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Enneagram Type 2 - 'The Helper'

What does it mean to be Type 2 Enneagram? illustration of the helper type two

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An Enneagram Type 2 is naturally compassionate, caring, and helps others as much as they can. They are both empathetic and sympathetic, and readily prioritize the needs of others above their own. Type Twos gear themselves to be relentlessly selfless, helping, protecting, supporting and caring for others. However, Type Twos are keen to avoid conflict and give others what they want, at times to the detriment of their own interests.

Key Personality Traits of an Enneagram Type 2

What are the benefits of being a Type 2?

Here we summarize the main traits. In general:

  • Type Twos have considerable compassion
  • Type Twos are exceedingly generous
  • Type Twos have a natural predisposition towards kindness
  • Type Twos readily form bonds with others
  • Type Twos have an innate selflessness that drives their major decisions
  • Type Twos are harmony seeking and people-pleasing

Data: What percentage of people are Enneagram Type 2?

Which Enneagram type is the rarest and which is the most common?

Figure 1: Global distribution of each Enneagram type.

how rate type two

What this chart shows

This chart shows percentage of the population who are each Enneagram type. We see that Type 4s are the most common and Type 6s are the most rare. Type 2s are the 4th most common at 13.7% of the population.

Notes:
  • 1. n=11,271
  • 2. Population: Global
  • 3. Live dataset last updated:

Data: Which Country has the Highest Proportion of Type 2?

Survey data on global population frequency of Enneagram Type 2

Figure 2: Regions with highest percent of Type 2s

which country has the highest percent

What this chart shows

This chart shows countries with the five highest and five lowest percent of respondents with Enneagram Type 2 personality type. This helps identify which regions have an above or below average proportion of Type Twos. We see that of those reporting their country as 'New Zealand' there is an above average proportion of Type 2s, and of those reporting their country as 'Greece' there is a below-average proportion of Type 2s.

Notes:
  • 1. n=11,271
  • 2. Population: Global
  • 3. Dataset last updated:
  • 4. Data is derived from users' self-report responses to the question "What is your country of nationality?".
  • 5. Countries with insufficient sample sizes have been excluded from this study.

What it Means to be a Type 2

An outline of what it means to be a Type 2 - The Helper

Type Twos are always looking for ways to help the lives of others. They look for ways to show compassion, give aid, and positively affect change through empathy and sympathy. They are inherently selfless, and they support, protect, and care for others - especially those who are less fortunate than themselves.

Type Twos tend to be people of great integrity who hold interpersonal responsibility as the highest virtue. Lying, cheating, and conning, are all tactics that Type Twos despise and try their best to counter with compassion and honesty. As a result, Type Twos can often find themselves in supportive or protective roles, where they contribute their time readily to the needs of others.

Lying or honesty?

Lying, cheating, and conning, are all tactics that Type Twos despise and try their best to counter with compassion and honesty.

Type Twos are primarily led by their emotions, and tend to set facts and figures, and abstract logic to one side, preferring instead to focus on the feelings and stories of people themselves. Type Twos do not want conflict to occur and will do what they can to avoid it or disarm it. This is not for their own insecurity, but rather as they see conflict in itself as a means for harm to others and therefore worthy of diffusing with urgency.

Type Twos feel that their self-sacrificing behavior is part of their identity. This can sometimes be used for ill when the Type Two is has unhealthy levels of development and stress, such as being overly protective and possessive. This can be most destructive when others are themselves vulnerable and the unhealthy Type Two takes advantage of their vulnerability for their own ingrained behavior.

Dimensions of Type 2 - The Helper

The three main dimensions of Enneagram Type 2

When we perform factor analysis on the core behaviors of each Enneagram type, we find that Type Twos exhibit positive correlations with four core traits (or 'Dimensions') as we shall call them. Dimensions are specific behavioral indicators that underpin a person's enneatype. Think of them as building blocks of a person's personality.

