Other Characteristic Traits And Psychodynamic Considerations

Social and Friendly

The Social 9 makes friends easily. However, there is always a feeling of precariousness regarding their belonging to the group. They feel good in the company of children and animals, who show themselves as they are.

Good Host

The Social 9 enjoys organizing informal meetings and is a good host. Likewise, they are an attentive guest, usually lending a hand with the preparations or bringing a small detail. In addition to joining all kinds of groups and hobbies, they enjoy parties, going out dancing, and traveling. Participating in social events satisfies their need to belong.

Emotionally Intuitive

Related to the intuition of this confluent and motor subtype, the Social 9 often acts as an emergent leader within the group. They can have primary reactions in which they verbalize attitudes or movements that are veiled or unexpressed by other members.

Chatterbox

The Social 9 is usually talkative when they feel in good company. However, when they don't feel clearly included in the group, they tend to be quiet but remain attentive to what others may need from them. They have a good sense of humor and a frank laugh, enjoying jokes and funny anecdotes. On the other hand, they may use humor and verbosity as mechanisms to desensitize or cool down interactions.

“I played a funny clown to cheer up, first my father, and then everyone, since I took it as my responsibility that everyone was well.” (Anonymous)

Hyper-available

Activity and hyper-availability can lead to depression and even illness as an outlet for compulsive doing and chronic procrastination of one's own needs.

Prone to Addiction

There is a tendency to abuse alcohol and drugs. What may initially serve as a social disinhibitor eventually becomes a means to anesthetize emotions. Finding pleasure, especially during youth, in sports and physical activity makes this subtype more athletic than other E9s. However, they are also prone to obesity, and their weight can fluctuate significantly at different stages of life, depending on their moods, often gaining weight during tough times or when they are depressed.

Workaholic

Social 9s are hard workers and tend to carry more than their fair share. Responsibility is taken with strong personal commitment and a clear identification with the task and activity. At the same time, they want to care for and please everyone, often responding to requests and finding it difficult to confront or set limits.

Their identification with the task, the desire to be useful, the emphasis on efficiency at work, and the desire to be recognized for their contributions are quite similar to descriptors of the E3 Self-Preservation subtype. Both subtypes focus outwardly, and it should be noted that some Social 9s care about their image, considering it important to gain social acceptance. However, a key difference is that while the conservative E3 is more

self-conscious and seeks to shine through their image as a confident person, the Social 9 is more disengaged and insecure, merely seeking to earn a place of belonging.

“They will accept me for what I do for them.” Another distinction involves momentum and risk. A Social 9 acts and then thinks, often jumping ahead without fully measuring where they will land.

Impatient and Impulsive

Social 9s can be impatient and impulsive, jumping into action without reflecting or considering other opinions when they think they know what to do. The impulse to act prevents them from being in contact with their emotions and denies them time for the psychological processing of their inner world and external relationships.

Responsible and Collaborative Leader

Social 9s often hold positions of responsibility, but because they don’t believe in themselves and are driven by their desire to shine, they will only assume leadership if it is the explicit desire or need of the boss or the group. In such cases, they usually adopt a collaborative, horizontal leadership style, including others in common projects. They are practical when solving problems and strive for consensual solutions.

They enjoy working as part of a team and struggle with competitiveness, envy, and conflict that may arise in the work environment. At work, they are good partners with their peers, but their colleagues may perceive them as somewhat inferior and may not always reciprocate their goodwill. They are typically noble and close in their dealings with those lower in the hierarchy.

Against the Abuse of Power

In vertical relationships, the Social 9 is usually loyal and devoted to the figure of authority, striving to achieve set goals. However, they are strongly opposed to the abuse of power and behaviors they consider socially unfair. Both elitism and hypocrisy strike a chord with them, and in such situations, they tend to take a stand against it, regardless of the consequences.

“Wherever I received some promise, however remote, of a better world, I threw myself passionately into the project. Then, when detecting discrepancies or hypocrisies, I was disoriented. I used to report them, earning me exclusion.” (Susan)

Curious

Social 9s have a natural curiosity about what is happening in the world. However, this can degrade into distractions and become a substitute for their lack of contact with their inner experience. Everything interests them, but it becomes more about gathering knowledge than feeling it. Their curiosity to know may replace the ability to feel their own experiences.

“I think I have confused knowing about life with feeling itself. It is as if my experiences were frozen in my head, without really going through me.” (Susan)

Clueless

Forgetfulness and self-forgetfulness are common in Social 9s, who try to juggle many activities at once. They find it difficult to recognize their own limits or determine if their goals are realistically within reach. It can be problematic for them to admit they don’t feel like doing something or enter into negotiations to find a suitable solution for themselves. In some cases, their forgetfulness can be seen as a passive or unconscious form of aggression, replacing the confrontation they wish to avoid. They may also resort to withdrawal and abandonment without providing reasons.

Idealistic

Closely tied to their internal experience of exclusion is the Social 9’s strong belief in social justice, a particularly distinctive trait. It’s common for them to be involved in NGOs or social inclusion projects, either as a volunteer or in positions of responsibility, often in exchange for minimal compensation.

In their drive to improve the world and feel part of it, this subtype easily conflates with the values of an external identity. They can embrace the values or ideals of any group with enthusiasm and conviction, seeing it as a path to channel their idealism. However, they may struggle to handle discrepancies that arise and threaten their alignment with the ideals of the group or authority figure. Sometimes, they exhibit a blindness that prevents them from questioning the ideals or the motivational truths behind their work, making them excellent

advocates for causes they believe in, often without fully understanding the underlying issues.

The curiosity to know, combined with utopian idealism, may lead them towards esoteric paths or distractions that take their consciousness outward rather than focusing it inward. They may climb the clouds, merge with cosmic energies, and get lost in universal archetypes.

A prevalent belief of the Social 9 is that they don’t have a right to their own personal authority. They struggle to say no and set limits, feeling great difficulty in asserting their will.

Naive

Naivety is a common trait in Social 9s, leading them to stay in situations that are not in their best interest. Many Social 9s express distrust when it comes to establishing close relationships and have difficulty forming intimate bonds. This polarity is part of their longing to feel included and to avoid the pain of rejection.

“I never trusted my friends to tell them about my problems with my parents. I just never invited them home.” (Pedro)