Who or what is an INTP, and is one Complex?

[Ptah]

You be the judge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INTP

aka "Architect(s)":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architect_(Role_Variant)
http://www.keirsey.com/4temps/architect.asp


I hope to gather some of the best links of the web, and include them in the FAQ for newcomers to the place to get the gist.

[mthomps]

Here is the first profile I ever read given to me by a college professor shortly before I dropped out. I was 18 at the time and desperatly trying to figure things out. This helped a ton explaining why I am the way I am.

Brief Personality Description

INTPs are usually ingenious and original thinkers. Outwardly quite, reserved, and detached, INTPs are inwardly absorbed in alalyzing problemss. They are intensely intellectual, logical, critical, and skeptical. They try to find and use principals to understand their many ideas. They may argue tot he point of hair-splitting and are convinced only by logical reasoning.

INTPs price intelligence in themselves and have a strong drive for personal competence. Highly independent, INTPs enjoy speculative and imaginative activities. They are flexible and open-minded and interested in seeing possibilities beyond what is currently known or accepted. They enjoy developing models for improving systems and finding creative yet sound solutions to difficult problems.

INTPs represent approximately 1% of the American population.

Possible Blindspots

Because INTPs rely so heavily on logical analysis, they can overlook what matters emotionally to others. If something is not logical, INTPs run the risk of dismissing it, even if it is important to them. INTPs are excellent at detecting the flaws in an idea but are more reticent about expressing their appreciation. They can get bogged down on a minor flaw in one part of a plan and keep the entire project from moving ahead because they refulse to let one illogical point remain within the whole. When they turn their critical thinking skills on the people around them, their naked honesty may translate into unintended hurtfulness. They need to be told and need to learn to ask, what matters emotionally to others.

Because INTPs are fascinated with solving problems, they tend to be impatient with routine details and may lose interest in a project, never completing it if it requires to much follow-through or detail. INTPs sometimes feel inadequate when they try to live up to their own high standards of perfection. Learning to share those feelings with someone else can help them get a more realistic and objective view of themselves.

Work-Related Strengths

* Are able to analyze problems with great insight
* Are architects of creative ideas and systems
* Enjoy situations where they can learn new skills and knowledge
* Are able to work alone, and concentrate well
* Are good at long range thinking

Work-Related Weaknesses

* May be unbrealistic about the application of their ideas
* Have ideas that are to complex for others to understand
* Have little tolerance for redundancy or detailed work
* May be insensitive to feelings of others; can be critical and demanding
* May be impatient with and insensitive to employees and co-workers

Popular Occupations

Some of the occupations which offer portential for satisfaction include (but are not limited to) the following:

Computer software designer
Research/development specialist
New market/product designer
Psychologist/psychoanalyst
Archaeologist
College professor
Inventor
Creative wrtier
Entertainer/dancer
Musician
Computer programmer
Data base manager
Scientist: Chemistry
Scientist: Biology
Economist
Lawyer
Investigator
Mathematician
Researcher
Photographer
Agent
System analyst
Strategic Planner
Neurologist
Physiscist
Plastic urgeon
Pharmacist
Architect
Historian
Philosopher
Logician
Artist

Recommendations for the Job Search

Pathways to success for INTPs include using their abilities to:

*see possibilities that don't exist at the present time
* Create their own, or addapt existing but less attractive opportunities
* Anticipate the logical consequences of actions
* Create and implement an innovative job seach strategy
* Keep all career options open to gather relevant and important data

To overcome potential blindspots, INTP's should:

* Limit the amount of "pure thinking" so there is time left to act
* Work on establishing realistic, practical objectives
* Remember to follow through on important details
* Not prolong decision making so long that they lose out on options
* Work on simplifying their ideas and communicating them clearly.

Copyright Paul D, Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger 1992

[Dirac]

This is what got me excited about the whole MBTI crap back in the day http://www.intp.org/intprofile.html

[Ptah]

This is what got me excited about the whole MBTI crap back in the day http://www.intp.org/intprofile.html

Yup, that one's already up in the FAQ. Basically, the idea would be to find other such good articles and gather them up here as links or whatever, as a best-of reference.

[LordLatch]

This one I keep in a folder on my website- case I forgot who I was:

INTP - "Architect". Greatest precision in thought and language. Can readily discern contradictions and inconsistencies. The world exists primarily to be understood. 3.3% of total population.

INTP
loner, more interested in intellectual pursuits than relationships or family, wrestles with the meaninglessness of existence, likes esoteric things, disorganized, messy, likes science fiction, can be lonely, observer, private, can't describe feelings easily, detached, likes solitude, not revealing, unemotional, rule breaker, avoidant, familiar with the darkside, skeptical, acts without consulting others, does not think they are weird but others do, socially uncomfortable, abrupt, fantasy prone, does not like happy people, appreciates strangeness, frequently loses things, acts without planning, guarded, not punctual, more likely to support marijuana legalization, not prone to compromise, hard to persuade, relies on mind more than on others, calm

favored careers:
philosopher, game designer, scientist, software engineer, freelance artist, research scientist, assassin, freelance writer, physicist, software developer, mathematician, geologist, computer scientist, philosophy professor, webmaster, slacker, medical researcher, painter, mortician, systems analyst, comic book artist, computer technician, website designer, scholar, archeologist, computer repair, forensic anthropologist, astronaut, researcher, historian, systems engineer, genetics researcher, astronomer, environmental scientist, egyptologist

disfavored careers:
human resources, public relations, social worker, guidance counselor, health care worker, trainer, school teacher, wedding planner, movie star, hospitality worker, supervisor, child care worker, fundraiser, customer service, stay at home parent, office administrator

I've been several of the things in the favoured careers section.

[Ptah]

I rather like this site, if only for its "Type Relationships" matrix at the bottom; interesting.

http://www.typelogic.com/intp.html

Keep 'em coming.

[OrionzRevenge]

This is what got me excited about the whole MBTI crap back in the day http://www.intp.org/intprofile.html

Yeah, that's the Paul James INTP profile that so many of us from central know so well.

[skip]

I like the Typelogic one and this one:

http://www.personalitypage.com/html/INTP.html

[ferrus]

INTP: insufferable, nerdy, tool, putrescent.

[Roger Mexico]

Heh. I've been both a stay-at-home parent and a school teacher.

Missed my calling as an Egyptologist. Actually I'm probably living in a hive of itinerant archaeologists. I should figure out what bars they frequent.