Parks and Recreation: Chris Traeger – Type 7w6

Chris is positive, active and funny. He is always able to see the best of a situation and will find the silver lining of any problem. In his job he wants to avoid the negative feelings of being a boss and will often ask Ben to do the hard work of firing people or sorting through a problem. When he has to deliver bad news he finds it difficult, which can be seen when he breaks up with Ann in a vague way that she is unsure of what has actually happened.

Chris is concerned with enjoying every moment and only wants to express his positive emotions. He is worried about feeling good and is very disciplined when it comes to his health. This can be seen with his excessive desire to exercise, eat healthily and have positive thinking. Chris is also very committed to his job and strives to follow the rules and expects others to do the same.

At his best, Chris become more focussed and committed. He gradually shows that he is able to confront things that are unpleasant like his romantic breakups. At his worst, Chris can be blinded by his optimism and will not address his actual thoughts and feelings. He can become more flighty, scattered and defensive when asked about his actions and thoughts.

Chris has a tendency of jumping from one thing to another. He wants to be able to do it all and this means he will lose focus as he is afraid of missing out on anything. It also means he is excited to try new things and seeks adventures for excitement and stimulation.

In his relationships with Ann, Chris is caring, supportive and helpful. Chris always tries to have a positive spin on any issue and begins to learn that Ann sometimes needs to vent when she is overwhelmed. This is a good area of growth as it allows Chris to understand that unpleasant emotions are needed.

Chris has a wing 6 as he is more concerned with how others perceive him and wants to be seen as fun-loving and friendly. He is also less conflict driven, neurotic and very loyal to his friends and partners.

Tritype: 7w6-9w1-2w3

Some quotes to describe Chris’ motivation:

“If I keep my body moving, and my mind occupied at all times, I will avoid falling into a bottomless pit of despair.”

“I Am 100% Certain That I Am 0% Sure Of What I’m Going To Do.”

“How We Deal With Tragedy Defines Who We Are.”

“There Is Literally Nothing In This World That You Cannot Do.”

"I take care of my body above all else; diet, exercise, supplements, positive thinking. Scientists believe that the first human being who will live a hundred and fifty years has already been born. I believe I am that human being.”

It’s nature’s candy! Now, they’re basically grapes, so remember to pace yourself. [eats them all] I can’t even follow my own advice. So delicious!

"If I had to have anybody tell me that I have cancer, I would want it to be me.”

Ben: “Hypothetical crisis: Leslie just tried to answer a question, but audibly farted and then threw up. Spin.”
Chris: “Leslie Knope is literally overflowing with ideas for this town. And speaking about methane, have you heard about her plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions?”

The Thinking Triad (5, 6, 7)

The thinking triad is also known as the ‘head’ and ‘fear’ triads as they are very ‘in their own head’ and their central emotion is fear. The thinking triad wants to find a sense of security and guidance in their world, but they do it in vastly different ways. They are concerned about the future, and are always thinking “what’s going to happen to me?” These types are prone to overthinking everything, and cannot get their minds to ‘quiet down’, hence they are the head triad.

Type 5: 5s think that they will gain security through knowledge. 5s will often retreat inwardly as they think their mind is the only safe place in the world. They are also concerned that they do not have skills to bring to reality, and rely on gaining knowledge so they are useful. 5s think that they need to be independent, so they will retreat internally and will try not to rely on anyone else. “The world is scary, the only thing I can actually control is my own mind!”

Type 6: 6s think they will gain security through their associations and relationships with others (usually authority figures). As 6s are in the centre of the triad, they focus their energy both inwardly and outwardly. 6s will often launch into action in anticipation of the future, but being afraid of the consequences and being mistaken they will retreat into themselves like a five. Depending on a 6s wings, they will do one or the other more. For example, a 6w5 will be more internally focused, whereas a 6w7 will be more outwardly nervous and show their anxiety more. e.g. “I’m worried this will happen, better stop it before it does!“

Type 7: 7s think they will gain security by experiencing the outside world and having fun. 7s seem to be afraid of nothing, however, their fear lies within their internal world, as they are afraid of their emotions. 7s focus their energy outwardly as they do not want to deal with their fear, so they keep their minds busy with external experiences. 7s try to reject their need for nurturing and drive themselves into activities to forget their need for others. E.g. “I don’t want to deal with my feelings, let’s do something fun!”

