" The Enneagram is an extraordinary framework for understanding more about ourselves. No matter from which point of view we approach it, we discover fresh conjunctions of new and old ideas." So writes Don Riso in this expanded edition of his classic interpretation of the Enneagram, the ancient psychological system used to understand the human personality. In addition to updating the descriptions of the nine personality types, Personality Types, Revised greatly expands the accompanying guidelines and, for the first time, uncovers the Core Dynamics, or Levels of Development, within each type. This skeletal system provides far more information about the inner tension and movements of the nine personalities than has previously been published. This increased specificity will allow therapists, social workers, personnel managers, students of the Enneagram, and general readers alike to use it with much greater precision as they unlock the secrets of self-understanding, and thus self-transformation.
Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
A geometric figure made of nine intersecting lines, the enneagram is thought by some to represent nine basic personality types. These types, as defined here, are the Reformer, Helper (Bill Cosby, Gandhi), Status Seeker (Gary Hart), Artist, Thinker, Loyalist (Joseph McCarthy, Johnny Carson), Generalist, Leader and Peacemaker. If you're a type seven with an eight wing (like Joan Collins), then you're very aggressive and have a strong ego to back your demands. The trouble with this system is that, unlike astrology or numerology, it is speculative which personality type best fits an individual. Once you've established that, you then have to decide if the person in question is Healthy, Average or Unhealthy. Oscar Ichazo, founder of the Arica Institute, reportedly learned about the enneagram from Sufis in Afghanistan. The investigation here broadens Ichazo's framework but still leaves plenty of room for guesswork. Riso is a New Yorkbased enneagram consultant.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Don Richard Riso, M.A. is the foremost writer and developer of the Enneagram in the world today. The most-published and best-selling author in the field, he is an internatioinally recognized authority on the subject. He is the president of Enneagram Personality Types, Inc., and founder of The Enneagram Institute. He has been teaching the Enneagram for more than twenty years, pioneering a revolutionary new approach to ego psychology through his 1977 discovery of the Levels of Development. His four best-selling books are available in British, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and French editions. Mr. Riso was a Jesuit for thirteen years, holds degrees in English and philosophy, was elected to the Jesuit Honor Society, Alpha Sigma Nu, and was a Ford Foundation Fellow at Stanford University in communications (social psychology).
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
104 of 108 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The main purpose of this book is to type yourself in order that you should know how to become a fully integrated individual. Understanding of the self is one step to self-discovery, but the next step, as the book illustrates, is to move toward one's 'point of integration', to attain one's full potential. To that end 'Character Types' has been heaven-sent for me. It becomes painfully clear that left to ourselves, we attempt to improve in the way which is exactly the opposite of what we really need. As a Four, I was constantly introspecting and obsessing, certain that if I did so long enough I would understand everything. Not until I read this book did I understand that the only way to improve would be to fight my natural tendencies, to become more open to experiencing and to take things easier. This insight, though it sounds small, leaves me indebted to Don Riso for writing a book which was as effective as any 12-step program, and which will be applicable for the rest of my life in setting goals to strive towards.
On the other hand, this book should come with some disclaimers. The first is that this book should not be used in rigidly 'typing' other individuals besides yourself. The fact is, no one can ever presume to know what goes on inside another human being, and that natural barrier should be respected. Even if someone exhibits all the signs of a certain type, they should still be respected as the complex people they are, instead of being consigned to a filing cabinet. For people to start saying, "Oh, he's such a typical Five, always reading" is ridiculous, even degrading. For a basic understanding of the many facets of human nature, reading about the other types is fascinating--but that's as far as these descriptions should be taken to apply to real-life individuals and relationships.
Also, people should take the type descriptions with a grain of salt. The book is sometimes too specific--these types should be used to describe general tendencies, not specific details within the personality. Just because I am a certain type, that does not mean I cannot be radically different from others who share my type. The world is a wonderfully complex place, and people are the most complex things in it. Sharing some similarities *does not* make us the same.
The parental orientations, while interesting to read and perhaps even relevant sometimes, are the equivalent to psychobabble on some level and should also be taken with a grain of salt. The typing of celebrities is completely irrelevant, for reasons already expressed above.
Taken all in all, 'Character Types' is a valuable tool toward attaining self-discovery and understanding the means to attain one's full potential. The levels of development are charted at length, and the points of integration and disintegration highlight the manner in which people deteriorate, or more positively, the way they achieve health and integration. It also provides insight into people other than yourself, making it possible to appreciate the differences in each human being. For a book on the Enneagram, look no further than this.
64 of 66 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Out of the dozen or so books I've read about the enneagram, this one is the best. Riso divides each of the 9 personality types into 9 levels, giving us 81 different readings. The readings are in depth and on target. The levels bleed into each other, so you may find that you identify with levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 of your type, for example. Riso also does an excellent job of describing the two wings to every personality type, so if you know your type you will probably be able to recognize your wing easily. I'm sure there are other possible systems of differentiating people from each other by type, besides this and Myers-Briggs, that haven't yet been discovered, but Riso's enneagram should be more widely known than it is. Educated people should know their type. Some people make the argument that individuals are all unique, that there are no types, but this attitude basically tells us not to try to understand human nature because it's too complicated. This excellent book gives us a good system to understand people.
