How to Tell Assertive and Turbulent Personality Types Apart

Students of personality type theory tend to be enthusiastic about knowing other people’s personality types. Personality theory helps us understand one another on a deeper level, and this can present big benefits in any social context, close or casual. It’s not a measure of someone’s complete being, but it’s a great way to start exploring their uniqueness. How lucky you are to have our awesome free personality test at your disposal!

Only, sometimes, it may not be appropriate or possible to request that someone take our test. Yet you’re still left wondering about their personality type, perhaps guessing as you listen to them and watch their behavior. Well, I’m here to help you take that guessing to a higher level, as I have in other articles.

Here, we’ll explore the fifth and final personality trait pair in our theory system: the Turbulent and Assertive Identity traits. I’ll explain some of the notable differences between these personality variants (someone of a specific personality type can be either Turbulent or Assertive) and illustrate how to spot them using a little bit of our excellent research data. Let’s dive in!

The Identity Trait Divide

Roughly speaking, the Identity traits are a measure of self-confidence and emotional composure. Turbulent personalities tend to appear more doubting and reactive, while Assertive personalities are less so. Those are significant but also broad differences, because while the Identity traits strongly correlate to certain behaviors, our other personality traits have a lot of influence as well. When you’re observing someone to guess their Identity trait, it’s ideal to focus on behaviors that relate less to other traits and more purely to Identity.

A key point to keep in mind when trying to guess whether someone is a Turbulent or Assertive personality type is that many experienced aspects of the Identity traits are emotional and, therefore, internal. To spot them, you must learn to see their outward effects. I’ve selected a couple of data points that feature very significant deviations between Turbulent and Assertive personality types and that are also likely to translate into real-world behaviors. Let’s start with the following research question.

“Do you worry about how other people perceive you?”

This is probably a question that anyone can relate to, but overall, about 81% of Turbulent and 34% of Assertive personalities agree. Lived experiences differ even among people who have the same core personality type. Take, for example, Commander (ENTJ) personalities – only about 17% of Assertive Commanders (ENTJ-A) agree with the above question, compared to 68% of Turbulent Commanders (ENTJ-T).

How Identity differences can affect the behavior of people who otherwise have the same personality traits is something to keep in mind when trying to guess someone’s Identity. For example, how might worrying about other people’s perceptions affect the often brashly expressive behavior of Commander personalities? A Turbulent Identity probably makes them more likely to seek approval, which could make them personable in social settings – they want to be liked, so they’re nice.

On the other hand, the Turbulent tendency to worry about the perceptions of others also makes for a more fragile ego. Given this, the Turbulent trait could also make Commanders quite defensive if they’re challenged by someone or critical if they feel offended. Whereas social friction might push less confrontational Turbulent personalities (many Introverts, for example) to retreat into silent hurt, a Turbulent Commander might explode outward when upset.

Likewise, a Turbulent Commander might respond to their worry about others’ perceptions of them by showing off and trying to be the center of attention, whereas the same worries might cause many Introverted personality types to simply be shy. The unique and complex ways in which Identity influences the expression of other personality traits means that it’s hard to categorize any specific behavior as a certain indication of either Turbulence or Assertiveness, at least without knowing someone’s other traits to help give context to your observations.

So if you’re using the insight from the above research question to guess someone’s Identity trait, it’s probably safer to look for the degree of social insecurity rather than a specific expression of it. This can likely be seen in how much someone prioritizes gaining positive perceptions from others and how strongly they react when they feel like they’re being negatively perceived. Pay attention to someone’s behavior when the social stakes are high as well as times when they’re not. The more someone deviates from their typical behavior to impress others, the more likely they are to have the Turbulent personality trait. But if they don’t seem to compromise and conform to gain favor, that’s an indicator that they’re not as worried about others’ perceptions and thus are more likely to have an Assertive Identity.

Similarly, if someone gets wind of the fact that someone else doesn’t like them, their reaction may aid your guessing. An Assertive person will probably have a more tepid reaction to social rejection or disapproval. They’ll be hurt, annoyed, and frustrated, but probably not emotionally devastated, and they might shrug it off before too long. But a Turbulent person might stew in strong negative responses for quite a while. It’s not usually hard to see this kind of funk externally, whether in a friend or coworker, so that’s something to keep an eye out for. Let’s build on this point by considering one more research question.

“Is it hard for you to not let a moderately stressful event negatively affect you?”

The above research question relates to the reactivity component of Identity – composure versus volatility. About 82% of Turbulent personalities agree, compared to 33% of Assertive personalities. While they can certainly experience all of the negative emotions that come with stress, Assertive personality types tend not to be as strongly affected by it. Anyone can get knocked down by fate’s harsh blows, but for some, the fall isn’t as hard or lengthy. Assertive personalities may be better at enacting stress-coping mechanisms, but it’s just as likely that their reactions simply aren’t as intense in the first place, making it easier for them to maintain their composure, recover from stress, and proceed without too much negativity.

For Turbulent personality variants, on the other hand, even moderately stressful events may present a kind of double challenge – they’re likely to have not only a worse initial reaction but also a greater struggle to recapture their equilibrium afterward. If you observe that someone tends to have dramatic responses to life’s problems, it’s more likely that they’re a Turbulent personality type. Again, this is not indicated by any particular response, but more by the intensity of their response. Someone who frequently shows a lot of anxiety is more likely to be Turbulent.

Did you know that we have a series of handbooks created specifically to help Turbulent personality types master their Identity and turn it into an advantage? Learn more →

Doubt is also a Turbulent indicator. While it’s not expressly mentioned in the above research question, one of the most common “negative effects” of stress that the question hints at is self-doubt. If a strongly Turbulent person experiences a stressful event, it’s usually harder for them to maintain their confidence, and they may fall into a well of doubt, at least temporarily. This is especially true if a stressful event interferes with a specific goal that they have in mind. Contrast that with Assertive personalities, who tend to maintain their confidence more easily when facing obstacles.

Watching someone’s level of self-doubt following a setback can help you guess whether they’re a Turbulent or Assertive personality. If they get mired in second-guessing their actions and choices or if they lose their momentum, they’re more likely to have the Turbulent trait. On the other hand, if someone seems unruffled by a setback and maintains their enthusiasm, they’re more likely on the Assertive end of the spectrum. Such personalities often find it easier to maintain their optimism and self-confidence in general – they have their doubts, but those doubts are more like background passengers than roadblocks in life’s journey.

Conclusion

No single behavior or event can prove someone’s Identity trait, but when you’re trying to assemble the puzzle of someone’s personality type without the benefit of testing, every piece counts. You can observe multiple indicators and patterns over time to establish a trend. And when you do guess someone’s personality type, make it a “living” guess, open to change. Even if you guess someone’s personality type accurately, the individual is unique. Personality type is just a starting point, and discovering the rest of someone’s individuality is best done through respectful, kind, and curious interaction with them. No amount of informed observation can take the place of an authentic personal connection.

In closing, I’d like to say that becoming aware of someone’s Identity trait as you get to know them is a special opportunity. For example, a stressed-out Turbulent person may be grateful for your compassion and support, giving you a chance to forge a warm, lasting friendship simply by being understanding. Likewise, a self-confident Assertive person may have the emotional durability to handle the rougher edges of who you are, allowing you to relax your social worries and be an unabashed version of yourself. The Identity personality traits relate to emotional security, and understanding them can open the doors to profound relationships of all kinds. Happy guessing!

The Identity Trait Divide

Conclusion

Further Reading