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Is this extroversion?

MetalWounds

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I recall that most literature about the types states that introverts prefer thinking in quiet, solitary environments. I was reflecting today and I realized that I think the best in an environment opposite of the above.

The barracks here are air conditioned, they're always dark, and always very quiet. Logic would tell you that an introvert would prefer this environment to reflect. I find that I'm always being distracted by little things, someone opening a door, watching a movie quietly, or walking down the hall. Also I generally lack inspiration when I ruminate around here. It's just very dull.

The dining facility, however, is always full of people, it's loud, brightly lit and there are about a dozen televisions all on different channels. Logic would tell you that an introvert would have a hard time here. I always sit near a television that stays on "Sports Center", and is always playing baseball or baseball highlights when I eat (I like baseball because it's interesting, but not too interesting... If you know what I mean). When I sit by myself all the background noise just becomes ambient, and I cease to be bothered by odd noises. I do my best thinking here, my mind just seems to be invigorated by the "energy". When I go eat with a good friend of mine (He's a very intelligent ISFP, which makes for great conversations and heated differences of opinion) we usually have our most interesting conversations there. I can sit there for an hour, drinking soda, or slowly munching on something, watching the baseball highlights while ruminating.

My question is; is this an indicator of extroversion?
 

Kasper

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Actually I can completely relate, when I've spent time in barracks I've wanted to be in the common areas, it's generally a pretty relaxed kind of social environment.

Doubt it's an indicator of extraversion in the sense of MBTI as that refers to what influences your thoughts. Anyway being introverted doesn't equate to being a hermit. My thing is that I need time to regenerate, talking one-on-one with someone whos conversation I value or watching baseball highlights would do that for me I don't need to be in a dark place all on my own, I would usually prefer somewhere with a present ambience like you mentioned.

It is a little odd though and I've never thought about this till now.
 

01011010

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Agree with Trinity. I don't think it means your extroverted. Nor do I think introverts always need to be alone in quiet. As stated above, it really refers to how you recharge etc.
 

Leysing

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I always need some kind of backround sound when I'm alone. If no other people are at home, I turn the radio and the TV on. It helps me to concentrate and it stimulates my thoughts. Complete quiet overwhelms me and makes me nervous.

And I'm a strong introvert.
 

cascadeco

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Well, as far as purely thinking, musing, or contemplating things (that are open-ended, where I'm not really 'accomplishing' anything or working towards a goal by doing it), I do think best in a quiet, peaceful environment where I am solitary.

However, when I was college, I actually studied best in what most would consider a distracting environment. My favorite study locations were coffee shops, or student lounges, where people were always coming and going, and there was a lot of background noise. I guess I welcomed the visual distractions, and I also remember that due to the distractions, it meant I had to focus extra hard to study -- so I felt like I was able to drill all of that material into my head much more solidly due to the extra focus it took to do it.

I found studying in my bedroom, or in complete solitude, rather unnerving. In fact, the quietness is what distracted me! So if I was in my room, I most definitely had to have music going.

One of my good college friends, an ENTJ, was the total opposite -- she was able to, and preferred, studying in places like the engineering library, which was totally quiet. Some I's I knew were like this also. In other words, I don't think it was a function of E/I.

Perhaps this addresses your question?
 

MetalWounds

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Actually I can completely relate, when I've spent time in barracks I've wanted to be in the common areas, it's generally a pretty relaxed kind of social environment.

Were you in the Military, or involved with someone who was?

Some days I have nothing to do, and the boredom becomes excruciating. Planning going to chow, what to eat, where to sit, what time to go, it keeps me sane. Plus, in a world us unnecessary rules, redundancy and plain idiocy, I find that chow is "my time".

I always need some kind of backround sound when I'm alone. If no other people are at home, I turn the radio and the TV on. It helps me to concentrate and it stimulates my thoughts. Complete quiet overwhelms me and makes me nervous.

And I'm a strong introvert.

I do the same thing back home. I don't usually watch more than an hour of T.V. a day, but it usually stays on almost every waking moment. Kinda keeps things a little less lonely.

