24 types of INTPs

[Paranoid Android]

I found this article yesterday, and wandered if any of you knew this list.

The only thing you have to do is know the percentages of your MBTI test results. I have the same percentages of T and N with the highest amount of P and the lowest amount of I. So my result here is PTNI or PNTI.

What do you think about this article? Did you find the description true?

Ps.: Sorry if it's a repost.

THE LIST ( The 24 INTP Subtypes by John Rieping. Copyright and stuff.)

P-type – The Improvisers

• PNTI – “quantum mechanic” - This subtype uses a wild intellectual instinct to perfect systems, whether they were the originator or not. The weak TI creates ambivalence towards identity and logic.
• PNIT - "context jumper” (mashup) - The other PN. This subtype tends towards comparing seemingly incompatible systems. They thrive on unorthodox metaphors.
• PINT - "secret courtesan" (mother of pearl) - The first of our identity-strong subtypes, they court several identities at once without thought of consistency. This subtype also has the ability to form cyst-like gems of radiant wisdom around microscopic irritants.
• PITN - "reed in the wind" (ninja) - Skilled in the evasive arts, these are one of the physical subtypes. Their sense of physical evasion echoes in the chameleon nature of their soul.
• PTNI - "cold shower" ("reality check") - With the inherent paradox of being a T-strong perceiver, this subtype excels in efficiently reducing systems to the simplest metaphor. This activity can be sobering.
• PTIN - "collector" - The second in the physical/material subtype, the PTIN collects ideas into a centerless framework.

N-type – The Speculators

• NPIT -- "niche maker" – This subtype tends to create systems starting from a specific example, creating the framework to fit the criteria of the intuition-object. They want to find a place for everything, and a frame big enough for everyone.
• NPTI -- "mediator" – With a kind, agreeable nature, this subtype wants to classify and sort much like the NPIT, but tries to do this from within whichever system is dominant.
• NIPT – "social hacker" (“virus”) – This identity subtype tries to infect others with a prevailing thought in order to create self-replicating satellites. The best memes are created by the NIPT.
• NITP -- "specialist" -- The first of our value-heavy subtypes, the NITP creates an identity through adherence to usually one thought-style or system-style (one that may evolve slowly over the years), finding the similarity of all things within this framework.
• NTIP – "armchair general" – This is the first of the two flipped rationals. This subtype plays to win, and may not even realize not everyone shares that attitude. An NTIP will usually win long before playing the game, having created and/or perfected the gaming system.
• NTPI – "arcologist" – The other of the flipped rationals, the NTPI tends towards creating utopian architectures. It does this out of a strong intuition of global truth.

I-type – The Solipsists

• INTP – "manifesto" – With a strong sense of values and identity, this subtype leads to a greater truth by quiet example.
• INPT – Bodhidharma – This subtype, the second of the hermit-like INs, seeks to transcend personality through calm reflection or meditation.
• IPNT -- Deadhead (Tolkienite) – Like long-simmering hippies, this subtype tends to quietly yearn for a simpler existence, usually involving nature or anachronism.
• IPTN – "gamer" ("pothead") – This subtype uses themselves as the basic element in their fantasy worlds. Consequently, they tend to make self-indulgent frameworks to inhabit.
• ITNP – "slow burn" (Ubermensch) – This subtype wants to have the most unbiased perception possible, but in order to achieve this must constantly rethink and slowly obliterate any personal association that might fetter objectivity. The ITNP can get caught in an endless judging-perceiving cycle of re-examination.
• ITPN – "reset button" – This subtype has all the identity strife of the ITNP, but tends to externalize it as a concrete activity of some kind. The two ITs tend to be the most objective of all the subtypes, because they constantly force themselves to face their faults.

