Growing fast

[dracodraconis]

As of this morning (Sunday, 3 May), we have 16 members. Given that we make up one of the smallest portions of the population (between 1% and 4%, depending on whose figures you quote), this is a substantial number given the number of people on DW.

Is everyone here an INTP? If not, what other personality types are represented here and what is your interest in INTPs? 

Comments

[sineala]

(Deleted and trying again, bah. I need to pay to get the comment editor, I guess.)

INTP here. Never been officially tested, but I'm pretty sure it's me. I'm mostly a lurker, because, uh, I'm an INTP.

If you were looking for more sidebar communities, there's also an INFP community. (My partner is an INFP. Funnily enough, everyone she's ever dated has been an INTP and everyone I've ever dated has been an INFP, although this is not a type combination that the books seem to recommend -- can't figure out why. Heh.)

[dracodraconis]

I didn't notice that the INFPs had created a community. Thanks for pointing that out :)

Hmmmm... as a free account, the link-limit is 10. I'll move the reference to other MBTI communities to the profile page to make more room for INTP-specific links. If someone feels generous enough to upgrade us to paid then I'll put them back on the sidebar.

[firiel]

I think I'm some weird INTP/INTJ cross. Usually I prefer Enneagram, where I am a very clear 5/6. Online tests (accurate as they are?) put me at both, or give me something wildly inaccurate that says I enjoy sports like surfing and hang gliding. No, sorry, I enjoy sports like 'Install Fedora on a USB stick' and 'Mock inaccurate online tests'. ;) The one I have on my profile actually gave me a 50/50 result between the two, so I have no idea how it assigned INTJ over INTP. Anyway, I don't mind sitting on the fence when I'm between two sets of awesome people.

[dracodraconis]

INTPs can be notoriously difficult to type unless you are a strong INTP. The most conclusive test is one administered by someone trained in MBTI type-matching but many of use haven't gone that route. I would suggest reading the type description after the test and see which generally fits what you know of yourself.

If you're on the INTP/INTJ fence, you might want to ask yourself if you are most strongly driven to reaching conclusions or do you tend toward seeking a more complete answer. INTJs tend to be very quick to reach decisions, but INTPs tend to focus more on making sure the decision they are supposed to reach is correct (to within a given value of correct).

[firiel]

I did have an official MBTI as a college freshman, but the results are buried somewhere in my parents' house, plus I was gaming that and the what-career-is-best-for-you test to get the answer I wanted at the time. (It worked, dramatically. The career test people especially need to rethink the obviousness of their questions.)

Reading the type descriptions is actually what led to me think I am one/both. I don't trust the actual scores much. ;) But I am a horrible on-the-spot decision maker, so I guess that answers that.

[dracodraconis]

Heh! Both the test gaming and decision-making comments sound more INTP than INTJ to me.

[firecat]

Depending on what test I take, I usually come up as INTP or INTJ although at various odd times of my life I've come up as S or F.

I think that Internet communication is particularly attractive to INTPs. I used to be on an INTP mailing list that had 100s of members.

[dracodraconis]

I suspect you are correct about INTPs being drawn to internet communication. It suits the introverted style and allows us time to think through and formulate responses.

[cracked_belle]

I completely agree. internet communication and texting are my preferred methods of communication for those very reasons!

[dracodraconis]

Heh! I was one of the early-adopters of internet communication (using email since the pre-internet days when a mail messages were batched between universities once an hour) and now find I use text messaging far more than speaking on the phone.

[cracked_belle]

texting is quicker, easier, and less involved. I much prefer it over all other methods. (except snail mail, because that one is just FUN!)

[firiel]

Ugh, I hate the phone. Unless I'm talking to our head of IT, who is great fun, despite the fact that he always calls to answer questions that I email.

[dracodraconis]

Personally, I prefer email (or texting) because I can re-read what has been said, take the time to do any required research, and formulate a coherent and clearly-worded response (at least in theory).

[luaineach]

I also ride the INTP/INTJ fence but I usually think of the INTJ "me" as the *learned* behavior one because I associate the INTJ with being more outwardly interactive (heh, maybe it's just more "in your face") and that's a 'skill' I've taught myself over time.

[dracodraconis]

More familiar faces from LJ. Glad you joined up!

[syntheid]

I'm a pretty solid INTP. I find that I actually know kind of a lot of them (two of my closer friends, my mother, a couple others), which seems really strange, because I start feeling like there are so many INTPs sometimes, but really we're not very common. Just all kind of end up in the same places, I guess?

[dracodraconis]

I think the NTs tends to cluster a bit because we speak much the same language.

[ex_wen123]

Honestly have no idea what I really am. I'm quite sure I'm an INTP. It's more or less what'd I've read that really clicks. I've been wrong before though.

Prior I'd been getting INFP, but it never felt right.

[dracodraconis]

This is probably a good place to explore that by comparing your own experiences with others in the community.

The T-F split tends to be a matter of whether your preference is for analyzing experiences based on subjective (F) criteria (such as how it makes you feel) over logical (T) analysis, bearing in mind that most of us use both analytical methods from time-to-time. INTPs, though, having Extroverted Feeling as their least-developed function tend to more often disregard their internal state (emotional, physical, etc.) and even to distrust their feelings when evaluating a situation. It only tends to be in later life that INTPs become more comfortable with using their emotional state as useful piece of information.

[ex_wen123]

The first time I got INFP was when I was actually in a really emotionally distraught phase and a friend of mine introduced me to the MBTI. I have looked into the differences between INTP, INFP multiple times; reading over the INTP's inferior function describes me perfectly.

[nebulosity]

This is a little late for a reply, but I'm a border line between ISTJ and INTJ. Either way, I'm interested in personality types, so I look forward to reading.

[dracodraconis]

Welcome to the community!

[plaidwhispers]

online tests and quizzes have given me the result of ISTP and INTJ before. i do not feel as mature or responsible as an ISTP seems to be, or as emotionally driven to reach a conclusion/decision as an INTJ would.

even though INTP is closest to my personality, i'm no where nearly as impressive as the personality traits sound as i lack the drive to accumulate specific areas of knowledge, think with accuracy and speed, and have terribly fragile emotions for a rational thinker.

nice to see other INTPs, though this would likely be the final time i speak as i tend to lurk in communities. xD you all sound fascinating though.

[dracodraconis]

Lurk away. The forum seems to be pretty quiet at the moment, but hopefully it should pick up.

As usual, short of a test performed by someone trained in MBTI assessment, the best way to figure out which type you are is to see which type description best fits (which you said you've done). Bear in mind that with only 16 categories, there is a WIDE variation in behaviours and aptitudes among people within a classification. At the end of the day it is only that: a classification system. One of many out there, but useful enough to be widely accepted.