How 'rare' are we?

[Ellimist]

Since learning of the MBTI I've done extensive research regarding the intj. When I first found out what I was and read the discription, I remember feeling astounded at the accuracy with which it read into my head. Beforehand I was a little incredulous that a mere 72 questions would be adequate to dissect such a brain as mine; I was no mere mortal to be understood so easily after such a short time under the microscope! Lol. I was wrong.
From all that I've read regarding our tendencies, I see that we supposedly make up less than one percent of the population. I feel that this is a high prediction; I have only in the last few months met my first fellow intj in real life. So my question is this. How many fellow intj do you know or have met in your lifetime? That is excluding online, although I do love this forum with all of my heart. If we intj's had hearts that is. ;).

[Booko]

How many fellow intj do you know or have met in your lifetime? That is excluding online, although I do love this forum with all of my heart. If we intj's had hearts that is. ;).

That I know are INTJ for sure?

About 3-4 friends.
Both of my kids.

My guess would be I've met a couple of dozen more over the 50-some years, just by comparing working styles and such.

Oh, and we do have hearts. We just don't give them much notice and certainly aren't going to let anyone else have much of a peek.

[Chshrkat09]

Out of the people I have met I'd have to say 2. My aunt and my friend. Other than that most all my other friends are more outgoing and love social functions on a constant basis.

[HAL 9000]

I thought I was an INTJ for a time. I also thought my sister and mother were INTJ's. Upon closer inspection. None of us really turned out to be.

I think I knew one INTJ in high school. Yep, you guys are a rare breed.

[Veracity]

I've met one for sure, and my dad is an xNTx. Not sure that I've met any others.

[True Rune]

I know at least 4-5, but out of what. I don't think it's less than one, but Ni dominants are consistently the ones you'll encounter the least.

[Plethora]

I know one via an internet forum. But I never met any others.

[Adoniax]

The only friends I have are on here. So I guess I'm surrounded by INTJ's ;]

[Ellimist]

I know at least 4-5, but out of what. I don't think it's less than one, but Ni dominants are consistently the ones you'll encounter the least.

If you only know 4-5, than odds are we are in fact less than one percent. It's more than likely that you have been exposed to more than four to five hundred people in the course of your life, no?

[taciturn]

Absolutely NONE.

[thewraith]

I've never met a single one, at least not that I know of. I'm pretty new to the whole MBTI thing so I never had anything to reference it to, I just know I was always looking for people "like me" and I never found any.

You can meet people who display bits and pieces of it - there are a fair amount of Introverts around, and some iNtuitives, but never the whole thing all at once.

I don't know why you'd say we have no heart, that's just a bad rap. I have a massive heart, I just don't share it with just anyone.

There's a huge difference between being introverted and having no heart.

[CycleBreaker]

Never met another in RL either. I was pretty surprised to find I wasn't completely alone, although I suspected there were others.

[Danisty]

My mom just tested as INTJ so I know 2 confirmed INTJs and suspect I've known 3 or 4 others. My mom and I are INTJs and my father and my husband are ENTJs.

[Ellimist]

I've never met a single one, at least not that I know of. I'm pretty new to the whole MBTI thing so I never had anything to reference it to, I just know I was always looking for people "like me" and I never found any.

You can meet people who display bits and pieces of it - there are a fair amount of Introverts around, and some iNtuitives, but never the whole thing all at once.

I don't know why you'd say we have no heart, that's just a bad rap. I have a massive heart, I just don't share it with just anyone.

There's a huge difference between being introverted and having no heart.

For the record, the heart remark was a joke. I too feel that we experience emotions very intensely; we just choose to share it with a select, private few. I was completely kidding about the heart remark. Curse my quirky dry sense if humour. Didn't my winking smiley face help at all?

[Felis Chaus]

One of my friends is an INTJ, but other than him, I don't know anyone else in real life.

[Atrer]

I suspect that my Dad is pretty close and I'm not an expert at telling what type someone is but I've never really encountered anyone else who thinks and acts like me. I am sure that none of my friends are INTJ though.

[Supaslim]

I know two, other than myself- my brother and my dad.

Although, I may actually know three. Somebody I know from college acts suspiciously like an INTJ, but I'm only positive about the T.

