Overview (Extroverted Intuition + Thinking)

The Experimentalist is full of childlike enthusiasm and wonder about the world (of ideas), which results in a continuously experimental attitude and the bearing of someone much younger than their real age (opposite to The Aesthete).

The nature of The Experimentalist’s experiments is primarily abstract and based on (primarily scientific or technological) theory, which he regularly engages with in their private time. The ”-mentalist“ aspect of the term refers to the Experimentalist’s hyperactive mental activity, quickly revolving around concepts and ideas.

experimentalist: one who experiments; specifically a person conducting scientific experiments

Experiments can vary from personal and informal natural comparisons (e.g. tasting a range of chocolates to find a favorite), to highly controlled (e.g. tests requiring complex apparatus overseen by many scientists that hope to discover information about subatomic particles).

Most Experimentalists become educators of the sciences or astrophysicists, though some of them choose a more technological and/or social route. They are commonly innovative and inventive in their field, known for creating new machines or systems “for the mere fun of it“ or for the sake of theory alone, which might seem useless from the perspective of someone more practically minded. This is how The Experimentalist can be entrepreneurial, but lacking the practical and factual focus typical of The Entrepreneur.

Purpose Role: The Experimentalist will be in their natural element if they are able to carry out (in)formal (scientific) experiments on their own and with others, sharing and increasing innovation with their logical thought and theoretical or technological application.

External Functions & Behavior (Ne & Fe)

The Experimentalist “sees“ the world primarily from the perspective of ideas, which can be experimented with, theoretically extrapolated, logically modified, theoretically applied, and bounced off any other idea, preferably with ties to a logical foundation. Consequently, the Experimentalist is commonly buoyant in their physical bearing as well, with widened eyes darting around or slightly askew, a friendly, warm, childlike smile plastered on their lips.

In public, the Experimentalist values pleasant emotional atmospheres with lots of hearty laughter, but can also be cheeky and enjoys stirring the pot with his silly antics and goofy jokes, which can be quite far-fetched. During such moments, the Experimentalist hopes for emotional resonance in the external environment, and can appear like an emotional and illogical sort of person.

Internal Function (Ti vs Te)

In private, The Experimentalist engages in theoretical thought, connecting abstract ideas through a foundational, rather black-and-white, either-or logic, which does not leave any logical doubt and can make The Experimentalist appear introverted.

Though once again, the logic can be experimental and flexible and is backed up by a large amount of factual data and evidence, in that way The Experimentalist can be knowledgeable on a very wide scope, similarly to The Entrepreneur, though differently from them, The Experimentalist does not see personal value in the collection and recitation of data. The Experimentalist likes to use his logical and abstract understanding of the world for the good of mankind or for making contact with the world. 

Weak Sensing

The Experimentalist does not truly “possess“ their own internal physicality and combined with a spinning mind, that typically results in “dangly“ arms and legs, awkward motor coordination and external restlessness. It is as if The Experimentalist is all-mind and no-body, as if no one inhabits their body (contrasting to The Bonvivant). They rather rely on machinery and technology opposed to the functions of their own body. An Experimentalist is going to feel more comfortable relying on a vehicle, maneuvering it with the help of their logical acumen, rather than maneuvering their own body through space.

Super-Ego (unvalued Se)

Even so, The Experimentalist will periodically engage in physical activities of a more intense or physically taxing nature, perhaps even have aggressive or emotional outbursts, but they are rather out of character and preferably held under control or only used for specific necessities, due to their stressful charge.

Admiring Sensing + Ethics (Si+Fe)

The Experimentalist greatly appreciates someone who knows how to be mindful of their body’s internal sensations and well-being, as well as someone who aids them in relaxing into themselves and enjoying the sensory and emotionally expressive moments in life. 

Unvalued Functions (Fi & Ni)

The Experimentalist disregards the delving into personal interpretations or meanings of an abstract nature, such as the meaning of life or the interpretation of an author’s work, or the world of subjective feelings, here they feel rather lost and out of place. They grow annoyed by any serious in-depth discussion of personal preferences and ethical values, such as “good and evil“.

Also, The Experimentalist struggles with assessing the character of people around them or how to monitor the emotional intimacy between them and others, here they tend to overdo it and be overtly friendly or close, which other people can find off-putting.

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Experimentalist Celebrities Click here 

Note: Of course there are experimentalists who possess a different personality type, so please do not assume that all experimentalists in the world fit this personality type! I call the Extroverted Intuition + Thinking personality type “The Experimentalist” not only because they are usually experimental, but also because this personality structure personifies the archetype the best. The best experimentalists in the world will have this personality type.

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Type Compatibility

Most compatible:

• The Caregiver*
• The Experimentalist
• The Host*
• The Theorist

Least compatible: The Aesthete

*Note: These types can be less compatible due to mismatching Enneagram.

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Functions

The Ego of the Experimentalist

1. Extroverted Intuition (Ne)
2. Introverted Thinking (Ti)

The Super-Id (valued but weak)

• Extroverted Feeling (Fe)
• Introverted Sensing (Si)

The weakest functions:

• Introverted Sensing (Si)
• Introverted Feeling (Fi)

The strongest functions:

• Extroverted Intuition (Ne)
• Extroverted Thinking (Te)

Correlations:

ENTP (MBTI), ILE (Socionics)

Note: Both MBTI and Socionics include Big 5-related aspects in their types, especially MBTI is mostly a variation of Big 5 nowadays. My version of the Jungian types does not use Big 5 traits, hence the conventional 4-letter idea of “ENTP” might not fully apply. Based on the letters, you might count as “ENTP” but not as The Experimentalist with Ne and Ti as their first functions. Read this for more on this issue.

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Subtypes

There are 3 specific subtype variations of the Experimentalist.

Those variations can be grouped into Ne (Extroverted Intuition) subtype and Ti (Introverted Thinking) subtype and No subtype.

Ne subtype (Classic Extrovert)

Ne subtype Experimentalists share most of those traits:

• Stereotypically extroverted
• More philosophical
• More interested in social or cultural pursuits
• less physical/”embodied”.

Can be mistaken for ENFP / IEE.

Ti subtype (Introverted Extrovert / “Ambivert”)

Ti subtype Experimentalists share most of those traits:

• ”Ambiverted” (can be mistaken for an introvert)
• More practically-minded
• More technological and interested in machinery and vehicles
• More scientific/mathematical

Can be mistaken for INTP, ISTP, ESTP / LII, LSI, SLE

Note: Don’t mistake Jungian “ambiversion” with asociable Enneagram instinctual stackings, like Sp/Sx and Sx/Sp. If you are an extrovert with one of those stackings, you’ll come across as “ambiverted”, even if you don’t have that subtype!

No subtype (Standard Type)

An Experimentalist who falls into both categories more or less is mostly likely the No subtype kind.

Enneagram Types

• Type 7
  • 783 or 738 (Trifix)

If you are not Enneagram Type 7, you are most likely not The Experimentalist. But make sure you are correctly typed. You can book a Get•Typed session here.

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