Introverts vs Extroverts

We always hear people being described as being introverts or extroverts, but do most of us really know what we mean when we describes others as one or the other. Here I will look at the history of those classifications, characteristics of each and more.

While these theories have been around for a while, they were popularized by Carl Jung, who is the founder of analytical psychology and lived in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. The traditional idea of extroversion is that it exists on a continuum, which means that if you are very extroverted, you are likely to be not introverted at all, and vice versa. However, Jung and the developers behind the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator suggest that everyone has both an extroverted and introverted side, just that one is more dominant and shows itself more than the other.

(source: patricia-weber.com)

Extroversion is classified as someone who gets gratification from others, not themselves. They thrive being around others and can tend to be extremely bored and/or lonely than when they are by themselves. These individuals will exhibit a number of characteristics such as being talkative, enthusiastic, assertive and more. There are some studies that show that people who extroverted report being happier, but again, that could just be from their gregarious characteristics and such.

Now, just because someone is introverted doesn’t mean that they are shy or sad. Introversion just means that they are predominantly interested in their own mental self. These people recharge during alone time and too many social activities or interaction can be extremely daunting to them. These people get pleasure from solitary activities like reading, writing or other things that can be done by oneself. These people tend to be more reserved and quiet than extroverts, but remember, that doesn’t mean that they’re automatically shy.

Now, as mentioned previously, everyone has a bit of both at times, so don’t worry if you cannot pinpoint which one you are.