[crabnebula]

None that I am absolutely sure of, though I suspect my uncle is one as almost everyone says I am similar to him; and one of my teachers whose way of thinking is very INTJ-like.

[operatorfivetwo]

Only 1, very good friend I made in university.

[Commissar]

Can't say that I've met anyone who struck me as an INTJ. None of my friends are for sure, no one in my direct family, and none of my cousins/aunts/uncles fit the profile at all.

[Anima Mundi]

I don't know anyone in real life who's an INTJ. It'd be nice to have an alliance or two, though. :/

[Elwood92]

Besides myself I know two confirmed INTJs (my best friend and my dad), I suspect a few others to be INTJs but I'm not enirely sure about them.

[WraithWolf]

I've never met a single one, at least not that I know of. I'm pretty new to the whole MBTI thing so I never had anything to reference it to, I just know I was always looking for people "like me" and I never found any.

You can meet people who display bits and pieces of it - there are a fair amount of Introverts around, and some iNtuitives, but never the whole thing all at once.

I don't know why you'd say we have no heart, that's just a bad rap. I have a massive heart, I just don't share it with just anyone.

There's a huge difference between being introverted and having no heart.

Me too. In fact the people I've known in my life have all considered me to be the resident "weirdo", so I'd say, no - I've never met anyone else like me.

I do know someone, however who is not an INTJ but he understands me, which is comforting... probably because I have a profound desire to be understood and, like you I also have a massive heart - but I keep it well hidden and protected.

[Bobsama]

One or two. The one I remember is an anime junkie and, while I do watch some anime, I don't watch a lot.

[Ilara]

I don't know any other INTJs irl. I know quite a few NTs, though (family's loaded with 'em).

[Silverity]

I know about 6. I would like to point out that a lot of us congregate together. For example, my brother's group of friends enjoy playing strategy games, it comes as little surprise to find out he has three INTJ friends, and he's an INFJ. I also enjoy this past time and have four INTJ friends. Our Dad is an INTJ and is the one who fostered this hobby of ours.

So I think we can be rare (1%) and still know many of our type.

A parallel situation is that I have a particular disorder that affects 1% of the population, and I know tons of people with it. 1%, after all, is 1 in 100. It's "rare" but not exactly hard to find. Just think of it every time you walk into a large building. How many hundreds of people are in there? Well... a few of those are probably INTJs.

[roninpro]

I don't know anybody who might test as INTJ. However, I wonder if they just blend in well. For example, many of my colleagues might try to classify me as E, if they knew about the Myers-Briggs system.

[Espiral00]

One or two.

[fokalina]

I have had to take only two MTBI tests in my life: once in Psychology in high school, and the other in Speech in college. Only in college did my results match those of someone else. That someone was my teacher!

That being said, no one I know has ever brought up the topic of MBTI personality types with me. So it seems that few people know or care what their types are.
So we may know more INTJ individuals than we think. Maybe we all exist in little bunches all over the world. :)

[Booko]

My mom just tested as INTJ so I know 2 confirmed INTJs and suspect I've known 3 or 4 others. My mom and I are INTJs and my father and my husband are ENTJs.

*ahem* You know 3 confirmed INTJs...you, your mom and me. Did you forget to count yourself?

[Leg]

Just a couple..

[Danisty]

*ahem* You know 3 confirmed INTJs...you, your mom and me. Did you forget to count yourself?It didn't seem necessary to count myself.

[Skele Drew]

I've confirmed two of my friends (both female; one's actually a footballer!), and I strongly suspect two of my very good male friends too (but they seem too emotional at times).

[MaineJohn]

Good question, never thought about putting a number to how few I've known. I'd say around 6. Definitely less than 10.

[Reganon]

Three confirmed, but I have a foolish tendency to type others as nonINTJs if I dislike them, so it could be more.

[deacon]

i knew 1. he was my classmates brother. he never said hi so we sometimes would just stare at each other when passing by because i never say hi to people either. but we know each other and don't have any bad blood between us. weird.

[thewraith]

For the record, the heart remark was a joke. I too feel that we experience emotions very intensely; we just choose to share it with a select, private few. I was completely kidding about the heart remark. Curse my quirky dry sense if humour. Didn't my winking smiley face help at all?