Steve Harrington – Type 7w6

Type 7s are known as the enthusiast. They can be fun-loving, energetic, optimistic and impulsive. Type 7s have the basic desire to have fun and enjoyment in their lives and a basic fear of being in pain and being deprived of the things they want. Type 7s generally seek adventure and fun as a way of escaping their emotions and feelings. At their best, they are able to focus more and channel their energy into goals and at their worst, they can become scattered and impatient.

Steve Harrington is charming, extroverted, kind-natured and impulsive. He begins the series as a typical popular jock who is concerned with having a good time. He doesn’t seem to have a very strong relationship with his parents and is often left up to his own devices.

His early relationship with Nancy shows that he is not overly attentive and caring He encourages Nancy to join his other friends and participate in drinking and partying. However, he starts to like that Nancy is different to other girls he has dated and begins to show growth by trying to become more considerate and showing genuine feelings for Nancy. When Nancy reveals she doesn’t have feelings for Steve it can be seen this affects him deeply and he was in love with Nancy but he avoids his feelings as it is painful.

Steve often finds himself in situations by chance such as helping Nancy and Jonathan defeat the Demogorgon and his friendship with Dustin. Through his friendship with Dustin we can see a more spontaneous, child-like and sincere side of Steve. He forms a real bond with Dustin and starts to see him like a friend and little brother. He really enjoys spending time with Dustin and has fun showing him the tricks he knows to help him with girls and preparing for the school dance.

At his best, Steve becomes more focused and works to help others. In Season 3 he finds it exciting working with Dustin and Robin to solve the mystery about the Russians and becomes motivated and committed to finding a resolution.

At his worst, Steve doesn’t think before he acts and can be very impulsive and has little regard for the rules. When he sees Jonathan and Nancy together he jumps straight to the idea that they are together. He has a wing 6 which can account for his distrust of others and anxiety that sometimes will seep through. As a reaction to this he lashes out aggressively and has a physical altercation with Jonathan.

Steve has changed and grown a lot over the series and it can be seen that he has started to show some integration by becoming more active in the mysteries and focused on what he wants to achieve. He is very caring and likes to joke around with Dustin and his group to bring levity and positivity to their plights.

Tri-type: 7w6 – 2w3 – 9w8

Some quotes to describe Steve’s motivations:

“She’s only gonna break your heart, and you’re way too young for that.

“Screw company policy.”

“I’m stealthy, like a ninja

“Everything that people tell you is important, everything that people say you should care about, It’s all just bulls**t. But I guess you gotta mess up to figure things out, right?”

"I’m sorry? What the hell am I sorry for?”

“You tell anyone I just told you that and your ass is grass.”

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Jake Peralta Type 7w6

Type 7s are known as the enthusiast. They can be fun-loving, energetic, optimistic and impulsive. Type 7s have the basic desire to have fun and enjoyment in their lives and a basic fear of being in pain and being deprived of the things they want. Type 7s generally seek adventure and fun as a way of escaping their emotions and feelings. At their best, they are able to focus more and channel their energy into goals and at their worst, they can become scattered and impatient.

Jake is extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic and can be immature. He is always looking at the positive side of things and reframing situations. He really enjoys his job as a detective and finds it thrilling being in new and dangerous situations each day.

At his best, Jake is fun, selfless and becomes more focused. This can be seen with his relationship with Amy where he becomes much more grounded and attentive to her needs. As he matures and shows positive growth, he has serious conversations with Amy regarding their future such as; having children. From these discussions they are able to be present and articulate both their needs to find common ground and maintain a stable relationship.

At his worst, Jake becomes scattered, impulsive and selfish. He often gets so caught up in cases or first impressions that he can become oblivious to the feelings of others and the consequences of his actions. An example of this is when Jake rejects Captain Kim and proceeds to snoop through her home and ruins the party by inadvertently unleashing her dog. Due to his actions she decides to leave the precinct despite being a good fit for the 99.

Jake is always joking and enjoying the moment. This is a great quality however, Jake relies on this as a coping mechanism for when he needs to address uncomfortable feelings. As a typical 7 Jake rejects these feelings and prefers to distract from them through his playful attitude and jokes. This can be seen when discussing his childhood as it deeply affected Jake, yet he will play it off and make it into a joke to escape from his feeling of hurt.

