Is this person an INTP?

[Pilot the Cannibal]

I was hoping you guys could help me determine the personality type of this person based on whether or not you see any of these traits in yourselves. This person is my younger cousin, but I know her very well. She seems to have some INTP traits, but other times she doesn't act like how I think of an INTP in the slightest.

One the one hand, she is very smart. I don't know her IQ or anything, but she has always performed well on standardized tests/in school with little to no effort. She reads books nonstop. She has a ridiculous vocabulary and will spend hours alone reading (either a book or the internet.) If you call her name while she is focused on something, she will not hear you (or she will ignore you. I'm not completely sure which is which.) At the same time, she is late for almost every appointment, loses everything, and does really absent-minded things sometimes (about a week ago she filled her car with Diesel gasoline...) She can also be very lazy if she isn't interested in something. She hates shopping and she hates talking about anything she isn't interested in. A lot of people think she can be kind of mean sometimes--she loves to argue--and she is studying to be a lawyer right now. Sometimes she seems incapable of being anything but sarcastic. She is incredibly stubborn, but always claims to have "logical" reasons for why she is right. If you do manage to win an argument her (which isn't often) she is willing to change her views, but oftentimes the argument is not worth it.

Although this all seems relatively INTP, she also has some non-INTP traits (although you guys will probably be better able to determine whether they are/aren't.) She is really obsessive about everything---for example, if she decides she really likes a certain type of cereal, she will eat nothing but that cereal for breakfast for the next several months. She has to run three miles every morning or she completely freaks out. Also, she is very self-confident (I'm not saying INTPs aren't self confident, but she is not shy at all, or even socially awkward.) Even though she doesn't like to, because she finds it boring, I have actually found that she is completely capable of manipulating people when it suits her needs. She also has this really weird value system--for example, since she is studying to be a lawyer, I asked her how she would feel if she got a murderer or child molester out of serving prison time and he went and hurt someone else. She responded that she wouldn't feel guilty at all, because it would be the prosecution's fault for not proving their case or the jury's fault for not doing their job well.

So...is she an INTP? Or maybe an ENTP that doesn't like people? Or an INTJ that is extremely spacey? I don't know. I am an INTP myself, but I would be curious to hear your opinions.

 

[Tony3d]

From what you are saying I have come to a pretty certain conclusion of ISTP.

 

[snafupants]

I was leaning towards ENTP because of the smart without trying thing, notably rude and absentminded, self confident and "not shy at all" thing, love of verbal spats, and obsession with ritual. Oftentimes an ENXP, because of inferior Si, can become mired by routine. The lawyer detail also really appeals to ENTPs and mostly not at all to ISTPs. That she claims she's "logical" furthers the ENTP argument.

 

[Tony3d]

I am surrounded by ENTPs in my daily life, and they don't normally get bored of people or not want to be around people.

The cereal thing and the 3 mile run thing are totally Se traits.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

 

[Pilot the Cannibal]

I can see her being an ENTP (except for the fact that she doesn't like being around people unless she is discussing ideas--maybe she's just a bit misanthropic?) I really don't think she is an ISTP because (I should have mentioned this earlier) but she's really into theoretical books and philosophy (she loves Nietzsche, Ayn Rand, Beckett, Sarte, Camus) and she loves debating abstract concepts (philosophy is one of the only things she gets "excited" about.) I can get how the cereal/running thing seems like S--but at the same time, she isn't very practical, and is only obsessed with weird things that don't actually relate very much to real life (such as cereal) and is totally bored by actual practical things (she almost didn't go to college because she was so bored by the admissions process.)

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

ENTP

.

 

[snafupants]

I am surrounded by ENTPs in my daily life, and they don't normally get bored of people or not want to be around people.

I do. You make ENTPs sound like philanthropic cupcakes.

The cereal thing and the 3 mile run thing are totally Se traits.

The fanatical routine is totally a repressed Si thing.

Repressed Se has a different flavor.

How does absent-mindedness square with high Se anyway?!

 

[snafupants]

.

Fin.

