A posting from an INTP forum I was just reading hits the nail on the head regarding my thought process. I've often had trouble learning from a teacher and have had to teach myself from the book because I couldn't take in new information without processing it. Check out what Henry wrote:


I was once told by an IT trainer that some people learn best by seeing and some by doing. He commented that there is a much rarer third way, which he observed mostly among programmers (and in me - hence the discussion), which he called data processing. This is exactly what I do, and should not be mistaken for slowness of thought!

When I'm learning, I need to process the information I hear/see. When the data comes faster than I can process it I can get stuck and 'overflow' as it were, particularly if I have to grapple with an idea. At such a time I have to stop the teacher (the input) and clarify the point before I can continue. If this is not possible I will generally lose track of proceedings until I am done processing, which is inconvenient in group learning situations. However, once processed, I have fully grasped the point and will not need to return to it.

Anyone else do this? I suspect it is related to the INTP stubborness I have seen described - the unwillingness to accept what others say (whatever their status may be) without first analysing and deciding for ourselves.

It tickles me to think that I work rather like a computer program.

~Henry, age 25