Type Comparison: ILI (INTp) and SLI (ISTp)

Socionics Characteristics

Observable Differences in Behavior

  1. ILI are more likely than SLI to perceive and distinguish themselves primarily through personal qualities. ILI focus on individualism more than SLI.
  2. ILI attitude towards a specific person (more so than SLI) is based on their personal characteristics (authority, intellect, personal achievements, etc.) ILI recognize superiority of certain individuals drawing from their personal qualities
  3. SLI, more than ILI, frequently perceives and defines themselves and other people through group associations. SLI focus on collectivism over individualism.
  4. When SLI form opinions of others, these opinions are formed under the influence of their attitude towards the group to which the person belongs. To SLI, it is incomprehensible how it is possible to belong to two opposing groups at the same time:, i.e., "you're either with us, or with them and against us."
  5. SLI are often able to form quicker opinions of others they have just met than ILI. This is based on the ability of SLI to draw conclusions about the person based on the groups the person belongs to; ILI are more reluctant to make these inferences.
  6. ILI tend to be more idealistic with their heads-in-the-cloud. SLI, on the other hand, are more realistic and down-to-earth.
  7. SLI are better at noticing details than ILI. ILI on the other hand, are better at seeing the big picture than SLI.
  8. ILI are more focused on ideas and concepts than SLI. On the other hand, SLI are more focused (than ILI) on their surroundings.
  9. SLI are more naturally comfortable with physical confrontations than ILI.
  10. ILI are often more interested in the idea or theory of something, whereas SLI are more interested in the actual practice or implementation of it.
  11. When solving a problem, ILI rely more heavily on their generalized past experiences than SLI. ILI are inclined to use already prepared, preformulated methods and processes to solve a problem.
  12. When solving a problem, SLI are more inclined (than ILI) to solve it by relying predominantly on only the presently available information. Essentially, SLI will develop a process or method uniquely fitted towards the present problem, and this method is designed using the present conditions and information.
  13. ILI pay more particular attention to aspects of a situation or plan that are insufficient or lacking. This can be interpreted by others as ILI having a negative assessment of various situations and events (.e.g, "the glass is half empty). On the other hand, SLI pay more attention to what is actually present in a situation, and this can be interpreted as an affirmative or positive manifestation of the surrounding world, situations, possibilities, and prospects (e.g. "the glass is half full").
  14. When assessing an option or available choice, SLI tend to focus more on how the choice could benefit them (what it would potentially yield) than ILI would. On the other hand, ILI would be more cognizant of the potential risks and potential losses that may accompany the decision that SLI may unconsciously minimize.
  15. ILI are rmore relaxed in their natural state than SLI. However ILI will mobilize and concentrate when needed to accomplish an objective. After the task has been completed, ILI demobilize again. This state of demobilization is the natural state of ILI.
  16. When contemplating a task, it takes ILI longer time to mobilize than SLI; i.e., ILI prefer to spend some time in a more natural state of relaxedness which will then prepare them to subsequently mobilize and concentrate at the crucial moments, improving their performance.
  17. When working on a project, ILI are more likely than SLI to break up larger tasks into several stages. Then ILI mobilize to carry out each stage (and demobilize between the stages).
  18. When getting ready to start a project, ILI spend more time planning and preparing for the project than SLI. In particular, ILI spend more time discussing the plan, discussing options and ways to approach the project, etc.)
  19. When describing their reasoning for their actions, ILI (more so than SLI) tend describe how and why they came to a certain decision, and focus less on the timing and initiation of the action.
  20. When it comes to completing a task, SLI are more likely than ILI to mobilize for longer periods of time. Specifically, SLI tend to mobilize for an action early and stay mobilized for a longer period of time after the task has been completed. For SLI, this state of readiness is their natural state.
  21. SLI are more likely than ILI to tackle a task in its entirety, rather than breaking it up into smaller separate stages.
  22. When doing a task, SLI are inclined to work for the sake of the result (for example, a reward or bonus for completing the task). In contrast to ILI, SLI can renounce their comforts and conveniences for this; SLI evaluate their place of work by looking at what returns they get for the effort they invested (e.g., monetary, prestige, etc.).
  23. When describing why they undertook a project, SLI are more likely than ILI to focus on the moment when a decision is made and to speak in detail about the stages of its implementation.
  24. When discussing work, SLI are more likely than ILI to focus on the fruits of their labor, about what their effort will yield. ILI on the other hand are more likely to focus on the environment they work in, e.g., their work conditions, conveniences, commute time, etc.
  25. When planning to complete something, ILI are more likely to focus their attention on the goal itself, overlooking and deprioritizing the individual actions needed to reach that goal. On the other hand, SLI tend to focus their attention on the each action; i.e., they're focused on how each decision and choice is being made (towards reaching the goal), in a step by step process.
  26. SLI are able to change and make adjustments to their goals more easily than ILI (depending on how progress is being made, etc.). ILI on the other hand, prefer to stick with their original goals.
  27. ILI tend to judge their available options by how likely the option will help them reach their goal. If a choice no longer helps ILI reach their goals, it will be dismissed and discontinued. On the other hand, SLI prefer to continue pursuing their current option, opting to adjust their ultimate goal in order to fit the current choice.
  28. When developing a plan of action or process, SLI tend to see themselves as "within the process"; they are immersed in it. Often because of this, they have more difficulty managing several plans at once. On the other hand, ILI tend to place themselves "outside of the process"; they dissociate from it. For them the process or situation is something external from themselves.
  29. When working on a project, ILI experience more discomfort (than SLI) if the project does not have a clearly delineated end-goal or result. This happens because ILI have more difficulty monitoring and understanding how the project is developing than SLI because they are outside of the process.
  30. When conversing, SLI types are inclined to communicate in the form of monologues, where each party has "its turn." Because of that they subconsciously attempt to transform a dialogue into a series of monologues. Conversely, ILI tend to prefer more of a question and answer style format.

Compare/Contrast Sociotypes