If you have ever spent time around an ENTP thinking you would get an entirely extroverted personality and you maybe witnessed a slight opposite experience, that might be because the ENTP was exuding their introverted side. You may wonder, is there something like an introverted ENTP?
The ENTP is known as the most introverted extrovert in the personality community. No personality is entirely extroverted or introverted, but ENTPs, albeit social extroverts, have many specific introverted traits. They require time alone to recharge when stressed and can seem like loners to others.
If you wonder why ENTPs are such complex personalities and seem anti-social even though their primary cognitive function is extroversion, you can find more understanding in the information below.
Why Are ENTPs Introverted Extroverts?
ENTPs are extroverts by nature. They have the Ne function, the foundation of extroversion in ENTPs. Being extroverted is their primary cognitive function. They are outwardly social and socially extroverted.
ENTPs love being around others and engaging in social settings. They are often the life of the party and need to interact with others to feel alive and excited and refuel their outgoing, expressive energy. ENTPs, however, are also introverts.
ENTPs have the Ti Function in addition to the Ne. That means their Ti function will kick in at any point, and they need to be alone and indulge in that introverted intuitive thinking. ENTPs are often focused on logical analysis in situations. They can seem anti-social and shy but are just withdrawn because they need to engage their introverted traits to function in specific moments.
You get an ambivert when you place the Ne and Ti functions together. An ambivert is a mixture of introverted and extroverted. That means they choose when and how they feel comfortable being extroverts, and when needed, they will be introverts to help them get through difficult situations and experiences.
Can ENTPs Be Shy And Quiet?
ENTPs can be quiet, but they are not necessarily shy. They see shyness as a negative trait and a weakness they will try their best to overcome. ENTPs seem nervous to others because people tend to perceive introverts and quietness as shyness.
In the extrovert-centric world, it is almost unacceptable to be someone who is quiet and chooses to be alone or have a small social life. Once someone sees you being silent or having a reserved personality, they immediately label you shy. But shyness and introversion are entirely different characteristics.
Someone shy feels anxious or fearful to talk to others or approach social settings even if they might desperately want to. An introvert generally prefers not to be in social settings. They choose to stay on the sidelines and have fewer or no interactions.
ENTPs have an introverted function. That means they prefer to be quiet, have alone time, and are picky about their social interactions and how they portray themselves to others. ENTPs are typically confident enough to engage when they feel comfortable – they are not shy.
Do ENTPS Need Alone Time?
ENTPs need a lot of alone time because of their prominent introverted functions. When an ENTP feels stressed, upset, or angry, they tend to withdraw from others. They are not overly emotional beings, and while they can confidently and outwardly express themselves, ENTPs would rather conceal their feelings and deal with them alone if need be.
Taking time alone in a safe and comfortable space helps ENTPs to understand their emotions and thoughts. It gives them the time and space to process their feelings without external opinions or validations. ENTPs don’t like discussing personal details with others, but they need a means of processing and expressing themselves, and they do that by withdrawing from people until they feel better.
Being alone also helps ENTPs filter out crazy thoughts and ideas, which is uncommon for an ENTP. They have complex mind that is always working and on the go. By taking some time to understand what is happening in their minds, they can consider filtering out the noise, reconsider the best options and solutions and better understand why they have specific ideas.
Do ENTPs Have Introverted Thinking?
All personality types have a thinking function. Human beings were made with thinking brains as a natural function, but it shows up differently with specific personality types. People exhibit their thinking functions differently.
While some personalities are stronger on the feeling trait because they don’t utilize logic and reason much, other types focus on rationality and deep thinking. ENTPs have a balance, but their thinking function shows up more because it is their auxiliary function.
The way ENTPs absorb and interpret information is driven by their thinking function. It helps them to filter ideas, thoughts, and information received and analyze the facts. The function allows ENTPs to effectively process everything that happens through their minds, uncovering new information and using it to their advantage.
ENTPs are highly intuitive, and they have intuitive thinking. That also means they are incredibly logical and process information by being rational. They can easily take logic and emotion and develop the best solutions and explanations.
ENTPs have introverted intuitive thinking, which means they can use old and new information to figure out facts, and solutions and process ideas and thoughts more efficiently while being incredibly accurate. This is difficult for someone without an introverted thinking function, and ENTPs have the privilege of their personality traits.
Do ENTPs Enjoy Small Talk?
Some personality types hate small talk, and others genuinely enjoy it as means of connecting to others. ENTPs are great at small talk and can indulge in it if necessary. They are charismatic and cordial, with a knack for conversation.
Because ENTPs are so charming, they are super skilled at small talk and can use it to engage with others, get to know people and connect better, and keep a conversation going when needed. ENTPs, however, do not enjoy small talk; if anything, they pretty much steer away from it.
