Once you have determined your primary and secondary social style, you may be wondering how you became an Analytical, or a Driver. Maybe you're wondering if you were once an Expressive and now you're an Amiable. The answer is simple: you are born with your basic social style, and you will die with it.

Social styles can be observed in very young children. You will notice some infants more clingy and relationship-oriented while others are more distracted and task-oriented. As they begin to talk, you can observe very distinct ask and tell characteristics as well. Children are often labeled as "shy," or "outgoing." Most of the descriptions can be traced back to the four basic social styles.

Again, you are born with your social style, but that doesn't mean you won't change your behavior through the years. Your social style determines what your natural-behavior tendencies are. As people learn what their tendencies are, they learn how to modify their behavior to minimize their negative tendencies and maximize the positive. Amiables may learn through the years how to voice opinions more and take stands on difficult issues.  Drivers may learn to modify their behavior and put more priority on people instead of tasks. Analyticals may learn to make decisions even when they do not have every possible fact available. Expressives may learn to modify their behavior and tone down their approach to conflict. People tend to become more aware of their strengths and weaknesses as they grow older and learn to adapt to get along better with others (we hope).

It will always be a challenge for Drivers and Expressives to tone it down and not be so pushy. It will always be a challenge for Analyticals and Amiables to make decisions in a timely manner. Each social style has specific areas that will require more effort than the other social styles. While you may learn how to change your response to certain circumstances and modify your behavior, you will always have the primary and secondary social style you were born with.

You may also be wondering if it is possible to possess traits from the other social styles as well (If you see yourself as all four social styles, you are most likely an Analytical!). The answer is YES. However, the percentage of traits from the other social styles diminishes greatly compared to the primary and secondary traits. Using the Driver as the primary style and the Analytical as the secondary, the chart below visually depicts this concept.



There are obviously other factors that create individuality in each person as well. In addition to the primary and secondary social styles,there are other considerations when examining behavior. The environmental upbringing of each person will play a role in his or her individuality and behavioral tendencies. Social and religious influences will factor into the behavior of each person, as well as cultural issues.

Although there are a variety of factors that influence behavior, the study of basic social styles seems to provide the most insight to predicting behavior. Social-style examination can help to explain why some people handle circumstances differently in their lives.

How can two people from the same family go through extreme trauma and one emerges seemingly unscathed while the other cannot seem to get over it? Social-style differences provide some insight into this mystery. As you begin to evaluate the responses of each style in regards to stress and other related areas, you begin to see some trends among the different social styles.

As you study the different characters of the Bible, you will observe very distinct social style behavior. Paul was a Driver while Moses was an Analytical. Abraham was an Amiable and Peter was an Expressive. You will find every social style combination in the Bible.

Each person on earth is very unique and is individual in their thinking, behavior, and beliefs. They will, however, have some very distinct similarities to others who share their social style. All Drivers have certain traits in common, as do Analyticals,  Amiables, and Expressives. The uniqueness of each individual is what keeps life interesting!

-Excerpt from Kimberly Alyn's book titled How to Deal with Annoying People (co-author Bob Phillips)