According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, there are sixteen distinct personalities in the world.
The personality test was developed in the early twentieth century, and is now used by thousands of people across the globe to help them understand themselves better.
Of course, we are all unique and different, but these sixteen general personalities describe certain similarities between us and other people.
In this article, I will be looking at two of the sixteen personality types: INTP vs INTJ. These two personality types appear pretty similar at first, but there are actually a few significant differences between them.
We will firstly discuss the key characteristics of both personality types and then look at the differences between them.
The INTP Personality Type
INTP stands for Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Prospecting.
They are deep thinkers and value understanding the world around them. They are constantly asking questions about things and trying to determine the truth.
People with the INTP personality type are pretty reserved, spending a lot of time by themselves.
They are logical and will look at things from different perspectives in order to figure out the right answer.
The INTJ Personality Type
INTJ stands for Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging.
Like INTPs, they value understanding and logic.
They are always wanting to explore new ideas, using their analytical minds to get the answers in life.
INTJ's are introverted and enjoy working on their own at their own pace, but are keen listeners to those who work alongside them.
They like planning in advance and are typically perfectionists.
Despite having a few close friends, those with an INTJ personality type can sometimes avoid talking about their emotions.
INTP vs INTJ: The Key Differences
As we can see, there are a lot of similarities when it comes to INTP vs INTJ.
They both are analytical thinkers and seek knowledge from the world around them.
However, there are some key differences between these two personality types.
Let’s look at the differences when comparing INTP vs INTJ.
Romance
Both those with an INTP personality type and an INTJ personality type value deep connections with those with similar interests as them.
However, they will typically differ when it comes to displays of romance.
When it comes to INTJs in a romantic relationship, they will often shy away from displays of love and affection.
INTJs don’t do well when it comes to talking about their feelings, let alone showing someone that they love them.
Because of their analytical side, INTJs will treat relationships in a logical way.
They view romance and love rationally and do not see the need to partake in grand displays of affection.
This may cause difficulty for INTJs in a romantic relationship. Their partners may crave physical tokens of love, but this just isn’t an INTJs style!
However, they do find interesting and unique ways of letting their partner know that they love them.
In contrast, those with an INTP personality type know the importance of small and simple acts of romance and care.
INTP's enjoy giving and receiving gifts in a relationship, and will be the ones to plan exciting and fun dates!
Once an INTP is in a committed and loving relationship, they will typically be comfortable in showing affection and acting romantically.
Expressing Emotions
When it comes to expressing their emotions to partners, friends, and family members, there are some big differences in INTP vs INTJ.
Those with an INTJ personality type find expressing emotions pretty difficult. They are rational thinkers and believe that the logical mind is far more important than the emotional one.
INTJ's will typically avoid discussions that revolve around emotions and feelings.
When they have emotional issues with friends and loved ones, they will typically shut down and ignore the situation, or treat it like a puzzle to solve.
However, this causes the issue to get even worse!
If you have an INTJ personality type, it is super useful to become more in tune with your own emotions and how you might express them to those around you.
It may be daunting at first, but it will pay off and allow you to forge deeper and more meaningful connections!
Despite also being logical and rational, INTPs are actually much better at expressing their emotions than INTJs.
They know the importance of emotions, both their own and their loved ones. This means they are open and honest when it comes to discussing them.
INTPs will always be direct when it comes to expressing their emotions and feelings to others.
They won’t shy away from showing how they are feeling, as they know that it is important to do so in order to live a healthy and happy life.
Helping Others
People with an INTJ personality type are not the best at helping others.
This is not because they aren’t smart, it is just because they will approach problem-solving in a very different way from those with a different personality type.
Because of their logical skills, INTJs might remove emotions from the equation when trying to help others.
This means that they can sometimes be way off the mark with the advice that they dish out!
In contrast, those with an INTP personality type will be much better at helping others and seeing things from different perspectives.
They see things from a logical viewpoint, but know the importance of emotions in certain situations.
INTPs will typically be passionate and proactive when it comes to helping their friends and loved ones, giving thoughtful and interesting advice.
They can always provide a rational point of view, helping those in distress to see the positives and negatives of their current situation.
Conflict
When it comes to INTP vs INTJ, they both view conflict pretty similarly.
Neither of these personality types seeks out conflict, but they both know that it is a necessary part of life. ]
They will not run away from conflict, but face it head-on.
However, they differ when it comes to how they deal with the conflict that they face.
Those with an INTJ personality type will be a little brasher and uncaring towards those that they have an issue with.
They are pretty vocal when expressing their own views, and can sometimes find it hard to see things from someone else perspective.
They may disregard conflict when it is based on emotions, as they don’t see the point of wasting their energy on this type of situation.
On the other hard, those with an INTP personality type tend to be more open-minded when it comes to conflict.
They will take time listening to the different opinions of others, but might shrug them off if their views are too emotional.
INTPs are very proactive when it comes to resolving conflict, looking for creative and inventive solutions to the situation.
Despite this, INTPs might not learn as much as they should from conflict.
Those with an INTJ personality type value conflict more than INTPs for the reason that conflict can help them learn and grow.
INTJs are much more likely to get into productive debates and want to listen to other people’s points of view, even if they are totally against them!
