# INTP or ENTP - How can you tell?



## Tainted Streetlight

I feel like all of these long posts are eye-sores that could be simplified.

The way I view it:
INTPs get things done.
ENTPs do not.

ENTPs don't give a f**k.
INTPs don't give two f**ks.


----------



## Amonite

I get some things done, and some things I do not get done. I have a great many ideas/projects. Some I carry through to complete fruition, many more I just start and fiddle around with now and then but never have a real chance of getting done. 

I canot say that either of the above would fit me, then. It would be better to say "I get things done when a) someone else enforces a deadline, b) I see a real and practical reason to get the project done (which usually turns the project into a chore by the end, if I complete it for this reason), or c) I love the project so much that I obsessively work on it until it is finished, to the consternation of all those around me.

I am also not sure what it is that you assert ENTP's/INTP's are supposed to not be caring about. Life? Logic? The universe? Feelings? Other people? Copulation? 

While I test back and forth between ENTP/INTP on tests, and get ~50/50 on tests with breakdowns, one thing that does make me consider INTP is my hatred of brevity. I will be concise if I have to be, but unless I have sufficient time to make sure the shorter version contains the same information/soundness as the original, I would rather speak as long as necessary to convey the argument and its process. I can be concise, such as in an open discussion where I have a few seconds to come up with a 'ten second argument' in favor of my point or in counter to someone elses, and if I don't interject, I'll miss my window. I dislike the lack of full information, but it does the job equally well to decimate opposing arguments.


----------



## Briguy

I only hang out with one or two people everyday, going to my college classes drains me so I have been leaning toward INTP but I also enjoy the idea of possibly at some point in the future being around a lot of people, maybe, so ENTP.


----------



## Anna Moss

> What's the difference between an INTP with well developed Ne and an ENTP with a well developed Ti function? Several times I've questioned it, and even a long discussion with an INTP who's exceptionally good at typing and knows me better than I do can't resolve it.


Eh, the cognitive functions don't exist. They're something of a throwback from the days of Jung, and they can't be measured or detected on any known test. In fact, what tests have been done have found no evidence for any the claims that are made for cognitive functions. 

Everyone may now share their favorite anecdote for why the cognitive functions are real. ;P


----------



## misstheground

I find myself thinking a lot of the same things you do, @Amonite . 
I've kind of settled on identifying as an ambivert, though. 

It seems to me like your (and actually mine too) trouble arises from where you get your energy from. Because in stressed situations you become introverted, but is that a result of anxiety or a result of needing to collect energy? 
I don't really know enough to ask the right questions to figure that out, though. 
Anyone?


----------



## FlaviaGemina

Anna Moss said:


> Eh, the cognitive functions don't exist. They're something of a throwback from the days of Jung, and they can't be measured or detected on any known test. In fact, what tests have been done have found no evidence for any the claims that are made for cognitive functions.
> 
> Everyone may now share their favorite anecdote for why the cognitive functions are real. ;P


Nope, you may now quote your evidence for your claim.



On topic: 
Get someone to observe you and tell you this:
Do you sound more unsure/ puzzled/childlike/amused about your own thoughtprocess when you share your _thoughts_? = ENTP
..... when you share your _observations_? = INTP


----------



## Anna Moss

> Nope, you may now quote your evidence for your claim.


I have a summary of the research started, but it's not done yet. Maybe next month. :happy:


----------



## chaoticbrain

Signify said:


> If you get into a mental sparring match with INTP/ENTP, the ENTP is far more likely to win. In a sparring match, the time you have to respond is limited and INTP's need time to process. An ENTP is more likely to have already formed his opinion and can throw things off of the cuff effortlessly.
> 
> Mind you, ENTP's operate better with processing time, but without it, they can function. As an INTP, in a mental sparring match, if I put too much stress on the fact that I MUST respond, every part of me freezes and goes silent. I am then left to just stand there (mind you, I have the perfect comeback to every point made 5-10 minutes later and I want to hit myself for not seeing it sooner).
> 
> It is not about how strong the Ne/Ti is, but which order the brain utilizes them that counts in this situation. Under stress, people go to what they do best. An ENTP will utilize Ne to improvise a response, and an INTP will instantly flip to Ti by nature, and Ti will be unable to provide a comeback to a conversation which is of a more Ne nature. It will simply give 'Not enough information provided' message, and quiet down.