T-type – The Editors

• TNIP – "global paradox" – One of two pure rationals, the TNIP has a knack for boiling anything down to a single metaphorical paradox.
• TNPI – "saboteur" (“survival of the fittest”) – The second of the pure rationals, the TNPI tends to find a favored heuristic with which to destroy any system. This subtype prefers to destroy in service of a stronger whole, which it ironically knows will never be perfect or complete.
• TIPN – Ourobouros – This artistic subtype tends to be always destroying and creating itself, finding an identity in the process of constant self-creation. This is like a mellower version of the IT subtypes (ITNP and ITPN).
• TINP -- "silver bullet" (Kryptonite) – This subtype tends to be always searching for the Achilles' heel of a system, and appreciates being recognized as the person who brought it down.
• TPIN – "stress test" – This subtype is the pure analyst who succeeds in dispassionately running simulations in their mind. These are potentially the best visualizers out of all the 384 subtypes.
• TPNI – "actuary" – This subtype is the most ambivalent of INTP identity subtypes as well as the most logical. The pure debater.

 

[Czech Yes or No]

INTeresting, but I feel like I fall under the characteristics of more than one of those sub types.

Also, is there an expanded and more in depth version of this? I find the possibilities of the sub types compelling.

 

[snafupants]

INTeresting, but I feel like I fall under the characteristics of more than one of those sub types.

Also, is there an expanded and more in depth version of this? I find the possibilities of the sub types compelling.

I also found this compendium redundant yet compelling.

The list seems to apply more to introverted intuitive folk in general, which is not a slight but rather a zoom-out to a more expansive purview.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Although the author may have intended to be constructive, MBTI is not substantial enough to warrant this many subtypes.


It blurs the line between individual personality and type, especially because it's just deductive guessing.

 

[Paranoid Android]

There is no psychological test that could make a satisfying description. MBTI is not an exception nor this list. Though I'm curious if anybody can be satisfied/happy with those descriptions. Or find an interesting pattern about this list, or between different lists. Or mistakes.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

I agree with Czech and ESC, but I also want to point out that a different way to interpret this whole subtype thing is to choose which one best applies to you from each category.

It sucks for generalizability, but I would argue that it helps/can help with understanding of self at the individual level.

Spoiler

P-type – The Improvisers

PNTI – “quantum mechanic” - This subtype uses a wild intellectual instinct to perfect systems, whether they were the originator or not. The weak TI creates ambivalence towards identity and logic.

N-type – The Speculators

NITP -- "specialist" -- The first of our value-heavy subtypes, the NITP creates an identity through adherence to usually one thought-style or system-style (one that may evolve slowly over the years), finding the similarity of all things within this framework.

I-type – The Solipsists

INTP – "manifesto" – With a strong sense of values and identity, this subtype leads to a greater truth by quiet example.

T-type – The Editors

TNPI – "saboteur" (“survival of the fittest”) – The second of the pure rationals, the TNPI tends to find a favored heuristic with which to destroy any system. This subtype prefers to destroy in service of a stronger whole, which it ironically knows will never be perfect or complete.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

There is no psychological test that could make a satisfying description. MBTI is not an exception nor this list. Though I'm curious if anybody can be satisfied/happy with those descriptions. Or find an interesting pattern about this list, or between different lists. Or mistakes.

The mistake is that the letters refer to the state of functions, they aren't independent attributes that can be played around with. The mistake is able to be made because of the overlooked flaws of MBTI. Namely the way J/P is determined, and the belief that every letter is discrete.

For example, INP is implied from just being Dominant Ni. But MBTI does not acknowledge this.

INP - Introvert, Intuitive, Perceiving
Ni - Irrational/perceiving, Introverted, Intuition

 

[HDINTP]

Based on percentage it would be TPIN

 

[Jennywocky]

The mistake is that the letters refer to the state of functions, they aren't independent attributes that can be played around with. The mistake is able to be made because of the overlooked flaws of MBTI. Namely the way J/P is determined, and the belief that every letter is discrete.

For example, INP is implied from just being Dominant Ni. But MBTI does not acknowledge this.

INP - Introvert, Intuitive, Perceiving
Ni - Irrational/perceiving, Introverted, Intuition

All the criticisms of this list in this thread are generally true, but I just saw it as more of an exercise to present different flavors one might see in the general population of INTPs.

