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Am I really INTP?

Luke

New member
Joined
Oct 29, 2007
Messages
25
MBTI Type
INTX
Today I had this suspicion that I might be INTJ.

Basically, what I'm looking at is the pattern my thoughts seem to follow. I apparently develop the abstract part of the theory first on a highly subjective plane, then seek to explain it and provide a concrete justification for every step if possible. Like, I have to prove that I'm not making this stuff up.

That would be the textbook example of INTJ, one would think. Ni develops theories on a purely abstract level, whereas Te explains it all in as concrete and justified terms as possible.

Guess I'll change my profile to INTX until I make up my mind :tongue:
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
50,192
MBTI Type
BELF
Enneagram
594
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Today I had this suspicion that I might be INTJ. Basically, what I'm looking at is the pattern my thoughts seem to follow. I apparently develop the abstract part of the theory first on a highly subjective plane, then seek to explain it and provide a concrete justification for every step if possible. Like, I have to prove that I'm not making this stuff up. That would be the textbook example of INTJ, one would think. Ni develops theories on a purely abstract level, whereas Te explains it all in as concrete and justified terms as possible.

What were your eight-function scores again? Perhaps you're strong in more than the conventional functions for either of the INT's?

I find that Ti for me crunches data and is always drawing conclusions that change with each new little piece of data.

Meanwhile, I take those conclusions and create models with it, using inductive reasoning to imagine where else things might go and what COULD be true.

Then I look for evidence to support those models, for Ti to draw more conclusions from.

Don't ask me what that means, though. ;)


Guess I'll change my profile to INTX until I make up my mind :tongue:

Oh stop, now you're making my head spin!
(INTJs who can't make up their minds??? *makes sign of the cross*)
 

Luke

New member
Joined
Oct 29, 2007
Messages
25
MBTI Type
INTX
Like you I got fairly high on both Ni and Ti, IIRC. I have a hard time not biasing my answers on the eight-trait test to match whatever type I think I am. Still, I should probably retake it again and see what comes up.

My basic line of reasoning for my retyping is as follows:
A. The dichotomy between N and T is that of abstract-concrete.
B. Apparently my introverted trait is abstract and my extroverted trait is concrete.
C. Therefore I'm (apparently) a NiTe and thus an INTJ.

Whether that's all correct depends on a couple things. Either A or B could be wrong and thus invalidate C. Jung defined introversion as dealing with the subjective, with extroversion dealing with the objective. So if I deal with the subjective in a way that is highly abstract and indecisive, that would tend to support B. (Also if my E trait is highly concrete and concise, but that sorta goes without saying.)

So my reason for being indecisive (if I'm INTJ) is because evaluating one's own traits involves answering a bunch of subjective questions and analyzing that data concretely. Theoretically this should make INTJs more uneasy than INTPs, who regularly analyze their subjective impressions in a concrete fashion.
 

Athenian200

Protocol Droid
Joined
Jul 1, 2007
Messages
8,828
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4w5
Like you I got fairly high on both Ni and Ti, IIRC. I have a hard time not biasing my answers on the eight-trait test to match whatever type I think I am. Still, I should probably retake it again and see what comes up.

I don't really think that test is valid. The descriptions were too simplistic. For instance, anyone who was reasonably curious and intelligent could get a high Ti score, anyone who was organized/businesslike could get a high Te score, anyone who was well-versed in the social graces could get a high Fe score, etc. So this doesn't tell you what type you are likely to be.

My basic line of reasoning for my retyping is as follows:
A. The dichotomy between N and T is that of abstract-concrete.
B. Apparently my introverted trait is abstract and my extroverted trait is concrete.
C. Therefore I'm (apparently) a NiTe and thus an INTJ.


Whether that's all correct depends on a couple things. Either A or B could be wrong and thus invalidate C. Jung defined introversion as dealing with the subjective, with extroversion dealing with the objective. So if I deal with the subjective in a way that is highly abstract and indecisive, that would tend to support B. (Also if my E trait is highly concrete and concise, but that sorta goes without saying.)

So my reason for being indecisive (if I'm INTJ) is because evaluating one's own traits involves answering a bunch of subjective questions and analyzing that data concretely. Theoretically this should make INTJs more uneasy than INTPs, who regularly analyze their subjective impressions in a concrete fashion.

