A Strategy is a way of grouping the personality types according to the Mind and Identity traits, which strongly relate to certain aspects of social behavior, among other things. If you’re a personality type in the Confident Individualist Strategy group, we invite you to consider the following approaches to improving social interactions. Emulating their serene solitude may be our best path to finding our true selves. So, when we say, “Confident Individualists usually prefer X,” and someone protests, “But I’m a Turbulent Extravert, and I like that too!” we reply, “Cool! The Lone Wolf Mentality The lone wolf lives by the beliefs that they have to do life alone… that no one truly has their back… that everyone’s just in it for themselves. These personality types are the most likely to view themselves as highly focused and the least likely to say they respond to situations emotionally. Depression, grievance, unfreezing, and weapons experience are the common characteristics uncovered, and these deserve attention in … Because this Strategy group is partly defined by Introversion, much of what we’re discussing may be relevant to Introverts with a Turbulent or marginally differentiated Identity trait as well. A lone wolf is an animal or person that acts independently or generally lives or spends time alone instead of with a group. While they’re far from being closet Extraverts, it’s simplistic and inaccurate to see all Confident Individualists as isolationists. Confident Individualists have finite social energy and prioritize socializing less than other personality types. They may be influenced or motivated by the ideology and beliefs of an external group and may act in support of such a group. Confident Individualists are less concerned than other personalities with how they look, for instance, and they’re the least likely to think that their birthday is important. It’s fair to expect respect, even if your behavior seems unusual to others. FBI's 'lone wolf' report says domestic terrorists are rarely isolated The report examined 52 lone offender terrorist attacks from 1972 to 2015. Understand the meaning and impact of personality traits. Report this Resource to TpT. However, since Confident Individualists and their needs may indeed be uncommon (or easily misinterpreted, as we’ve discussed), these least-social personality types may want to consider taking active steps to improve their social lives. Improving relations can preserve the social boundaries that help Confident Individualists be happiest in life. : 'Subscribe' }}. This drives many toward conscious social development (which we support with resources like the Social Life section of our NERIS Type Explorer® Level 2 tool in our Academy). If contact with you is delightful, then, like a rare wine, people will savor it rather than resent its scarcity. The term originates from wolf behavior. How they express their unique traits usually has little to do with being antisocial and much more to do with being happy as they are – which can be quite impressive. Anyone whose approach to life seems to contradict a popular ideal may find themselves regarded with confusion, pity, suspicion, or even resentment. But you might not be in the majority for your type, and other types might be much more likely to prefer X… Just sayin’.”. This thesis analyzes these characteristics and their relationship with successful attacks. In 2010, James Lee, who mixed environm… This can happen subtly or unconsciously – it’s not always easy to recognize the ways we judge people. If there is anything extremely important to a loner, it is their time. For one thing, a very strong majority (85%) of Confident Individualists agree that it is important to them to be respected by others. Although wolves and dogs share a common ancestor and many characteristics, they are classified as different animals: Canis lupus (the gray wolf) and Canis lupus familiaris (the domestic dog). Check out the responses to the research question, “You are not interested in other people’s feelings, especially if you do not know them very well.”. Kick-start your career or get better at navigating it. So, while these types may not want (or need) to seek more social contact, there is almost certainly progress to be made in their social lives, if only for their own sake. We now also offer upgrades for the … All Introverted personality types are likely to value privacy and solitude. Not necessarily to increase their social activity, but to make it more rewarding – and suitable – for themselves. They’re not as status- or attention-seeking as most. Still, this doesn’t mean that they don’t enjoy company – including yours. The support, friendship, or loyalty of such an individual would be a boon, indeed. 50% of Confident Individualists say they spend 10 or more hours per week doing things purely for fun, compared to 48% of People Masters, 46% of Constant Improvers, and 46% of Social Engagers. They’re not quite like other Introverts and often face distinct social challenges. The lone wolf theory asks for a linear understanding of the world: A predator charges in and wreaks havoc on a community. Reported resources will be reviewed by our team. The typical characteristics of those in the Confident Individualism Strategy may result in some negative perceptions among other types who encounter them. Apply as much effort as you’re comfortable with, but understand that the more you help guide social activities, the more likely you’ll find them enjoyable and worthwhile, and that’s the whole point. You can dial down the level of social energy, have lots of fun with people you like, and avoid the ones you enjoy least. We see a solid example of this in the way that each Strategy evaluates the time they spend alone. We can trust you not to dominate everyone else’s wishes and ideas, right? For them, it’s an inherent drive, a positive bias. 9 pages. Individuals who operate alone, but demonstrate clear command and control links with actual Al Qaeda core or affiliated groups. It’s okay to be lighthearted if you want to, but it’s equally okay to present your unique social preferences as normal and valid. 'Subscribed!' The lone wolf may feel like asking others for support is unnecessary, unfair, weak, pathetic, or dependent. Working toward meaningful interactions with others can help Confident Individualists garner respect, rather than be judged by mistaken assumptions. Like a telescope or mountaintop, the most remote positions often reveal unique perspectives. Their mental instability may be the leading factor that makes it difficult to fit in or belong in everyday society. Social relationships can be important in other areas of your life as well. Mysterious. When you do choose to spend time with people, consider continually communicating as things progress: where to go, what to do, how to do it, what to eat, etc. The differences among the Strategies are minimal – Confident Individualists are just slightly in the lead. Confident Individualists agreed at a rate of 82%, reinforcing the idea that these personalities may not always give off the obvious social or emotional affirmations that many people want or expect. The view of the lone wolf may offer valuable insight into being social. In their social exclusion, lone individuals feel deprived of what they perceive as values to which they are entitled, and form grievances against the government responsible for … Kathryn Seifert Ph.D from Psychology today states,¨For some, it is not only ideology that drives them, in fact is ideology, anger, or depression.