Understanding the 27 Subtypes: A Deeper Look into Your Enneagram Type

Beyond the nine fundamental Enneagram types lies a deeper layer of individuality: the Enneagram subtypes. Imagine your core type as the foundation of your personality, shaped by its core motivations and fears. Each subtype, arising from the variation in how people prioritize and express their basic survival instincts, further differentiates individuals within each Enneagram type. There are 27 distinct subtypes, and here are deeper insights into them.

What Are Enneagram Subtypes?

To delve deeper, each instinct has a characterized priority and distinguishing traits, as listed below:

• Self-preservation (SP): The Self-Preservation instinct focuses on personal safety, security, comfort, and well-being, influencing individuals to prioritize health, shelter, food, financial stability, and family relationships. They tend to put lots of effort into creating a sense of safety and stability in their environment and may be cautious or conservative in their approach to life.
• Social (SO): The Social instinct drives a person towards relationships, community, belonging, and recognition. Those with a dominant social instinct tend to place a strong emphasis on social connections and bringing value to their community. They enjoy working with other people towards shared goals and want to feel connected.
• One-to-one (SX): The One-to-One (Sexual or Intimate) instinct emphasizes the intensity of life’s experiences, intimacy, and connection. Individuals with this instinct (as the dominant instinct) also value passion and excitement.

While all three basic instincts are in one’s personality, one tends to be more dominant. That helps explain much of the variation and difference among individuals of the same Enneagram type.

The 27 Enneagram Subtypes

The three instincts exist within our personality structure, as per Claudio Naranjo’s model. That means each Enneagram type has three subtypes, resulting in the existence of 27 subtypes of Enneagram. Here’s a quick look at each of them:

The Type 1 Subtypes

Enneagram Type 1, the Perfectionist, is distinguished by a principled pursuit of perfection and order. This type's subtypes add layers of complexity to the way the Perfectionist interacts with the world.

• Self-Preservation One: The SP 1s tend to be more anxious and worried than other Ones, focusing on personal security and stability. They worry about their material well-being, in terms of health and finances, and may become obsessed with details to ensure everything is done correctly, reflecting their deep-seated fear of being at fault.
• Social One: The SO 1s are deeply concerned with justice and fairness on a larger scale, striving to uphold moral standards within their community and society. These Ones are often interested in journalism, politics, and current affairs, excelling at speaking out against injustices and exposing wrongdoing.
• One-on-One One: The SX 1s, often seen as the countertype, direct their perfectionism towards close relationships. They want a perfect relationship with an idealized partner. These Ones possess great expectations of their close friends, family, and partner and want the other person to have the same standards.

The Type 2 Subtypes

Enneagram Type 2, the Helper, is characterized by a desire to be loved and to be helpful and supportive to others.

• Self-Preservation Two: The SP 2s, often seen as the counter-type, tend to repress their SP instincts while focusing on fulfilling the needs of others. However, subconsciously, these Twos expect other people to take care of their SP needs but can rarely ask for help directly.
• Social Two: Energized by Social instinct, the SO 2s are charismatic charmers, adept at building connections and fostering a sense of belonging within groups. They aspire to be influential and desire to be approved and liked by others in their social sphere.
• One-on-One Two: SX 2s crave deep, emotional bonds and invest heavily in cultivating exclusive, meaningful relationships. They tend to seek approval by being attractive and generous, focusing more on their personal appeal as well as promises of helping others in order to be liked.

The Type 3 Subtypes

Enneagram Type 3, the Achiever, is often defined by their pursuit of success, accomplishment, and recognition.

• Self-Preservation Three: The SP 3s are the counter-type, often appearing more reserved than other Threes. They seek stability and material security for themselves and those around them through hard work and achievements, gaining recognition through consistent effort rather than overt self-promotion. SP 3s are real workaholics.
• Social Three: The SO 3s are deeply concerned with their image and recognition within their community and social circles, often striving to be seen as successful and influential. They work hard to look competent and flawless in other people's eyes.
• One-on-One Three: The SX 3s focus on personal magnetism, charm, and supporting others. They tend to put lots of effort into creating appealing images as well as supporting and pleasing those around them, such as family, significant others, and co-workers.

