Security (SY)

Center: Self-Survival
Triads: Distinguishing • Escaping • Internalizing

Basic Description
The Security instinct is about feeling truly alive through the creation and cultivation of stability, comfort, physical resources and protection. Its main focus is on managing the balance between inner comfort and the external disturbances that disrupt it. It is not just about avoiding threats, but rather about building a life of harmony and consistency through self-constructed environments that enhance well-being. For those who value SY in their stacking, safety and stability aren’t simply means of survival—they are sources of joy and vitality, allowing themselves to experience life more fully by creating a strong, supportive foundation from which to explore the physical beauty of the world.

SY 1st (SY/–/–)
For Security dominants, the world is filtered through their own physical and psychological needs as a window into the feeling of aliveness. Happiness is found not in the external world but within a personal vision of safety and comfort—a private reality they cultivate. This idealized state of security can manifest differently for each person: for some, it may be their home, routines, or familiar environments, while for others, it might involve working hard to create the exact physical conditions they need to feel aliveness in security.

Regardless of where they are physically, Security dominants believe that aliveness is something they must constantly pursue, as it only exists when external noise, clutter, and chaos are kept away. There’s a deep-seated need to escape uncomfortable or overwhelming situations to retreat into a psychological fortress where they can regain control and happiness. This internal haven, their “castle of comforts,” is not reliant on others but is self-constructed, giving them a sense of agency over their personal freedom and well-being.

For Security dominants, life is about tracking the ups and downs—acknowledging the inevitable disturbances and complications that arise, and enjoying the path to restore personal stability. Unlike other types, they don’t get caught up in idealized goals or overzealous ambitions; they understand that life’s complications are unavoidable and must be managed, and sometimes suppressed, to maintain inner peace. The sense of aliveness comes from feeling cocooned, nurtured, and protected, much like being in a womb that shields them from external distractions.

However, this feeling of security is internalized—it’s something they create within themselves rather than relying on external validation or support. The core of their happiness lies in this self-made sanctuary, where they can exist free from the chaos of the outside world. Their instinct drives them to preserve the self despite the looming threats of entropy and disorder. In essence, they work to metaphorically reverse the consequences of complication, striving to recreate a state of harmony and peace; a personal attempt to reverse the effects of the “big bang” and return to a state of internal wholeness.

SIP vs. SPI Stackings

In SIP, Security manifests in a more immediate and tangible sense, with self-survival being directly tied to relationships and day-to-day stability. The focus is on maintaining safety and finding security that can be upheld through close connections and routines. In SPI, Security is influenced by purpose and is more forward-thinking. While self-survival is still the top priority, it’s approached with a longer-term vision and is purpose-driven, with relationships playing a more peripheral role until survival and purpose needs are addressed.

SY 2nd (–/SY/–)
When Security is second in the stacking, it operates in a more playful and flexible way, creating a sense of lightness around the instinctual desire for an internally safe and stable world. Individuals with SY second know that comfort is important, but they don’t approach it with a rigid or controlling attitude. Instead, they find ways to enjoy the process of creating comfort, often seeing it as an opportunity to be creative and adaptive rather than a serious task necessary for a fruitful life. Security becomes a tool for enhancing their experience of life, rather than something that acts as an all-or-nothing reward system.

PSI vs. ISP Stackings
In PSI, Security plays a protective role, allowing individuals to mitigate risks that could jeopardize their larger, purpose-driven pursuits by playing around with available resources. They are forward-thinking and solid in their approach to higher purpose, preferring to create flexible safety nets (whether physical, financial, or emotional) to ensure their long-term instinctual highs. In ISP, Security provides multiple channels for the person to openly engage with, which ultimately supports their more serious attitude in procuring relationships. This allows them to feel comfortable expanding outward—trying new things, playing around with new environments, or stepping ever so slightly out of the typical comfort zone so long as it secures their interpersonal high they receive from investing in relational resources.

SY 3rd (–/–/SY)
When Security is in the last position, individuals often experience a challenging but rewarding relationship with creating an internal world of stability and comfort. While they may initially struggle to fully engage with the security realm, this difficulty comes from the fact that SY must be filtered through their primary and secondary instincts for it to truly resonate. Once they figure out how to integrate security in a way that supports their core desires, the experience becomes deeply satisfying—but it takes time and trial to get there.

IPS vs. PIS Stackings
In IPS, Security supports the individual’s pursuit of interpersonal relationships by creating structure through purpose that allows them to build meaningful connections without worrying about external threats. It offers a sought after, yet slippery foundation that enables them to explore deeper relational dynamics, ensuring they feel emotionally safe while aligning with their purpose through others. In PIS, Security serves the individual’s broader existential goals by offering targeted comfort in areas that support their quest for meaning and significance. It helps create secure touchpoints that temporarily anchor them while they engage in purpose-driven exploration, ensuring they feel grounded enough to dive into abstract pursuits without floating away. In both stackings, finding Security as a resource can become a point of contention due to how difficult it is to “get it right”. This can manifest in specific security related pain points in the chase for instinctual highs. 

Tension & Lines
Security is the tension between the Fortitude and Self-management instincts. On one hand, these individuals are driven to track ownership, endurance, and bodily gratification to understand the effect the environment has on them like the Fortitude instinct. On the other hand, they are driven to track how vitality, beauty, and aesthetics add or detract from their comforts like the Self-Management instinct. The tension between these two inner drives creates the specialized focus on the comfort, stability, and freedom from worry of the Security instinct.

Security is connected to, and in turn, comprised of the Community and Existentialism instincts. When one is driven to track their own comforts, security, inner peace, and calm, they inherently focus on the people they are connected to and what standards they bring into their lives like the Community instinct – as well as the purpose, higher meaning, and fulfillment gained from their own security like the Existentialism instinct. The sum of these two connecting instincts, multiplied by the tension between the neighboring instincts are what all culminate together to form the Security instinct.