Do you feel different from others, with deep emotions and a longing for the authentic? Then you may be a type 4.
Type 4 at a glance
| Centre | Heart (feeling) |
| Basic fear | Lacking identity or significance |
| Basic desire | Being yourself and significant |
| Passion | Envy |
| Fixation | Melancholy |
| Wings | Type 3 and type 5 |
| Under stress | Type 2 |
| In security | Type 1 |
How to recognise type 4
- You often feel different from others.
- You have deep and shifting emotions.
- You long for what is missing or unattainable.
- You value authenticity and personal expression.
- You can be drawn to melancholy and introspection.
Your strengths
Type 4 are creative, empathetic and authentic. They see beauty and depth where others see the everyday.
Under pressure and in security
Under pressure, type 4 can become dependent and clingy (traits from type 2). In security they become more disciplined and action-oriented (traits from type 1).
Do you recognise yourself?
All nine types come in three subtypes. Your basic type stays the same, but the subtype colours the whole expression, and this is often where the last doubt is cleared away.
| Subtype | Hallmark | Often falls into |
|---|---|---|
| Self-preservation | Endures, does not complain, acts on the longing | Pain not being shared until it is too big |
| Social | Measures itself against the group, sees things from the outside | Shame turning into an identity |
| One-to-one | Expressive and intense, wants to be seen most clearly | A low threshold for feeling overlooked |
Where are you right now?
Riso-Hudson divides each type into nine levels of development, grouped into three ranges: levels 1-3 are the healthy ones, 4-6 the average and 7-9 the unhealthy. It is not a grade but a state, and you move between them — sometimes over the course of a single day.
| Range | How type 4 looks |
|---|---|
| In good form levels 1-3 | You stop searching for yourself and start creating. The sensitivity becomes a gift, and you become the one others come to with what they cannot say anywhere else. |
| In everyday life levels 4-6 | Identity becomes a project. You cultivate what sets you apart and compare yourself with those who seem to have got what you are missing. The moods are in charge. |
| Under pressure levels 7-9 | The longing turns inward as self-contempt. You withdraw from the very people you need most, and the pain can become the only thing that feels real. |
Each of the nine levels is described in depth by Riso-Hudson. If you want to work with them in depth, we go through them on Enneagram Kurser's courses.
Not sure of your type?
Descriptions can point to several types, a test gives a reliable starting point.
Want to take the Enneagram further? Read the full description of type 4 on enneagram.dk, see our Enneagram courses for individuals and companies, or find a date on an open course.
Frequently asked questions about type 4
How do I know if I am a type 4?
Look at your motivation, not just your behaviour: type 4 is driven by being yourself and significant. An Enneagram test like 360indicator gives a valid indication.
What is the core motivation of type 4?
Being yourself and significant, and to avoid lacking identity or significance.
What is type 4 confused with?
Type 4 is most often confused with type 6 and type 8. This is based on our own data: of the 313 users the test suggested type 4 for, 86.9% chose type 4, and the rest most often moved to those two types. A test and a conversation about core motivation help to tell them apart.
What are the wings of type 4?
Type 4 has wing 3 and wing 5, the two types on either side in the Enneagram circle. Most people lean towards one more than the other. A 4 with a 3 wing is more outgoing and achievement-oriented. A 4 with a 5 wing is more withdrawn, analytical and private. The wings explain why two people of the same type can seem very different.
How does type 4 react under stress and in security?
Under stress type 4 moves towards type 2 and starts to show some of that type's patterns. In security the movement goes towards type 1. This is not a change of type, but sides of yourself that become more visible depending on your state. It is precisely why you cannot read a person's type from behaviour alone.
How do you communicate best with a type 4?
Be genuine. A type 4 notices immediately if you say something you do not mean. Do not dismiss feelings as irrelevant, and avoid cliches and standard answers.
How often do people choose a type other than type 4?
Among the users who were given type 4 in the full 360indicator profile and took a position on the result, 86.9 per cent confirmed the type. Those who chose differently most often went to type 6, type 8 or type 2. The figures are based on 6,330 completed profiles in 360indicator's own database and describe the people who have taken this test, not the population as a whole.
What do the levels of development mean for type 4?
Riso-Hudson divides each type into nine levels of development, grouped in three ranges: levels 1-3 are the healthy ones, 4-6 the average and 7-9 the unhealthy. It is not a grade but a state you move between. For type 4 it looks like this. In good form: You stop searching for yourself and start creating. In everyday life: Identity becomes a project. Under pressure: The longing turns inward as self-contempt.