How to Tell if Someone Is Into You, by Personality Type

Laura's avatar

“How do I know if someone’s into me?”

Oh boy. This is a question we get from you, our readers, all the time. You ask us if that Architect classmate of yours is being rude or trying (not very successfully, it seems) to flirt. And what about that Campaigner from work – are they that friendly with everyone, or might they be especially interested in you?

To be honest, the best reply to these questions is probably, “Just ask them.” You can beg all your friends for advice, search the Internet for hours, and write a fifty-page dissertation on that last text message you got from your crush (“k thanks later”???) – and still have no idea how they feel about you.

But you already knew that, right? And if it were so easy to just walk up to someone and say, “Hey, do you like me?” – well, we all probably would have done that already, thank you very much.

So, with that in mind, here are our (very tongue-in-cheek) top tips on how to tell if someone is into you, by personality type.

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Analyst Personality Types

Architects

If they’re into you: You’ll have a sneaking suspicion that they disagree with you less than they do with other people. You may also occasionally catch them looking at you when they think you’re not paying attention.

If they’re not into you: Uh, trust us, you’ll know.

Logicians

If they’re into you: They’ll ask for your opinion on various topics, from climate change to abstract art to Southeast Asian history. You may feel weirdly flattered by their attention, even if you’re not totally sure why.

If they’re not into you: They’ll forget your name, even if you’ve already met ten times.

Commanders

If they’re into you: Don’t worry, they’ll ask you out. They may suggest a first date that shows off their skills or their surprisingly good taste – perhaps an outing to the archery range or dinner at some awesome restaurant that you’ve never heard of.

If they’re not into you: They’ll poke fun at you. And, because it all seems good-natured enough to them, they won’t understand why you get upset.

Debaters

If they’re into you: They’ll disagree with everything you say, just to get a rise out of you.

If they’re not into you: They’ll disagree with everything you say, just to get a rise out of you.

Diplomat Personality Types

Advocates

If they’re into you: They’ll give you a copy of their favorite book and say, “I know you’ll really like this” – even though you’ve never told them anything about your taste in books.

If they’re not into you: They’ll judge you so hard if they find out you don’t recycle batteries. (Seriously, though, you should.)

Mediators

If they’re into you: Let’s just say that anonymous love notes will be involved. And yes, those notes will be written in rhyming verse.

If they’re not into you: If you ask them out, they’ll have a really, really, really hard time saying no. In fact, they may marry you just so they never have to let you down.

Protagonists

If they’re into you: They’ll ask you on a first date that will last approximately six hours. At a minimum, expect to visit a museum, climb a mountain, and volunteer at a soup kitchen.

If they’re not into you: They’ll set you up with someone else. “Trust me,” they’ll say, “I’m really good at this.”

Campaigners

If they’re into you: They’ll want to spend as much time with you as possible, even if that means tagging along while you run errands. Also, even if you tell a joke that isn’t particularly funny, they’ll laugh so hard they start crying.

If they’re not into you: They’ll still want to be your friend.

Sentinel Personality Types

Logisticians

If they’re into you: It might take them a while to ask you out, but they will. And when they do, they’ll put a surprising (and touching) amount of effort into that first date. If they take you to a museum, for example, you’d better believe they’ve already read the exhibition catalog and can quote it verbatim.

If they’re not into you: Don’t worry, they won’t lead you on. At all. No coy smiles, no accidentally brushing your arm, nothing. Flirting is more or less a foreign language to these types.

Defenders

If they’re into you: They will wait so, so, so patiently for you to ask them out. Seriously, you’ll need to make the first move on this one.

If they’re not into you: You’ll catch them side-eyeing the clutter in your car/purse/backpack/office/etc. Yes, they’re judging you.

Executives

If they’re into you: They’ll give you a PowerPoint presentation about your potential relationship, including a slide titled “Mutual Benefits.”

If they’re not into you: You might catch them acting as if they’re your boss – even if you don’t work for them.

Consuls

If they’re into you: You won’t have to guess. These are the personality types who’ll ask you on a second date ten minutes into the first date.

If they’re not into you: They might rope you into a group outing so they can spend time with the person who is actually the object of their affection.

Explorer Personality Types

Virtuosos

If they’re into you: They’ll tolerate your presence – and maybe even seem to enjoy it.

If they’re not into you: They may walk away while you’re talking to them. Try not to take it personally.

Adventurers

If they’re into you: They’ll be kind and perhaps even warm toward you, but they won’t really open up until you paint pottery together.

If they’re not into you: They’ll avoid painting pottery with you as graciously and kindly as they can.

Entrepreneurs

If they’re into you: They’ll do their best to impress you – without making it super obvious that they’re trying to impress you, of course. They might put extra effort into their appearance, pick up the tab whenever you’re out together, or tell you all about the supercool thing they did last weekend.