For example, I've always said I'm more N-intensive in my approach to things, and the NPIT is probably the best description of me in the entire list. I just have a very NP working style. I prefer flexibility and broad categorization rather than intensive debate and specific logical analysis, although I can do either when necessary. The N intensives do typically look for points of comparison and want to bring things together based on similarities, and the T intensives typically want to delineate and make distinctions that separate things.

As people have said, P isn't even really a "function" -- it's just a way to approach the world. But if you take an INTP as generally defined and put an NP twist on it, well, that's where the definition of NPIT comes from.

I just consider it to be similar to a book of helpful quotes -- a collection of generalizations that might provide someone with personal insight, rather than being some kind of legitimate, specific personality system.

 

[Question Authority]

I found too many of them to fit to some extent, but none of them seemed to fit very well. For example, By Percentage points, I should be NPIT, but that one doesn't fit as well as NPTI, or even, the ITPN. But each of them seem to be some facet of myself, small enough to represent a portion of myself, but does not define me as well as the INTP general description.

 

[warryer]

http://intpforum.com/showthread.php?t=4139

There was this thread posted a while back. It looks like the types are the same... probably the same source. The consensus on that thread is basically the same as it is here.

It's still fun to think about though.

 

[ObliviousGenius]

NTPI, but I can see myself in a lot of these sub-types.

 

[Zionoxis]

NPIT and TINP

 

[Reluctantly]

PNTI, ITPN, ITNP

Which personality disorders do you think could be assigned to each subtype? Enneagram instincts?

 

[Wormwood]

INTP or ITNP, by percentage, although I relate to all of them. Less so with the P-types, but still.

Meh.

 

[DelusiveNinja]

This is my personal approach to the idea (another theory; Warning: may not be accurate):
First, I chose which order my type would go in, using the percentages of the test. Then, I compared the result to how spontaneous, introverted, perceptive, and independent I had acted at home and in public in the past, giving a possibility for more than one result. After all of that, I choose which of the types fit me best. At home my Ne sorta goes out of control compared to the strict, analytic behavior I have anywhere else. I also used the other types as personal goal points for me to achieve in the future as I experience new things and gain more knowledge about the world. For the goal points I must admit that I may have misinterpreted the "sub types". My "Introversion" and "Perception" percentages were the same so I posted both the types and made the assumption that as the activity varies so does the "sub type".

For example, If I am playing a MMO, I usually don't PvP seriously until I have a "perfect" build so I don't have to lose and break my gear. That situation would cause me to show characteristics of "the armchair general" "sub type", opposed to creating "Utopian architectures", which would indicate "the arcologist" "sub type".

Age matters with the goal setting so just for the record I'm sixteen:

Level 1 - Knowledge & Competence

NTIP-"the armchair general" (At Home when playing games)
One of two pure rationals-this type likes to win. It will usually win long before playing the game, having created and perfected the gaming system.

NTPI-"the arcologist" (At Home when not playing games)
The second of the pure rationals, the NTPI tends towards creating utopian architectures. It does this out of a strong intuition of global truth.


Level 2 - Si is at climax; I am start standing by what I believe to be the truth against denizens.

TPNI-"the actuary" (At school when I question the teachers to much or deeply)
This type is the most ambivalent of identity as well as the most logical of the subtypes. The pure debater.

Level 3 - Debate in attempt to destroy the big dogs (Extroverted Thinking systems).

TNPI-"the saboteur"
The other of the flipped rationals, the TNPI has found a favored heuristic with which to destroy any system. This type prefers to destroy in service of a stronger whole, which it ironically knows will never be perfect or complete.

Level 4 - approaching "the maze status" and I should record any helpful insights in journals.

TNIP-"the global paradox"
This is the first of the two flipped rationals. From a long tradition of having their N destroy the workings of their T, the TNIP has found a way to boil anything down to a single metaphorical paradox.

Level 5 - In "the maze"? Striving to enjoy human life as much as possible before I become a machine in an attempt to avoid death.

INTP-"the unabomber"
With the strong sense of values and identity, this type leads to a greater truth by quiet example.

In real life "leveling up" doesn't seem to be a good thing.

