INTJ Relationships (With Each Myers Briggs Type)

An INTJ in love is a wonderful thing. Although INTJs are known for keeping people at a distance, they are nonetheless capable of forming friendships and falling in love. In a major study, it was found that INTJs rated their relationships and friendships as the least satisfying of all the types (Myers, McCaulley, Quenk & Hammer, 1998) and this is typical of rational types in general who statistically report the lowest satisfaction rates in relationships of all the temperament groups.

A study also found that minus a few exceptions (such as the ENTJ and ESTP), all types tend to marry similar rather than dissimilar types to that of their own. David Keirsey, the author of “Please Understand Me” posited that the perceiving preference was the most important factor in determining cross-type compatibility. A shared perceiving preference (as the dominant or auxiliary function) according to Keirsey, ensured better understanding and communication in the relationship. Aside from that, having opposite preferences in every other respect would supposedly contribute in making each partner interesting to one another. Under this theory, the ENFP is the ideal match mate for the INTJ.

Both INTJ males and INTJ females are liable to experience difficulties socially and romantically that are particular to “INT” types. INTJs, in addition to reporting the lowest satisfaction in relationships, also rate them as being the least in importance of all the types. In another study (Myers, McCaulley, Quenk & Hammer, 1998) only 30% of INTJs rated relationships/friendships as “very important”. Surprisingly, 65% of INTJs rated “home and family” as “very important”. This percentage however, while appearing high, was still relatively low when compared with other types.

Female INTJs make up only 3% of the female population and male INTJs comprise 6% percent of the male population. Together, they form only 4% of the general population. Despite their rarity, it has been found that INTJs are more likely than average to marry other INTJs. According to another study (Marioles, Strickert & Hammer, 1996) male INTJs were 3.85 times more likely than average to marry a female INTJ, while female INTJs were 2.22 times more likely than average to marry a male INTJ.

Here is a look at how each Myers Briggs type gets along romantically with the INTJ personality type including INTJ relationship struggles.