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Enneagram Subtypes
Social, one-to-one, and self-preservation variants
The Enneagram consists of three groups of three personality types based on head (5,6,7), heart (2,3,4) and gut instints (8,9,1). Each personality type also has three variants, or subtypes, which can look very different to each other. With nine personality types with three subtypes each, there are 27 different subtypes.
The three subtypes are social, self-preservation, and one-to-one. Individuals have each of the three variants within their personality type but one subtype is usually more dominant than the others. In addition, each of the nine types have two subtypes that go along with the main energy of the type and one subtype that counters the type — a countertype.
Social Subtype
Those with social subtypes want to be liked. They are often aware of how others perceive them and tend to focus on how others respond to them. My father is a social Three and he loves to be the center of attention. He also climbed his way up in the corporate world.
Self-Preservation Subtype
Those with self-preservation subtypes tend to seek comfort and often worry about conserving energy. They are concerned about meeting their own needs in terms of food, money, and being in good health. My husband is a self-preservation Nine and…
