How to tell the Difference: INTP vs INTJ

Arvid Walton 91 Comments

How to tell the Difference: INTJ vs INTP

Listen to them talk

Thoughts

INTJs talk about their thoughts / thought process (Te). They need to talk through or write down their thoughts to understand them fully. Notice how Sherlock constantly talks through his thoughts, and Hamlet is the king of soliloquies?

INTJs are usually going to be more direct and blunt in their communication, while INTPs are typically men/women of few words.

INTPs would rather think though everything in silence without the distraction of having to say them all out loud or explain them to anyone else. The worldview inside the INTP’s head usually remains a secret, not necessarily because they want it to, but because they just don’t see the point in vocalising their thoughts.

Logic

Both types can be equally logical, but they look at logic completely differently.

INTPs devise their own system of logic that doesn’t rely on facts and tends not to conform to the world’s sense of logic (Ti). They love to analyse things from all angles, whereas INTJs are more interested in using logic and information for how they can use it (Te).

An INTP and INTJ in an argument will both use logic, but oft times, the INTP will want to stop and define the terms, while the INTJ will want to simply come to a problem solution that they can use in real life. For the INTP, it’s all about the analysis itself, while the INTJ is looking at everything in terms of application.

This can, at times, make argumentation go south between INTxs. The INTJ will be frustrated because the INTP is interrupting the problem solving process to define the words used in an argument, while the INTP is going to be frustrated by the fact that the INTJ doesn’t see the point in doing so.

Ideas

INTPs love to talk about their ideas (Ne). They get a certain thrill from having big ideas move through their mind, from analysing them. When they vocalise an idea, they’re not necessarily thinking about carrying it out

INTJs love ideas too, but their ideas tend to focus less on analysis and don’t exist purely for the ideas themselves as they do with many INTPs. Rather, the INTJ uses ideas to realise a specific long term vision (Ni).

INTJs don’t talk about their ideas so much as INTPs, so if you do hear them talk about a new idea, it means they’ve probably already decided to carry it out. INTPs on the other hand, are in it for the ideas, and will discuss all their ideas regardless of whether they’re going to do anything with those ideas later on. Te implements ideas, while Ti analyses them.

When it comes to INTJs, the only portion of their idea that you will actually see, is the finished product, their plan carried out. I’ll get an idea, and if I don’t see any way I could use it, I don’t bother analysing it. If I can use it, I implement it as soon as opportunity allows.

With INTPs, you’ll very likely see all the ideas, but only see half of them carried out (if even that much). My INTP dad is constantly talking about potential inventions, airplanes he’d like to build, lifestyles he’d like to have, but he’s so busy generating ideas that he doesn’t stop to think about how he’d accomplish any of them.

Feelings

INTJs are reluctant to talk about their feelings and will prefer to work through hardship in silence. Other people typically have little affect on an INTJ’s feelings, they’re more in tune with their own feelings than other people’s.

INTPs ned to talk about their feelings –not as much as Fe auxiliaries or dominants, but they do need to let their feelings out. (Usually this is expressed as charisma for their ideas). INTPs are less in tune with their own emotions than they are with other people’s. They might not always recognise when they’re angry, but they’ll recognise when somebody else is angry.

When it comes to other people’s feelings INTJs don’t really empathise unless they have shared experience. At the same time, they also happen to be fairly good at figuring out people’s motivations using (NiSe).

INTPs are more likely to empathise with universal shared experiences than with individual emotions. If both an INTJ and an INTP were crying in a movie theatre, their reasons would be very different. The INTJ might cry because he had experienced the same thing as one of the characters in the film, while the INTP might cry because the he recognised suffering in another human being and had empathy for them.

Past/Future Orientation

How to tell the Difference: INTJ vs INTP

INTJs won’t really talk much about the past, but will prefer to focus on the present (Se) and future (Ni).

INTPs will be more relate past experiences to the present (Si), not to the extent of upper Si users, but they definitely do have a sentimental side to them. In the INTP, this might show up as a desire to hold on to possessions given to them by their parents, or similar tendencies of that nature.

Experience of the Physical Environment

INTJs are more aware of their physical environment than INTPs. You move their stuff, they will know about it. INTJs notice details in their environment because they’re trying to…organise themselves within their environment (TeSe). They’re going to pay attention to little sensory details that other people miss, and as a result, too much can cause them to be overstimulated. They can often be hypersensitive to loud, sensory heavy places (Se). Thus the Twelfth Doctor’s sensory overload upon regeneration…

INTPs are not going to want to…organise themselves in their environment. An INTP is probably going to have a much messier desk than an INTJ, and they’re more likely to lose things around the house (TiSi).

