Visual Identification

[asdfasdfasdfsdf]

are there things you have noticed other intps do that not really any other types do?
how do you visually identify an intp?
the only person i have ever seen who walked with his arms crossed, and his neck slanted forward (hard to describe the posture) was an intp...

 

[Cogwulf]

I think that just poor body language/posture is a general feature of INTPs, there are no specific things about posture that are possessed by all though.

I used to have a very unconfident posture when I walked, but I sort of grew out of it recently, it still isn't great though

 

[phantome]

hmm...I suppose that upon meeting new people, INTPs are usually the person who sits quietly and observes everyone as they're getting to know each other.

 

[Ashenstar]

I'm really not sure.
I stand/walk with generally stiff rigid posture. I also tend to shift myself a bit because I get a sudden notion now and then that I am standing "weird".

Just the other day I was standing out in public and when I looked down I noticed that my feet were positioned to where my toes were pointing away from each other and out. I believe it's called pigeon toed?

I thought this might be kind of strange so I then corrected my feet to both be facing forward. I was satisfied until I noticed that the tips of my boots did not match the parallel design that was on the surface I was standing on. So then I again adjusted my feet to where the toes were perfectly even and exactly on the same line.

 

[Ombat]

I also tend to shift myself a bit because I get a sudden notion now and then that I am standing "weird".

I do this too. gah.

I stand/sit with my arms crossed all the time, and I never realized it until it was pointed out to me by my friend's dad, who said that I don't look "open" enough, so I should stop doing it.

I'd say if you saw a group of people and one of them was kind of looking off to the side, not paying attention, he/she might be an INTP.

 

[Thread Killer]

I dunno. Slouching, a tendency not to smile and a sense of 'closed-offness' is pretty normal from the intps I encounter. Though I've noticed some just look alike in the face. There's an intp in one of my classes and he looks so much like me that it's nuts, other than him being a guy and having some more male facial characteristics. But yeah, it's weird sometimes.

 

[warryer]

When I am walking to class, I'm either looking around at stuff or have a blank stare on my face. I must look scary or something because people are always getting out of my way. I might have to look into that Somehow I'm present enough to notice this.

 

[Ermine]

I don't know for INTPs in general, but for me, I generally have a blank stare on my face, unless I'm really happy or any other emotional extreme. I tend to stand and sit with my feet pointing towards each other (I think that's either a sign of uneasiness or introversion), look a bit disoriented, and I think my posture is alright, but only after I actually consciously focused on improving my posture and the way I walk and stand. But in public, my general appearance is probably just screaming distant and uneasy. I probably need to change that, even though that is exactly how I feel unless I'm with good friends.

 

[Tunesimah]

I have the poor posture and lazy movements.

I also stare off into space just thinking. Most misinterpret what I'm doing.

I do try to smile, and I often smile when I'm not supposed to... when I try to 'act' it's all smiles... I just can't stop.

 

[Dormouse]

My mouth hangs open, and I look up at the ceiling to avoid staring at people.

 

[Cavallier]

I think I must usually have a neutral, or what I think is neutral, look on my face and my arms crossed or I have my hands in my pockets. People think I'm mad a lot. I'll go to work and people will stop me after I've come through the door to make sure I'm okay because I look angry. I always just figured it was because of my being a ginger and people think gingers are pissed off all the time.

I run into people a lot. I turn corners to quickly or without paying attention and run smack into people. Also I hum or whistle a lot. I do it without even thinking about it now.

 

[Ashenstar]

I think I must usually have a neutral, or what I think is neutral, look on my face and my arms crossed or I have my hands in my pockets. People think I'm mad a lot. I'll go to work and people will stop me after I've come through the door to make sure I'm okay because I look angry. I always just figured it was because of my being a ginger and people think gingers are pissed off all the time.

I run into people a lot. I turn corners to quickly or without paying attention and run smack into people. Also I hum or whistle a lot. I do it without even thinking about it now.

*sigh*
I also get the "why are you angry?" a lot. I usually stop and think "Wait, am I angry? No. I'm not." Then I tell the person Im not angry and they usually walk off giving me a look as if they don't believe me leaving me completely confused.

And I also run into people a lot as well. I'm always turning corners and dodging people at the last second.

 

[asdfasdfasdfsdf]

*sigh*
I also get the "why are you angry?"

interesting.
when i barely knew an intp friend, she would always give me a hug when we saw eachother.. she always told me a looked sad, and needed a hug.
its kind of funny, because i dont display anything that would make me sad.. i often wear a happy.. or detached mask...
but i am sad :'(, either that or angry.. but i walk around in public much less when i am angry.