 

[Tony3d]

I can see her being an ENTP (except for the fact that she doesn't like being around people unless she is discussing ideas--maybe she's just a bit misanthropic?) I really don't think she is an ISTP because (I should have mentioned this earlier) but she's really into theoretical books and philosophy (she loves Nietzsche, Ayn Rand, Beckett, Sarte, Camus) and she loves debating abstract concepts (philosophy is one of the only things she gets "excited" about.) I can get how the cereal/running thing seems like S--but at the same time, she isn't very practical, and is only obsessed with weird things that don't actually relate very much to real life (such as cereal) and is totally bored by actual practical things (she almost didn't go to college because she was so bored by the admissions process.)

Well in that case, the variables that I was given were totally wrong.

She has to be an INTP then, just an INTP that has learned to be likeable in social situations, but still doesn't enjoy them (like myself).

Social interaction can be a learned trait even if you are in face an introvert by nature.


I am an INTP but have strong but immature Fe, so I am sure she could be an INTP with strong but imature Si.

 

[Tony3d]

Also, is she single? You should give me her phone number... (I am such a creeper at times, lol)

 

[themirror]

I think she is INTP for sure.

Although this all seems relatively INTP, she also has some non-INTP traits (although you guys will probably be better able to determine whether they are/aren't.) She is really obsessive about everything---for example, if she decides she really likes a certain type of cereal, she will eat nothing but that cereal for breakfast for the next several months. She has to run three miles every morning or she completely freaks out. Also, she is very self-confident (I'm not saying INTPs aren't self confident, but she is not shy at all, or even socially awkward.) Even though she doesn't like to, because she finds it boring, I have actually found that she is completely capable of manipulating people when it suits her needs. She also has this really weird value system--for example, since she is studying to be a lawyer, I asked her how she would feel if she got a murderer or child molester out of serving prison time and he went and hurt someone else. She responded that she wouldn't feel guilty at all, because it would be the prosecution's fault for not proving their case or the jury's fault for not doing their job well.

I don't think these are non-INTP traits to be honest. Some INTPs in their younger years follow routine in everyday tasks because they are simply so focused on their inner world that when they find something they like, they stick with it until it becomes apparently tiresome. It's too much of a hassle to come up with a new breakfast all the time or to keep variety in rotation. I ate the same cereal every day for years as a schoolboy and thought nothing of it except that it's another thing I had to do before catching the bus. It's only later on when Ne explodes that the INTP will defy all convention and mix it up whenever possible.

I can't speculate on her social standing with peers, but if she has at least a handful of good friends then she is likely able to express herself and develop her self-confidence. I was never shy or particularly awkward in school, and was actually moderately popular throughout.

The fact that she doesn't have any interest in manipulating people for gain despite having the ability definitely suggests INTP because this is a widespread characteristic for the type. ENTPs, on the other hand, do this often so their social plans come together in an interesting way.

Finally, her answer with regards to the law seems very logical, and she is more than willing to keep separate emotion-fueled demands for justice and the court's deliberate fair trial. I would expect any F-type to at least consider such a suggestion to be a good point, but she seems to characterize the situation much like a game of chess, which I've seen in both INTPs and ENTPs.

 

[Niclmaki]

Kind of sounds like an INTJ. At least, that is the impression I get.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

Get her to learn MBTI from a functional standpoint under the guise of using it as an additional tool in her toolbox of juror selection, individualized argument transitions, etc. If she isn't NeTi, I'll eat my shoes. (And oh you should see the shoes. Been wearing them for 3 years and counting )

 

[pjoa09]

INTJs got morals. That's the issue.

Deffo INTP or ENTP.

I mean just manipulation goes ENTP.

How is obsession not INTP?

 

[Pilot the Cannibal]

Also, is she single? You should give me her phone number... (I am such a creeper at times, lol)

Hahahahaha, she would kill me (she doesn't know I posted about her...) Also, she has a boyfriend...(but she's rather mean to him so I'm not sure how long that will last.)