Most introverts are naturally good at small talk because they have the skill to make lovely connections with people, but they typically hate it because it doesn’t seem meaningful. They prefer deep, fulfilling discussions where people can learn from each other, understand each other more deeply, and challenge perspectives and opinions.
ENTPs with such high-functioning introverted characteristics do not enjoy small talk and will do their best to avoid it. They prefer to dig deep into conversations and understand other peoples’ minds. They like spirited debates and intellectual discussions that challenge and help them grow.
Are ENTPs The Most Introverted Extroverts?
In the personality community, you learn that ENFPs and ENTPs are both outgoing extroverts who enjoy social interactions but are known as the most introverted extroverts. ENTPs are more introverted among the two. That is because ENFPs have the feeling function associated with extroverts.
ENTPs have the thinking function that works in conjunction with the intuitive part, creating a highly introverted thinking personality who needs time and space alone to learn, process, and analyze thoughts and information.
Are ENTPs Socially Awkward?
ENTPs are wonderful, socially engaging people. They are witty, intellectual, and funny. They can often be the life of the party and thrive being around others. They are outwardly social and enjoy social gatherings and talking to people. They must be around others regularly to fuel their soul and boost their outgoing nature.
ENTPs are also sometimes socially awkward because they are also introverts. They are not into small talk, and while they are good at it, they can sometimes stumble on their words if they are zoning out from boredom. ENTPs can also make others feel like the conversation is rushed because they are trying to move on from topics or people who they can’t be genuine with.
In larger social settings, you can often find an ENTP sitting alone, enjoying their own company. This makes them seem awkward because they look like loners who don’t want to interact with anyone or make an effort to engage in activities.
ENTPs do that because they have such high-functioning introversion characteristics, and sometimes they need to be alone to think for a min or get some quiet time to process everything around them. They are not socially awkward but seem that way to others who don’t understand the introverted behavior.
Do ENTPs Have Social Anxiety?
It is hard to believe that an ENTP can have social anxiety because they are extroverts; being an extrovert is their cognitive function. But ENTPs can struggle with social anxiety because of their introversion side. They need a lot of time to be alone and recharge. ENTPs require genuine and deep connections and conversations. Anything else will tire them out.
ENTPs can have social anxiety if they are going to be around people they don’t feel comfortable with or if they are stuck in small talk and need a way out of it. They can also have social anxiety in larger gatherings that feel superficial or overwhelming because there are too many people and too much stimulation. When that happens, they will want to withdraw to process their thoughts.
One thing to remember is that when an ENTP has social anxiety, it is not that they are shy, anti-social, or uncomfortable being in that setting, regardless of seeming that way. It simply means they are overwhelmed, and their Ti function is surfacing, which means they need a time out to filter their thoughts and analyze all the information their brain is receiving.
Can ENTPs Be A Mistype?
An ENTP can likely be a mistype. When taking the Meyers Briggs test, people who are true introverts and are supposed to fall into an introverted type can get an ENTP result and vice versa. Here is why:
- Introverts want to fit into the world that favors extroverts, so they might not choose answers truthfully when doing the test.
- Sometimes the questions on the online tests are vague, and the person answering may not be sure about the answer and generally choose just to get through the answer, which can lead to inaccurate results.
- The online tests can often be inaccurate or from fake sights that don’t have the proper information and systems to calculate the correct results.
- It could come from a person who is stressed or going through a specific situation in life, and if they answer the questions according to that, the results could show up differently than if they answered according to who they truly are.
- For personality types with ambiverts functions like ENTPs, many people in those personalities don’t realize they can be both introverted and extroverted. If they feel more connected to one role or find themselves in situations where they lean more towards one, they might conclude their actions based on that. This could end up as a mistype when taking the test.
More About The Introverted ENTP
It seems contradictory to label ENTPs as introverts with their extroverted cognitive function. But it comes from various angles, such as:
ENTPs are independent people who need a lot of space from others even though they enjoy being around people and socializing. They dislike feeling smothered and will withdraw from clingy people or prevent them from making their own choices. ENTPs love a sense of freedom.
ENTPs find shallow socializing and small talk draining. They become irritable and dissatisfied if they cannot have meaningful interactions. It makes them feel mentally and emotionally exhausted if there is no depth, wisdom, and wittiness in their conversations with people.
ENTPs have a deep, rich inner world. Their thinking process is internal, so they need time alone to process information. They might express themselves outwardly, matching their extroverted side, but they need space to acknowledge their thoughts by themselves.
Conclusion
Introverted ENTPs are a thing in the personality community because ENTPs have an intuitive thinking function that takes them into their own world. They don’t need direct and constant interaction with others. ENTPs can recharge and feel energized by spending time alone and distracted by their thoughts.
