Hi. I've been scored as both INTJ and INTP. Although I'm pretty sure I'm a INTJ... I'm not /totally/ sure. I can see myself using both Ni and Ne and Ti and Te. Though probably not Fe and Si. Any thoughts about it and insights about the differences between those two types? Thank you.

Ni is about intense, personalized symbolism that when paired with Te, usually brings about a desire to shape one’s environment in some way (in time, when the vision has a chance to be flawless and the introverted function is confident that it will work) through organization for success. Te is about shaping the external environment and controlling it; organizing it, making it run more efficiently, through emergent leadership if necessary (giving orders). Ni is open to new evidence as a perceiving dominant function, but also reluctant to change its mind once it has drawn a firm conclusion. Te can actually think and speak at the same time, if it is problem-solving aloud. Te sees an object and discerns how to use it, then does so, because it is concerned with tangible facts and how they impact the environment. Te is more blunt, firm in its assertions, and confident of facts, because they are proven.

Ti is more concerned with inner organization of one’s thoughts, and with understanding oneself, than in shaping it’s environment. It’s concerned with rational order and reason, derived from no source other than itself. Ti cannot reason aloud but must fall silent when thinking. It is less blunt and assertive, because it deals in abstract facts to some degree. Proven, yes, but also hypothesized. Ti sees an object and is interested in how it works, what it means, and in taking the object apart mentally, in a sense – over-thinking the object, whereas Te merely sees the object itself. When this over-thinking is paired with Ne, it flows into a base understanding of what the object does; an assumption about how it works, and the general gist of the object and its meaning and possibilities, which allows the INTP to discuss it credibly with others, but show little interest in naturally deepening their understanding of the object itself.

Ni goes much, much deeper than Ne; it craves to reduce an object down to a symbolic representation, whereas Ne is content with superficial understanding in the sense that it then wants to go on and discuss the object with others (Fe). So let’s say that Ni and Ti-Ne both observe the same object: a glass of iced tea. If you asked them to break down the object, Ni would probably tell you about all the composed parts involved (glass, ice cubes, tea) and then expound on its greater meaning and symbolic significance. It would go beyond the object to what it represents to the Ni-user. Ti-Ne would see the glass, and the ice, and the tea, and dig a little deeper to discern what you wanted from them , conversation-wise (Fe), and then discuss it on that level, but it would not nearly be as deep of an assessment as you would get with Ni, which automatically and instantly speaks in symbolism, whereas the Ne of the INTP is somewhat hampered by their dominant rationality.

An INTP’s factual thinking makes them a little less inclined to imaginative interpretations off the bat (although their second impulse is indeed to think in the abstract, and to see where the object fits into a larger picture), whereas an INTJ’s dominant Ni makes them slower to connect to Te; in both instances, the dominant function impairs to a slight degree the secondary function. Ni is all about reducing an object to an idealized truth, whereas the impersonal Ne is constantly getting bigger. Ni must re-organize itself with new information, and Ne simply adds the information to the pile and shifts it about a bit.

One a purely superficial level, INTJs give off an air of coldness thanks to their introverted feeling not being particularly emotive or visible to others; whereas the INTP’s low-order Fe makes them more approachable and “warmer” on the outside, although they don’t always feel it internally. INTPs also feel a slight concern about them coming across as “too cold,” so they will be more affirming simply to ensure that everyone is happy, so they can continue discussing whatever it is they are talking about, without fear of some emotional turmoil midway through. INTJs are also extremely aware of how they feel at any given moment, thanks to their connection to introverted feeling; whereas with the INTP, if there is an emotional void in the environment or nothing to stir them up, there is an emotional void in them, leaving them “empty.” And when emotions do surface, they show externally, frustrating the INTP because they aren’t sure how to deal with them, what they are even feeling, and they can’t hide it. Plus, then they must analyze their feelings to determine if they are rational or not, appropriate for the situation or not, or if the word applied to them even actually describes the emotion they are having. See? Over-thinking and tearing apart something as banal as emotional responses is very much a Ti-Fe trait. INTJs simply have their emotions and move on. Lucky people.

In short, INTJs can see INTPs as brilliant but ineffective and lazy (because so much of their total process is internal re-assessment of thoughts) and INTPs can see INTJs as too narrowly focused or seemingly self-assured, because none of the doubt of Ni is observable, but instead there is all the evidence of Te.