 

[grEEEn]

face expressing something I'm not actually feeling: check. funny story, my cotoure sewing teacher from Europe was always reshowing me how to do detail work because I looked confused, as though I don't understand what's going on.

mouth open, staring: check. I have an overbite that makes me look like Butt-Head and I have too many teeth for the capacity of my mouth. I often stare into space when I'm deep in thought, and often something that's easily offended/amused will fill the space I'm staring into, and I'm the butt of yet another joke.

posture: Very bad. I have a hump. My mom is always telling me to stand straighter and put my shoulders back and contort my body into shapes it's not meant to be in. I am back to slouching comfortably the moment she turns her back.

Feet: Toes point outward. Makes me sad because my extravert bff has toes that point inward and I preffer this appearance.

keeping to myself in a crowd: yuppers. I'm either doing my own ridiculous thing to entertain one person, or I'm totally not paying attention at all.

crashing into people: I actually knock skinny girls over with unintended hip-checking. Every day. My nickname at work is "Power Ass" >_> I get some of the men with an unintended shoulder or elbow, but rarely knock them over.

I've been looking at noses lately. My nose is cute and ski-jump like. Not very big, but it doesn't have any weird bumps in the middle, it's a little bit bulby at the end and curves upward. My nose is the best nose I've ever seen.

I have 1 droopy eyebrow, it makes me look like Thom Yorke. Which I don't see as a bad thing.

also, SUPER RED CHEEKS.

I have funny proportions, my friends know me as the "Giant Midget". I'm 5'7. That's a rather average height, but if I'm sitting on a bench next to someone 6"+ I appear to be taller. I am all torso, no leg. My shoulders are narrow, my chest is small, my biceps are HUGE, I actually have a nicely defined waist due to the extra long torso, and I'm very big in the hips. Don't know if any of this helps.

Super red cheeks, best photo I have of my nose, small eyes, cheesy expression, and unkempt hair.

droopy eyebrow, Solomon Grundy face, and failtastic makeup. haha.

 

[Ombat]

Me: *looking around thinking happy thoughts*
Substitute in astronomy class: Why are you sad?
Me: i'm not sad...
Substitute: Really? Because you look like you're about to kill someone, or yourself.
Me: thanks

Just one example.

 

[Artifice Orisit]

The INTP is displaying typical introvert's posture.
Most of us grow out of it, eventually.

I'm still closed & hunched slightly, but my chin's up.
And as for the wide-base thing... why fix what works?

 

[warryer]

I always have people asking me 'If I'm loving life yet?' I think wtf are they talking about? Usually I just smile and laugh in response. That usually gets a good response.

 

[Minuend]

I've been aware of my body language for some years now, I know what to do to look more confident. But since I'm not, I think people will sometimes see through me. I also shift my stance, I get the feeling that I'm not looking confident enough or something like that. I do think I look a bit sad, but there hasn't been anyone commenting on it.

I'm usually the one who avoids people. Who don't talk much in class, and go straight back home when I don't have to be there anymore. But I'm polite and all when people talk to me. I even smile.

 

[Aiss]

Poor posture, yes. People asking me what's wrong when I'm just sitting alone thinking, yes. Being alone and quiet in the middle of the party sometimes, yes. I also walk into whatever is in my path.

That said, I can act pretty extroverted when extroverts are going all extroverted on me, so I don't think anyone could tell I'm an INTP if they only saw me with other people (unless they observed chameleon-ishness, which is apparently typical for us...). I'm definitely mirroring other people, they often tell me when they see me with others that I'm a completely different person from the one they know (because apparently how I'm with other people defines what person I'm *sigh* I guess it's just extroverted point of view).

 

[Deleted member 1424]

I don't really relate to most of this.
I'm not very tall, so I don't slouch. I generally only look at the ground if I'm analyzing my (or others) stride and step. While walking I'm usually preoccupied with my thoughts and my gaze wanders about midlevel. I never cross my arms, unless I'm purposefully trying send a message(or I'm cold). Otherwise I tend to hook my thumbs in my pockets or hold my hands behind my back.

People do tend to associate my 'lost in thought' default expression with melancholy. My Dad is the only one who can consistently tell the difference. I've never really had a problem with body language as far as I know, though I have been told I'm 'hard to read.'

 

[beastie]

Im always told to smile, even by complete strangers. Give me something to smile about and I will.
Why do I have to smile all the friggin time? - my cheeks hurt dammit.

 

[saffyangelis]

Humm.. I slouch a lot too...
I've been told off for it a few times by my Mum/Sister/ENFP girl at school (The ENFP also once tried to teach me to 'Walk properly' - standing up straight, smiling and looking confident seemed to be her idea, while I normally walk looking at my feet, trying to make myself as invisible as possible =P)

I don't smile much either unless I'm paying attention, but I've got into the habit of automatically smiling at school, since otherwise I end up with conversations like "Awww Saffy, what's wrong?" "Umm... Nothing?" "Are you sure?" "(now confused) Yeah..." "Oh... Okay then" *I get hugged* =/

Also, as another thing that might be an INTP trait, how many of you sit on the floor in public? The bookshops here don't have chairs in really, so I end up sitting there and reading when I have nothing to do, and I think I mentioned it once on IRC and a few other people did the same... I'm not sure though

 

[beastie]

Im a floor sitter - I prefer it.

