INTJs vs. INTPs

[MerkW]

When I first took and MBTI test, I scored as an INTJ. I then took several other MBTI tests, only to receive identical results. However, approximately 6 months later, I took one MBTI test on which I scored INTP. After that, I began to score INTP on many tests. Right now I am having quite a lot of trouble settling on whether I am INTP or INTJ, and to be quite honest, it has been irritating me quite a lot. Also, for the record, I believe that I am an Oldham Idiosyncratic, 5 sp/sx (wings are relatively balanced, but I am still pretty sure that I am w4).

I think the INTJ description might fit be better than INTP except for one thing. In comparing several INTP and INTJ descriptions, I have found that INTPs are perceived as more absent-minded and impractical. Can an INTJ be absent-minded and/or highly impractical? Wouldn't, technically speaking, a very strong Ni dominant be the most unaware of physical reality, taking the weak Se into consideration? I think the problem I am having is distinguishing between strong Ni-dominant/weak Te-auxiliary vs. balanced Ti-dominant/strong Ne auxiliary. What are your opinions?

[Eicr]

well, im an INTJ (on every single online test ive taken as well as the actual instrument itself) and I can be very absent minded about things I don't deem of particular importance. As for impracticality, well, my chosen field of study is abstact maths (granted the EXTREMELY abstract maths like model theory and propositional logic are a bit tough for me, but thats because they ARE tough in general).

You have to keep in mind that the descriptions you read of types are sort of "best fit" kind of descriptions. No one is going to match the descriptions exactly. One description I read said INTJ's very often had very short hair, were thin and walked with their stomach out. Well, my hair is past my shoulders. I'm barrel-chested, and while Im a healthy weight now, in my early teens I was pretty pudgy, and I definately slouch.

Also bare in mind that often that a lot of the type descriptions read like vague astrology "assesements" http://www.skepdic.com/forer.html

In short, dont worry too much about a test telling you who you are, decide for yourself.

[nightning]

Absentmindedness can be found in NJs as well... In fact the child description of INJs relates to being absentminded...

Originally Posted by http://www.personalitypage.com/INJ.html

They're often off in their own world, and have a dreamlike quality

It's important to make the distinction between general absentmindedness over being absentminded with things we deemed as less important as Eicr stated...

[Jennifer]

Originally Posted by Merkw

When I first took and MBTI test, I scored as an INTJ. I then took several other MBTI tests, only to receive identical results. However, approximately 6 months later, I took one MBTI test on which I scored INTP. After that, I began to score INTP on many tests. Right now I am having quite a lot of trouble settling on whether I am INTP or INTJ, and to be quite honest, it has been irritating me quite a lot. Also, for the record, I believe that I am an Oldham Idiosyncratic, 5 sp/sx (wings are relatively balanced, but I am still pretty sure that I am w4).

I think the INTJ description might fit be better than INTP except for one thing. In comparing several INTP and INTJ descriptions, I have found that INTPs are perceived as more absent-minded and impractical. Can an INTJ be absent-minded and/or highly impractical?

I would not get too hung up on this one thing. Motivations are generally more important than the quality expressed. Many types can be absent-minded or impractical, just for different reasons.

Note that types separated by a J/P factor really are much further away / different from each other than types separated by a T/F or S/N factor.

INTP = Ti + Ne + Si + Fe
INTJ = Ni + Te + Fi + Se

So no functions are the same in the Conscious Self. INTP and INTJ are very different in terms of what functions are used most easily. INTP is actually more similar to ISTP (Ti similarity) in how it thinks, and more similar to INFP (Ne similarity) in what it envisions in the outer world.

See my signature -- I am very clearly INTP, not INTJ, especially if you know me in real life you'd see that there is no WAY I am a J... but my Oldham and enneagram scores are very similar to yours. (I do not know what that means for you exactly.)

[Aven]

If it's bothering you this much chances are you are a J.

I had the same happen to me, my J is just close to my P percentage, but I didn't really care in the end, I feel more comfortable with the INTP description even though most Ps peg me for a J.

[GirlAmerica]

I relate to both very strongly...though most of the time it is in my emotional life I am far more of a P. That is, with people I choose to emote on. They can wreck me/blindside me/suprise the heck out of me/confuse me....all making me feel as if each moment is taken in without J and having to be completely processed in a completely different way than anything else in my life. Snap judgement, or clarity does not come instantly to me when emotions are involved. I have to sometimes sit on them for days.

Also...I do find myself very much the oblivious nutty professor walking around and around and around parking garages stuck up in my head wondering where the HELL my car is.......I have had to call my husband down to help me locate it.
GRRRRRRRR (more than once).

[anii]

As in: Godzilla vs. Mothra?

INTPs would kick ass!

[Luke]

Originally Posted by Aven

If it's bothering you this much chances are you are a J.

I had the same happen to me, my J is just close to my P percentage, but I didn't really care in the end, I feel more comfortable with the INTP description even though most Ps peg me for a J.

It has certainly bugged me a lot, and I'm probably an INTP.

Basically I would decide on a type, then months later something would make me reconsider.

What I think is important to understand is that INTP is the Ti-dominant, and INTJ is the Ni-dominant. If you decide on one or the other, it should be based on your empathizing more strongly with one of these as the dominant trait, as well as Ne or Te as the supporting trait. More advanced analysis might include looking at the tertiary and inferior. (Si and Fe for INTP, Fi and Se for INTJ. So INTJ likes physical excitement a little more, thinks about loyalty more, INTP likes to express emotion a little more, thinks about being comfortable more.)

You can't just go around deciding based on whether you "feel" more J or more P based on profiles or tests or whatever. The test percentages don't mean you are really only 51% J or whatever -- it only means the test is having a harder time pegging you, even though you are one or the other. (I think my first test was 52% J. It was the humanmetrics.com test.)

I think my need to resolve issues on a logical plane, coupled with a tendency towards flashes of inexplicable insight, points towards INTP. Whether the generally held INTP stereotype is based on the same type as me, or not, I feign no hypothesis.

[Jennifer]

Good post, Luke.

This part was very helpful, I think:

More advanced analysis might include looking at the tertiary and inferior. (Si and Fe for INTP, Fi and Se for INTJ. So INTJ likes physical excitement a little more, thinks about loyalty more, INTP likes to express emotion a little more, thinks about being comfortable more.)

And thank you for clarifying about the percentages. With most of these either/or style MBTI tests, the percentages don't signify much at all. 100% says there's a strong J/P preference, ~50% says the preference is weak... and that is about all that can be said. (And the same for the other function pairs.) For some reason, though, people still put percentages in their profiles.

[Luke]

Originally Posted by Jennifer

With most of these either/or style MBTI tests, the percentages don't signify much at all. 100% says there's a strong J/P preference, ~50% says the preference is weak... and that is about all that can be said. (And the same for the other function pairs.) For some reason, though, people still put percentages in their profiles.

Right... The test answer gives you a set of four metrics that indicate type, but don't necessarily define it. The score of I N T P indicates a person of the type that prefers Ti Ne Si Fe, which is what we call a true INTP. But you don't know for sure until you've assessed those directly, which is a rather tricky and introspective process.

Basically the thing is we're measuring a surface phenomenon with these four letters, not directly measuring the reality that causes the phenomenon. So mistakes and goofs are inevitable. But it's very handy as a starting place, as it is right more often than not. Chances are at least some of the letters are correct for you. Once you've got a score to work from, you can successively check and double-check against the predicted order of trait-preference. Sometimes you even get lucky and get all the letters correct the first time!