INTJ
Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging
To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of "definiteness", of self-confidence. This self-confidence, sometimes mistaken for simple arrogance by the less decisive, is actually of a very specific rather than a general nature; its source lies in the specialized knowledge systems that most INTJs start building at an early age. When it comes to their own areas of expertise -- and INTJs can have several -- they will be able to tell you almost immediately whether or not they can help you, and if so, how. INTJs know what they know, and perhaps still more importantly, they know what they don't know.
INTJs are perfectionists, with a seemingly endless capacity for improving upon anything that takes their interest. What prevents them from becoming chronically bogged down in this pursuit of perfection is the pragmatism so characteristic of the type: INTJs apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of mind, freeing the INTJ from the constraints of authority, convention, or sentiment for its own sake.
INTJs are known as the "Systems Builders" of the types, perhaps in part because they possess the unusual trait combination of imagination and reliability. Whatever system an INTJ happens to be working on is for them the equivalent of a moral cause to an INFJ; both perfectionism and disregard for authority may come into play, as INTJs can be unsparing of both themselves and the others on the project. Anyone considered to be "slacking," including superiors, will lose their respect -- and will generally be made aware of this; INTJs have also been known to take it upon themselves to implement critical decisions without consulting their supervisors or co-workers. On the other hand, they do tend to be scrupulous and even-handed about recognizing the individual contributions that have gone into a project, and have a gift for seizing opportunities which others might not even notice.
In the broadest terms, what INTJs "do" tends to be what they "know". Typical INTJ career choices are in the sciences and engineering, but they can be found wherever a combination of intellect and incisiveness are required (e.g., law, some areas of academia). INTJs can rise to management positions when they are willing to invest time in marketing their abilities as well as enhancing them, and (whether for the sake of ambition or the desire for privacy) many also find it useful to learn to simulate some degree of surface conformism in order to mask their inherent unconventionality.
Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the INTJ's Achilles heel. While they are capable of caring deeply for others (usually a select few), and are willing to spend a great deal of time and effort on a relationship, the knowledge and self-confidence that make them so successful in other areas can suddenly ab.
1. INTJ
Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging
To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of
"definiteness", of self-confidence. This self-confidence,
sometimes mistaken for simple arrogance by the less decisive,
is actually of a very specific rather than a general nature; its
source lies in the specialized knowledge systems that most
INTJs start building at an early age. When it comes to their own
areas of expertise -- and INTJs can have several -- they will be
able to tell you almost immediately whether or not they can help
you, and if so, how. INTJs know what they know, and perhaps
still more importantly, they know what they don't know.
INTJs are perfectionists, with a seemingly endless capacity for
improving upon anything that takes their interest. What prevents
them from becoming chronically bogged down in this pursuit of
perfection is the pragmatism so characteristic of the type: INTJs
apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to
everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing
social norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of
mind, freeing the INTJ from the constraints of authority,
convention, or sentiment for its own sake.
INTJs are known as the "Systems Builders" of the types,
perhaps in part because they possess the unusual trait
combination of imagination and reliability. Whatever system an
INTJ happens to be working on is for them the equivalent of a
moral cause to an INFJ; both perfectionism and disregard for
authority may come into play, as INTJs can be unsparing of
both themselves and the others on the project. Anyone
considered to be "slacking," including superiors, will lose their
respect -- and will generally be made aware of this; INTJs have
also been known to take it upon themselves to implement
critical decisions without consulting their supervisors or co-
workers. On the other hand, they do tend to be scrupulous and
even-handed about recognizing the individual contributions that
2. have gone into a project, and have a gift for seizing
opportunities which others might not even notice.
In the broadest terms, what INTJs "do" tends to be what they
"know". Typical INTJ career choices are in the sciences and
engineering, but they can be found wherever a combination of
intellect and incisiveness are required (e.g., law, some areas of
academia). INTJs can rise to management positions when they
are willing to invest time in marketing their abilities as well as
enhancing them, and (whether for the sake of ambition or the
desire for privacy) many also find it useful to learn to simulate
some degree of surface conformism in order to mask their
inherent unconventionality.
Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the
INTJ's Achilles heel. While they are capable of caring deeply
for others (usually a select few), and are willing to spend a
great deal of time and effort on a relationship, the knowledge
and self-confidence that make them so successful in other areas
can suddenly abandon or mislead them in interpersonal
situations.
This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp
the social rituals; for instance, they tend to have little patience
and less understanding of such things as small talk and flirtation
(which most types consider half the fun of a relationship). To
complicate matters, INTJs are usually extremely private people,
and can often be naturally impassive as well, which makes them
easy to misread and misunderstand. Perhaps the most
fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people
to make sense. :-) This sometimes results in a peculiar naivete',
paralleling that of many Fs -- only instead of expecting
inexhaustible affection and empathy from a romantic
relationship, the INTJ will expect inexhaustible reasonability
and directness.
Probably the strongest INTJ assets in the interpersonal area are
their intuitive abilities and their willingness to "work at" a
relationship. Although as Ts they do not always have the kind
of natural empathy that many Fs do, the Intuitive function can
3. often act as a good substitute by synthesizing the probable
meanings behind such things as tone of voice, turn of phrase,
and facial expression. This ability can then be honed and
directed by consistent, repeated efforts to understand and
support those they care about, and those relationships which
ultimately do become established with an INTJ tend to be
characterized by their robustness, stability, and good
communications.
(INTJ stands for Introvert, iNtuitive, Thinking, Judging and
represents individual's preferences in four dimensions
characterising personality type, according to Jung's and Briggs
Myers' theories of personality type.)INTJ Career Choices
Introvert(6%) iNtuitive(38%) Thinking(3%) Judging(9%)
Generally, INTJs have successful careers in areas requiring
intensive intellectual efforts, presenting intellectual challenge,
and creative approach. Due to the characteristics mentioned
above, successful INTJs are found in technological companies,
particularly in research and development, and also found among
corporate lawyers, high- and mid-rank managers in technology
companies and financial institutions.
Jung Career Indicator™ determines occupations and areas in
which people of your type find themselves most fulfilled and
content, are most successful, and likely are most represented in.
The following table factors in the expressivenes of each of the
four characteristics of personality type. It lists the most suitable
areas of occupation, from personality type standpoint, along
with some examples of educational institutions, where you can
receive a relevant degree or training. The most preferable areas
appear first. Click occupation names and school logos to request
program information.Your Type Preferences
Introvert(6%) iNtuitive(38%) Thinking(3%) Judging(9%)
Because you appear to have marginal or no (3%) preference of
Thinking over Feeling, characteristics of more than one
personality type may apply to you:
INTJ and INFJ.
ADVERTISEMENTEducation Tips
4. · Education is a huge investment of time and money so be ready
to ask a lot of questions of any college or university you are
considering. Therefore, create a list of questions and take notes
as you get your answers while talking to an enrolment advisor
or when signing up and requesting information.
· Be wary of any school that is unable to or refuses to answer
any of your questions. A degree is a long-term commitment and
choosing a college or university that understands and can meet
your needs should be one of your top priorities.
· Sign up and request information from several schools so that
you can compare and, if possible, negotiate more favourable
conditions.
· There is no such thing as the "perfect" college or university.
Stay open minded and realize that any number of schools may
be a good fit for you and provide you with the degree and
student services that you need.
Important aspects you should pay attention to include:
· School’s accreditation
· Financial aid offered
· Tuition and fees. What’s included and what isn’t. Payment
plans.
· Student services available
· Instructors’ credentials
· How tests are administered
· Time required to complete the program
· How long the program has been offered and how many
students have enrolled
· Key dates
· Any requirements or pre-requisitesINTJ Learning Style
How INTJs acquire, memorize and recollect information
In INTJs, interest in learning a subject revolves around finding
the answer to the question, “Why is this so?” The clearer and
deeper the answer this type receives during the learning
process, the greater their interest in the topic, and the greater
their desire to delve deeper into the subject.
