Personality Developmental Pathways

A PDP Map

Most people don’t know their inner operating system (that makes complete sense and is trying to keep them safe). So in relationships we don’t know there are two personality pathways and they are intersecting to create a predictable pattern of reacting. A couple’s Dynamics, are a result of their Neurobiology (temperament and innate tendencies), AND their unconscious motivations that drive where their Attention in the world goes. We need to know our own PDP map and the way to growth.

personality development pathways map

When I discovered a comprehensive personality framework 20 years ago, I realised I had found a map of the human condition to make sense of myself and relationships. Finally, not only did my family of origin make sense, so did all the challenges of my past and current relationships. It was so validating, enlightening and empowering.

Dr Daniel Siegel in 2010 stated there are “scientific underpinnings to our habitual responses” that create a set number of developmental pathways, or patterns of emotion, cognition and behaviour. Then, in 2024 in his latest book, Wholeness and Personality: 9 Patterns of Developmental Pathways”, Dr Siegel presented the findings of their ‘Brain Group’, after twenty years of research to determine scientifically the Enneagram’s basis. So we know have an interpersonal neurobiology-informed framework that supports the Enneagram and provides evidence that depending on our temperament and innate tendencies we each develop along one of  of 9 Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDPs). This PDP framework supports the Enneagram in providing evidence there are three main motivational vectors in human nature, agency, bonding and certainty, and 3 ways we guide where our attention goes – inwards, outwards or both, dyadic,  and 3 main aversive emotions, anger, distress and fear that we try, in 3 ways, to either shift/reframe, suppress (contain & channel) or experience  & express (tendencies of our nervous system).  Therefore, 3 plus 3 plus 3 equals 9 pathways. Interestingly, we tend to have more energy around a particular location in our body alot of the time (ALEAF- Anatomical Location of Energy and Information Flow (Dr Dan Siegel) around either our head, heart or gut which may correlate with our core motivation (vector) of either Agency, Bonding or Certainty. Growth is partly about moving attention to all areas of our body to take in information, and developing helpful strategies to get all our core needs met, not some at the expense of others.

So each of us differ according to what what we care about and care less about, what we notice and what we don’t notice,  and how we manage our emotions and needs. When we know our own PDP and others’  then our dynamics make sense! And we can understand ourselves more deeply, knowing how to integrate and grow  into our wholeness…knowing our triggers and predicting our challenges, predicting our needs and changing our reactions, and compassionately creating strategies that work for both of us to grow and be our most loving, non defended selves. 

3 motivational needs into 9 Developmental Pathways

Beliefs underpinning the Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDPs)

Core beliefs act as an unconscious filter that accept only information that supports our beliefs – so we miss certain information that would give us alternative, more balanced, more accurate views – and these beliefs shape our life – what we feel, need, what triggers us and how we react. The core beliefs are inaccurate – false – but feel real – until we compassionately explore them …

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