INTJs, like their INFJ counterparts, are among the rarest of the personality types, thought to comprise only 2-3% of the population. More often than not, INTJs carry a y-chromosome, outnumbering INTJ females at a clip of four to one.
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Like other Intuitive Introverts, INTJs try to see the big picture and look beyond appearances and superficialities. They place little stock in outside or “expert” opinions, preferring to look inward for answers. They feel they possess the inner tools and insights required to independently determine truth. When they do consult outside information, it is largely for the sake of confirming their own insights. Because of their strength of mind, will, and insight, INTJs may well be the most productive theorists of all types.
INTJs often present as austere and impassive, displaying little as far as variability of emotion or expression. Exuding an air of learnedness and erudition, they may sometimes be perceived as intellectual snobs or elitists. Perceptions of arrogance or aloofness notwithstanding, their status as intellectuals is typically well-founded. Not only do INTJs sport the highest collective IQ of all types, but they are generally well-informed, displaying broad-ranging knowledge and impressive memories.
As left-brained masterminds, INTJs wield logic and language like swords. They sport impressive vocabularies and precision in articulation. They are undeterred from directly and firmly expressing their viewpoints. At times, onlookers can be taken aback by their directness, viewing them as opinionated, dogmatic, or closed-minded.
INTJs can also be quite talkative (see this post) and witty. Some are downright hilarious. Drawing on their memory for details and strong oratory skills, INTJs can make for good storytellers. Like INFJs, they enjoy employing stories, metaphors, and examples from popular culture (Se) to help illustrate abstract concepts or ideas. This represents a point of difference from their INTP counterparts, who, while witty, are generally poor at delivering stories or jokes. INTJs who allow the inner playfulness of their Ni to shine through will enjoy better success with people, taking the edge off what can be perceived as their sometimes harsh or insensitive Te.
Overview of INTJs’ Functional Stack & Type Development
INTJs’ functional stack is composed of the following functions:
Dominant: Introverted Intuition (Ni)
Auxiliary: Extraverted Thinking (Te)
Tertiary: Introverted Feeling (Fi)
Inferior: Extraverted Sensing (Se)
The type development of INTJs can be broadly conceived as follows:
Phase I: Early in life, INTJs are characterized by a dominance of their top two functions, which quickly make judgments and draw conclusions about the world. During this phase of life, INTJs can seem particularly inflexible and opinionated. Since their Ni/Te judgments are not being weighed by and balanced against their tertiary Fi, they can be quick to come to closure on a number of fronts. They are generally far swifter than Perceivers in determining a career niche, often involving an area of specialization.
Phase II: In the second phase of their development, INTJs differentiate and incorporate their tertiary and inferior function, compelling them toward greater openness. During this phase, their Te judgments become softened as they become more open to subjective values, both their own and others (Fi). This paves the way for the development and differentiation of their inferior function, Extraverted Sensation (Se), in which they learn how to take life as it comes, tempering their penchant to constantly plan for and control the future. As they develop and utilize their lower functions, INTJs may look and function more like Perceivers, appearing more open, flexible, and relaxed.
INTJs’ Dominant Function: Introverted Intuition (Ni)
INTJs’ dominant function is Introverted Intuition (Ni). As with all Introverts, INTJs’ first order of business is an internal one. They enjoy tinkering with ideas, perspectives, theories, visions, stories, symbols, and metaphors. Their dominant function, Ni, serves as the veritable foundation for this inner playhouse.
Since Ni is a perceiving function, INTJs often report that its workings often feel effortless. When INTJs express the need to “think about” something, this means something very different from what it might for other types. Namely, the lion’s share of INTJs’ “thinking” or processing occurs outside of their conscious awareness. In other words, their best thinking is typically done without thinking, at least not consciously. For INTJs and INFJs alike, ”sleeping on” a problem is as sure a route to a solution as any.
Because it does much of its work subconsciously, Ni can seem to have a magical quality to it. In fact, it is not unusual for INJs, particularly INFJs, to be viewed as having some degree of psychic or prophetic abilities. Despite its magical appearance, Ni can be understood on a rational basis. What seems to be occurring is that INTJs have a highly sensitive inferior function, Extraverted Sensation (Se), which gathers copious amounts of sensory information from the outside world, including subtleties that other personality types tend to miss. Their Ni then subconsciously processes this data in order to make sense of it, like assembling pieces of a puzzle. Once finished, Ni generates an impression that seems to come “out of nowhere.” But the fact is that the intuition did not come from nowhere, but from a synthesis of sensory data gathered from the immediate environment combined with information from the INTJ’s own psyche.