INTPs tend to think of places in terms…not of what they look like, but what significance they have, or what memories they hold. Whenever my Dad and I go backpacking in all our favourite spots, I’m looking at it like a new place and he’s looking at it and remembering all the good memories he’s had there.

Planning

The INTJ will have lots of plans that it’s implementing, while the INTP will have lots of ideas that it’s moving past. I have an INTP friend that I go rock-climbing with from time to time and when we plan an outing, he will text me saying, “hey do you want to go climbing?” (Ne idea) and I will have to be the one to set up the plan “ok, what time?” (Te).

He’s really indecisive, so if I pick, I always like advanced notice (NiTe) and say, “how about this weekend.” If I make him pick, he’ll say, “how about in an hour?” (TiNe).

Then, even when we’re about to leave, he’s not always sure where we’re going, how long it will take us, or whether he brought everything we need because he crammed it all in the car last minute (TiNe). That’s how he likes it!

I on the other hand, keep a hiking rucksack packed and ready at all times under my bed so that I’m prepared to leave whenever necessary (NiTe). Even then, I still like advanced notice for everything. I still want to plan a hike a week in advance.

Dreams versus Future Reality

INTPs think of their future in terms of possibility and potential (Ne). They see a million different directions that their life could go and often have a hard time deciding which they want to follow (because they’re all so good!) (Ne).

INTJs view their future as a definite reality that just hasn’t happened yet and that they are responsible for making happen (Ni). INTJs usually figure out exactly what they want to be early on in life and make every decision with that end goal in mind (Ni) (example: David Tennant decided as a 3-yr-old that he wanted to play the Doctor).

In a way, INTJs feel they have a specific purpose in life that they’re meant to fill (Ni), whereas the INTP think of life in terms different ways their life could potentially develop (Ne).

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91 thoughts on “How to tell the Difference: INTP vs INTJ”

  1. I would like to probe further so I think I’d just blur the lines a bit more

    I believe that there may be instances where intps may use certain intj functions and vice versa, especially for some who developed their 5th to 8th functions well enough to pass off as the other (we need and use all 8 of them anyway). Or sometimes there may be instances where certain combinations of functions may present themselves similarly to other functions.

    For example when it comes to exploring new possibilities, intps may step out of their mindscape to draw information from the outside world (using their 5 senses) and store this inspiration in their mind bank. Ti, while useful in giving logical explanations for most things, can’t work very well if it’s not tried and tested in reality and proven to be a credible tool. And many intps hold accuracy to a high regard.

    As for (the more healthy perhaps) intjs, they may also develop their fi enough to “tag” strong feelings to objects or experiences, hence giving off an si vibe. I’m not sure if this makes sense to you but everyone has some degree of sentiment for different things as it is more of the feelings that the things invoke in us, rather than the memory of what happened.

    I would like to input some more theories but unfortunately my train of thought has left the station early.

    To my fellow intx pals, what are your thoughts on this?

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  2. Yes. As an INTJ female with an INTP sister, your description of the relationship between yourself and your father is accurate, almost disturbingly so. Well done 👍

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  3. Wow, as an INTP, I can tell you this was impressively accurate. This is an awesome site! (:

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  4. INTP here. You nailed my attached to places in terms of significance and memory. I haven’t heard anyone else call that out. My wife wants the house to look good, be relaxing, and is okay if it looks like every house on HGTV (ESFJ). I want every object in the home to be individually loved, either for its unique beauty or its significance. And I’m ok if it takes years to accomplish.

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  5. So I think I may be a INTP with just a lot of shadow functions from INTJ but here’s my problem, I agree completely with a Fi function rather than a Fe function. Could it be my Fe function is just not developed or I’m I an INTJ with shadowed functions from INTP. I taken the test and gotten both and many of the functions blend for me, save the Fi one.

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  6. I identify myself more INTJ than INTP – and ive tested more INTJ.

    For the purpose of helping other (my god, I never notice I write like this lol. I was looking at other INTJ writing style, and it was really “correct” in grammar. Not that I care for grammar tbh, but I do care about sentence structure).

    Anyways, writing this to “think through” my thoughts (lol, right when I said that, I remember the article wrote this, about INTJ, “INTJs talk about their thoughts / thought process (Te). They need to talk through or write down their thoughts to understand them fully.”).
    – Writing down my thoughts right now to fully understand myself. I guess that quote spoke for itself though! lol.

