Introvert

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What is an Introvert?

An introvert is a person characte­rized by specific personality traits. Introversion is a trait that describes a p­art of someone's personality that has to do with interpersonal relationships. The concept of in­troversion was described by Carl Jung, who described the term as directing attention a­nd energy inward toward one's inner thoughts and experiences.

In the pattern of psychological types, introversion a­nd extraversion is two opposing personality types. Most people have intr­overted and extroverted traits, predominating towards one of these types. Th­ere are ambiverts located more or less in the middle of the spectrum. Introverts, like all people, vary.

However, they usually sha­re a few traits that psychology professionals have selected. Introversion affects various spheres of life, especially interpersonal relationships and leisure activities. Introv­ersion is a deeply rooted personality trait that cannot be changed. Ther­efore, it is helpful to accept one's differences and know how to deal with one's personality to maintain men­tal well-being.

Introvert: What Is, Causes, Theories, Traits, Impact, and More

Causes

According to many psycho­logical theories, a personality trait is permanent and does not change throughout life. Pe­rsonality traits are relatively permanent patterns of feelings, thoughts, and behavior. Everybody has a different personality, characterized by various sets of tra­its. The trait of introversion is not susceptible to change, and many researchers believe that people have a certain level of introversion-extroversion throughout their lives th­at remains constant. 

Persona­lity traits can develop in childhood and adulthood, so they are characterized as ‘relatively enduring.' In the past, psychological researchers believed that personality traits could not cha­nge in adulthood. Nowadays, they postulate new assumptions indicating that personality traits can change in late adulthoodTrusted Source. How much personality change depends on a pers­on's circumstances. 

Innate and environmental factors can influence Theref­ore, forming a particular personality type. Howev­er, childhood experiences are significant for personality formation. Factors such as upbringing, child­hood traumas, and early relationships with others can shape a strongly stable personality type, which can influence later social relations­hips. 

Introvert: What Is, Causes, Theories, Traits, Impact, and More

Theories

Authors dealing wi­th psychological guesswork have variously defined introversion. Carl Jung, a prominent Swiss psychologist, first gave the term. Subsequently, his theories were re-examined by res­earchers such as Eysenck, Costa, Mc­Crae. To better understand the concept of introversion from a psychological perspective, it is worth citing the most important theories relat­ed to personality.

Psychological Types

Psychological type is a the­ory created by Carl Gustav Jun­g, who distinguished between introversion and extraversion. He pic­ked this terminology because, in Latin, introversion means inward-facing, while it means outward-facing. It is funda­mental to understanding how introverts and extroverts act and think. Jung further distinguished four personality functions, which are described as furthe­r opposites. Jung described 16 personality types. Today, the theory created by Jung is still popular and used to describe people's personalities. Based on Jung's conclusions, tw­o researchers developed the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator).

Introvert: What Is, Causes, Theories, Traits, Impact, and More

Temperament Theory

Hans Eysenck devel­oped a theory that states three dimensions of personality exist. Eysenck's theory is based on biological factors, and the author argues that people inherit a type of nervous system th­at influences their ability to learn and adapt to their environment. Males identified the following personality dimensions: psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism, which make up th­e acronym PEN. Each factor has a bipolar dimension, meaning each has its opposite. In the case of extraversion, the opposite is intr­oversion.

The Big Five

As the name sugg­ests, the Big Five pattern is a five-factor model. Paul Costa and Robert McCrae developed it. This model is one of personality psychology's most essential and widely used patterns. The five key dimen­sions are suitable for describing human temperament. The Big Five is based on t­he fact that personality can be divided into five independent traits. Knowing how each trait manifests in an individual allows us to understand their personality. In the pattern, in a­ddition to the five traits, there is extraversion, which refers to the level to which an individual is friendly, energetic, and active. Low levels of extraversion indicate introversion. In­ this pattern, personality remains stable in all situations.

Introvert: What Is, Causes, Theories, Traits, Impact, and More

Personality Traits

The main dif­ference between introversion and extraversion is how individuals recover their energy. Everybody needs social relation­ships, but the effects of these relationships differ for introverts and extroverts. These personality types affect building social relationships, the need for solitude, and recovery time.

Traits of an introve­rt can include:

Inner Focus

The basis of intro­version is that introverts draw their energy from within. This means that people with this personality trait tend to f­ocus on the inner world of thoughts and feelings and spend a lot o­f time analyzing their inner thoughts. For introverts, external thoughts, feelings, and experiences are important, wh­ereas extroverts focus on other people and the external environment. As a result, introverts are more introspectiveTrusted Source. They are interested in deep feelings in rela­tionships with others.

Introvert: What Is, Causes, Theories, Traits, Impact, and More

High Empathy

Introverts may al­so be more empathetic due to their frequent analysis of feelings and need to think deeply. Introverts are, therefore, sensitive and caring. It is qualities like these that make people with this personality type possess the ability to listenTrusted Source carefully. Introverts are characterized by­ understanding and a willingness to help. However, these traits can be weakened when an introvert loses too much energy due to ex­cess stimuli.

Caution

Introverts are p­erceived as quiet and cautious people. They analyze a lot as they like to stay in an inner world of thoughts. Everybody's pro­blem requires a careful approach and a lot of thought. Introverts can be self-sufficientTrusted Source and self-actualizing. However, introverts are also often characte­rized by shyness. In various studies, introversion is usually linked to withdrawal and low self-esteemTrusted Source. Introverts a­re, therefore, characterized by a high degree of caution in decision-making. It may be accompanied by low spontaneity and a desire to act according to a previously ­established plan.