 

[Architect]

Yes, this came from, oh I forget his name, on INTP Central originally didn't it? Very cleverly done, I think the author is an ENTP from what I recall.

I wouldn't take it too seriously but it has a certain charm and truth to it. This seems to indicate that people can manifest some aspects of their psyche more than others, and it changes throughout life.

Unfortunately it breaks down rather quickly. I think of myself in a very different time of life - when I was a musician, I was quite strongly the outer perceiver (flaky and uncontrolled) among other traits. I don't see anything like that up there.

A better classification would be (but I'm not sure this even makes sense)

• Ti-Ne-Si-Fe - The Balanced
• Ne-Ti-Si-Fe - The Entertainer
• Ne-Fe-Ti-Si - The Out of His Skin
• Fe-Si-Ne-Ti - The Emotional Wreck
• Si-Ne-Ti-Fe - The Depressive
• Si-Ti-Ne-Fe - The Anomaly
• Fe-Si-Ne-Ti - The Train Wreck
• etc

 

[TimeAsylums]

• Ti-Ne-Si-Fe - The Balanced
• Ne-Ti-Si-Fe - The Entertainer
• Ne-Fe-Ti-Si - The Out of His Skin
• Fe-Si-Ne-Ti - The Emotional Wreck
• Si-Ne-Ti-Fe - The Depressive
• Si-Ti-Ne-Fe - The Anomaly
• Fe-Si-Ne-Ti - The Train Wreck
• etc

Actually, impressive, could very much 'loosely define' people in various stages such as your musician phase, or out of high school.

Back when I thought I was an INTP, found this list on INTPc and went "ambivalent sense of self and logic, originator!" lol.

Anyway, could help with some loop-struggles or how someone isn't "being themselves."

 

[Chad]

according to the percentage I am PNTI and it fits me kinda.

 

[Architect]

Actually, impressive, could very much 'loosely define' people in various stages such as your musician phase, or out of high school.

Back when I thought I was an INTP, found this list on INTPc and went "ambivalent sense of self and logic, originator!" lol.

Anyway, could help with some loop-struggles or how someone isn't "being themselves."

One problem is that according to the theory most of those are pathological. I've seen Ti-Ne-Si-Fe (normal) and Ne-Ti-Si-Fe (entertainer - like Larry David) INTP's, but Fe-Si-Ne-Ti? Sounds like somebody having an inferior breakdown.

 

[TimeAsylums]

One problem is that according to the theory most of those are pathological. I've seen Ti-Ne-Si-Fe (normal) and Ne-Ti-Si-Fe (entertainer - like Larry David) INTP's, but Fe-Si-Ne-Ti? Sounds like somebody having an inferior breakdown.

Oh, of course it's pathological! "not being themselves." Any number of these could lead to the "mid life crisis" or etc, esp if one has been inudated in lets say an SJ/FSJ society...oh jeez.

 

[Architect]

Oh, of course it's pathological! "not being themselves."

I think there are different ways of expressing "un-self". Pod'Lair has some idea of this I think which is the "riffs". Doing so in small ways seems natural

• Using your shadow functions
• Using parts of your psyche purely in your persona (perhaps this is a 'riff').
• Highlighting a part of your psyche to the external world (Ne-Fe). This appears like you're Ne-Ti, but in reality you're just letting Ne naturally extravert and Ti naturally introvert, so you only appear as a Ne-Ti but are actually Ti-Ne and quietly calculating while being charming. You can see this dynamic in Jim Parsons and Larry David, who look charming but have rather dead, somewhat cold eyes (Ti).

At any rate I'm not sure what the list in the post above is exactly, just an abstraction that might not have a basis in reality.

Any number of these could lead to the "mid life crisis" or etc, esp if one has been inudated in lets say an SJ/FSJ society...oh jeez.

Very true.

 

[r4ch3l]

All the criticisms of this list in this thread are generally true, but I just saw it as more of an exercise to present different flavors one might see in the general population of INTPs.

I just consider it to be similar to a book of helpful quotes -- a collection of generalizations that might provide someone with personal insight, rather than being some kind of legitimate, specific personality system.

