How to Decode Special Notices on Enneagram Tritype® Test v8
Katherine is an IEA Accredited Professional with Distinction and an IEA Board Member from 1997-1999. She is a Triple-certified Enneagram Teacher with Palmer-Daniels, Riso-Hudson, and Hurley-Donson. She has the distinction of being the only person to have attended intensives with both Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo, with Naranjo validating her 1994 qualitative research on the subtypes in 1996. Katherine was inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who in America Biographical Registry, the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) in 2023, and awarded the Top Enneagram Coach of the Year 2023, Best Consultant of the Year for the City of Menlo Park for 2015 and 2023, named the IAOTP Empowered Woman of the Year for 2024, and in 2025, IAOTP voted Katherine as the Best Enneagram Coach of the Decade.
Enneagram Tritype® Test v8 is here!
ETTv8: How is works and what you will Learn
Take the Test here: https://enneagramtritypetest.com
You can now take advantage of ETTv8 for a nominal fee of $25.00. Your test results will be accessible for a month, and the option to extend the timeframe is available upon sign-up. Additionally, you can download your test results for future reference.
It is based on over 4 decades of experience, 24 of Katherine’s Research Studies on the Enneagram, Tritype®, Tristar, Instinctual Types, Subtypes, Countertypes, and MBTI, and many other correlations. (see “product” page and “about Katherine” pages).
The specific word choices on the Enneacards came from the tens of thousands of research participants, and thousands of qualitative interviews and In-depth Coaching sessions.
Identifying and confirming your dominant Enneagram Type and your Tritype® is an essential part of the transformation process. Do not be discouraged if it takes time, as the process will give you many valuable insights.
If you are unsure of your Tritype®, take Katherine’s Enneagram Tritype ®Test and pay close attention to any special notices you receive. This Enneagram Tritype® Test is the only test programmed to detect the rare patterns that only 6s use. These special notices will tell you if you have the test-taking pattern of the 6 even if you do not have a single 6 card.
Some 9s, about 20%, have a somewhat similar pattern. If the 9 has 6 in the Tritype®, they will have many of the same patterns.
How does the ETTv8 Look what you will Receive:
About the Enneagram Tritype® Test:
Enneagram Tritype® Test v8 combines 10 tests in one instrument:
Type, Tritype®, Instinctual Type, and Instinctual Stacking
The ETTv8 Tests includes: Enneastyle: This is the open-ended testing instrument that led to all of the studies that followed, as it proved to accurately identify one’s self-image and lexicon.
Begin by answering all questions based on what has been true for you most of your life, most of the time… not who you could be, should be, want to be or have become.
Enneacards: You will receive several sets of 3 Enneacards and asked to drag and drop the cards in the order of your first choice to your third choice.
If you notice that you have been given cards you have already seen, it is intentional. You are being served the cards in a number of different ways. ;) The test is having you compare and contrast different Enneacards that you have already chosen.
Enneagram Tritype® Test v8:
Specially programmed to detect the patterns of Type 6 and Type 9!
Created in 2020, the Enneagram Tritype® Test v8 combines ten integrated testing instruments into one seamless experience. These findings are grounded in data collected from tens of thousands of international Enneagram study participants, ages 12 to 100, that began in 1994.
It reflects over four decades of qualitative Enneagram research into the “internal experiences” of the Enneagram types and Subtypes and Tritypes®, including 24 in-depth studies involving three-hour interviews, panel observations, language pattern analysis, sentence completion, true-false, and multiple-choice assessments, ranking and sorting tests, visual archetypes, and thematic evaluations of the types' and Subtypes' "internal experiences."
Purpose of ETTv8
The purpose of the Enneagram Tritype® Test v8 (ETTv8) is to identify the most likely Enneagram Type, Tritype®, and Instinctual Type of Enneagram Enthusiasts. In particular, it was created to assist those who exhibit the unique patterns, language, or response styles associated with the primary types—3, 6, and 9. These types are naturally adaptive and often focus on external behaviors rather than internal motivations. When the ETTv8 detects these specific markers, it alerts the test-taker that their responses reflect key traits consistent with one or more of these primary types. This feedback helps them consider that Type 3, 6, or 9 may play a central role in their Tritype® configuration—even if they previously dismissed it. The aim is not to force a type, but to shine a light on what may be hidden beneath adaptation, identification, or doubt.