 

[Aiss]

My tendency as well. Doesn't everyone do it in bookstores though? It's usually kind of hard to find a part of floor which isn't either taken or blocking the passage.

 

[saffyangelis]

I've never seen anyone else sat on the floor by themselves where I live - People always nearly trip over me since they're not expecting it. The only times I've seen anyone else sat on the floor is when they're surrounded by friends, shopping bags around them and they're having a drink (although a lot of the time, they'll be sat on some steps instead)

In bookshops though, I've never seen anyone other than me sat down =/

 

[Seducer of the Homeless]

i am constantly fidgeting, wriggling etc. on chairs i set cuddled up, reserved, my leg jumping and rapidly staring around the room or at the floor. also, in class i used to stand up in class, i still do sometimes, it would annoy everyone. i think generally i am restless, i sit on the floor too, i sit on desks, i curl up, i lie down on tables, the floor...you get the message. people, again, find me odd for this. when people ask me to sit normally i struggle.

yeah, i walk quite reservedly, head down, when i get near to people i automatically curl my arms up and make myself small as possible (thank god i am skinny). i prefer to wear black/grey not because i like being dark (although i am) but because i blend in more, i can just lurk in the shadows, because they don't want me to be within the main group, they dislike me, and i am incapable of doing so anyway

 

[Ashenstar]

I have a tendency to sit on the floor and at people's feet. In high school arts and communications English class I occasionally sat on the floor under my desk. The teacher didn't seem to mind.

 

[Agent Intellect]

Inappropriate facial expressions seems quite pervasive - and is certainly true of myself. I have also been asked on occasion why I look angry, and last week at school my professor was telling us about some sad story about her daughter or something and then stopped and asked why I was smiling - that was kind of awkward (and I don't even remember that I was smiling).

Bad posture is also true with me. I never know what to do with my arms when I'm standing, and I often have them either crossed in front of me or holding onto my wrist behind my back. I adjust constantly (I probably look quite OCD).

I can't look into other peoples faces if I'm not talking to them (and often times even when I am). This always has me looking off at the walls or ceiling, or down to the floor.

 

[didyouknow]

My nickname as a child was "boo" because I always looked like I'd "seen a ghost". Apparently I still have that wide-eyed expression on most of the time. I used to be unable to have my eyelids covering any part of the iris. It's a bit better now, but still noticeable.

I stand with feet fairly far apart, slouched and usually I like carrying something so I have an excuse to keep my hands up near my chin. Sometimes when I'm thinking deeply about something I sort of come back to reality and notice I had been chewing on my thumbnail. There's this one person who keeps patting me on the head or trying to hug me all the time and I get stiff and sort of make my hands into claws automatically in a weird kind of protective stance.

I notice other INTPs by either bad or stiff posture (occasionally both). Often their moves are jerky or awkward and never stand too close to people around them. A tendency to space out a lot and walk off without saying anything are common as well.

Hmm, does anyone else have an uneven face (besides grEEn)? When my face is relaxed it looks normal but when I smile it's crooked and I can only raise my eyebrow and twitch my lip on one side of my face...

 

[Cavallier]

I've got into the habit of automatically smiling at school, since otherwise I end up with conversations like "Awww Saffy, what's wrong?" "Umm... Nothing?" "Are you sure?" "(now confused) Yeah..." "Oh... Okay then" *I get hugged* =/

So...smiling at people deflects hugs? THAT'S IT! I've gotta start smiling at people.

Thank you Saffy!

*skips away*

 

[anyaa]

I generally have a Blank face..[specifically when alone]...
Sit quietly...and observe people...

 

[Cavallier]

That said, I can act pretty extroverted when extroverts are going all extroverted on me, so I don't think anyone could tell I'm an INTP if they only saw me with other people (unless they observed chameleon-ishness, which is apparently typical for us...). I'm definitely mirroring other people, they often tell me when they see me with others that I'm a completely different person from the one they know (because apparently how I'm with other people defines what person I'm *sigh* I guess it's just extroverted point of view).

This makes me imagine a scenario:

There's a party and INTP1 is sitting in the corner people watching because it's better then actually interacting with people. INTP2 is sitting surrounded by friends who are going all extroverted and the INTP2 is mirroring them. After a while the INTP1 notices little differences between the INTP2 and INTP2's friends (such as slouching, using long words, trying to explain concepts that the friends don't get at all, telling jokes that the friends don't get at all) and thinks to himself, "HA! You're not extroverted at all! You're an INTP in disguise". And attempts to get up the courage to talk to INTP2 but then questions his judgment and never actually approaches INTP2. Another failed INTP hook-up.