I agree. I appreciate this list because it shows the diversity of ways in which INTPs operate (vs. the assumption that if you're not hardcore Ti all the time you're not INTP). I would be interested in seeing a comparison of this breakdown with other NFs and other NTs.

I relate most to the "P-type" the most. Specifically:

PNIT - "context jumper” (mashup) - The other PN. This subtype tends towards comparing seemingly incompatible systems. They thrive on unorthodox metaphors.
PINT - "secret courtesan" (mother of pearl) - The first of our identity-strong subtypes, they court several identities at once without thought of consistency. This subtype also has the ability to form cyst-like gems of radiant wisdom around microscopic irritants.
PTIN - "collector" - The second in the physical/material subtype, the PTIN collects ideas into a centerless framework.

 

[Montresor]

I just read an article that alluded to this thread, (yeah or maybe the other way around)

I guess there does exist a school of thought that cognitive functions theory should be outright rejected in favour of MBTI dichotomies.

The logic is loosely based around Occam's razor, that all cognitive function data is speculative and theoretical and non-empirical ... based on interpretations and impossible to identify. I guess, the argument goes that rejecting MBTI dichotomies in favour of cognitive functions actually contributes to pigeonholing and mistypes, rather than alleviating them.

I guess you can see how a theoretical pursuit of cognitive functions can lead one in a circular and recursive goose-hunt where you can go years without making any progress ... some try to modify the framework of the theory to fit their worldview, others revert to a simple and gestalt approach.

INTP = introverted, intuitive, thinking and perceiving.

Simple preferences, a single choice, without confounding variables or conflicting factors.

 

[DelusiveNinja]

Yes, this came from, oh I forget his name, on INTP Central originally didn't it? Very cleverly done, I think the author is an ENTP from what I recall.

I wouldn't take it too seriously but it has a certain charm and truth to it. This seems to indicate that people can manifest some aspects of their psyche more than others, and it changes throughout life.

Unfortunately it breaks down rather quickly. I think of myself in a very different time of life - when I was a musician, I was quite strongly the outer perceiver (flaky and uncontrolled) among other traits. I don't see anything like that up there.

A better classification would be (but I'm not sure this even makes sense)

• Ti-Ne-Si-Fe - The Balanced
• Ne-Ti-Si-Fe - The Entertainer (more like the EXPLAINER who adds occasional jokes and puns)
• Ne-Fe-Ti-Si - The Out of His Skin
• Fe-Si-Ne-Ti - The Emotional Wreck
• Si-Ne-Ti-Fe - The Depressive
• Si-Ti-Ne-Fe - The Anomaly
• Fe-Si-Ne-Ti - The Train Wreck
• etc

I like this way of explaining it, even if cognitive functions are less likely to be existent than the theory promoting the arrangement of the 4 MBTI dichotomies. I understand the cognitive functions better than the (in my opinion) vague description of the dichotomies. +1

 

[Beat Mango]

This is stupid, sorry but it really is

 

[Abe]

I'm not sure that this is completely accurate(it doesn't go into enough depth), but it does seem promising. It would explain why all INTPs are not the same person. I know. "Everyone's an individual" blah blah blah. I know that no two people can be the exact same person for multiple reasons, but I think this is a good step in the direction of better understanding types and why even though we have the same general type, we aren't the same.
Btw I'm INPT

 

[BrittlePlasticDino]

INPT – Bodhidharma – This subtype, the second of the hermit-like INs, seeks to transcend personality through calm reflection or meditation.

You have strong preference of Introversion over Extraversion (89%)
You have strong preference of Intuition over Sensing (88%)
You have distinctive preference of Thinking over Feeling (75%)
You have strong preference of Perceiving over Judging (78%)

 

[ummidk]

TNIP-"the global paradox"
This is the first of the two flipped rationals. From a long tradition of having their N destroy the workings of their T, the TNIP has found a way to boil anything down to a single metaphorical paradox.

I loled

 

[Brontosaurie]

it's unclear how the letter order would affect functional stack. however, my sub-type description fits rather well.

