What do you understand an INTJ to be?

**Tactical Panda** · 04-22-2012, 04:07 AM

For you answering in regards to what you people on this forum personally think.

For example, as questions you have no need to answer but merely may spark some discussion:

How much of a basis do you think it has in describing real trends in people?
How much about a person do you think it can describe?
Do you think being identified as an INTJ merely a choice or a state of mood?
Do you think being an INTJ is based mainly on matching a personality profile description?
Do you think being an INTJ is based on I or E, N or S, T or F, J or P, or is an INTJ based on jungian function preference?
Do you think type can change, or that functions change, or that they merely develop, or that you have access to all the function or only some?
Do you think INTJ and INTj are the same or do you make socionics distinctions?

**MrFlaneur** · 04-22-2012, 08:09 AM

The Man Behind The Curtain.

Do you think being an INTJ is based mainly on matching a personality profile description? Some people reach to fit the description, others don't. They are both easy to spot. The reachiness is a hallmark of whatever type a person is. No reachy, and you are that type - you are the personification of the type.

**Nemtriosk** · 04-22-2012, 08:47 AM

I essentially view INTJ to be a preference set towards critical thinking rational people. You're organized with everything having a proper place, time and structure and you also prefer smaller amounts of heavy interaction with a few people. Like a crystal lattice. One in a million, you can't or don't care to see everyone, but you can jump around and without seeing everything know what's going on really far away, and know everything about the atoms adjacent to you. etc etc.

I answer this below, but really INTJ is a very broad category due to the range of personality that can be within one section (very I or mildly I eg) so it's only so useful. And the reachiness is important. If you're pretending to act one way to be called INTJ, it's not really INTJ. That's why I can no longer be tested MBTI - I've taken enough tests that I will consciously or unconsciously now choose the INTJ categories, leading to biased results.

I answered the questions, but it's more on how the theory should be used than really the answer to the question:
[HIDE="Questions answered"]

Personally I agree with the psychologists; for the most part MBTI is a very sketchy theory, ego the concept of INTJ is on unstable ground. But it's invaluable to me for interacting with people in general by helping me understand their viewpoints.

1) It depends on how you use it. I've been able to use some aspects to understand the general viewpoints of other people, eg how someone could actually enjoy going to a rave. How people can stand to be "friends" with every person they meet, but not have any (what I would consider) friends. It can help understand the overall trends about how people may prefer to act and think, but it can't make good predictions. I'm going to mostly just use I/E examples for ease and to shorten this

2) It describes a preference. Looking through the forums there's a huge range of "INTJ" people. Some use it as an excuse: 'I hate people. But that's okay since I'm INTJ and I'm supposed to'. Some are boisterous people that go out of their way to just party and have a "good time", while for others the best days are those spent with only a few really good friends maybe hiking or something. Fundamentally there's an error in MBTI theory so it can't describe people. It approximates the normal distribution of personality preferences using a discrete bimodal distribution. Which leads to the next point

3) Depends on the person. I would be 50% I 40% N 40% T 10% J I would say (this isn't a valid extension of the theory yet btw, just a way to prevent complete failure). I'm fairly I, it's unlikely I would enjoy big parties. I have trouble enjoying meeting new people, but only because it's difficult to let people in. The people I know I know very very well. Sometimes I'm weaker or stronger here. Then J. Completely mood based. High stress => high J low stress => med P. Mostly factual that people change personality but their mood, and time of life. People are known to also moderate themselves as they age.

4) Not sure 100% what you mean. But I think to some extent yes. The profile descriptions are based around how the INTJ preferences are displayed. So how INTJ you are can depend on how well you match the descriptions. The questionnaire is to prevent horoscope predictions - if you read a random one you'll be likely to find several that fit the bill somewhat. Since people aren't precisely INTJ, they can read other descriptions and they still work.

5) Interesting question, I don't really know. I would say in INTJ's case that NT combination is critical - it's how ideas are formulated, followed by the I preference for less stimulation. The P/J is less critical and mainly represents the degree of order and structure. It's still important but on average I would say INTJ and INTP are closer than INTJ and INFJ eg.