The Type 4 Subtypes

Enneagram Type 4, the Individualist, is motivated by an unwavering desire for authenticity, uniqueness, and being meaningful based on their inner experience. They don’t want themselves to seem ordinary.

• Self-Preservation Four: The SP 4s, known as the counter-type, display stoic resilience, enduring pain and suffering in silence. These Fours internalize their pain; though they may feel anxious and sad inside, they maintain a stoic exterior and exhibit a remarkable ability to face frustration.
• Social Four: Guided by Social instinct, the SO 4s are considered the most socially active kind of Fours; they long to be part of the social world and to be involved with other people. These Fours focus on their inner emotions, tend to be more outward in expressing their suffering, and often feel shame when comparing themselves to others. They seek to be among the elite but really doubt that they are up to it.
• One-on-One Four: This variant is more competitive, intense, and assertive than the other two variants. Envy is also clearly visible in the SX 4s. They can readily express their vulnerabilities and yearn for someone to truly understand their inner world. However, their focus on finding the "perfect" connection can make them overly critical of potential partners, leading to a sense of constant longing and a struggle to find true intimacy.

The Type 5 Subtypes

Enneagram Type 5s, the Investigators, have a deep desire to seek knowledge and competence and to understand the world.

• Self-Preservation Five: The SP 5s focus on gaining independence and maintaining good boundaries with other people. They find comfort in a self-sufficient lifestyle, minimizing needs to avoid reliance on others. They engage with the world from a safe distance, often appearing as detached observers.
• Social Five: The SO 5s enjoy becoming acknowledged experts in the fields of their interest. This subtype likes gaining knowledge and engaging with individuals sharing similar intellectual interests and passions. They excel in academic or research settings, often prioritizing the pursuit of knowledge and loving to talk about complex theories and weighty topics.
• One-on-One Five: The SX 5s, the counter-type, tend to be more talkative and affable than the SO and SP 5s. They have a stronger need to connect with others; however, their desire for intense connection clashes with Fives’ typical detachment and avoidance characteristics. These Fives are also more emotionally sensitive, though they may not display it outwardly.

The Type 6 Subtypes

Type 6 personality, the Loyalist, is defined by a core motivation of seeking safety, security, and support. They avoid risk and uncertainty and are often seen as real worst-case-scenario thinkers.

• Self-Preservation Six: The SP 6s tend to be more actively fearful than other Sixes. They are also domestic and highly concerned with their home life’s stability, taking care of the household’s security needs (taxes, bills, etc.). Plus, these Sixes seek safety through alliances and are often friendly, warm, and supportive, using these traits as a means to disarm fear. 
• Social Six: The SO 6s find a sense of safety and assurance by adhering to clear guidelines or structures. These Sixes tend to be rational, logical, and highly concerned with benchmarks and reference points.
• One-on-One Six: The SX 6s, or the counter-type, confront their underlying fear and strive to feel safe by developing physical strength, power, or/and physical attractiveness to others. These Sixes tend to adopt a more aggressive stance against perceived threats.

The Type 7 Subtypes

Type 7s, the Enthusiasts, desire to find fulfillment and seek fresh, thrilling experiences, approaching life with curiosity, optimism, and a great sense of adventure.

• Self-Preservation Seven: The SP 7s are energetic, determined, and very practical individuals, adept at making sure that basic needs and comforts of their own will always be satisfied. These Seven also tend to be ambitious, work hard, and know how to make things happen.
• Social Seven: The SO 7s are identified as the counter-type of Type 7, characterized by their sense of duty and the willingness to sacrifice their immediate desires for the group in pursuit of an ideal or mission.    
• One-on-One Seven: The SX 7s are idealistic dreamers lured by the allure of new and exciting possibilities. They view life with a heightened sense of imagination, idealizing themselves, their relationships, and the world around them. These Sevens are also incredibly enthusiastic and optimistic, often having a wide range of interests and boundless curiosity. 

The Type 8 Subtypes

Enneagram Type 8s, the Challenger, are characterized by their assertiveness, strength, desire to maintain control, and fear of being controlled.