How ETTv8 Works
The primary purpose of the ETTv8 is to help Enneagram enthusiasts accurately identify their Type, Tritype®, and Instinctual Stackings as early and reliably as possible—minimizing the confusion and delays caused by mistypings.
ETTv8 integrates ten separate testing instruments with advanced logic sequencing and language algorithms modeled on how each type naturally describes their core character—particularly how they would introduce and describe themselves to a total stranger. It also includes special programming for those with more than one Primary Type in their Tritype®, especially 3s, 6s, and 9s, who tend to mask their deeper drives beneath polished social personas.
Most people mistype because they select answers based on observable behaviors, surface traits, or identity roles. But behavior is only the starting point. Accurate typing requires looking beneath the surface—into the emotional engine that drives you. The Tritype® system reveals your inner structure: idealized self-images, core fears, deep convictions, and defense strategies. These unconscious patterns shape how you see the world and yourself even when contradicting your conscious identity.
ETTv8 Pattern Detection
ETTv8 was designed with specialized programming to recognize patterns unique to each Enneagram Type. It was created to address the high rate of mistypings by including the words, pictures, and phrases submitted by the types and the actual language, expressions, and symbolic imagery used by the types themselves.
Why (3, 6, 9) are Often Mistyped
The Enneagram is a Trialectic 9-fold system, so statistically speaking, there are more Enneagram Type 9s, 6s, and 3s with the 369 Tritype® than any other types or Tritypes®. In particular, the most indecisive behavior-tracking elements are the social instinctual 6s, 9s, and 3s. So, most of the population has one or more primary types; it is just a matter of finding the hidden motivations of these types within a Tritype® to recognize them.
Primary Types (3,6,9)
The three primary types—3, 6, and 9—take longer to accurately Tritype® and confirm their types because they serve as the center of each triad: heart (234), head (567), and gut (891). These primary types are positioned at the center of their respective triads and are meant to modulate their feelings (3), thoughts (6), and behaviors (9) to create a sense of balance. For example, Type 6 toggles between trust and suspicion to find certainty, while Type 9 mediates between conflict and harmony to maintain peace. As a result, they are highly adaptive and tend to see multiple sides of a situation, making them more indecisive and more likely to type themselves based on what they do rather than why they do it. Their defense strategies focus on tracking behaviors, managing uncertainty, and staying safe—leading them to confuse external behavior with internal motivation.
Primary Types (3,6,9):Most Common Mistypings
Mistyping and Mistrityping® are natural parts of the discovery process and most commonly occur with the social instinctual types, due to the social’s need to track the behaviors of others to be safe. As a result, they mistype as well. So the 936, 963, 639 Tritype® combinations often include a 6 or 9 or both.
Primary Types (3,6,9): Need for Internal Balance
Because 3s, 6s, and 9s shape-shift between their wing types to maintain internal balance, they often type themselves through the lens of social roles or habitual behaviors. This adaptive quality obscures their core motivations, making it difficult to distinguish between identification and their authentic inner drive. The ETTv8 was built to detect these patterns and support deeper self-recognition.
Primary Types (3,6,9): Hardwired to focus on Behaviors
They are hardwired to track behaviors and act according to the situation at hand to create, maintain, or restore a sense of balance in their respective triad. As a result of their adaptations, they take on the behaviors of the other types in their triad and can appear less distinct. They then identify with the more idealized or stronger type in their triad rather than their core type, which is more hidden but serves as the actual puppeteer of their defensive strategies.
They do not relate to the negative traits of the types they identify with. This is because they need to have the required adaptability to feel safe. The 3s, 6s, and 9s identify with the other types whose behaviors they exhibit rather than their own internal type motivations. They adapt to their wing types and lines of connection, appearing more invisible while still maintaining a sense of balance.
What is noteworthy is that the 3s, 6s, and 9s choose types that make their behaviors seem acceptable. For example, if they think they are too emotional, they will identify as the 4 rather than the 3. If they are too angry, they will identify as type 8 rather than type cp6 or type 9. If they are too blaming, they will identify with type 1 to justify it. If they are smart and socially awkward, they will identify as type 5. If they are outgoing, they will identify with type 7 instead of type 6.
How Instinctual Types Influence Mistyping
The social instinctual types also adjust. In particular, social 6 and social 9 are often mistaken for other types initially. This occurs because they overly focus on external behaviors and struggle to understand their underlying internal motivations.