If they’re not into you: They’ll ask you for an introduction to your friend/classmate/business associate.

Entertainers

If they’re into you: Expect some big gestures: fireworks, skywriting, horseback rides on the beach. But don’t be surprised if they show up late for nearly all your get-togethers.

If they’re not into you: They’ll still act like having a conversation with you is the highlight of their day, and they might even flirt a little, but – sorry to say – there won’t be any skywriting.

But do you “like” like this article?

Well, readers, what do you think? Do any of these tongue-in-cheek personality descriptions ring true? And how do you act when you’re into someone? Let us know in the comments section!

Further Reading

Online Dating – Does Your Personality Type Think It’s Pointless?

Three Ways Your Turbulent Personality Trait Can Mess Up a Date – And How to Fight Back

Can Romance Last?

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Comments

Please to join the discussion.

A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
i disagree because that's just not what i do
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
Understandable, have a great day.
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
This was very true. If I seem to have an attraction toward someone, I ask for their opinion a lot. But also interrogate them. I also kind of collect information on them, secretly learning their favorite movie, book, etc. Wow, I'm a stalker.
ISTP avatar
I do the same thing, people always call me a stalker.
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
You just described me perfectly.
ENTJ avatar
I think a lot of people do this, especially analysts
INTP avatar
Well we’re all stalkers here i guess
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
All of us are stalkers. True.
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
You say stalking, I say being reasonable.
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
Yes. We are all reasonable people then.
INFP avatar
I mean, I also kind of do this, only I don't really actively seek out that information, but hear it and then never forget it. I guess maybe that's the difference between Diplomats and Analysts?
INTP avatar
How am I supposed to figure out what they like without stalking?
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
Exactly!
ENFJ avatar
Dw ENFJ here doing the same thing
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
Happens to the best of us.
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
The best of us, of course...
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
Fellow stalker here. I think a lot of people are stalkers, no matter the personality.
INTP avatar
Yeah, I actually take notes on what they like so I can reference them later...
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
Same lol
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
I am relate to everyone here. I am such a stalker.
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
The truest part of this article is where it states that if an Architect isn't into you, you'll know. In my case, I disagree with everyone. In fact, when someone says that I contradict everything, I tell them that I don't. It's true, I don't condradict everything, only 99.9% of things. If I'm not into someone, and in 10 out of 10 cases I'm not, I will condradict ALMOST everything they say, though they'll still be that 0.01% of whatever they say that I do agree with. If they ever say it to me.
INTP avatar
So true!
INTP avatar
Keep in mind, if you're wondering if an INTP is into you, it could also be less of asking for your opinion and more like an interrogation. Not only do Logicians ask for your opinion, but they also bombard you relentlessly with questions and so on that can range from "Do you think you'll get that promotion" or "Do you want to take that course?" Questions that may not always involve your opinion. I do this myself with my crush and as an INFP, she struggles with saying no. Remember, our biggest flaws involve communicating our emotions, so we can get very talkative and might ask things that without realizing it, may be taken as too personal. Our tendency to be loquacious and inquisitive can easily be seen as narcissistic and we can also seem callous at times, especially in the eyes of more emotional personalities. Just remember, these aren't necessarily bad, they're just downsides to our strengths that not everyone can see past or understand. I don't struggle with all of these, I'm only 3% more thinking than feeling, but lots of Analysts, especially Logicians might struggle with this.
INTP avatar
One more thing, because we're Analysts, we also sort of analyze our relationship with the person we're into. This results in us viewing it as like a "choose your own adventure" game where we try to say/do certain things in order to cause other things to happen. We can have a tendency to plan things out and try to execute them rather than letting some things flow, especially conversations and our relationships.
INFP avatar
That's funny because I sometimes get that "choose your adventure"-impression, too. Especially after watching Let's-Plays of choice depending games haha. Anyway, as it is in games it's not always easy to make a choice
INTP avatar
at first I thought that was a reference to Let's Play the webtoon, which does, actually, involve both the love interests playing a choose-your-adventure game made by the protagonist.
INTP avatar
I'm a gamer and it's definitely something I do more than I would like to admit. I have to keep reminding myself that real life people aren't video game characters and I'm not the God-like, all-knowing protagonist who knows how it all works out.
INTP avatar
Wait... you read WEBTOONS too?
ISTP avatar
Eyyy, more people that read webtoons!
INTJ avatar
Yes
ENFJ avatar
Another thing about Protagonists - don't be surprised if they reference a conversation that you had approximately two years ago as if it was last week... or maybe that's just me.
ENFJ avatar
Don't worry, I'm there too!
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
This is me exactly! I remember things my friends told me 8 years ago (and this definitely helps with birthdays)!
ENFJ avatar
Especially if you have photos of them