 

[Pilot the Cannibal]

Get her to learn MBTI from a functional standpoint under the guise of using it as an additional tool in her toolbox of juror selection, individualized argument transitions, etc. If she isn't NeTi, I'll eat my shoes. (And oh you should see the shoes. Been wearing them for 3 years and counting )

So I sent her the link to the test (I didn't ask her to take it, just said it was interesting.) She replied saying that she'd already seen it before/taken it during school for some guidance-thing and apparently, according to that test, she's an INTJ . However, I still think she might actually be an INTP and is somewhat in denial about her P-ness (so don't start eating your shoes just yet...haha.) She arrives late to EVERYTHING, leaves things until the last minute, loses everything, and does really randomly dumb things because she is not paying attention to what she's doing and she's in her "own little world," as my aunt calls it. Although she CAN get things done very productively, she usually won't unless she's interested in it; she wrote a thirty-page paper on Ayn Rand in one night and got a perfect score, but it took her 3 or 4 months to write her 500 word college essay because she thought the prompt was "boring and stupid." (On a side note, Ayn Rand is an INTJ, so she might just want the same personality type as Ayn Rand..haha) Also, she loses her phone and wallet at least three or four times a day, repeatedly forgets to eat dinner and then wonders why her stomach hurts, and can never seem to remember where the car is after she's parked it (I usually can't remember, either, so this ends up being a pretty big problem for both of us.) Personally, I think she's even more "P" than I am--and I know I'm an INTP. But oh well. Maybe she has ADHD or something.

 

[Tony3d]

Hahahahaha, she would kill me (she doesn't know I posted about her...) Also, she has a boyfriend...(but she's rather mean to him so I'm not sure how long that will last.)

She sounds pretty damn crazy to me, and that is my kind of girl

Girls are never mean to me though, I make them chase me. Girls are only mean to guys that they see as needy and not manly enough to walk away, if you do in fact walk away the girl will usually come running after you. You have to be playfull though, if you act offended then they will just see you as a wuss and never chase.

 

[themirror]

She arrives late to EVERYTHING, leaves things until the last minute, loses everything, and does really randomly dumb things because she is not paying attention to what she's doing and she's in her "own little world," as my aunt calls it. Also, she loses her phone and wallet at least three or four times a day, repeatedly forgets to eat dinner and then wonders why her stomach hurts, and can never seem to remember where the car is after she's parked it (I usually can't remember, either, so this ends up being a pretty big problem for both of us.)

My college roommate of three years was INTJ. He was late, messy, and scatterbrained. However, he was never "in his own world" like I was or forgetting to eat dinner. He rarely forgot things and always beat himself up for it.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

Personally, I think she's even more "P" than I am--and I know I'm an INTP. But oh well. Maybe she has ADHD or something.

It depends on the quality of the test. If she took a poorly designed test that didn't differentiate between cognitive and social introversion, then perhaps she didn't consider it useful because the result wasn't accurate. This is why I said from a functional perspective... Based on your description, she oozes Ne.

 

[catatonic]

Kind of sounds like an INTJ. At least, that is the impression I get.

Are you kidding?

She's definitely not J at all.
I vote for INTP.

 

[catatonic]

So I sent her the link to the test (I didn't ask her to take it, just said it was interesting.) She replied saying that she'd already seen it before/taken it during school for some guidance-thing and apparently, according to that test, she's an INTJ . However, I still think she might actually be an INTP and is somewhat in denial about her P-ness (so don't start eating your shoes just yet...haha.) She arrives late to EVERYTHING, leaves things until the last minute, loses everything, and does really randomly dumb things because she is not paying attention to what she's doing and she's in her "own little world," as my aunt calls it. Although she CAN get things done very productively, she usually won't unless she's interested in it; she wrote a thirty-page paper on Ayn Rand in one night and got a perfect score, but it took her 3 or 4 months to write her 500 word college essay because she thought the prompt was "boring and stupid." (On a side note, Ayn Rand is an INTJ, so she might just want the same personality type as Ayn Rand..haha) Also, she loses her phone and wallet at least three or four times a day, repeatedly forgets to eat dinner and then wonders why her stomach hurts, and can never seem to remember where the car is after she's parked it (I usually can't remember, either, so this ends up being a pretty big problem for both of us.) Personally, I think she's even more "P" than I am--and I know I'm an INTP. But oh well. Maybe she has ADHD or something.

Nah, I don't believe in free online test.
My result is always changing all the time, depends on my mood.
ENFP, INFJ, INFP, and INTP. I've almost never scored as INTJ.
From thousands times of tests--uhm okay I'm exaggerating, it's only about 10-15 times tests-- I've only scored as INTJ twice.

I guess it's better to study about the cognitive functions, everyone can manipulate the online test to be any type they want.

