According To Psychology, There Are Only 4 Emotional Types Of People — Which One Are You?
Knowing your emotional type can help you better understand your own triggers and strengths.
Jorge Elizaquibel | Shutterstock To pin down how you relate emotionally, it’s important to know your emotional type. This is the filter through which you see the world, the default setting you revert to, especially during stress. It represents your basic tendencies. You can build on these by making the most of your best traits and adopting traits from the other types that appeal to you.
In my book Emotional Freedom, I discuss four main emotional types I’ve observed in my psychiatric practice. See which one you identify with the most, though you may also identify with aspects of the others. Which emotional type are you?
Here are the 4 emotional types of people, according to psychology:
1. The intellectually intense thinker
Intellectuals are bright, articulate, incisive analysts who are most comfortable in the mind. The world is powerfully filtered through rational thought. Known for keeping their cool in heated situations, they often struggle with emotions, don’t trust their guts, and are slow to engage in anything light-hearted, sensual, or playful.
Intellectuals are often considered wise. A 2004 study explored how "the balance theory of wisdom proposes that people are wise to the extent they apply their intelligence, creativity, and wisdom toward a common good by balancing their own interests, the interests of others, and the interests of organizations or other supra-individual entities."
Are you an intellectual?
Do you believe you can think your way to any solution? When presented with a problem, do you immediately start analyzing the pros and cons rather than noticing how it makes you feel? Do you prefer planning to being spontaneous? Does your overactive mind prevent you from falling asleep?
If so, try this:
- Breathe: If you’re mentally gridlocked, simply inhale and exhale deeply, in through your nose, out through your mouth.
- Exercise: Whether you’re walking, rollerblading, or lifting weights, exercise creates an acute body awareness that relaxes a busy mind.
- Empathize: Ask yourself, “How can I respond from my heart, not just my head?” Empathize before trying to fix a problem with loved ones too quickly.
2. The empath emotional sponge
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Empaths are highly sensitive, loving, and supportive. They are finely tuned instruments when it comes to emotions and tend to feel everything, sometimes to an extreme, as supported by a study of the relationship between emotional intelligence and interpersonal relationships.
Are you an empath?
Have you been called “too emotional” or “overly sensitive”? If a friend is upset, do you start feeling it too? Do you replenish your energy by being alone, and tend to get exhausted in crowds? Are you sensitive to noise, smells, and excessive talking?
If so, try this:
- Take calming mini-breaks throughout the day — Go outside for a walk, meditate in your room alone. Focus on exhaling pent-up emotions such as anxiety or fear so they don’t lodge in your body.
- Protect your sensitivities — Make a list of your top five most emotionally rattling situations, then formulate a plan for handling them so you don’t get caught in a panic. For instance, take your car places so you don’t get trapped in social situations.
3. The rock, strong and silent type
Consistent, dependable, and stable, they will always show up for you. You can express emotions freely around them; they won’t get upset or judgmental. But they often have a hard time expressing their feelings, and their mates are always trying to get them to express emotions. The Western Journal of Communication explored emotional expression management and the difficulty of "attempting to express positive emotions, even when they are not felt, while masking or minimizing negative emotions."
Are you a rock?
Is it easier for you to listen than to share your feelings? Do you often feel like you are the most dependable person in the room? Are you generally satisfied with the status quo in relationships (though others try to draw you out emotionally)?
If so, try this:
- Stir things up — Begin to initiate emotional exchanges instead of simply responding to them. Remember that showing emotions is a form of passion and generosity too.
- Express a feeling a day — In a daily journal, write down an emotion you’re experiencing. Don’t hold back. Are you irritated? Content? In love? Whatever you feel, bravo! Tell someone. Express the emotion.
4. The gusher attuned to emotions
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Gushers are in touch with their emotions and love to share them. No one has to wonder where they’re at. Gushers can quickly process negativity and move on. Their downside is they tend to share “too much information,” and over-sharing can burn people out, as explained in a Harvard study on "personalized emotion-aware strategies to mitigate oversharing risks."
Are you a gusher?
Do you get anxious if you keep your feelings in? When a problem arises, is your first impulse to pick up the phone and share? Do you have trouble sensing other people’s emotional boundaries?
If so, try this:
- Before seeking support, tune into your intuition — Spend a few quiet moments going inward to find out what your gut says. Try to solve the situation from a calm, centered place. See what flashes or “ah-has” come to you. Take time to build your emotional muscles.
The most important relationship you’ll ever have is with yourself. If this is good, you’ll be able to have wonderful relationships with others. Knowing your emotional type provides a platform to emotionally evolve and to become a truly powerful person.
Knowing your type can provide insight into how you interact with others and also help you master your emotions instead of simply reacting when your buttons get pushed. Dealing with emotions effectively isn’t stuffing them away or feeling them less. It’s about establishing balance, strengthening those areas where you’re most vulnerable, and maximizing your assets.
Judith Orloff, MD, is a psychiatrist and intuitive healer on the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Faculty. She is also the NY Times bestselling author of The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People, Thriving as an Empath, and Emotional Freedom.
