You thought a conversation with an INTJ was going well… but they just gave you a death stare.
What happened?
Well, a number of things could be the cause of an INTJ stare.
As an INTJ, I’ve found myself giving others that look on many different occasions. I can understand that our death stare is not easy to read.
So today, I present to you everything you need to know about the infamous death glare.
Let’s do a deep dive together!
The Meaning of INTJ Death Stare
So, what do INTJs mean by their intense glare?
Not going to lie – the stare can be quite intimidating. But there’s a pretty good chance that’s not a response to something you’ve done. In fact, it might not even be directed at you.
When an INTJ does a death glare, that can mean several things.
Let’s see what’s behind the death stare of this rarest personality type.
They’re in the Deep Thought Process
INTJs have a tendency to lose themselves in thought. They spend a lot of time inside their heads, especially when they’re bored.
When you zone out, your brain switches focus from the outside to the inside world. But it’s not just your brain that’s disengaged.
Your pupils also fail to respond to changes in your environment. That’s why you appear to be staring at something, although you’re not actually focusing on the subject.
Now, an INTJ’s mind is always working at full power. People with this personality type tend to overthink things, no matter how trivial they might be.
They also don’t quit until they get to the point. So when they’re troubled by something, that will occupy their thoughts to the point of getting disconnected from the outside world.
Is an INTJ giving you a death stare or just looking through you?
If their eyes are following your movement, then the glare is definitely pointed at you. But if they don’t seem to be moving, then you were just a background to their thoughts.
They’re Very Emotional (Yes, Really!)
Due to their reserved behavior, INTJs are often perceived as cold and blunt. But that doesn’t mean they’re made of stone.
In fact, people with an INTJ personality type are quite emotional.
One of the weaknesses of INTJs is – they’re not easy to trust. So when their trust is broken, they take it really hard.
And if you were to hurt them, you’d probably be responded with a death stare and silence.
As you know, INTJs don’t like talking about emotions, so they won’t say much in such a situation. But they don’t really need to, as their eyes will do the talking.
They’re Angry
If an INTJ is angry at you, they will serve you a death stare.
And one thing that makes them angry the most is ignorance.
You see, education is extremely important to INTJs. And I don’t mean just academically. INTJs love learning new things in every aspect.
They like basing their opinions on facts, so they’ll research anything before stating their beliefs.
But what they absolutely hate is when other people don’t do the same. When faced with ignorance, a death stare in disbelief is how they react.
They’re Bored
In about 50% of cases, an INTJ will stare because they’re bored. In other words, they zoned out, thinking about something more interesting than their surroundings.
INTJs are easily bored. Now, that is not surprising. Some of INTJ’s favorite hobbies include visiting museums, taking classes, running marathons, etc.
And let’s be real – most people don’t need to go that far to find fun. Watching a sitcom or playing karaoke can be enough sometimes.
One thing INTJs’ hobbies say about them is that their mind needs constant stimulation to make things interesting. But INTJ’s cognitive function needs more than that to be satisfied.
So let’s say you’re watching a movie with an INTJ for the third time. They already know the plot, so they won’t learn anything new from watching it again. And voila, that’s an instant cue for the brain to disconnect and zone out.
They’re Neutral
INTJs don’t give out much with their nonverbal communication. Don’t expect to see lots of facial expressions and illustrative gestures from a person with this personality type.
An INTJ person might add a bit of emotion when talking about things they’re deeply interested in. But if they’re neutral on the subject, they’ll also be neutral in their behavior.
INTjs are pretty straightforward in their communication. So, they’ll point their attention towards the person they’re talking with. That means they’ll look them in the eyes during the conversation.
Now, a straight face and emotionless tone don’t do INTJs much good in this case. People with different personality types might feel uncomfortable by their focused stare.
They’re Interested
INTJs let you know you have their full attention. When communicating, they’ll face you and keep eye contact while talking. That’s their way of expressing fascination and interest in someone.
I know it may not appear like it, but the death glare could actually be a compliment. You’re worthy of their attention, and they’re not afraid to show it. Unfortunately, INTJs fail to realize that others might be afraid of their intense stare.
They Need to Make a Hard Decision
INTJs are quite the opposite of “an open book.” They’re very reserved in their expressions, so it’s hard to know what they’re thinking.
But on the inside, their minds might be working into overdrive. Now, that happens every time an INTJ needs to make a tough decision.
People with this personality type like to gather as much intel as possible before making up their minds. And processing that much information is definitely not an easy task. In fact, INTJs can get so caught up in thinking and intense focus that they’ll stare at something, although disconnected from the subject.
They Are Prepared to Fight
INTJs don’t fret about arguments. They certainly don’t fret about fights, either. Not if they’re doing it to defend their ground.
You see, an INTJ takes great pride in their knowledge based on facts and critical thinking. It’s kind of like their treasure.
And when opposed, they’ll defend what they believe in at the cost of starting a fight. Being right is extremely important for this personality type.
How do you know an INTJ is ready to fight?
Their facial expression might not show much emotion, but their eyes will do the talking. You know what they say – eyes don’t lie, even if you are an introvert.
They Want Space
Let’s not forget that INTJs are introverts.
Social interaction drains them, so they need solo time to recharge.
Now, they won’t tell you that directly in the face. But if you keep bugging them when they are feeling that way, they might give you the death stare. You know, the cold but protruding glaze that looks deep into your soul.
That’s your cue to back down and give them some space.
To Sum Things Up
As you can see, the reasons behind an INTJ’s stare can be quite contradictory.
They could be bored or annoyed by you or very interested in what you’re saying.
Heck, the look might not even be directed at you. You’re simply in the direction of their eyes.
Whatever the issue might be, it obviously has the INTJ’s full attention.
Having issues with an INTJ partner? Here are our tips on how you can solve your problems.