 This annoys me about being an intp. It's like entp's are who intp's wish they could be. I would be so much more clever socially etc if I was an entp.


----------



## Briguy

Anna Moss said:


> Eh, the cognitive functions don't exist. They're something of a throwback from the days of Jung, and they can't be measured or detected on any known test. In fact, what tests have been done have found no evidence for any the claims that are made for cognitive functions.
> 
> Everyone may now share their favorite anecdote for why the cognitive functions are real. ;P


How dare you think different from us! I DEMAND SATISFACTION!


----------



## chaoticbrain

Anna Moss said:


> Eh, the cognitive functions don't exist. They're something of a throwback from the days of Jung, and they can't be measured or detected on any known test. In fact, what tests have been done have found no evidence for any the claims that are made for cognitive functions.
> 
> Everyone may now share their favorite anecdote for why the cognitive functions are real. ;P


 Doesn't that mean this whole website is a sham ? I mean certainly myers briggs can't have validity if the cognative functions don't have validity.


----------



## Ellis Bell

Anna Moss said:


> Eh, the cognitive functions don't exist. They're something of a throwback from the days of Jung, and they can't be measured or detected on any known test. In fact, what tests have been done have found no evidence for any the claims that are made for cognitive functions.
> 
> Everyone may now share their favorite anecdote for why the cognitive functions are real. ;P


Ummm... where's your proof?


----------



## Anna Moss

> How dare you think different from us! I DEMAND SATISFACTION!


*smacks Briguy's cheek with glove* You have offended my honor sir! Choose your weapon. 
I always wanted to say that. :crazy:



> Doesn't that mean this whole website is a sham ? I mean certainly myers briggs can't have validity if the cognative functions don't have validity.


Sure it can.  The cognitive functions are sort of like an expansion pack for an existing game; they're not required to play. The existence of E - I, S - N, T - F, and J - P can all be tested and quantified. (And they have been.) The cognitive functions have been tested but without satisfactory results. 



> Ummm... where's your proof?


It's half-finished. ;p Do you have any proof that the cognitive functions _do _exist? (I mean other than personal anecdotes.) I can tell you that the academic type community doesn't have any proof; rather, there is a small handful of studies that attempted to prove the existence of the functions and failed, as well as several studies that would seem to disprove the existence of the cognitive functions altogether.


----------



## chaoticbrain

Lol tested ? What does that even mean ? "thinking" doesn't exist, the same way "jogging" doesn't exist. It's not a physical thing like "here is thinking I can hold it in my hand!". Please explain how these have been "tested".


----------



## NT the DC

Shape of penis.


----------



## Zerosum

When angered, ENTP is like to blast at you and punch you in the face... Where as INTP is like to calmly reach in his/her pocket for a knife and plunge it deep into your face!


----------



## aef8234

Well definitively speaking the different between ENTP and INTP is the E and the I.

E stands for Extroversion while I stands for Introversion.

These two... thingies are all based around "Energy-gathering" as defined by some psych book I read in the park, friggng naked hobo.. Anyways...

So by that logic, there should be some distinct variance in their "energy levels" in comparison to one another.

The rest, I have not read yet, nor will I submit any of my guesses, since I have been staring at that one dude's dia de los muertos skull.gif thing for minutes on end and I feel weird.

pfftsch, feel.


----------



## DeductiveReasoner

ENTPs laugh really loud. INTPs just sorta chuckle.

That's, liek, the only difference between us, guyzzzzZ


----------



## DarwinsBastard

ENTP 5w6 sp/sx, supposedly. I can't really answer this one but I would like to know for myself. I can tell you in no way do I see myself as an extrovert. Whether it is possible to be an extrovert in terms of brain function, and yet somehow incredibly introverted at the same time, is a popular notion going around that I play with but am unsure whether to buy into. I identify more with 5w6 then I do ENTP.


----------



## aef8234

kasthu said:


> Ummm... where's your proof?


Actually....
There is no proof about most of Jung's theories, jungian style psychology borders on astrology in terms of empirical evidence ._.