That's interesting. I've never really thought of some of these divisions before. I wonder if they really work that way? This whole theory is a little abstract, focused on how we interpret something rather than it's nature, which is objective.

I find that I prefer to work on a trait by trait method. You look at all eight functions, and analyze several different descriptions of them, noting any inconsistencies. Ignore the inconsistencies, and try to focus on the similarities of the main ideas evoked by the function descriptions. In this way, I determined I was Ni dominant.

What confuses me is that IxTP's should be confused between ISTP and INTP, and INxJ's should be confused between INTJ and INFJ. Why are there INTx's and INFx's confused between P/J? P/J is one of the biggest divides in the whole psyche. None of the functions are even the same between them. Such a confusion makes little sense. I'll never understand how people can be confused on that letter.
 

Randomnity

insert random title here
Joined
May 8, 2007
Messages
9,485
MBTI Type
ISTP
Enneagram
6w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
If you are having trouble choosing between INTP and INTJ, have you considered ISTP at all? I find that INTPs and INTJs resemble ISTPs more than they resemble each other (INTPs share the Ti while INTJs share the "chart-the course" interaction style as well as the ISTP's tertiary Ni). In general, INTPs and INTJs are quite different in outlook and approach to problems/life.

ISTP - INTP/INTJ (distinguishing betwen the three types)

ISTP - Introverted Thinking with Sensing is one of the few fairly accurate descriptions around.

Developing a theory before knowing the facts does point more towards INTJ though, I think.
 

Luke

New member
Joined
Oct 29, 2007
Messages
25
MBTI Type
INTX
I don't really think that test is valid. The descriptions were too simplistic. For instance, anyone who was reasonably curious and intelligent could get a high Ti score, anyone who was organized/businesslike could get a high Te score, anyone who was well-versed in the social graces could get a high Fe score, etc. So this doesn't tell you what type you are likely to be.

Just for the heck of it I retook it, here's the results:
Cognitive Process Level of Development (Preference, Skill and Frequency of Use)
extraverted Sensing (Se) ****************** (18.3)
limited use
introverted Sensing (Si) ************** (14.2)
unused
extraverted Intuiting (Ne) *********************************** (35.7)
good use
introverted Intuiting (Ni) ************************************* (37.4)
excellent use
extraverted Thinking (Te) ******************************************* (43.6)
excellent use
introverted Thinking (Ti) *********************************************** (47.7)
excellent use
extraverted Feeling (Fe) *************** (15)
unused
introverted Feeling (Fi) **************************** (28.3)
average use

So more INTP than anything -- but certainly not a very conclusive result. I'm a little surprised that the T scored that much higher than N overall. I have never convinced myself that I was an E for longer than a few weeks, but I suppose simply being NT could explain my lack of social involvement if that was the case. Most likely I was just in a logical mood when answering the questions, and use both forms fairly often.

What confuses me is that IxTP's should be confused between ISTP and INTP, and INxJ's should be confused between INTJ and INFJ. Why are there INTx's and INFx's confused between P/J? P/J is one of the biggest divides in the whole psyche. None of the functions are even the same between them. Such a confusion makes little sense. I'll never understand how people can be confused on that letter.

It confuses me a little too. My theory is that N shares with T the sense of being analytical and finding solutions to problems, whereas it shares with F the sense of being abstract and searching for meaning. So if you ask questions that aren't specific enough here, you could get opposite or inconclusive results.

But then, S could be confused with T and F for other reasons: T and S have a shared sense of being concrete and verifiable (as opposed to abstractness), whereas F and S share a sense of direct personal involvement (as opposed to impersonal analysis). About all they have in common is their effect on the structure/rhythm of type, which is kind of hard to measure.

If this is a correct assessment S and N are more different from each other than they are from either J trait, and T and F are more different from each other than either P trait.

Basically the difference between INTJ and INTP is which one prefers to introvert/extrovert their abstract side versus concrete, since both have strong "analytical" aspects and weak "involvement".

Then ISTP and ISTJ e.g. are different based on which one introverts/extroverts their analytical side versus involvement, as both have strong "concrete" and weak "abstract".

As to the possibility that I'm ISTP... I've considered the possibility. Maybe the high Te score could be considered a form of Se in disguise... It just seems my physical skills are a bit weak for ISTP. I seem to get distracted from physical things rather easily, whereas I can get immersed in theory for days on end, even forgetting to eat and such. I'd certainly be an odd duck if I was one.
 
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