International MBA Institute™

Thinker (INTP)

People with INTP preferences use their thinking to find the principles underlying whatever ideas come into their awareness. They rely on thinking to develop these principles and to anticipate consequences. As a result, they are logical, analytical, and objectively critical. They are likely to focus more on the ideas than the person behind the ideas.

They organise ideas and knowledge rather than situations or people, unless they must for the sake of their work. In the field of ideas they áre 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, al- though 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 analysing 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.

How Common Is This Type?

3% of the general population
5% of men
2% of women

Strengths

Introverted Thinking with Intuition

Characteristics

Quiet and reserved. Especially enjoy theoretical or scientific pursuits. Like solving problems with logic and analysis. Usually interested mainly in ideas, with little liking for parties or small talk. Tend to have sharply defined interests. Need careers where some strong interest can be used and useful.

Career Paths

Love theory and abstract ideas
Truth Seekers - they want to understand things by analyzing underlying principles and structures
Value knowledge and competence above all else
Have very high standards for performance, that they apply to themselves
Independent and original, possibly eccentric
Work best alone, and value autonomy
Have no desire to lead or follow
Dislike mundane detail
Not particularly interested in the practical application of their work
Creative and insightful
Future-oriented
Usually brilliant and ingenius
Trust their own insights and opinions above others
Live primarily inside their own minds, and may appear to be detached and uninvolved with other people`s

INTPs have a special gift with generating and analyzing theories and possibilities to prove or disprove them. They have a great deal of insight and are creative thinkers; this allows them to quickly grasp complex abstract thoughts. They also have exceptional logical and rational reasoning skills, which allows them to thoroughly analyze theories to discover the Truth about them. Since the INTP is driven to seek clarity in the world, we have a happy match of desire and ability in this personality type. INTPs will be happiest in careers that allow them a great deal of autonomy in which they can work primarily alone on developing and analyzing complex theories and abstractions, with the goal of their work being the discovery of a truth, rather than the discovery of a practical application.

The following list of professions is built on our impression of careers that would be especially suitable for an INTP.

Recommended Career Paths for INTPs are:

Computer Network Architect
Computer Scientist
Computer Programmer
Computer Systems Analyst
Database Administrator
Information Security Analyst
Network Administrator
Software Developer
Web Developer
Aerospace Engineer
Biomedical Engineer
Chemical Engineer
Civil Engineer
Computer Hardware Engineer
Electrical or Electronics Engineer
Environmental Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Geological Engineer
Nuclear Engineer
Anthropologist or Archaeologist
Atmospheric Scientist
Biochemist or Biophysicist
Chemist
Economist
Environmental Scientist
Geographer
Geoscientist
Historian
Hydrologist
Medical Scientist
Microbiologist
Physicist or Astronomer
Political Scientist
Psychologist
Sociologist
Survey Researcher
Urban or Regional Planner
Zoologist or Wildlife Biologist
Physician
Accountant or Auditor
Financial Analyst
Management Consultant or Analyst
Market Research Analyst
Top Executive
Sales Engineer
Lawyer
Graphic Designer
Industrial Designer
Multimedia Artist or Animator
Composer
Musician
Editor
Photographer
Technical Writer
Writer or Author
Professor or College Instructor

Hobbies and Interests

Reading, art and cultural events, chess and other strategy games, writing, taking classes, working with computers, backpacking, hiking, and meditation.

People Associated With This Type

Abraham Lincoln - U.S. President (R)
Albert Einstein - Physicist
Charles Darwin - Biologist
Immanuel Kant - Philosopher
James Madison - U.S. President and author of the Constitution
Adam Smith - Economist
Friedrich A. Hayek - Economist and philosopher
Milton Friedman - Economist
Rene Descartes - Philosopher
Jimmy Wales - Founder of Wikipedia
Paul Allen - Founder of Microsoft along with Bill Gates
Larry Page - Founder of Google along with Sergey Brin
Sergey Brin - Founder of Google along with Larry Page
David Cronenberg - Filmmaker
Jesse Eisenberg - Actor

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