...Don't kill me.

HOWEVER, it is fun to do those personality tests, I usually just use them as naught more than outside personal opinions of random people, which is a good ego boost.

I still wonder the validity of VisualDNA though, it's filled with so many ads that in...flu...ence..
hmmm...


----------



## MyNameIsTooLon

INTP- rambles on about boring things until I just want to punch them in the face

ENTP- rambles on about how great they are until I just want to punch them in the face


TeeHee!


----------



## downsowf

MyNameIsTooLon said:


> INTP- rambles on about boring things until I just want to punch them in the face
> 
> ENTP- rambles on about how great they are until I just want to punch them in the face
> 
> 
> TeeHee!


INFP: Rambles on how miserable they are until you want to punch them in the face to put them out of their misery


----------



## Kirilenko

I have no desire to socialize and feel comfortable spending months alone.
However, when I am in public, I am the life of the party, I'm the dominant person of the group and I never feel exhausted after socializing.
Fuck me right?


----------



## animalcule

^You kidding? I'm so jealous, you have the best of both worlds. I am pretty social at this point, after years of practice, but I can only 'turn on' for so long... still need plenty of 'off' hours in my home, ignoring all other humans, to recharge.

My ENTP boyfriend (who's not all that into the MBTI though he has taken the test) is under the impression he's INTP because he likes to do things alone/doesn't need to socialize. It is to LOL - I've never seen anyone who can get so charged up from interacting with other people, he is the life of every party, hates staying home (though is most often doing solitary things when out and about), and is so, so obviously a Ne-dominant. I don't argue with him though.


----------



## Bricolage

Schemilix said:


> *What's the difference between an INTP with well developed Ne and an ENTP with a well developed Ti function? Several times I've questioned it, and even a long discussion with an INTP who's exceptionally good at typing and knows me better than I do can't resolve it. *
> 
> Now, a little about me without hijacking the thread: I enjoy conversations, I verbally and mentally spar and I enjoy it, even when I'm getting angry. I take a long time to form opinions and frequently second-guess myself but once I do, I am vocal about it, though I'm always open to something that will change my mind - if it's good enough. My head's in the clouds. I tend to get bored with things easily and drop them, but I crave security and familiarity. I have no issues expressing my feelings and have a knack for understanding how people work, though this goes wrong as soon as I care about them most of the time. People often bore me. Those that don't I talk to for hours on end and don't leave alone, I find them so interesting. At parties I have a conflict between wanting everyone to know that I'm an individual and know lots of things, and finding people dull and uncomfortable. Parties leave me uncomfortable in my own skin. Feelings do, too. If I become stressed and rant at people, express too much of myself, or otherwise indulge in emotions where people can hear me, I berate myself and feel awful for it, but I can't help it. I make logical decisions but consider my emotional well-being to be a factor worth taking into consideration when I make a decision.
> Anything else, just ask.
> 
> So tell me - what's the difference? And could you, from that, tell me?


In a moment I'll read more of this thread but ENTPs (Ne) are perceivers and INTPs (Ti) are judgers. Because extraverted intuition is a perceiving function, ENTPs come across as more open-minded (good) and more distractible (bad).


----------



## Shaolu




----------



## Johnny English

misstheground said:


> I find myself thinking a lot of the same things you do, @Amonite .
> I've kind of settled on identifying as an ambivert, though.
> 
> It seems to me like your (and actually mine too) trouble arises from where you get your energy from. Because in stressed situations you become introverted, but is that a result of anxiety or a result of needing to collect energy?
> I don't really know enough to ask the right questions to figure that out, though.
> Anyone?


I'm on the border between E/I myself with E winning out over I in mbti tests only by about 20%, so here are a few stuff you could look for to decide which one you are:

1.Serious/Relaxed: This one might sound weird but generally INTPs have a stiff posture and speak in a clipped, careful way while ENTPs spread themselves in a relaxed fashion and talk freely without much thought beforehand.

2.Reading: This isn't the reading of books( all NTPs are obsessed with it) but it's the reading of people.Whenever someone speaks or interacts with you, do you have an immediate sense of recognition of what they are trying to say and can you identify them under some general rule you have used to classify characters before?If you can then you are probably an ENTP(this relates to the Fe cognitive function).On the other hand since INTPs tend to take things literally they fail to recognize little signals people try to convey in their speech.

