# INTP or ENTP?



## cerenach (Mar 26, 2015)

I wouldn't recommend typing by description either. Too much Forer. You can use them for comparing and contrasting your behavior but don't base your type on what one tells you. 

If you want to utilize the system beyond stereotypes, you *will* have to learn the cognitive functions. Avoiding it is just going to send you on a rollercoaster of mistyping. You'll probably still mistype a couple of times but at least youll better understand why it wasn't the right fit and won't have to start over from scratch each time.


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## poisonmind (Jan 27, 2015)

@cerenach

I will try to study and understand the cognitive functions because I really want to know what type I truly am.
Do you have any suggestions or sites where I can start?


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## ENTP_Korine (Jul 10, 2015)

I was going to just post the link but I can't since I don't have 15 posts yet. 

I am an ENTP with a close INTP friend and this pretty much explains how we're different.
If you want to see the source google "Quora+ ENTP vs INTP" , its the first link and its Lucretia Yeh answer.

The difference between ENTP & INTP
INTPs are fairly easy to differentiate from the very extroverted ENTPs (they won't shut up). The below are my observations of the differences between INTPs and ENTPs who are close to the E/I border. These are based on individuals I personally know so YMMV. 

Thought process
INTPs: anything that comes out of their mouths are filtered by a very well-developed Ti, meaning that if they're going to say something, they have refined their ideas few times before presenting their thoughts. By the time you hear them speak, their logic is extremely orderly and linear.
ENTPs: it's like freaking scattershot in a time warp. They generate so many unfiltered ideas that the observer needs to wade through a ton of crap to get at the gems they do spew out. 

In an ideal world you'd have an ENTP and an INTP tasked to solve problems together. The INTP can filter with their Ti almost as quickly as the ENTP can spew with their Ne.

Language
INTPs: tends to value precision over lucidity. They often get so caught up in an idea that they will explain things in excruciating detail and will often not notice when they lose their audience. 
ENTPs: tends to value lucidity over precision. They're very naturally skilled at stepping back and evaluating a concept's most important points and how it's relevant to the audience. They like to summarize and generalize material for their audience and therefore make excellent educators.

Language part 2
INTPs: most are spelling and grammar Nazis. Try sending them netspeak. I dare you. lol
ENTPs: not so much.

Philosophy of learning
INTPs: learning for knowledge's sake
ENTPs: learning with the purpose of adding to their toolbox

Subjects in which they naturally excel
INTPs: Math, physical sciences, engineering, computer science. Anything that makes use of logic, or in other words, their dominant Ti. They're like super computers on two legs run entirely on coffee or other form of liquid caffeine. 
ENTPs: Social sciences - anything that requires observation of human behavior. They are incredibly talented at putting themselves into others' shoes and are naturally very curious about people. This isn't to say they aren't good at the natural sciences, but their natural inclination is tilted towards the social sciences. One of my friends received his masters in nuclear chemistry (from MIT no less) but then later received his Ed.D. 

Economics as an area of study
INTPs: My INTP friends who took econ classes wanted to gouge their eyes out; the subject did not make sense to their Ti at all (these were brilliant men too, with PhDs in their respective fields of study). I think the issue was that they approached econ as if it were a natural science rather than a social science. 
ENTPs: A few of my ENTP friends majored in econ.

Office Politics
INTPs: can't stand it. They also have an unpretentious "I don't give a sh*t about what others think" attitude about them. 
ENTPs: can play the game with skill and often with a great degree of success. They may try to act like they don't care what others think about them, but you can kinda tell that they do.

Opportunistic/capitalistic
INTPs: no to a little.
ENTPs: hell yeah.

Workplace interactions
INTPs: loners. They don't like being told what to do, and they tend to not want underlings.
ENTPs: if they can get underlings to do the work, they will. They like to spew ideas and have others execute them.

Office Dress code
INTPs: given their way, they'd dress up in nothing but t-shirt, shorts and holey socks.
ENTPs: care a lot more about their appearance than INTPs. Dress shirts, sometimes suit. Even in a casual dress setting, they're more likely to dress better than your average INTP at a more formal setting.

Aesthetics of their work
INTPs: "Meh, it looks good enough. I'm not here to make it look pretty."
ENTPs: cares more than the average INTP. Often understands that aesthetics can be as important as the actual content to the average audience member. Whether or not they have the capability to create presentable work depends on their skill set and access to those who have that skill set.

Reading people
INTPs: What? Are there other people around? <looks around in mock shock and horror> Some INTPs are skilled at reading people though it seems it was a learned skill that only comes into play when they get older, at 35+.
ENTPs: These guys are scary as all hell at reading people. Their powers of observation are off the charts. Even if they don't talk with you, they're the first to know when you're having an off day.

Depression
INTPs: Seem to be highly prone to depression, even to the point of being suicidal. I suspect it has much to do with the fact that INTPs are so naturally intelligent global thinkers that they can list and tends to focus on all the things wrong in the world. They think that most people are idiots and that the world's going to hell in a hand basket. This side of the INTP doesn't surface until after you've struck up a friendship with them and they feel comfortable enough to vent to you. 
ENTPs: Much, much more optimistic than INTPs. Tends to project being cheerful, happy-go-lucky.

Complaining
INTPs: Should be considered their past time. They have perfected the art of complaining about everything they see. They do get sheepish when you point this out to them.
ENTPs: Complains a lot less, partially because they are wired to come up with solutions, rather than fixate on an issue. Because of this, ENTPs are more future-oriented than present-oriented as in the case of the INTP.

