At some point, you may have encountered a post or two about POVs from introverts and/or extroverts. Or you may have heard about the concepts of introversion and extraversion from a colleague, a friend in class, or from your Personal Development course.
Introversion and extraversion are not new to many. These two words- “introverts” and “extroverts”- have been growing in popularity, especially on social media. However, oftentimes, a lot of people mistake these two as measures of being quiet vs. talkative or prefer staying home over staying late out. It’s important to know that introversion and extroversion go way beyond shyness and friendliness.
What are Introversion and Extraversion?
And where did they originate?
Introversion and extraversion are two major attitudes or orientations of personality that humans have been observed to have. These types of personalities are defined by a person’s mental capacities for engaging, responding to, or interpreting external stimuli (Jung, 1921). Simply put, these two types are defined by the amount of energy a person expends in social situations and how little in private.
The concept of extraversion and introversion was first coined by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875–1961) in 1921 (Waude, 2017). He described introversion as associated with directing energy inward toward one’s own feelings and thoughts. In contrast, extraversion (most commonly spelled as extroversion) is when one’s energy is directed toward other people and the outside world (Jung, 1921). This is why people perceive introverts as reserved, passive, and quiet, while extroverted people are sociable, cheerful, and energetic. Jung founded this theory of personality after running association tests as a psychoanalyst at the Burghölzli Asylum of the University of Zürich (Fordham, 2022).
With this, Jung’s discoveries supported many of the theories by Sigmund Freud, an Austrian psychiatrist that pioneered the psychoanalytic movement that originated in his clinical observations and formulations which opened the door for their collaboration (Jay, 2022). Eventually, however, this ended as some of Jung’s studies contrasted Freud’s claims of neurosis which basically, according to the Brittanica Editors (2022) explores on sexual and aggressive urges of a person as a result of unsatisfied needs way back in an individual’s childhood.
What’s interesting is an existing link between Jung’s and Freud’s theories is best explained by Hans Eynsenck (1960), a German psychologist, who proposed another theory that extroverts have a chronically lower level of arousal while introverts are the opposite. As explained by Stafford (2013), in the physiological context, arousal refers to the degree to which our bodies and minds are attentive and ready to react to stimulation. And because extroverts have a slightly lower basic rate of arousal, they seek to engage more socially to achieve pleasure. This is just a fancy way of saying extroverts need to exert more effort to enjoy activities. Introverts, conversely, are easily stimulated by things that others may find adequately engaging.
How do I know if I’m an introvert or an extrovert?
Now that you understand the theories’ psychological and physiological differences between the two you’ve established their differences in essence. By knowing these major distinctions, we are able to comprehend the whys of each type’s behaviors and consider how each differs in terms of perceiving and judging.
But how do you know you’re more of an introvert or extrovert? It’s time to know the traits and signs each personality type is associated with.
As we all know, introverts prefer solitary activities over group activities but can be quite passionate about their interests. Remember that they spend more energy inwards. Because of this, they most often process information internally rather than communicate it outwardly. They tend to be more reflective and think before speaking.
On the contrary, extroverts prefer social interactions over solitude, but can be quiet or reserved in many cases. Extroverts also process information through external means rather than internal ones.
I contemplate things meticulously.
I avoid conflict as much as possible.
I am more of a listener.
I am seen as "reflective" or "reserved."
I feel comfortable being alone and like things I can do on my own.
I often use my imagination and visualization.
Subsequently, here are signs you’re an extrovert:
Self-expression comes naturally to me.
I dislike spending time alone.
Others perceived me as "outgoing" or "people-oriented."
Working in groups comes naturally to me, and I enjoy it.
I am well-connected and have a wide variety of friends.
I sometimes rush into action and often don't lend myself enough time to reflect on it.
Contrary to popular belief, this means that not all introverted people are quiet because of shyness, the same way extroverted people can also be shy and aloof at times.
A recent survey from the Myers-Briggs global research sample on leadership personality type revealed that 56.8% preferred introversion and 43.2% preferred extraversion. In the US and UK, top leadership appears to be leaning more towards extraversion with an introversion preference of 39% and 28% respectively. Additionally, countries such as Finland, Turkey, Peru, and Sweden lean more towards extroverted personalities with preferences of 70% above. For countries like Singapore, Zambia, Malaysia, and Russia, their preferences are approximately 50/50 (Myers-Briggs Company, 2020).
Is there an in-between?
Most of the time, people only consider someone as either an introvert or an extrovert. But can they ever meet each other halfway?
It’s important to note that introversion and extroversion are at opposite ends of the spectrum. No one fits neatly into a single, pure category. Maybe a combination of traits from the two lists best fits your personality. If so, you may be an Ambivert.
Image Source: https://www.simplypsychology.org/ambivert.html
Ambiversion is the propensity to exhibit traits of introversion and extraversion in roughly equal measure. Hence, they find themselves somewhere in the middle. Depending on the circumstances, they may have a tendency toward being more extroverted or introverted.
Extraversion and introversion are not wholly fixed characteristics. People's self-reported orientation, for instance, can alter over time, according to one study. This implies that people are not necessarily locked into one of two types, but may instead fall somewhere in the middle.
For example, in the context of social interactions, an obvious one is when you need some time alone but don't mind large social gatherings. They may be introverted and reserved around strangers but more energetic and extroverted around close friends and family. According to Nickerson (2022), in the aspect of perceiving and judging, some ambiverts might take a little time to think over a decision that involves some risk but then take action decisively without looking back.
In addition to this, a study in 2021 found that the majority of people are mostly ambiverts, or balanced between introverts and extroverts. According to an American Trends Panel research, 77% of people lie somewhere in the middle of the two extreme personality types. Twelve percent (12%) lean more on extraversion, five percent (5%) on very introverted, and six percent did not respond. Moreover, compared to males, women are more extroverted. When Myers, McCaulley, Quenk, and Hammer examined the same sample respondents, they found that 52.5% of women and 45.9% of males were extroverted. Male introverts made up 54.1% of the population while female introverts made up 47.5% (Dimochkino, 2021).
So, what are the signs you’re an ambivert? As per Nickerson (2022), here are some key characteristics that ambiverts possess:
flexibility in dealing with a variety of circumstances
having effective communication skills, including speaking and listening
able to function well in both large and small, private settings
having the ability to function effectively in both alone and in teams
demonstrating a strong sense of self-awareness
Maintaining equilibrium in social situations
The ability to control one's behavior and responses
Introversion/Extraversion and Mental Wellness
It is absolutely normal to be an introvert, extrovert, or a mix of both. There is nothing to whichever point of the spectrum you belong to. No personality is greater than the other, the same way there is no weaker. Some introverts are awesome communicators and leaders, and some extroverts are great thinkers and listeners as well! It’s great to remember that each individual's social battery is simply a facet of their personality.
Understanding the degree of a person’s introversion or extraversion allows the individual, the people around them, and psychologists to better grasp one’s personality and behaviors. With this knowledge, you are able to not only spend your energy more effectively and efficiently in interactions and allow you to keep tabs on when your social energy needs a recharge, but especially will guide you to find the best healthy coping mechanism that works for you, and build meaningful and healthy social relationships with others in line with your personality type. Knowing your mental capacity to internalize or externalize actions can help you adapt your behavior accordingly in different situations, keeping your mental health protected and cultivated (Houston, 2019).
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