    Ever since I was a kid, I always was goal-oriented about the future. I believe that the future is our reality that we are forming now with plans+action. I didn’t take much action in the past, and more planning, that’s why I didn’t get much results.

    I Feel that my thinking is very gut feeling. I go with my perspective in life and follow a filter I have of the world. Every new data comes in to me has to pass a “filter” of the world I think.

    Now, I drop out of high school, so i’m not very traditional. However, when I was in school, I aimmed really high and wanted to go for a Ph.D or MD. My first choice of career was a doctor or psychologist (mainly for the money!).

    I am now a internet marketer/entrerpeneur.

    I have plans for 3 years ago and binders full of plans. When I look over at my plans from years ago and my current written out plans, I notice that my goals tend to be the same every year. The only difference is that I improve. MY goal for 3 years ago was to make my first $1000 online. Now it’s $10-20k/month online. I’m very proud of this, and seeing progress is the ultimate reward for me.

    A plan without action – wtf plan in the first place (waste of time).

    I LOVE to think – makes me question if im an INTP sometimes – but I realize that I hate wasting brain energy on unpractical and unrealistic topics. I Only focus 80-90% my time on perfecting/hitting my goals.

    When I find myself not focusing on my goals, I literally get depress, sleep in more and binge on food/weed.

    I find myself to be capable of a lot of things and sought out for leadership in multiple jobs I had. I look up to Elon Musk, Steve Job, and other successful entrepreneur.

    I am very Thinking then Action based. Like, I can’t seem to take action without first writing out a 3-5 step plan. lol. It’s so extreme that I tend to run out of paper to write my plans on! I used the computer now to design my plans.

    The second silly thing is, that my plans are always the same, but again, I HAVE TO write it down before taking action. If I don’t I feel “lost” and directionless when taking action. I need to know the first, second and third step – give each step a time frame of completion then complete it. Now this might be the fact that im a business owner and need to replace myself with staff (therefore, I need to know how long it will take, and how to break it down for new staff).

    I LOVE SYSTEM. I think this come from a desire to do more with life and not work 24/7 like a slave. I want to create a business system, hire ppl and let the money come in without me doing the grunt work.

    My dream/goal is to get this business off the ground and running without me by 6months to 1 year.

    I see myself as practical more than creative, although I do own a graphic design/marketing company.

    I am capable of art, but I am not the best. Where my talent/strength lies is in organizing/structure/planning and automating task/delegating.

    My plan for life is to start businesses within sectors that I am passionate in, and build a system to automate income without being there (serial entrepreneur).

    When I was younger, I was brutually honest with people and would even come off as an a know it all. I have tone this down in exchange for being an effective listener instead (which allows me to be an effective leader and saleman).

    Grammar never bother me too much. Maybe a little. Actually, I wrote quite a bit when I was younger, had a journal.

    I don’t think in terms of the “law of the universe” but more on practical “law of success” and how to achieve tangible results in real life. My joy is not from thinking about ideas like INTP, but IMPLEMENTING and ACHIEVING my goals/ideas. Nothign is worse than 50 hours of thought, and 0 results. I rather take 50 hours of ACTION, and get results – ofc with a 50/50 split between action and planning.

    I seem kind of cold to others, weird sometimes, but im not! I truly care, unless your idea and thinking is wrong. I don’t want to use the word WRONG, because I don’t think them as bad people (maybe stupid? lol). Is that bad? lol. I see “uninformed people” as misguided or have not reach the “truth” yet. I mean, if you walk up to someone and they say 1+1 = 3, that not my truth.

    While others would just accept others, I find that my “truth” in life is important for others to understand as well, in order to live a good life. I have pushed my thoughts on other in the past, when I was still young and naive. Now, I’ve accept others for who they are, and understand that I tend to be more crazy than other people, so I just need to let them chill while I do my thing to change the world (they have their ways of changing the world, let it be).

    I think im a mix of INTP and INTJ, with a strong focus on J more than P.

    (this may look like it took me a lot of time to write, but no – it only took 5-10minutes, i think its important to note that i can type fast and write fast due to practice; because I think thinking a lot without action is an INTP trait more than INTJ action focus).

    As im nearing the end of this “rant”, I’m thinking more about the use of my time on this comment and the purpose of it. Was it a good use of my time?

    The answer in my head is, “not really” – so im going to end it here. lol. peace. hope it helps someone!

