Some AI Insights into the HEXAD User Types

I recently downloaded the latest response stats for the HEXAD 12 User Types test, and fed them into ChatGPT to analyse. I thought it was very interesting what came back, and it supported what I had observed in the past – so thought I would share it here!

1. Gender-Based Trends

Females:

• Predominantly align with Socialiser and Philanthropist types, indicating a strong preference for community engagement and altruistic behaviors.
• The dominance of Socialiser decreases slightly in older age groups, replaced by Philanthropist, reflecting a shift toward purpose-driven motivations.

Males:

• Tend to exhibit Achiever and Player traits, emphasizing goal-oriented behaviors, competitions, and extrinsic rewards.
• Achiever remains a strong motivator across all age groups for males, with Player peaking in younger users and declining over time.

2. Age Group Dominance

Younger Users (18–29):

• Continue to show higher prevalence of Free Spirit traits, reflecting a desire for autonomy, exploration, and creative freedom.
• Player traits are also slightly stronger in this age group, indicating the appeal of rewards and achievements early in life.

Older Users (30–49):

• Display more balanced traits, with notable increases in Philanthropist motivations, suggesting a shift toward altruism and purpose-driven engagement.
• Achiever remains prominent, indicating continued goal-oriented behavior.

3. Gender and Age Interaction

Younger Females (18–20):

• Exhibit strong Socialiser and Philanthropist tendencies, valuing relationships, community, and purpose.
• Free Spirit is also significant, reflecting creativity and independence.

Older Males (30–49):

• Demonstrate higher inclinations toward Achiever and Free Spirit, focusing on mastery, autonomy, and personal growth.

4. Players Are Reward-Oriented but Underrepresented

• Player remains one of the least dominant traits across all groups but is more pronounced in younger users (18–20), aligning with early-stage life goals and aspirations.
• This suggests that gamified reward systems may resonate well with younger users but require a balanced approach for older demographics.

5. Philanthropists Increase with Age

• Philanthropist scores grow progressively higher with age, especially in females, reflecting a shift toward purpose-driven motivations and meaningful engagement.
• Older users may prefer systems that allow for altruistic contributions or positive social impacts.

6. Disruptors Are Rare but Not Unique

• Disruptor remains the least common trait but represents a distinct group that thrives on innovation and system challenges.
• While small in proportion, Disruptors may play a critical role in driving change and creative problem-solving.

7. Balanced Motivations in Older Users

• Users aged 30–49, regardless of gender, exhibit more balanced traits, combining Philanthropist, Achiever, and Free Spirit motivations.
• This suggests that holistic engagement strategies may be more effective for middle-aged users.

8. Gendered Trends in Free Spirits

• Free Spirit remains significant in both genders but is more pronounced in younger users:
  • Younger females (18–29) emphasize autonomy, creativity, and social connections.
  • Younger males (18–29) balance autonomy with mastery, reflecting a mix of Free Spirit and Achiever traits.

9. Socialisers Decline With Age

• Socialiser traits dominate in younger age groups (18–20), especially among females.
• As users age, social motivations decline slightly in favor of Philanthropist and Achiever traits.

10. Gender-Specific Gamification Design Implications

For Younger Females:

• Emphasize social and collaborative elements.
• Introduce opportunities for creative autonomy to complement their Free Spirit tendencies.

For Older Females:

• Provide meaningful engagement through systems that enable altruistic contributions or community-building activities.

For Younger Males:

• Focus on structured rewards, autonomy, and creative exploration, while ensuring clear goal-setting frameworks.

For Older Males:

• Create mastery-driven challenges with measurable progress.
• Incorporate autonomy and opportunities for personal growth to align with their Achiever and Free Spirit motivations.

Correlations

The heatmap and correlation matrix provide insights into the relationships between Hexad user types:

1. Negative Correlations:
   • Socialiser vs. Free Spirit: Moderate negative correlation (-0.44), indicating that users who value social connections are less likely to prioritize autonomy.
   • Socialiser vs. Disruptor: Moderate negative correlation (-0.40), suggesting that those with strong social motivations are less inclined to challenge systems.
   • Philanthropist vs. Disruptor: Strong negative correlation (-0.47), reflecting opposing tendencies between altruism and disruption.
2. Positive Correlations:
   • Socialiser vs. Philanthropist: Weak positive correlation (+0.20), indicating some overlap between social and altruistic motivations.
   • Other positive correlations are weak, indicating distinctiveness between most Hexad types.
3. Low/No Correlation:
   • Free Spirit vs. Disruptor: Very low correlation (-0.02), suggesting that autonomy and system-challenging behaviors are largely independent.
   • Achiever vs. Other Types: Weak correlations across the board, implying that achievement motivation is independent of other traits.

Implications:

• The negative correlation between Socialiser and Free Spirit suggests a design trade-off when targeting these traits simultaneously.
• Philanthropist and Disruptor are polar opposites, requiring distinct engagement strategies.
• Achiever and Player show low correlation, highlighting that reward-driven behaviors and goal-oriented challenges can coexist without conflict.

Similar Posts:

• Creating a Balanced System for All User HEXAD Types: An Evolving Perspective

• User Types Test: Stats and conclusions

• Gamification User Types 2.0

Also published on Medium.