INTP vs INTJ Similarities & Differences

What are the similarities and differences between the Myers Briggs Type Indicator Types or (MBTI), for short, the INTP vs INTJ personality types?

This article won’t be going too deep into all the different functions in regards to their (E) & (I) types. For example, Te, Ni, Fe and so on. However, I will be including more up-to-date main stream psychology that I think can add to the MBTI. As much as I like the MBTI, I think only using this model is limiting, and in regards to some aspects, outdated. So, this will be a little different than the other INTP vs INTJ articles out there.

INTP vs INTJ Similarities

Both are very similar. However, there are some important differences. INTPs and INTJs are the two most logical personality types. They have the greatest ability to see things with objectivity, with less ego, and without cognitive biases or distortions.

They have an immense desire to know and acquire information. They are the types that will have the deepest knowledge about big picture and complex issues and subjects.

INTPs and INTJs are two of the most introverted of the types. Not only do social situations drain them, which often causes them to seek out their alone time to reenergise. They are very deep thinkers, and they require alone time to engage in that deep thinking. They also have a stronger interest in things over people. They will often be more interested in data, statistics, numbers, theories, and technology, more so than people. It’s fair to say they are not people focused, unless it’s analysing them in a psychological sense.

They are also creative in their thinking, and very open-minded. They find traditions limiting, and often want to tear them down. For that reason, they tend to be more classic liberal in their political views, they naturally move away from the conservative side of things.

Both the INTP and INTJ can also have issues with their emotions. They tend to have an all or nothing relationship with emotions. Most of the time, emotions will be absent from their thinking. However, in certain conditions, their emotions can be difficult for them to control and they may become overwhelmed by them. With age and experience, they tend to become better at dealing with their emotions.

INTP vs INTJ Differences

To understand the differences, here are the functional stacks for both types.

INTP

• Dominant – Thinking (Ti)
• Auxiliary – Intuition (Ne)
• Tertiary – Sensing (Si)
• Inferior – Feeling (Fe)

INTJ

• Dominant – Intuition (Ni)
• Auxiliary – Thinking (Te)
• Tertiary – Feeling (Fi)
• Inferior – Sensing (Se)

As you can see, the functions are in a different order for each type. This does change things when it comes to how they function and handle the world. The other difference is the perceiver and judger functions.

INTJs do the best academically from an early age because of the more early-developed judging function. In fact, INTPs can be terrible students in their younger years. It normally takes time for INTPs to develop their judging functions, it usually starts developing in their teens or twenties. Before this time, they will likely be prolific daydreamers, and often choose play over work.

This difference in function is also responsible for INTJs being more decisive. They will make a choice and then act upon it. INTPs can be crippled by their indecisiveness and are more likely to procrastinate.

INTJs are much more likely to conform to social standards and stick to the rules. INTPs are a bit of a quiet maverick, rebelling to social norms, however, usually quietly. They are likely to be passive aggressive.

INTJs will be more in tune with their creative desires, as intuition is their dominant function. INTPs are dominated by logic and rationality.

Both are thinkers. However, INTPs are deeper with their analytical thinking, they will go over things again and again. INTJs are more likely to try and put some of the logic into practise in the outside world.

The difference in their inferior functions means that they deal with stress in different ways. INTJs are more likely to indulge themselves with sensory comforts, such as comfort eating, binge watching TV programs or movies. INTPs are more likely to be overwhelmed by their emotions. They may lash out and become emotional, uncharacteristically so.

While INTJs are usually much better students and higher achievers in their younger years. If an INTP can get their act together and develop their judging function, they perhaps have the most potential.

INTP minds are generally freer from restrictions, traditions, and therefore limitations. You will often find INTPs at the extremes of success and failure, and at both ends of society.