They organize ideas and knowledge rather than situations or people, unless they must for the sake of their work. In the field of ideas they are intensely curious. Socially, they tend to have a small circle of close friends, and like being with others who enjoy discussing ideas. They can become so absorbed with an idea that they can ignore or lose track of external circumstances.
INTPs are somewhat quiet and reserved, although they can be quite talkative on a subject to which they have given a lot of thought. They are quite adaptable so long as their ruling principles are not violated, at which point they stop adapting. Their main interest lies in seeing possibilities beyond what is present, obvious, or known. They are quick to understand and their intuition heightens their insight, ingenuity, and intellectual curiosity.
Depending on their interests, INTPs are good at pure science, research, mathematics, or engineering; They may become scholars, teachers, or abstract thinkers in fields such as economics, philosophy or psychology. They are more interested in the challenge of reaching solutions to problems than of seeing the solutions put to practical use.
Unless INTPs develop their perception, they are in danger of gaining too little knowledge and experience of the world. Then their thinking is done in a vacuum and nothing will come of their ideas. Lack of contact with the external world may also lead to problems in making themselves understood. They want to state the exact truth, but often make it so complicated that not everyone can follow them. If they can learn to simplify their arguments, their ideas will be more widely understood and accepted.
INTPs may rely so much on logical thinking that they overlook what other people care about and what they themselves care about. They may decide that something is not important, just because it isn't logical to care about it. If INTPs always let their logic suppress their feeling values, their feeling may build up pressure until it is expressed in inappropriate ways.
Although they excel at analyzing what is wrong with an idea, it is harder for INTPs to express appreciation. But if they try, they will find it helpful on the job as well as in personal relationships.
Leisure activities of an INTP: Their tendency to be quiet and reserved is expressed in their preference for solitary leisure choices; they may not enjoy parties or conventional kinds of socializing and sports. They often enjoy activities with an intellectual focus--reading, cultural events, or chess. Although solitary leisure is essential to them because of their reflective nature, it may often be neglected, because their intuition draws them into many work activities--which they then feel must be completed competently. Other options for them might include back-packing, hiking, or meditation.
From the book Please Understand Me:
INTPs exhibit the greatest precision in thought and language of all the types; they tend to see distinctions and inconsistencies in thought and language instantaneously. The one word which captures the unique style of INTPs is architect--the architect of ideas and systems as well as the architect of edifices. This type is found in only 1 percent of the population and therefore is not encountered as frequently as some of the other types.
INTPs detect contradictions in statements no matter how distant in space or time the contradictory statements were produced. The intellectual scanning of INTPs has a principled quality; that is, INTPs search for whatever is relevant and pertinent to the issue at hand. Consequently, INTPs can concentrate better than any other type.
Authority derived from office, position, or wide acceptance does not impress INTPs. Only statements that are logical and coherent carry weight. External authority per se is irrelevant. INTPs abhor redundancy and incoherence. Possessing a desire to understand the universe, an INTP is constantly looking for natural law. Curiosity concerning these keys to the universe is a driving force in this type.
INTPs prize intelligence in themselves and in others, but can become intellectual dilettantes as a result of their need to amass ideas, principles, or understanding of behavior. And once they know something, it is remembered. INTPs can become obsessed with analysis. Once caught up in a thought process, that thought process seems to have a will of its own for INTPs, and they persevere until the issue is comprehended in all its complexity. They can be intellectual snobs and may show impatience at times with others less endowed intellectually. This quality, INTPs find, generates hostility and defensive behaviors on the part of others, who may describe an INTP as arrogant.
For INTPs, the world exists primarily to be understood. Reality is trivial, a mere arena for proving ideas. It is essential that the universe is understood and that whatever is stated about the universe is stated correctly, with coherence and without redundancy. This is the INTPs final purpose. It matters not whether others understand or accept his or her truths.
The INTP is the logician, the mathematician, the philosopher, the scientist; any pursuit requiring architecture of ideas intrigues this type. INTPs should not, however, be asked to work out the implementation or application of their models to the real world. The INTP is the architect of a system and leaves it to others to be the builder and the applicator. Very often, therefore, the INTP's work is not credited to him or her. The builder and the applier gains fame and fortune, while the INTP's name remains obscure. Appreciation of an INTP's theoretical work frequently comes posthumously--or the work may never be removed from library shelves at all and thus lost.
INTP's tend not to be writers or to go into sales work. They are, however, often excellent teachers, particularly for advanced students, although INTPs do not always enjoy much popularity, for they can be hard taskmasters. They are not good at clerical tasks and are impatient with routine details. They prefer to work quietly, without interruption, and often alone. If an organization is to use the talents of an INTP appropriately, the INTP must be given an efficient support staff who can capture ideas as they emerge and before the INTP loses interest and turns to another idea.
INTPs take their mating relationship seriously and usually are faithful and devoted--albeit preoccupied at times. They are not likely to welcome constant social activity or disorganization in the home. In all probability, the mate of an INTP will initiate and manage the social life. If left to his or her own devices, the INTP mate will retreat into the world of books and emerge only when physical needs become imperative. INTPS are, however, willing, compliant, and easy to live with, although somewhat forgetful of appointments, anniversaries, and the rituals of daily living--unless reminded. They may have difficulty expressing their emotions verbally, and the mate of an INTP may believe that he/she is somewhat taken for granted. As a parent, the INTP is devoted; they enjoy children, and are serious about their upbringing. The home of an INTP parent is usually calm, low-key in discipline, but well run and ordered.
INTPs deal with the environment primarily through intuition, and their strongest quality, the thinking function, remains relatively hidden except in close associations. Therefore, INTPs are often misunderstood, seen as difficult to know, and seldom perceived at their true level of competency. They are inclined to be shy except when with close friends, and their reserve is difficult to penetrate. They are very adaptable until one of their principles is violated. Then INTPs are not adaptable at all! They may have difficulty in being understood by others because they tend to think in a complicated fashion and want to be precise, never redundant in their communications. Because their feeling qualities may be underdeveloped, they may be insensitive to the wants and wishes of others, often quite unaware of the existence of these wants and wishes.