Type Four Expanded Description

"This above all else, to thine own self be true"  William Shakespeare

Meeting a generic Type Four is a bit of a paradox because they are the Type who, as individuals, most want to emphasise the ways in which they are not like other people. They are inner referenced in terms of how they look- they need to express who they are and what they value. While they don’t change to seek approval they do care deeply how they are received. For example they might be very casual and appear not to care about what they wear- but they are conscious of what that style says about them. They express who they are as individuals and that expression is often focused on how they see themselves as different from others.


Type Fours like to be noticed, it is not something they are highly conscious of …they are just being themselves- but it can mean they stick out. They draw attention with their air of being special in some way. It might be as simple as sitting across the chair when everyone else is sitting normally- they feel like sitting that way- and in doing so they become distinguishable from others. This might apply to someone choosing a particular item of clothing to wear, it might not be noticed by everyone, but to those “in the know”, they are distinguishable.


Type Fours often look to understand things by having a felt reaction to them. They use their ability to let the world in touch them as a way to navigate through it; so to not feel anything for a while is quite uncomfortable and disconcerting. At such times the Four may look to focus, and expand on, the feelings they do have in order to feel more engaged. 


Fours are the ultimate idealists, they refuse the mundane in favour of what is unique and different and this applies to their emotional world as well; they can be dismissive of things they have no feelings for. They are comfortable with extremes of emotion and seem to enjoy living on the edge- seeking out the artistic and meaningful in all areas of life.


Type Fours have a sense that there is something about them that makes them a little different from others. This feeling of separation can give them a sense that they are “playing out” a part in the play of life. Some may play with identity itself, change their name for example, in order to feel more congruent.


The sense of “not belonging” is often a core issue for Type Fours and this can be relieved by living out affiliations with a particular music band, a football club or a mode of dress. They like to feel they have “been there and done that” in order to earn affiliation with more select groups; seeing a particular play or visiting a particular country.


Type Fours are aesthetically aware, they like their surroundings to express them as individuals and to satisfy their need for beauty. Taste is very important for a Type Four who, in their house, may look to evoke a strong sense of image or mood that reflects them personally.

Following impersonal rules or procedures offends the Type Four’s sense of individuality. They detest the sort of impersonal treatment characteristic of budget airlines, being told what to do by disembodied voices through speakers,They prefer the specialness of boutique shops and will shun  “convenience” if that means they have to shop in de-personalised environments.

The Fours' tendency to take in and feel their surroundings means that when they are in a drab environment they feel dull in themselves. Equally, Type Fours can pick up the feelings of others- they can empathise with others and are not scared of the more difficult feelings of sadness or even despair.

This empathetic capacity to "tune in" can mean they can lose the objective perception that separates their feelings from the feelings of the “other”. And while they focus on their emotional world, they often feel unable to know, or articulate in words, what it is they are feeling.


Type Fours have a tendency to compare themselves with others- they can feel superior and deficient in very quick succession. They might be elitist and act superior in one moment- as though other people cannot share their refined understanding- but in the next they express the vulnerability of someone who feels that; “I cannot be good enough”.


Fours are comfortable with difficult and painful emotions. Indeed they can feel that such feelings are more real and honest given that most people try to convince others that they are feeling more okay than they actually are. A Type Four would prefer to be feeling something from life than be living in a way that is so repetitive and ordinary that it evokes nothing.


There can be a push-pull characteristic to the Type Four relationship where someone out of reach looks enticing but gets boring once they become part of everyday life. This is an example of their need to feel the emotional juice of life.


Fours often seek out art, poetry, music, and other expressions that they find beautiful. They feel any  incongruence with who they feel themselves to be as individuals as it feels like disconnection from their true nature

The central characteristic is that Fours want to distinguish themselves from others, they want to know themselves deeply and that who they are is recognised for being special in some way—they want to feel their taste, their self-expression, and their emotional depth are unique.


Unaware Fours can seem a little self-obsessed, temperamental and dramatic. They can “overplay” their pain and yet be unwilling to admit either help or the idea that their emotions might be over-blown. Aware Fours can be inspired, imaginative, creative, charismatic and empathetic people with a drive to manifest their inner search, into a meaningful way of living in the world. 


"When other girls wanted to be ballet dancers I kind of wanted to be a vampire"   Angelina Jolie.

The Scripts that Motivate Type Fours

"To live a life that reflects the essence of who I am"

“to be appreciated for the things which make me different”

"To feel deeply into life and share that depth with others"

"To avoid that which is drab, dull, ordinary and common"

"to search for the beauty reflected in the pure essence of things" 

“To live with beauty in my life and be surround myself with tasteful aesthetics”

"To live an authentic life that is in tune with who I am"

"To be fully heard and understood"

"to connect again with that which I feel is missing"

"To connect to my true purpose and live the life I am meant to live"

"To create meaning in my life and the lives of others"

"To be included as one of the special people"

"To take in, and make my own, those special qualities I notice in others "

 “to feel the beauty and emotional fullness of life”  

“To see the extra-ordinary in the midst of the ordinary"