INTP (Introvert, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving)
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The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
In this brief guide, INTP will be discussed in detail, along with MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) personality test, INTP characteristics, strengths/weaknesses, career options for INTP and famous personalities with INTP.
INTP is part of the 16 personality types given by Myer Briggs, these personality types can be assessed over here.
The personality TEST given by Myers Briggs is MBTI, which has four main domains of personality.
These four domains have opposing traits on the end of each continuum, which constitutes the 16 personality types.
INTP is the personality type, in which the person feels more energized when alone and gets more unique ideas, as well as being flexible and easygoing while keeping themselves logical in their thinking and decision making.
To get to know the INTP personality type in detail, it is necessary to know the origin of INTP, how it is assessed and what are the other types of personalities.
What to expect in MBTI personality test?
In MBTI personality test which is based on the psychological assessment, it helps the person to decide which career option is best for them.
The personality test is based on the four core idea and the psychological dimensions introduced by Briggs.
You can also get to know which professions are best for you on the basis of the score you get from here (Myers Briggs types).
This consists of 16 personality types and four core domains of personality which lie on the continuum. At one side of the continuum is the dimension opposite to the other side of the continuum.
Such as, if Extroversion, which means a person likes to be outgoing and enjoy social gatherings have Introversion at the other side of the continuum.
Either the person lies on one side or the other, which means that either domain will be dominant than the other.
According to these scores, the personality types will be extracted, which helps in understanding one’s own personality and preferences in personal and professional lives.
In the age of advancement, people are unable to decide which profession to choose, because there are a number of options available out there and deciding any one profession requires clear thinking.
People get confused when they try to subjectively assess themselves and get biased results.
The MBTI personality test will solve this problem for you and it will only be a matter of a few minutes before you will get the accurate results.
History of MBTI
Katherine Briggs was fascinated and impressed by the work of Carl Jung and his theory regarding personality types.
She came up with the idea to simplify the complexity of the theory and to make use of the significant contribution of Jung to make it understandable for the layman.
This motivation helped her, and she simplified his theory and adapted it into MBTI.
She was enthusiastic about the idea that the regular person must be able to assess his own self.
After the death of Katherine, her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers continued to work on her mother’s passion and became interested in the work.
In the times of WWII, she finally used the theory and developed the MBTI assessment to categorize people into 16 different personality domains.
The core of MBTI (Myers Briggs Personality Theory)
The theory describes four core domains which lie on a continuum where one domain is opposing to the other side of the domain.
This is also known as dichotomous domains. The initial domains are based on the writings of Jung, while the last domain was added by Katherine Briggs.
- Extraversion vs Introversion
- Sensing vs Intuition
- Thinking vs Feeling
- Judging vs Perceiving
Let’s cover these four core domains in detail:
1. Extraversion vs Introversion
This says that the person high on extraversion likes to join people and participate in gatherings.
As well as feeling recharged in the presence of others around.
While the introvert tries to keep to himself and spend alone time, as well as being quite reflective throughout the day.
2. Sensing vs Intuition
Some people collect the information from the environment directly by their enhanced use of sensation.
They use their five senses to make sense of the world.
While the intuitive is more imaginative, dreamy, and innovative about the surroundings and what they mean.
3. Thinking vs Feeling
If you consider yourself a thinker, then you must be considering the logic behind everything and go for the right solution.
While feelers use their hearts more than their heads. The person high on feelings understands the situations on the basis of emotions, and consider others.
4. Judging vs Perceiving
If you have seen someone organized, structured, following schedules then you already have came across the person dominant on judging.
Whereas the person high on perceiving, they consider things as open, flexible and easy-going.
MBTI says that you are either on one side of the continuum or the other.
Once you have been tested on MBTI, your scores will give you your four preferences using four initial letters, such as “INFJ”, which shows Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, and Judging as dominant types.
16 Myers and Briggs Personality Types
As discussed before, the MBTI gives 16 personality domains, based on four domains of personality.
These four domains combine in 16 different ways and describe the type of personality according to their preference.
Someone more on judging is more organized and plans ahead and may not be comfortable with being spontaneous.
There is a good piece of writing which extends the learning.
MBTI talks about the interaction of four core domains between them which gives an extended version of one’s personality.
This understanding regarding oneself is fruitful in a way of deciding the career, and right profession.
The person gets to know the flavours of his personality.
Whereas there are a lot of other tools available for the personality assessment, such as enneagram, and Big Five, but they just give a brief idea about personality.
