While some people may view being “weird” as a negative thing, INTJs may equal it to being different from others.
And really, people with an Architect personality type do tend to act differently from the rest in certain situations.
In this article, we’ll talk about some peculiar traits that make INTJs so out of the ordinary.
If you want to know why INTJs are considered weird, dive in.
11 Strange INTJ Personality Traits
INTJs have a lot of characteristics that are typical for them, but other people see them as odd. Let’s talk about each of them in particular.
They Are Easily Irritated
INTJs are the type to easily get irritated, especially when they are feeling something’s not right.
A conversation with an INTJ individual can quickly turn into an argument, as they can have a frustrated outburst when annoyed.
Ignorant people? Definitely a number one issue.
You see, INTJs understand someone might not know something. But what they can’t understand is people who are unwilling to change that. To them, being open to growth and learning is a virtue, and someone consciously dissing that is angering.
Laziness is yet another thing that can get them irritated easily.
When doing something, don’t do it superficially. If there’s one thing INTJs hate, it’s doing just the bare minimum. People with this personality type really do believe that if they want something done right, they’d better do it themselves.
They Don’t Smile So Often
High school psychology class taught us that there are two types of responses:
- Learned
- Unconditioned
Now, let’s put smiling into the equation.
Many people smile when taking pictures.
Why?
Well, that’s strictly a learned habit and a recent one. It wasn’t until after WWII that people started smiling in photos. So, they smile because it’s socially acceptable, and you’ll appear more approachable that way.
As for unconditioned smiling, it occurs when certain stimuli affect our trigger response. In other words, when we are feeling happy.
Now, INTJs have a problem with both of these responses.
You’ll hardly ever going to see an INTJ fake smile. INTJs see little purpose in fake-showing emotions. This may come off as insensitive to other people, but INTJs don’t see it that way. Simply, you’re using your cheek muscles for no apparent reason.
But even if they do feel happy, INTJs might not express that through a big smile on their face. That doesn’t mean their emotions are not strong – but they’re not expressing them as visually.
People with this personality type perceive emotions as something private, so they like to keep them to themselves. Nothing personal.
They Keep Their Emotions to Themselves
An INTJ person is definitely not an open book. You will rarely manage to read their poker face, and constant guessing of how they are feeling might be frustrating.
Now, just because they are introverts and might not express an emotion that obviously, that doesn’t mean INTJs are insensitive.
A person with an INTJ personality type wouldn’t intentionally hurt you by saying something that seems “cold.” And in case that happens, they’ll turn it over in their minds trying to understand why that happened.
You see, INTJs might be lone wolves and don’t find themselves comfortable in some social situations, but they do want to connect with people.
In fact, having people who get them around is something people with this personality type truly appreciate. They just don’t show it as much.
They Might Have Sensory Issues
We can surely all agree that INTJs can sometimes be living completely in their heads, blissfully unaware of the world around them. They have daydreams, and pretty vivid ones as well.
And that can actually cause them to experience sensory issues. In other words, certain external stimuli, like a sound or a touch, can feel unpleasant.
Now, why does that happen?
INTJs have pretty bad extroverted sensing, so they’re not very in tune with their body.
What does that mean?
For instance, INTJs are more likely to bump into or fall over things simply because their mind is somewhere else.
NOTE
INTJs might also be completely occupied with their thoughts, so they don’t notice other people trying to communicate with them. If you were to place a hand on their arm at that point as a way of nonverbal communication, it might startle them.
They Like to Be Single
People with this personality type might have a hard time finding a romantic partner.
INTJs are perfectionists, and they keep the same mindset when it comes to their love life. Their romantic relationship needs to be with someone that suits them on every level, and that’s a pretty difficult challenge on its own.
When you pair that with their “lone wolf” aura, meeting a person that’s a perfect match seems quite far-fetched.
And if they currently don’t know a single person that can qualify for the position, they don’t mind. INTJs aren’t afraid of being single. In fact, they prefer solitude over spending time with people they don’t see a future with.
They Are Very Loyal
Just because INTJs like being on their own, that doesn’t mean they don’t cherish their relationships.
INTJs can have a hard time finding people they truly enjoy being around, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. But once they do, they’re very loyal to them.
INTJs don’t think they’re special. They think you’re special, so they let you into their lives. Once they do, you know you have a friend for life.
They Like to Argue
INTJs are devoted to developing rational and fact-based opinions. And in case they’re conversing with someone who doesn’t agree with them, they won’t fret from stanging for their ideas and beliefs.
And I’m not just talking about meaningful and deep topics. Sometimes, the argument can be about something trivial, yet they’ll defend it until their last word.
As I already mentioned, INTJs are always ready to battle ignorance. If you’re in the dark about something, they’ll make sure to share with you some facts that could change your opinion.
Now, don’t take this too personally. It doesn’t mean that INTJs see themselves as smarter. They just believe everyone should be striving to improve their knowledge in all areas.
They Tend to Leave a Situation Suddenly
If the argument with an INTJ doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, don’t be surprised if they walk out of the room.
While this behavior might seem odd to many people, there’s nothing weird about leaving a situation to an INTJ.
People with this personality type don’t like wasting time on pointless interactions. That energy could be better used for something else.
Not just that, but going around in circles is pretty draining for an INTJ. Leaving suddenly is simply getting away to refresh and restart after a tiresome situation.
They Aren’t Good With Compliments
Getting compliments is a good thing, right?
Well, while it may put a smile on someone’s face, that’s not typically the case with INTJs.
People with this personality type find complimenting awkward. They already think they’re good, smart, polite, or whatever, so why do you need to point it out as well?
Now, that doesn’t mean they’re rude. In fact, INTJs simply believe that what you do is more important than what you say.
So, for instance, if you think their idea is clever, don’t just tell them that. Show them how you’re incorporating it into a certain situation.
They Have Strong Preferences
INTJs know exactly what they want, and they don’t settle for anything less than that. Whether it’s what they want to eat for dinner or where they see their life going – it’s just the same.
If INTJs don’t see how something can be better, that’s not even worth a try. Simply – because they have such strong preferences, INTJs aren’t always open to trying new things.
They Think in Symbols and Images
Remember how I said that INTJs are in their heads? Well, when they’re daydreaming, INTJs are typically thinking in images and symbols rather than words.
So you can hear INTJ explain themselves using a lot of metaphors and other figures of speech rather than using concrete language.
While staying perfectly rational in their thoughts, INTJs like to add vivid imagery to make their cognitive functions more powerful.
To Sum Things Up
As you can see, INTJs have many traits that other people can see as “weird.” But while certain actions may not be completely understandable to us, they are perfectly normal to them.
Simply, they have a different way of thinking compared to other personality types. This lack of social skills can cause some misunderstandings in communication.
But as long as you’re aware of how INTJs think, you can easily work around them.
Do you identify with most of these traits? Check out our article to find out if you’re actually an INTJ.