6) I don't much of Jungian theory directly so can't say much. I do remember reading a bit on the functions in that they are all accessible, but there are certain preferences.

7) Don't know about socionics, but I understood j/J to mean just the degree to which you are one or the other. Eg 66% of people are either e or i, with the rest being more strongly I or E (just using 1 standard deviation. Essentially if you're fairly close it's lower. So would be with my numbers INTj.[/HIDE]

Dancingqueen · 04-22-2012, 01:29 PM

I would liken INTJ to a processing system. Since we all have different inputs, we therefore have different outputs; we process the unique inputs and produce unique outputs using the same standardized system.

As we age, the system we use to process information evolves to include new perameters ie. ethical considerations (Fi) and direct sensory input (Se).

**Owfin** · 04-22-2012, 10:15 PM

Ni dominant with T auxiliary, NOT necessarily Te auxiliary. That classification shows the method but not the (like Dancingqueen said above) the input or the output.

**Paul Siraisi** · 04-23-2012, 08:59 PM

	Originally Posted by Tactical Panda To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	For you answering in regards to what you people on this forum personally think. For example, as questions you have no need to answer but merely may spark some discussion: How much of a basis do you think it has in describing real trends in people?

Strong basis. It is in fact simply an abbreviation of the answers to all those questions one answers about one's own preferences. Assuming one isn't lying.


	How much about a person do you think it can describe?

It supplies the ball park within which many additional details are to be worked out.


	Do you think being identified as an INTJ merely a choice or a state of mood?

It's a choice, but at quite a deep level. Like having a taste for orange or coconut.


	Do you think being an INTJ is based mainly on matching a personality profile description?

Yes, if the matching is achieved through the right detailed questions.


	Do you think being an INTJ is based on I or E, N or S, T or F, J or P, or is an INTJ based on jungian function preference?

The former is an abbreviation of the latter.


	Do you think type can change, or that functions change, or that they merely develop, or that you have access to all the function or only some?

One can 'flex' as they say.


	Do you think INTJ and INTj are the same or do you make socionics distinctions?

I treat them the same. NiTe

**jetplane48** · 04-23-2012, 11:25 PM

INTJ to me, is a critical thinking robot without capability for emotion, rather in its place is a larger thought process going on, with small gears working together in simultaneous gorgeousness making little clicks and clanks every now and then when they turn forever.

The INTJ is a rechargeable battery essentially, always ready to work but needs time to think alone and then may act on those thoughts, eventually perfecting them and finalizing it with due action and swift principle.

