Subtype Information
Random differentiating statements about the subtypes out of John Lucovich’s book; buy it for the in-depth profiles. It’s worth it, he writes extensively about each of them, their ego structure, healthy and unhealthy habits, and then has in-depth profiles for how this “looks” within each individual type, plus growth instructions.
Self-Preservation Dominants:
Seek experiences and circumstances that support a full, robust life. Are interested in maintaining independence and making sure they are dependent on no one else, and are keen to help others become self-sufficient. Tend to focus on the body and its direct feedback, out of a desire to maintain it properly. When healthy, skilled in balancing activity and relaxation. Gives themselves permission to be as they are—to relax when they are tired, to eat when they are hungry, or to treat themselves to something restorative. If imbalanced, they become a workaholic or over-focus on comfort.
Self-Preservation Types gravitate toward what sustains and substantiates their experiences and cultivates their values. They often express their love and affection through offering care for physical needs and lending assistance in practical endeavors. Their pragmatic outlook brings an intuitive understanding of how to be supportive at each step in a process, though they may not appreciate being continually “on call” for others. They find a deep satisfaction in being useful. They may spend a disproportionate amount of time looking for a “sure thing,” financially or otherwise. They prioritize comfort, but with an industrious streak.
Good at lending practical assistance in a crisis. Grounded, salt of the earth, realistic people. Finds it easier to achieve balance when they are responsible for someone else (or a pet). They acquire practical skills, and stick with things long enough to become proficient in them. May over-save or be frugal, or be wasteful and extravagant out of a desire to live “their best life.”
Give considerable care and personalization to their living space (I want to arrange it how it best suits me; organization, de-cluttering, aesthetics). Sensitive to their levels of comfort, sensory stimulation, and the emotional associations of food; may comfort-eat. Can go to an extreme in either direction; hoarding or living as a minimalist.
They value consistency and stability, but also may be dare-devils and risk-takers, who don’t want to miss out on life’s experiences. They approach intense experiences with preparation and focus. A strong capacity for staying focused and directing their energies in a specific direction. They have persistent, enduring energy useful for long-term projects, but when young, may not know where to direct it and wind up locked into a life path that doesn’t fulfill them. Some excessively prepare, save, and remain in stasis without moving forward.
They may resist developing their sexual or social function, because it seems too destabilizing and threatening to their sense of self.
Sexual Dominants:
Are identified with the need to elicit the sexual choice of potential mates. They arrange their identity around ensuring they can win out over sexual competition. They focus on distinguishing themselves from others with a personal “flavor” intended to attract some and repulse others. Being “edgy” works as a filter to only draw people to them that are exciting.
Sexuality, sexual identity, virility, and vitality are at the forefront of their focus. Being desirable is more important to them than how often they have sex or how many partners they’ve had. They care more about whether someone may choose them than whether that attraction will lead to a sexual act.
They focus on what “turns them on”; pursuing attraction is the guiding influence of their life. They may find themselves in a series of infatuations just to unconsciously keep themselves in a state of desire. Their energy galvanizes when interested and contracts when uninterested; abruptly shifting from intense urgency, activation, and focus, or preoccupation on a certain individual or activity, to hastily veering away their attention or cooling off.
They become locked onto a person, but unlike Socials, they want to create interpersonal tension rather than ease, to keep it exciting. Tension invites repulsion or attraction. When magnetized by something or someone, Sexuals drop everything else to pursue it, often making quick and drastic changes in the process of their pursuit of the object. They are willing to abandon their current course and follow a new path to the object of their desire, going much further than other have the fire to go. They trust the pull of attraction without knowing how things will work out, and follow the flow of energy at all costs; they are willing to abandon stability or push past obstacles.
When healthy, these pursuits can become genuinely creative. When unhealthy, a Sexual type can become slavishly devoted to something or someone they are attracted to, no matter how toxic the dynamic might be. They can be serial monogamists, abruptly ending one relationship and impulsively starting new ones. They are always trying to find the “edges” in themselves and push things into intense territory, through provocation. When a relationship stagnates, their tendency is to cause friction in it so it has more intensity.
Social Dominants:
Are attuned to the emotional atmosphere, attention, and agendas of other people, and possess a strong desire to be involved in the lives of others in some meaningful way. They want to leave an impact, large or small, and develop the talents necessary to do this, by looking for a niche to fill (whether that is to be the family comedian or to assume the role of a caregiver). Many of their gifts and talents directly stem from how they grow and cultivate relationships. Socials can be better at noticing others’ talents and gifts than their own.
They are not necessarily more outgoing or extroverted than other people, nor do they all have a wide network of friends. Many of them prefer one-on-one time and have a preference for personal relating, rather than are interested in groups. But they want to be involved with others, and need way more interaction and involvement in others’ lives than Sexual or Self-Pres types. Belonging is of vital importance to them; with a group or another individual. They have a visceral need to feel that they matter, to share a common aim, and to feel a part of someone or something even when separated by a distance.
Being engaged and impacting others in a meaningful way can be in person, online, or in a more distant format, but they gravitate toward interests that are both personally enjoyable and have a larger impact in the culture. While they nurture their individual passions, they feel their pursuits and interests are enhanced when appreciated by others or relevant to the culture.
Their sensitivity to others’ states makes them interested in what they are up to, in staying in touch with them, and in fostering communication between themselves and those who draw their interest; they are highly discerning about whom they interact with on a deeper level, but are willing to put aside certain prejudices about people to find common ground. Some even believe themselves to be anti-social, cynical about relationships, or fed up with people. This disdain is a reaction to heartbreak at having been let down by them, or having their need to connect unmet. Their attention toward others, however, persists.
They are curious and fascinated by other people and cultures. When healthy, this means caring for others and selflessness in the face of others’ needs. If unhealthy, it develops into an unnatural preoccupation with what others are thinking and feeling about them. They are often charismatic, and talented communicators. They find it easier to mobilize others than themselves, which can cause them to not recognize that despite feeling genuine concern for others, they desperately need their status, value, and goodwill to be acknowledged.
They balance a great deal of social information all at once, which means they respond to most situations “appropriately” in a manner that will not cause offense. They want to offer the right kind of a response to generate the intended outcome. The downfall of this is that they can become self-inhibited, and prone to second-guessing themselves, punishing themselves if they are not contributing in a meaningful way. It’s important for them to recognize how others-oriented their personality is, so they can turn their attention to their own potential rather than projecting how others will respond to it.
