The Four Types of Introverts in MBTI
The idea goes that introverts are timid little creatures who are drained by social interaction and recharge by being alone or online. While that is not not true, there is far more to the introverted mind than meets the eye.
In Jungian typology and Myers-Briggs, to be introverted means to have a mind that is focused inwards, toward the subject, rather than outwards. While extraverted cognitive functions (Ne, Se, Te, Fe) are energized by gathering diverse information from various external sources, introverted functions (Ni, Si, Ti, Fi) derive their energy from narrowing down information and examining it deeply to find the nuggets of wisdom. They operate on the principle of “less is more.”
I like to think of the introverted functions as seekers of universal truths in their respective realms. So, in this article, we are going to deep dive into the inner worlds of the four types of introverts to see what treasures lurk beneath those silent exteriors.
Introspective Introverts — Introverted Feelers
These are perhaps the most passionate introverts. Their minds are attuned to evaluating and exploring their personal values, and they want to know how their experience of the world relates to their identity and reveals their place within it. They have access to a rich emotional spectrum and a keen interest in understanding people’s motivations.
Because they spend so much time exploring the human experience, they tend to be very sensitive to the feelings of others and are highly skilled at relational empathy. But despite their depth of emotion, they are not necessarily emotionally expressive. Some may even appear quite stoic because they prefer to process their feelings internally.
Introspective Introverts are geared towards building and fine-tuning a sophisticated personal framework of morals, ethics and values, and they measure all new information against it. While they are not immune to co-dependent and people-pleasing behaviours, they tend to shy away from common, accepted norms. They want to know what is true for them and show up in the world as they are. An inner world that is out of alignment is almost unbearable, and they would have to really step on themselves to keep it that way.
Those who are more focused on serving the common good may see them as self-absorbed, iconoclastic and stubborn. But they are just highly individualistic and struggle to adhere to principles that do not align with their moral code and who they see themselves to be. Authenticity tends to be among their highest values. They have a deep respect for their own and others’ individuality, so they are usually willing to hold space for it.
These introverts are creative forces. They have an intuitive understanding of the idea that “the personal is universal.” So, they are often drawn to professions that allow for a lot self-expression. It is no surprise, then, that they dominate the fields of entertainment, art and literature. That song that speaks to the depths of your soul and captures your feelings perfectly — was probably written by an Introspective Introvert.
In the MBTI, they are the INFP and ISFP personalities. The dominant cognitive function of these types — the waters they swim in — is Introverted Feeling (Fi).
The archetype that fits them best is The Artist.
Potential Introspective Introverts:
Johnny Depp, Virginia Woolf, George Orwell (INFP)
David Bowie, Frida Kahlo, Jimi Hendrix (ISFP)
Nostalgic Introverts — Introverted Sensors
Nostalgic Introverts are the most grounded and down-to-earth introverts. They can be just as intellectual and contemplative as other types, but they prefer ideas that have a practical, real-world application over pure abstraction, theory and flights of fancy. The minds of these introverts are attuned to the past, and they like to preserve the truths that have proven true across time. This often makes them fond of history, traditions, culture, routines and customs.
Their greatest asset is their memory. While their extraverted counterparts (Extraverted Sensors) are fully engaged with the present moment, the minds of these introverts work like video cameras that capture events for them to go over later. That is why many will attest that an experience feels more real to them after it has happened, when they are playing it back in their minds. They can recall the events of their personal histories in extraordinary detail and often enjoy telling vivid stories from the past.
These introverts are the upholders who keep things running. They are unconsciously aware of the makeup of their environment and can pick up on subtle shifts in their surroundings as well as in people’s behaviour. They tend to be conscientious, responsible, and reliable. The misconception about them is that they hold conservative beliefs, but this is not inherent to their type. They simply trust their past experiences and want to preserve the values they grew up with, whether they were raised in a religious household or a hippie commune. They are not necessarily averse to change, but they tend to prefer the explored over the unexplored, so they are slow to adopt major changes.
They are linear thinkers who don’t usually make grand intuitive leaps in their thought processes. Instead, they look at how everything fits together in a step-by-step sequence. Their proficiency for detail and organization makes them excellent scholars, historians, linguists, archaeologists, administrators, doctors, nurses, and chefs.
In the MBTI, they are the ISTJ and ISFJ personalities. The dominant cognitive function of these types — the waters they swim in — is Introverted Sensing (Si).
The archetype that fits them best is The Guardian.
Potential Nostalgic Introverts:
Mother Theresa, Bob Ross, Halle Berry (ISFJ)
Sigmund Freud, Natalie Portman, Queen Elizabeth II (ISTJ)
Analytical Introverts — Introverted Thinkers
Analytical Introverts want to understand the mechanics of the world around them. They have sharp, logical minds that like to pick things apart to see how they work, whether it be an idea, an argument, a musical instrument or a car engine.