04-22-2012, 04:07 AM	#1
Tactical Panda Core Member [133%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 5,328	For you answering in regards to what you people on this forum personally think. For example, as questions you have no need to answer but merely may spark some discussion: How much of a basis do you think it has in describing real trends in people? How much about a person do you think it can describe? Do you think being identified as an INTJ merely a choice or a state of mood? Do you think being an INTJ is based mainly on matching a personality profile description? Do you think being an INTJ is based on I or E, N or S, T or F, J or P, or is an INTJ based on jungian function preference? Do you think type can change, or that functions change, or that they merely develop, or that you have access to all the function or only some? Do you think INTJ and INTj are the same or do you make socionics distinctions?
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04-22-2012, 08:09 AM	#2
MrFlaneur Veteran Member [56%] MBTI: INTj Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,246	The Man Behind The Curtain. Do you think being an INTJ is based mainly on matching a personality profile description? Some people reach to fit the description, others don't. They are both easy to spot. The reachiness is a hallmark of whatever type a person is. No reachy, and you are that type - you are the personification of the type.
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04-22-2012, 08:47 AM	#3
Nemtriosk New Member [01%] MBTI: INTj Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 28	I essentially view INTJ to be a preference set towards critical thinking rational people. You're organized with everything having a proper place, time and structure and you also prefer smaller amounts of heavy interaction with a few people. Like a crystal lattice. One in a million, you can't or don't care to see everyone, but you can jump around and without seeing everything know what's going on really far away, and know everything about the atoms adjacent to you. etc etc. I answer this below, but really INTJ is a very broad category due to the range of personality that can be within one section (very I or mildly I eg) so it's only so useful. And the reachiness is important. If you're pretending to act one way to be called INTJ, it's not really INTJ. That's why I can no longer be tested MBTI - I've taken enough tests that I will consciously or unconsciously now choose the INTJ categories, leading to biased results. I answered the questions, but it's more on how the theory should be used than really the answer to the question: [HIDE="Questions answered"] Personally I agree with the psychologists; for the most part MBTI is a very sketchy theory, ego the concept of INTJ is on unstable ground. But it's invaluable to me for interacting with people in general by helping me understand their viewpoints. 1) It depends on how you use it. I've been able to use some aspects to understand the general viewpoints of other people, eg how someone could actually enjoy going to a rave. How people can stand to be "friends" with every person they meet, but not have any (what I would consider) friends. It can help understand the overall trends about how people may prefer to act and think, but it can't make good predictions. I'm going to mostly just use I/E examples for ease and to shorten this 2) It describes a preference. Looking through the forums there's a huge range of "INTJ" people. Some use it as an excuse: 'I hate people. But that's okay since I'm INTJ and I'm supposed to'. Some are boisterous people that go out of their way to just party and have a "good time", while for others the best days are those spent with only a few really good friends maybe hiking or something. Fundamentally there's an error in MBTI theory so it can't describe people. It approximates the normal distribution of personality preferences using a discrete bimodal distribution. Which leads to the next point 3) Depends on the person. I would be 50% I 40% N 40% T 10% J I would say (this isn't a valid extension of the theory yet btw, just a way to prevent complete failure). I'm fairly I, it's unlikely I would enjoy big parties. I have trouble enjoying meeting new people, but only because it's difficult to let people in. The people I know I know very very well. Sometimes I'm weaker or stronger here. Then J. Completely mood based. High stress => high J low stress => med P. Mostly factual that people change personality but their mood, and time of life. People are known to also moderate themselves as they age. 4) Not sure 100% what you mean. But I think to some extent yes. The profile descriptions are based around how the INTJ preferences are displayed. So how INTJ you are can depend on how well you match the descriptions. The questionnaire is to prevent horoscope predictions - if you read a random one you'll be likely to find several that fit the bill somewhat. Since people aren't precisely INTJ, they can read other descriptions and they still work. 5) Interesting question, I don't really know. I would say in INTJ's case that NT combination is critical - it's how ideas are formulated, followed by the I preference for less stimulation. The P/J is less critical and mainly represents the degree of order and structure. It's still important but on average I would say INTJ and INTP are closer than INTJ and INFJ eg. 6) I don't much of Jungian theory directly so can't say much. I do remember reading a bit on the functions in that they are all accessible, but there are certain preferences. 7) Don't know about socionics, but I understood j/J to mean just the degree to which you are one or the other. Eg 66% of people are either e or i, with the rest being more strongly I or E (just using 1 standard deviation. Essentially if you're fairly close it's lower. So would be with my numbers INTj.[/HIDE]
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04-22-2012, 01:29 PM	#4
Dancingqueen Core Member [133%] MBTI: iNTJ Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 5,346	I would liken INTJ to a processing system. Since we all have different inputs, we therefore have different outputs; we process the unique inputs and produce unique outputs using the same standardized system. As we age, the system we use to process information evolves to include new perameters ie. ethical considerations (Fi) and direct sensory input (Se).
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04-22-2012, 10:15 PM	#5
Owfin Member [22%] MBTI: ISTJ Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 894	Ni dominant with T auxiliary, NOT necessarily Te auxiliary. That classification shows the method but not the (like Dancingqueen said above) the input or the output.
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04-23-2012, 11:25 PM	#7
jetplane48 Member [17%] MBTI: ESTP Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 693	INTJ to me, is a critical thinking robot without capability for emotion, rather in its place is a larger thought process going on, with small gears working together in simultaneous gorgeousness making little clicks and clanks every now and then when they turn forever. The INTJ is a rechargeable battery essentially, always ready to work but needs time to think alone and then may act on those thoughts, eventually perfecting them and finalizing it with due action and swift principle.
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