Well, as far as purely thinking, musing, or contemplating things (that are open-ended, where I'm not really 'accomplishing' anything or working towards a goal by doing it), I do think best in a quiet, peaceful environment where I am solitary.

However, when I was college, I actually studied best in what most would consider a distracting environment. My favorite study locations were coffee shops, or student lounges, where people were always coming and going, and there was a lot of background noise. I guess I welcomed the visual distractions, and I also remember that due to the distractions, it meant I had to focus extra hard to study -- so I felt like I was able to drill all of that material into my head much more solidly due to the extra focus it took to do it.

I found studying in my bedroom, or in complete solitude, rather unnerving. In fact, the quietness is what distracted me! So if I was in my room, I most definitely had to have music going.

One of my good college friends, an ENTJ, was the total opposite -- she was able to, and preferred, studying in places like the engineering library, which was totally quiet. Some I's I knew were like this also. In other words, I don't think it was a function of E/I.

Perhaps this addresses your question?

That's interesting. Like yourself, I find it hard to study in a completely sterile environment because I'm always waiting for a distraction to pop up.

So the consensus is that this is more of a personal preference, not associated with introversion or extroversion. So my next question is what is this preference a result of?
 

substitute

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No, that's not extraversion per se, but it is extraverted judgement, which is perfectly consistent with the INTJ preferred function order. You don't get much more extraverted (arguably) than an ENTP, and yet I prefer to do my thinking in quiet, solitary times - that's Ti.

As a J, you introvert your perception and extravert your judgement. Judging is thinking, turning information over and drawing conclusions. Perceiving is looking, browsing, considering 'what is', 'what was', and then applying judgement to figure out 'what will be' or 'what should be'.

When I'm in a noisy, busy environment, I can't think - that is, I can't make decisions, I can't reach conclusions because I'm in full-on perceiving mode - Ne is saying "i don't care why, how or whatever - not right now. All I care about is drinking in all this info". It's later on when I'm alone, or during times when I'm not hampered by the overwhelming desire to observe and take in, that I begin to reflect on the info I've taken in from around me. That's Ti.

In your case, when alone, that's when you do your perceiving - using memories of the things you've taken in previously. That's Ni. To churn over the things you know and reach conclusions, you need someone/something to do it to: Te.

This is why J's often make better leaders than P's - because you're able to extravert your judgement in real time, to make decisions and reach conclusions whilst interacting with the external world. If someone comes up to Captain Picard and says "Sir, what shall we do with the XYZ?" he just instantly consults his Ni for the info that's lacking in the question and gives them an instant decision. If someone did that to me I'd be like "Uh, I dunno... tell me more about... hold on, I can't think of an answer to that because right now I'm keeping an eye on this thing here to see how it turns out..."

I probably could've put that better, but there you have it. maybe someone else will rephrase me :)
 

MetalWounds

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What a truly insightful post, sub...and a Star Trek reference, thank you.
 

Thursday

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well......
introverts are more sensitive to stimuli than extroverts
and.....
silence is really deafening
everything is augmented; i.e. you can here the sound of a pin dropping, your heart beating
of course something that will distract you from the distractions will be " quiet or still "
just like a metronome : a rhythm that keeps things on beat=even keel=quiet so you can think
or your thoughts can play off the beat and flourish - like music

see ?
 

Kasper

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Were you in the Military, or involved with someone who was?

Some days I have nothing to do, and the boredom becomes excruciating. Planning going to chow, what to eat, where to sit, what time to go, it keeps me sane. Plus, in a world us unnecessary rules, redundancy and plain idiocy, I find that chow is "my time".

Kinda, Australian Reserves. The hurry up and wait attitude would constantly drive me batty with boredom, the best cure for boredom was to have others around that could amuse and entertain me.


Interesting post Sub... makes sense.
 

PuddleRiver

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I always need some kind of backround sound when I'm alone. If no other people are at home, I turn the radio and the TV on. It helps me to concentrate and it stimulates my thoughts. Complete quiet overwhelms me and makes me nervous.

And I'm a strong introvert.


Precisely. :yes:
 
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