INTP

There is more to personality type than just T&F, P&J, N&S, I&E. There are what some call cognitive functions (some find the name problematic and misleading). Here are the functions:

Ni, Ne- introverted intuition and extroverted intuition

Si, Se- introverted sensing and extroverted sensing

Ti, Te- introverted thinking and extroverted thinking 

Fi, Fe- introverted feeling and extroverted feeling

For INTPs we have Ti, Ne, Si, Fe with introverted thinking as our dominant function. Ti is what makes us philosophers and theorists and Ne, our second function in the stack, is what makes us so much like ENTPs who are known to be bags full of ideas. Si is that part of us that places emotional attachments onto things so that when we revisit things we also revisit the emotions as well. And lastly, Fe is the function that separates us from INTJs. Where an INTJ  may say that they hate emotions and see emotions as useless an INTP may hold some disdain for emotions because they don't hold much value in logic. Nevertheless we INTPs tend to be more thoughtful of what we say and are also largely unassertive by comparison to our INTJ counterparts. 

With all of that being said one can now see how we aren't exclusively intuitive or thinking. INTPs can also use sensing and feeling (albeit to a lesser degree) though it is not mentioned in the title, INTP. Furthermore, none of what I said was meant to similarly exclude any of the other introverted or extroverted functions either, namely, Te, Ni, Se, or Fi. Some refer to these as shadow functions (this is also a name of contention within Jungian typology) and they too can be utilized though, as with your main functions, it depends on how much you develop them.

To conclude I would like to mention my purpose in writing this. In response to, The INTP/J's, comments on the spectrum between (in his comment) perceiving and judging I wanted open up the scope of what Jugian typology is. Jung created a branch of typology and in his branch there are sub-branches and in some of these branches there exists a concept that may be refered to as the cognitive function model. Some memtion it and some don't. And since I've already written about it I won't talk about it anymore, but on e last thing I want to touch upon is The INTP/J's mentioning that he thinks of himself as having two types that are referenced by his name. That of INTP and INTJ. As there exist subtypes of INTP and other types as well, I would like to suggest to you as well as any other confused INTP some possible subtypes.

There are according to Sociotype-a socionics website that is less than respectable but has nevertheless some interesting ideas including those on subtypes as well as their type comparison tool-two subtypes for INTPs, one being INTP-(Te) and the other INTP-(Ni). When The INTP/J says  that he swithes from perceiving to judging I think he might be refering to his switch from Ti to Te at times. If this switch is constant, meaning it happens often, then you might be quite similar to INTJs, but this doesn't negate the fact that you might still be mostly INTP. Now on Erik Thor's website he proclaims four subtypes, the one we are concerned with, however, is called the Code Breaker. The Code Breaker represents the INTP that knows that Ti cannot be as purposeful as it should if it doesn't utilize Te (a function that seeks to get things done). So with Te you can not only create the blueprint but also become the builder. 

So I hope this has helped some of you become aware of the many underlying frameworks of Jungian typology but also showed you how there isn't any need for the "No true Scotsman" fallacy that we so often see in the comments section. Because ultimately typology can tell you only something about you not everything about you; it's a descriptor not an x-ray on your broken vertebrae. 

For further information you can look at some discussion on the youtube channel Talking with Famous People (they're not famous) as well as some of the free articles on Celebrity Types (it's not as shallow as it sounds).

The INTP may test as an INTJ for one simple reason:  The dominant function of the INTP, Introverted Thinking (Ti,) is a Judging function.  If you are a true INTP, then this brief statement should provide sufficient catalyst to crank up your Ti.  Extraverted Intuition (Ne) will gather all other possibilities and feed your Ti, so that you may arrive at the TRUTH of the matter.

Thus, think with me for a moment.  Would not this explain why some of the traits of the INTJ resonate with you?  Do you not find it nearly impossible to suspend your research, because you know deep down that you don't understand the issue fully and completely?  A true INTP will research exhaustively until he arrives at the TRUTH.

--by an almost 55 year old INTP who began his MBTI journey on April 22, 2017, just a little over one month ago.  Please do not let the short time frame fool you; in true INTP fashion, I have researched and processed more information in that month than most non-INTP persons would in their lifetime :-)  I wish you well in your journey to that loftiest of all conquests, absolute TRUTH.