It is often said that human beings rely more heavily on vision than any of the other senses. This seems especially true of INJs, who often associate a strong visual element with their Ni. They think by way of images rather than words. Their intuitions often manifest in the form of symbols, images, dreams, or patterns. This is consistent with Jung’s characterization of the Ni type as a dreamer, artist, or seer. There is a distinct visual character to these notions, which is why vision-related terms—foresight, insight, seer, visionary, etc.—are invariably used in describing INJs.
Of all types, INJs are those most concerned with the “big picture.” This can be understood in terms of their Ni, which is the most abstract and forward-looking of all functions. Ni is comprehensive and holistic. Its visions, answers, and insights manifest as comprehensive wholes. Consequently, they often feel more like recipients than they do creators of their ingenious ideas.
In his memoir, On Writing, Stephen King, most likely an INTJ, describes his process of writing novels. He is adamant about the fact that he does not consciously plan or piecemeal the plot or direction of his stories. Rather his stories emerge from his unconscious as preexisting wholes, requiring little as far as conscious effort or planning. Other INJ novelists report similar experiences, feeling that once they have established the spigot to their creative unconscious their ideas seem to flow effortlessly and without volition.
Because of the inherent sense of completeness in Ni-spawned insights, INTJs often feel they have been granted a sneak preview of the future, or at least a vision of a possible future. This strong sense of foresight can serve as the driving force behind their desire to see their ideals actualized.
While not technically a judging function, Ni often functions in a convergent fashion, providing elegant answers and solutions to complex problems. As discussed above, it takes clues gathered by Se and unconsciously pieces them together toward a comprehensive solution. INTJs commonly report that the solution arrives through a single flash of insight—an “aha!” moment. This may occur while dreaming or awake, but often comes suddenly and all at once. INJ philosopher Frederich Nietzsche describes his intuitive process this way:
Something profoundly convulsive…suddenly becomes visible and audible with indescribable definiteness and exactness…There is a feeling that one is utterly out of hand…Everything occurs without volition, as if an eruption of freedom, independence, power, and divinity. The spontaneity of the images and similes is most remarkable; one loses all perception of what is imagery and simile; everything offers itself as the most immediate, exact, and simple means of expression.
As I am a very INTJ INTJ, I hope you realize that when I say I enjoyed this article very much and find it rather well done, that it is high praise indeed. Compliments don’t flow all that freely from me. Heh.
The teeth falling out anecdote had me chuckling aloud. One of very few re-occurring oddities I’ve had in my dreams throughout life.
I’d be interested to know how other INTJs respond to this in the dream.
For me there is mainly curiosity and very little concern about how it will affect my appearance.
I hadn’t thought of the disembodied viewpoint before, but it is certainly fitting upon reflection.
For example, I’d also be interested to hear how other INTJs reacted to taking a shot, or waking surgery if they have experienced it.
People always have found it strange that I actually like watching a needle pierce my skin – and the surgeon and nurses were REALLY surprised when I attempted to get a better view of my innards during a hernia surgery.
As discussed in the piece, for me it isn’t so much *my* body being pierced by a needle or opened and worked upon but rather *a* body that I happen to be affiliated with and have somewhat of a vested interest in.
This was the first I’ve heard of this sort of non attachment to ones body being a common trait of INTJ.
Interesting stuff and I enjoyed the read.
Hello TK, Thanks for sharing your comments and experiences. Your comments on disembodiment are fascinating and point to the “otherworldliness” of INJ experiences. I think this is partly understood by the fact that Si, which provides an inner sense of one’s body, would be the least conscious of all functions for INTJs (eighth position). Thanks again! AJ
Fellow INTJ here.
“isn’t so much *my* body” “but rather *a* body”
Sums up my thoughts exactly. I could go into further detail but it would inevitably be redundant.
Personally, I haven’t experienced any dreams similar to the ones described.
Receiving shots has never been too big of a deal for me so I can’t recall precisely whether I prefer to watch it or look away. I believe I typically watch, I think it’s mostly out of the expectation of pain.
Whereas Ni can appear “magical” in the subconscious side, I find the conscious side of Ni, controllable daydreaming and imagination, equally powerful. I can consciously use my internal space to visualize/simulate almost anything, trying different combinations for hours and on; it’s a nice, inventive workspace. However, in an intense daydreaming state like that, I no longer see and hear with my physical senses (thus you can indirectly infer why Ni-dominance is linked with Se-recession; they are neurologically competing for conscious concentration). For example, I barely hear someone calling my name to grab my attention because my whole concentration is devoted to my inner world; sometimes, after hours and hours of imaginative tinkering, even my own body will temporarily to feel foreign.