Following are 16 MBTI domains, for details please follow the links below:
- ENTJ (Extrovert, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging)
- INTJ (Introvert, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging)
- ENTP (Extrovert, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving)
- INTP (Introvert, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving)
- ENFJ (Extrovert, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging)
- INFJ (Introvert, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging)
- ENFP (Extrovert, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving)
- INFP (Introvert, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving)
- ESTJ (Extrovert, Sensing, Thinking, Judging)
- ISTJ (Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, Judging)
- ESFJ (Extrovert, Sensing, Feeling, Judging)
- ISFJ (Introvert, Sensing, Feeling, Judging)
- ESTP (Extrovert, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving)
- ISTP (Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving)
- ESFP (Extrovert, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving)
- ISFP (Introvert, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving)
- ENTJ: This type shows the capabilities of being a passionate, energetic, logical commander
- INTJ: This type shows the innovation, and logical thinking to keep things in structure while keeping the focus to oneself.
- ENTP: They are innovators and comes up with unique solutions to the hurdles.
- INTP: This type of personality can be more logical and innovative and creative in their solutions.
- ENFJ: More inclined towards humanity and keeps up the value system, while keeping themselves organized.
- INFJ: They are more organized in their thinking patterns as well as creative and achieve well when being alone.
- ENFP: They feel more energized when surrounded by others, stay in in touch with the feelings of others around, and are flexible in their planning.
- INFP: These personalities are driven by values and beliefs.
- ESTJ: They are passionate and hard-working, they make sure to get the results.
- ISTJ: They are organized, responsible and are fixers of catastrophes.
- ESFJ: They consider the feelings of others and try to fulfil their responsibilities.
- ISFJ: These are the ones who consider taking care of others around and follow the tradition and prove loyalties.
- ESTP: They are energetic and make sure to get the results they desire.
- ISTP: They are good at solving problems and practical in their approach.
- ESFP: They are good to have in the surroundings to keep people energized and entertained. They love life.
- ISFP: They are the ones who enjoy being in the moment with them and are passionate.
Characteristics of INTP Personality:
INTP personality types are philosophical, logical and most rational beings around, they strive for uniqueness and are good in creativity and innovation.
They are more focused on the new findings and keep analyzing the phenomenon to simplify the complexity of the natural world as well.
They prefer being alone, they observe deeply and try to make connections and seek understanding.
Strength and Weaknesses of INTP personality types:
As we discussed before, no personality type is perfect, each personality type has some strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths:
INTP are great analysts and thinkers, this quality makes them unique. They can simplify complex ideas easily and are good at finding meanings.
INTP is imaginative, which helps them in their new discoveries and let them have a remarkable innovations
INTP are open-minded and are flexible in their acceptance of new ideas, logic, and facts. It is easy for them to make connections and adapt to new facts and knowledge.
INTP are Objective and straightforward, this helps them in seeing things as they are and keep their focus on the objectivity rather than subjective nature, they can hurt the feelings of anyone around them as they cannot see the subjectivity of the situations.
Weaknesses:
INTP is not interested in social connections, and keep themselves private. They have no interest in going out with others or join social gatherings.
INTP is insensitive to others feelings as they are more inclined in complex thinking than emotional understanding.
INTP is absent-minded as they are imaginative and keep themselves engaged in their world of imagination.
INTP is so open and flexible in understanding new things, that they keep their decisions open as well, and never settle for one thing.
Careers for INTP Personality
INTP are good at pursuing the following careers:
Engineers
Scientists
Doctors
Law
Writing
Famous Personalities with INTP
The few most famous personalities identified as INTP are:
Albert Einstein
Rene Descartes
Socrates
Abraham Lincoln
Charles Darwin
INTP personality type is one type of personality among 16 different types.
INTP personalities are more logical, analytical and are flexible in accepting new information.
They gain energy by working alone and are innovative in their approaches.
The best career choices for them are scientist, teacher, artist and lawyer.
Frequently Asked Questions for INTP
What does INTP mean on tinder?
INTP means Introversion, Intuitiveness, Thinking and Perceiving.
This is one personality type among the 16 personality types given by Myers Briggs Test.
How rare is INTP?
INTP is less common, and only 3% – 6% of the population lies in the INTP personality range.
What’s the difference between INTP A and INTP T?
INTP A-T are two types of INTP, and the difference is in their social interactions, as A is a little more outgoing, and interact with other people than INTP-T.
Who should INTP date?
INTP should date, ENTJ or ESTJ as it will make the best bonding by completing the parts of personality in each other.
Please feel free to ask questions and give your comments and suggestions in the comments section below.
References
Katherine and Isabel: Mother’s Light, Daughter’s Journey
Recommended Books
The INTP: Personality, Careers, Relationships, & the Quest for Truth and Meaning
The INTP Quest: INTPs’ Search for Their Core Self, Purpose, & Philosophy
What’s Your Type?: The Strange History of Myers-Briggs and the Birth of Personality Testing
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking
