Why are INTPs and INTJs often confused?
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Well, there are many ways to be confused:
first, if one is borderline on the P vs J dimension
second, I suspect plenty of people who score I, N, T, J on the dichotomies are actually thinking dominant types, not intuitives, so on this front it's easy to wonder if a thinking dominant model doesn't fit better (also, the opposite can occur frequently)
third, as per measuring the cognitive functions, in most common measurements like the keys2cognition test, it seems the only rule of thumb is it might spit out your preference for certain things in general, rather than hit the 8 function-attitudes properly (e.g. an intuitive may get the highest scores on intuition overall, but may not be able to differentiate if they're Ne or Ni)
They're different types in theory, but there exist people who are in the middle.
first, if one is borderline on the P vs J dimension
second, I suspect plenty of people who score I, N, T, J on the dichotomies are actually thinking dominant types, not intuitives, so on this front it's easy to wonder if a thinking dominant model doesn't fit better (also, the opposite can occur frequently)
third, as per measuring the cognitive functions, in most common measurements like the keys2cognition test, it seems the only rule of thumb is it might spit out your preference for certain things in general, rather than hit the 8 function-attitudes properly (e.g. an intuitive may get the highest scores on intuition overall, but may not be able to differentiate if they're Ne or Ni)
They're different types in theory, but there exist people who are in the middle.
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Then you should make a post about their dissimilarity if you think they are so different. It would perhaps help some people out.
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Some people will see all IxTx types the same way, depending on how removed they are from introversion or thinking themselves, ''quiet'' implies several different things about a person that may not be at all accurate. This is especially true outside of typology.
Otherwise, it varies. Some people of both types believe they are very different and some believe they're more similar.
ln my experience with INTPs on the forum, the INTJs tend to view the INTPs as being more similar to them. INTP's don't really give a shit.
Otherwise, it varies. Some people of both types believe they are very different and some believe they're more similar.
ln my experience with INTPs on the forum, the INTJs tend to view the INTPs as being more similar to them. INTP's don't really give a shit.
I don't think you understood my question. By asking why people get them confused, I'm asking what similarities people see in them that I'm missing. I believe they are different from first-hand experience, but I'm looking for an outside or more educated opinion.
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You should still have elaborated on your first hand-experience, it might be interesting.
I understood your question but my post wasn't trying to answer it. But let's see...Both tend to be very intellectually curious, both value logic a lot, both might have more ''nerdy'' interests, both tend to spend a lot of time on The Internet, both tend to have trouble expressing their emotions, both might appear socially awkward...The list goes on. So it's important to dig deeper than outward behaviors or interests.
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Well...INTPs and INTJs are two types who have INT in common: they are both introverts, intuitives, and thinkers. They're both NTs, ITs, INs. And each person has a different percentage of how strongly they manifest each trait in their personality. A strong INTJ will look a bit different from a strong INTP, but anyone with middling scores, especially on the J/P scale, will probably have a harder time deciding which type is a better fit.
Back when I took a cognitive functions test after getting my original dichotomy-based result of INTJ, I scored such high Ti that I was given INTP as a likely match. That confused me for awhile until I got used to the parameters of all these theories and spent some time reading the profiles. I now have a much clearer perception of where I sit on the INTJ/INTP scale, and admittedly INTPs seem rather different from me. But I could see why this is such a common point of confusion for many.
One last thought: I think NJs tend to look at least a little bit different from SJs, and I think as a whole we tend to manifest some traits that are definitively P looking but are probably more the result of being an intuitive judger rather than a sensing judger. I've seen a lot of genuine NJs think: "Well, I'm messy and don't always care about physical order, so there's no way I'm a J right?" So there's another point of confusion for some.
Back when I took a cognitive functions test after getting my original dichotomy-based result of INTJ, I scored such high Ti that I was given INTP as a likely match. That confused me for awhile until I got used to the parameters of all these theories and spent some time reading the profiles. I now have a much clearer perception of where I sit on the INTJ/INTP scale, and admittedly INTPs seem rather different from me. But I could see why this is such a common point of confusion for many.
