. I see in your sig that you're sx/sp. Are you an introvert, or does "valuing your time alone" not extend quite that far? Would you think it possible for a so-first 7 to be introverted??


Well, I didn't say you were a core 7, I thought you could be a 7-fixed 9. I am introverted, which creates quite an intriguing mix with my Enneatype - basically, I don't seek other people as a means of distraction, although I'm still fine with being in the centre of attention. 

I think it would be hard to find a So-first introverted 7, but not impossible. Nothing is impossible, right? 



GaudiyaVaisnavi said:


> Anyway -- to answer your question about my head fix: I'd say that it all depends on how the concept of tritype is defined. If it's a simple matter of seeing what's the primary style by which I regularly relate to the world in the realm of the head center during ordinary circumstances, then there is no question about it any longer. After taking the Enneacards sampler test and spending hours & hours reflecting in-depth on the way I've been throughout my life, it's now crystal-clear to me that I have WAY more 5 than 7 in my personality, and that the 7ishness in me only became more prominent than the 5ishness during a time of great stress. BUT, I've seen people say that one's tritype fixes are the strategies one goes to, one after the next, when one's core strategy and that of its wings & lines of connection have all been exhausted. And some people say that tritype fixes other than one's core type do not integrate or disintegrate. If those ideas are considered to be true, then the only explanation would be that I've got an enormous 5-wing on my 4-fix, and that 7 is my third fix that I go to when 4 & 5 have been exhausted. I don't subscribe to this idea because it doesn't do a good job AT ALL of explaining me and my behavior, whereas the concept of three types (9, 4 & 5) in my nature that are all present in me at the same time when I'm healthy and peaceful and that interact and change places with each other in a fluid way, complementing each other harmoniously and/or sometimes fighting one another for primacy, and taking turns receiving maximum expression in no particular order, describes me PERFECTLY and was a giant shock of recognition, exhilaration and enlightenment for me when I discovered it.


Thank you for a detailed answer. I didn't like the Enneacards sampler test - it was too shallow and obvious, in my opinion (not to mention that my result was different from my real type). In my opinion, our fixes have wings, but their influence is much weaker than those of our core. Maybe I'm not the best person to explain it, because I don't know my gut fix (and I'm not entirely sure of my wing). About the influence... well, my 4 fix makes me more negative, vain and self-centered than an average 7, I think - in my opinion, the effect of our fixes is present all the time (in a subtle way), and we tend to switch if we have to deal with emotions connected to each triad - I hardly ever feel shame, for example, but the way I experience it made me decide that my heart fix is 4.



GaudiyaVaisnavi said:


> I have the impression that 7s usually tend to be kind of quantity-over-quality in their achievements, and although I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule, I still think that my warm, friendly manner and occasional soaring, exuberant, excitable, dynamic, energetic moods are better explained in other ways than by assuming the presence of 7 in my tritype. If you wish to discuss it any further, though, that would be OK with me.


Well, most of these things are a result of your core type, I guess. By the way, are you 9w1 or 9w8?



GaudiyaVaisnavi said:


> By the way, how do I tag people? Do they have to be my friends on here first?


 @GaudiyaVaisnavi - if you'd like to mention someone, just type an @ before their username. Cool, isn't it?


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