6 factor combinations

Factor Combinations

The four factors (A, B, C, and D) measure specific behavioral drives and help us start to understand why we behave the way we do. But, just knowing the factors without looking at how they work together is like learning single notes without learning full chords.

We can learn even more about why people behave the way they do by looking at how two behavioral drives interact. We call these interactions “factor combinations.”

Factor combinations refer to where one factor falls on the pattern in relation to another. It’s the interaction of two different behavioral needs.

Two things contribute to how strongly expressed factor combinations will appear:

• If the factor combination crosses the midpoint (one factor is high and one factor is low).

• If the distance between the two factors is wide. In fact, we advise you to look at the two factors that are the furthest from each other on a person’s pattern.

While we always start with which factors are the widest apart, all of the factor combinations in a pattern can give you further insight.

Let’s look at each factor combination.