[zhymhyr]

Well, I know we're Introverted types but, I just want to know if other INTJ's are that much expressive to other people.

[SelfMadeBum]

Every INTJ is different of course, but I think typically we are withdrawn and tend to keep our reactions to ourselves, while giving little away in terms of facial expressions or body language.

[Necrosis]

Unless I have let you into my inner circle you can probably think I'm 0 expressive. I'm generally not angry, not happy, not sad or at least won't show I am. If your in my inner circle I'll do whatever I can to help you.

Expression emotions I only like to do in words on paper and tend not to let out unless I need to vent.

[Vagrant]

I probably strike most people as a paradox. To people close to me, they think I'm extroverted, to people not as close, I'm clearly an introvert.

Around close friends I'm very goofy and playful.

Around people I don't know very well, I'm relatively impassive and reserved.

By myself I'm just eccentric.

[SelfMadeBum]

	Originally Posted by Vagrant To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Around close friends I'm very goofy and playful. Around people I don't know very well, I'm relatively impassive and reserved.

This is true for me as well; depends on the company. My close friends would describe me as silly. Persons who don't know me that well - their word would be quite different.

[Kepler1571]

	Originally Posted by Vagrant To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I probably strike most people as a paradox. To people close to me, they think I'm extroverted, to people not as close, I'm clearly an introvert. Around close friends I'm very goofy and playful. Around people I don't know very well, I'm relatively impassive and reserved. By myself I'm just eccentric.

These may be tendencies for most* people, or at least most I's, not just INTJs. Schopenhauer wrote "A man can be himself only so long as he is alone." I think that's us in a nutshell.

* not all, though. My wife becomes more lively as the number of people in the room increases.

[Incogneato]

Interestingly, when someone becomes angry or hostile my emotions shut right down. Usually as the person becomes more angry, I become more calm and then that really sets them off. A few times the person became so outrageous that I couldn't help but laugh. That didn't end well.
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[Blse]

	Originally Posted by Vagrant To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I probably strike most people as a paradox. To people close to me, they think I'm extroverted, to people not as close, I'm clearly an introvert. Around close friends I'm very goofy and playful. Around people I don't know very well, I'm relatively impassive and reserved. By myself I'm just eccentric.

Actually that's completely natural for most people. Stranger anxiety is found to some extent or another in virtually all people (introvert or extrovert). It is this commonplace anxiety and makes us more reserved around strangers. Once that anxiety is over-come we warm up. To some folks this happens quicker than others, and some people have a greater desire for it than others.

Interestingly, there is a technique called "assuming rapport" for putting strangers or semi-strangers at ease. I use it with students and it's simple: you talk to them like you knew them. You tell a little anecdote without qualifying it. You assume a certain basic level of rapport, which sends a signal of trust. Do it for a while and most strangers will open to you.

As for the OP question: I can be quite expressive as long as I have the energy. Not only do I use the above technique to get people to relax, I tend speak my mind rather freely and make no effort to hide my emotions unless showing them would be unprofessional (it usually is not - you don't need to be "cold" to be professional IMO). My family members do get a lot of hugs and "love yous" (all sincere).

[Ceres]

I am reserved with most people. Family and close friends i become a lot more expressive when i am in a social mood. If i am exhausted physically and mentally, then i generally withdraw from the conversation.

Group dynamics is significant in whether i am expressive or not. When i am comfortable in a group i am a lot more expressive. When two groups, i.e. family and friends, that i am expressive in separately meet i tend to withdraw; and have had people in both groups comment on me being quiet.

[Cold Heart]

Most people also think I am extroverted when they first meet me. At work, I don't put up with sh**, and don't ask me what I think unless you really want to know. On a personnal level, there are few people that know the real me. Only one or two people could ever say they know what I'm thinking. I have sat and listen to a friends problems and feeling rush out of them like a tidal wave, but never revealed anything deaper than what my favorite color is. Recently I was re-aquainted with a childhood friend over the internet. We've been chatting for a couple months. For some reason I have no problem talking to her. Probably because we will never actually meet in person. She's just a txt or a voice on the phone.

[RedIrish]

	Originally Posted by Vagrant To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I probably strike most people as a paradox. To people close to me, they think I'm extroverted, to people not as close, I'm clearly an introvert. Around close friends I'm very goofy and playful. Around people I don't know very well, I'm relatively impassive and reserved. By myself I'm just eccentric.

Thats funny, because I am the opposite.

Strangers think the laughing, fun, outgoing persona I wear in public is me.

People who know me, know that I am reserved, sensitive, and easily hurt.

I show hurt by being reserved and impassive.

I am always eccentric.

[Infernal]

If I ever did show a facial expression, I'm sure it would look unnatural.

[Samoan Corleone]

I'm probably the most introverted and least expressive when I'm at home with my immediate family. That's just the side of me I feel comfortable portraying at home. I spend a lot of time in my room reading, listening to music, sleeping, or whatever.

Around friends and cousins I'm much more expressive. I'm a bit more louder, goofier, and annoying, but still have enough INT to be regarded by them and their parents as the "responsible" or "sensible" one of the group.

When there's a function or a party where the two above groups clash I always find it awkward. I can't truly let loose around my friends/cousins around my age when the parents are near, because I do a lot of thing they wouldn't approve of/would find weird coming from me (swearing, dancing like a goof, talking about girls, having inside-jokes, etc). The same applies vice-versa, because I'm sure the at-home me would bore the fuck out of my friends.

[laserdanger]

I have to remind myself to smile so that I don't look awkward in group photos.
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[Toas]

This is how it usually goes.