Their desire to study something is driven by a search for ideas
5. that can answer not only fundamental questions, but also
practical questions of popular interest.
INTJs are easily receptive to difficult material when it is
presented in conceptual form and new information follows
logically from that given before. A moderate pace is best when
delivering material, because INTJs spend time forming and
retaining theoretical connections between different pieces of
information.
INTJs connect the information they receive to a unifying
theoretical basis. They can retain knowledge remembered in this
way for decades. INTJs are also capable of mechanical
memorization, although the amount thus retained is
substantially lower than from memory based on a generalized
understanding of the material. Repeatedly presenting the same
material helps INTJs remember it, but presenting it from
different points of view and using various examples is even
more effective.
INTJ’s are able to accurately reproduce received information,
especially if it is mentally organized in a conceptual way.
Mechanical reproduction is substantially less accurate, which is
usually linked to this type’s relative weakness when it comes to
remembering material with poor logical flow. On top of this,
they are capable of highly accurate recollection of visual
information that lacks logical flow, if it was received under
intensely focused attention. For example, INTJs can reproduce
many details of the rapidly changing scenery when driving in a
car. This seems to be related to the fact that they are shutting
off the reflection process when taking in the information.
INTJs learn best when teaching is systematic (e.g., an organized
degree or certification program) and intensive. However, they
are also able to learn material from sources not unified by a
single formal learning process (e.g., individual courses or
readings). Independent work with the material being studied is
valuable to their learning. The difficulty of the material only
increases an INTJ’s drive to understand it, and INTJs are
capable of learning material on their own. Visual aids help them
6. learn, but are not very important for their overall assimilation
of a topic.
INTJs are good at actively working with material they
understand and receive great satisfaction from it. They are able
to apply it in concrete tasks or develop it and expand on it in an
assigned direction.
INTJs have a high tolerance to high levels of learning related
stress. However, they prefer to evenly distribute their efforts
when learning new material, rather than resorting to last-minute
crammingINTJ Communication Skills
INTJs try to figure out how the world around them is structured
and what can be changed in it. They feel the best when they
have figured something out and know how to improve it.
INTJs are comfortable carrying out a conversation. They are
neither arrogant nor are they formal, but might refrain from
becoming quick acquaintances. They can come up against
difficulties in situations requiring finer soft skills when
communicating, such as being very tactful or particularly
patient. On the whole, INTJs respect the established rules of
communications although at times they may see them as a
formality or a relic of tradition.
INTJs may find it difficult to express themselves about the finer
feelings of the soul: the topics of love or lyric poetry can fail to
elicit a strong emotional response in them.
In communication INTJs usually come across as well thought
out and to the point. Despite their introversive attitude, when
they have something they find profoundly interesting, like an
idea or project of some sort, their enthusiasm about it may
become quite “contagious” and can spread to those around them.
At times, INTJs seem somewhat closed and distant in
communication. But it is during this time that they are revising
their views and conceptions, and/or are involved in forming new
ones. Those who can guess the reasons for their apparent
detachedness can easily engage INTJs in conversation my
making some critical comment regarding the concepts INTJs
have deduced. In these situations INTJs can quite often become
7. wordy and very talkative.
An INTJ’s social contacts are, as a rule, low in number and
mostly limited to his or her circle of relatives, friends,
colleagues and others of a like mind.
That being said, INTJs can have quite a few business contacts,
because many people find it interesting or important to get an
INTJ’s in-depth expert opinion, which they can offer on many
serious issues. Their business communication usually includes
exchange of points of view, ideas, discussing organizational
methods and solutions.Your Type Preferences
Introvert(6%) iNtuitive(38%) Thinking(3%) Judging(9%)
Because you appear to have marginal or no (3%) preference of
Thinking over Feeling, characteristics of more than one
personality type may apply to you:
INTJ and INFJ.
