INTP or ISTP in Ti-Ni loop?

[Ex-User (14550)]

Hello everyone! This is my first post here on the INTP forum. The majority of MBTI assessments I have taken have typed me as an INTP, but I am beginning to wonder whether I might be an ISTP in a dominant-tertiary loop. The “symptoms” that form the base of my uncertainty sound very much like a Ti-Ni loop. Almost every time I am alone, I slip into depression coupled with paranoia. I reflect on all of my recent social interactions and worry about what people think of me. For instance, I often find myself wondering why a certain person talked to my friend but not to me, or I wonder why I can socialize fine with certain people yet I am painfully awkward when talking to others. Assuming this is a loop, there are certain things that seem to “break” it. For example, when I meet a new person and have a good conversation with them, my worries almost disappear. When I play music with my band, practice gymnastics, go out with friends, or do just about anything else that engages my senses, I feel much better. Oddly enough, this also happens, albeit less frequently, when I partake in an activity that does not engage my senses, such as programming, reading, or researching. If this were all, I would certainly type myself as ISTP, but there is a major caveat: my sensing appears to be underdeveloped. I tend to miss details that are right in front of me, and I can be forgetful or absent-minded. So, what do you all think? Am I an INTP or am I an ISTP stuck in a Ti-Ni loop? How do you recommend I escape this thought pattern for good? I welcome the opinion and advice of anyone who is well-versed in type theory or who has had experience with this sort of thing. To provide a bit of background, I am a high-school student and I have previously typed as INTJ, INTP, and ISTP. If you think that this question necessitates the disclosure of more information, please let me know.

 

[AndyC]

Sounds alot like simple extroversion to me. Maybe.

 

[Ex-User (14550)]

Sounds alot like simple extroversion to me. Maybe.

Thank you for your reply. I have considered the possibility that I am ambiverted, but I highly doubt that I am extroverted. While I really enjoy social interaction (when I can partake in it without being too awkward ), it does drain me eventually and after a while I feel the need to get away and have some alone time.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

INTP

Hello everyone! This is my first post here on the INTP forum. The majority of MBTI assessments I have taken have typed me as an INTP, but I am beginning to wonder whether I might be an ISTP in a dominant-tertiary loop. The “symptoms” that form the base of my uncertainty sound very much like a Ti-Ni loop. Almost every time I am alone, I slip into depression coupled with paranoia. I reflect on all of my recent social interactions and worry about what people think of me.

- Ti (these are judgements, the kind Ti would use)

For instance, I often find myself wondering why a certain person talked to my friend but not to me, or I wonder why I can socialize fine with certain people yet I am painfully awkward when talking to others. Assuming this is a loop, there are certain things that seem to “break” it. For example, when I meet a new person and have a good conversation with them, my worries almost disappear. When I play music with my band, practice gymnastics, go out with friends, or do just about anything else that engages my senses, I feel much better.

- Ne (perception based/descriptive statements - key words like wonder, and uses abstract concepts. Also gets somewhat concrete - Ne is blurring with Si here)

Oddly enough, this also happens, albeit less frequently, when I partake in an activity that does not engage my senses, such as programming, reading, or researching. If this were all, I would certainly type myself as ISTP, but there is a major caveat: my sensing appears to be underdeveloped. I tend to miss details that are right in front of me, and I can be forgetful or absent-minded.

- Si (gets concrete with mentioning the activities - just listing rather than explaining an abstract concept like the previous section)

So, what do you all think? Am I an INTP or am I an ISTP stuck in a Ti-Ni loop? How do you recommend I escape this thought pattern for good? I welcome the opinion and advice of anyone who is well-versed in type theory or who has had experience with this sort of thing. To provide a bit of background, I am a high-school student and I have previously typed as INTJ, INTP, and ISTP. If you think that this question necessitates the disclosure of more information, please let me know.

- Fe (referencing audience)

 

[Ex-User (14550)]

INTP

- Ti (these are judgements, the kind Ti would use)

- Ne (perception based/descriptive statements - key words like wonder, and uses abstract concepts. Also gets somewhat concrete - Ne is blurring with Si here)


- Si (gets concrete with mentioning the activities - just listing rather than explaining an abstract concept like the previous section)



- Fe (referencing audience)

Thank you for the response. It is quite informative. However, I am a little confused as to why I, as an intuitive thinking type, enjoy getting out of my head and building relationships with others. I would greatly appreciate your insight on this matter, as you seem very knowledgeable with regards to type theory.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Thank you for the response. It is quite informative. However, I am a little confused as to why I, as an intuitive thinking type, enjoy getting out of my head and building relationships with others. I would greatly appreciate your insight on this matter, as you seem very knowledgeable with regards to type theory.

Well, it's based in your Fe. You welcome the input of others in helping you to make informed decisions. I do agree that there is an oddness of enjoying the inferior, but I as an INFJ enjoy sensual experience, as long as it is not forced on me. I would suspect that you may dislike having pressure to build a relationship and prefer to do it at your own pace? It is also a fact that all humans are social creatures and so enjoy connecting with others on one level or another, and that, if you are indeed INTP, you probably connect best with other NTs.

So I would say it's due to a positive relation with your inferior function, as a basic answer.

 

[QuickTwist]

I think you are ISTP. I have many of the same problems you have and I consider myself, ultimately a strong Ji user with Se as secondary.

