Here’s a simple way to tell if someone is a heart type / image type (enneagram 2, 3 or 4).
So when I was getting more serious about typing people, I didn’t really understand the way people explained image types. So I was trying to figure out my own energetic tells for heart types (2, 3, 4) like a year and a half ago, what I noticed in my BODY was this feeling that ‘image types’ are trying to elbow you out of the way with their image. Their image needs to be seen, it needs to be center stage. They all have a competitive flavour to what they’re doing and as a result they can come across as ‘affected’ and fake.
They’re trying to position themselves and making sure you see it, and if how you’re positioning yourself (whether you’re an image type or not) comes into conflict with how they’re positioning themselves, they give you a sharp elbow. “See! Look at me! I’m the one who is xyz.”
So, for 2’s they’re always trying to make sure there is some kind of focus on how kind, giving, nurturing, loving they are. They’re tapped into your emotional space and the emotional space of others. They know what you need, what others need. They will literally always bring the topic back to this. And if you push back on it, they may resort to flattery to win you over and feel as though they helped you. They may even like to take credit for your successes, as their help was indispensable - whether or not they actually helped or if you wanted it or not.
For 3’s they’re always trying to position themselves as the best at whatever it is they value. So that could be their job, being popular, being sexy, being competent and efficient and shiny at whatever it is they deem of value. But because this can shift over time, it can give them a shapeshifter quality. What they value might be starkly different from other 3’s, so this type can be harder to spot sometimes. I notice it most when I’m in a small group setting, because they tend to ping off others to highlight things about themselves and draw attention to how much better they are at something (depending on their wing - with wing 4 they’ll want to appear more unique even if they’re not, and with 2 they’ll want to appear more charming likeable and needed). They’ll try and “outdo” you or one-up you by sometimes literally verbalizing it and other times it’s more underhanded where they try to prove themselves in real time. And they can get deeply offended when they’re not validated or seen for this thing they’re supposedly good at… even though it might not be something they are good at, they just want you to think they are. And if they’re not getting the hits they want, they may take on what they see in others as valuable as their own, and totally “forget” it came from somewhere else.
For 4’s they are always creating some narrative of tragedy and alienation like performance art. They are also projecting an image of woundedness, shame and defectiveness. So whatever it is that they’re selling you, is a defective product, and that’s why it’s so prized and special. A rotten little ruby. Often 6’s or 9’s can be confused for 4’s but 6’s will still be self-deprecating and not be able to maintain a baseline of ‘above others’ or ‘separate and special.’ They’re also more likely to be blasting constantly about how the world sucks if they have a 4 fix and making it less about them. And 9’s will have their little image fix tantrums, but eventually self-erase into the Swamp of Eternal Sadness and inertia as their baseline. 4’s on the other hand will keep the narrative going, they can’t function in such a world. There’s no depth. It’s a barren wasteland. Nothing will ever be quite right. They don't want you to fix it or your pitiful meaningless compliments, they want you to affirm that yes, they are too precious and special for this hideous superficial world and they’re the only thing bringing depth and romance to it. They’re the most affected by the horrors. They’re the only ones who truly see it for what it is. They’re totally separate. They’re great original artists in how they live and speak - even if they’re just bohemian layabout losers existing off their parents money and using it to create black potato cut-out print art in a loft in NYC. They won’t tell you that though because that fucks with their starving tragic romantic artist self-image.