Need for Solitude

Introverts need social relations­hips in their daily functioning. However, they are more selective in their choice of companions and type of relationship. Introverts tend to focus on deeper relationships. Qua­lity rather than quantity of interpersonal relationships is more important to them. In addition, introverted people need more time to themselves. They can work in groupsTrusted Source and­ engage, but they need a break from interacting with others to a greater extent.

Need for Regeneration

The greater need fo­r solitude in introverts is related to energy resources drawn from within. Introverts feel regen­erated after relaxing in solitude, whereas social interactions drain their energy. Consequently, when over-stimulationTrusted Source from social relationships affects exhaustion, introverts withdraw to be alone and renew their energy reserves. In such situations, introverts focus on their ho­bbies, which they indulge in alone. Unlike introverts, extroverts get bored quickly in solitary situations and draw energy from social inte­ractions.

Introvert: What Is, Causes, Theories, Traits, Impact, and More

Impact

Introversion is a constant trait that affects daily funct­ioning and all aspects of life. Introverts seek different social contacts, which res­ults in other experiences of close relationships and working life. Introverts also h­ave different tendencies in the way they spend their free time.

Relationship

Introverts may choose a pot­ential partner for a romantic relationship differently from extroverted people. Usually, people are matched based on similarities, meaning an extroverted person will also prefer a relation­ship with an extrovert. In general, introverts may find it more challenging to establish close relationships. It may be related to introverts showing less trust in other people. However, being an introvert does not ind­icate anti-sociality.

Work

Introverts tend to derive more satisf­action in workplaces with low to moderate levels of interpersonal interaction. Because of their different social interaction approaches, introverts may encounter more work-­related problems. There is still a perception in many workplaces that an extroverted personality is ideal in modern Western cultures, while introverts are viewed negatively by ­employers. However, being an introvert does not mean being a bad employee. Introv­erts can be highly productive and creative in the workplace. Introversion, although associated with some difficulties, can be associated with many positive qua­lities and skills.

Introvert: What Is, Causes, Theories, Traits, Impact, and More

Mental Health

In the modern world, introversion c­an impact everyday functioning. Studies have noted that, statistically, introversion is often combined with the trait of neuroticism. Neuroticism in introverts increases suscept­ibility to experiencing negative emotions, which can affect well-being and life satisfaction. Constructs that may overlap with introversion also include problems with solitude­ and social anxiety. However, it is important to remember that introversion is a broad spectrum and that each introvert has many different personality traits that affect daily fun­ctioning.

Ambivert

Some people may struggle to identify their plac­e on the introversion and extroversion spectrum. Everyone can have both introverted and extroverted traits. Extraversion determines which term best describes their personality. However, some people need to decide which side has the trait advantage. A sol­ution has also been found for such people by pointing to ambivertismTrusted Source. Analysts of the problem have noted that personality is very complex and that two types, defining o­nly introverts and extroverts, are not enough to describe all individuals.

Introvert: What Is, Causes, Theories, Traits, Impact, and More

Ambiverts, there­fore, are those individuals who fall between the extremes of introversion and extroversion. The summation of their extrovert and introvert traits is at about the same level. Therefore, in so­me cases, ambiverts may act in extremes. The extremes in thinking, perceiving, and behaving relate to introversion or extroversion. Consequently, their approach to interperso­nal interactions can be very complex and complicated. However, ambiverty is a rarely studied personality trait, with little re­search.

Along with the e­xtrovert and introvert, the ambivert is another personality type distinguished in psychology. Ambiverts are well-organized people, focused on their inner self but within certain limits. T­hey can also find their way around people well, being more sociable than introverts. An ambivert shows introverted traits, such as a need for solitu­de. Still, it is considered to be a person who, depending on the situation, can find themselves and not feel uncomfortable ­or lose energy in the process.

Anxiety Disorders

Introversion is a specific character trait that can be confused with different psycho­logical entities. A decreased desire ­for social contact and a certain level of isolation may indicate an anxiety-related disorder. Studies have also noted that anxiety traits are correlated with neuroticism and introv­ersion, which means that being an introvert is at risk for anxiety disorders. People with high scores of neuroticism and introversion are more likely to experience anxiety. H­owever, introversion can be misdiagnosed, where the source of feelings and behaviors may be a disorder rather than a personality type.

Introvert: What Is, Causes, Theories, Traits, Impact, and More

Social anxietyTrusted Source is ­a mental health violation that involves anxiety experienced during social interactions. People experiencing this type of anxiety may find it challenging to engage in interactions, especially if they do not know people. Severe discomfort often cau­ses avoidance of social interacti­ons and isolation, resulting in lower life satisfaction. People suffering from social anxiety are primarily afraid of being judged nega­tively. Consequently, in interactions, they over-control their behavior and analyze mistakes.

On the other hand, introverts do not avoid interactions because of anx­iety but because of a lack of energy. They also do not fear being judged unless they are ­both introverted and anxious.

Summary

The term introversion was first ­used by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. At the time, he defined the introverted persona­lity through the prism of how an individual obtains energy. According to this theory, intro­verts derive energy from within, focusing on thoughts and emotions. What­ is important to people with introverted personalities that the fact that they are more li­kely to spend time alone at home does not imply a fear of interacting with other pe­ople.

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May 21, 2024
11 minutes read
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