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  7. I am an INTP, but have an INTJ brother.
    To be honest, he is so much more focussed and driven, and as a result, far more successful than I.
    We share many similarities in our attitudes and interests. He is the only person on earth with whom I can share everything, and I trust him.
    But he is dependable, direct and loyal to a T; whereas I am, by comparison, somewhat flaky and whimsical.
    He reminds me that he is a ‘boss’. I admire that, but know that same quality does not reside within myself.
    We are similar, but very different people.
    I want to understand the hows and whys of everything. He wants to understand the hows and whys of everything that will get him to where he wants to go.
    That is my perspective fwiw.

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  8. I find this argument rather invalid, as it replies upon stereotypes/tendencies of the functions, and doesn’t account for interference of opinions/preferences.

    For example:

    “INTPs devise their own system of logic that doesn’t rely on facts and tends not to conform to the world’s sense of logic (Ti). They love to analyze things from all angles, whereas INTJs are more interested in using logic and information for how they can use it (Te).”

    “INTPs love to talk about their ideas (Ne). They get a certain thrill from having big ideas move through their mind, from analyzing them. When they vocalize an idea, they’re not necessarily thinking about carrying it out

    INTJs love ideas too, but their ideas tend to focus less on analysis and don’t exist purely for the ideas themselves as they do with many INTPs. Rather, the INTJ uses ideas to realize a specific long term vision (Ni).”

    Simply because Te is an implementer of ideas, doesn’t mean an INTJ won’t see a benefit of viewing something from all angles. This also applies vice versa. Ti may be a creator/analyst of ideas, but doesn’t mean an INTP won’t see benefit from implementing their ideas & feel need for benefits; such an INTP could choose to only direct their thoughts towards implemetation, successfully training themselves in that.
    While such INTP’s/INTJ’s/etc. could know which functions they’re stemming from, it’s almost impossible for outsiders to determine with any certainty the stemming functions another person uses.

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  9. INTP, but is it possible to share traits with INTJ’s? My house is not a squalid mess, mind you, but it tends to get disorganized. I have a bad habit of leaving things out of the cabinets because it’s just easier to keep those things within easy reach rather than constantly having to keep putting them back. I do reach a point of “overload” where I will clean my house and put everything back, or before someone visits. My desk at work is never left messy, and it it is at work that I care about my appearance. Personally, I could care less because that’s “my time”.

    Movies…you will never catch me balling my eyes out over the heroic canine that died saving it’s owner. I will tear up alone, but in the presence of others I am out of the room. I will head for the door if someone should utter the words: “Let’s talk about you feel after having watched that scene.” Nope. Not gonna happen.

    I have an imagination bursting with stories, ideas, and even soundtracks to fit the situation. I get lost in thought a lot; hate public settings, and I cannot stand idle talk about “Joe and Sue’s marriage problems”. I will light up if someone talks about the stuff I like. It’s usually science fiction, current events, the future…the boring stuff extroverts all hate. When parties or social events cancel I am thrilled. Strangers, or new co-workers, comment that I am moody and non-talkative. When I decide they are okay to enter my private space they mention that I am a more friendlier, chattier person and even seem bewildered.

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  10. I wouldn’t say INTPs are men/women of few words… I’m a female INTP, and I’ve been known to talk non-stop at a pace of 90 miles per hour for hours on end… though in fairness, that’s always when I’m one-on-one with someone I know very well (e.g. my mum, best friend), and when I’m in a large group I do tend to do a 360 and turn into the quietest person in the room.

    You’re spot on with the ideas thing though. I use people as bouncing boards for ideas constantly, even if they don’t respond. I talk anyway. Also, 90% of the ideas I come up with are theoretical, and I only bring them up because I think they’re cool/funny. I swear to Murgatroyd, if INTPs could stop procrastinating and carry out half of the plans we come up with, we would literally rule the world. Until we got bored.

    As for your friend, you’re lucky his replies are along the lines of “in an hour”. Mine would be “how about sometime next week” and then it would never happen. Opposite end of the disorganized/spontaneous spectrum.

    About the Si and Fe bits, I would say those are accurate. I am rather sentimental, and while I don’t cry easily (unlike my INTJ brother, which I find curious), I do find it relatively easy to empathize with people and understand emotions that I’ve never personally felt, though I struggle with understanding them when I do feel them (“dear lord, emotions, JUST TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG!!!”)