Research Findings
Research suggests that it is easier for individuals to consider and observe their idealized self-images, core fears, and actual defense strategies. They must have all three sets of idealized self-images, core fears, and defense strategies to be a Tritype®. This approach has proven to make typing easier than trying to make sense of motivations that appear to be constantly changing to the 369s.
Make an educated guess as to what another’s Tritype® might be?
Many people have asked me how to type someone they are no longer in contact with, like an old flame or friend and, most importantly, a loved one that has passed away… You would be surprised and how close your answers might be.
Retake the test. This time imagine that you are the person you are taking it for. Take Tritype® Test. Then see what you think.
Learn more about Tritype® at https://www.katherinefauvre.com/tritype
More on Tritype®
Evolution of Tritype®:
katherinefauvre.com
Tritype® Page:
katherinefauvre.com/tritype
How to Type and Tritype®:
katherinefauvre.com/howtotritype
Take Enneagram Tritype® Test:
https://enneagramtritypetest.com
Learn more
Endorsements Enneagram Tritype® Test 2020-2025
“Enneagram Tritype Test V6 has it all: enneagram type, instinctual subtype, tritype and even proper handouts-everything a coach could want.”
-Belgium
“Wow, Katherine this is the best Enneagram Test out there!”
-Huntington Beach
“You did it again, the Enneagram Tritype Test v6 is by far the most accurate test there is!”
-San Jose, California.
“The Enneagram Tritype Test is the most comprehensive Enneagram test available. It is filled with information that is easy for clients and advanced for the coach.“
-Orange, CA
“Wanting certainty about my enneagram type is finally over.”
-New Type in New Mexico! “Enneagram Tritype Test v6 rocks! I can’t believe it is free.“
-South Africa
“Your Enneagram Tritype Test v6 is unsurpassed. Enneagram 6s now have a test that lets them know they test like a 6. What a breakthrough!”
-Berkeley, CA
“You have the only enneagram test that identifies the Enneatype 6. I refer everyone to the link: enneagramtritypetest.com”
-Chicago
“The most accurate Enneagram test at enneagramtritypetest.com”
-Korea
“Enneagram Tritype Test v6 is so organized, accurate and informative.”
-A type 1 in Washington
“This test is brilliant;
enneagramtritypetest.com”
-London
“The Enneagram Tritype Test just keeps getting better. Thanks, Katherine for all of your hard work.”
-Colorado
“I attended Katherine’s presentations and regularly watch her talks on YouTube whenever I can. I think Her Enneagram Tritype Test v6 is fabulous, fun and accurate. Far less work with amazing results.”
-Israel
“I learned so much from Katherine when she lived on Maui. This test is wonderful for my clients. www.katherinefauvre.com. It is a part of my assessment package.”
-Maui
“The Enneagram Tritype Test is hands down the best test out there! V5 and v6.”
-Los Angeles
“I love the all of the new features in the Enneagram Tritype Test. If only I had this 15 years ago.”
-Berkeley
“Your Enneagram Tritype Test is a game changer. I have been mistyped for 15 years. I finally know I am actually a 6 and not a 2, 5 or 7.”
-Atlanta
“I follow all of Katherine’s work and am never disappointed. Her enneagramtritypetest.com is really good. Take v.6 so we can talk about it.”
-Portugal
“Yep, enneagramtritypetest.com is the best Tritype test from the creator of Tritype.”
-US
“As always, Katherine is innovative, progressive and accurate so her new test is too. Check out enneagramtritypetest.com and www.katherinefauvre.com”
-San Francisco
Working with Tritype® Test
It's crucial to find a 30-minute period where you can take the test without any interruptions. This will increase the accuracy of your results. Once you've completed the test, close it out so your results will be recorded and emailed to you.
Remember not to stop, save, hit backspace, leave the test, go to another screen, look up a word, copy the test or results, take screenshots, create a PDF, or take a call, as the test will time out and/or not be recorded. All choices will be available under the “Show answers" tab.
Tritype® 4.0 Advanced Video Series on Sale
Tritype® 4.0 Series - Sold as a set and sold separately by each Tritype®!
Don’t miss out!
Katherine’s Tritype® 4.0 Masterclass recording, each of the 27 Tritype® Archetype videos, and more are on sale. Discover important nuances and details about each of the Enneagram Tritypes®.