For them, the universe is a puzzle that needs to be solved, and they are quite adept at solving it. While Introspective Introverts evaluate the world through a personal moral framework, Analytical Introverts look at it through a personal logical framework — a formula for how the world around them operates — and so they struggle to adhere to truths and principles that do not make sense to them personally. They are not easily swayed by ‘common sense’ and efficient solutions to problems; they need to figure out how it works for themselves. If there is a bug in the system, they will not rest until they find it and set it right. This inclination drives them toward the fields of science, technology, engineering and philosophy.
It is these introverts who often provide us with answers to the mysteries of the universe. Some direct their search toward the realm of abstraction and theory, while others take a more down-to-earth approach and aim at the complexities of the material world. Unlike their extraverted counterparts (Extraverted Thinkers), they are not necessarily driven to effect solutions through their findings. For them, the real pleasure is in solving the puzzle. Applying the answers comes in second.
Their analytical approach to the world can sometimes make them seem a little robotic and unemotional. But they simply take a more detached, impersonal view of their own and other people’s emotions. Because people tend to be irrational, illogical and somewhat unpredictable with all their needs and feelings and things, their logical minds sometimes struggle to make sense of them. Some may take up the challenge of solving that most exciting mystery, but more often than not, they prefer to work with things over people. That said, they would also like those things to be of service to people.
In the MBTI, they are the INTP and ISTP personalities. The dominant cognitive function of these types — the waters they swim in — is Introverted Thinking (Ti).
The archetype that fits them best is The Inventor.
Potential Analytical Introverts:
Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Immanuel Kant (INTP)
Eminem, Kristen Stewart, Clint Eastwood (ISTP)
Contemplative Introverts — Introverted Intuitives
These introverts are deep, abstract thinkers who aim to understand the nature of life, the universe and everything. They are among the rarest types and often get labeled as mystical and mysterious.
They like to observe the people and phenomena around them and uncover the patterns beneath the surface. They are also interested in how the mind itself forms patterns and comes to conclusions, so they tend to view things from a detached perspective, observing and examining them from various angles until all the pieces come together and form an insight. They tend to do this unconsciously, so they will often get hunches seemingly out of nowhere.
Because they are attuned to the patterns at play around them, they are often able to project them into the forward and figure out the most likely outcome of events. This ability gives them a strong vision for the future, so they tend to be excellent planners and forward thinkers. While their extraverted counterparts (the Extraverted Intuitives) tend to be lateral thinkers who like to explore all the potentials and possibilities more expansively, Contemplative Introverts prefer to narrow down the available information and find the one most probable answer. They can channel this ability into people-oriented fields like psychology or technical fields like science.
They often think in symbols, images, metaphors and archetypes, so they are well-suited to the fields of philosophy, metaphysics, psychology, literature, science, theology, spirituality and education. In fact, many personality typologies that look at human beings as archetypes, including the Myers-Briggs, were originally conceived of by these types of introverts. (Carl Jung and Katherine Briggs who were the brains behind this theory were both INFJs).
They tend to come across old souls who are wise beyond their years even when they are children. They are kind of like the Dumbledores, Gandalfs and Galadriels of the real world. While Analytical Introverts are often happy to keep their insights to themselves, Contemplative Introverts are rarely satisfied by simply finding the answer. More often than not, they want to apply their insights for the betterment of humanity.
They also tend to enjoy the sensory pleasures and experiences that the outer world has to offer because that is what fuels and enriches their intuitions. As a result, they may seem more extraverted than other introverts. But they, too, will soon have to retreat into their mind and allow it to work magic.
In the MBTI, they are the INTJ and INFJ personalities. The dominant cognitive function of these types — the waters they swim in — is Introverted Intuition (Ni).
The archetype that fits them best is The Old Wise Man.
Potential Contemplative Introverts:
Carl Jung, Mary Shelley, Fyodr Dostoevsky, and probably Jesus, Buddha, and most other prophets (INFJ)
Nikola Tesla, Anna Wintour, Friedrich Nietzche (INTJ)
We have only scratched the surface of the introverted mind in this article, but I hope it helped you understand yourself and the introverts in your life a little bit better.
Take care, guys.
If you liked this article, you may enjoy these as well:
Hi, I’m Noemi, a certified relationship coach. I help you understand your patterns and cultivate self-love, confidence, and compassion to create the deep, fulfilling conscious relationships your heart desires.
Want more practical guidance along your healing journey? Join my newsletter for weekly insights on self-love, conscious relationships and authentic transformation.
