What Is the Enneagram Personality Test?
The Enneagram—a term that refers to a nine-point symbol in Greek—is a self-discovery tool and personality test. Used for more than 100 years, the Enneagram method also highlights areas of personal growth and can help someone improve their overall well-being.1
Blose TM, Yeates AC, Som M, Murray KA, Vassar M, Stroup J. The Enneagram and its application in medical education. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings. 2023;36(1):54-58. doi:10.1080/08998280.2022.2132591
Although it can be useful, the theory behind it is not well tested and evidence for all of the distinct subscales is mixed.
Understanding your Enneagram type, and the types of others, can help you recognize and understand your behaviors, perceptions, learning styles, and motivations—as well as those of other people. You can even get a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses.
Here is what you need to know about the Enneagram, including how it’s used, where to find a test, and how to apply it to your everyday life.1
The Enneagram Types
According to experts who study the Enneagram, each person has a primary type that they exhibit much of the time that may have been influenced by their childhood experiences or the type of parenting or caretaking they received. Understanding the key characteristics and motivations of your type—as well as the types of others—can be beneficial in improving your relationships, communications, and interactions.1
Using the Enneagram can also improve your awareness of your shortcomings so that you can address those potential issues and improve your quality of life and your relationships with others.
Here is a brief overview of each type including where they may face challenges.1
Type One, The Reformer
Also known as the Moralizer or Perfectionist, this Enneagram type is goal-oriented, ethical, and idealistic. They need clear direction and good communication from others to be successful and tend to be dependable, have high morals, and are discerning.
Reformers can be perfectionists and highly critical of others. Some believe that people who are ones grew up in a home where they were not allowed to make many mistakes.
Type Two, The Helper
Sometimes called the Giver or the Mentor, this Enneagram type is generous, sincere, and wants the approval of others. They also are unselfish, optimistic, and adapt to situations easily.
When faced with challenges, a Helper may be possessive and can use flattery as a defense mechanism. Most likely, this person was raised in home where being helpful was important.
Type Three, The Achiever
This Enneagram type—sometimes referred to as the Performer or the Producer—tends to be a leader who is both charming and poised. They also tend to be goal-oriented, authentic, efficient, and hardworking. When faced with challenges, they will persevere.
On the flip side, Achievers can become a workaholic, have a poor quality of personal life, and worry about how they are perceived by others. It's likely that their parents or caregivers valued the perceptions of others.
Type Four, The Individualist
Also known as the Dreamer or the Romantic, this Enneagram type is artistic, innovative, and passionate about life. They also tend to be creative, self-aware, and inspired, but they also can struggle with envy, vulnerability, and moodiness.
Some experts believe the environment Individualists grew up in may have frowned on overt (outward expression of) happiness.
Type Five, The Investigator
Sometimes called the Observer or the Thinker, this Enneagram type is insightful, perceptive, and curious. They also tend to be visionaries who have the unique ability to see things in novel ways. But sometimes they can become isolated, seek safety through distance, and be intense.
During childhood, it's possible that parents or caregivers of Investigators emphasized autonomy.
Type Six, The Loyalist
This Enneagram type—sometimes known as the Guardian or the Team Player—is most known for reliability and trustworthiness. They also are seen as courageous, stable, and self-reliant.
Sixes can also have a rebellious streak, get defensive, act cautiously, and be overly suspicious. Most experts believe they tended to question authority during their upbringing.
Type Seven, The Enthusiast
Also known as the Visionary or even a Dreamer, this Enneagram type is fun-loving and spontaneous. They also are usually filled with joy and appreciation and are often satisfied with life.
Growing up, Enthusiasts likely learned to depend on themselves for happiness and may struggle with commitment and being overextended in adulthood.
Type Eight, The Challenger
Sometimes called the Protector or the Boss, this Enneagram type tends to be assertive, resourceful, and powerful. They are also highly likely to take a stand or defend others.
Eights also are seen as strong and authoritative. They were likely taught to never be vulnerable.
Type Nine, The Peacemaker
This Enneagram type—sometimes called the Mediator or Peacekeeper—tends to be trusting, stable, and inclusive. They can embrace multiple types of people and are skilled at bringing people together. However, to promote peace, they may simplify problems, procrastinate, and struggle to make decisions.
As children, Peacemakers may have been in an environment with a lot of conflict and struggled to cope with it.
How To Take the Test
To discover your Enneagram type, you will need to take a test either online or from a book. There are no standardized versions of the Enneagram test, so some tests tend to be more reliable than others.