    Also, I would somewhat disagree with your last point. I definitely feel like I have a goal or plan for my life, and how I want it to work out (I’ve always wanted to be a writer), the problem is that I have literally no idea what the path to arrive at that goal looks like… I have Plan A, B, C, D, etc., and I don’t know which one to go with, or which one will be the most efficient route. So, yes, our decision making processes are awful, but I still have a definite reality in mind that I want to bring about. It’s not necessarily the WHAT, it’s the HOW.

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  11. I am an intj but i often think in my future life in a fantazy ways however I know that’s wont happen at all..actually i day dream alot.
    and yes i cry while watching movies because of the reason in this article and also when i think this movie is just damn great!
    i actually found myself too emotional to be an intj (maybe that because I’m a female intj)
    like I have no problem talking about my feelings (yet i hardly ever talk about it), I’m not so cold, I can give people the emotional support..etc
    so does that mean I’m not an intj?
    p.s (sorry for my bad english it’s not my mother tongue)

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  12. Who is supposed INTP in the first picture? And while I have your attention, at some time you could type Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds?

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  13. My insights about INTP:
    A.INTP prefer not to talk probably because:
    1. Talking eating the time for thinking. They think that there is always potential improvement in their current knowledge/understanding. Talking in length simply reduce their time for more analyzing time.
    2. They are afraid to be proven wrong, they don’t simply blabbering out their thought unless they are more than 9X% sure about their thought.
    3.They dont like to lead nor follow I suppose. Remember, they are the architect. They just like to analyze the ideas and thought of people who are talking.No interest in maybe leading or finding solution.
    Even if they have to talk, they talk when they want to explain something they have just comprehend or when they are being asked to speak.
    B. (next time I’ll do)

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  15. Hello, I always type as an INTP but I relate more to the INTJ type. People often tell me I seem cold. My best friend stated that she thought I hated her. This was of coarse after I inquired on what her first impression of me was. She stated I seemed really cold,unfriendly and very
    inapproachable. That was mainly because I had no interest in investing myself in someone
    I thought would have no interest in me . I mean what is the point? If they don’t care why invest and waste energy without any return. I was surprised by how much we think alike and a how we can converse on almost everything . She is an INFJ, coarse we don’t agree on everything. When meeting new people I tense up and speak very little, I often look around and observe what transpires around me waiting for a time to voice my thoughts. Sometimes I do have the chance when there is a brief pause in conversation, and when I do speak I almost always get this bewildered look of she speaks and I feel as if I’m an alien from another planet being examined. Then I withdraw feeling misunderstood again for my ideas. As for the feeling aspect I try to feel very little as to keep everything well managed, as well as emotions can be manged. I always get angered when I cry because it is out of my control and I hate how week I appear to whoever I am in front of it wretchedly horrid. People always tell me it’s normal to cry and it’s “okay”. That may be but it simply feels so foreign and vile that I am so repulsed and angered when the tears continue to come without my permission. I have been told I am manipulative (so my parents tell me)and how can I be so unfeeling when they’re telling me something, that saddens them. People often ask me if I’m mad or sad but I’m just thinking. The worst part is that ,is usually when I am in my deepest moment of thought. when I am enjoying that string of thoughts and am forced to snap back. That is all I have to say do you think I am an INTJ. If you have any inquires please ask.

    thank,
    Anna

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    • It definitely sounds like you have an inferior or tertiary F function, but I’d have to know more about the rest of your thought process in order to estimate your type. Your writing is organised in such a way that Te seems very likely, but I don’t want to judge that from just a single paragraph.

      My suggestion would be to look at each of the bullet points in this post and try to determine which jungian functions you use. For instance, look specifically at the differences between Te and Ti, or Fe and Fi and ask yourself which ones sound most like you.

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  16. Combining this and your article on the sympathetic intj, as well as what I’ve read on intjs insecurities on vulnerability, is it possible for an intj to use note fueled by se to mimic fe (conformity to others standards and ethics), forming many social masks and learning to value fe to fit into society (as a survival strategy). Being nice is a default mode for me now, as a result. Maybe my whole typing is wrong. Ive gotten xnxp and inxx and isfp in many functions test. I wonder if I’m a enneagram 5w4 rational. I find difficulty in naturally relating to others emotionally but find I can understand them easily. Sad to say I find it hard to cry at funerals, even of people I’ve known or family of friends. Humor isn’t my strength. Dealing with others I’ve learned through observation and mimicry in life and through a childhood obsession with realistic fiction. As a high school female my interests have substantially changed to nonfiction based things. I love puzzles (all kinds, always did) but also have been raised on music. Piano and art always mentions emotions, so I think Fi was developed early that way too. Ive never been clear on the what Ni is though, which is where my type confusion lies. Memory is somewhat weak and I’ve always been clumsy it may not be enough info, but I’d appreciate help on clarifying if I’m an NP or and NJ. Thank you.