Tritype® 4.0 Individual Tritypes®: Save $10
• One Tritype® Archetype of your Choice
• Bonus Video: Introduction to Tritype® 4.0 Video 1.5-hours
Each Tritype® Archetype begins with an Introduction to Tritype® Video that covers the basics of using the Tritype® and Tristar System.
$65.00 on sale for $45.00 - $55.00 (for a limited time only).
Save $10 on individual videos with a special introductory price!
Learn more and purchase individual Tritype® videos here
Advanced Intro to Tritype® 4.0 + Evolution of Tritype®
125 - The Mentor
126 - The Supporter
127 - The Teacher
135 - The Technical Expert
136 - The Taskmaster
137 - The Systems Builder
145 - The Researcher
146 - The Philosopher
147 - The Visionary
258 - The Strategist
259 - The Problem Solver
268 - The Rescuer
269 - The Good Samaritan
278 - The Free Spirit
279 - The Peacemaker
358 - The Solution Master
359 - The Thinker
368 - The Justice Fighter
369 - The Mediator
378 - The Mover Shaker
379 - The Ambassador
458 - The Scholar
459 - The Contemplative
468 - The Truth Teller
469 - The Seeker
478 - The Messenger
479 - The Gentle Spirit
Full set of 29 Videos Includes Intro + Evolution of Tritype®
Learn more and purchase individual Tritype® videos here
Our Emotioanlly Complex, Condictory and Enigmatic Type 6
And their Tritype® Archetypal Facial Expressions
“I have seen you many times on YouTube. So, just for fun, I took your Enneagram Tritype Test.
I learned the Enneagram in 2008 but I wasn’t sure about my Tritypes. 12 years later, I finally found my Tritypes with your test.
I am having a wonderful time learning about my 4 in my tritype. You have spoken about the hidden sadness in the 478 tritype.
Well, I am here to tell you it is true. I am the sad sexual 748 and my sadness doesn’t have to be a secret anymore. As you often say, we are just wired that way. I am so grateful for your inspired and caring work.”
-Pennsylvania
“All of my clients and friends have typed accurately with the Enneagram Tritype Test. Thanks again Katherine.”
-Texas
“I took Katherine’s earlier test when she taught in Italy a few years ago. It was the best test I had taken. But her enneagramtritypetest.com is even better. I have had everyone take it. It is so much fun to share it with friends.”
-Italy
“Helping sixes know they are sixes takes years off of their search for their correct Enneagram type. I recommend your Enneagram Tritype Test to everyone.”
-Florida
“I work in a shelter and use the enneagram to help people understand themselves. It is so important to get the right type because I have so little time with people. I missed typing a lot of 6s correctly because they looked like other types. Now I understand what you keep saying about the core fears and defense strategies. Thank you for your work. I have everyone take your enneagram tritype test even when they already know their type.”
-Memphis, Tennessee
“Catalina, enneagramtritypetest.com es Magnifico! Gracias!”
-Mexico
“I was shocked when Katherine Fauvre’s Enneagram Tritype Test pegged me as a 6. I wanted it to be wrong. Two days later, it was a relief. I feel more like myself than ever before.”
-UK
Taking the ETTv8
Working with Tritype® Test
It's crucial to find a 30-minute period where you can take the test without any interruptions. This will increase the accuracy of your results.
Once you've completed the test, close it out so your results will be recorded and emailed to you.
Remember not to stop, save, hit backspace, leave the test, go to another screen, look up a word, copy the test or results, take screenshots, create a PDF, or take a call, as the test will time out and/or not be recorded.
All choices will be available under the “Show answers" tab on your Enneagram Tritype Test v8 Results.
“Katrines Enneagram Tritype Test is dope!”
-Compton
“Katherine Fauvre’s enneagramtritypetest.com is magnificent. Both clients and friends like it. It is accurate too which reduces my stress.”
-Spain
“I saw Katherine for the first time in Australia and have followed her work.
It is always interesting to learn what the types feel at there core and why.”
-Australia
“I have had several sessions with Katherine. Her new test at enneagramtritypetest.com is just so easy and accurate.
You can also get her test with many links her website, www.katherinefauvre.com. I am still learning what it all means by watching her Q&As on YouTube.”
