INTJ, or INTP?

[~These Quiet Stars]

Well, I suppose I'll cut right to the chase.

For the past year or so, right from when I started to look into the MBT, I've always labeled myself as an INTP, and it really seem to fit me. Lately, though, I've been looking at INTJ, and see many different aspects that also fit me, to the point where they're almost even. I'm almost positive about the INT, there doesn't seem to be much question about that. So I thought I'd get some help from ya'll in puzzling this out.

Points for INTP: I am definitely absent-minded, really don't like routines, and often get lost in my brain thinking about theories and whatnot. I love learning for its own sake, and am on the whole quite flexible. My tendency is to be very shy when I meet new people (I've gotten better at that, but it still is my innate reaction), but around close friends, I can be extremely talkative, and even the center of attention. I am usually either totally zone in on whatever I am doing, to the exclusion of time, pain, or angry parents, or unable to keep my mind on anything. This quote, "The INTP has no understanding or value for decisions made on the basis of personal subjectivity or feelings," fits me to a T. (In two ways, come to think of it. Sorry F's, nothing personal, one of my very good friends is an F, and I haven't killed her yet, so there is hope.) But I do respect people's opinions, if for no other reason than that they are people's opinions.

INTJ: I have a real problem with incompetent leadership, which originally started me thinking about P/J. It's almost to the point where my fingers start twitching in longing to get in charge (from the background, if at all possible) and make everything run smooth again. I have the hardest time expressing ideas and thoughts to other people, to the point where I just shrug and mutter, "I don't know" most of the time. I plan for everything, or try to, at least. I have a zombie apocalypse, Day after Tomorrow, and Y2K'esque virus plan, just in case. (If the government falls apart, you'll find me controlling some form of local militia, with a clueless figurehead set up so I don't have to take crap.) My friends definitely see me as "aloof," my F friend's endearing term for me is "clam." I tend to be rather manipulating, and can lie extemporaneously, though I usually do know when I'm caught.

As close as I can figure out, my strongest function is probably Ti, but it seems like Ni is also strong, then Te, and perhaps a small dose of Fi. I haven't really found a good description of the N functions, though, so I might be stronger in them, and I don't have a very good grasp on the functions anyways.
Fe is definitely my weakest.

That's all that comes to mind at the moment, thanks for any help, and feel free to ask questions.

 

[highlander]

Well, I suppose I'll cut right to the chase.

My guess is INTJ. You're first sentence might be an indicator. The point about leadership is another clue. Every point you are making is about arriving at a conclusion instead of a possibility.

That's just a guess though.

 

[Savage Idealist]

I'm more inclined to say INTP, as you seem to posses more certain traits of that type.

Also consider the cognitive function of each type:

INTP: Ti - Ne - Si - Fe
INTJ: Ni - Te - Fi - Se

The INTP leads with Ti, which is an internal system of logic and rational frameworks, often independent of the external environment.
The INTJ lead with Ni, which is an internal intuition that conceptualizes new ideas, often forseeing and envisioning how things will turn out.

The INTP follows with Ne, which is an external based intuition that finds connections and patterns among the outer world, "what if's" and random ideas.
The INTJ follows with Te, which is external based logic, x doesn't make sense because y or critical analysis of the environment and the actions of people.

This test might help as well: http://www.keys2cognition.com/explore.htm

 

[Thalassa]

How old are you and what have you achieved in your life?

I think that's the best way to tell the difference.

 

[~These Quiet Stars]

My guess is INTJ. You're first sentence might be an indicator. The point about leadership is another clue. Every point you are making is about arriving at a conclusion instead of a possibility.

I do have a tendency to be blunt and not mince words, but on the other hand, I can be so diplomatic that people have no idea what my point actually is. That is a good observation about conclusions, and I totally agree. I like things to come to a point, not just dawdle on indefinitely. Though that might come from people around me hardly ever managing to make a point.

Savage Brain:
Thanks for the explanations, they are much better than a lot of sites I've found, lol.
I did take the test, and came out:

extraverted Intuiting (Ne) (44.4) excellent use
introverted Thinking (Ti) (41.5) excellent use
extraverted Thinking (Te) (32.6) good use
introverted Intuiting (Ni) (31.3) good use
introverted Sensing (Si) (29.5) average use
introverted Feeling (Fi) (21.1) limited use
extraverted Sensing (Se) (20.2) limited use
extraverted Feeling (Fe) (19.2) limited use

Which is quite messed up, but would point towards INTP. (Though my insistence in listing it from the highest rated function down smacks of J) But I still think I have a better Ni function than that, I can usually tell how people will react, how situations will turn out, and even what people will say before they start saying it. My friends will be talking about something, stop, look puzzled, then turn at me and ask me to tell them what they mean. Or maybe i just read minds. You never know.
Or is that just Ne? I have the hardest time telling those two apart...

Marmalade:
Well, I'm only 18, and haven't done a whole lot so far, so that doesn't help too much. I'm plugging along with a 4.0 GPA, without putting a whole lot of effort in, I haven't had a "real" job, though I do work my butt off on my parents' farm, but I haven't really done anything noteworthy other than academics. I do write a lot, and hope to pursue something in that field, but that doesn't answer much, other than the fact that I have around 30 unfinished books laying around haunting me.

I guess I'm just having a hard time reconciling the leadership stuff I mentioned before and an almost OCD-like tendency to arrange very certain things (books by height, width, author, and preference, lists in specific order), with the nice, almost oblivious absent-minded INTP...

 

[Savage Idealist]

Well judging by your results, the possibility of being an INTP or INTJ are very close, but in this case I would lean closer to INTP considering you Ti+Ne is slightly high then yout Ni+Te, along with the fact that your Si is used averagely and your Fe is used the least. Although being an INTJ with slightly more developed Fi and Se functions is possible as well.

Also what you mentioned does sound like Ni, and it is possible to have a well developed funtion outside the normal function set up of an INTP.

There was another thread on this forum that excellently distinguished between INTJ and INTP, if I can find it I'll post a link for you.