Social Settings
INTPs: Awkward. Hates small talk, will avoid if at all possible. 
ENTPs: A bit more outgoing and takes more initiative to reach out to others than the INTP. Can fake small talk if necessary, but they don't like it either. 

Acknowledging fault
INTPs: Are quick to acknowledge and apologize for their faults when pointed out to them.
ENTPs: Can be quick to acknowledge faults but will often argue their way out unless you are in a superior position (their boss, their client, you've won many arguments in the past with them, etc). 

Confidence level
INTPs: On the lower end. Has a tendency to second guess themselves and their thoughts/theories a lot. Given that their quest is for the ultimate truth, this can be problematic and probably contributes to their depression.
ENTPs: Higher than the INTPs. Doesn't get hung up on being intellectually precise as do the INTPs. 

Relationships
INTPs: Of the NTs, INTPs may be the most romantic of them all, not flowers romantic, but they tend to idealize their relationships more than the others which sets them up for a big let down when they find out their mates don't match up to that image in their heads. Also adding to the strain, there's a bit of an expectation that their mates entertain them. Given their level of intelligence, they get bored easily which puts pressure on their mates to come up with things to keep them occupied. 
Less willing to end an unhealthy relationship.
Likely the unhappiest of all the NTs once settled into a relationship. 
ENTPs: Less idealistic, also tends to settle down later in life. One of the happiest of the NTs once settled into a relationship. More willing to end an unhealthy relationship.


Similarities between the ENTP and INTP
They love to argue/debate/play devil's advocate
Sarcastic as all hell (though the INTP's brand of sarcasm is different, more obscure)
Very bright, cerebrally quick
Both can be very blunt, though they may filter this around people they don't know as well unless the unknown is an authority figure
Both are fairly selfish with their time
Disorganized
Love of puns
Not all, but the majority seem to be atheists, with agnostic being a popular second choice
Unless their "P" is weak, they tend to be serial procrastinators and are habitually late
They thirst for new experiences, but the INTP may need more (sometimes a lot more) prodding if they are homebodies
Both will be annoyed by my post because they think I'm pigeon-holing them into stereotypes. Their arguments would include 1. you can't generalize from just a few data points 2. people change over time and therefore MBTI isn't nearly as accurate as you think it is.


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## TheVerb (Mar 4, 2015)

These online tests generally aren't the best indicator of your real type. You typically aren't completely honest with yourself when you answer . I would look into the functions more. Function wise INTP's and ENTP's are very similar, just in a different order. The big one is looking at Ne and Ti. ENTP's lead with Ne, as in, they are using it all the time. INTP's lead with Ti.


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## ConspiracyTheory (Apr 13, 2014)

ENTP_Korine said:


> I was going to just post the link but I can't since I don't have 15 posts yet.
> 
> I am an ENTP with a close INTP friend and this pretty much explains how we're different.
> If you want to see the source google "Quora+ ENTP vs INTP" , its the first link and its Lucretia Yeh answer.
> ...


That's pretty spot on based on my view of myself. With the exception of language and what INTPs excel at.

Spelling errors and netspeak don't bother me. They are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
Everybody messes up they're/their/there and you're/your, even though they know the difference. 
When they are focused on getting an idea across, their minds sometimes ignore the proper one, because in our heads it all sounds the same, and a lot of people go on auto-pilot with grammar.

In fact, it pisses me off when people point out that someone used the wrong their/they're and say "oh you're obviously not smart because you can't spell it right." Um, no. Minds go on auto-pilot when people are excited about an idea. The spelling mistake is meritless to their intelligence. I think the person who points out the error is the one who is not being intelligent enough to realize that it's a moot point.


Also I got good grades in math, but I hated it because I'd have to turn my intuition off. I have to stop looking at the big picture and instead focus on the little details. I think math is a combo of intuiting and sensing and just a drag for everybody, mostly. You have to have a natural balance between intuiting and sensing to enjoy it.
If you have a dominance of either function, it's not going to feel easy.


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## goamare (Feb 27, 2014)

Morgan Moriarty said:


> The first time I took the MBTI test the result was ENTP.
> I've taken the test right now and it said INTP with 11% preference for introversion over extraversion.
> What am I? I'm so confused. Perhaps I'm an ambivert?


Ambivert, why not. But before going there, I suggest you these questions to think about:

Is your Ti a result of your Ne? or is it more the other way?

Also, do you tend to seek stimulation/excitement? or more free from it? (former->E, latter->I)
Do you not care much about risks? or rather tend to avoid risks? (former->E, latter->I)


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## poisonmind (Jan 27, 2015)

Hello everyone, thank you for answering to my thread.

I've started to "study" the cognitive functions with the help of a few blogs and sites, and I think I'm INTP, even though I'm not 100% sure about it (but I'm never sure about anything tbh).
The problem was that in my head ENTP and INTP were just stereotypes, and I wanted to be ENTP because they're always represented as funny, charismatic and this kind of stuff, while INTP are pictured as robots. 
Also, I realized I can't "trust" others' perception of a type because each of us sees different things.
I'm quite sure I use my Ti more than my Ne, and my inferior function is definitely Fe. I never show my emotions because I hate being seen as vulnerable, and if someone talks about how I feel to someone else, I feel betrayed and get angry at them, often ending up in tears.

Moreover, just because I'm INTP, it doesn't mean I don't need/enjoy staying with other people. I'm just selective and have trust issues, that's all.


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