I didn't take it as an insult or anything, it's just one of those perceptions that people have and it really needs to be challenged.

Winks look like smiles and smiles look like frowns - I'm sure most people understood how you meant it though. :) <that is supposed to be a smile.

[GouldFan]

I know one. I have not noticed any others.

[Stealthjelly]

None I've met, and one online.

I do have an INFJ friend though, which are supposedly about as rare as us INTJ's.

[SilentRequiem]

I know 6 INTJs irl, 4 of which are girls (so far for the 0.5% of population) though I haven't met much people (these are confirmed though)

[masterpeach]

I think the company I work for is an xNTx magnet (software development). Sometimes I think my type is not that rare at all. On the other hand, I am still not that good at typing others and still struggle with the ISTP/ISTJ/INTP/INTJ determination. I think my Dad is an xnTJ. My best friend is a typical INTJ and I love her (PhD in mathematics and physics, habilitated professor and mother of my godson). We've been friends for 11 years now.

[gabbya]

None that I know of. The problem is recognising an INTJ when you meet one, as they tend not to show much of their personality. Odds are there are a few in my classes at uni, for instance. I do know quite a few NTs, however.

[Hiro]

None of my friends are INTJs I believe. One I thought was an INTJ I now see more as an INFJ, but I do have a couple of awesome INTP friends.

[TigerL]

Depends on what circles you travel in. I don't talk about MBTI much off this forum so I don't really know who has been officially tested as an INTJ. My sense is that in scientific circles there are probably INTJs aplenty but we don't exactly announce ourselves or show much of our personality or we adapt it to the situation.

The one identified INTJ I knew (we were in a class and took the MBTI there) and the few people I suspect are INTJs, I get along with but we (were) are not close friends.

[jonnyb]

I personally don't know any other INTJ in my day to day life. I met two in real life via this forum. Both pleasant experiences.

[aliendawn]

yesterday i found out that the guy i have been sitting next to at work for the past three years tested as INTJ...with a weak T though. apart from that i only seem to be surrounded by ISTJ types.

[Bluesea]

The population norms within the MBTI are based on USA only aren't they? Do we know for sure that the norms are reliable? Does anyone know about how these %'s were developed? What % of Americans have taken the test I wonder? Wonder what % of INTJ's once finding out they are, do searches about it and come across this forum?

What is the psychological and emotional impact of thinking only 1% of the population are like you? Given we are all unique and can at different points come into more acute contact with our existential aloneness is it likely that telling any individual they are rare would hit home and feel real to them at some level? What does it say about us if we are rare if the qualities we posses are in such a minority that we are unlikely to be on the same wavelength as 99% of the population? Is that a good thing ...?

I have asked some people I have met and two have tested INTJ, one I would have guessed and the other was an IT specialist so I wasn't surprised. However, many others might test it as it is not a common thing to ask people or to do ... Facebook has a version, so it could be interesting to see how many are testing there as INTJ.

[Shagrath]

Just one confirmed. ='(
Although I suspect a few of possibly being INTJs...

[marcerin]

I guess its not just how rare we are, but how rare the other types are too.
When I took the MB test it said INTJs are one of the rarest of the types, making up 1-5% of the population.
I sent the test to my friends and they all got different types but each one said 'its one of the rarest types, making up 2-5% of the population' that was the same for several different types.
The interesting thing is that we were all rare types but were all friends.

I've not looked through the stats for every type, but its got me thinking that maybe most of the population is made up of 3 or 4 types and the other 10 or so types are 1-5% rare ones.

[Veracity]

Marcerin you might be onto something. Society creates a desire to homogenize. INTJ's and some others resist this urge. I know one other INTJ for sure and my dad is an xNTx (too balanced to tell, tests as all 4 at times.

[Il Prodigio]

I know 3 or 4.
Had a romantic fling with one, once. That was fun.

It's funny, my freshman year in college I went in blind and got paired with an ESFP. We did not get along at all and he ended up moving out. The next semester I had 3 possible roomates to chose from that I could move into their dorms. I went to the first choice's room and we talked for literally 2-3 minutes. I asked him "Wanna be roomates?" He said "sure" and we became really really good friends. It turns out he was actually an INTJ as well and is still a great friend of mine today. It also turns out that his previous roommate did the same thing to him.

