INxP

[Beat Mango]

lol. I wish I had an X in there somewhere, XNTP would be nice.

 

[brain enclosed in flesh]

Aw hell, I'm an INTP. I think I was ovulating or something before when I decided I was an INFP, and then I was premenstrual when I was an INXP. Female hormones are screwy. You guys have no idea how much they mess with our personality. I suspect it's even screwier for T females, because we have no understanding of what's up, especially when you're a P as well so you never keep track of these sorts of things.

Lots o' un-needed information, I suppose, but that's why I'm here!

 

[Ermine]

^ I'd say that post has more merit than you think. I seem to experience the same kind of thing as an INTP female. Emotion levels and levels of analysis keep fluctuating for better or worse depending of the time of month. It's confusing.

 

[brain enclosed in flesh]

Yes, I think it's something we INTP females especially have to pay attention to, and I do agree it has merit. (I guess I was thinking more along the male reader POV which, why? Why was I doing that? We females as exist as well...)

 

[Enne]

____________

Here's a rule of thumb, that I admit it difficult to follow at times. There are reasons why the four ordered functions are in the order they are for each type. If possible, I advise you to make the set you are given work to explain your behavior before adding in anomalous functions. That's not to say you can't develop functions uncommon to your type, but if its the first explanation for any deviant behavior, you're going to find it hard to claim any type as what you are.

That being said, I sometimes wonder whether type is as structured or relentless as I once believed. I still believe it to be the case, but there is room for doubt. If you DO believe it, then try to use it strictly or you won't be able to derive the benefits it offers.

Sometimes its more helpful to learn of a previously unknown motivation than to assign a behavior to something that makes good surface sense.

After reading this, it got me thinking. Do you guys necessarily believe in the psychological "setting in stone" that the MBTI puts forth? Is it wiser to develop yourself unconsciously as a whole, or maximize those default psychological mechanisms that feel most comfortable to you? I don't know about "following the MBTI", but I'm definitely interested in maximizing my toolset. Is it possible to "get" Fe to work for you / to your benefit, beyond the chameleonism? Is it possible (or even wise) to attempt to develop your auxiliary or even unconscious "helper functions"? I'm not saying become who you're not, but there has to be a deeper, broader gradient and even overlapping to these 16 types.

 

[nightowl]

Aw hell, I'm an INTP. I think I was ovulating or something before when I decided I was an INFP, and then I was premenstrual when I was an INXP. Female hormones are screwy. You guys have no idea how much they mess with our personality. I suspect it's even screwier for T females, because we have no understanding of what's up, especially when you're a P as well so you never keep track of these sorts of things.

Lots o' un-needed information, I suppose, but that's why I'm here!

A friend who is in AA shared the rule of HALT with me.

Fix these before making any decisions:
H--Hungry
A--Angry
L--Lonely
T--Tired

Personally, my bloodsugar becomes more erratic with hormonal fluctuations which makes forgetting to eat even worse.

 

[Kidege]

^ I'd say that post has more merit than you think. I seem to experience the same kind of thing as an INTP female. Emotion levels and levels of analysis keep fluctuating for better or worse depending of the time of month. It's confusing.

Who would have said there was an upside to the -insert words to describe an unpleasant experience- it makes me HALT automatically and I never perceive a fluctuation in the quality of my thinking. I just hurry and go to sleep.

 

[snowqueen]

Aw hell, I'm an INTP. I think I was ovulating or something before when I decided I was an INFP, and then I was premenstrual when I was an INXP. Female hormones are screwy. You guys have no idea how much they mess with our personality. I suspect it's even screwier for T females, because we have no understanding of what's up, especially when you're a P as well so you never keep track of these sorts of things.

Lots o' un-needed information, I suppose, but that's why I'm here!

Yay!!! I'm pathetically pleased to welcome you back into the fold (I was very very puzzled I have to say) I agree with Ermine though - I think hormones are very disabling for INTP females! I am going through menopause so I'm hoping I'll emerge fabulously rational for the first time in my life. I'm certainly much more willing to put my foot down these days.

 

[snowqueen]

I've been thinking more about this issue in relation to how I experience myself and how I express myself.

I have not a shred of doubt that I am an INTP, however, I don't always behave like a typical INTP and when I looked at the other types - the ones that I sort of could be, I started to think ...

I cannot imagine being S instead of N under any circumstances, nor a J instead of a P. Those are absolute constants. However, because of my best friend and my career choices, I have learned how to behave more like an E and therefore gained the kind of feedback from the world which E's get - and that has reinforced my ability to experiece my latent extroversion. Therefore sometimes I come across as an ENTP.

I have also developed a much stronger connection to my F function in relation to the outside world - being able to think about other people's emotional needs and include that in my decision making a bit and respond to people's emotional needs (though it's still uncomfortable). I still find managing my internal emotional world nigh impossible though. But to do this I need to be drawing on my E too so the other type I am sort of like is ENFP. I am never INFP though interestingly enough.