One last thought: I think NJs tend to look at least a little bit different from SJs, and I think as a whole we tend to manifest some traits that are definitively P looking but are probably more the result of being an intuitive judger rather than a sensing judger. I've seen a lot of genuine NJs think: "Well, I'm messy and don't always care about physical order, so there's no way I'm a J right?" So there's another point of confusion for some.
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Well here are all of the plausible reasons I can think of (from least to most relevant):
A) Probably because of people like me who are a tad borderline
B) We are probably often seen with each other (I love me some INTJ's)
C) Most of the differences are in the ways people wouldn't know about unless you were super close i.e. how you rationalize or how you process your emotions. People usually will remember whether you are emotionally or thought oriented (T), whether you are an introvert or an extrovert (I), and if they are kind of close they will remember whether you think in physical/real or impressional/theoretical (N), but the last pair is like your approach on life. That kind of thing doesn't come up in conversations with introverts (and extroverts rarely need to explain such things as it is usually obvious). IxFx's will speak their heart, and I think ISTx's have an advantage about being more open to explain their logical process, so information can be deduced from those. To me, at least, such things are erroneous and I will not say such boring things unless asked (if I can even think back and remember such things).
A) Probably because of people like me who are a tad borderline
B) We are probably often seen with each other (I love me some INTJ's)
C) Most of the differences are in the ways people wouldn't know about unless you were super close i.e. how you rationalize or how you process your emotions. People usually will remember whether you are emotionally or thought oriented (T), whether you are an introvert or an extrovert (I), and if they are kind of close they will remember whether you think in physical/real or impressional/theoretical (N), but the last pair is like your approach on life. That kind of thing doesn't come up in conversations with introverts (and extroverts rarely need to explain such things as it is usually obvious). IxFx's will speak their heart, and I think ISTx's have an advantage about being more open to explain their logical process, so information can be deduced from those. To me, at least, such things are erroneous and I will not say such boring things unless asked (if I can even think back and remember such things).
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I took the cognitive functions test and got an INTJ! So I ended up having to round all the numbers for my signature. I am probably more INTP because my Ne is much higher than my Te...
But yeah I did that too, except in reverse.
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Hey, speak for yourself! I am almost never confused! :tongue:
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You are sorely mistaken, my dear fellow. INTJs do not think about INTPs until we run across your silly threads on the new posts page. More times than not, INTPs complain and whine about INTJs. I dare you to find one thread in our forum that talks about INTPs, that wasn't created by an INTP. INTJs are the ones who don't give a ----.
The people who get confused between INTP and INTJ are usually neither. They want to fit into the intelligent group, and usually answer the various tests untruthfully so that they may fit. The difference between INTP and INTJ is not the p/j spectrum - it is the cognitive order, Ni vs Ti, Ne vs Te, etc. The p vs j is silly.
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I believe people get them confused because they look at those four letters, and all they see is three letters in common. If you look at the psychological functions, past those pesky little letter combinations, you'll notice that the INTP (Ti+Ne) and the INTJ (Ni+Te) actually have opposite attitudes (attitudes being introverted/extroverted) in their functions (the functions being in this case intuition and thinking). I think the trick is to tell the difference between Ti/Te and Ni/Ne; instead of using the old "well he's quiet/intuitive/a thinker so he's an I/N/T" approach.
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Poor explanations on the differences between the two types based on a combination of wishful thinking and flat out denial and projection of negative traits.
Thank you internet.
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In my experience, INTJs and INTPs come across as quiet, objective, and detached. I grew up in a small town of sensors, and me and my INTJ friend were always viewed as the weird intellectuals who rebelled against social norms. So I suppose, at least in that respect, that there's something in common between these two types.
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My dad's an INTP. I'm an INTJ. At first glance we share a lot of traits but when you take a closer look: we handle things completely different (not so odd given that we don't share any of our cognitive functions). The example that sums it up for me: we both value 'being right' but the way it expresses itself is completely different. INTP is focused more on precision where INTJ is focused more on the practical outcome. 'Is it correct' is a very different question from 'does it work' altough they overlap on a few levels.
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