Party or study?
Go to a concert or listen through earphones?
Movie theater with friends or Netflix at home?
While many introverts would choose to study, listen through earphones, and watch Netflix, the common answers for extroverts are party, go to a concert, and movie theater with friends.
“The majority of the time, I just want to have fun and not work,” said Tyrese Lopez, a senior. “I’m a loud and outgoing person, and I like going to social events and putting myself out there to meet new people.”
Extroverts are characterized by outgoingness, responsiveness to other persons, activity, and the ability to make quick decisions, according to Encyclopædia Britannica, a general knowledge English-language encyclopædia. On the other hand, introverts are shy, contemplative, and reserved. They also tend to have difficulty adjusting to social situations.
“I’m an introvert because I get my energy from being alone. Hanging out with people for too long makes me tired, and I feel the need to ‘recharge’ by myself for a while. Being introverted doesn’t mean I’m antisocial or don’t like hanging out with people, it just means, in general, I get energy from being alone,” said Lauren Morris, a senior.
Many find that society pushes the extroverted lifestyle as the model to follow and creates an environment in which introverts are encouraged to change their way of living.
According to Forbes, Beth Buelow, an introvert coach and the author of “Insight: Reflections on the Gifts of Being an Introvert,” said, “There’s a strong extrovert expectation in most work environments that leads the typical introvert to believe that there’s no room for a more reflective, deliberate style.”
Contrary to the message that society presents by encouraging only extroverted characteristics, there are benefits to both being introverted and extroverted.
“Extroverts tend to report being happier and generally experiencing more positive emotions than introverts, but it's hard to say if this is a difference in actual mood or simply a difference in reporting. Extroverts also tend to report higher self-esteem,” said Elaine Blank, who has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. “On the other hand, introverts tend to do better in academic settings than extroverts, and they tend to be less impulsive.”
Some have found that introverts and extroverts differ in more than just social tendencies. Debra Johnson, Ph.D., and John S. Wiebe, Ph.D., studied brain activity in individuals who labeled themselves as introverts and extroverts.
Johnson and Wiebe found that introverts have increased blood flow in brain structures associated with recalling events, making plans, and problem-solving. Extroverts were found to have increased blood flow in brain structures that are known to interpret sense data, which implies that they require sensory stimulation.
Due to this difference in blood-flow, it is natural for an extrovert to take part in a social lifestyle; it is also natural for an introvert to view the lifestyle of an extrovert as exhausting and wish to live a less socially active life.
Although it is comforting for a person to participate in social activity however they see fit, both extroverted and introverted lifestyles have their flaws and can be seen as obstacles when a person is trying to pursue a task that doesn’t fit in with their natural lifestyle.
Many extroverts find themselves struggling to manage time by ignoring school work to attend social events.
Lopez said: “It can be hard to get things done because staying focused isn’t my strong suit. I always want to be with people and have fun, which means I always want to be doing something new instead of doing one thing for a long time. I like the way I am, but sometimes I just wish I could be a little bit more of an introvert because some circumstances require being reserved.”
Meanwhile, introverts excel at being reserved and being able to focus on projects; where many introverts struggle is in making connections with others.
“Being introverted makes it harder for me to meet new people because it takes a lot of effort for me to reach out and get to know someone new,” said Morris. “Sometimes I wish I was more extroverted because so much of society is structured around interacting with others. I feel like life might be less stressful, or at least less tiring, if I was extroverted, but I enjoy that I can be alone and focus on certain tasks for long periods of time.”
Although neither lifestyle is perfect, many people find that they appreciate the aspects of their personality that make them who they are.
“I like that I’m not afraid to put myself out there and be social. It’s really fun to be able to just go up to new people and form connections. I do understand the perks of being introverted and I think that lifestyle just works better for some people while being extroverted works for others. Either way, being who you are is the most important,” Lopez said.
Even though being extroverted is more suitable for some situations and being introverted is for others, many professionals encourage others to follow Lopez’s model and stay true to their natural way of life.
Blank said: “In general, there may be situations in which it is beneficial to adjust one's behavior. However, by and large, it's more helpful for people to behave in a way that's comfortable for them and does not require acting. Introverts fare much better when they learn to see their own needs as valid and don't try to pretend to be extroverted while extroverts do better when they can have regular social contact.”