Me too, I tested INTJs architect but can relate to INTP so i totally get it!!!

I struggled like you, panda. For the longest time (i.e. at least a few weeks) I thought, based on tests, that I was an INTJ (even if it never felt 100% right). There are many reasons it took so much time, and so much research, to come the realization that I was an INTP. The tests, always telling me I was an ISTJ or INTJ; personal desire, INTJ are amazing; and the fact that the two types have more in common than they do in difference. Based on the number of internet sites that try to help you determine between the two, I am pretty darn sure that we are not the only ones who have gone through this. In fact, again based on the overwhelming number of sited dedicated to differentiating these two types (versus any two other types), it would not be much of an exaggeration to say they seem to be the two of the most easily confused in the system.

Maybe it won't work for everyone but the one thing that hinted as to which type I was, was what I do with the knowledge I gain. An INTJ seems to gather knowledge for a specific use or purpose and seems to have the need to put it to use. They need to output what they have learned. I, and I suspect most other INTP, gather knowledge for knowledges sake. I simply want to understand and feel no obligation to put that knowledge to use. I will do if the opportunity presents, but that is never the goal, more a happy accident.

I would suggest that the 'idea of the preferences' is not to sort you into a type (i.e. put you into an imaginary box), but to provide a framework for us to understand the fantastic diversity of how a human being works. While I see the value of a function stack, I am not a big fan of combining that system with MBTI type of system specifically for the reason you just illustrated. While some people may fit neatly into the specific box of type a test tells them they are the vast majority of us exhibit traits from many different types. The human mind is analog NOT digital and most of us will never be confined to one box/type with 100% exclusivity. From personal experience I know full well that not only are INTP and INTJ NOT 'significantly different' (relative to the other 14 types) but share more in common then they lack in difference.

Lol, how very true!!!

That seems so strange to me! Granted I am not an expert on any of this. But I have often thought that one of the characteristics that makes me believe my INTP result is that I *DO* need an explanation. Unraveling the underlying systems behind something is what I live for. I find myself interested in almost everything but when something catches my interest I can't help but immediately begin trying to understand WHY. I have to be careful with other people because my drive to understand the underlying system of personality/cognition is often socially offputting; I mean, it _shouldn't_ be, if everyone would just realize that inquiry and understanding are good things and set aside their ego and emotions to do it 99% of their life ... ;-) ... somehow that sounds crazier when I write it than it is in my head :-) ...

For example, though: if someone says something like: "I would HATE to use one of those lifelogger apps that track everything I do all the time." and then later describes how much they love posting on social media and are actually sharing lots of personal details with others ... for me, that's like a blinding neon sign flashing: "ALERT! ALERT! Inconsistentency detected! Underlying system rules are either not understood or there is a mystery! ALERT!" So I'll start asking them all sorts of questions about their thought process and walking them through thought experiments. The problem is it comes off as either me being judgemental, or trying to "convince" them they are wrong, or being illogical, or whatever. When in reality, it's very unlikely I would judge them at all. Usually it makes them more interesting/intriguing/complex. I wouldn't have a negative opinion of them even if the ultimate answer was the inconsistent behaviors were caused by very strong, but unconnected emotional reactions and so to them it doesn't seem like the situations are even connected much less conflicting. The important thing is that I would finally UNDERSTAND how two external behaviors in someone can seem paradoxical but aren't. 

The best analogy I can come up with to encapsulate the INTP is that as we move through the world much like some sculptors describe: we see all these blocks of marble and can discern there is beauty and complexity inside the rough block. Our compulsion is to chip away and chip away until we can fully reveal what had been there all along, but is now there for all to see and our understanding and curiosity satisfied ... until we see the next block; or see that we'd uncovered a connection from one sculpture to others that needed unravelling. The "sculpture" is always a system of things, ideas, people, etc.

Maybe I am totally misunderstanding the INTP - definitely possible; I haven't delved very deeply into this system (yet) - but if I do understand it correctly, then explanations are incredibly important!

It can happen if that person were considered bipolar.