Why do ENTP's test as INTP?

[wolly.green]

I just recently discovered that I am an ENTP rather than an INTP. And it totally makes sense. I have all the hallmarks of an ENTP: fickle, extremely excitable, lively imagination and talkative. Does anyone know why its so easy for ENTP's to confuse themselves as INTP? I think there might be something in typology theory that I don't know about yet.

 

[Wyote]

Most people think they are INxx's and most people are wrong

 

[Ginny]

ENTPs can be considered as the most introverted extroverts. They spend a lot of time in their heads, and are rather inactive (low Si, even lower Se ). But their need for extroversion is still remarkably high, in direct opposition to the INTP. This is of course based on archetypes. Jung's descriptions of extroversion and introversion actually apply better in this differentiation. Because as Ne-doms, they are attracted by the objects, and take energy from it. This is how I imagine comes about this fickleness.

 

[AUM]

Unlike Fe, Ne does not need as much social interaction to get its dose of extroversion. It still relies on external stimuli to get it going, but it can do without people. A painting, song, sound etc can recharge Ne(not the stimuli itself but the possibilities that emerge from such stimuli). Many ENTPs will test as introverts because the tests will equate the person's sociability with extroversion.

 

[wolly.green]

Unlike Fe, Ne does not need as much social interaction to get its dose of extroversion. It still relies on external stimuli to get it going, but it can do without people. A painting, song, sound etc can recharge Ne(not the stimuli itself but the possibilities that emerge from such stimuli). Many ENTPs will test as introverts because the tests will equate the person's sociability with extroversion.

Wow, this actually makes a lot of sense. I love exploring things (art, the world, a persons mind, my physical limits, books) because it makes me feel alive. That will be why i'm rather quite and disinterested in going to social events. Thanks a lot for your input!

 

[Wyote]

Many ENTPs will test as introverts because the tests will equate the person's sociability with extroversion.

Yea this is a problem for the tests as a whole. A better way to discern your own type is to also get input from sources outside of yourself. Take an honest inventory of your behavior.
People don't do this initially when they discover mbti. If people travel down the road of understanding though, eventually they may come to understand how testing is flawed, and as a result pursue a more accurate idea of their own self. Even beyond cognitive theory, but that's another discussion.

 

[AUM]

Yea this is a problem for the tests as a whole. A better way to discern your own type is to also get input from sources outside of yourself. Take an honest inventory of your behavior.
People don't do this initially when they discover mbti. If people travel down the road of understanding though, eventually they may come to understand how testing is flawed, and as a result pursue a more accurate idea of their own self. Even beyond cognitive theory, but that's another discussion.

That's the problem with any self-report inventory tests: they're too vague. I always find myself questioning, "in what context is this question trying to ask me this?" We're not one-dimensional creatures that are the exact same way in every situation. I think these tests could probably be more beneficial if they went with realistic scenarios, or test on how your cognition would solve a certain problem. However, something really important you brought up, these tools won't work if you don't know yourself. You'd just fall prey to the forer effect, otherwise.

Another thing, mbti/jcf does not explain behavior but cognition. Ennegram is more suited for the former.( I bring this up because, many people are stuck in the idea that X type behaves this way or that way because of their type. Not so)

 

[Wyote]

I bring this up because, many people are stuck in the idea that X type behaves this way or that way because of their type. Not so

It is an important distinction and tricky because the similarities in cognition can lead to more likelihood of some behaviors, but that's all we can really say as far as that goes. And they are no predictor of behaviors. People of the same type can behave vastly different, especially given different circumstances and experiences.

 

[Reason]

I just recently discovered that I am an ENTP rather than an INTP

 

[charlatan]

I generally try to stay away from using the tests for the functions types, as there seems to be only a very rough relation there (the functions types seem much more philosophical).
Interestingly, though, even if you're using the tests, the cool thing is there are all sorts of regions of intercorrelation between the independent scales (this isn't any contradiction, in that 2 scales can be independent as a whole, yet have parts that are correlated -- just maybe other parts cause cancellation). For example, "EN" may relate more to the excitement-seeking stuff, whereas EF may relate more to the emotionally effusive/bubbly stuff.
And whether you're an "E" ends up being something of a tally of how many ways you are "E" on average....but one could certainly have some strong EN qualities while being low in EF, ET, EJ, and such.


But FWIW I'd bet you're somewhat similar to me. I'm definitely not a T-dom as far as I can tell, definitely N-dom. I considered Ne-dom quite late after considering NiFe/Ti-dom/etc.

 

[infinite dreams]

The short answer is - the tests are generally lousy. As others have pointed out, they're inherently vague and often focus more on behavior than cognitive preference. Also, any test that asks you a question clearly unrelated to a specific function ("I tend to rely on logic rather than emotions") is a bad test. It's trying to get you to four letters which is a flawed approach.

 

[Lady Jolanda]

I just recently discovered that I am an ENTP rather than an INTP. And it totally makes sense. I have all the hallmarks of an ENTP: fickle, extremely excitable, lively imagination and talkative. Does anyone know why its so easy for ENTP's to confuse themselves as INTP? I think there might be something in typology theory that I don't know about yet.

The tests are bad, as ID and others have repeatedly pointed out.

And yes, as AUM pointed out, Ne as an extroverted function is stimulated by ideas and possibilities, as opposed to 'people', and these are readily available in the form of books, movies, music, taking courses, and indeed, the internet, making the Ne-dom seem quite introverted indeed.
(Although nothing will kick Ne into high gear than a discussion with a fellow intuitive, cause of the feedback that stems from that in the moment. You throw out an idea, you get one back, you toss one back, you receive another.. like a rapid game of intuitive table tennis.)

But I believe there is more to the story than that.
In the case of Ne-doms specifically, it is our natural inclination to shift through different ideas, to come up with multiple interpretations and, when it comes to testing, to try on different roles. We're open-ended, always ready to take in additional information to shift our internal frameworks. We're multi-faceted, always ready to adept to the external world. That makes it easy for us to mistype, and rather hard to settle on any given type.

But that merely answers half of the question.
Now why do ENTPs mistype as INTPs specifically?
The reason for that probably has to do with the fact that your dominant function is somewhat 'unconscious', in the sense that it is akin to water in a fish tank that the fish swims in, or the operating system of a computer. It is so normal for you to be that way, that you're not really aware of the OS, you're aware of the Apps you run on it. The Apps are then Ti, and to a lesser extend Fe.
Additionally, think of what you're doing when you're taking a test or even 'just' thinking of the self: introspection. How do you introspect? Through your introverted functions. That would be Ti. So you even 'tune into' Ti at that moment.

So Ne being what it is, and being unconscious and adapt at Ne, conscious and rather adapt at Ti, tuning into Ti to take tests, and adding in to that the fact that Ne as an extroverted function is energized by 'potential' and 'ideas', you have a perfect shitstorm to lead you to the exact wrong conclusion of INTP.

 

[Ren]

I just recently discovered that I am an ENTP rather than an INTP. And it totally makes sense. I have all the hallmarks of an ENTP: fickle, extremely excitable, lively imagination and talkative. Does anyone know why its so easy for ENTP's to confuse themselves as INTP? I think there might be something in typology theory that I don't know about yet.

From INFP to INTP to ENTP, then

PS. Does the fact you still haven't updated your profile suggest you're still not 100% sure you're ENTP?