I would say you prolly fit the Se category better than myself. I say this because I am pretty inactive on a daily basis, but I am not in HS so that could be why.

I have to ask you about being a gymnast tho. Is it something that you do because you love it, or is it more something you are forced to do? This key element could help in determining your type. If you do it because you love it, you are likely ISTP, if you do it and you don't necessarily love it, you are prolly INTP or some other kind of introvert. Not saying I am ruling out ambivert tho.

Are you typically engaged in a lot of different projects at the same time or do you usually do one thing at a time? If you do one thing at a time, this could tell you are a sensor, where if you have a lot going on all the time, it tells you are either an extrovert or that you have a good deal of Ne.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ex-User (14550)]

I think you are ISTP. I have many of the same problems you have and I consider myself, ultimately a strong Ji user with Se as secondary.

I would say you prolly fit the Se category better than myself. I say this because I am pretty inactive on a daily basis, but I am not in HS so that could be why.

I have to ask you about being a gymnast tho. Is it something that you do because you love it, or is it more something you are forced to do? This key element could help in determining your type. If you do it because you love it, you are likely ISTP, if you do it and you don't necessarily love it, you are prolly INTP or some other kind of introvert. Not saying I am ruling out ambivert tho.

Are you typically engaged in a lot of different projects at the same time or do you usually do one thing at a time? If you do one thing at a time, this could tell you are a sensor, where if you have a lot going on all the time, it tells you are either an extrovert or that you have a good deal of Ne.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for your reply. I am not familiar with Ji. Would you mind explaining that function? Concerning gymnastics, I find that it gives me a sense of calmness. While I do take lessons, I usually practice on the trampoline I have at my house. The combination of throwing flips and being outdoors relaxes me and allows me to focus only on the present moment and not on whatever faux pas I might've made that day. Oddly enough, if I am an ISTP, I am relatively timid when compared to other members of the type. I can recall going rock climbing when I was younger, only to become too scared to climb more than ten feet. As to your second question, I do typically have multiple activities that I switch between depending on my mood. I usually have a couple of books that I am reading as well as a programming project and many different topics of research. I do not often get so invested in one thing that I ignore everything else. My interest tends to bounce from topic to topic.

 

[QuickTwist]

Thank you for your reply. I am not familiar with Ji. Would you mind explaining that function? Concerning gymnastics, I find that it gives me a sense of calmness. While I do take lessons, I usually practice on the trampoline I have at my house. The combination of throwing flips and being outdoors relaxes me and allows me to focus only on the present moment and not on whatever faux pas I might've made that day. Oddly enough, if I am an ISTP, I am relatively timid when compared to other members of the type. I can recall going rock climbing when I was younger, only to become too scared to climb more than ten feet. As to your second question, I do typically have multiple activities that I switch between depending on my mood. I usually have a couple of books that I am reading as well as a programming project and many different topics of research. I do not often get so invested in one thing that I ignore everything else. My interest tends to bounce from topic to topic.

Yeah you are prolly ISTP.

Ji is introverted Judging. These two functions are Ti and Fi.

 

[Ex-User (14550)]

Yeah you are prolly ISTP.

Ji is introverted Judging. These two functions are Ti and Fi.

Hmm. I still wonder about my timidness and absent-mindedness. My father is a definite ISTP and he has never had these problems. Is it possible for someone to have such a marginal preference for sensing or intuition that they use both, albeit not with as much precision as a heavy sensor/intuitive?

 

[Ex-User (14550)]

Well, it's based in your Fe. You welcome the input of others in helping you to make informed decisions. I do agree that there is an oddness of enjoying the inferior, but I as an INFJ enjoy sensual experience, as long as it is not forced on me. I would suspect that you may dislike having pressure to build a relationship and prefer to do it at your own pace? It is also a fact that all humans are social creatures and so enjoy connecting with others on one level or another, and that, if you are indeed INTP, you probably connect best with other NTs.

So I would say it's due to a positive relation with your inferior function, as a basic answer.

That makes sense. I do prefer to build relationships at my own pace, yes. I also connect best with NTs, although I can get along well with other types too depending on the circumstances. Would an INTP typically enjoy living in the present though? If so, could Si be the cause of that? And if not, is it possible for me to have only a marginal preference for sensing/intuition, causing me to exhibit traits of a sensor and an intuitive?

 

[HDINTP]

Hmm. I still wonder about my timidness and absent-mindedness. My father is a definite ISTP and he has never had these problems. Is it possible for someone to have such a marginal preference for sensing or intuition that they use both, albeit not with as much precision as a heavy sensor/intuitive?

This, exactly have to say this... I believe you are an INTP who (as you say yourself) has an ISTP father. I say this mainly because I was/am the same. Experience these "symptoms" from time to time and my father is ISTP as well. I know sounds (probably is) really simple but I believe it had on me and has on you big influence...?

 

[Ex-User (14550)]

This, exactly have to say this... I believe you are an INTP who (as you say yourself) has an ISTP father. I say this mainly because I was/am the same. Experience these "symptoms" from time to time and my father is ISTP as well. I know sounds (probably is) really simple but I believe it had on me and has on you big influence...?

Thank you for your reply. I'm inclined to agree with you. When I was younger I was encouraged to participate in sensor-oriented activities, which probably explains my interest in them now. Based on this logic, and while my social skills are far from perfect, I also think that having an SF/NF mother has influenced how I interact with others.