What a weird twist of fate.

[s4nder]

I know one definite INTJ and one IXTJ, also a couple of INTP-s. At my current workplace NT types are relatively common and it's a joy to be working with them.

[Napoleptic]

Of my friends who tested, two turned out to be INTJ. Wouldn't have guessed on either of them. I have a third friend who I would not at all be surprised to find out she's an INTJ, but since I was wrong on the others, perhaps I'm wrong about her. Oh, and one INTJ guy, but I really only see him every couple months or so, so I don't know him that well.

[Azmorgrim]

How rare are INTJs? Rare, according to certain statistics somewhere, but how true that is, I really have no idea.

It wouldn't be correct if we were to look at test results - lots of people tend to be mistyped depending on their interpretation of the questions and their mood. Yet, if we were to do so by general observation, it wouldn't be quite correct either. Some people are really private and wouldn't disclose what they really are thinking, no matter how secretly interested they are in the subject of conversation.

[dmouth11]

Just in this past month I've met three female INTJs (a very rare find I suppose)

One is my boss and she is probably the best boss imaginable. She gives me complex strategic assignments and turns me loose to do them on my own! My favorite professor in the past was an INTJ as well.

One is a high level supervisor at my office

One is a daughter of a family friend. She and I are (almost) literally male and female versions of the same person. Same career interests, same way of thinking, same outrageous sense of humor, etc.

Also, my arch-nemesis for two whole years was one of those INTJs... the ones who are such a--holes and have no grip on reality, lack tact and social skills and are just unpleasant to be around. He gives INTJs a bad name!

[Malkavia]

I know two confirmed. One of my best friends (and roommate) and another good friend. We seem to attract each other, honestly.

[Grendl]

Impossible to determine. The actual subject is, for me, a rare one in discussion. There are a few people that I would surmise are probably INTJ, but I could easily have met many more. I know of 3 confirmed now and suspect a few others.

The problem of recognition, as I see it, is at least two-fold. Firstly, as many have pointed out, people in general and INTJs specifically it seems, thrive on being unique. By necessity then, those would be the types least likely to want to categorize themselves. Unfortunately though, the MBTI already categorizes this personality type as one of the least common which could perhaps attract individuals hoping to be "independent", thus skewing the results.
Secondly, though there are "stereotypical" character traits that can distinguish INTJs, I think it is dangerous to make personality assumptions based purely on these mannerisms. All people are adaptable. You can be how you choose to be, react however you wish, regardless of how you perceive the world or receive it's input. A great many people, myself included, utilize such tools as the MBTI coupled with introspection to help identify personality pitfalls and opportunities that may arise from them. The impetus for such action can be driven by a career choice, friendships, or even romantic relationships. Learning who you are is, and should be, a lifetime journey. Theoretically, the INTJ would be one of the most introspective and logical of individuals and, thusly, should be more adept at masking or tempering their particular dispositions. That being the case, I find it somewhat intriguing that so many are willing to readily identify themselves as stereotypical INTJ, almost as if taking pride in it...

Whatever the case, I do believe us to be one of the more rare types. However, rarity is only a relative term, as evidenced by the attendance of not only this particular site, but many more. Thankfully, we all have a collective shoulder on which to rest our anguished heads and a great many examples of what we could be.

Gnothi Seauton.

[elfbrick]

I know one person who I think is an INTJ - has many of the traits and there's a feeling of recognition when I talk to them that I don't get with anyone else. But I don't know any confirmed INTJs.

[Antares]

At least one who took the test. I don't really believe her, but that's another issue. There's another whom I thought might be one, but she doesn't think so. And then there's the third who's an ENTP lookalike, but told me privately that he's a closet introvert.

[ewanduffy]

While I don't know any for certain, I'd hazard a guess that my Team Leader at work is one. Her personality/work style is remarkably similar to mine.

[Banin]

While 1 percent seems like a low percentage, 1 percent of 6 billion is still a large number. I mean, I've probably mets thousands of people in my life, so dozens of those were likely INTJs. If you meant how many INTJs do I know well, then the answer is probably 1 or 0. I don't regularly quiz people on their types though.

[Quiet Riot]

3 confirmed. 2 were my male AP teachers. One was a female.