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought the first edition of this book back in '88 and thought it was a masterpiece. The expanded edition is even better. Simply put, I have not come across a personality discription book that comes anywhere this close to accuracy and honesty. It can be difficult to read. If you give "Personailty Types" a fair chance, it will anger, depress or even horrify you. You will feel like the authors are ilicitly peaking into your soul. With truth can come serious pain. On the other side, no other book I've read also shows you the best qualities each personality holds better than this. "Personality Types" gives INDIRECT adivise on how to improve. It's not a follow-this-formula-that's-supposed-to-fit-all mentality. It's paradoxally simple and complex, easy to read and challangeing. I can't say I know if I actually believe in the Enneagram itself, or simply Riso and Hudson's interpertation of the Enneagram, all I know is I have had some version of this book for tweleve plus years( Over a third of my lifespan ) because I can see the people in my life and the corrolations to the descriptions in the book. Forget Myers-Briggs. astrology and the like...THIS is a masterpiece. Buy it and give it a chance, I can't recommend it more highly. But be warned. As I said, If one wants to grow, there are growing pains.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Buying my 4th copy.
Because I never got back my last 3 copies that I loaned out. This book takes an open mind. The information in this book could be dangerous in the hands of someone clever with poor... Read more
Published 1 month ago by B
So many Fours?
As a believer in the Enneagram and long-time advocate of this book, I must say that I'm amused at how many of these reviews come from fellow Type Fours (especially with Five... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Nicholas S. Vastis
Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery/Don Riso
Good stuff. I like the suggestions on personal improvement for each personality type.
It is helpful to review yourself, and find out tips on how to navigate life's landscape... Read more
It is helpful to review yourself, and find out tips on how to navigate life's landscape... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Donald G. Thronburg
EXCELLENT BOOK
This book helped me understand myself and others so much. A must-read for anyone who needs some light shed on their own life and/or the dynamics of their relationships with other... Read more
Published 3 months ago by vanessa
in sightful and helpful with relationships and self discovery
This books gives very detailed and insightful to the different personalities. It makes sense. My husband said to me that this books really knows me! Read more
Published 6 months ago by CG2009
This Explains A Lot
There are nine personality types. Once you become familiar with the types you can identify your personality and that of others. Read more
Published 9 months ago by L. Williams
Very Informative
I found this book to be very enlightening. Despite the fact that it generalizes each personality type, it can be extremely useful in locating the various expressions of... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Jene Moseley
Good
This book gave very detailed descriptions. I felt that the part about the parents was especially helpful, along with the information about finding your "wing. Read more
Published 13 months ago by StillWaters
Finally--an objective means to understand personality of self and...
The enneagram studies offer us a tool to understand ourselves and others in a common sense way. Self criticism and criticism of others is replaced with understanding. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Ellen K. Kremkus
a comprehensive treatment
There is much to recommend about this book, as it not only delves very deeply into each enneagram type, as well as discussing wings, and directions of integration and... Read more
Published on March 31, 2010 by Michael George
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
What is the point of understanding personality types? Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
instinctual variants, instinctual types, parental orientation, nine basic personality types, withdrawn types, nine personality types, compliant types, unhealthy traits, introverted feeling type, introverted thinking type, other personality type, secondary fears, neurotic ones, other subtype, unhealthy persons, basic fear Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Levels of Development, Direction of Integration, Direction of Disintegration, Thinking Triad, Instinctive Triad, Feeling Triad, Key Motivations, Karen Homey, Oscar Ichazo, The Harmonious Circle, United States, Carl Jung, Desert Fathers New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
What is the point of understanding personality types? Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
instinctual variants, instinctual types, parental orientation, nine basic personality types, withdrawn types, nine personality types, compliant types, unhealthy traits, introverted feeling type, introverted thinking type, other personality type, secondary fears, neurotic ones, other subtype, unhealthy persons, basic fear Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Levels of Development, Direction of Integration, Direction of Disintegration, Thinking Triad, Instinctive Triad, Feeling Triad, Key Motivations, Karen Homey, Oscar Ichazo, The Harmonious Circle, United States, Carl Jung, Desert Fathers New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 64
books:
See all 64 books this book cites
7
books
cite this book:
See all 7 books citing this book
- Psychological Types (The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 6) (Bollingen Series XX) by C. G. Jung on 10 pages
- Enneagram Transformations by Don Richard Riso on 5 pages
- The Psychoanalytic Theory of Neurosis by Otto Fenichel on 4 pages
- Enneagram Studies by J. G. Bennett on page 12, page 15, and Back Matter
- Ronald Reagan (Gap) (Great American Presidents) by Heather Lehr Wagner on page 339, and page 370
See all 64 books this book cites
- The Mindful Money Guide: Creating Harmony Between Your Values and Your Finances by Marshall Glickman in Back Matter
- The Tao of Democracy: Using co-intelligence to create a world that works for all by Tom Atlee in Back Matter
- Living the Mindful Life by Charles T. Tart in Back Matter
- Proving You're Qualified: Strategies for Competent People Without College Degrees by Charles D. Hayes in Back Matter
- The Human Fabric: Unleashing the Power of Core Energy in Everyone by Bijoy Goswami on page 131
See all 7 books citing this book
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