I'm really quiet and reserved....until someone starts a discussion about a topic I'm really interested in. Then I pull out a randomly huge amount of energy from seemingly no where and I get completely immersed in conversing about the topic.

In short:

I start off : | then a topic of interest is introduced and I become ! : D !

[True Rune]

Excited and goofy around friends, stoic and blunt around unknowns. I'm pretty jumpy though and sometimes you will be able to tell what I think just by looking at my face.

[vash]

It depends on the situation. I can be expressive, but most of the time I am contemplative and introspective. It makes me appear to be expressionless.

	Originally Posted by Toas To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I'm really quiet and reserved....until someone starts a discussion about a topic I'm really interested in. Then I pull out a randomly huge amount of energy from seemingly no where and I get completely immersed in conversing about the topic.

This is the part of me that makes people think I am an "E." Many people do not believe I am an introvert. Of course, they never get close enough to know me that well.

	Originally Posted by Blse To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Interestingly, there is a technique called "assuming rapport" for putting strangers or semi-strangers at ease. I use it with students and it's simple: you talk to them like you knew them. You tell a little anecdote without qualifying it. You assume a certain basic level of rapport, which sends a signal of trust. Do it for a while and most strangers will open to you.

The more I read, the more I understand why you changed that "I" to an "E." It all makes so much sense now. This would never put me at ease. I would think you are trying to be too friendly too soon and I would withdraw. Thus the circle begins.

[t3hrubikscube]

I smile a lot, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. I just like to look friendly and I like the way my smile looks, so I tend to smile a lot. I smile even when I'm really depressed or stressed or angry. That's about all I express to people, however. I only express smiles and laughter because they're very natural and simplistic forms of expression.

When I'm in private is the only time I can really figure out my emotions. I let my negative feelings out and take them out on myself when I'm in private. In public aside from smiling a lot, I remain very emotionless.

[Levelsmile]

As a kid/teenager I was extremely shy and withdrawn. College was a lot better, but I was still pretty closed up. I've been in a field now for 10 years where its a requirement to talk to many people everyday and I'm now quite comfortable with it. Hell, now I'll start conversations with strangers on planes, museums, bars wherever. It gets easier the more you do it. And to those INTJ's who say they just don't care about any social interaction, OK, but I've found there is usually SOMETHING you can find pretty quick that YOU are interested in talking about with the person. But deep down, I'm still very introverted, in the true meaning of the word. I MUST have time alone or I start to turn homicidal.

[TechTact0h]

I'm usually reserved, quiet, and difficult to approach in public, down to my well drilled 'leave me alone' frown and body posture. Even then, I am more likely to walk up to strangers and strike up a conversation than my more extroverted friends. I think this is because I like to make people uncomfortable in social settings, in part to hide my own social awkwardness, but also to practice people skills and figure out how that person ticks. Regardless, I am blunt, sarcastic, and cynical, yet most find me agreeable. In fact, I've made all of my closest friends this way. Works for me.

When not in public, I am a lot more outgoing, silly, and energetic. Annoyingly so, even.

[manutdman]

In a competitive setting, I usually wear my heart on my sleeve because I want to win.

Outside of it, it's a mix. With friends/family, I can show my expressive side (cheering/screaming/getting mad) but I keep the "girly" emotions to myself. If I feel sad/lonely/depressed, I keep it to myself.

[liquidzilla]

	Originally Posted by Incogneato To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Interestingly, when someone becomes angry or hostile my emotions shut right down. Usually as the person becomes more angry, I become more calm and then that really sets them off. A few times the person became so outrageous that I couldn't help but laugh. That didn't end well. To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Oh, this happened to me too. When people get really angry at me I find I shut down and even laugh at their anger sometimes (I think it could be nerves or that I just don't really understand why they are angry at me).

I'm usually introverted around people I don't know well, but sometimes I can become very outgoing and talk to them easily (it depends on my mood or if I think they would be good as friends). My friends know I'm introverted as they never question it, I never want to go out to parties and I usually spend my spare time working by myself or reading (I also get the thing of getting so engrossed that if people talk to me while reading/working I can't speak properly, I just utter drivel). Around people who don't know me well they think I seem like I could be extroverted, but most say they are confused by me (well, my friends and family also say this, calling me a puzzle or an enigma which I find quite amusing).
I think it depends on mood and/or social surroundings i.e. people you like/dislike.

[Shauru]

I think I would say I follow the trend here. If I know you and am comfortable with you like my friends or coworkers then you'll get to know me better and sometimes I can appear too talkative to them.

Family lies somewhere in the middle for me because most tend to be overly emotional and clingy and "concerned" and that sort of over mushy stuff turns me off.

As far as strangers. I usually clam up. I find social situations and new people just terribly tiresome. I have been told by people who are slowly becoming my friend/acquaintance that I appear very stand-offish. Around strange large groups I just carry myself very assertively and genuinely just could care less what they think, and I think that's what shows.

[LionsPride]

	Originally Posted by zhymhyr To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Well, I know we're Introverted types but, I just want to know if other INTJ's are that much expressive to other people.

I always think of most of my outward expressions as putting on a show for other people. Rarely do I ever express outward for my own benefit. So the answer is, yes, I am expressive and sometimes quite so, but I have to choose to do it as it rarely comes naturally.

[FeeLyX]

	Originally Posted by RedIrish To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Thats funny, because I am the opposite. Strangers think the laughing, fun, outgoing persona I wear in public is me. People who know me, know that I am reserved, sensitive, and easily hurt. I show hurt by being reserved and impassive. I am always eccentric.

Same here.

I act very extraverted to other people, especially if I'm leading a group, but it drains my energy massively and I always have to spend some time alone to recharge.
When I spent all my "extravertness", I literaly become mentally and physically exhausted.