ADVERTISEMENTINTJ: Strategies for Successful
Communication
INTJs easily find common ground with people of the same
mindset, or to put it differently, with people that also belong to
the intuitive/thinking group (NT) that includes ENTJ, INTJ,
ENTP, and INTP personality types. As a rule, people in this
group have roughly the same way of seeing the world, and
therefore INTJs easily share their views with other NTs and at
the same time are disposed toward comprehending other NT’s
reasoning or views.
For effective communication with people in the
sensory/thinking group (ST) including ESTJ, ISTJ, ESTP and
ISTP personality types, INTJs should mostly keep to
communication based upon facts and the consequences directly
proceeding from them. INTJs can adapt to this type of
communication, despite the fact that it may seem somewhat dry
to them. And for people in the ST group, on the other hand, this
style of communication is very suited to their way of thinking,
so they should absorb it well.
For effective communication with people in the intuitive/feeling
group (NF) including ENFJ, INFJ, ENFP, and INFP personality
8. types, INTJs should mostly keep to communication based on
ideas, concepts and theories. Communication between INTJs
and representatives of this group often touches multiple aspects
of the discussion and is beneficial to both sides. That said,
sometimes they might find it difficult to bring these discussions
to practical steps that both parties agree upon. This happens
because a significant proportion of representatives of the NF
group judge a situation primarily based on their feelings,
whereas INTJs try to keep to the most objective, impartial view
as possible, regarding the same situation. Because of this,
differences can arise in their opinions on what course of action
to take.
INTJs face the greatest difficulty communicating with
representatives of the sensory/feeling group (SF) including
ESFJ, ISFJ, ESFP, and ISFP personality types. When
communicating with people from this group, it is best for INTJs
to keep to communication based upon feelings, facts, and
concrete sensations. The problem, however, lies in the fact that
INTJs find it difficult to maintain a dialogue in this fashion.
They end up having to strain in order to put it in the form that
representatives of the SF group can understand, which can often
lead to INTJs trying to wrap up the conversation, or causes
irritation at the failure of the other side to “get it”. In order to
ensure a level of communication that is acceptable to both sides,
INTJs should prepare themselves beforehand to a
communication style that suits SF people.
How to determine which personality type group another person
belongs to?What helps successful communication for an INTJ:
· Enough time to ponder the discussion topic
· The possibility of taking a break during the conversation (see
the previous bullet)
· Conceptual nature of the conversation (strategic vs. being
focused on details)
· The topic calls for finding unobvious solutions/hidden
possibilities
· The topic requires clear understanding of perspective and how
9. events can unfold
· The topic calls for creativity
· Communication with people from the NT or NF groupsWhat
hinders successful communication for an INTJ:
· Fast-paced communication with poor logical flow
· The conversation is of a purely practical nature
· The conversation involves the finer feelings of the soul (love,
sorrow) for too long
· Communication with people from the SF group for too long
ADVERTISEMENTFamous INTJs
Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging
Susan B. Anthony
Lance Armstrong
Arthur Ashe, tennis champion
Augustus Caesar (Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus)
Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice)
Dan Aykroyd (The Blues Brothers)
William J. Bennett, "drug czar"
William F. Buckley, Jr.
Raymond Burr (Perry Mason, Ironsides)
Chevy Chase (Cornelius Crane) (Fletch)
Katie Couric
Phil Donahue
Michael Dukakis, governor of Mass., 1988 U.S. Dem. pres.
candidate
Richard Gere (Pretty Woman)
Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor
Greg Gumbel, television sportscaster
Hannibal, Carthaginian military leader
Emily Bronte, author of Wuthering Heights
Angela Lansbury (Murder, She Wrote)
Orel Leonard Hershiser, IV
Peter Jennings
Charles Everett Koop
Ivan Lendl
C. S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)
10. Joan Lunden
Edwin Moses, U.S. olympian (hurdles)
Martina Navratilova
Michelle Obama
General Colin Powell, former US Secretary of State
Charles Rangel, US Representative, D-N.Y.