¨ This show the many things that drives the lone wolf characteristics of … N/A. We salute your individual experience as valid. Synonyms include individualist, free spirit, and 'nonconformist'. If you find larger gatherings unenjoyable, consider spending time with people individually or in pairs. They avoid groups whenever possible. This more of an expression. If your social life is based on a “quality over quantity” approach, it’ll benefit everyone involved for you to overtly acknowledge that quality: the depth of value you hold for people. Discover and understand your strengths and weaknesses. They just have specific – and often highly individual – limits and preferences that must be observed for them to truly enjoy social interactions. How the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating the threat of violent extremism. More than half of the lone actors also experienced social isolation. Confident Individualists aren’t as similarly attuned or inclined, but that isn’t necessarily a negative bias. If they had a choice, 50% of Confident Individualists would prefer to work alone, 48% would prefer to work in a small team, and 2% would prefer to work in a big team. Instead of seeing their individualism as an affront, consider that these types may be sincerely following their own path – just like anyone. The third type of lone-wolf terrorist is the single-issue lone wolf, who perpetrates attacks in the name of some specific issue, such as abortion, animal rights, or the environment. The Lone Wolf: We often hear the phrase “lone wolf,” an expression of grudging admiration. The Lone Wolf{e} Total Pages. Not a member yet? Enter the Confident Individualists: the “lone wolves” of the personality type spectrum. Consider subscribing to our newsletter to receive interesting and useful insights tailored for your personality type – we send them every couple of weeks, and you can unsubscribe at any time if you don’t find them useful. 301.405.6600 | infostart@start.umd.edu. Who’s to say Extraverts aren’t the weird ones? See our, Social Life section of our NERIS Type Explorer. A lone actor, lone-actor terrorist, or lone wolf is someone who prepares and commits violent acts alone, outside of any command structure and without material assistance from any group. Maybe you’ve been on the giving (or receiving) end of such thoughts. Not to mention their sense of self-sufficiency: when they have a dilemma, 76% of Confident Individualists prefer to think about it alone rather than ask others for advice. Why on earth would Confident Individualists want to improve their social lives? 84% of Confident Individualists agree that the time they spend by themselves often ends up being more interesting and satisfying than the time they spend with other people, compared to 78% of Constant Improvers, 32% of People Masters, and 26% of Social Engagers. Their behavior is more likely akin to neutrality – a lack of active interest. A very reasonable interpretation of this data is that many of them prefer company when exploring unfamiliar places. While it might be true that they often stay apart from a group, they’re not more likely than other types to think they’re above it. Social integration has major advantages and isn’t a bad goal, but neither is it a universal fit. Whatever works for you! Examine our regional and country personality profiles. It’s true that, as a group, Confident Individualists generally prefer lower levels of social interaction than other types. The Cowboy Cop doesn’t play by the rules and will go to extreme measures to right any wrongs. Fort Hood Shooter Killed 13, injured 30 And 79% say their happiness does not depend on how other people feel about them. You are extremely ferocious: Wolves are ferocious when it comes to hunting their prey or protecting … We’re not talking about the ones who’ve given up on achieving their social desires, but rather those who remain genuinely happy with relatively little social interaction. Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism, Subscribe to receive notifications about START Training Opportunities, Nuclear Facilities Attack Database (NuFAD), http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/index.php/pot/article/view/240/pdf, Characteristics and Targets of Mass Casualty Hate Crime Offenders, Motivations and Characteristics of Hate Crime Offenders, Tracking Cartels: New infographic series depicts cartel operations in Mexico, Moving Instruction Online? Ultimately, this can lead to more of what you like being offered to you. This can leave some of them socially disadvantaged or unfulfilled, wishing they could improve things. The focus of this article is the often misunderstood social preferences of the Confident Individualism Strategy group: Introverted personality types with an Assertive Identity. In literature , lone wolves are ofte… Most of the world sees frequent, energetic social interaction as a normal and correct ideal – the term “loner” has become negatively charged. Their “fun time” might be working on a solo project – hardly lazy, but others who aren’t around to witness their activity may mistakenly see them as apathetic. For instance, the lone wolf terrorists studied by Gill and Corner demonstrated a higher incidence of documented mental illness than those who were group-based terrorists. You value time. We’ll also offer some advice for Confident Individualists to smooth their social interactions. Anyone offended by Confident Individualists’ initially neutral stance may miss out on getting to know a slow-to-warm, yet genuinely caring person. Or, conversely, a lone wolf takes charge, drains the swamp, and returns things to a previous (imaginary) point of balance and normalcy. N/A. But what about Introverts who simply say “no thanks” and go their own, solitary way? However, they may not have the same idea of fun as more social types. This type of lone wolf is a loose cannon, driven purely by instinct. Despite obvious demographic differences, results indicate four characteristics common for both school attackers and assassins: perceived grievance, depression, a personal crisis (‘unfreezing’), and history of weapons use outside the military. Confident Individualists may have agreed in a strong majority, but that doesn’t mean that all of these personalities always want to be alone. Consider the responses to the research statement, “You prefer exploring unfamiliar places alone.”. Lone Wolf Packs. Some of these individuals may simply want to be who they are and don’t really care how it compares to others. One way to look at the critical distinction between being a lone wolf and being antisocial is that a lone wolf doesn’t much need others, and an antisocial person doesn’t much like others.