Type Comparison: ILI (INTp) and SEI (ISFp)

Socionics Characteristics

Observable Differences in Behavior

  1. ILI tend to be more idealistic with their heads-in-the-cloud. SEI, on the other hand, are more realistic and down-to-earth.
  2. SEI are better at noticing details than ILI. ILI on the other hand, are better at seeing the big picture than SEI.
  3. ILI are more focused on ideas and concepts than SEI. On the other hand, SEI are more focused (than ILI) on their surroundings.
  4. SEI are more naturally comfortable with physical confrontations than ILI.
  5. ILI are often more interested in the idea or theory of something, whereas SEI are more interested in the actual practice or implementation of it.
  6. ILI are more likely to make decisions based on logical reasons than SEI, who are more likely to make decisions based on their own feelings.
  7. SEI are often better at solving and minimizing interpersonal problems, where as ILI often struggle understanding them.
  8. ILI are often more interested in studying systems, structures, and functionality than SEI.
  9. SEI tend to prefer using persuasion as a means of convincing others to do something, where as ILI prefer to use argumentation as a means of convincing others.
  10. SEI are more vulnerable to logical manipulation than ILI. However ILI in contrast, are often more vulnerable to emotional or ethical manipulations than SEI.
  11. ILI place greater value on their interests than SEI. For example, ILI will maintain high levels of energy and focus on an interest they value, even deprioritizing their other resources to maintain the interest. For example, ILI may spend a large amount of energy on an interest they value, often to the detriment of their time, sleep, relationships, money, etc.
  12. SEI place greater value on their resources than ILI. For SEI, resources like their money, time, sleep, etc., fall into their "inner personal space," and the SEI will be more likely to deprioritize an interest if it starts to drain these resources too much.
  13. When solving a problem, ILI rely more heavily on their generalized past experiences than SEI. ILI are inclined to use already prepared, preformulated methods and processes to solve a problem.
  14. When solving a problem, SEI are more inclined (than ILI) to solve it by relying predominantly on only the presently available information. Essentially, SEI will develop a process or method uniquely fitted towards the present problem, and this method is designed using the present conditions and information.
  15. ILI are relatively better at assessing the emotional atmosphere occurring in a group or during an activity than SEI.
  16. When meeting someone knew, ILI are not as likely as SEI to perceive "getting to know somebody" as a special kind of activity. ILI know very well whey they are getting acquainted (i.e., what the purpose of the relationship is, be it business, personal, travel, etc.). ILI, in contrast with SEI, do not divide the process of getting acquainted into consecutive stages; rather ILI immediately establish the necessary emotional distance in contact and can regulate it if needed. To bridge the gap between poorly acquainted people in a group ILI amp up the emotional tone; this can be mutually experienced happiness or misfortune. The name and title of the person are of secondary relevance to ILI and their relationship with the other person.
  17. SEI are more likely to believe in objective truths than ILI. That is, SEI are more likely to believe there is a correct or best way of doing something than ILI.
  18. ILI are more inclined to believe there are relative truths than SEI. That is, this relativity is perceived by ILI as an extenuation of the differing beliefs, opinions, intentions, etc. of each person.
  19. When something is perceived by SEI as being incorrect, they are more likely (than ILI) to tell the person who made the error what they did wrong and how to do it the right way. SEI are focused on who made the error and helping them to correct the mistake.
  20. When something is perceived by ILI as being incorrect, they are more likely (than SEI) to ask why it was done that way. Instead of necessarily trying to correct the person who made the error, ILI attempt to understand the person's reason for their decision/action.
  21. SEI tend to internally combine emotional exchanges with other activities rather than separating them out like ILI. E.g., SEI see having fun occurring simultaneously with other activities, such as work or even serious affairs. ILI are more likely to internally separate out having fun with other activities, although the two can be interchanged at a high frequency.
  22. The "comparison and verification of concepts" is a more common phenomenon among ILI than SEI. This comparison not only concerns ILI methods, but also their understanding, terminology, etc. ILI are attuned to the fact that different people might understand and interpret different concepts and terms differently. They perceive terminology as well as actions of other people as part of the subjective concept inseparable from personal opinion, position, intent, etc. In contrast to SEI who perceive terminology as "objective," ILI understand personal differences behind terminology (this applies even to well established terms) and they attempt to compare and verify them.
  23. SEI are not as inclined to compare and verify concepts as ILI. SEI assume that these can have only one unique interpretation (the "correct" interpretation), and SEI often do not think about the fact that the other person may be interpreting them differently. Much more than ILI, SEI apply concepts such as "objective reality," "unequivocal facts," and de-emphasize concepts; SEI consider that they know the "right" way of doing things, how something "truly is," etc.
  24. SEI are more likely (than ILI) to use special rituals or other culturally accepted formalities when forming relationships with others. What that means is that the emotional proximity and relationship status for SEI be more externally predetermined. Additionally, SEI generally progress in relationships through stages, and therefore are more familiar with these stages than ILI. SEI tend to be more linear in their relationship progression than ILI, and SEI assign importance to the formalities of recognizing the start and end to each of these stages.
  25. ILI are rmore relaxed in their natural state than SEI. 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.
  26. When contemplating a task, it takes ILI longer time to mobilize than SEI; 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.
  27. When working on a project, ILI are more likely than SEI to break up larger tasks into several stages. Then ILI mobilize to carry out each stage (and demobilize between the stages).
  28. When getting ready to start a project, ILI spend more time planning and preparing for the project than SEI. In particular, ILI spend more time discussing the plan, discussing options and ways to approach the project, etc.)
  29. When describing their reasoning for their actions, ILI (more so than SEI) tend describe how and why they came to a certain decision, and focus less on the timing and initiation of the action.
  30. When it comes to completing a task, SEI are more likely than ILI to mobilize for longer periods of time. Specifically, SEI tend to mobilize for an action early and stay mobilized for a longer period of time after the task has been completed. For SEI, this state of readiness is their natural state.
  31. SEI are more likely than ILI to tackle a task in its entirety, rather than breaking it up into smaller separate stages.
  32. When doing a task, SEI are inclined to work for the sake of the result (for example, a reward or bonus for completing the task). In contrast to ILI, SEI can renounce their comforts and conveniences for this; SEI evaluate their place of work by looking at what returns they get for the effort they invested (e.g., monetary, prestige, etc.).
  33. When describing why they undertook a project, SEI 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.
  34. When discussing work, SEI 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.
  35. 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, SEI 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.
  36. SEI 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.
  37. 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, SEI prefer to continue pursuing their current option, opting to adjust their ultimate goal in order to fit the current choice.
  38. ILI are more likely (than SEI) to seek new and novel experiences rather than returning to something already lived through. They will generally only re-read a book, re-watch a movie, or revisit the same place if they have forgotten it or are hoping to learn something new from it.
  39. SEI are more likely than ILI to use "emotional anchors" that resonate with their internal emotional condition. These emotional anchors could be a book, a movie, a place, a song, etc. SEI use these anchors to strengthen their inner emotional state and thus will repeat the experience: e.g., re-reading a book, re-watching a movie, continually going back to a place to experience the emotions associated with it.

Compare/Contrast Sociotypes