Overview (Introverted Sensing + Thinking)
The Stabilizer typically focuses on maintaining or creating stability, as well as following a certain set of rules or routines to streamline everyday life. In that manner, they usually come across as quiet pragmatists, whose practical logic is (rarely) swayed or influenced by emotion.
Their primary focus is often found in the field of health or social order, hence most successful Stabilizers are found in professions such as healthcare, medicine, (medical) doctors, lawyers, judges, pastors, news anchors, politics, government, managers (of smaller business teams) and similar. Another common field of career is related to home repairs or machinery for homes (e.g vacuum cleaners). More academic and theoretical Stabilizers use their mathematical skills for physics or chemistry.
No matter which kind of career or pastime they choose, they will feel most at ease when they can use logic and their level-headed approach to establish a steady, reliable experience.
to stabilize (verb)
- to make stable, steadfast, or firm
- to hold steady, to limit fluctuations of
Purpose Role: The Stabilizer is in their element when they establish or maintain stability in their personal lives and the world, by the means of using rules, technology, or routines that preserve the individual and follow externally validated logic.
Main Functions (Si & Te)
Similarly to the Caregiver, the Stabilizer is usually highly attuned to how their environment or other matters in everyday life impact their perceived sense of comfort. At the extreme, a Stabilizer would rather prefer a monotonous, but stable existence over a highly variable and exciting one. At least, this is how unhealthy Stabilizers tend to live their lives – tied to a mundane and emotionally flat routine with no real benefit. On the other hand, healthier Stabilizers follow a certain flow of everyday living for the betterment of themselves and others. For other types, that kind of routine or lifestyle could seem “boring“ or “dry“, but Stabilizers gain a sense of satisfaction from it.
Stabilizers constantly calibrate what is out of balance or out of order, and usually attempt to “fix that“ by employing a certain set of rules or processes. They are generally quite effective at (re)-establishing or identifying comfort or order. Many Stabilizers like to extend this approach to others in their lives or even society at large. A lot of laws and everyday rules, such as traffic laws, are governed by or have been thought of by Stabilizers.
A Stabilizer might attempt to increase the livelihood and comfortable existence of people. Though differently from the Caregiver, those attempts are typically tied to logical data and factual information, with an aim to increase functionality or efficiency of the individual (rather than their “emotional experience“, though that could be a good byproduct).
Due to their natural sensibility towards their own perceptions and logical data, Stabilizers are often amongst the people who can memorize and recount the most facts and information – especially when the Stabilizer has experienced those first-hand.
Strong, Unvalued Introverted Thinking (Ti)
Stabilizers are often well-able at understanding intricate logical details. At the very least, they analyze whatever is truly logical, not just from an external point of view, but based on “what makes logical sense“ to them personally. Together with a focus on factual knowledge, they like to delve deep into certain theories, though usually those theories have a basis on something tangible or physical. They may also be rather good at constructing their own hypotheses and theories. However, first and foremost the Stabilizers values breadth of information and factual data with a tangible component.
Unvalued Extroverted Sensing (Se)
The external environment can be interesting to a Stabilizer as long as it has a significant positive effect on their inner state. Stabilizers can deal with noise or combative situations and individuals, but generally they disdain them and find them rather nerve-wracking. Similarly, they can be aware of how to dress and present themselves, but usually they choose comfort or a professional and uniform appearance over individual style and flair.
Weak, Unvalued Extroverted Feeling (Fe)
Stabilizers often feel most comfortable and at ease when they are not required to display certain emotions based on the situation at hand, such as polite smiles. Though especially the female variety tends to attempt to do so on occasion, simply because it aligns with the social order. But this is usually as far as it goes with the Stabilizer and their emotionality or “read“ on people.
