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What's the difference between a shy extrovert and an introvert?

skylights

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ENxP vs Ixxx ;)

from experience, shy extravert is much happier when she begins to act like an extravert, even if it makes her a little anxious. :)

also shy extravert is motivated by the external world, even if she doesn't appear to engage much.
 

Mephistopheles

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Shy extroverts feel the need to socialize more often, but at the same time feel inept doing it properly. Confident introverts on the other hand don't feel the need to socialize often, but think they could if they would want to. That's how I understood it so far.
 

SilkRoad

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I've kind of been wondering about this lately. Perhaps it's not quite the same thing, but I seem to be having the weird experience of having people who are clearly extroverts telling me they have very few friends, and cultivating a vision of me where I'm constantly socializing and have millions of friends.

I know I'm a fairly extroverted INFJ and we can look quite extroverted quite easily. I do know a lot of people and tend to call many of them "friends" though strictly speaking most of them are more acquaintances - I only have a handful I consider really close. And I also know that being an "extrovert" doesn't automatically mean you have lots of friends. But it's still odd how this seems to happen.

I guess as skylights said it's more about being motivated by the external or internal worlds. But it still kind of goes against what you would expect.
 

Orangey

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also shy extravert is motivated by the external world, even if she doesn't appear to engage much.

Yeah, I think this is approaching the true distinction. An extravert doesn't necessarily have to be the people-pleasing type that everyone imagines; it's more that they will feel like they're flailing and stressed out if they don't have regular engagement with the external world. So while introvert A and extravert B might socialize equally little, extravert B is going to feel more like shit about it than introvert A.
 

Xenon

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Shyness is social discomfort or anxiety. Introversion is about preference. It's a personality trait that involves a preference for relatively less stimulation and interaction, and relatively more internal processing of ideas. You can be both, and they often do go together, but not always.

From my own observations, shy extroverts have an easier time getting themselves to engage and act in spite of their discomfort, compared to people who are both shy and introverted. I'm not sure if this is because they have a greater need for it so their motivation is stronger, or because they're less prone to thinking themselves out of action.
 

Sunny Ghost

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^I would agree with most of the above comments...

but also add that sometimes introverts do feel the need to socialize out of etiquette. But maybe that's me being an SO instinctual variant. I just bring my Se to the forefront in those situations and can be quite a goofy, yet charming young lady. Though introverted, I have no problem engaging in conversation with others. However, it's less because I feel as though I want to engage, and more as though I feel the need to engage... like it's just the nice, friendly thing to do. Perhaps that's where my dominant Fi lead me. IDK.

With shy extroverts, I think once engaged fail to disengage easily. Where as with myself, I can engage easily, but fail to keep it up for an extended period. I have many many acquaintances because I'm always friendly. I have few close friends, however, because honestly, I'm just not that sociable.
 

wolfy

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An old rugby thread made me think of all this again...

I feel like I want to engage and need to. I also tend to get more and more energy in situations I enjoy. I was curious about it because I was fairly shy as a teenager and in my early twenties. Not so much now but still there is some shyness I think.

I don't really get the difference between external and internal preference. It feels like I prefer external.
 

INTP

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extraverts focus more on external world, introverts focus more on internal world. jungian extraversion has nothing to do with extroversion as general terms(being outgoing, not shy etc), its simply about where the focus is aimed, and focus is aimed to that direction because thats where the person gets energy from. but extraverts are quite often what people call extroverts in general terms. also extraversion doesent equal people person, focus can be aimed to other things in external world than other people(although extraverts are quite often people persons).

neurological difference between extraverts and introverts is that extraverts have less idle activity, so they need to seek something to activate their brains from external world or they get bored, while introverts brains can(and usually will) work at 100% even if they are quiet and not interacting with anyone. and since introverts brains are already activated, external stimuli can easily cause too much activity to them and they start it to feel exhausting
 

wolfy

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I get the energy from external vs internal but it still isn't making a lot of sense to me in how you'd judge that. Especially for Se types.
 

INTP

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I get the energy from external vs internal but it still isn't making a lot of sense to me in how you'd judge that. Especially for Se types.

you get energy from Fi instead of Se, but since Se is aux function it doesent use it much either. what does Se have to do with anything on this matter?
 

wolfy

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Because Se is oriented to the external.

What energy? What is meant by energy? The impetus to do something?
 

gromit

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I don't know if there's such a harsh line between introverts and extroverts as we like to think. There are some people who are pretty extreme in one way or another, but not everyone is like that. I consider myself pretty close on introversion/extroversion too. Sometimes people and external events really energize me, sometimes they really drain me and I just want to nap.
 

INTPness

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As an introvert, I could literally go weeks (months?) without interacting with people if I wanted to. I still need some level of interaction to stay connected to the outside world and to stay sane/human, but I don't really go looking for it. When I'm in a group, I often feel like I'm expending lots of energy. When I'm alone, I'm recharging and feeling good. A highly extroverted person probably wouldn't feel the same way. Just depends where you're at on the E/I continuum. E <---------------> I
 

IZthe411

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Could it be based on the direction of your T/F? Does Ti seem more reserved than Te, Fe over Fi? - I mean can an IxTJ appear more extraverted than an IxTP as a general rule?

I've always looked at it as the opposite direction of your primary preference will drain you mentally, even if it does energize or stimulate you.

I love interacting with people, especially people who return the energy. I also enjoy speaking in front of people. Even though these things excite/energize me, they DRAIN me, sometimes so much that once I'm alone I feel like I need a nap but I'm not physically tired.
 

Santosha

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As an introvert, I could literally go weeks (months?) without interacting with people if I wanted to. I still need some level of interaction to stay connected to the outside world and to stay sane/human, but I don't really go looking for it. When I'm in a group, I often feel like I'm expending lots of energy. When I'm alone, I'm recharging and feeling good. A highly extroverted person probably wouldn't feel the same way. Just depends where you're at on the E/I continuum. E <---------------> I


This.
I think those closer to the border will find that some things in the external energize, and some things on the internal energize. They say everyone has a core underlying preference.. but it is possible to be so close you can't decipher. The e/i doesnt really matter anyhow right? Its the order of the functions.
 

IZthe411

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This.
I think those closer to the border will find that some things in the external energize, and some things on the internal energize. They say everyone has a core underlying preference.. but it is possible to be so close you can't decipher. The e/i doesnt really matter anyhow right? Its the order of the functions.

Yes it's the order, which helps you decipher where you fall. I know for one that I'm an extraverted introvert, although I don't think I'm very heavy handed on Te.
 

/DG/

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Yes it's the order, which helps you decipher where you fall. I know for one that I'm an extraverted introvert, although I don't think I'm very heavy handed on Te.

Exactly! Which function do you feel most "at home" with? Is this function extraverted or introverted? If extraverted, then you're an extravert! If introverted, then you're an introvert!

:laugh:
 

Viridian

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As an introvert, I could literally go weeks (months?) without interacting with people if I wanted to. I still need some level of interaction to stay connected to the outside world and to stay sane/human, but I don't really go looking for it. When I'm in a group, I often feel like I'm expending lots of energy. When I'm alone, I'm recharging and feeling good. A highly extroverted person probably wouldn't feel the same way. Just depends where you're at on the E/I continuum. E <---------------> I

Keep in mind, though, INTPs tend to be THE introverts... Feeling functions, even in INFxs, usually bring some connection with others, in a similar way to how INTxs tend to give great attention to "external" facts and systems.
 
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