Enneagram 5w6: The Five with a Six-Wing

People with the 5w6 personality type combine traits of both Type Five and Type Six. Because their core type is Type Five, 5w6s appear more withdrawn than 6w5s.

There are several reasons why 5w6s choose to keep their distance from others.

First, they are naturally introverted.

Second, they have a rich intellectual world. Many 5w6s find learning, reading, writing, and researching more enjoyable than spending time with other people.

Third, they want to protect their energy. People with the 5w6 personality type often feel that relationships are very demanding. They worry about depleting their emotional energy.

Some other types avoid people because they fear getting hurt, but this is not usually the case with 5w6s. They are good at controlling their emotions and find overly emotional people tiring.

To the 5w6, being pulled into someone else’s emotional world feels like a waste of time and energy. They may see people who cannot manage their emotions as weak and illogical.

Because even 5w6s do not live in a vacuum and are often forced to deal with other people, they develop strategies to keep others at arm’s length.

Here are some of their favorites:

1. Ask questions

Get the other person to talk about themselves so they cannot ask anything about you.

2. Talk in generalities

Do not offer any information that could lead to more questions. Focus on withholding satisfying answers so people cannot connect with you.

“How is the situation at home?”
“It’s fine.”

Pretty much a conversation ender.

3. Ignore questions

Pretend you did not hear the question. Works every time.

4. Change the subject

If you are not yet comfortable ignoring questions outright, at least learn to change the subject. Ask something. Get them to talk about themselves. Make them forget what they wanted to know.

5. Avoid supporting statements

To end a conversation once and for all, 5w6s might avoid supporting statements. Supporting statements are the listener’s reactions that show that they are present and listening.

Some examples would be, “Oh really?”, “I see,” “I feel for you,” and “What are you going to do now?”

Avoid these reactions, and the conversation will naturally stop.

6. Delay replying to text messages

Text messages are an easy way for others to test your boundaries and see whether they can get closer to you. Fortunately for 5w6s, not replying to text messages for hours or simply “forgetting” to reply works great and does not feel awkward.

7. Keep your phone on silent

Finally, your phone should always be on silent.

Still, because 5w6s have Type Six qualities as well, they may sometimes try to cooperate with others. Depending on the strength of their Six-Wing, they can sometimes act friendly.

Because the Five’s tendency to withdraw and the Six’s tendency to form alliances with others contradict each other, people with the 5w6 personality type can act hot and cold. Their relationships are often erratic, and people around them may feel hurt or annoyed. 5w6s, however, do not worry about this too much because interpersonal relationships are not especially important to them.

So if they do not connect with other people, what do 5w6s do? They live in their intellectual world.

If they spend time with someone, that person is likely to be an intellectual introvert with similar interests. There are not many ways to connect with a 5w6, but sharing their interests or working on a common project works best.

They are interested in:

• science,
• technology,
• engineering,
• mathematics,
• and anything that stimulates their mind, really!

Although they are introverts, 5w6s are not especially introspective. Their focus is not on their inner world or emotional needs. It is on the outside world — just not on people.

5w6s could not care less how they come across. They often seem absent-minded, entirely consumed by their intellectual pursuits.

This does not mean that 5w6s cannot have close relationships. In fact, they can be very dedicated and loyal friends and partners. Getting close to a 5w6 is never easy at first, but once they test people and come to trust them, they can be very committed.

Are you a 6w5 or a 5w6?

Generally, it is more common for Sixes to mistype as Fives than the other way around.

If you are more of a conventional person, you are probably a 6w5.

If you often feel anxious, you are probably a 6w5.

5w6s are very unconventional and rarely mistype as Sixes. Sixes want to fit in, while Fives do not worry much about other people’s perceptions of them.

Fives do not allow their fears to control them and, in most cases, can escape into their mental world by rationalizing or distracting themselves with new intellectual pursuits.

Sixes feel at least a little anxious most of the time and find it very difficult to avoid uncomfortable feelings. In addition, 6w5s are friendlier than 5w6s.

If you dislike small talk and do not feel at ease in social situations, you are probably a Five.

A Six with a strong intellectual streak might mistype as a Five, but the questions above should clear up the confusion.

The Enneagram personality test can be found here.

You can read more about Type Five here and about Type Six here. The 6w5 profile can be found here.

Enneagram Test Type Five