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  17. Sherlock is an INTP.

    The guy is a slob (in every version) . Moriarty is your Judger (or type-B).

    Rule: Think of P as people who exhibit Type-B behavior & J as Type-A behavior.
    1) At Home: If the guy lives in filthy, dust, or disorganized surroundings, they are Type-B (and a Perciever).
    2) In an office: P is for piles.
    3). J is for organization. They would never live in a s#it hole. They are the type of people that, at the end of the day, their desk is left immaculate.

    Moriarty is an INTJ. He easily manipulates Holmes. Moriarty, basically, sticks his hand up Holme’s a$$ and uses him as a puppet. INTJs are the ultimate strategist; they treat the world like a chessboard.

    INTPs like Holmes. Challenge others to think. As Holmes would say, “elementary.”

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    • P is not for piles. Ti is for piles. J is not for organisation. Te is for organisation.

      INTJ ≠ master manipulator. INTJs do not all think that the world is a giant chess game. Some of us have…you know, jobs, or two jobs, and homework, and well…schiße to do that gets in the way of playing chess (if we even like chess, mind you).

      Lastly, don’t make the mistake of typing a character purely based on behaviour without also considering their motivations.

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    • Everybody thinks intjs organize everything and even if it’s partly true my room is so messy! But if you think intjs organize everything then you should type Sherlock as an intj considering how he planned his death… that was soooo an intj thing… and considering that everybody thinks intjs are arrogant then you should think about how Sherlock says “elementary Watson”, that indicates such an air of superiority. Returning to his fake death, just the way he predicted the future makes you think of an intj. That’s it, bye.

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  18. “If an INTJ and INTP were crying in a movie theater…” don’t make me laugh. That’s probably never happened in the history of the Earth

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    • As an Intp I can say we can cry at a movie. We could just not physically do it in front of another person. Kinda like the whole if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it does it make a sound.

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    • INTP here… I actually cry all the time watching movies, and for precisely the reasons he mentioned.

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      • INTP female, and me too. But in public I try very hard not to and usually succeed. I reserve the good cries for sitting alone in front of the TV in a darkened room.

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    • I’m an INTJ and the only time I’ve ever cried in a movie is when watching a movie were the dog died soon after my canine childhood companion died.

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      • I cried once- more out of fear than sadness. There was a shark attacking the main character, and I’m terrified of the sea and the monsters who dwell there.

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      • Watched The Hunger Games at some point, already surprised myself seeing how sad I got over the scene with Rue and the flowers. Saw that there were a bunch of Futurama episodes I hadn’t seen, figured it might be a good distraction.

        “Hmm. Decisions… Well, I love dogs, and I love dinosaurs. ‘Jurassic Bark’ it is.”

        Probably the most I’ve ever cried from something on TV. Wouldn’t surprise me if they added ‘not tearing up over ‘Jurassic Bark’ to the Macdonald Triad or something.

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    • I’m an INTJ and I have never cried in a movie theatre. I do remember the corners of my eyes getting slightly moist for Amy, Rory and Clara’s final deaths in Doctor Who (I had to specify it as final, as there have been a few for Rory and Clara). Often I am internally screaming when a character I’m particularly attached to dies.
      What I really don’t understand is why some people cry when everything is happy and resolved…

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  19. Though I was curious about this exact comparison I am now left even more confused as I relate to exactly half of the INTJ listed and half of the INTP. Or perhaps I’m even more sure that I am in fact 50% INTJ and 50% INTP. hahah is that even possible?

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  20. “INTPs are more likely to empathise with universal shared experiences than with individual emotions. If both an INTJ and an INTP were crying in a movie theatre, their reasons would be very different. The INTJ might cry because he had experienced the same thing as one of the characters in the film, while the INTP might cry because the he recognised suffering in another human being and had empathy for them.”

    This is an interesting idea, but I don’t find myself exactly doing this (I’m INTJ). When I cry during movies, I find myself mostly thinking “This is sad” or (worse) “Ow! ow! ow!” It’s not compassion for the characters, per se–it’s usually that the situation as a whole has blown me over. From a function-based perspective, maybe I am being imaginatively pulled into the world of the film through Ni, and then my Fi makes me react as though I was injured in some way. But I don’t cry because I necessarily find commonality between my real-life experiences and the experiences of the movie characters. That happens very rarely.

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