-Canada
“I appreciate how organized and accurate this test is. It uses pictures and is a proper test. enneagramtritypetest.com”
-Germany
“We all love your new test at enneagramtritypetest.com. Our study group is having so many insights and breakthroughs.”
-Tampa
“You have really changed the course of the enneagram, Katherine.
Your deep understanding of what goes on in the hearts and minds of the types is jaw-dropping. Your test at www. enneagramtritypetest.com is a true reflection of what you have learned.”
-Nevada
“Ya gotta luv, luv, luv Katherine Fauvre’s tritype test at enneagramtritypetest.com. And her website www.katherinefauvre.com is packed with free information on the enneagram.”
-New York
“I gulped when the Enneagram Tritype Test results said that I had the pattern of the Enneagram type 6. I reexamined my life and found that it is true.
I don’t have long explanations about why I am an unusual 3 or a 4. No more gulping, I immediately made friends with my anxiety and feel more chilled out.”
-San Diego
“I am not the anxious 358.
This excellent test noted a special pattern. enneagramtritypetest.com. I am the self-preserving 631. Want to talk about it?”
-Costa Rica
©1995-2025 Katherine Chernick Fauvre
Decode Special Notices in Enneagram Tritype® Test v8
Diagnostic Key to the Anatomy of Mistyping and the Exceptions
Section 1: Overview and Core Concepts
Excerpt from “Enneagram Tritype® Advantage 2.0: Strengths, Struggles, and Strategies”
The Enneagram Tritype® Test v8 (ETTv8), introduced in 2020, included Special Notices as a groundbreaking diagnostic tool designed to highlight unconscious type patterns and prompt deeper inquiry. These Notices act as intelligent signals, revealing discrepancies between surface identification and underlying motivation. With over 50 possible Notices, each tied to a behavioral, linguistic, or cognitive marker of one of the nine Enneagram types, they provide a new dimension to accurate type interpretation.
When multiple Special Notices are triggered—particularly for types like 6, 9, or 3—it indicates a consistent reliance on these type-based strategies, whether acknowledged, minimized, or outright denied. These types are especially adept at adapting to social environments, which can result in distorted self-perception and frequent mistyping. The Notices highlight the anatomy of mistyping by illuminating unconscious identification with a type’s behaviors rather than a full understanding of its idealized self-images, core fears, and defense strategies, as well as the passions, fixations, and convictions, along with their corresponding Holy Virtues, Holy Ideas, and Holy Actions.
The Notices function as a built-in system of early detection. They are not casual suggestions, but precision indicators that reflect repeated use of type-specific defense mechanisms, idealizations, contradictions, and fixation language. Once a test-taker reaches seven Notices, the system caps further Notices—signaling the need to consider this type’s role in their Tritype® and, in some cases, strongly suggesting it may be their core type. At the very least, it signals the need to further explore these inconsistencies to uncover the actual Tritype®, as it could be an example of a rare exception that needs to be thoroughly examined.
Crucially, these Notices are not based on self-declared identity, but on the recognition of unconscious patterns. They track consistencies across language, behavior, and cognitive framing. Many users resist the type that receives the most Notices, which in itself is revealing. The Notices decode unconscious resistance, over-identification, projection, minimization, and dissociation—all of which contribute to mistyping.
For example, the Type 6 Notice often appears in the context of questioning, hedging, doubting, or defensively distancing from fear. It frequently emerges when a test-taker actively resists the idea of being fearful or reactive, while unconsciously displaying these very patterns as cautionary rebuttals. Type 9 Notices tend to arise when the test-taker avoids conflict, merges with others, or identifies broadly with multiple types—often as a way of maintaining internal and external harmony. They may choose all three gut types or none at all.
Type 3 is also a primary "adapting" type. Notices are triggered by language emphasizing achievement, productivity, image management, and efficiency—even if the individual claims modesty or detachment from success. Unlike Type 6 or Type 9, the Type 3 is more likely to consciously accept their core type due to pride in traits associated with ambition and effectiveness. They often identify with their idealized self—the “fantasy self” they strive to project—and are less troubled by the shadow elements of Type 3 than 6s and 9s are by their own. However, the Type 3 may struggle more with recognizing their secondary and tertiary types in the Tritype®, particularly when those types challenge the 3’s aspirational self-image.
