Enneagram Personality Test: Free Online Assessment Alternative
People are switching from the Enneagram personality test to HIGH5 test. Here’s why…
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What is the Enneagram personality test?
The Enneagram test represents an interactive personality test designed to help individuals reveal how emotions influence their lives and how people interact to achieve personal gain and success. It is based on the Enneagram model of personality that helps people understand people’s essential drives and fears. The Enneagram test distinguishes nine personality types and 27 subtypes [1]. Each of them has its unique system of unique strengths, weaknesses, and areas for personal development and growth.
Why should you take the Enneagram personality test?
There are multiple interactive personality tests online aimed to tackle personality strengths and weaknesses, so it seems legit to ask what makes the Enneagram test stand out? The peculiarity of the Enneagram test is that it focuses on finding out a person’s deep desires, motivations, and tendencies on a much deeper level [1]. Once the person becomes familiar with his/her personality type level, he/she gets the secondary types or the so-called ‘wings’ that point to the person’s maturity level, stress level, and anxieties.
Each of the nine types has its inherent strengths and preferences that are natural for the person. Similarly, every individual has his/her weaknesses that might be an obstacle to leading a successful and fulfilling life. Test-takers need to know that no type is considered superior to another, and each has its own perks and flows. Sometimes, depending on the culture testers belong to, one type might appear more favorable, but it is due to the socially imposed norms, not because of the personality itself.
How does the Enneagram test work?
To complete the Enneagram assessment, test-takers will review a series of statements like, “I think differently than other people” and rate their answer on a five-point Likert scale from disagree to agree. The assessment takes about 10 to 20 minutes to complete [1]. Once the test-taker has completed the assessment, there is a report, illustrating their dominant personality trait. The test scores reveal what drives you on a very deep personal level. These personalities are marked as numbers. However, each of them has a cluster of features that dominate and describe each type. Therefore, they have been nicknamed accordingly to help you better understand their meaning.
- Enneagram 1 – The Reformer
- Enneagram 2 – The Helper
- Enneagram 3 – The Achiever
- Enneagram 4 – The Individualist
- Enneagram 5 – The Investigator
- Enneagram 6 – The Loyalist
- Enneagram 7 – The Enthusiast
- Enneagram 8 – The Challenger
- Enneagram 9 – The Peacemaker
These numbers represent the personality types. The theory is that we are born with one predominant personality type, i.e., an inborn orientation that influences the way we develop in our childhood. It is commonly accepted that a person’s basic personality type doesn’t change, and no type is inherently feminine or masculine.
However, you need to be aware that not all of the basic type features will be a complete match to your personality since people tend to gravitate toward various orientations and habits in their lifetime. The results are simply archetypes; they are general summaries of what your personality could be like. In reality, your personality is a combination of multiple types, but the Enneagram showcases your most dominant type [1].
Compared to HIGH5
The Center (Heart, Head, and Body Types)
In addition to the specific type with dominant traits, the personalities belong to the so-called Center that integrates three emotional processes: Instincts (body), Thinking (head), and Feeling (heart). Three of the personalities belong to either of the three centers based on the dominant emotional issues they have. Essentially, each personality aligns with an unconscious emotional response that is tied to the core self.
Visually represented, personalities One, Nine, and Eight belong to the Instinctive Center, meaning they are tied to feelings like anger and rage [1]. Personalities Two, Three, and Four belong to the Feeling Center, which aligns with the emotion of shame. Finally, personalities Five, Six, and Seven belong to the Thinking Center, which aligns with the emotion of fear. This does not mean that other personalities don’t feel the rest of their emotions. Instead, those that belong to the specific Center appear to be the most affected by that specific emotion.
The Wing
When discussing personality types, it is understandable that no one is a refined version of one personality type. People usually have one dominant personality type that is often affected by other personality types. In the Enneagram, the adjacent personality type to the dominant personality is called the person’s Wing. For example, if you are type Seven, then your Wing is either Six or Eight, so to better understand yourself, you need to consider your Wing’s features as well. In some cases, a person can be influenced by the two adjacent Wings, and others exhibit features characteristic of their dominant personality type.
Compared to HIGH5
Instead of focusing on just one dominant personality type the HIGH5 assessment helps you discover the full spectrum of your unique strengths. Unlike the wing concept, HIGH5 gives you a clear picture of what you actually excel at. By identifying your top strengths, you get a more complete and actionable understanding of your capabilities, empowering you to use them in both your personal and professional life.
How accurate is the Enneagram test?
The Enneagram provides an approachable and relateable framework, allowing participants to quickly identify and connect with their personality type. While it’s popular in the mainstream consumer market, it lacks strong support from the scientific community [2]. This does not mean that the results are not helpful, though. This means that the individual needs to become familiar with the exact interpretation of the words used to describe each personality type and they should not take the results at face value to explain their whole personality.
Instead of literally translating the words, you need to correlate them to your personality. Make sure to read about your wing(s) and how these features relate to your personality type. You should also recognize where your own experiences and reflections challenge the results to have a better understanding of your complex personality. The reliability of the test also depends on the answers you provide when taking the test. You must be honest and select the option that is the most applicable to you. If you are interested in discovering more of your personality, feel free to take other free personality tests at BPTs.
References:
- (n.d.). (2014). How the Enneagram System Works. The Enneagram Institute. https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/how-the-enneagram-system-works/
- Kashani, S. (2022). What Is the Enneagram? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-the-enneagram
Disclaimer: HIGH5 does not intend to replicate or to substitute the Enneagram test as both tests follow different methodologies, yet bring value in similar ways. Both tests help test takers be more aware of their own personalities. HIGH5 does not dispute or diminish the value of the Enneagram test and encourages test takers to go through both assessments. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach us at hello(at)high5test.com
Enneagram is a registered trademark of their respective owners. All other trademarks not owned by HIGH5 Test that appear on this web site are the property of their respective owners, who may or may not be affiliated with HIGH5 Test.
