One of the simplest ways to understand the meaning of introvert is that it’s a personality trait that focuses on internal feelings rather than seeking outside stimuli. Unlike what most people think, it’s not that in the traditional introvert definition, they’re anti-social. Instead, people with introverted personalities focus more on themselves and their feelings instead of seeking outside stimuli in whatever form it comes in.
The term originates from legendary Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, who first put forward his theory of different psychological types. Today, it’s also one of the four areas that the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator identifies.
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Introverts Vs. Extroverts: Comparisons to Show the Difference
If you want to understand the meaning of introvert, it’s also essential to talk about extroversion, which is seen as the other end of the scale. Extroverted people are the polar opposite of introverts (duh!) and prefer receiving outside stimuli rather than spending time with small groups of friends or by themselves.
Check out the section below to find comparisons of introverts vs. extroverts on the themes of social situations, how they react to dopamine, and more:
● High-Intensity Social Situations
Highly stimulating activities are a perfect example of understanding the fundamental differences between introverts and extroverts. Introverts mostly feel drained by these encounters, often needing to take a minute or calm down, so they have the energy to continue.
Put simply, they have to expend tons of energy to engage in stimulating social situations. In contrast, these situations fuel extroverts, and they indeed seem to be more energetic the more high-intensity they are.
● Receiving Dopamine From Social Stimulation
Believe it or not, but a 2007 study hints that extroverts and introverts both react differently to receiving dopamine. When released from social stimulation, this dopamine elicits immense satisfaction from socialites and fuels them to seek more engagement with their current company.
On the other hand, dopamine released from social stimulation doesn’t get nearly as positive a response from introverts and indeed ends in overstimulation most of the time. This can make an introvert seek a brief reprieve from the situation or take an early leave in some cases.
5 Signs That You’re Introverted (And Why That’s Okay!)
If you’re trying to guess whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, we have some bad news for you: more than 70% of the Earth’s population falls somewhere in the middle, rather than being one of the two types. Combine that with the fact that introverts come in many shapes and sizes, and you can quickly get confused.
That’s why to help you, we’ve assembled this list of 5 clear signs that a person is introverted:
1. Being Around Multiple People Quickly Gets Draining
If you often feel exhausted after spending time with multiple people in social situations, that’s one of the most apparent signs in the introvert definition. The reason is that unlike extroverts, which get energy from these situations, introverts have to expend energy, and it should be no surprise that that can get tiring very quickly.
That doesn’t mean all introverts altogether avoid social events, though. Some quite enjoy spending time with a close, small group of friends!
2. You Have A Small But Close Friend Group
People think that the meaning of introvert is that they don’t like other people, but in reality, that’s entirely untrue. Introverts prefer having a small friend group to which they’re close instead of aggressively socializing with everybody they meet like extroverts. To go into a little more detail, introverts cultivate long-lasting, deep relationships instead of knowing a large number of people only on a superficial level.
If you find that your social circle consists of only a few people you’re very close to, that could be a clear sign that you’re somewhat introverted.
3. Too Much Stimulation Can Leave You Feeling Unfocused
We’ve said that high-intensity social situations are draining for introverts about three times now, and we weren’t kidding about that part of the introvert definition. Too much social stimulation can leave an introverted person not only devoid of any energy but feeling unfocused and overwhelmed. According to various studies, Introverts are also more prone to getting distracted, which might be a reason why they tend to go for quieter, less distracting settings.
We should say, though, that this is never a bad thing. If you like quiet settings, that’s entirely up to personal choice!
4. You Are Self-Aware And Spend Time Thinking About Your Experiences
Because most introverts prefer solitude and are inward-turning, they also spend a lot of time thinking about their own experiences, giving them far more thought than an extrovert would. For most people who fit the introvert definition, simply thinking about their own experiences is a good pastime, though this can vary from person to person.
Nevertheless, this also means that, for the most part, most introverts tend to have a deeper self-understanding than extroverts. If you feel like you fit that criterion and have a relatively good understanding of what you like and why you want it, that might be another clear sign that you’re an introvert.
5. You Are Drawn to Learning Methods and Jobs That Involve Independence
An extrovert will prefer to jump right into either their learning method or their job and learn from hands-on experience and interaction with other people there. On the other hand, introverts will prefer to learn by watching. This doesn’t mean that introverts are utterly averse to jobs and learning methods that involve social interaction, but rather that they’ll always prefer solitary, independent learning and working solutions if they are available.
For example, if you’re an introvert, you’ll prefer to learn by watching somebody do it rather than attending a course, seminar, or training session.
Conclusion: Why Being Introverted Isn’t A Bad Thing
Remember that quiet kid in class who didn’t go to any parties and spent his time reading? A classic introvert is a personality trait that focuses on internal feelings instead of reactions to outside stimuli.
Like the term suggests, introverts are very introspective and spend a lot of time thinking about how various things make them feel. On a broad scale, this generally leads to them being more self-aware daily than extroverts, who primarily don’t engage in introspection. On the other hand, extroverts are usually happier on a day-to-day basis.
The point we’re trying to make? We’re all just people, albeit with different personalities. Remember to never judge anybody simply because of how they prefer to spend their time!
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