Importantly, the presence of multiple Special Notices for Type 6 does not always mean that Type 6 is part of the Tritype®. While it most often is, the appearance of seven Notices should always be explored thoroughly, even if the final Tritype® stacking does not include Type 6. This depth of investigation ensures clarity and prevents misinterpretation, allowing for the rare exceptions and their significance. For example, counterphobic expressions of Type 5 or Type 7 may receive the Type 6 Notice due to reactive or oppositional head center strategies—even when Type 6 is not present in the final Tritype®.
These rare counterphobic profiles—such as the assertive or rebellious cp5 or cp7—may align with 6-like strategies in certain contexts. Although they may momentarily appear similar to Type 6 in terms of vigilance or challenge, they retain the idealized self-images, core fears, and defense strategies of their respective types—Type 5 or Type 7. Their passions, fixations, and convictions, along with their corresponding Holy Virtues, Holy Ideas, and Holy Actions, are those of their actual type. These profiles almost always include Type 8 or Type 1 as their gut type in their Tritype®, further reinforcing their drive toward assertiveness and opposition.
These Special Notices are rooted in decades of panel interviews, type-specific lexicon mapping, microexpression tracking, talk style profiling, and gesture analysis. Their purpose is not to replace intuition or lived experience, but to sharpen one’s ability to detect what is habitually unconscious. Unlike superficial quizzes that capture momentary states and behaviors, the ETTv8 has been programmed to focus on the enduring structure beneath personality expression as seen with tens of thousands of test-takers over decades of study.
The Special Notices also provide coaches and typologists with a diagnostic lens for interpreting resistance, misidentification, and type confusion. They assist in identifying pattern clusters that persist regardless of context, mood, role, or social overlay. This makes them uniquely capable of clarifying chronic mistyping and refining Tritype® distinctions.
This chapter explores the emergence, meaning, and diagnostic function of the Special Notices in the Enneagram Tritype® Test v8. It decodes how these Notices illuminate unconscious type patterns, challenge superficial identification, and reveal the anatomy of mistyping. Whether you’re a seasoned typologist or just beginning your Enneagram journey, understanding these Notices offers profound insight into who you are, who you are not, and what you need to explore to discover your "TrueType.
Section 2: Why Special Notices Are Significant
Special Notices do more than highlight recurring behaviors; they expose underlying motivations that are often outside of conscious awareness. Their significance lies in their capacity to identify the defenses test-takers use most frequently—whether owned or disowned. Unlike type descriptions that rely on self-recognition, the Notices confront what is unconsciously enacted and defended.
The Notices challenge the self-image by pointing to the difference between the role one plays and the motivation behind the role. This diagnostic function is especially vital for types that adapt, mirror, or suppress their inner world, like Types 3, 6, and 9. Special Notices force the user to confront the very patterns they resist seeing.
When the Type 6 Notice appears repeatedly, it signals the user’s unresolved relationship with fear, uncertainty, and authority—even if Type 6 is not selected in the final Tritype®. This becomes especially relevant in rare profiles like the counterphobic 5 or 7, where oppositional head center behavior mimics that of a reactive 6. In these cases, the user retains the idealized self-images, core fears, and defense strategies of Type 5 or 7, not 6.
The diagnostic power of the Notices increases with repetition. One or two flags may indicate momentary alignment, but seven or more Notices strongly suggest entrenched patterns. Whether a Notice applies to one’s dominant type or an unrecognized fixation, its presence invites meaningful self-inquiry.
Because these patterns often operate beneath conscious awareness, the Notices serve as a vital counterweight to subjective bias. For example, a social Type 7 may test like a 6 due to caution and group sensitivity. A counterphobic 5 may be outspoken and challenge authority, falsely triggering 6-like behavior. Without Special Notices, these distinctions might be overlooked.
The Notices are not merely corrective; they offer developmental guidance. By illuminating the unconscious structure—including idealized self-images, core fears, and defense strategies—they also point toward the associated passions, fixations, and convictions, as well as the potential growth offered through Holy Virtues, Holy Ideas, and Holy Actions.
For coaches and typologists, the Notices are indispensable. They provide evidence of type patterning that may contradict the stated self-perception. In this way, the Notices act as psychological X-rays, revealing the deeper architecture of Tritype® structures.
The significance of the Notices also lies in their contribution to pattern recognition across instinctual stackings and subtype expressions. They highlight not just who someone is at their best, but what they do when under stress, when defensive, and when trying to cope. This is where the rare exceptions like the cp5 and cp7 offer powerful insights.
