Enneagram of Personality

The Enneagram of Personality is a model that sorts people into nine interconnected types, each defined by a characteristic core motivation and core fear. It was popularised in the 1970s by Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo, who drew on earlier esoteric and psychological ideas. Our free course walks through all nine types, their wings and core fears, and how to find your own — closing with an honest look at what a personality test can and cannot tell you, since the Enneagram is a tool for reflection rather than a validated scientific test.

Widely used in coaching and spiritual contexts, but it is not empirically validated as a scientific instrument and lacks robust support for its reliability and validity. (Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo, 1970s (drawing on earlier traditions))

Groups

• Type 1 — The Reformer — Motivated by a desire to be good, principled, and correct, while fearing being corrupt, defective, or wrong.
• Type 2 — The Helper — Motivated by a desire to feel loved and needed, while fearing being unwanted or unworthy of love.
• Type 3 — The Achiever — Motivated by a desire to feel valuable and admired through success, while fearing being worthless or seen as a failure.
• Type 4 — The Individualist — Motivated by a desire to find a unique identity and significance, while fearing having no personal meaning or being without identity.
• Type 5 — The Investigator — Motivated by a desire to be capable and competent through knowledge, while fearing being helpless, useless, or overwhelmed.
• Type 6 — The Loyalist — Motivated by a desire for security and support, while fearing being without guidance, unsupported, or unable to survive on their own.
• Type 7 — The Enthusiast — Motivated by a desire to be satisfied and free through new experiences, while fearing being deprived, trapped, or in pain.
• Type 8 — The Challenger — Motivated by a desire to protect themselves and stay in control, while fearing being harmed, controlled, or made vulnerable by others.
• Type 9 — The Peacemaker — Motivated by a desire for inner and outer peace and harmony, while fearing loss, separation, and conflict.

References

• Naranjo, C. (1994). Character and Neurosis: An Integrative View. Gateways/IDHHB Publishing
• Newgent, R. A., Parr, P. H., Newman, I., & Wiggins, K. K. (2004). The Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator: Estimates of Reliability and Validity. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 36(4), 226-237
• Hook, J. N., Hall, T. W., Davis, D. E., Van Tongeren, D. R., & Conner, M. (2021). The Enneagram: A systematic review of the literature and directions for future research. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 77(4), 865-883

Related topics

• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
• Jungian cognitive functions
• Socionics (Information Metabolism Types)
• Enneagram instinctual subtype
• DISC assessment
• The 12 Archetypes (Jungian)
• Process Communication Model (PCM)
• Attitudinal Psyche type

All topics on ArtaQuest