But the thing about INTJs are, many often camouflage themselves as different types so as not to be seen as a loner asshole, our natural tendency.

[delilah]

Not as rare as we. Never met another infp outside of here.

tie your shoes, pack a good lunch, and remember that we're all in this together.

[Murky Muse]

I know one confirmed- my professor/academic advisor. I also suspect that my dad may be an INTJ; he's definity an IxTJ.

[Muse]

none of my close irl friends are INTJ, but a close irl friend of mine is ENJT and we work well together.

[rika]

Well, I meet quite a lot of INTJs and other NTs at work which is science and engineering related. If we were moths, then this special subject seems to be like the light to us...

On the whole I think it is great to be among similar minded people.

[Mr Mediocre]

I am not sure - I suspect my mother is one but hard to say. No-one I know currently...

[Sforza]

All the INTJs I've ever met have been through the net, or have been introduced by people I met through the net. All in all, I know about 5 whom I speak with on a regular basis.

[PerfctRevoluton]

1 , my uncle.

I guess it can be true that most of the types are 'rare' with 1-5%, but I think it may seem like we're very rare because we spend a lot of time away from people. I always feel like I'm meeting ST's and SF's as just friends. I identify quickly with NF's (specially females), and I work well with NT's, so I get closer to them.

I've been kind of clinging on to tv INTJ's like House and Grissom (csi). I didn't realize it until recently that the reason I respect them and envy them so much is because they have similar qualities to me.

[GouldFan]

I like how Slowandeasy has put it in terms of numbers in the other thread. (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.)

Yep, we think different, talk different, write different - --

Get used to it. According to the stats INTJ represent about 1% of the population. The largest group ESTJ 15% and ESFJ 15%.

Now 1% of the US population is around 3,000,000 people - so don't feel too lonely.

As far as NT goes, we are about 5%. (15,000,000 people)

The first trick is to find places like this forum, where we tend to congregate.

The second trip is to take a look at a few of the MBTI sites that specialize in defining what INTJs are good at, then visit a few sites that interest you and that you are passionate about.

I found the book "Gifts Differing" by Peter Myers to be a good intro, if you are into reading.

Yeah, we may feel that we are rare, but not as rare if we thought about in a more global perspective.

[DarkPassenger]

I found out I was an INTJ in class a few months ago. My professor, who has become my friend, is also an INTJ. Go figure! It's awesome talking with him, the conversation just flows. After asking most my co-workers to test I found out one is an INTJ, another, she's an INFJ. My "brotha' from anotha' mutha'" is an ENTJ. Makes a lot of sense.

[TwilightX]

Oddly enough, in addition to me, my father and my best friend are both INTJs. I can't picture any other acquaintances being close to INTJ though. And I'm still not too sure about my dad; he might be an ISTJ.

[lantern bearer]

I knew a number of INTJ's in college, and generally lots of N's, which spoiled me for life afterwards. I hate to think that we are so rare. Are NT's more rare than NF's? It seems as if I am reading a few things lately that seem to support that.

[someuser]

I know 0, so rare. depends on what source is used. some say intj, others say infj (or infp). either way, intj is rare for sure. There's definitely an error rate for the %s. Think of the %s as ranges, rather than concrete numbers.

[capricorn9]

Since learning of the MBTI I've done extensive research regarding the intj. When I first found out what I was and read the discription, I remember feeling astounded at the accuracy with which it read into my head. Beforehand I was a little incredulous that a mere 72 questions would be adequate to dissect such a brain as mine; I was no mere mortal to be understood so easily after such a short time under the microscope! Lol. I was wrong.
From all that I've read regarding our tendencies, I see that we supposedly make up less than one percent of the population. I feel that this is a high prediction; I have only in the last few months met my first fellow intj in real life. So my question is this. How many fellow intj do you know or have met in your lifetime? That is excluding online, although I do love this forum with all of my heart. If we intj's had hearts that is. ;).

I know you're joking, but I am most proud of my heart, much more than my brain. As to how "special" we are, I haven't met anyone that I could say positively is an INTJ in real life yet, but I would not be surprised if there were millions of INTJs out there.

[alighieri]

In the United States INTJ's comprise about 2-4% of the population.