I’m not really one to readily compliment others, but I have to say, I’m very impressed.
Thank you so much for your comments. I appreciated your insights about Ni, particularly the notion of “controllable daydreaming.” When I get a chance, I hope to incorporate that into the profile. Thanks again! AJ
very interesting post. i’m a female INTJ and can totally relate with the information you provided. didn’t realize mark Z is an INTJ, also. and yes to others mistakenly thinking that we can be ENTJs! we’re chameleons ilke that–we adjust accordingly and reasonably in order to be effective. i agree with health-related dreams as well! same recurring teeth-falling-out dreams! also, i sometimes have “scifi” dreams of cells, cysts, etc. crazy!
anyway, thank you!
Fascinating… I normally read these without a reply, but some of the comments here warrant one.
I also had a series of adventure dreams, wherein the characters were of much less important than the plot. I don’t remember my dreams so much now.
I’m also a female INTJ. I found the notes & comments about dreams interesting as for the most part, I’m not a participant in my own dreams, but rather viewing a scene from above or as a narrator of sorts. Jaz mentioned cysts above – one recurring dream I had long ago was of an old western theme, with some sort of pus-filled cysts on people’s faces. In another, a girl was shot after a series of events, and only at the end of the dream did I find myself in her body, in a sense. I was an angsty teenager (though I don’t think anyone else knew that)
I don’t mind needles, but don’t find them especially interesting either. I do usually watch the needle go in. I’m more comfortable with watching. I’ve had surgery for a pacemaker implant. I wasn’t especially stressed about (the idea of) it, but I did run into trouble partway through, as the scraping of the tools and doctors pushing their hands under my skin to feel for & create a pocket there was unnerving. With this said, I also have a problem with some painkiller & related drugs; for instance, adrenaline shots make me extremely anxious/’jittery’, in a very physical way… so it’s hard for me to say in some cases whether my reactions started mentally (as a result of my personality/preferences) or physically.
These notes on being less ‘in touch’ with one’s body are new to me as well, and definitely put a new spin on my childhood in more ways than one.
My sister is apparently an INFJ (I’m not 100% convinced but she’s hard to pinpoint and seems to identify best with that ‘type’)… I find it funny how many notes there are in regards to both types having an intuition that seems somehow psychic. I think in her case, she subconsciously picks up on social & personal cues from others and has a good idea of people’s intentions and desires, sometimes before they’re truthful with themselves about such. In my case… well, as long as people aren’t involved, things are simple
Do you guys all find yourselves identifying inefficiencies in your daily life, and taking it on as a far-too-thorough-and-detailed project? As an example, if I find access to items in a cupboard frustrating, as soon as I identify the frustration (and sometimes in the middle of some other important task), I’ll pull everything out of the cupboard, look everything over and take some measurements, track down materials for change (open shoeboxes that can be pulled out for easier access to contents… or proper storage tubs, or whatever suits), and then frequently involve other cupboards/drawers/etc. in the process, which becomes a systematic organization of, say, the entire kitchen storage system….
I used to change the arrangement of the living room furniture all the time, too. My mother hated it… *chuckles* It was usually a big improvement (in my opinion), but then, the next change was usually a bigger improvement. Same for my room…
Anyway. Tired & babbling at this point, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who flies into efficiency mode at the slightest provocation!
-Fai
As a female INTJ I found this really helpful. Since we compose such a small part of the population, it’s sometime difficult for us to understand ourselves, let alone have other people understand us.
Thanks Ivy. I’m glad you found my profile helpful.
I’m curious how the INTJ deals with Fi, its tertiary function, as opposed to how an INFJ deals with Fe, its auxiliary function.
Hey Kevin, You may have already done so, but I’d encourage you to check out this post on Fi in INTJs as well as my INFJ profile.
Thank you so much for this one!
I’m an INTJ, and this corresponds 100% with my experiences in life. Excellent article!!
You’re very welcome. Thanks Jonathan!
This is a very solid and accurate description, and the words correlate well with reality.
In my twenties I dismissed Se dominants for example as having crude understanding where in fact they have very good natural ability at reading people and situations. But it was infact my own over reliance on thinking models are the only way to go. Very silly. Se and SI are just different intelligences and can provide greater utility in certains instances than a strictly Ni Te approach.
However now in my 30′s I’ve taken an Ni Te approach with a strong Se checking loop, to ensure I stay grounded. I far more enjoy meeting with people now so I can use my Se to observe them closely then match the data with the models in order to improve my typing ability (and hence aid in my future plans involving putting people together to achieve goals).
Thanks Matt!