Persistent people deal particularly badly with change. Once they have become established in a status quo, they find it very difficult to break out of this and adapt to a new situation. This means that they will do what they can to maintain their current state of affairs, showing great loyalty and resilience in defence of their present environment and social circle.

Behavioural styles that exhibit Persistence tend to work at their best when they can focus on a single task. People of this kind don't easily shift their attention from one thing to another; it will often take them time to adjust. Nonetheless, once they are embarked on a particular course of action, they can be relied upon to carry it through to the end.

Persistence is most often seen in passive, patient styles of behaviour, but it can occasionally coexist in a profile with high Dominance. Where this happens, the individual concerned can be expected to display remarkable tenacity and determination.