ENTP vs INTJ - Type Comparison

The ENTP and INTJ personality types are so often portrayed to be opposites in terms of temperament, but it is important to bear in mind they have the same cognitive functions - what differs is the manner in which these functions are oriented.

In this video I employ CPT methodology to elucidate the cognition behind each of these types, and help you tell the difference between the two.

Apologies for the poor audio in this particular video!

Thanks to Kiara Kerrick for the subtitles!
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About me:
Hi, I'm Harry, and I'm intensely passionate about personality typing and self-development - so much so that I have created my own Jung-inspired system, taking a more high-resolution look at the factors making up personality.

Through Cognitive Personality Theory I examine the underlying mechanisms behind cognition, and the means through which a single type can have limitless individual variation - I believe type itself is just a set of cognitive predispositions that can according to the needs of the situation be overcome.

I don't believe any type is limited in what they can achieve, but have noticed sensationalist attitudes and internet trends propagating a culture in which type-development is actively discouraged in favour of conforming to simplistic archetypes. Through CPT I hope to dispel various myths and oversimplifications of what constitutes personality type, and along the way encourage a healthier attitude towards type that allows a person to become not who they are told they are, but rather who they want to be.
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00:00 - Introduction

00:28 - Dominant Functions - INTJ

03:10 - Dominant Functions - ENTP

07:01 - Summary

08:09 - Opposing Functions- INTJ

11:10 - Opposing Functions - ENTP

14:37 - Levels of Consciousness - Dominant Stacks

20:09 - Levels of Consciousness - Opposing Stacks

23:42 - Summary

24:57 - The Attitudes - Dominant Stacks

28:01 - The Attitudes - Opposing Stacks

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KEY

Ni/Introverted Intuition - Broad & plethoric perception of internal world.
Ne/Extraverted Intuition - Broad & plethoric perception of external world.

Si/Introverted Sensing - Specific and concrete perception of internal world.
Se/Extraverted Sensing - Specific and concrete perception of external world.

Fi/Introverted Feeling - Subjective codec; internal emotional data & harmony.
Fe/Extraverted Feeling - Subjective codec; external emotional data & harmony.

Ti/Introverted Thinking - Objective codec; internal logical order.
Te/Extraverted Thinking - Objective codec; external logical order.

Lens - Perceives data.
Codec - Rationalises data.

Convergent - Positive, creative, enacting change and seeking novelty.
Divergent - Negative, authoritative, instilling consequence and driving utility.

For more clarification on terms see the CPT eBook!

#ENTP #INTJ #cpt

[muyangwang]

entp here. if someone ask me how I *feel* about something, I always tell me how I *think* about it. it's not that i don't have personal values, I somehow regard them irrelevant if the situation involves other people. people find me surprisingly helpful, I like to solve problems or giving advice to sb, bit like a mental game for me, taking on someone else's role.
you are right, it's hard for me to tell you what my personal values are, even if I do, they'd come out like a list of contradictions. as for who I am, I don't know. im many things and im nothing. or I can be what the situation need me to be. that's why I find intjs very attractive. their stillness, their focus, their loyalty to themselves, I just don't have those.
it's nice to watch this video on my birthday. thank you.

[SuperCuriouss]

i don't think i have ever met a person that understands ENTPs as well as this. Thank you.

[jungiantrip]

I think the greatest contribution you've brought to the online Jungian community is the dynamism and relational nature of the functions. Rather than a static notion that Ne is this (in whatever personality constellation) or Si is this, you introduce their relationships with one another. So in that sense it eludes the oversimplification of a cognitive function acting the same way no matter what the stack is (using the cognitive functions as building blocks rather than interrelated substrates). You also avoid the over-complication of Beebe's models which in my estimation rely far too much on ill-defined and archaic archetypes. I appreciate what you're bringing to the discussion, Harry.

