11 Differences Between Te and Ti Users

This article will be dedicated to explaining the differences between Introverted Thinking (Ti) and Extraverted Thinking (Te), specifically high use. In other words, I’m writing this article with the dominant and auxiliary users in mind, which means the IXTJs, EXTJs, IXTPs, and EXTPs. As Ti dominant myself, the differences between Te and Ti are abundantly clear, but I’ve noticed that other people, especially those new to personality typing, struggle with differentiating the two. Before I go on, though, make sure you check out Introverted Judging Functions (Ti/Fi) and Extraverted Judging Functions (Fe/Te) if you haven’t already, to read general overviews of Ti and Te.

12/12/2021 Update: If you’re interested in reading the other articles from this series, be sure to check out 7 Differences Between Ne and Ni Users, 8 Differences Between Fi and Fe, and 11 Differences Between Si and Se Users.

11 Differences Between Te and Ti

#1 Basic Definition

Te users, due to extraverting logic, are primarily concerned with structuring and ordering the world around them in an efficient and logical way. This will include their physical bodies, their living spaces, the people they interact with, their workplace, and etc.

Ti users are primarily concerned with structuring and ordering their internal world. This means their thoughts. Ti users will dwell on something for long periods of time until they’ve made sense of it. A Ti user will struggle to move forward in a project when the piece their currently on doesn’t quite make sense, or they feel it may be missing something, even if it’s functional enough to move on from. They won’t necessarily be motivated by the desire to just check something off of their to-do list.

#2 Leadership

Te dominants will probably be natural managers. You know that bossy stereotype? It’s because Te users will feel the need to take charge and bark orders in order to force the environment or situation to go they way it needs to go. Te auxiliaries will probably be the reluctant leaders (mostly because they’re leading with an introverted trait, so they’ll be less inclined to accept a leadership role). These tendencies for them may be subdued in public, only surfacing around close friends and family. In general, Te leaders will be more strict and controlling.

Ti users usually have no interest in controlling others, so they may be leadership avoidant. However, some may find leadership amusing, while others view it as a ‘whatever’ kind of thing. They’ll be the type that rise to the occasion if there’s no one else qualified to take the role. However, a Ti aux may be more prone to leadership since they are leading with an extraverted function. Their style of leadership will be more laid back, less structured, less rigid, and less hands-on.

#3 When They’re Accidentally Mean

Te users are blunt and harsh. It’s more of a natural state for them. Maturity can teach them to temper their words, but they won’t naturally struggle with telling the cold, hard, honest facts. They’ll tend to be quicker to share their opinion, because Te is an extraverted judgment function.

Ti users are sharp. Sharing harsh opinions will be a less constant thing for them and more situational. When you get hit with a Ti “judgment”, it’ll probably be sudden and sharp, possibly catching you a bit off guard. Ti users may feel apologetic afterwards, because low Fe can make them sensitive to the other person’s negative reaction.

#4 Emotions In The Negative

Te mentality: emotions are for the weak. It is not uncommon for a Te user to display frustration or anger when their attempts to control their external environment are thwarted. (You know, the more you squeeze, the more sand trickles through your fingers.) However, a Te users lack of emotional displays can be best described as ‘cold’ or anti-emotional, due to not naturally being sensitive to the feelings of others. (Lack of Fe, and low Fi.)

Ti, on the other hand, will probably on average appear more emotionless or blank, rather than cold. When they display anger, it’ll be in a sudden lashing out kind of way because they’re prone to bottling up their emotions up to the point of bursting. Maybe they’ll appear annoyed or frustrated, but it’s not likely to be a constant thing since they’re not interested in emotional displays and their primary emotional awareness is aimed at others rather than self (Fe).

#5 Emotions in the Positive

Te users can be very empathetic when it comes to something they have personally experienced or can relate to. This is the result of Fi awareness of self.

Ti users can mimic the emotional response that someone else wants to see. In other words, they can appear empathetic, which in reality will only be sympathy. This is the result of Fe awareness of others.

#6 Organization

Te users will be naturally more organized. They’ll prefer things to be put away a specific way, and the house/room to be a certain standard of clean. (Whatever they prefer or are accustomed to)

Ti users are more likely to be unbothered by a disorganized environment. This doesn’t mean all Ti users will be slobs, but Ti users will be less rigid when it comes to their environment. If they’re supported by Se, it may prompt a desire to make their environment visually pleasing. Those supported by Ne tend to be known for living in more chaotic environments, although that could just be a stereotype.

#7 Discipline

Te users tend to be very disciplined in their efforts to achieve something. Sure, a Te user can be lazy, but they’ll probably be naturally more disciplined in their daily life when it comes to something they’ve deemed important or keeping up with routines.

Ti users will probably struggle more with discipline. They’ll tend to have a more ‘off again, on again’ relationship with routines, unless there is something specifically motivating them to carry on with the routine.

#8 Approach to Life

Te users are primarily concerned with achieving the end goal. They’re less likely to enjoy the moment, and are going to be more focused on achieving the desired end result.

Ti users, since they have an extraverted perceiving function supporting them, will be more concerned with enjoying the process. This is why they won’t appear as disciplined as the Te user. Life is not all about the end goal.

#9 Physical Appearance

Te users controlling their external environment includes their physical bodies. This means that they’ll probably appear rigid, controlled, and intense. They may not look completely relaxed, even when they are.

Ti users will appear much more laid back, since their extraverted function is focused on perceiving rather than ordering and controlling.

#10 Speech

Te users will speak in a very definite, confident, and factual way. They’ll usually appear confident and certain in whatever they are saying. Sure, at times, they’ll guess and make it clear that they’re guessing. However, as a general rule, their statements will sound almost factual, even when they are not. The world for a Te user is often black and white, and they will express black and white viewpoints, judgements, and opinions.

Ti users tend to be more uncertain and hesitant. Ti users are in a constant state of analyzing all the information they take in, and recalculating everything they know when they run into a contradictory piece of information. They will not be quick to judge something, like a Te user might be. They will be hesitant to speak their opinion out loud before it is fully formed, and they will be reluctant to explain their thought process out loud. (The NTPs may be an exception to this). Ti users tend to include words like ‘probably,’ ‘maybe,’, ‘possibly,’ ‘usually,’ frequently,’ and etcetera to make everything they say be less absolute and subject to change. In the Ti users mind, just about everything is subject to change. It may make sense now, but something new may be learned later on that contradicts what they know now. This does not mean that a Ti user can never seem certain about anything. Once something makes perfect logical sense, they will probably latch onto it strongly, but their overall temperament won’t seem as rigid as the Te user in this way.

#11 Facts

Te: The facts are the facts.

Ti: The facts are subject to change.

In conclusion…

I’m currently writing this conclusion, a solid year and a half after initially publishing the above article, because I wanted to share an observation with you all. When people email in for typing help, and they’re trying to figure out what type of Thinker they are, I always send them over to this article and ask for a detailed response with their thoughts. I’ve learned that the people who relate to half of the Ti points and half of the Te points tend to be feelers. Obviously, you don’t have to relate to every single point on either side to be either Ti or Te, but someone who pretty much splits it down the middle is usually relating to the temperament of one side, and the actual thought system of the other. In other words, an ESFP with good use of his Te will relate to the Perceiving temperament of a Ti user, while directly demonstrating certain Te qualities… because an ESFP is ultimately a Te user.