"PNIT - "context jumper” (mashup) - The other PN. This subtype tends towards comparing seemingly incompatible systems. They thrive on unorthodox metaphors."

 

[Aeroflot]

TNIP-"the global paradox"
This is the first of the two flipped rationals. From a long tradition of having their N destroy the workings of their T, the TNIP has found a way to boil anything down to a single metaphorical paradox.

Sounds the most like me. There are a few others, especially withing the T-type category, that are close, too. I tend to boil everything down into abstraction, even if it means destroying something inside my mind that's valuable.

Paradoxes are pretty much the lowest common denominator as far as a human's capacity to understand existence. If you say that life = _____ then I know you're BSing. If you describe something as a paradox, then we're on to something.

 

[Lucifer van Satan]

Yes, this came from, oh I forget his name, on INTP Central originally didn't it? Very cleverly done, I think the author is an ENTP from what I recall.

I wouldn't take it too seriously but it has a certain charm and truth to it. This seems to indicate that people can manifest some aspects of their psyche more than others, and it changes throughout life.

Unfortunately it breaks down rather quickly. I think of myself in a very different time of life - when I was a musician, I was quite strongly the outer perceiver (flaky and uncontrolled) among other traits. I don't see anything like that up there.

A better classification would be (but I'm not sure this even makes sense)

• Ti-Ne-Si-Fe - The Balanced
• Ne-Ti-Si-Fe - The Entertainer
• Ne-Fe-Ti-Si - The Out of His Skin
• Fe-Si-Ne-Ti - The Emotional Wreck
• Si-Ne-Ti-Fe - The Depressive
• Si-Ti-Ne-Fe - The Anomaly
• Fe-Si-Ne-Ti - The Train Wreck
• etc

Hmm, this classification cannot possibly work. It contains Ne Ti Fe Si, which are functions of an ENTP, which simply cannot be a subtype of an INTP, right?

Looking into the base of the personality type to see why this 24 subtype may be sometimes accurate does make sense, yet the answer surely cannot be permuting them, just like we did with the letters

What do you think?

 

[Architect]

Hmm, this classification cannot possibly work. It contains Ne Ti Fe Si, which are functions of an ENTP, which simply cannot be a subtype of an INTP, right?

Looking into the base of the personality type to see why this 24 subtype may be sometimes accurate does make sense, yet the answer surely cannot be permuting them, just like we did with the letters

What do you think?

Good catch. Well it's all just a theory, but I think one that has validity. Taking the ENTP example you have, yes I believe a true INTP can manifest the characteristics of an ENTP through emphasizing his functions differently. For myself, as a teenager I did this as a musician, as I depended heavily on Ne and much less on Ti, but also emphasized Fe so probably had this inversion.

Was it real? Well it wasn't me, I was rather unbalanced. Even though I manifested this I didn't "act" it consistently. For comparison you can see some INTP's do a form of this like Larry David or Jim Parsons.

 

[Lucifer van Satan]

Good catch. Well it's all just a theory, but I think one that has validity. Taking the ENTP example you have, yes I believe a true INTP can manifest the characteristics of an ENTP through emphasizing his functions differently. For myself, as a teenager I did this as a musician, as I depended heavily on Ne and much less on Ti, but also emphasized Fe so probably had this inversion.

Was it real? Well it wasn't me, I was rather unbalanced. Even though I manifested this I didn't "act" it consistently. For comparison you can see some INTP's do a form of this like Larry David or Jim Parsons.

Thanks.
In theory, any of the 8 functions can manifest itself in any personality, given the right circumstances. So yea, this classification may be interesting, but there's a problem.
As you said in your example, you did have a change of preferences in your four functions and you were quite unbalanced. Now, it is almost certain that unbalanced scenarios would cause us to shift our functions in the first place. So the question is, can we make a useful generalization with these subtypes, given that we are dealing with an out-of-order situation. There are millions of possible causes and not all will adapt the same way, even if given the same circumstances.
I think we are being bit simplistic with what professional psychologists ought to do