INTP or ISTP?

[notdura]

Hi, I’ve been trying to find out which personality type I am. I’ve thought that I am ISTP for a couple of months but lately I’ve been researching and I just can’t decide if I’m ISTP or INTP. Could anyone help me? It’s driving me insane because I relate to both on many points.

When I’m alone I’m quiet and look like I’m ready to murder someone. I’m never the one to start a conversation and if someone talks to me, I try to socialise with them but I get so exhausted after a while and unless I really think the person is cool, I usually stay quiet and listen to them. I’m all for logic, I have a great memory when it comes to what people say or do. If something isn’t logical, it’ll drive me insane – especially if it’s someone else’s emotions. Also I’m definitely not the one to cry in front of others, ever – only to my partner if I’m very stressed out or hurt.

I’m not interested in sports at all and prefer being at home, although I can be wild at times but I’d definitely not go and climb a mountain or even participate in sports. I can be quite creative when I feel like it, but I don’t often talk about it. I have a hard time understanding emotional people, although I try my best. But when someone is often is depressed for no reason, I can’t understand it and often end up annoyed by it. If I like them, I try to cheer them up but if that doesn’t work I just push it away and try to think of something else. My partner is INFJ and quite depressed, which creates some problems between us.

I talk a lot with close people, but have a hard time coming up with what to say to people I don’t know. I’d rather not talk to them at all, unless I find them interesting (which is rare for me).

I like practical stuff and can be hard working when I want to, or when I force myself to be. I like writing, editing videos and drawing. If I’m not being creative, I often get restless and need to concentrate on something. I procrastinate a looot, especially if it’s something I don’t know how to fix. I’ll think about it for days and try to find solutions and when the deadline is nearing, I’ll force myself to settle down with something. I often want to do a lot but just after some hour of starting on it, I discard it and don’t care about it anymore. I have a hard time planning things that are happening in many years, and prefer thinking about here-and-now or the past.

I analyse a lot and like reading about facts just to know them, not just because I need to know them. I once read that ISTPs always check the examples in maths books while INTPs prefer solving questions by themselves. In this case, I’m more like an INTP and only check examples if I just can’t figure out how to calculate the answer.
I’m sure there’s more I need to explain so if anyone has questions, please go ahead and ask. I really want to know which personality type I am.

 

[reckful]

In the spoiler are brief bullet-point summaries (from official MBTI reports) of the five "facets" of S/N in the "Step II" version of the MBTI.

Assuming you're an N — and that is my assumption — I suspect you'll find yourself identifying significantly more with the N side of all five.

Spoiler

1. Concrete / Abstract

Concrete

Exact facts; Literal; Tangible

• Are grounded in reality and trust the facts.
• Interpret things literally.
• Are cautious about making inferences.
• May find it hard to see trends and link facts to the bigger picture.
• Begin with what you know to be true, and have all the facts in order before moving on.
• May be seen by others as resistant to change, although you may not see yourself that way.

Abstract

Figurative; Symbolic; Intangible

• Like to go beyond the surface and read between the lines.
• May use symbols and metaphors to explain your views.
• Consider context and interrelationships important.
• Make mental leaps and enjoy brainstorming.
• May find it hard to identify the evidence for your ideas.
• May find it hard to disengage from the tangents you've followed.

2. Realistic / Imaginative

Realistic

Sensible; Matter of fact; Seek efficiency

• Take pride in your common sense and ability to realistically appraise situations.
• Value efficiency, practicality, and cost effectiveness.
• Appreciate direct experiences and tangible results.
• Believe that good techniques lead to good results.
• Are seen as matter of fact and sensible.

Imaginative

Resourceful; Inventive; Seek novelty

• Like ingenuity for its own sake.
• Want to experience what is innovative and different.
• Are resourceful in dealing with new and unusual experiences.
• Prefer not to do things the same way twice.
• Readily envision what is needed for the future and enjoy strategic planning.
• May enjoy humour and word games based on nuance.

3. Practical / Conceptual

Practical

Pragmatic; Results oriented; Applied

• Find that applying ideas is more appealing than the ideas themselves.
• Need to see an idea’s application to understand it.
• Are impatient listening to ideas if a practical use is not the end result.
• Favor practical utility over intellectual curiosity.

Conceptual

Scholarly; Idea oriented; Intellectual

• Enjoy the role of scholar and thinker.
• Like acquiring new knowledge and skills for their own sake.
• Value mental virtuosity.
• Focus on the concept, not its application.
• Prefer starting with an idea.
• Find that practical uses for your ideas may come as afterthoughts.

4. Experiential / Theoretical

Experiential

Hands on; Empirical; Trust experience

• Learn best from direct, hands-on experience and rely on it to guide you.
• Are careful not to generalize too much.
• Focus more on the past and present than the future.
• Concentrate on what is happening now rather than thinking about meanings and theories.
• May sometimes get stuck on details at the expense of larger considerations.

Theoretical

Seek patterns; Hypothetical; Trust theories

• Trust theory and believe it has a reality of its own.
• Enjoy dealing with the intangible.
• Like to invent new theories even more than applying your "old" ones.
• See almost everything as fitting into a pattern or theoretical context.
• Are future oriented.

5. Traditional / Original

Traditional

Conventional; Customary; Tried and true

• Identify strongly with what is familiar.
• Are comfortable with the tried-and-true because it provides a precedent to follow.
• Admire and support established institutions and methods.
• Are reluctant to change things that are working well.
• Enjoy participating in traditions at work and at home.

