Introduction

An individual is, in many ways, like art. When we take the time to scrutinize a work of art, we can spot a thousand different elements that make it a unique piece of its own; things that would normally be lost in the elaborate details. But if we can only catch a glimpse of the artwork, we will surely miss its finer details, subtle shades of color, and delicate stroke patterns. Instead, what we end up noticing is the style of art, be it abstract, impressionist, or minimalist.

Details create the big picture.

Likewise, all individuals are a compilation of different thoughts and emotions fading in and out of consciousness; a process that imparts each and everyone of us personalities that are infinitely intricate and complex. Yet, upon meeting someone for the very first time, we won’t notice the little things that make them unique. Instead, we derive from these encounters an impression of who they are. And that is what Type Style is in essence: an impression of an archetype.

To be more specific, Type Style is the resulting behavior that emerges from the synergy between two Type Drives based on their order of priority. There are four different Type Styles: Reserved, Spontaneous, Expressive, and Structured. Each Type Style lends a unique aspect to an individual’s personality, leading to various styles of an archetype.

The combination of two Type Drives will form a Type Style:

• Reflect & Analyze → Reserved Style
• Analyze & Interact → Spontaneous Style
• Interact & Direct → Expressive Style
• Direct & Reflect → Structured Style

It is essential to note that two opposing Type Drives, such as Reflect and Interact, cannot merge to form a Type Style. This is because they lack shared Type Instincts or Type Classes, which makes them fundamentally different from one another. Therefore, they cannot be combined.

Without further ado, let's explore each of the four Type Styles below to gain a better understanding.

Reserved Style

Archetypes who have Reflect and Analyze as their top two Type Drives will naturally express a Reserved Type Style. They are propelled by a strong need to Evolve and will usually do so by engaging with both familiar and unfamiliar knowledge. Viewing self-improvement as their most important endeavor, they strive constantly to develop and cultivate themselves. More than that, they know that opportunities to grow are hard to come by, so they rarely pass up a chance to be better.

Reserved archetypes may seem shy, even if they are not, as they keep a lot of things to themselves. As such, their thoughtful or analytical nature is often concealed by their quiet demeanor. People may belittle their contemplations as empty daydreams. But in truth, the minds of Reserved archetypes are actually harboring an immeasurably rich inner world—one that is always processing matters within.

Sadly, this makes Reserved archetypes relatively withdrawn. They are prone to doing their own things, on their own time, at their own pace. This individualistic style of living can often bring about the opposite of what they wish for. While they strive to be outstanding on their own, their lack of support from communities can cause them to be underestimated, casting them in the shadows of those around them.

That said, although Reserved archetypes may feel hard to approach, their constant contemplations can often offer deep and detailed perspectives to those who know them well.

Expressive Style

Archetypes who have Interact and Direct as their top two Type Drives will naturally express an Expressive Type Style. They are propelled by a strong need to Lead and will usually do so by engaging with both familiar and unfamiliar knowledge. Living their lives for those around them, they constantly strive to guide and involve others. Above all, they know that a strong community can only be forged when everyone pulls their weight. Therefore, they will always put others before themselves even if it means sacrifice.

Expressive archetypes can often seem loud because they are always out there teaching and collaborating with people. They tend to be the liveliest ones around as they feel increasingly energized being in the spotlight. People may expect them to burn out and crash from using so much energy. But if you have ever met an Expressive archetype, you would know that they are just getting started.

However, if Expressive archetypes mingle way too much with others, they will come off as busybodies or even attention seekers. They are prone to interfering with people’s lives, giving unsolicited advice or comments without any respect for personal space. This intrusive style of living can easily get on people’s nerves, and if they do it too much, they may end up being annoying or even offensive.

That said, although Expressive archetypes may seem meddlesome at times, they will always be there to provide assistance and direction to those around them even though it is a thankless job.

Spontaneous Style

Archetypes who have Analyze and Interact as their top two Type Drives will naturally express a Spontaneous Type Style. They are propelled by a strong need to Explore and will usually do so by engaging with both self and others. Drawn towards anything and everything new, they constantly seek to engage and understand whatever the world has to offer. More importantly, they know their time here is limited. As such, they will readily dive into the unfamiliar in a heartbeat.

Spontaneous archetypes rarely have a plan for anything because they believe that plans will always change, so why bother? Even if they do draft a plan, by the time they finish it, something else more exciting may have already surfaced. People may find it hard to believe that Spontaneous archetypes can live so unpredictably. But truth to be told, not only are they fine with it, some may even look forward to it.

This, unfortunately, makes Spontaneous archetypes very impulsive. They have a tendency to rush into new opportunities and possibilities, doing whatever seems right at the moment without thinking through future implications. This reckless style of living can easily get them in trouble, and if they aren’t careful enough, they might just wind up doing something that they will regret for life.

That said, although Spontaneous archetypes might be a rowdy bunch to have around, they never fail to add a dash of excitement into the lives of those they are with.

Structured Style

Archetypes who have Direct and Reflect as their top two Type Drives will naturally express a Structured Type Style. They are propelled by a strong need to Build and will usually do so by engaging with both self and others. Laying heavy emphasis on lifelong stability, they constantly seek to organize and refine all aspects of their life. On top of that, they know that prevention is always better than cure. Hence, they work tirelessly to keep everything under control.

Structured archetypes have a reputation for being rigid because they don’t like to deal with the unknown, especially when there is a chance for it to derail their plans. As a result, they tend to be much more methodical or long-term focused, leaving very little room for error. While people may find it suffocating to live such a restrained life, for Structured archetypes, this is quite frankly the dream.

The downside to this is that Structured archetypes are usually uptight. They have a tendency to avoid the new, finding it extremely hard to accept anything beyond their realm of knowledge. If possible, they may even choose to remain in their comfort zones for as long as necessary. This inflexible style of living can often prove to be disastrous, especially when chaos strikes when they least anticipate it.

That said, although Structured archetypes may seem less interesting in general, their unfaltering capacity to keep their lives in order can often inspire tremendous confidence in others.

Conclusion

With all four Type Styles explained, we can now dive deeper to explore Type Variants. Besides identifying Type Styles, the order in which a person prioritizes their Type Drive can also determine a person's Type Variant. This greatly increases the variety of personality types that exist. Let us find out more in the next part.

Read next part → Type Variant [Rhythm]