Pernell Roberts (Bonanza)
Donald Rumsfeld, former US Secretary of Defense
Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California
Josephine Tey (Elizabeth Mackintosh), mystery writer (Brat
Farrar)
U.S. Presidents:
· Chester A. Arthur
· Calvin Coolidge
· Thomas Jefferson
· John F. Kennedy
· James K. Polk
· Woodrow Wilson
Fictional INTJs:
Cassius (Julius Caesar)
Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice)
Gandalf the Grey (J. R. R. Tolkein's Middle Earth books)
Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs)
Professor Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes' nemesis
Horatio Hornblower
Ensign Ro (Star Trek--the Next Generation)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (Hamlet)
George Smiley, John le Carre's master spy
Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs)
Typology of Westeros: personality types of the characters
from A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy novel series (you may have
seen its Game of Thrones TV adaptation).Personality Type
Explained
According to Carl G. Jung's theory of psychological types
11. [Jung, 1971], people can be characterized by their preference of
general attitude:
· Extraverted (E) vs. Introverted (I),
their preference of one of the two functions of perception:
· Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N),
and their preference of one of the two functions of judging:
· Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)
The three areas of preferences introduced by Jung
are dichotomies (i.e. bipolar dimensions where each pole
represents a different preference). Jung also proposed that in a
person one of the four functions above is dominant – either a
function of perception or a function of judging. Isabel Briggs
Myers, a researcher and practitioner of Jung’s theory, proposed
to see the judging-perceiving relationship as a fourth dichotomy
influencing personality type [Briggs Myers, 1980]:
· Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)
The first criterion, Extraversion – Introversion, signifies the
source and direction of a person’s energy expression. An
extravert’s source and direction of energy expression is mainly
in the external world, while an introvert has a source of energy
mainly in their own internal world.
The second criterion, Sensing – Intuition, represents the method
by which someone perceives information. Sensing means that a
person mainly believes information he or she receives directly
from the external world. Intuition means that a person believes
mainly information he or she receives from the internal or
imaginative world.
The third criterion, Thinking – Feeling, represents how a person
processes information. Thinking means that a person makes a
decision mainly through logic. Feeling means that, as a rule, he
or she makes a decision based on emotion, i.e. based on what
they feel they should do.
The fourth criterion, Judging – Perceiving, reflects how a
person implements the information he or she has processed.
Judging means that a person organizes all of his life events and,
as a rule, sticks to his plans. Perceiving means that he or she is
12. inclined to improvise and explore alternative options.
All possible permutations of preferences in the 4 dichotomies
above yield 16 different combinations, orpersonality types,
representing which of the two poles in each of the four
dichotomies dominates in a person, thus defining 16 different
personality types. Each personality type can be assigned a 4
letter acronym of corresponding combination of preferences:
The first letter in the personality type acronym corresponds to
the first letter of the preference of general attitude - “E” for
extraversion and “I” for introversion.
The second letter in the personality type acronym corresponds
to the preference within the sensing-intuition dimension: “S”
stands for sensing and “N” stands for intuition.
The third letter in the personality type acronym corresponds to
preference within the thinking-feeling pair: “T” stands for
thinking and “F” stands for feeling.
The forth letter in the personality type acronym corresponds a
person’s preference within the judging-perceiving pair: “J” for
judging and “P” for perception.
For example:
· ISTJ stands for Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging
· ENFP stands for Extraverted, iNtuitive, Feeling,
PerceivingYour Type Preferences
Introvert(6%) iNtuitive(38%) Thinking(3%) Judging(9%)
Because you appear to have marginal or no (3%) preference of
Thinking over Feeling, characteristics of more than one
personality type may apply to you:
INTJ and INFJ.
ADVERTISEMENTWhat do percentages next to the personality
type words or letters mean?
Humanmetrics Jung Typology Test™ (JTT™) and Jung
Typology Profiler for Workplace™ (JTPW™) instrument
determine the expressiveness of each of the four personality
type dimensions (Extraversion vs. Introversion, Sensing vs.
Intuition, Thinking vs. Feeling, and Judging vs. Perceiving.