So I would say that my primary personality is INTP but I can draw upon ENTP and ENFP (when I have energy, impossible when tired) in order to interact with the world.

Does anyone else relate to this?

 

[Ermine]

I can relate, though I can't be an ENTP or ENFP to the extent that you describe. It just kicks in when I'm more energetic than usual or going beyond myself without really knowing what I'm doing. In my opinion, this is part of where Keirsey got it wrong. In my opinion, all NPs have more in common than NTs. But maybe that's just me.

 

[JoeJoe]

In my opinion, this is part of where Keirsey got it wrong. In my opinion, all NPs have more in common than NTs. But maybe that's just me.

Maybe that's because he sorted the types into the four groups, which already the ancient Greeks distinguished.

Maybe all NPs have more in common, but eventually, the way of thinking is more common amongst NTs.

Just a theory.

 

[Decaf]

I can relate to that too. Off the top of my head, my response would be that our only two conscious, extraverted functions. Ne (the dominant function of ENTPs) and Fe. While Fe is not one of the conscious functions of an ENFP, I believe that may come from a misinterpretation of the ENFPs and ENFJs we compare ourselves to.

It makes sense to me how difficult it is to draw comparisons to others with our introverted traits. How do you compare something you difficult to describe in yourself to something with few visible signs in others? We're so well versed in Ti that we can make educated guesses, but not so with Si. This is probably the part of conscious personality that I am most at a loss to describe myself.

So the question is, are you developing naturally in your ability to expand beyond the boundaries of how you perceive your type, or are you developing uncommon skills due to your life experience? I don't know the answer, but from the first two paragraphs I think my guess is apparent.

I look at psychology from a chemist's perspective. Two molecules can be identical in every way except one, and end up behaving completely differently. With that kind of available diversity it doesn't seem a stretch that simple fundamentals can lead to complex systems (such as the human consciousness) if given the opportunity to grow. I guess whether or not you are simply a well-developed INTP or a diversely skilled one, both lead to being able to handle life in a healthy manner. And that's good if that's what you're in to... I suppose.

 

[zephryi]

Maybe that's because he sorted the types into the four groups, which already the ancient Greeks distinguished.

Maybe all NPs have more in common, but eventually, the way of thinking is more common amongst NTs.

Just a theory.

A bit off topic, but this has always bugged me: Why NF and NT, but SP and SJ? I mean, as Keirsey describes it, there seems to be nice, clear divisions as is, but I wonder if it could not've been just as easily separated as NT, NF, ST, SF, or as Ermine's post suggests, NP, NJ, SP, SJ?

 

[Reverse Transcriptase]

Intuition synergizes with T or F in interesting ways. Whereas Sensing is such a dominating function that the T or F take the back seat, and the J/P preference becomes more important.

Another way of phrasing it: [Si & Fe] and [Si & Te] are more similar than [Si & Te] and [Se & Ti].

 

[zephryi]

Hymm.... do you think you could be a bit more specific, or throw me an article or something? I mean, I see what you're saying- it makes sense and all- but I'm also looking through a Keirsey lens, as I've been using the NT/NF/SP/SJ block characteristics when fiddling around with MBTI theory for a while. ^^;;

((Sorry, sorry, even more off topic....))

 

[Zero]

What is more important, familiarity or adaptation?
If all else fails that how I distinguish an F and T.

Although it can apply to a S and N, in an IN case it may be defining.

It's not necessary to figure out which you, are you may simply be on the fence.

 

[motrhead]

Okay I just read through this entire thread, followed the links and took another test(Ti, Ne,Te). No surprises, still INTP. I find it almost scary that these descriptions are *so* accurate, especially the INTP profile from Paul James. Wow. I'm normal...at least around here

-dreadful tellers of jokes... smirking and laughing at some private thought...

-The INTP melancolic is typically drawn to wild polar expanses, to mountain ranges and all places on the edges of civilisation.

-INTPs are collectors..The interests of an INTP would be enough to occupy him for several lifetimes if that were possible.

-Photography is a classic interest of the INTP

-...always chooses to listen to music which suits his current emotional state, be it aggression, warmth, excitement, relaxation or whatever.
-They feel an unpleasant sense of disharmony whenever a music style clashes with their emotional state.

-If they need to say something unpleasant to someone close to them, they would prefer to avoid this task for fear of the disharmony that may result.

-INTPs never like doing something until they know they can do it

A hoarder and collector that loves photography...could explain my two hundred cameras.

 

[Zero]

I'm a collector, not a hoarder. I hate having messes and shit I don't use. I also hate photographers (I have a weird thing about freelance/artistic photographers) and don't care for taking pictures much. I think video is more expressive.