[anqiteng]

I just want to say as an ENTP I always know how to make the newcomer comfortable and how to make the person with an identity crisis more sure of themselves and I WANT AN ENTP IN MY OWN LIFE CAUSE I CAN'T SEEM TO DO THIS FOR MYSELF 😭😭😭

[chuanli]

Holy shit, this... this video is filled to the brim with mental stimulus.
I'm an entp, and I went through a phase in my life where I realized I was comfortable playing devils advocate because I never felt truly attached to anything. I had been masquerading under the title of impartiality, convincing myself that I liked arguing opposite sides because I wanted to give each side a fair chance; that I was championing objectivity. But I came to the sad realization that the true reason I was impartial was because I wasn't actually partial to anything. I thought this was a pitiful state of existence; that I didn't have anything I truly cared about, enough to be biased for their sake.
That led to the next phase of my life, where I've very consciously kept my eyes wide open for potential lifelong partners, and when I found her I practically pounced. As a consequence I've felt at odds with the stereotypical portrayal of entps as marriage fearing peoples, I very much oriented my life goals and my identity around this individual whom I could be biased for.
And yet, as I continue to go through life I've realized that I'm not actually truly impartial, I've only felt impartial, and that I've actually had a set of values beneath the surface all this time. I can count on two hands the moments in tv that move me to tears, but I still don't understand why, or the mechanics of how any of them are able to provoke an emotional response from myself. Random moments can provoke unexpected anger, in one case I was attending a friends wedding, and relatives in the crowd talking through my friend's vows made me so angry I felt I could faint. My mom's emotionalized, off-handed comment made me bristle so much I said something to her that I immediately regretted. Even now I struggle to articulate exactly what provokes my emotions, yet occasionally these strong emotional reactions crop up which I have to scrutinize retroactively to even begin to figure out why.
Other stuff you mentioned too, like the entp being attuned to the external emotional environment, has just been extremely relatable. My family has always laughed at me for how low my tolerance for awkward situations was when watching tv with them. Whenever there was a misunderstanding or any social tension I would often run away and hide in a different room until it was over. At this point I spend almost as much time and energy in my mind, reflecting, and revising my social tools, as I do actually interacting with people. Whether it be figuring out and internalizing appropriate ways to act in situations of social confrontation, or internally verbalizing my ideas and polishing my delivery to serve as conversation pieces to avoid awkward silences, but also to express myself, as I often feel incompetent and uncomfortable if I'm not able to contribute during social situations.
And the uncertainty about my own identity thing, wow. Growing up I've always held a mild disdain for those who chased high grades, and I've always built my identity around special skills or my areas of expertise. Looking back I always had one or two fields serving this purpose, at the time I viewed them as my core pillars of confidence. I finally came to terms with the fact that my core mode of motivation is toward seeking the approval of others, when a 4 month period of isolation during the pandemic stripped me of all my motivation to even pursue what I thought were my core, identity-defining hobbies. I discovered that stripped of their social utility, I couldn't muster any interest in those hobbies.
So much of this stuff is very accurate, I wonder how much of this understanding is by virtue of the mbti 8 functions framework, and how much of this is supplemented by real world experience interacting with the various personalities. Though I am not familiar with all the advanced words you use, I still am a bit averse to the idea that such understanding could arise purely from a theoretical framework.

[pugninja]

As a ENTP, I've found INTJs come to the same conclusion, just a different way..

But for me personally it's a very psychological rs, as they see things of you, u cant see and we see things in them they can't see..
Like two sides of the same coin.

It's a rs that is like no other, either it's perfect or a sinking ship..

[rhodosu]

It’s really funny to me the way you were talking about how an ENTP focuses their attention on the external social world (like what will get us praise or higher social standing) bc it made me realize how I tend to prioritize my assignments for school that I have to present to my class or that which are team projects. Loll my worst nightmare is not having a speech prepared when everyone else does, or letting my peers down for something important, even if I don’t really verbalize that

[obscurellepriscillatopin]

ENTP empathy is often very stunning because it requires no basis. A lot of people find it alarming and upon slightly closer examination mistake it for insincerity - whereas in reality, ENTPs are very consistent and protective people. As for myself as an INTJ, I've found that a good key to keep in mind when socializing is that it's safe to assume that most people are used to receiving emotional cues from others, and while I'm not one for aligning people in that way, I can often compensate by observing the strengths of others and communicating my process. I find a lot of people can appreciate having an INTJ around!