Consider the four Dimensions which came out as having strong correlation with Type Two personality type, and it helps to understand what underpins a Type Two's behavior.

principled icon

Principled

Twos tend to have strong personal principles which makes them principled and disciplined. They typically have great integrity and can be expected to stick to their word.

cooperative icon

Cooperative

Twos tend to be cooperative and helpful to others, readily putting the interests of others ahead of their - sometimes to a fault.

altruistic icon

Altruistic

Twos tend to be altruistic, giving what they can to others without the need for recompense and for a personal reward.

need for achievement icon

Team-Oriented

Two tend to engage well in teamwork and with others in mind, always keeping focus on the team project as a while. This can make them great assets to a team and useful members of any team.

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Suspicious (Reversed)

An Enneagram Type Two tends to have low levels of suspicion. They are quick to trust other people, rarely questioning their trustworthiness or suspecting any possible ulterior motives.

assertive icon

Assertive (Reversed)

An Enneagram Type Two tends to be less assertive than other enneatypes, struggling to impose their will onto others. Instead, they opt for a more passive and diplomatic approach to interpersonal conflict.

Data: Type 2 Dimensions Profile

The dimensions of Type 2

We studied the core personality traits (dimensions) of Enneagram Type Twos. The radar chart below shows the dimensions profile of a statistically average Type Two.

Figure 3: Radar chart of core personality traits (dimensions) of typical Type Twos

dimensions

What this chart shows

This chart shows how Type 2s score on 14 key personality traits. The scores on each scale are derived from our internal research and present a helpful shorthand to describe the Enneagram Type 2 personality profile. For example we see that Type 2s score high on Altruistic and Cooperative but low on Suspicious.

Notes:
  • 1. n=11,271
  • 2. Population: Global
  • 3. Live dataset last updated:

Type 2: Heart Type, Head Type, or Body Type?

Which of the three centers of intelligence is a Type 2?
  • heart type icon Heart type

The nine Enneagram types are grouped into three centers of intelligence according to how they fundamentally approach the world: Body Types; Heart Types; and Head Types. There are three Enneagram types in each center of intelligence and Type Twos are a Heart Type.

 

heart type enneagram

 

Type Twos are Helpers. They are agreeable, helpful to others, and empathetic. They respond to feelings and emotions and make decisions based on these factors, preferring to leave facts and figures to one side.

Type Twos are Heart Types. Heart Types make decisions based on feelings and emotions.

Data: Type 2 Genders

What percentage of Type 2 are males, females, or non-binary?

An Enneagram Type 2, from our data, is more likely to be female (52.8%) with 46.7% male and 0.5% non-binary.

Figure 4: Type 2s by gender

genders

What this chart shows

The split between genders across the Type 2 population was 52.8% female, 46.7 male, 0.5% non-binary.

Notes:
  • 1. n=1,539
  • 2. Population: Global Type Twos
  • 3. Dataset last updated:
  • 4. Data is derived from users' self-report responses to the question "What is your gender?"

Data: Proportion of Enneagram Type 2 in each Religion

Percent of people who are Type 2 by major religion

Are Type 2s more inclined towards certain religions? From our research we see that Sikhs are more likely to be Type 2 than Muslims are.

Figure 5: Percent of Type Twos in each major religion

religions

What this chart shows

This chart shows what percentage of eight religions are Type 2, and the global average percent of people who are Type 2. This helps identify whether a particular religion has an above-average or below-average proportion of Type 2s.

Notes:
  • 1. n=11,271
  • 2. Population: Global
  • 3. Dataset last updated:
  • 4. Religions with insufficient sample sizes have been excluded from this study.
  • 5. Data is derived from users' self-report responses to the question "Which religion do you most identify with?"

Type 2 Strengths and Weaknesses

What are the positive attributes of an Enneagram Type 2
strengths and weaknesses illustration
Every Enneagram type has strengths and weaknesses, personality traits that stand out and others that can be unhelpful. Here we will answer the question of 'what are the main strengths and weaknesses of being a Type 2 Enneagram?'
Info Table
Strengths Weaknesses
Radiate genuine empathy Can require external validation
Innate sense of when others are in need of their help and support Potentially help others to the point of obsessiveness
Very high interpersonal emotional intelligence Sacrifice their own interests to facilitate others not to their benefit
Great integrity and compassion Too easily afraid of conflict
star note

Note: The strengths accentuated when the Type Two has an healthy level of development. Likewise, the weaknesses will occur most when the Type Two has an unhealthy level of development.

