Introduction:
Hello to all!!! It has been a long time since I was on here, and I think I’m due for another article!!! The focus of this article will be to explain the differences between INTP/ INTJ, as it relates to actual cognitive functions, and not “Oh, INTP’s and INTJ’s are the same except one’s lazy and the other isn’t…” Those types of threads are what made me mis-identify as an INTP (I’m an INTJ. Hardcore.) in the first place. So in order to assist those new to MBTI, and for those who are having difficulty understanding the difference between INTP/ INTJ, this article is for you.
So I want to start off by saying that when it comes to MBTI, you CANNOT, and I repeat CANNOT just take the 4 letters of the individual’s personality and determine their traits and preferences. You MUST look at the cognitive functions and processes.
So, now that the disclaimer is out of the way, let’s delve into the world of MBTI cognitive processes!!!
Cognitive Functions:
So in our day to day interaction with the world, we are constantly receiving information, and then evaluating and acting according to how we processed the gathered information. Our information gathering functions are referred to as Perceiving functions, and are Sensing and iNtuiting. People who use Sensing as their Perceiving function take in information primarily via their senses. They evaluate what they can see, touch, smell, or hear. People who use iNtuition as their Perceiving function take in information based off of their intuition. Real world example: two people walk into the room, where the trashcan is turned upside down. The Sensor will notice that it’s upside down and flip it and continue on their way. The iNtuitor will see the trashcan, and flip it, while pondering why the can was upside down in the first place. Sensors are concerned with what they can directly interact with, and will generally shy away from theory or abstract thinking. They follow a straight line of reasoning, for the most part need to have all the steps of a process laid out for them, and are most at home in the physical world. Conversely, iNtuitors are concerned with ideas and theory, and may not be as home in the physical world. They are your absent minded professors, your daydreamers, or generally anyone who spends a significant amount of time thinking rather than doing.
Just as we have our intake or Perceiving functions, we have our evaluative or Judging functions, and they are Feeling and Thinking. Now it is imperative to understand that we define the meanings of “Feeling” and “Thinking” quite differently in MBTI than their correlating meanings in the English language; a person who uses Thinking as their Judging function is going to be the person to make their decisions based off of impersonal measures, such as points earned or what makes sense or what is mathematical or logical. Conversely, people who use Feeling as their Judging function will base their decisions and actions on more personal measures, such as the group dynamic and what makes sense “emotionally”.
Lastly, there is the first letter of the 4 letter identifier is either an “E” or an “I”. This denotes “introverted” and “extraverted” (note the difference in spelling vs. “extroverted”). An Introvert is someone who expends energy in social situations, whereas the opposite stands true for an Extrovert. What this means is that an introvert will naturally be inclined towards solitude, where an extrovert will be naturally drawn towards social situations.
Now that we’ve covered the types of functions, we are going to delve a little deeper into the function dichotomies. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I’m going to copy the definitions of the functions below:
From Understanding the 8 Jungian Cognitive Processes (8 Functions):
Really take some time to read and understand the functions, because it is going to be imperative in explaining just how INTPs and INTJs are different.
Are you all read up and understand the different functions? Good, because here we go into the meat and potatoes of this article!!
INTP vs INTJ: An Objective Analysis
While from a superficial perspective, the only difference between the types is a letter, the way the two types evaluate information is quite different. I will start with the INTP, The typical functional preference ordering of the INTP is: Ti > Ne > Si > Fe. (For the purposes of this article, I will be focusing on the dominant and auxiliary functions only). What this means is that the INTP is driven by the need to have exacting clarity and precision in thought (Ti), and this is supported by Ne which allows them to see all of the possibilities of a situation. The INTP is first and foremost concerned with perfecting an idea in their heads, and will use the real world to gather information for the said idea. Hence the whole “lazy INTP” thing where they are concerned with perfecting the idea, as opposed to implementing it. Indeed, the INTP is not likely to implement (or even share) an idea with others unless it is perfect in their mind.
Now lets take a look at the INTJ. The typical functional preference ordering of the INTJ is: Ni > Te > Fi > Se. What this means is that the INTJ is primarily driven by their internal vision of how things can be better, and this is driven by Te, which gives the INTJ their systemization and contingency planning skills (hence the INTJ title of “Mastermind”) that they use to implement what their Ni is guiding them towards. What this translates to is as follows: The INTJ KNOWS how to improve a system, and will read and learn everything they need in order to implement the solution to the problem, but will generally stop the acquisition of knowledge if it isn’t pertinent to the task at hand. An INTJ will be the one who makes what I call a “command decision” based off the facts at hand, whereas the INTP will want to perfect the idea, and will experience significant apprehension if forced to present/implement the idea before it is perfected in their mind.
INTP vs INTJ: A Subjective Analysis
Great! Now you have the theory down, but I want to make this accessible and understandable to both iNtuitive and Sensing types (sorry, Sensing types…
), so I want to give some actual examples of INTJ/INTP interaction/differences for your intellectual comprehension.