If I want to express something in a picture I have to draw it. (Lots of mediums, lots of art stuff) My favorite animal in the zoo is the cheetah and I prefer museum over zoo and aquarium, though aquariums are pretty cool. Favorite animal there is the octopus. Look how it changes it's texture and color.

I like any place with a curious architecture.

Also I can't believe you read the whole thread...

 

[motrhead]

I'm a collector, not a hoarder. I hate having messes and shit I don't use. I also hate photographers (I have a weird thing about freelance/artistic photographers) and don't care for taking picture much.

I am an enthusiastic amateur that has a fear of offending people other than family by taking their pictures...but that's okay since I prefer the rest of the world to people. I prefer realism, so I shoot slide film and shun Photoshop. I collect unusual and mechanically significant cameras. (My ID could have been Gearhead-I like machines.)
I am more of a collector, so let's say selective hoarder...

My favorite animal in the zoo is the cheetah and I prefer museum over zoo and aquarium, though aquariums are pretty cool.

I like any place with a curious architecture.

Agree on the cheetah. Museums too. Also love unusual architecture.

 

[motrhead]

Also I can't believe you read the whole thread...

I read every thread in it's entirety before I post in it.

 

[brain enclosed in flesh]

I can relate, though I can't be an ENTP or ENFP to the extent that you describe. It just kicks in when I'm more energetic than usual or going beyond myself without really knowing what I'm doing. In my opinion, this is part of where Keirsey got it wrong. In my opinion, all NPs have more in common than NTs. But maybe that's just me.

I'm with you on this, Ermine and Snow Queen (thanks for welcoming my back to the world of INTP, btw ). My feeling and intuition seem to come about in more extraverted fashions, all crazy and kooky and ADHD-like.

I was at my parents' house for a lengthy amount of time (hence my protracted absence from the forum) and my mom has a book about the four temperaments that I guess she got to understand my father (a melancholic-choleric) and herself (a sanguine-choleric) and their relationship a little better. I came up as phlegmatic-melancholic (with melancholic being pretty hefty), followed by sanguine and about nil choleric. Based on reading the descriptions, I would say ENFP is more of a sanguine temperament. So it would make sense to me that when I am in outgoing/energetic mode, I would rely on the more sanguine aspects of my temperament, it being an extroverted one. Just a guess. I have done very little research on this, so these are my deductions based on reading one book and observing my family.

And in regards to other personality types corresponding to the four temperaments, I would imagine INTJ/ISTJ being more melancholic-choleric. Choleric and phlegmatic are supposed to be opposite, so why would all NTs be grouped together, as Kiersey has us?

Not to derail the thread or anything...

 

[Seducer of the Homeless]

i am Melancholic, for sure....none of the others fit

NPs have more in common than NT, i think

 

[brain enclosed in flesh]

Hi, Seducer! Ca va?

 

[Anling]

A bit off topic, but this has always bugged me: Why NF and NT, but SP and SJ? I mean, as Keirsey describes it, there seems to be nice, clear divisions as is, but I wonder if it could not've been just as easily separated as NT, NF, ST, SF, or as Ermine's post suggests, NP, NJ, SP, SJ?

I wondered about that for a while until suddenly it made a lot more sense a couple weeks ago. Ni and Ne both seem to be about patterns of information. Ns seem to differ more on what information they choose to focus on/make judgements based on rather than the way they put it together. But Si and Se are very different. Si is focused on what has been in the past. Se is about what is going on right now. That leads to very different modes of behavior. SJs are usually traditionalists because they will make dicisions based on the past. SPs seem to be far more concerned with the present and what they are experiencing right now. Ns seem to be more future oriented, whether or not they are planners.

 

[JoeJoe]

I think Introversion/Extroversion is the fastest to change, depending on the situation.


I made an interesting experience last week.

As mentioned, I was in Romania with a group of people on a music vacation.

I felt extraordinarily comfortable in the group (maybe because there were 3 other Introverts and only 2 Extroverts) which made myself be much more Extroverted.

Subsequently, the order of my functions apparantly changed as well. I was definetely using my Ne (Primary function for ENTP) a lot and sprouting lots of silly ideas. I also started to let some things slip out of my mouth without thinking, which can lead to saying embarrassing things, but I survived. I think I stayed in so far INTP as that I made insults jokingly, trying to maintain my tactlessness.

Sorry for veering a bit off topic.

 

[sarapsy]

^Very informative post.

One question that has come to mind for me is: What is supposed to be the role of Fi for an INTP, and Ti for an INFP? Most descriptions only talk about the leading four functions. I, like many here, feel that my Fi is often as strong as my Ti, even though Fi is supposed to be a shadow function for us.

I have seen it described as our "devilish" function, although it was tough to grasp exactly what that means. It seems to me to mean that it's a function we are tempted to abuse or use too much. So perhaps some of us are just naughty INxPs? lol

you are an INTJ!