[jimmajamma]

I'm an ENTP. I spent most of my younger years making quick connections with people. My favourite thing was to make a group interaction more enjoyable for everyone. I used to be good at picking up girls with superficial charm but terrible at making a deep connection even though I feel I am very deep there is a fear there. I get a buzz out of helping other people practically but am not great at being a shoulder to cry on necessarily. I'm best when I am relaxed at a social event but if I'm not I will be a social butterfly and neglect my actual friends to meet new people. Its taken me alot to realise people have there own plans and objectives and they are not necessarily going to join me on mine and in order for this to happen I have to actually get results myself. The shallow side to my personality really bugs me and is something I always feel I need to work on. I feel I have become a better person with age but its meant I don't use that superficial charm to benefit myself. The constant search for new interesting things is exhausting. I sometimes wish I could see the value more of being humble and not thinking I need to perform and impress when I meet someone new.

[HTC]

I'm an INTJ and my dad is an ENTP, and your explanation is spot on. And yes, these two types can be very empathetic, though it's not acknowledged by most people. With INTJs it's more hidden and private due to Fi. The INTJ is the one who'll donate to animal welfare without telling anyone, or shed some tears privately over someone's misfortune, whereas the ENTP's empathy is more externally expressive but just as genuine.


P. s. What is that accent of yours? I can't figure it out...

[Violetskate]

Can I just say that you are the smartest person I have ever seen on youtube if not ever. I understand everything you are saying and it is so deep

[julyol]

So, I'm ENTP and my father is a picture perfect INTJ. It's really funny, we meet on an intellectual level (although my father is waaay smarter then I am) and on an emotional level (like, how we show affection to our loved ones; who we chose to be surrounded by etc.). But at the same time, he's my absolutely opposite in many other things. He's a highly efficient "maker" with a thorough 10-year-plan. I'm a chaotic last minute plan maker, after an impulsive decision to do something that would require at least some form of preparation. The poor man worries so much for me. He gets insomnia every time I mess up, but is also so proud every time I do well. And I'm absolutely worried about disappointing him, but can't do anything about my eclectic lifestyle. Also, we both have ADHD, he a little less then I.

[xpjzdhy]

Correction: INTJ's see the entire framework, clearly. We choose where to focus.

[esrdesignandanalysis]

15:20 YES I anecdotally concur. I got a piece of art that was Hamilton themed and had the quote "I'd rather be divisive than indecisive" and it never sat right bc all of my division has been with the purpose of knocking people who were decisive into a place of doubt(where all truth lies)

[taydupreez]

AH! i was looking forward to this video! This is so true and i really resent the ENTP stereotypes because it paints us as purposefully evil. for a very long time i thought i was an INTJ but a lot of the things didnt make sense to me and i had to then look at functions individually before realising that im an ENTP. Yes, i assess my value as an individual on how useful i can be to society, or especially to the lives of those people im emotionally attached to. i cant commit to something if i do not find any meaning/sense/pragmatic value in it, though over time i have learnt to do the grunt work even if i dont see any value in it because, you have to make a living right? hahaha

i also dont like the label of being argumentative because its not so much that I want to purposefully poke holes in other peoples logic, but more that i want to understand their reasoning and how they came to their conclusions and although it might not appear as such, i am open to having my opinion changed if the argument/logic is strong enough - at least for the most part. but i think because i come across as very opinionated and confident in speech, it might seem that i am just trying to pick fights lmao i promise im not. if i were, my intention would be to totally crush my opponent on every level and that is very mean and immature.