Jake is kind, friendly and a skilled detective. He has a childlike wonder and brings levity to most situations through his optimistic attitude. He is well-matched with Amy as he brings out a much lighter and playful side to her and she brings out a more serious and responsible side out of him. Jake also opens up to Amy and shows more of his feelings to her as he genuinely cares and trusts her.

Jake has a wing 6 as he is more overtly anxious and can become distrustful and suspicious of others. He is also very loyal and supportive of the people he loves.

Tri-type: 7w6 – 3w2 – 9w1

Some quotes to describe Jake’s motivation:

“I wasn’t hurt that badly. The doctor said all my bleeding was internal. That’s where the blood’s supposed to be.

“I also have a hairline fracture in my thumb. Mankind’s least important finger, am I right?”

“I’m talking to my credit card company. I tried to get an online subscription to the New Yorker and they declined me. Apparently, based on my previous purchases, they assumed it was fraud. That’s crazy. I’m fancy. One time I had coffee-flavoured ice cream.”

“Yes, I was going to do an “Addams Family” themed rap, but my beat-boxer isn’t here. That’s the only reason it’s not happening. So, Ames, today has been a crazy day. But I shouldn’t be surprised, because we’ve had a lot of crazy days. There was our first date, our first kiss, the first time you told me you loved me, and the day you told me you would marry me. Also, yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, because every single day that I get to be with someone as amazing as you is crazy to me. I love you. And I’m worried about dancing in front of our friends. The end.”

“My fellow detectives, ours is not an easy job. The hours are long, the danger is constant, the pay is LOL. But today, a glimmer of hope. For today, a new vending machine. Behold him in all of his glory, so full of strength, and promise, and, most importantly, sodium, gluten and fat.”

“But my point is this: I don’t care what time it is. I’m always happy to be here. Nine-Nine! Nine-Niiine! A-Noine-Noine! I’m gonna keep doing it until you guys chime in. A-Noine-Noine!”

Hornevian Types/Social Styles in the Enneagram

The Hornevian Groups were created and named for Karen Horney, who first suggested there were groupings based on how people interact with others in order to meet their own needs. Enneagram was not specifically created with these groups in mind, however the types fit neatly into the three groups. There are three different groups; the assertive types are 3, 7 and 8, the compliant types are 1, 2 and 6 and the withdrawn types are 4, 5, 9.

Note: Each type wants to gain different things depending on whether they are thinking/head (5, 6, 7), feeling/heart (2, 3, 4) or instinctive/gut types (8, 9, 1). Generally, the thinking triad desires security, the feeling triad desires attention and the instinctive triad desires autonomy.

Assertive Types (3, 7, 8): These types are very proactive and direct as they go after what they believe they need. They have strong ideas of what they want and they will act to get their needs met. They can sometimes seem to have a sense of importance or entitlement about them as a result. These types can be independent and assertive, but can seem aggressive and demanding to others. Simply put, they move against others to get what they want (e.g. rebelling or challenging others).

Compliant Types (1, 2, 6): These types are usually very obedient of rules and other people’s feelings and opinions more generally. They attempt to earn their desires and are very driven by their superegos (their moral code, what they ‘should’ do). These types would usually be considered the ‘goody-two shoes’ of the enneagram. These types are usually committed, hard-working and responsible, however they can have a hard time relaxing and letting loose. These types are compliant to those around them, and can often overlook their own needs in favour of others and can seem self-sacrificing.

Withdrawn Types (4, 5, 9): These types withdraw from others and can often seem quite disengaged with the outer world. They withdraw to both deal with their needs and to get their needs met. They can be introspective, imaginative, but they can have trouble taking charge or being direct with others. They are sometimes more involved in their dreams and fantasies, rather than reality. Generally, these types move away from people to get what they want (e.g. withdrawing, becoming introverted).

These groups are easily identifiable, and can often be the cause of mistypings and misidentifications. For example, 6s and 1s are often misidentify with one or the other, as they are both very compliant and obedient towards belief systems. However, 1s are more focused on their own moral code, whereas 6s are more focused on external belief systems or authority figures.