:smiley_emoticons_mr

 

[Tony3d]

Nah, I don't believe in free online test.
My result is always changing all the time, depends on my mood.
ENFP, INFJ, INFP, and INTP. I've almost never scored as INTJ.
From thousands times of tests--uhm okay I'm exaggerating, it's only about 10-15 times tests-- I've only scored as INTJ twice.

I guess it's better to study about the cognitive functions, everyone can manipulate the online test to be any type they want.

I have taken maybe 8 tests, and got 7 INTPs and 1 ENTP. I however spent the good part of a week studying over the different types and compareing them to my own thought process to eventually come to the conclusion that I am going to beleive the results I was given.

Even when I first came to this website I wasn't 100% convinced of my INTPness, but after being around others, I can deffinatly say that I am an INTP that is pretty moderate with my Introversion and has strong but very hidden and underdeveloped feelings very deep withing my being.

I doubted I was an INTP simply because I couldn't relate to those that are extreamly introverted and have little or even no Fe.

 

[catatonic]

I doubted I was an INTP simply because I couldn't relate to those that are extreamly introverted and have little or even no Fe.

Just because you can't relate to "your kind", doesn't mean you're not one of the kind.
Ti Fe Ni Se, maybe you've developed your Fe better and others developed the Ti better, of course there are some differences.

I keep scored as INTP after my friend told me that I'm an INTP, I "subconsciously" answered the tests to make me get the INTP result, the free online test is way far from accurate. I can be any type I want.

For the OP, does your cousin the always getting things done girl? I hate the P-ness of INTP because of this thing, too much thinking something unnecessary and kinda hard to take decision quickly. INTJ will be easier in making any decision because they see the big picture, once they know the "pattern" of some situations, they can easily make "summary" of the problems. But INTP has kinda urge to think about everything clearly in details.

Spoiler

This is what made me often fought with one of my INTP friends, because he hates if I go to the conclusion too quick, but in the end I'm always right.
When I found out that I'm not an INTP, I said INTPs are useless because of their P-ness.

Sorry, don't be offended. I've scored 100% T in my last free online tests continuously, I've no feeling.

 

[Paintzee]

Sounds like an INTP with Aspergers

 

[Pilot the Cannibal]

Sounds like an INTP with Aspergers

How do you figure? I said she was less shy than the average INTP, not more shy. I don't really know anything about Aspergers but it doesn't seem like she has it to me...she is not socially awkward, just socially disinterested.

 

[Pilot the Cannibal]

For the OP, does your cousin the always getting things done girl? I hate the P-ness of INTP because of this thing, too much thinking something unnecessary and kinda hard to take decision quickly. INTJ will be easier in making any decision because they see the big picture, once they know the "pattern" of some situations, they can easily make "summary" of the problems. But INTP has kinda urge to think about everything clearly in details.

Spoiler

This is what made me often fought with one of my INTP friends, because he hates if I go to the conclusion too quick, but in the end I'm always right.
When I found out that I'm not an INTP, I said INTPs are useless because of their P-ness.

Sorry, don't be offended. I've scored 100% T in my last free online tests continuously, I've no feeling.

She gets things done that she sees are important. She can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time if it matters to her, or if it can hold her interest. But it will take her forever to do practical things she considers boring (ie, send an important email.) She actually has no trouble making decisions unless she feels she doesn't have enough information--but once she get it, she usually has no problem making an education decision. (I, on the other hand, am an INTP for sure, and I am one of the most indecisive people on Earth...I always feel like I don't have enough facts.)

 

[catatonic]

I still feel she's more to P than J.

Spoiler

wait what? I have feelings??

 

[Tony3d]

Ti Fe Ni Se, maybe you've developed your Fe better and others developed the Ti better, of course there are some differences.

Blasphemy!

Don't doubt my Ti just because I have strong Fe. My Ti has only become stronger from fighting off my wild Fe over the years. I am and always will be a thinker first.

 

[catatonic]

No one doubt you
I was just made an example.

 

[Pilot the Cannibal]

I still feel she's more to P than J.

Spoiler

wait what? I have feelings??

Yeah, I think you're right. She took that test two years ago, anyways, and she was at school (I've heard people tend to answer more "J" and more "T" when they're at school or work.) Also, maybe I'm just super P so she seems J in comparison to me.