When used correctly, Special Notices act as pivot points for transformational self-discovery. They reveal where identification ends and realization begins, making them one of the most valuable tools in the advanced Tritype® typing process.
Section 3: How Special Notices Emerged
The development of Special Notices was not accidental; it evolved from more than three decades of qualitative research, including intensive panel interviews, type lexicon mapping, talk style observation, and behavioral coding. These efforts documented consistent type patterns that extended beyond conscious type identification.
Notices first emerged from the need to explain contradictions in how people tested versus how they behaved. Many individuals disclaimed a type while consistently exhibiting its language patterns and defense structures. The concept of the Notice was born to account for this unconscious repetition.
Through behavioral research, it became clear that people use a narrow range of phrases, metaphors, and defenses linked to their dominant and secondary types. This verbal fingerprint became the foundation of pattern recognition and lexicon use within the ETTv8 engine.
These discoveries were built into the ETTv8 system as algorithmic flags. When multiple patterns from a type occurred in different sections—adjectives, core fears, idealizations, defenses, and triggers—the system would prompt a Special Notice. Once a type reached seven Notices, additional alerts were suppressed to minimize redundancy and encourage focused exploration.
The algorithm was also designed to recognize rare but important deviations, such as when a counterphobic 5 or 7 selected a 6-related response. Over time, these anomalies were seen not as errors, but as meaningful patterns reflecting oppositional strategies within the Head Center.
By incorporating talk style, contradiction recognition, and defense activation, the Notices could do what traditional scoring could not: identify the behavioral use of type without relying on self-report. This improvement in accuracy was significant, especially among Types 3, 6, and 9, whose shape-shifting tendencies and adaptability often mask their dominant strategies.
Special Notices are also calibrated to work with instinctual stackings and subtype influences. For instance, a social 8 may test closer to a 2, but the Notices will flag where Type 8’s defense strategies still dominate.
Over time, the Special Notices evolved into a system within the system—patterns within patterns, one that recognizes both the clear and the hidden. Their emergence marks a new era in advanced personality typing, offering an unparalleled level of precision in the Tritype® typing process. One can simply accept the messages and dig deeper, or learn to read the ETTv8 test results at a deeper level. It is simply a matter of learning more about what the ETTv8 reveals.
Section 4: Why People Mistype—and Why Notices Matter
Mistyping is common because many people start with observable behavior, not unconscious motivation. They ask, “What do I do?” instead of “Why do I do it?” The Notices shift the focus back to intent, revealing where fear, desire, or control are quietly steering the ship.
Most mistyping occurs when people conflate their role in the world with their inner structure. For example, someone who is helpful and sociable may assume they are a Type 2, when in fact their pattern of mental vigilance and security-seeking places them closer to Type 6 or a social instinctual type.
Counterphobic types especially present challenges. The cp6 can look like an 8 or 1. The cp5 with type 8 may appear bold, opinionated, and outspoken. The cp7 with type 1 may appear self-disciplined, rigid, or anti-authoritarian. These atypical expressions can mislead both the test-taker and the observer.
What helps is that Special Notices recognize contradiction. They highlight the dissonance between claimed identity and enacted behavior. When Notices for Type 6 appear in a cp5 or cp7, it suggests there is a reactive pattern linked to fear or uncertainty—even if it is not the core type.
Mistyping also arises from cultural overlays. A person raised to value independence might reject Type 6 outright, even if their responses reflect its structures. The Notices gently challenge such bias, prompting a deeper look at what lies beneath the surface.
Another common cause of mistyping is subtype distortion. A So8 can look like a 2 or cp6. An Sx6 may resemble a sx4 or sx8. The Notices are programmed to detect these nuances and bring attention to inconsistencies in test results.
By offering concrete evidence of hidden structure, the Notices validate what instinct and behavior may obscure. For example, a 9 who receives seven Notices for Types 6 and 9 with 4 in the Tritype® may need to confront a deeper layer of emotional reactivity hidden beneath the calm, quiet persona of the 469 Tritype®.
Mistyping can also result from over-identifying with aspirational traits—wanting to be wise but somewhat awkward (5), uniquely special (4), or uber competent (3). The Notices strip away idealization to show what is actually happening.