Original

Unconventional; Different; New and unusual

• Place a high value on uniqueness.
• Need to demonstrate your own originality.
• Value cleverness and inventiveness.
• Would rather figure out your own way than read the directions.
• Will change things whether or not they work as they are.

In case you're interested in reading fuller descriptions of those facets (from the MBTI Manual), you can find those in this PerC post.

Also if you're interested, here's a link to the official MBTI. Around 70% of takers (in the US anyway) come out S, but I'm guessing you'll come out N.

 

[PaulMaster]

I'm an INTP and I love sports and being active. I train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I workout every day - running, swimming, lifting weights. This stuff is very, very important to me.

The rest of me is textbook N.

But as I understand it, its all a sliding scale. You may be x% N and x% S, but more of one or the other. Same goes for the other three...six functions (?).

Are they functions? I've only really read up on INTP (and a bit here and there about the adjacent types).

 

[Faux Sheezy]

From this brief interaction, you strike me as anything but ISTP.

 

[rainman312]

Quite a bit of it seems ISTP-ish, and many ISTPs who are less physically-inclined can appear as though they are INTPs. I have a friend who is this way. One thing that strikes me as somewhat un-ISTP-like is your self-purported good memory. All of the ISTPs I know have rather poor memories, and this seems to be the general trend. It's possible that you're an outlier, though. Your affinity for pragmatism might be indicative of ISTP-hood, although there are certainly pragmatic INTPs (although this might be more an affinity for optimization in the activities we partake in, I could probably write an entire thread about that though, so I'll restrain myself). Another thing that seems to point towards you being an ISTP is your enjoyment of drawing/video editing/visual stuff. That seems to me like it's an expression of Se, something which INTPs lack. Still, it's ultimately up to you to decide. N vs. S fundamentally comes down to performing actions vs. thinking about things. It's also possible (although pretty unlikely) that you have no strong preference for either intuiting or sensing, but as I said before, this isn't very likely (some would argue impossible/not allowed within the MBTI system).

 

[Ex-User (8886)]

You described Ti here and you said nothing about N/S

When you talk do you gesticulate?
Do you Care about comfort?
Do you like strange, unusual things, people...
You trust more your intuition or facts?
What is your age? Secondary fucntions develop after 20
Are you impulsive?

 

[Sly-fy]

Hi. Have you seen this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwHFjtBoxEI

 

[charliepoo]

Hi. Have you seen this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwHFjtBoxEI

what strikes me about this video is how heavily the narrator explores the fact that ISTP's are all buff jocks. What about a fat ISTP. Is every ISTP on the face of the earth in shape? Or is that just a stereotype.

 

[ENTP lurker]

If you are an ISTP then you are quite inclined to disciplinarian actions with people. Think about Vladimir Putin how he just may use his power to control what ever he wants on national level. That is an ISTP with highly realized Se.
If you are an INTP then you are completely against such measures especially with high Ne.

 

[notdura]

Quite a bit of it seems ISTP-ish, and many ISTPs who are less physically-inclined can appear as though they are INTPs. I have a friend who is this way. One thing that strikes me as somewhat un-ISTP-like is your self-purported good memory. All of the ISTPs I know have rather poor memories, and this seems to be the general trend. It's possible that you're an outlier, though. Your affinity for pragmatism might be indicative of ISTP-hood, although there are certainly pragmatic INTPs (although this might be more an affinity for optimization in the activities we partake in, I could probably write an entire thread about that though, so I'll restrain myself). Another thing that seems to point towards you being an ISTP is your enjoyment of drawing/video editing/visual stuff. That seems to me like it's an expression of Se, something which INTPs lack. Still, it's ultimately up to you to decide. N vs. S fundamentally comes down to performing actions vs. thinking about things. It's also possible (although pretty unlikely) that you have no strong preference for either intuiting or sensing, but as I said before, this isn't very likely (some would argue impossible/not allowed within the MBTI system).

I have heard INTPs are very creative, though? Also the thing with me is that I often end up procrastinating/keeping all ideas inside my head. I must've forgotten to mention that it takes a lot of willpower to actually do what I like doing, so instead I keep thinking about my ideas and developing them in my head. I could be just lazy.

Also, about my memory, I wouldn't really call it good. I can recall certain moments (that I find important) perfectly, but otherwise my memory tends to suck.
For example: I still remember two days, or so, perfectly, that took place three years ago. Those days were very important to me because they were very painful but also wonderful at the same time.
However, I can't remember if I ate anything last night.

 

[notdura]

You described Ti here and you said nothing about N/S

When you talk do you gesticulate?
Do you Care about comfort?
Do you like strange, unusual things, people...
You trust more your intuition or facts?
What is your age? Secondary fucntions develop after 20
Are you impulsive?

I gesticulate sometimes, sometimes not. It really depends on who I talk to. If it's my boyfriend (who by the way is INFJ, without doubt), then I talk a lot and gesticulate if I'm telling stories. Otherwise, I usually keep my hands still and my voice loud.
I do care about comfort, yes. I like hearing sweet words, or cuddling with my partner.
I wouldn't say I like strange things? But I love mysterious people. Other than that, I don't think I like a lot of unusual things.
I trust facts, but if I have a bad feeling about something then I'll listen to my intuition. Some people give me a very bad feeling and, even if I hear a lot of good things about them from my friends, I will keep away due to my intuition. Let's say it like this: I will rely on facts at all times, unless my intuition gives me a reason not to. In that case, I trust my gut feeling more.
I am 17 years old, not impulsive at all. I always think through things, and I have at very few times been impulsive.