Seek to develop logical explanations for everything that interests them.
Theoretical and abstract, interested more in ideas than in social interaction.
Quiet, contained, flexible and adaptable.
Have unusual ability to focus in depth to solve problems in their area of interest.
Sceptical, sometimes critical, always practical.
Myers Briggs INTP - Characteristics
Myers Briggs INTPs are quiet, thoughtful, analytical individuals who tend to spend
long periods of time on their own, working through problems and forming
solutions.
They are curious about systems and how things work.
Consequently, they are frequently found in careers such as science,
architecture, and law.
INTPs tend to be less at ease in social
situations or in the "caring professions," although they enjoy the
company of those who share their interests. They also tend to be
impatient with the bureaucracy, rigid hierarchies, and the politics
prevalent in many professions. They prefer to work informally with
others as equals.
They organise their understanding of any topic
by articulating principles, and they are especially drawn to theoretical
constructs. Having articulated these principles for themselves, they
can demonstrate remarkable skill in explaining complex ideas to others
in simple terms, especially in writing.
On the other hand, their
ability to grasp complexity may also lead them to provide overly
detailed explanations of "simple" ideas, and listeners may judge that
they make things more difficult than they are. To them, however, this is
incomprehensible: They are merely presenting all the information.
Given
their independent nature, they may prefer working alone to leading or
following in a group. During interactions with others, if they are
focused on gathering information, they may seem oblivious, aloof, or
even rebellious—when in fact they are concentrating on listening and
understanding.
However, their extraverted intuition often gives
them a quick wit, especially with language. They may defuse tension
through comical observations and references. They can be charming, even
in their quiet reserve, and are sometimes surprised by the high esteem
in which their friends and colleagues hold them.
When they feel
insulted, however, they may respond with sudden, cutting criticism.
After such an incident, INTPs are likely to be as bewildered as the
recipient. They have broken the rules of debate and exposed their raw
emotions. To them, this is the crux of the problem: emotions must be
dealt with logically—because improperly handled emotions, they believe,
can only harm.
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