Type 2 Fears and Desires

A list of the core fears and desires of Type 2s

Each Enneagram type has fears and desires; things to avoid and things to seek out.

Fears

Things type 2s should avoid

Core fear: Being unable to help other people and having to sit back and allow suffering to unfold around them.

  • Aggressive encounters
  • Shame of being seen as unhelpful
  • Not receiving appreciation

Desires

Things Type 2s should seek

Core desire: Being the center of help and support to those you care about and to those who need them

  • Disarming conflict where they can
  • Living peaceful, harmonious lives
  • Minimising the suffering of others

Data: Type 2 Age Distribution

Grouped survey data on Type 2 ages

We surveyed the age of Type Twos and grouped the data.

Figure 6: Enneagram Type 2 by age

ages

What this chart shows

This chart shows that Type Twos tend to become more common with age, up until the 61+ age bracket. We suspect this is because caring demands tend to increase with age, culminating in middle age whereby people are caring for both elderly relatives and children. However, upon entering old age, individuals no longer need to care for older relatives and their children become independent. Moreover, older people eventually become the recipients of care, rather than the givers of care, changing a person's behavioral priorities.

Notes:
  • 1. n=11,271
  • 2. Population: Global
  • 3. Dataset last updated:

Type 2 Arrows: Type 2s at Their Best and Their Worst

What are Enneagram arrows and how do they work?

Every Enneagram type has two potential arrow types that they can achieve according to their state of stress or state of growth. None of us are static personalities, and sometimes we are better versions of ourselves and other times we are not achieving our potential.

Both arrows are important influences. To obtain a complete picture of the Type Two personality, you must take into consideration the basic overview, the two arrows, and the wings.

arrow image type 2

Type Two arrow

Type Two arrow chart

When a Type Two is in flow, what is called Direction of Integration, Type Twos become more joyful, pleasant and more spontaneous as if they were healthy Type Fours.

  • Direction of Integration = Healthy Type 4
  • Direction of Disintegration = Unhealthy Type 8
face reading open book

Tip: Making sure to look after yourself and taking pride in yourself is one way to become a healthy Type 2

What wings can a Type 2 have?

Type 2s can also exhibit traits associated with their adjacent Enneatype. For Type 2 the adjacent Enneatypes are 1 and 3. A Type 2 can either have a One-wing (2w1) or a Three-wing (2w3). With either of these wings, the Type 2 would then exhibit certain traits of that wing type.

Data: Type 2 Sexual Orientation

Survey data on Type 2 sexual orientation

We surveyed sexual orientation amongst Enneagram Type Twos.

Figure 7: Enneagram Type 2 by sexual orientation

sexual orientation

What this chart shows

This chart shows what percentage of each a particular sexual preference are Type 2. For example 14.7% of people reporting as heterosexual are Type 2. This compares with 13.7% of all people who are Type 2. Heterosexuals are more likely to be Type 2 than bisexuals are.

Notes:
  • 1. n=11,271
  • 2. Population: Global
  • 3. Dataset last updated:

Data: Type 2 Qualifications

Survey data on Type 2 academic qualifications

We surveyed Type 2s on their highest level of academic qualification.

Figure 8: Highest level of qualification held by Type 2s

qualifications

What this chart shows

This chart shows the percent of the population who reported holding a particular qualification as their highest qualification. By comparing data for Type 2 and all types, we can see whether Type 2s are more or less likely to hold a particular qualification. We see that Type 2s are more likely than the average population to hold as their highest qualification "Postgraduate Degree, Doctorate or equivalent qualification".

Notes:
  • 1. n=11,271
  • 2. Population: Global
  • 3. Dataset last updated:
  • 4. Data is derived from users' self-report responses to the question "Your highest level of qualification".

 

page author ben

Chloe Yarwood, MSc

University of Chichester, Advanced Applied Psychology

Chloe Yarwood, MSc in Advanced Applied Psychology from University of Chichester. Specialist in personality type theory and developing valid personality questionnaires.