• Self-Preservation Eight: The SP 8s focus intently on self-reliance and practical matters. They are pragmatic and deeply concerned about getting what they need to survive, ensuring they have the resources needed for the well-being of themselves and their loved ones. This subtype may also appear more materialistic as they accumulate possessions to create a sense of security.
• Social Eight: The SO 8s, the counter-type, seek solidarity through social bonds. Hornor and trust are still significant concerns for Social Eights, but they can become fiercely protective of those they care about and find trustworthy. This subtype is also less aggressive than the other two Eight subtypes and very aware of injustice.
• One-on-One Eight: The SX 8s are intense and passionate. They tend to have a strong rebellious nature and desire to be central in their relationships, often leading to possessiveness or a struggle with surrendering control.

The Type 9 Subtypes

Enneagram Type 9, the Peacemaker, has a genuine drive to keep peace and harmony and maintain their inner stability. They always want everything around them to be without conflicts and confrontations.

• Self-Preservation Nine: The SP 9s tend to exhibit more of the stereotypical Nine's traits. They focus on seeking comfort and peace through familiar routines and meeting their physical needs for satisfaction. This subtype may lose themselves in activities that can help them feel comfortable and grounded, whether it’s about reading, sleeping, eating, or else.
• Social Nine: The SO 9s, the countertype, immerse themselves in group activities, prioritizing the needs of the community above their own. They are sociable, fun-loving, and interested in bringing others together and making peace, often putting in significant effort to contribute to the group or community.
• One-on-One Nine: The SX 9s tend to merge with the attitudes, opinions, and passions of their important others. This relationship-oriented Nine may lose sight of their needs and desires, seeking a complete partnership.

Note: There’s a “Countertype” subtype for each of the 09 core types. It’s the subtype that does not look like the two other variants and tends to go against the passion or emotional pattern of the primary type.

Why Do Enneagram Subtypes Matter?

Enneagram Subtypes offering insights for personal growth and balanced relationships:

• Subtype patterns influence how individuals engage with the world around them and navigate relationships.
• Valuable insights into Enneagram subtypes provide a deeper understanding of the complexities within the nine basic types, revealing how basic instinctual drives—Self-Preservation, Social, and Sexual (One-to-One)—interact with each type’s core motivation.
• Subtypes explain why people of the same Enneagram type can behave differently, as every subtype responds uniquely to the world based on its instinctual focus. 
• Exploring subtypes can lead to greater self-awareness, empathy, personal growth, and more balanced relationships.
• Plus, understanding Enneagram subtypes can aid in identifying potential blind spots and areas for development, making them essential for more comprehensive self-improvement.

However, it’s worth noting that while Enneagram subtypes offer valuable insights, they can also be confusing and may cause individuals to feel boxed into a particular way of being.

Also, the subtype descriptions might not fully capture the dynamic nature of personality, and the "countertype" within each subtype can contradict the main type's characteristics, leading to misinterpretation. 

So, approach subtypes as a starting point for self-discovery rather than definitive answers. Additionally, you can also seek guidance from Enneagram professionals or reputable resources to gain a clear understanding of how subtypes interact with your core type.

How to Find Your Enneagram Subtypes

Reflecting on your behaviors, desires, and reactions in various situations can provide valuable clues to your dominant instinct. Also, notice not only the instinct that feels most dominant but also the neutral and underdeveloped ones in you.

While self-assessment can provide clues, consulting with Enneagram professionals or taking reliable subtype tests can offer further clarity. Additionally, seeking feedback from trusted friends or family members can offer valuable external perspectives on your instinctual patterns.

Conclusion

Enneagram subtypes help deepen our self-awareness by revealing how instinctual drives shape our core personality traits. They offer rich, valuable insights, allowing us to understand unique ways individuals respond to their environment and relationships. By using subtypes as a starting point for deeper exploration and understanding, we can foster empathy, enhance communication, and promote personal growth. But please note that these subtypes are not rigid boxes, and it’s essential to approach them with an open mind.

On our website, you can read more useful articles, one of which is What Do Levels of Development Mean? How They Work In The Enneagram System.