One popular version of the test is the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator, or RHETI. Developed in 1999 by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson, this questionnaire contains questions with two options for the answer. Each option is related to one of the nine personality types and test takers are encouraged to select the option that best reflects their personality characteristics.2
If you want to take a version of the RHETI test, you can find the test for a one-time fee of $20 on the Enneagram Institute website. This test provides your scores for all nine of the Enneagram types with more detailed information about your top three types. They also offer suggestions for personal growth as well as relationship information on compatibility and personality dynamics.
For those who prefer books, one popular option is The Essential Enneagram: The Definitive Personality Test and Self-Discovery Guide. Written by David Daniels, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Stanford Medical School and a pioneer in the Enneagram, this book offers another reliable Enneagram test. You also can take Dr. Daniels' test online for $10 on the Narrative Enneagram site.
If you want a free version of the test, you can try the test on Truity's website. This test has been clinically reviewed by a doctor of psychology and takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. This test is formatted differently than Enneagram tests, so results may be less accurate.
Tips for Taking the Test
When taking an Enneagram test, choose your answers based on how you generally respond in most situations. Make sure your answers are an honest assessment of what you truly think, feel, and do—not how you wish you were. Remember: there are no perfect Enneagram types and there are no right and wrong answers.
Understanding Your Enneagram Type
After taking an Enneagram test, it's important to read through the results. Pay close attention to your strengths, as well as areas where you may benefit from improvement. After all, the goal of the Enneagram is to provide insight into who you are and where you need to grow.3
Used appropriately, the Enneagram can increase self-awareness and help free you from the limitations of your personality type. Not only does it provide information about habits or chronic tendencies you may possess, but it also highlights emotions, feelings, and roadblocks you may face. Every person has some level of each of the nine Enneagram types. Therefore, you can develop or hone other aspects of your personality as well.3
Understanding your Enneagram type also requires getting familiar with your wing type, the triads, and the stress points. Here is a general overview of these other key facets.413
Wing type: Located on either side of your Enneagram type (of the Enneagram circle), these wings add variation to your personality type. You have one dominant personality type and one secondary wing type that blends into your personality. In other words, an Enneagram Type 3 might have a Wing 2 that explains why they have helpful tendencies in addition to being driven.
Stress points: When looking at the Enneagram circle, you will notice lines from your particular Enneagram type to another type. For instance, with the Enneagram Type 3, these lines go to Type 9 and Type 6. One of these points represents where the Type 3 personality goes when they are stressed, and the other points represents where they go when they're moving towards health and growth.
Triads: According to Enneagram experts, the types also share a center of intelligence, which means they have a common orientation to the world. These triads include the body types (1, 8, 9), the heart types (2, 3, 4), and the head types (5, 6, 7). The body types are the anger triad: they typically seek control. The heart triad is the image triad: they usually seek approval. The head triad is the fear triad: they usually seek security.
However, as previously stated, there is little research evidence for these facets of the Enneagram type. More research is needed to provide support for their usefulness.
How To Use the Enneagram in Daily Life
Most Enneagram tests provide you with a comprehensive guide to your Enneagram type and the associated strengths, limitations, and core beliefs that often accompany this type. This report can serve as a roadmap or guideline on how to not only capitalize on your strengths, but also how you can address your limitations or struggles. Knowing and acting on this information can improve your psychological health and well-being.5
Plus, research has shown that your relationships and work-related tasks may benefit. You might use the Enneagram to become more effective at work. It can also help build your self-confidence and enhance communication skills. There is even some evidence that it can promote greater self-understanding and even reduce anxiety.5
The Enneagram can also be useful in helping you better understand the other people in your life—like your partner, team members, classmates, or co-workers. By knowing their Enneagram type, you will understand what motivates them and where they may have challenges. It also can be useful in improving your communication with them, too.1
Limitations of the Enneagram Personality Test
The Enneagram is a popular personality test that is used both in the workforce and in academic circles, but most experts agree that it lacks rigorous scientific research on its uses and application. For instance, it has not been extensively researched in the same way that other personality models—like the Big Five—have been studied.5
Even proponents of the Enneagram acknowledge that experts have focused more on how the test can help people rather than rigorously testing the model itself.6
Another concern is that the Enneagram may not be as reliable because it requires a subjective interpretation of the questions and results. People might develop an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of their personality, or they will answer the questions based on how they want to be perceived rather than how they truly are.6
However, proponents of the Enneagram indicate that some research shows that the test's personality types were in line with the Big Five's demonstration of personality traits, though note that more research is needed.67