They are often rather stone-faced with a stable tone of voice (at worst, monotone), as well as unaware of how people are truly feeling or how they should approach people. Occasionally a Stabilizer might try to be funny and make some jokes, but usually they are of the “deadpan“-variety and solely witty, rather than boisterous. Stabilizers can feel somewhat offended if someone pushes them to copy or “join in“ with a certain emotional atmosphere, especially if it goes against what the Stabilizer is currently feeling personally about the situation. It is also not uncommon for a Stabilizer to be blind towards what is going on with people in certain social settings or interpersonal situations.
Weak, Unvalued Introverted Intuition (Ni)
Stabilizers might occasionally occupy themselves with the deeper meaning of life, inexplicable patterns in the world, repetitive trends, or even symbolism. But usually those attempts are either short-lived or strongly tied to their modus operandi of optimizing and stabilizing everyday life with logic. A Stabilizer might employ metaphoric language to explain why it is best to follow a certain routine or rules, for example from religious scripture or law. Even so, the focus is not truly on the abstract and what it could mean, but mainly how it improves the well-being and stability of the individual.
Seeking Extroverted Intuition and Aim at Introverted Feeling (Ne & Fi)
Despite their natural proficiency of “living“ stability (either for the best or worst), the Stabilizer yearns for an outside influx of novel and morally meaningful ideas. Thinking about what humanity “could be“ and “should be“, what is morally significant for the Stabilizer personally – this line of thought creates a welcome complement to their rather stable, logical lifestyles. In this manner, the Stabilizer can maintain stability, whilst also being mentally enriched at the same time.
The Stabilizer struggles with finding or creating those humanitarian philosophies by themselves, hence they are well-matched by people like the Pundit or Humanist. A Stabilizer gains enjoyment from encountering childlike, novel (utopian) ideas about humanity, especially if they deepen the Stabilizer’s own take on what personally matters to them.
Stabilizer Celebrities: Click here
Note: Of course there are stabilizers who possess a different personality type, so please do not assume that all stabilizers in the world fit this personality type! I call the Introverted Sensing + Thinking personality type “The Stabilizer” not only because they are usually stabilizers, but also because this personality structure personifies the archetype the best.
Type Compatibility
Most compatible:
- The Pundit*
- The Stabilizer
- The Humanist*
- The Administrator
Least compatible: The Inspirer
*Note: These types can be occasionally less compatible due to mismatching Enneagram Trifixes.
Functions
The Ego of the Stabilizer
The Super-Id (valued but weak)
The weakest Functions:
The strongest Functions:
Correlations:
ISTJ (MBTI), SLI (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 “ISTJ” might not fully apply. Based on the letters, you might count as “ISTJ” but not as The Stabilizer with Si and Te as their first functions. Read this for more on this issue.
Subtypes
There are 3 specific subtype variations of the Stabilizer.
Those variations can be grouped into (Si) Introverted Sensing and (Te) Extroverted Thinking subtype.
Si Subtype (Classic Introvert)
Si subtype Stabilizers share most of those traits:
- Stereotypically introverted
- More interested in aesthetics or sports
- Low energy
- More caregiving & nostalgic
Can be mistaken for ISFJ / SEI.
Te Subtype (Extroverted Introvert / “Ambiverted”)
Te subtype Stabilizers share most of those traits:
- “Ambiverted” (can be mistaken for an extrovert)
- More academic and/or scientific
- Tends to be more involved in business or politics
- More organized and efficient
Can be mistaken for INTJ, ESTJ, ENTJ / ILI, LSE, LIE.
Note: Don’t mistake Jungian “ambiversion” with sociable Enneagram instinctual stackings, like So/Sx, So/Sp and Sx/So. If you are an introvert with one of those stackings, you’ll come across as “ambiverted”, even if you don’t have that subtype!
No Subtype (Standard Type)
A Stabilizers who falls into both categories more or less is mostly likely the No subtype kind.
Enneagram Types
If you are not a Type 1 or Type 9w8, then you are most likely not The Stabilizer. But make sure you are correctly typed. You can get a typing from me here.
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