PSYCHOLOGY OF INTROVERTS: WHAT DOES INTROVERT MEAN?

Author: Paulami Dam (Junior Research Fellow)

HISTORY OF INTROVERTS: WHERE DID THE WORD ORIGINATE?

In the early 20th century, Carl Gustav Jung, a swiss psychiatrist coined the phrases introvert and extrovert. An introvert is someone who exhibits traits of introverted (i.e. towards inner self) personal characteristics, which implies that they prefer to pay attention to their inner views and beliefs rather than what is going on around them. Instead of a gang of friends or social crowds, they prefer staying with a few companies.

WHAT DOES INTROVERT MEAN?

Introvert is a personality

Did you ever think of an introvert as someone who is quiet and reserved or gentle and who wants to be alone? It might be correct for certain individuals, but this character trait encompasses somewhat more. The way an individual comprehends the surroundings around him/her determines if he/she is an introverted or an extroverted person.

INTROVERTS VS EXTROVERTS: TWO EXTREMES IN A PERSONALITY SCALE

Introverts thrive in tiny clusters of friends or family and one-to-one connections. They revitalize themselves by spending solo quality time. They love being alone and enjoy the solitary time with their own selves. They create their own imaginary universe around them where they seek out pleasure inside their own mind.

On the other hand, extroversion is a personality attribute that includes traits like friendliness, openness, and enthusiasm. Extroverts search out variety and adventure of life, especially involving a group of people. Among the crowd, they love being the star of the show. 

PSYCHOLOGY OF INTROVERTS: THE MAKE-UP OF BRAIN

Researchers around the world are unsure whether the basis of introversion or extroversion has a specific root or reason. 

1. However, studies have found that the brains of these two characters operate in somewhat different ways. Introverted people exhibit an increased inflow of blood to their frontal lobe than extroverted individuals. The frontal lobe of the brain aids with memory, decision making, and strategizing.
2. Introverts, unlike extroverted people, feel mentally comfortable with one-to-one interaction or conversation in small groups in serene surroundings out of the hustle and bustle. This behaviour goes parallel to their neuronal make-up and brain response.
3. Introverted and extroverted brains respond to dopamine in dissimilar ways. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that activates the brain's reward and happiness centre. Although both introverts and extroverts receive the same quantity of the neurotransmitter, extroverts' reward centres produce more stimulus of excitement and enthusiasm while introverts are more likely to grow exhausted as a result and crave solitary time. Experiments confirm that stranger faces stimulate less dopamine production in introverts and switch off the brain's reward centre.
4. Other possible environmental influences include:

• parenting style/family environment
• the sort of schooling you receive
• interactions with classmates
• life events, particularly as a child

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTROVERSION AND SHYNESS

Despite the fact that introverts account for 25% to 40% of the community, there are enough fallacies regarding this persona. Many tend to associate introversion with shyness, yet the two are not synonymous. 

       Shyness is indeed a feeling, whereas introversion denotes a character trait. In social gatherings, shy individuals often feel uneasy or embarrassed. With the meeting with strangers, they experience nervousness, a racing heart or stomach discomfort. They try to avoid social engagements because they dislike the negative impressions that arise when they are forced to attend a party or a ceremony. Introverts also tend to avoid social activities as they are comfier executing tasks or fun activities alone or with a small number of people. 

        Introverted individuals do not really abandon festivities because they feel socially awkward like shy individuals do, but they simply enjoy being with their own company or in a little close circle. 

ARE YOU AN EXTROVERT OR AN INTROVERT?

Most people are ambiverts

Most individuals around us are neither introverts nor extroverts, but exhibit traits of both. They are simply called 'ambiverts'  Everybody here, for instance, requires some solitary time to recharge their empty fuels after a tiresome day.

MESSAGE FOR YOU

If you think you are an introvert, don't be anxious or scared. Extroverts may love their external life which we don't. But we, the introverts, are on a journey towards our own world inside us. We may be overthinkers, but we are wonderful. Believe me!

Our culture made a virtue of living only as extroverts. We discouraged the inner journey, the quest for a center. So we lost our center and have to find it again.

—ANAÏS NIN