Psychology Facts

▼ ISTP - The Crafter ▼

ISTP (introverted, sensing, thinking, perceiving) is one of the 16 personality types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). People with ISTP personalities enjoy having time to think alone and are fiercely independent. ISTPs also love action, new experiences, hands-on activities, and the freedom to work at their own pace.

ISTPs enjoy taking things apart just to see how they work. They are logical and rational but more interested in practical applications than abstract ideas. They love doing new things and can become bored with routines rather quickly.

The ISTP is a relatively rare personality type. According to the Center for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT), ISTPs comprise about 4% to 6% of the population. They note that this type is more common in men (around 6% to 9%) than in women (2% to 3%).

Key ISTP Characteristics:

Goal-directed: People with an ISTP personality are results-oriented. When there is a problem, they want to quickly understand the underlying cause and implement some type of solution.

Open to new experiences: ISTPs enjoy new experiences and may often engage in thrill-seeking or risk-taking behaviors. They often engage in risky or fast-paced hobbies such as motorcycling, hang gliding, bungee jumping, surfing, or ice hockey. In some cases, they may seek out adventure by choosing careers in areas such as racing, flying, or firefighting.

Objective: They prefer to make judgments based upon objective criteria rather than personal beliefs or values.

Reserved but even-tempered: ISTPs are often described as quiet but with an easygoing attitude towards others. They can be talkative at work or in settings where they have a great deal in common with others.

Emotionally detached: ISTPs are not well attuned to the emotional states of others, and they can sometimes be seen as cold, unfeeling, or insensitive. They also distance themselves from their own emotions, ignoring their feelings until they become overwhelming.

Level-headed: One common misconception about ISTPs is that they are the stoic, silent type. While they tend to be reserved, this does not mean they do not experience strong emotions. Instead, they are good at keeping a cool head, maintaining objectivity, and coping with crises.

Cognitive Functions

Dominant: Introverted Thinking:

ISTPs spend a great deal of time thinking and dealing with information in their own heads. This means they do not spend much time expressing themselves verbally, so they are often known as being quiet.

It may seem like the ISTPs approach to decision-making is very haphazard, yet their actions are based upon careful observation and thought.
They deal with the world rationally and logically, so they are often focused on things that seem practical and useful.

Because they are so logical, ISTPs are good at looking at situations objectively and avoiding subjective or emotional factors when making decisions. People with this personality type can be difficult to get to know, often because they focus so much on action and results rather than emotions.

Auxiliary: Extraverted Sensing

ISTPs prefer to focus on the present and take on things one day at a time. They often avoid making long-term commitments and would rather focus on the "here and now" rather than think about future plans and possibilities.
ISTPs tend to be very logical and enjoy learning and understanding how things operate. They might take apart a mechanical device just to see how it works.

While they are good at understanding abstract and theoretical information, they are not particularly interested in such things unless they can see some type of practical application.

Tertiary: Introverted Intuition

This function often operates largely unconsciously in the ISTP personality. While they are not usually interested in abstract ideas, they may take such concepts and try to turn them into action or practical solutions.

It is this function that is behind the "gut feelings" that ISTP sometimes experience when making a decision. By synthesizing information brought in by the dominant and auxiliary functions, this aspect of personality may be responsible for sudden "aha" moments of insight.

Inferior: Extraverted Feeling

This aspect of personality tends to operate in the background of the ISTP personality, but it can become more apparent during times of stress.
During highly charged situations, ISTPs can sometimes lash out in sudden outbursts of emotion. They often ignore their own feelings until things reach a boiling over point, which can lead to displaying emotions in ways that can seem inappropriate.

ISTPs You Might Know:

Tom Cruise

Amelia Earhart

Bruce Lee

Bill Murray

Kristen Stuart

Valadmir Putin

Meliana Trump

Snoop Dogg

Shaquille O'Neal

The Beast from Beauty and the Beast.

Popular ISTP Careers:

Forensic science

Engineering

Mechanics

Computer programming

Carpentry

Law enforcement

Software engineer

Photographer

Physical therapist

Scientist

Pilot

Firefighter