3.Certainty: Are there things you feel certain about, such as logic, for example? Or do you consider everything(including logic) as the intuitive construction of the amazing thing that's between our ears? If you don't need a bulwark of knowledge to place yourself upon and rely on intuitive probabilities instead of logical certainties then you would be an ENTP and vice versa.

4.Energy: This one you've probably heard of a lot so I'll put it in a different way.Think of the things you do best in life( for example your career). Do you feel new ideas springing up in your mind when you're talking to friends aboout these things or do you feel that the ideas you have are draining out of you when you talk to people?In other words, do you become more productive when in society or when alone?The first is ENTP the second INTP.

If this isn't enough try the socionics test on sociotype.com.I've found that I relate far better to the socionics ENTp with Ne dominant than to the mbti equivalent.

Besides whenever you're on the border between ENTP and INTP, it's a lot more likely that you are an ENTP because they are after all the most introverted extrovert while INTPs are not the most extroverted introverts.

Hope this helps:tongue:


----------



## Amonite

I have found that the ILI-INTp socionomics type fits me best.

As for your points,

1) Posture and speech depends on how well I know the person, what the setting is, and how much I am trying to 'fake' being social. When I was younger I had a very stiff and reserved posture, which I have learned over time to relax. I have also studied posture cues that help release tension in social situations, or build solidarity with others. I am careful with word-choice either way, but I speak freely if it is a discussion-format and more sparingly if it is a social context.

2) I can read people well, but not via intuition. This is a skill I have learned/practice over time by researching social cues, then analyzing those tells in view of social setting, prior information about the person, and logical probability. If 'stuck', I can usually repeat the scene and details to a relationally intuitive person, and they can describe the feeling behind the behavior.

3) I definitely lean towards logic, however probability itself can be a factor in analysis. I hold to logic and other natural laws as truths underlying our interaction with the world, not as abstract constructs.

4) I do find myself brainstorming many new ideas with certain friends, and am very vocal in brainstorming sessions as comments trigger new ideas. However, aside from a couple friends, I usually find this more draining than productive. Often, a group or person will want to 'narrow down' possibilities too soon, and start addressing a practical solution before the problem has been fully understood or discussed. As such, I am usually more 'productive' and find it less draining to come up with solutions or creative ideas when alone. Back in school, I found group projects draining both intellectually and socially, and they resulted in inferior work to solo-projects. [The exception being one excellent group in college that broke the mold, as the others were skilled and we brainstormed our approach thoroughly].


----------



## IDontThinkSo

Adult INTPs and ENTPs can be almost identical. You can't judge them by their imagination and logical abilities, or superficial behavior. The major difference is that an ENTP focuses more on getting new ideas, whereas an INTP focuses on analyzing what he has. So what process do you sacrifice first, which one is the hardest to interrupt ? Also, I'm not sure if it's a valid observation, but under stress, I usually notice that EPs will tend to think about something else whereas IPs will obsess over the source of stress. Might be totally biased though.


----------



## Johnny English

Amonite said:


> I have found that the ILI-INTp socionomics type fits me best.
> 
> As for your points,
> 
> 1) Posture and speech depends on how well I know the person, what the setting is, and how much I am trying to 'fake' being social. When I was younger I had a very stiff and reserved posture, which I have learned over time to relax. I have also studied posture cues that help release tension in social situations, or build solidarity with others. I am careful with word-choice either way, but I speak freely if it is a discussion-format and more sparingly if it is a social context.
> 
> 2) I can read people well, but not via intuition. This is a skill I have learned/practice over time by researching social cues, then analyzing those tells in view of social setting, prior information about the person, and logical probability. If 'stuck', I can usually repeat the scene and details to a relationally intuitive person, and they can describe the feeling behind the behavior.
> 
> 3) I definitely lean towards logic, however probability itself can be a factor in analysis. I hold to logic and other natural laws as truths underlying our interaction with the world, not as abstract constructs.
> 
> 4) I do find myself brainstorming many new ideas with certain friends, and am very vocal in brainstorming sessions as comments trigger new ideas. However, aside from a couple friends, I usually find this more draining than productive. Often, a group or person will want to 'narrow down' possibilities too soon, and start addressing a practical solution before the problem has been fully understood or discussed. As such, I am usually more 'productive' and find it less draining to come up with solutions or creative ideas when alone. Back in school, I found group projects draining both intellectually and socially, and they resulted in inferior work to solo-projects. [The exception being one excellent group in college that broke the mold, as the others were skilled and we brainstormed our approach thoroughly].