My house mate Stan is an INTP, and as interacted with him, I started to notice certain differences in our behavior that simultaneously made me question my status as an INTP, as well as reevaluating my past behavior. For one, I am a lot more opinionated that he is. I will be quick to respond to a situation and offer an opinion or solution, whereas Stan will sit back and truly observe the situation, then will only offer a suggestion or opinion when asked (if he even does so then). Another difference is in our thought process. When we were talking about personality disorders (specifically Bipolar II), my view was a pragmatic view, based off of the DSM-IV and various medical journals. Stan provided me an alternate view, incorporating metaphysics, spirituality and his own subjective experiences. In other words, I learned just enough to implement my ideas, whereas Stan developed a much more global perspective (Ti/Ne vs Ni/Te).
So what does this mean? Sorry INTP’ers, but I am not one of you; I am an INTJ. But honestly, I don’t think it matters. On a personal level, I relate more to the INTP mentality of things, though it may just be my high usage of Ti, Te, Ni, and Ne (see my signature). In any case, I hope this was informative/eye opening for you. If I’ve made any mistakes, please let me know so I can correct them and update my knowledge. Otherwise, please comment below, or email me at [email protected]
Thanks a ton for reading!
x01660
Hello to all!!! It has been a long time since I was on here, and I think I’m due for another article!!! The focus of this article will be to explain the differences between INTP/ INTJ, as it relates to actual cognitive functions, and not “Oh, INTP’s and INTJ’s are the same except one’s lazy and the other isn’t…” Those types of threads are what made me mis-identify as an INTP (I’m an INTJ. Hardcore.) in the first place. So in order to assist those new to MBTI, and for those who are having difficulty understanding the difference between INTP/ INTJ, this article is for you.
So I want to start off by saying that when it comes to MBTI, you CANNOT, and I repeat CANNOT just take the 4 letters of the individual’s personality and determine their traits and preferences. You MUST look at the cognitive functions and processes.
So, now that the disclaimer is out of the way, let’s delve into the world of MBTI cognitive processes!!!
Cognitive Functions:
So in our day to day interaction with the world, we are constantly receiving information, and then evaluating and acting according to how we processed the gathered information. Our information gathering functions are referred to as Perceiving functions, and are Sensing and iNtuiting. People who use Sensing as their Perceiving function take in information primarily via their senses. They evaluate what they can see, touch, smell, or hear. People who use iNtuition as their Perceiving function take in information based off of their intuition. Real world example: two people walk into the room, where the trashcan is turned upside down. The Sensor will notice that it’s upside down and flip it and continue on their way. The iNtuitor will see the trashcan, and flip it, while pondering why the can was upside down in the first place. Sensors are concerned with what they can directly interact with, and will generally shy away from theory or abstract thinking. They follow a straight line of reasoning, for the most part need to have all the steps of a process laid out for them, and are most at home in the physical world. Conversely, iNtuitors are concerned with ideas and theory, and may not be as home in the physical world. They are your absent minded professors, your daydreamers, or generally anyone who spends a significant amount of time thinking rather than doing.
Just as we have our intake or Perceiving functions, we have our evaluative or Judging functions, and they are Feeling and Thinking. Now it is imperative to understand that we define the meanings of “Feeling” and “Thinking” quite differently in MBTI than their correlating meanings in the English language; a person who uses Thinking as their Judging function is going to be the person to make their decisions based off of impersonal measures, such as points earned or what makes sense or what is mathematical or logical. Conversely, people who use Feeling as their Judging function will base their decisions and actions on more personal measures, such as the group dynamic and what makes sense “emotionally”.
Lastly, there is the first letter of the 4 letter identifier is either an “E” or an “I”. This denotes “introverted” and “extraverted” (note the difference in spelling vs. “extroverted”). An Introvert is someone who expends energy in social situations, whereas the opposite stands true for an Extrovert. What this means is that an introvert will naturally be inclined towards solitude, where an extrovert will be naturally drawn towards social situations.
