Trust and intimacy can play a major part in close friendships. Being able to share our concerns and problems with friends can help us find solutions and feel better. Some people may be so trustworthy and helpful that they become a constant source of support to us as we seek them out for their advice and sympathy, even when it comes to our most sensitive secrets.
Are some personality types more likely than others to find themselves in the role of confidant? To find out, we asked our readers whether they agreed with the statement, “Your friends consider you their confidant.” With a strong overall majority (85%) agreeing, it’s clear that most people, regardless of personality type, view themselves as being trustworthy sources of support for their friends. But the results show some variation, especially within the Mind and Nature personality aspects.
Let’s take a closer look at the data below.
Roles
Diplomats (89% agreeing)
Diplomats agreed the most, which may not surprise anyone who has a Diplomat friend. These personalities tend to encourage close relationships through their supportive treatment of others and could easily become trusted confidants. Their Feeling trait makes them highly empathetic, and they feel a positive emotional reward when they help others. Diplomats are willing to build bridges and solve problems, but they’re also willing to simply listen if that’s all a friend wants or needs.
Assertive Protagonists (ENFJ-A) agreed the most of any personality type (95%). Driven to create warm, positive interactions with others, these outgoing leaders are more than happy to offer support to their friends. Natural confidence and genuine concern for others give Protagonists, especially Assertive ones, an air of authenticity that others find easy to trust.
Sentinels (87%)
Sentinels are known for being responsible, reliable, and trustworthy – three essential characteristics of a confidant. Their Judging personality trait motivates them to take rules and promises seriously, and that includes honoring the trust that others place in them. Sentinels excel at giving practical support and advice, but some, especially those with the Feeling trait, may be better than others at offering warm emotional support.
Explorers (84%)
Explorers may make good confidants because they are spontaneous free spirits who accept their friends as they are with little judgment. These personalities can offer not only openness, but also a little fun to cheer up their friends. In tune with their surroundings, Explorers with the Feeling trait are particularly adept at sensing when a friend needs someone to confide in.
Of all the personality types, Turbulent Virtuosos (ISTP-T) agreed the least (68%). The combination of Thinking and Prospecting traits makes it more difficult for Virtuosos to serve as reliable, long-term confidants, as they often struggle to relate to others emotionally and have a tendency to drop everything to pursue their own interests. That said, most Virtuosos are still quite likely to be regarded as confidants.
Analysts (81%)
Lowest in overall agreement, the vast majority of Analysts still said that their friends consider them a confidant. As Thinking personality types, Analysts usually provide rational, functional support better than they provide emotional support when friends confide in them. They may be quick to offer shrewd ideas about how to fix a problem but reluctant to dive into more personal matters. Analysts can be tremendously valuable to their friends, but they might not be the first ones called when heartbreak or other emotional issues arise.
Strategies
People Mastery (92% agreeing)
As Extraverted, Assertive personalities, People Masters tend to be interested in and care about other people. Confident and socially adept, People Masters are often energized by giving their time and attention to others. To them, the complexities of human interaction are fascinating, and being granted privileged access to their friends’ personal lives as a confidant may be very fulfilling.
Social Engagement (89%)
Social Engagers are also Extraverts with high social energy and a strong drive to connect, but they showed a little less confidence in their role as confidants. The Turbulent Identity makes these personalities prone to second-guessing. Whereas an Assertive person might give an immediate and strong response when a friend confides in them, a Turbulent individual might be more cautious. Nonetheless, Social Engagers value the trust of others because their own social status is of great concern to them – they want to be good friends.
Confident Individualism (85%)
As Introverts who often prefer to avoid social drama, Confident Individualist personalities probably don’t find themselves in the position to be a confidant as frequently as People Masters and Social Engagers do. But that certainly doesn’t mean that they’re any less capable of extending genuine support to their closest friends, however few they may be. Their Assertive, self-confident natures and socially independent tendencies might even help them offer a divergent view on things, making them refreshing and uniquely effective confidants.
Constant Improvement (80%)
Introverted Constant Improver personalities may offer their friends deep, deliberate support as confidants not because they excel socially, but because they generally don’t – accordingly, they value their true friends very much. It may be the case that some Constant Improvers doubt their abilities or status as confidants because of their Turbulent Identity, which makes them prone to bouts of lower self-esteem. But in reality, when a Constant Improver knows that they can trust a close friend in return, they’re likely to give generously of their time and support.
Conclusions
The high overall agreement rates in this study show that most people believe that their friends will confide in them. Variations in the data may simply reflect that some personality types are better at providing certain kinds of support. Empathetic, social people may be at their best giving comfort in times of emotional turmoil, while contemplative, reserved types might be more inclined to offer practical advice to navigate problems. Either way, it is clear that any personality type has the capacity to provide trustworthy, sympathetic care to their friends, if they choose to do so.
What about you? Do your friends consider you their confidant? Let us know in the comments below!