In a nutshell, I think you are more likely an INTP(not judging merely from what you said but how you said it as well)


----------



## misstheground

Johnny English said:


> I'm on the border between E/I myself with E winning out over I in mbti tests only by about 20%, so here are a few stuff you could look for to decide which one you are:
> 
> ...



Wow, nice job, kid.
Excellent description.

I've stopped caring as much because I'm still in a high velocity self development stage. I'll try again when I'm 20-something.


----------



## Derange At 170

I'm an ENTP with well developed Ti. I'm an Ne-dom, but def appreciate my Ti more. Annd I'm not even an ambivert, I'm a very obvious extravert.

But it's in the tertiary functions where you can tell them apart. ENTPs are more mindful of other people and have better communicative skills (more Fe) and are less structured (handicapped Si). An ENTP is more likely to dominate the conversation or put in effort to show off their wits and perform.


----------



## ArBell

ENTPs are assholes, while INTPs are annoying.
I'd take the asshole over the annoying any day.


----------



## maust

I actually had a pretty funny screenshot for this exact phenomenon earlier today. 

I had to leave a conversation with an ENTP and an INTP at the same time, so I put down my phone. I was talking to them separately and hadn't been able to finish my thoughts. 

ENTP: 
lol
where are you 
come back
I'm v needy
come backkkkkk
did you die

INTP: 
LOL 

They both love debating, but the INTP can drill deeper into the details of a point much more easily. The INTP also hates when I randomly switch topics, so I do it just to bother him. :tongue:


----------



## lukz

redmanXNTP said:


> I'm very close to being an ambivert, and in fact I suspect that if I didn't suffer from bipolar (type 2) related depression I'd probably be more ENTP. I test INTP now, but there are times that I get very energized from socializing. I ultimately need my veg time, however.
> 
> The different weighting of Ne vs. Ti is simply too subtle in most INTP's and ENTP's for you to successfully differentiate it - both traits are VERY strong in both types, and they also work too much in conjunction with each other. Asking whether someone's thinking is more indicative of being Ti-Ne versus Ne-Ti is like the chicken-egg scenario.
> 
> It really does come down to where you ultimately recharge your batteries. In other words, if you feel tired or mentally drained, do you seek out people to socialize with in order to lose that fatigue, or do you retreat into your favorite, solitary corner and recharge in solitude.
> 
> ENTP's are going to tend to be more dynamic social personalities than INTP's. While not every ENTP will be this way, you'll definitely have some "life of the party" types who are more demonstrative, crack-ups which would be a rarity for an INTP. The stereotypical INTP won't seem as confident socially as the stereotypical ENTP.
> 
> That said, I've heard ENTP's on this forum say that they feel more introverted than other "E's", which makes sense because what they mean is that sometimes Ne-Ti needs some time alone to fly along and let ideas blossom without the interruptions that come from social interaction.
> 
> Anyway, this is best thought of as a difference of degree rather than kind . . . but then it should be anyway because MBTI is just talking about _preferences_ rather than absolutes, right?


How old are you? 
You might be just a young ENTP after all.


----------



## Noir

kmatrixg said:


> Easiest way to tell is definitely where you pull your energy from - internal thought or external socializing. I summed it up for myself in this way - if you need to have some peace and quiet alone before you go out, your introverted. If you can go out at 5pm, and stay out until 6am without once thinking - I need to get away - you're extroverted.
> 
> I've noticed a lot of people referring to enjoying "being alone" while being E's, and I's who love socializing and having this cause a rift of their type. But just because either likes to do what the other is known for doesn't mean you're one or the other. I love to hang out, and feel that if I don't find a medium to test my little theories internally through observation (being around people) I start to feel worse than if I was around people all day.
> 
> What it boils down to though is where you *draw your energy *- internally or externally.