Now that we’ve covered the types of functions, we are going to delve a little deeper into the function dichotomies. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I’m going to copy the definitions of the functions below:
From Understanding the 8 Jungian Cognitive Processes (8 Functions):
| INFORMATION-ACCESSING PROCESSES—Perception | |
| Se | Extraverted Sensing: Experiencing the immediate context; taking action in the physical world; noticing changes and opportunities for action; accumulating experiences; scanning for visible reactions and relevant data; recognizing "what is." Noticing what was available, trying on different items, and seeing how they look. |
| Si | Introverted Sensing: Reviewing past experiences; "what is" evoking "what was"; seeking detailed information and links to what is known; recalling stored impressions; accumulating data; recognizing the way things have always been. Remembering the last time you wore a particular item or the last time you were at a similar event—maybe even remembering how you felt then. |
| Ne | Extraverted iNtuiting: Interpreting situations and relationships; picking up meanings and interconnections; being drawn to change "what is" for "what could possibly be"; noticing what is not said and threads of meaning emerging across multiple contexts. Noticing the possible meanings of what you might wear: "Wearing this might communicate…" |
| Ni | Introverted iNtuiting: Foreseeing implications and likely effects without external data; realizing "what will be"; conceptualizing new ways of seeing things; envisioning transformations; getting an image of profound meaning or far-reaching symbols. Envisioning yourself in an outfit or maybe envisioning yourself being a certain way. |
| ORGANIZING-EVALUATING PROCESSES—Judgment | |
| Te | Extraverted Thinking: Segmenting; organizing for efficiency; systematizing; applying logic; structuring; checking for consequences; monitoring for standards or specifications being met; setting boundaries, guidelines, and parameters; deciding if something is working or not. Sorting out different colors and styles; thinking about the consequences, as in "Since I have to stand all day…" |
| Ti | Introverted Thinking: Analyzing; categorizing; evaluating according to principles and whether something fits the framework or model; figuring out the principles on which something works; checking for inconsistencies; clarifying definitions to get more precision. Analyzing your options using principles like comfort or "Red is a power color." |
| Fe | Extraverted Feeling: Connecting; considering others and the group-organizing to meet their needs and honor their values and feelings; maintaining societal, organizational, or group values; adjusting to and accommodating others; deciding if something is appropriate or acceptable to others. Considering what would be appropriate for the situation: "One should or shouldn't wear…" or "People will think…" |
| Fi | Introverted Feeling: Valuing; considering importance and worth; reviewing for incongruity; evaluating something based on the truths on which it is based; clarifying values to achieve accord; deciding if something is of significance and worth standing up for. Evaluating whether you like an outfit or not: "This outfit suits me and feels right." |
Really take some time to read and understand the functions, because it is going to be imperative in explaining just how INTPs and INTJs are different.
Are you all read up and understand the different functions? Good, because here we go into the meat and potatoes of this article!!
INTP vs INTJ: An Objective Analysis
While from a superficial perspective, the only difference between the types is a letter, the way the two types evaluate information is quite different. I will start with the INTP, The typical functional preference ordering of the INTP is: Ti > Ne > Si > Fe. (For the purposes of this article, I will be focusing on the dominant and auxiliary functions only). What this means is that the INTP is driven by the need to have exacting clarity and precision in thought (Ti), and this is supported by Ne which allows them to see all of the possibilities of a situation. The INTP is first and foremost concerned with perfecting an idea in their heads, and will use the real world to gather information for the said idea. Hence the whole “lazy INTP” thing where they are concerned with perfecting the idea, as opposed to implementing it. Indeed, the INTP is not likely to implement (or even share) an idea with others unless it is perfect in their mind.
Now lets take a look at the INTJ. The typical functional preference ordering of the INTJ is: Ni > Te > Fi > Se. What this means is that the INTJ is primarily driven by their internal vision of how things can be better, and this is driven by Te, which gives the INTJ their systemization and contingency planning skills (hence the INTJ title of “Mastermind”) that they use to implement what their Ni is guiding them towards. What this translates to is as follows: The INTJ KNOWS how to improve a system, and will read and learn everything they need in order to implement the solution to the problem, but will generally stop the acquisition of knowledge if it isn’t pertinent to the task at hand. An INTJ will be the one who makes what I call a “command decision” based off the facts at hand, whereas the INTP will want to perfect the idea, and will experience significant apprehension if forced to present/implement the idea before it is perfected in their mind.
INTP vs INTJ: A Subjective Analysis
Great! Now you have the theory down, but I want to make this accessible and understandable to both iNtuitive and Sensing types (sorry, Sensing types…
), so I want to give some actual examples of INTJ/INTP interaction/differences for your intellectual comprehension.My house mate Stan is an INTP, and as interacted with him, I started to notice certain differences in our behavior that simultaneously made me question my status as an INTP, as well as reevaluating my past behavior. For one, I am a lot more opinionated that he is. I will be quick to respond to a situation and offer an opinion or solution, whereas Stan will sit back and truly observe the situation, then will only offer a suggestion or opinion when asked (if he even does so then). Another difference is in our thought process. When we were talking about personality disorders (specifically Bipolar II), my view was a pragmatic view, based off of the DSM-IV and various medical journals. Stan provided me an alternate view, incorporating metaphysics, spirituality and his own subjective experiences. In other words, I learned just enough to implement my ideas, whereas Stan developed a much more global perspective (Ti/Ne vs Ni/Te).
So what does this mean? Sorry INTP’ers, but I am not one of you; I am an INTJ. But honestly, I don’t think it matters. On a personal level, I relate more to the INTP mentality of things, though it may just be my high usage of Ti, Te, Ni, and Ne (see my signature). In any case, I hope this was informative/eye opening for you. If I’ve made any mistakes, please let me know so I can correct them and update my knowledge. Otherwise, please comment below, or email me at [email protected]
Thanks a ton for reading!
x01660