In JTT™ and JTPW™, the scales of these four dimensions
13. represent a continuum between two opposite poles, from 100 at
one pole to 100 at another pole. I.e. Extravert-Introvert
dimension is a continuum from 100 on Extraversion (i.e.
respondent is a 100% extravert) to 100 on Introversion (i.e.
respondent is a 100% introvert). In other words the scale is 200
units long:
Extravert [100% - - - 0% - - - 100%] Introvert
People may reveal features of both poles but typically have a
preference of one way over the other. The letter indicates the
preference and the percentage indicates the extent of it.
The E-I score of 0% means the respondent is at the borderline
between being an extravert and an introvert. Having
Extraversion score of greater than 0 - e.g. 20% - means being
20% more slanted toward Extraversion over Introversion.
Having Introversion score of greater than 0 - e.g. 20% - means
being 20% more slanted toward Introversion over Extraversion.
The same pertains to the S-N, T-F, and J-P dichotomies.The
Basics of Jung's Typology
Jung called Extraversion-Introversion preference general
attitude, since it reflects an individual’s attitude toward the
external world distinguished by the “direction of general
interest” [Jung, 1971]: the extravert maintains affinity for, and
sources energy from the outer world, whereas the introvert is
the other way around – their general interest is directed toward
their inner world, which is the source of their energy.
As mentioned above, Jung introduced a pair of judging
functions - thinking and feeling - and a pair of perception
functions – sensing (or “sensation”), and intuition.
Sensing-Intuition preference represents the method by which
one perceives information:Sensing means an individual mainly
relies on concrete, actual information - “in so far as objects
release sensations, they matter” [1], whereas Intuition means a
person relies upon their conception about things based on their
understanding of the world. Thinking-Feeling preference
indicates the way an individual processes
information. Thinking preference means an individual makes
14. decisions based on logical reasoning, and is less affected by
feelings and emotions. Feeling preference means that an
individual's base for decisions is mainly feelings and emotions.
Jung introduced the idea of hierarchy and direction of
psychological functions. According to Jung, one of the
psychological functions - a function from either judging or
perception pair – would be primary (also calleddominant). In
other words, one pole of the poles of the two dichotomies
(Sensing-Feeling and Thinking-Feeling) dominates over the rest
of the poles. The Extraversion-Introversion preference sets the
direction of the dominant function: the direction points to the
source of energy that feeds it – i.e. to the outer world for
extraverts and to the inner world for introverts.
Jung suggested that a function from the other pair would be
secondary (also called auxiliary) but still be “a determining
factor” [Jung, 1971]. I.e. if Intuition is dominant, then the
auxiliary one is either Thinking or Feeling. If Sensing is
dominant, then the auxiliary one can also be either Thinking or
Feeling. However, if Thinking is dominant, then the auxiliary
one is either Sensing or Intuition, and if Feeling is dominant
then the auxiliary one is either Sensing or Intuition. In other
words, the auxiliary function never belongs to the same
dichotomy.
Jung called feeling and thinking types “rational” because they
are characterized by the dominance of judging functions that
provide reasoning rationale (be it thinking or feeling).
“Rational” or Judging preference results in thinking, feelings,
response and behaviour that consciously operate in line with
certain rules, principles or norms. People with dominant
"rational" or judging preference perceive the world as an
ordered structure that follows a set of rules.
He called sensing and intuitive types “irrational” because they
are characterized by dominance of the functions of perception
(either sensing or intuition), and therefore their “commissions
and omissions are based not upon reasoned judgment but upon
the absolute intensity of perception” [Jung, 1971]. “Irrational”
15. or Perceiving preference operates with opportunities, i.e. with a
range of possible outcomes that result from assumed premises
or from sensations, mostly driven by the unconscious processes.
People with dominant "irrational" or Perceiving preference
thinking see the world as a structure that can take various forms
and outcomes. It is possible to determine, either by observation
or by asking certain questions, preference of Judging vs.
Perceiving and the strength thereof in a person.References
1. Jung, C. G. (1971). Psychological types (Collected works of
C. G. Jung, volume 6, Chapter X)
2. Briggs Myers, I. (1980, 1995) Gifts Differing: Understanding
Personality Type
