Real meaning of extroversion and introversion

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Sora
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06 Oct 2008, 1:22 pm

What are you by the following definition? And what do you think of them?

Extroversion

Quote:
Most people believe that an extrovert is a person who is friendly and outgoing. While that may be true, that is not the true meaning of extroversion. Basically, an extrovert is a person who is energized by being around other people. This is the opposite of an introvert who is energized by being alone.

I have an extroverted personality by that definition, if taken into account that in some situations I am very drained by socialising in ASD-and ADHD-unfriendly environments. (People screaming/whispering, having to sit down quietly while socialising, having to listen to several conversations at once.)

Introversion

Quote:
Contrary to what most people think, an introvert is not simply a person who is shy. In fact, being shy has little to do with being an introvert! Shyness has an element of apprehension, nervousness and anxiety, and while an introvert may also be shy, introversion itself is not shyness. Basically, an introvert is a person who is energized by being alone and whose energy is drained by being around other people.


Further differences that are quite interesting are:

If you are extroverted, what do you think of this?:
Quote:
Extroverts tend to "fade" when alone and can easily become bored without other people around. When given the chance, an extrovert will talk with someone else rather than sit alone and think. In fact, extroverts tend to think as they speak, unlike introverts who are far more likely to think before they speak. Extroverts often think better when they are talking. Concepts just don't seem real to them unless they can talk about them; reflecting on them isn't enough.

I fit that too, interesting enough. I only form ideas by talking, partly due to langauge issues, partly due to that speaking them out loud does indeed make them 'real' in the sense of that they just slip me when I try to consider them only in my mind.

If you are introverted, what do you think of this?:
Quote:
Introverts are more concerned with the inner world of the mind. They enjoy thinking, exploring their thoughts and feelings. They often avoid social situations because being around people drains their energy. This is true even if they have good social skills. After being with people for any length of time, such as at a party, they need time alone to "recharge."

When introverts want to be alone, it is not, by itself, a sign of depression. It means that they either need to regain their energy from being around people or that they simply want the time to be with their own thoughts. Being with people, even people they like and are comfortable with, can prevent them from their desire to be quietly introspective.


This seems somewhat true too:

Quote:
Extroverts enjoy social situations and even seek them out since they enjoy being around people. Their ability to make small talk makes them appear to be more socially adept than introverts (although introverts may have little difficulty talking to people they don't know if they can talk about concepts or issues).

I don't think it's necessarily the ability to make small talk, but rather the effort to somehow socially interact that tends to make people think that person is more socially capable than a person who keeps away from socialising.

What do you think of this on interversion?:
Quote:
Being introspective, though, does not mean that an introvert never has conversations. However, those conversations are generally about ideas and concepts, not about what they consider the trivial matters of social small talk.


(Source of quotations: http://giftedkids.about.com)


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patternist
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06 Oct 2008, 1:35 pm

I agree with it.
I believe this is the definition used by Keirsey in the MBTI test everyone takes to determine their "personality type", so if the test creates the category, we must use the definition used by the test.

It is quite possible to be relatively balanced between being an introvert and an extrovert. I tend to be one of the more balanced types; it sounds like you might be, too, Sora. I wonder if it's possible to sway wildly between the two...

I look at it this way; although I thoroughly enjoy the company of many other people, and although I am not socially passive, but in fact like to join and contribute to conversation, my natural reaction when I start to feel bored or tired is to go away by myself, rather than to seek people out. The more I am forced to be around people, the more I fade. You can really tell this if you have to ride in a car with me for more thqan about 30 minutes! But many would not guess I am introverted because at times I'm actually really friendly. They instead think I am moody, or possibly have some sort of superiority complex. This is, of course, in a situation where my social anxiety is at bay (more common as I age).



zen_mistress
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06 Oct 2008, 1:48 pm

Cool, thanks for writing this topic. I think there are a lot of misconceptions about what extroversion and introversion is.

Sora wrote:
Quote:
In fact, extroverts tend to think as they speak, unlike introverts who are far more likely to think before they speak.



I remember when I started to try and learn social skills, the thing I found most difficult was learning how to think before I spoke.

Generally with me I would open my mouth and the words would come, and I never knew what I was really about to say. I envied the introverted people who could plan what they would say before they said it. They seemed to have an advantage over me socially because they weren't so impulsive.

I remember an introverted NT guy at high school. He used to often watch me while I was talking, and the expression on his face was like he was thinking "You idiot! Why are you saying that?"


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Last edited by zen_mistress on 06 Oct 2008, 2:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

KiyokosOnlyOnigiri
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06 Oct 2008, 1:54 pm

Hmm. I'm a contradiction. I'm not energized by any of that. I'm energized by things. I don't know what I'd consider myself with those definitions.


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poopylungstuffing
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06 Oct 2008, 3:17 pm

I am energised by things too.

I also really don't know where i would fit.

I am somewhat outgoing in certain settings...have a tendancy towards occasional over-gregariousness....

I am either an introverted extrovert...or an extroverted introvert....I like being alone..I like being left alone..I hate being pressured into being social when I don't want to be..around people who are not on my "wavelength" I will sorta fade.....I enjoy being around other people only when I can comfortably be myself....engage and disengage at my leisure....blah blah blah..if that makes sense....I am not sure what that makes me though...



Amik
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06 Oct 2008, 4:02 pm

I agree with this. I think this explains introversion and extroversion very well.

I'm extremely introverted myself.



Aguila
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06 Oct 2008, 4:24 pm

Well if those are true I wonder what I am? Something inbetween?



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06 Oct 2008, 4:30 pm

I am an introvert...and I can agree with everything stated. Being around people will often leave me drained, tired and sometimes overloaded the point that my thoughts are muddled and I can't think straight, my alone time has always been the time when I can relax and re-charge.


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06 Oct 2008, 8:33 pm

I am an introvert, but I also need to be around people. This is one of the main reasons I enjoy my job. For eight hours I design websites around my coworkers then I can be at home for the rest of the night alone. It's a nice balance I've grown to enjoy. But I do find that if I go too long in a room with people I get very irritable to the point of feeling exhausted.


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Danielismyname
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06 Oct 2008, 11:22 pm

That's how they're defined, right?

Extravert: draws "energy" from others and focuses on the world outside
Introvert: gets drained around others and focuses on their inner-world

For me, I appear to be of a Schizoid-type mold, rather than either of the two above.



orngjce223
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06 Oct 2008, 11:24 pm

I have a relatively small %-swing on my introvert-extrovert end...


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Anemone
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07 Oct 2008, 12:22 pm

I like these definitions. I'm definitely introverted, but I do need small doses of other people every once in a while to bounce ideas off of. It's all in the balance.



DeepBlueLake
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07 Oct 2008, 7:07 pm

You might say that extroverts are stimulated emotionally by people. Introverts are stimulated by the world that surrounds people.