Type Six: The Loyal Skeptic

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Note: The following text is being used with permission from the Enneagram Professional Training Program of Helen Palmer and David Daniels, M.D.

The Loyal Skeptic believes you must gain protection and security in a hazardous world you just can’t trust. Consequently, Loyal Skeptics are themselves trustworthy, inquisitive, good friends, and questioning, but also can be overly doubtful, accusatory, and fearful.

Abbreviated Version of the Basic Proposition:

The original state of faith [the Holy Idea] in self, others, and the universe goes into the background in a world that you perceive is hazardous, unpredictable, and untrustworthy. Consequently, you come to believe that you can assure life and certainty by gaining or defying security and avoiding or facing harm through vigilance, questioning, and battling or escaping hazards [or authority figures]. Concurrently, you develop fear [the Passion] and doubt [the Fixation or Chief Feature] concerning what might threaten safety and security. Attention naturally goes to hazards and potential worst cases and how to deal with them.

Description of the Key Characteristics:

World is hazardous and unpredictable.

Essence qualities of courage and faith go into background.

Assures life by facing or avoiding hazards and seeking security.

Develops doubts and questions (becomes mistrusting).

Attention goes to worst case analysis and perceived hazards.

Avoids deviancy and/or helplessness in a world that can’t be trusted.

Has a phobic and/or counter-phobic stance toward life.

Uses imagination and vigilance.

Has issues with authority and difficulty with positives.

Values loyalty, warmth, thoughtfulness.