values, and lack of awareness of values is something i only recently started to explore. its rather difficult because i have to think a lot where i would otherwise just be 'whatever' so i have to access Fi through.... Si, i guess? look at past behaviours and assess them. treating myself as if i were my best friend has been an interesting experiment that has also helped a lot. because i tend to forgo my own preferences for the majority vote if it would make everyone happy, by stepping outside of myself and treating myself as one of the people i should consider has made a big difference in helping me understand myself and what i value - even if those preferences are contrary to that of the whole.

thank you for pointing out that ENTPs are often focussed on the emotional needs of those around them at the expense of their own. the problem is we dont even realise we are causing ourselves harm until its a serious problem. since i started to assess myself as i mentioned, i realised that as you say, i have an innate desire to want to help solve other peoples problems by becoming the solution and being what is necessary to right the situation, which i have duly curbed since i find the approach of prompting the individual and setting them on a course towards solving their own problems is far more effective even if it might not be a quick fix. this has actually saved me a lot of personal trauma LOL

LMAO yes to the Ti frameworks. i do feel insecure when someone comes with something completely different that forces me to have to reassess my thought processes. more often than not i just dismiss what i dont agree with and then incorporate what i do agree with but its an uncomfortable process that needs a lot of alone time. it is also extremely difficult to not openly criticize someones 'inferior framework' and when the urge is seriously strong to troll them i just walk away and go do something else because i understand that people are all different and entitled to their own opinions and ideas and there is probably someone out there that could lay waste to my faulty framework too. i really struggle to deal with people who dont think before they act and cause themselves and others unnecessary difficulty/heartache.


100% on replicating skill sets and then innovating on them. once i have the general idea, i try to manipulate the parts until i get the fastest, easiest, most effective result. say for instance i want to bake a cake but i dont have the ingredients i need, how will i alter the recipe to get the closest possible representation of that cake? doesnt always work, but each failure is a learning curve. just the other day i learnt that switching up the order of adding ingredients to make fudge makes toffee instead. same quantities, same ingredients, different order. very interesting.

really loved the video and again i apologise for the essay answer ahahaha

[IdonthaveatwittersoFoff.]

Me ENTP. Him INTJ.
We are completely connected on some unknown, illogical and physical level. YET, we disagree on almost every way to get there.
We function the best when we trust each other to just intuitively get it and don’t get bogged down in the details. It gets very hard when we are operating from a place of negativity or fear. Trust yourself as much as the other and this combo is an absolute FORCE.

[kaye.]

ENTP here with an INTJ sibling and friend. I do second many other ENTPs observation that INTJs do often come up with the same conclusion using different means. There is no other type I get along with better, although it is hard to say if it is due to compatibility of personality or merely an anecdotal coincidence (if you talk with someone long enough communication gets easier on average, they understand your implicit assumptions and the basic framework you operate upon and vis versa so there is less space for misinterpretation). Communication with them is just the best. It helps me understand my own reasoning better, they always seem to always ask me the right questions. I also don't have to worry about them taking everything I say as a reflection of what I think about them. They accept that sometimes I am just trying to make sense of stuff out loud, that my opinion is not set and help me through the process of making decisions. I love it.
Also out of curiosity xD I notice you pausing in all your video it is weirdly calming although I do wonder why you do it? Are you reading something? The pauses are sometimes edited sometimes they aren't so I can't help but notice. As I said I actually enjoy them for some weird reason (the cadence makes the video asmry) so don't take it as some veiled criticism. I am honestly just intrigued every time.

[JohnDoe-fnbw]

I think its amazing how precise you can describe other personality types. As an ENTP I dont even understand myself, how could I understand others?? :D Thanks for your great content!

[sheledon]

Great thanks. I'm kind of done with my mbti fetish, but it's always nice to hear something refreshing.

You do a great job!

[tofusamurai]

This discussion helped me understand the ENTP, especially, in a deeper way. Thanks, Harry! Keep up the good work-- we appreciate it, greatly! :D