The Highlander, December 2017
Go to a concert or listen through earphones?
Movie theater with friends or Netflix at home?
While many introverts would choose to study, listen through earphones, and watch Netflix, the common answers for extroverts are party, go to a concert, and movie theater with friends.
“The majority of the time, I just want to have fun and not work,” said Tyrese Lopez, a senior. “I’m a loud and outgoing person, and I like going to social events and putting myself out there to meet new people.”
Extroverts are characterized by outgoingness, responsiveness to other persons, activity, and the ability to make quick decisions, according to Encyclopædia Britannica, a general knowledge English-language encyclopædia. On the other hand, introverts are shy, contemplative, and reserved. They also tend to have difficulty adjusting to social situations.
“I’m an introvert because I get my energy from being alone. Hanging out with people for too long makes me tired, and I feel the need to ‘recharge’ by myself for a while. Being introverted doesn’t mean I’m antisocial or don’t like hanging out with people, it just means, in general, I get energy from being alone,” said Lauren Morris, a senior.
Many find that society pushes the extroverted lifestyle as the model to follow and creates an environment in which introverts are encouraged to change their way of living.
According to Forbes, Beth Buelow, an introvert coach and the author of “Insight: Reflections on the Gifts of Being an Introvert,” said, “There’s a strong extrovert expectation in most work environments that leads the typical introvert to believe that there’s no room for a more reflective, deliberate style.”
Contrary to the message that society presents by encouraging only extroverted characteristics, there are benefits to both being introverted and extroverted.
“Extroverts tend to report being happier and generally experiencing more positive emotions than introverts, but it's hard to say if this is a difference in actual mood or simply a difference in reporting. Extroverts also tend to report higher self-esteem,” said Elaine Blank, who has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. “On the other hand, introverts tend to do better in academic settings than extroverts, and they tend to be less impulsive.”
Some have found that introverts and extroverts differ in more than just social tendencies. Debra Johnson, Ph.D., and John S. Wiebe, Ph.D., studied brain activity in individuals who labeled themselves as introverts and extroverts.
Johnson and Wiebe found that introverts have increased blood flow in brain structures associated with recalling events, making plans, and problem-solving. Extroverts were found to have increased blood flow in brain structures that are known to interpret sense data, which implies that they require sensory stimulation.
Due to this difference in blood-flow, it is natural for an extrovert to take part in a social lifestyle; it is also natural for an introvert to view the lifestyle of an extrovert as exhausting and wish to live a less socially active life.
Although it is comforting for a person to participate in social activity however they see fit, both extroverted and introverted lifestyles have their flaws and can be seen as obstacles when a person is trying to pursue a task that doesn’t fit in with their natural lifestyle.
Many extroverts find themselves struggling to manage time by ignoring school work to attend social events.
Lopez said: “It can be hard to get things done because staying focused isn’t my strong suit. I always want to be with people and have fun, which means I always want to be doing something new instead of doing one thing for a long time. I like the way I am, but sometimes I just wish I could be a little bit more of an introvert because some circumstances require being reserved.”
Meanwhile, introverts excel at being reserved and being able to focus on projects; where many introverts struggle is in making connections with others.
“Being introverted makes it harder for me to meet new people because it takes a lot of effort for me to reach out and get to know someone new,” said Morris. “Sometimes I wish I was more extroverted because so much of society is structured around interacting with others. I feel like life might be less stressful, or at least less tiring, if I was extroverted, but I enjoy that I can be alone and focus on certain tasks for long periods of time.”
Although neither lifestyle is perfect, many people find that they appreciate the aspects of their personality that make them who they are.
“I like that I’m not afraid to put myself out there and be social. It’s really fun to be able to just go up to new people and form connections. I do understand the perks of being introverted and I think that lifestyle just works better for some people while being extroverted works for others. Either way, being who you are is the most important,” Lopez said.
Even though being extroverted is more suitable for some situations and being introverted is for others, many professionals encourage others to follow Lopez’s model and stay true to their natural way of life.
Blank said: “In general, there may be situations in which it is beneficial to adjust one's behavior. However, by and large, it's more helpful for people to behave in a way that's comfortable for them and does not require acting. Introverts fare much better when they learn to see their own needs as valid and don't try to pretend to be extroverted while extroverts do better when they can have regular social contact.”
The Highlander, December 2017