Ultimately, the Notices matter because they are not based on preference or self-flattery. They reveal the type-based strategies actually in use, making them essential to the integrity of the Tritype® typing process.
Section 5: The Rare Exceptions and Contradictory Profiles
Some users will encounter patterns that do not appear to align with their dominant type or selected Tritype®. These anomalies are not mistakes; they are signals of underlying structures. The most important of these are the rare exceptions among the Head Types—especially the counterphobic 5 and counterphobic 7.
The cp5 and cp7 may both receive multiple Special Notices for Type 6, even though Type 6 does not appear in their final Tritype®. This is due to the reactive, oppositional nature of these profiles within the Head Center. Their way of creating balance is to take the other side of fear, uncertainty, or intrusion.
They may choose Type 6 in their Enneaspread or Enneacard selections, but ultimately do not retain it in their Tritype®. These individuals almost always have Type 8 or Type 1 in their Tritype®, strengthening their reactive posture.
Even with Type 6 absent, the system flags these behaviors because of the resemblance to 6’s doubting, testing, changing, or challenging stance. However, their idealized self-images, core fears, and defense strategies—as well as their passions, fixations, and convictions—remain rooted in their core types (5 or 7), along with their corresponding Holy Virtues, Holy Ideas, and Holy Actions.
These rare cases reinforce the need for precision and confirm that the Tritype® model is not rigid, but responsive. They show how the interplay of all three centers—head, heart, and gut—can produce expressions that mimic other types without altering one’s actual type structure.
Conclusion
The Special Notices in the Enneagram Tritype® Test v8 are more than algorithmic flags—they are mirrors of the unconscious. They offer clarity where there is confusion, precision where there is projection, and validation where there is doubt. They reveal the structure beneath behavior and bring the hidden into view.
Whether a user is encountering their dominant type, resisting their secondary, or expressing traits of a type not in their Tritype®, the Notices show what is being used—even if it’s being denied. They challenge the test-taker to reconcile idealized self-images, core fears, and defense strategies with the deeper truths of their type.
The inclusion of rare counterphobic profiles—such as cp5 and cp7—demonstrates the sophistication of the ETTv8 system. These exceptions are not outliers, but confirmations of the head center’s internal oppositions. They reinforce the importance of reviewing one’s passions, fixations, and convictions alongside their Holy Virtues, Holy Ideas, and Holy Actions.
Above all, the Special Notices remind us that accurate typing is not a destination—it is a process. One that is clarified not just through conscious choice, but through unconscious revelation. In the end, they serve not just as a diagnostic tool, but as a compass—pointing toward what is most deeply true.
©1985-2025 Katherine Chernick Fauvre • All rights Reserved
Q&A on Enneagram Tritype® Test v8 Video
With this knowledge, we can better define our blind spots and areas for personal growth. Knowledge of your Tritype® will also shed light on your Higher Self and sense of purpose. Working with the Higher Qualities of the three types in your Tritype®, along with the three sets of Holy Ideas, Holy Virtues, and Holy Actions, reveals how you can access your Essential Self.
More on Tritype® here: https://enneagramtritypetest.com
Videos on the Enneagram Tritype® Test v8
“It is clear that Katherine Fauvre really cares about people and helping them accurately type.
So I took her test at enneagramtritypetest.com and it was dead on!”
-Wyoming
“We all took the www.enneagramtritypetes.com and were surprised that a test could identify the 6s. Bravo Katherine!”
-Spain
“Katherine Fauvre’s Enneagram Tritype Test is remarkably accurate! She really is a personality expert.
Just when I think I have learned everything about the Enneagram she teaches something new or deeper.”
-North Carolina
“Thanks Katherine, I love working with your Enneagram Tritype Test.”
-New York
“Watched Katherine Fauvre’s free Q&A in June. OMG I get it now. My sister and I are both 6s with different Tritypes constantly doing the devil’s advocate, point counter-point thing and driving one another crazy. Go here to take her test --> enneagramtritypetest.com”.
-Forever Changed in Arizona
“No way!
I look the enneagramtritypetest.com last week and I am a type 6!!!
I thought I was a 4 for 11 years (but did doubt it at times). In her virtual Q&As Katherine Fauvre has discussed how emotionally complex the 6s are and why they think they are 4s.”
-Idaho
©1995-2025 Katherine Chernick Fauvre