INTP Definition of Personality Equals “Abstraction + Complex Thoughts”

The definition of personality for the INTP includes the qualities of analysis, logic, creativity, intuition.

You may have come here from the MBTI “words to describe personality” page and you know or suspicion that your personality type is Introverted with Intuition, Thinking and Perception, because you have taken the Myers-Briggs personality assessment test. Or you may be here because someone you care about is this type. That being the case you can discover many qualities, traits or characteristics describing this personality type on this page.

BASICS

I’m going to present INTP qualities in a list format because I have found reading a paragraph when you are digging for some important, quick information, can be difficult, well it can be irritating! So let us take a look at a list of personality traits for this type. This type:

• Is naturally adaptable, flexible with their world
• Is quietly and very analytically watching everything
• Believes that things must and will make sense
• Is future oriented may struggle with in-the-moment emotional thinking
• Is looking for the underlying principles in everything
• Really enjoys solving complex problems
• Is naturally skeptical and critical
• Will question absolutely everything
• Highly values exactness and preciseness in everything
• Is typically attracted to the abstract and symbolic
• Usually has dramatic powers of concentration with which they can develop deep levels of understanding

Now do you see yourself/someone else in the above basic list of personality traits??

What we really begin to see with personality type is emerging patterns of behaving and using our brains. The INTP way is natural, instinctive, beautiful, created to be this way. Let us continue.

Mottos Are Fun

For the INTP these mottos or things to put on their battle flag might be: “Ingenious Innovators”, “Ingenious Problem Solvers”, “Symbols Are Real”, to name a few.

Let us make another list of personality traits, INTPs:

• Are reasoning and making decisions with logic and conceptual analysis
• Are supremely curious
• Will have difficulty (sometimes great difficulty) expressing emotion, feeling
• Are constantly “playing” with “mental” models…all the time
• Will typically be more non-traditional in most things
• Respect competence, intelligence
• Strongly value autonomy”

Now, my friend, the INTP not only behaves in the above manner…THEY NATURALLY EXPECT EVERYONE ELSE TO DO THE SAME!!

So, what happens when they see that many others do not behave that way?? (only 5-6% of America’s population is this type) Answer: Different levels of stress, confusion, irritation, etc.; typically nothing this type can’t handle. So, this is a NATURAL reaction on the part of this type, they are not doing anything wrong.

More Stuff The INTP:

• Typically values concepts and ideas more than people
• In relationships, they frequently miss the more interpersonal nuance, reality
• In relationships, they appear reserved and impersonal
• In relationships, they can be insensitive to the emotional needs of others
• In relationships, they will give people a wide degree of leeway
• In relationships, they are flexible and can become irritated with too much routine, rules, and detail
• Is not known for a controlling attitude

Under Stress The INTP:

• May become even less Introverted and more Extraverted, and verbally “attack”
• May feel overwhelmed and misunderstood
• Typically feels confused when faced with illogical behavior
• May stay too long in relationships that are stressful
• May explode with out of proportion expressions of emotion

If this type is you, wonderful, perhaps you now have a better understanding of yourself, and perhaps you can use that increased understanding in many positive ways.

If you see someone else as this type but not you, please pay attention to the differences between your personality and the INTP. Try to see that your type and this type are natural and just fine! Look for the positive differences, the strengths this type brings to your type. Celebrate that because it cannot be changed and can add wonderful diversity and truth to your life!!

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