If there is any interest in a particular type, we’re happy to do a post on the specifics, as this a very general overview 😊

Harmonic Types in the Enneagram

These types show how a person will react and cope when they do not get what they want. They reveal the way our personality defends against loss, conflict and disappointment. There are three different groups for the enneagram. They are the positive outlook types (2, 7, 9), the competent types (1, 3, 5) and the reactive types (4, 6, 8).

Positive Outlook: (2, 7, 9): These types react to conflict and disappointment by trying to adopt a ‘positive’ attitude. They will try to reframe the situation in a positive light, and are often considered ‘glass half-full’ people. These types will often deny that they even have a problem, and will try to tell others that they are fine. 2s, 7s, and 9s also often have trouble balancing the needs of themselves with the needs of others around them. For example, 2s focus too much on the needs of others, 7s focus too much on their own needs and 9s can oscillate between the two. As a result, they will often not face their problems head-on and will try to deny their existence.

Competency: (1, 3, 5): These types react to conflict in an unemotional, objective and detached way. They have learnt to put aside their own problems in favour of ‘getting the job done.’ They often try to use logic to solve problems, and expect others will do the same, so they cannot understand the reactions of other types (especially the reactive types). 1s, 3s and 5s are confused about their role in systems and structures, and how much they should follow the rules of said structure. For example, 1s operate within the rules, 3s can do both depending on their goals and 5s often operate outside of the rules. Consequently, they approach their problems in the same way.

Reactive: (4, 6, 8): These types react emotionally to conflicts and their thinking can often be clouded by their feelings and emotions. They want others to react similarly to their problems, and will have strong opinions on certain things. They may be the type to want others to terminate friendships with others because they don’t like them or they betrayed their trust. They deal with their problems quickly and often explode, however after the explosion of emotion they will often move on more quickly than other types. 4s, 6s and 8s are concerned with control and fear being betrayed by others. For example, 4s subconsciously want to be taken care of, 6s want to both take care of and be taken care of and 8s want to be providers and take care of others.

If there is interest, we are happy to elaborate on specific types, as this is just a general overview 😊

Frustration Types Enneagram

Object relations theory suggests that our first relationships as children form our expectations of our future relationships. The three object relation triads in the enneagram are rejection, frustration and attachment. Frustration types are 1, 4 and 7, and these types are always searching for their ideal happiness. 

Frustration types have strong ideas of what will make them happy, but they rarely feel as if they can get it. Even if they do find a source of happiness, they can be likely to become disillusioned with it and will begin searching for something new.

Type 1s: 1s are driven by their desire to be a good person and strive for perfection, so they are often in search of autonomy and control. They can get frustrated when things are not consistent with their standards or if something is not ‘right.’ 1s feel an obligation to ‘fix’ and improve things, especially if they are not in line with their own standards and ideals. In essence, their sense of self is based on making things better and their frustration when things are not ‘good’

Type 4s: 4s are driven by their need to be unique and for the perfect romantic partner, so they are searching for ideal attention. This often manifests in their search for an ideal partner, someone who understands and appreciates them for who they are. However, nobody is perfect, so the 4’s partner often has flaws which frustrates the 4. 4s seek validation from others, but withdraw to get it, so they are not always successful. Basically, their sense of self is based on their frustration when they do not gain attention.

Type 7s: 7s are driven by their desire to have fun, so they are searching for ideal contentment. 7s are always searching for the best experiences, and when their current experiences do not live up to their expectations, they become frustrated. 7s often get bored with their present situations, and are often dreaming up new situations to fulfil their fun. Put simply, their sense of self is based on their search for ideal contentment, and their frustration when they do not achieve it.

Frustration types are also called satisfaction types, as they are often dissatisfied with their current situations. 1s, 4s and 7s often seem very different, however, at their core they are always searching for ideals and can become frustrated when they cannot achieve their perfect standards of the world, their partner or their situation. 

The main question for these types is; how can this be better? E.g. A 1 may think how can the world be better and more fair? A 7 may think how can this situation be more fun and enjoyable? A 4 may think how can my partner be more appreciative of me? However, these things do vary within the levels of health, and a frustration type will become less dissatisfied depending on their level of health. A healthier type will be less likely to fixate on the things they are frustrated with, and will accept that nothing can be perfect.