Factor E: Subjectivity and Objectivity

You’ll also see Factor E. This helps describe how what kinds of inputs someone is likely to rely on when making decisions.

How is E different from ABCD?

Factors A, B, C, and D measure the amount of a drive someone has, from extremely low to extremely high. Factor E is used as a secondary, modifying factor because it is not part of the theoretical behavioral model that underpins the primary factors. This means it’s possible to meet two people with the same Pattern who have different decision-making styles. For that reason, Factor E is visualized separately from A, B, C, and D.

Examples:

• If someone has a low C, they have a low amount of Patience. If they have a high C, they have a high amount of Patience.

• If someone has a high D, they prefer a lot of structure. If they have a low D, structure is not a priority.

E is different in that it’s not measuring how little or how much of a drive you have. Rather, it’s telling us if, when it comes time to make a decision, you’ll rely more heavily on subjective or objective information. We show this by putting the factor to the left or right of the midpoint:

If you see E on the left, it means a person will be more subjective in making decisions. Their ‘gut feeling’ is quite important, and they’re less likely to seek out all sides of the story prior to making decisions. They’ll rely more on what feels right, even if there aren’t numbers to back it up.

If it’s on the right, they’ll be more objective. They’ll want to examine facts, check sources, and look to the data to guide their decisions.