They actually enjoy getting into debates with others who are as strong-minded as them.
This might be because they love winning an argument!
Work
When comparing the INTP vs INTJ you'll see they love analytical and thought-provoking areas of work.
They value using their mind in order to get ahead in their careers, and both do well in mathematical and logical career paths.
However, those with an INTP personality type might lean toward more creative careers that allow them to think outside the box.
They are always searching for new and exciting ways of progressing, and like to take an unconventional approach to their work.
In contrast, those with an INTJ personality type will value the goal more than the path they need to take in order to get there.
INTJs want to be the best in their field and will work methodologically and logically. They value success and have a clear image of where they want to be.
Whilst INTPs do want success in their careers, they really value trying out different things and exploring new ideas.
For them, their career is a journey of ups and downs and can go in so many different ways!
Hobbies and Interests
What they do in their downtime is equally important to both when comparing INTP vs INTJ. They both understand the importance of enjoying life and exploring their hobbies and interests.
However, INTPs and INTJs approach their hobbies in different ways.
Those with an INTP personality type will have a whole range of hobbies and interests and will be interested in so many different things at the same time.
They really like trying out new things and will typically jump at learning something new.
This means that the INTPs will frequently have loads of different projects going at the same time.
They will be practicing an instrument, taking classes in arts and crafts, and learning a new language all at the same time!
INTJs, on the other hand, will usually be much more focused in regard to their hobbies and interests. When they start something new, they will put all their energy into this one thing.
This is because INTJs are perfectionists and always want to be the best, no matter what they are doing!
This is actually a pretty cool thing about INTJs as they always have surprising hidden talents.
Friendships
Both those with an INTP personality type and an INTJ personality type really value deep and meaningful connections with others.
They both are naturally introverted, but will flourish when hanging out with people who have a similar passion for the intellect and common interests.
Yet, when looking at the INTP vs INTJ you'll see they will differ in how they behave in their friendship group.
Despite both having a love for knowledge and deep connections, they will actually bring different things to the table when it comes to friendships.
Those with an INTP personality type will typically be more reserved than INTJs.
They will think before they speak and never rush into an argument or a debate. They are easy-going individuals who are pleasant to be around.
Because of their quiet nature, INTPs might find it difficult at first to make friends. People may brush them off as boring when actually they are the complete opposite!
On the other hand, those with an INTJ personality type can be pretty loud and brash in the right circumstances.
Despite being introverted, INTJs will flourish in a debate setting.
If you are wanting friends to have heating discussions and life, the universe, and religion with, INTJs are your best bet.
They like to have others listen to their point of view, and challenge the views of those around them.
Self-Image
One major difference between INTPs and INTJs is how they view themselves and their attitude to their own personality.
INTJs are headstrong and confident.
They know what they are good at, and know what they are bad at. They typically have a positive view of themselves, yet are realistic in their approach to this.
Furthermore, they know how to take criticism and learn from it, and know that not everyone is going to like them!
On the other hand, those with an INTP personality type might have more of a negative view of themselves.
They sometimes lack the confidence that INTJs have, and will often believe that they are not good enough at their career or hobbies.
Because of their self-doubt, those with an INTP personality will not take criticism well.
If someone has an issue with them, they tend to take it really personally and it can upset them a lot.
Organization
INTJs love planning and organization.
When it comes to their career or their hobbies, they will always want to intricately plan out their journey, and know what to do in order to achieve their goals.
INTJs need to be organized, with their external world structured and running well. They are normally big fans of lists and diaries and enjoy living in a clean and tidy environment.
However, INTJs tend to struggle when things go wrong despite their organizational skills.
If their plan hasn’t worked, they will get pretty frustrated and find it difficult to quickly take a new approach to the situation.
On the other hand, INTPs are more relaxed about organizing their external world.
Yes, they like to know a general plan of action, but will not work it out in painstaking detail.
This means that sometimes they run into unforeseen difficulties. However, unlike INTJs, INTPs tend to be more adaptable and flexible.
Those with an INTP personality type are able to think freely and go with the flow.
Because they are more concerned with their thoughts than the world around them, they won’t get too stressed when things in the external world don’t go how they planned.
INTP vs INTJ Summary
I think it is really interesting how different these two personality types are!
At first glance, you may think that they are both pretty similar.
However, once you get to learn more about them, it is fascinating to see the key differences between the two.
When it comes to INTP vs INTJ, both personality types are hardworking and logical people.
However, they differ in how they approach their work and how they connect with those around them.
Both personality types are wonderful and interesting, and they bring so much to the world around them!
I hope you enjoyed learning about the INTP vs INTJ differences. If you want to learn more about other personality types check out our other articles here. Enjoy!
❤️ Related Post:
- ISTJ vs INTJ: 7 Ways To Tell These Amazing Personalities Apart
- ENTJ vs INTJ: 9 Key Differences Between These Personality Types
- INTJ vs INFJ: 7 Main Differences Between These Personality Types
Alan is the founder of Subconscious Servant. He has a passion for learning about topics such as spirituality and the metaphysical world. The thing he loves to explore most though is manifesting with the law of attraction ✨.