I realize this is a 3 y.o. post, but I'd like to clear something. I never quite got the part about drawing energy internally or externally. I mean, what does that even mean? 
I like to think about it as NOT SPENDING energy as opposed to "drawing energy". I am an introvert, so being alone doesn't drain me, it allows my energy to refill while going out and socializing requires energy on my part, which is why it becomes tiring. My point is that you don't waste energy on things, which is why you recover, rather than drawing it.


----------



## Noir

ArBell said:


> ENTPs are assholes, while INTPs are annoying.
> I'd take the asshole over the annoying any day.


----------



## desire machine

Noir said:


> I realize this is a 3 y.o. post, but I'd like to clear something. I never quite got the part about drawing energy internally or externally. I mean, what does that even mean?
> I like to think about it as NOT SPENDING energy as opposed to "drawing energy". I am an introvert, so being alone doesn't drain me, it allows my energy to refill while going out and socializing requires energy on my part, which is why it becomes tiring. My point is that you don't waste energy on things, which is why you recover, rather than drawing it.


I think the whole energy thing is just a metaphor analogy thing, which is prob easier for Feelers to judge based off of. I think a better way to tell is by figuring out which situations cause more anxiety social situations or being alone. I feel the energy thing is not so much gaining energy as recuperating from anxiety. However, if you're in a comfortable setting/low stress time in your life either can be good so it's not really a matter of preferring one over the other as much as where you're more likely to encounter anxiety.


----------



## MatchaBlizzard

Oh, you can tell. Sorry, I just saw the title, and I'm not going deep on this one.
INTP and ENTP. I know multiples of both these types. I get along better with INTPs usually.
I can feel the difference very clearly being around both of them. ENTPs can be cool too though.


----------



## The Dude

Worriedfunction said:


> You ask a question:
> 
> ENTP: What?
> 
> INTP: Why? What?


This made me laugh. "What?" could be my catch phrase. I say it to the point people mock me. 

Almost all of my tests come back INTP, but after reading Psychological Types I knew I was a Ne-dom. This article explains it nicely: Q&A: The Difference Between INTP and ENTP | CelebrityTypes


----------



## Crimplene for men

Does age have a bearing on it? A lot of people have more responsibility as they get older, work longer hours, have more stress etc. They might have a family, stop going out as much and seem less extroverted. 

I've also found myself using Fe more as I've got older, so don't think of myself as cold or unemotional. When people whittle on about feely stuff I do privately think stfu, but wouldn't say it, because that would be hurtful and non-productive.


----------



## Airess3

From my experience:

ENTP: Jokingly insults you. Laughs. Sees you're hurt. Attempts to make amends. Insults you again. Laughs. Sees you're hurt. Makes amends. etc, etc, etc.

INTP: Jokingly insults you. Laughs. Sees you're hurt. Laughs some more (because you didn't "get" that it was a joke!).

ENTP: Ne, Ne, Ne, Ti, Ne, Ne, Ne.... (see how 50% of the things I say don't actually make sense but I just wanna talk your ears off so you can't protest.)

INTP: Ti, Ti, Ti, Ti... (onlooker: Are you ok?) INTP: Yes, Ne.

ENTP: Wavy/flailing arms everywhere. Looks more clumsy.

INTP: Less of this.


----------



## Ermenegildo

INTPs prefer the role of the truth-seeking specialist, ENTPs prefer the role of the pleasure-seeking generalist.


----------



## SmashingAllMyWindows

ENTPs are more focussed on the outside world, on sorting real things out through analysis, where as INTPs are internally doing this in a more "purely rational" sense. On the face of it ENTPs are a lot more goofy and usually love being the centre of attention.


----------



## Crimplene for men

There's so much variation. If you do a test you get percentages of the different functions. So, you might be hovering between Extroversion and Introversion, or in the no man's land between Thinking and Feeling, or have a 7% preference for Perceiving over Judging. Would it matter if you hadn't taken the test? You are still the same person. It's still interesting stuff though. 

I'm basically an ambivert and waver between P and J.


----------

