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[MBTI General] Extrovert and Introvert

WhimsyGirl

New member
Joined
Dec 4, 2011
Messages
64
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
3w4
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
As you grow up, does your basic personality stay the same? i know that i used to be a lot louder, chattier, and more extroverted, like i always needed to be around people, and as i got older that seemed to stop being the case. is it a maturity thing? or is it that as i got into school, and met other kids who may not have been so nice, i sort of retreated into myself a little more? could that account for a more radical personality change or are all little kids just super talkative? lol.
 

lunalum

Super Senior Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
2,706
MBTI Type
ZNTP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
I think there has to be something at the core that stays the same as long are you are still you. But of course children are pretty different from adults. They are more obviously energetic and it seems to be the case that they are generally chattier :tongue: But not all kids are. I was very quiet as a kid and still pretty quiet now, but what hasn't changed is that I don't like being alone for very long. But just being a little more quiet and retreating... I think that's pretty normal as you become an adult. Or it could just be those not-so-nice other people, which hopefully you will eventually be able to get away from and find cool people to talk to.
 

FunnyDigestion

New member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
1,126
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4
I think for certain people it changes thru different phases of maturity. I barely said anything until I was 6 years old, according to my parents, but all thru childhood I remember being really energetic & talkative. Then at 14 or 15 I started to get really introverted again & stayed that way thru high school... going days without talking to people, rarely speaking even around good friends, etc.

Then at 19 or 20 I started coming out again, & now I can do either one deliberately. I can decide to be extroverted if I'm in the right mood, but then I can also go days without talking. So I guess I'm more or less how I was in childhood again.
 

skylights

i love
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
7,756
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
i actually was much more socially introverted as a child and became more extraverted in late high school and then really blossomed as an extravert in college. now i think i have settled into selective extraversion. i really enjoy being around lots of people but not necessarily intensive interaction with them.
 

Kasper

Diabolical
Joined
May 30, 2008
Messages
11,590
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
Chatty & social =/= Extrovert and vice versa with quietness =/= Introvert.

If you gain energy from external sources = Extrovert
If you gain energy from solitude and internal sources = Introvert
If your dom function is Xe = Extrovert
If your dom function is Xi = Introvert.

The way we interact socially can change for many reasons, but this is not reflective of our type.
 

IZthe411

Carerra Lu
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
2,585
MBTI Type
INTJ
I think it's the company I have. Certain people bring out the loudness and silliness and other people make me wish I didn't have a tongue.
 

pmj85

New member
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
130
I once read (from a fairly decent source; iirc it was a type counsellors website) that an introvert will typically see that outside world as intrusive.

That struck a chord with me... not sure if it helps anyone else :)
 

Santosha

New member
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
1,516
MBTI Type
HUMR
Enneagram
6
Instinctual Variant
sx
Most people seem to get hung up on social i/e vs cognitive i/e. mb is cog. Someone else mentioned that it is the way you gather energy and i want to expand on that. How much you talk and interact does not make you e or i, its if you use the outside world to draw your ideas from, or your own inner world. Ne is a perceiving function which can result in information gathering and then deciding its value, fi. In infps fi is a judging function and first decides if its even worth consideration then analyzes. Its not uncommon to find ne and fi both very developd in the nfps, to the point that determining dom and aux is hard. At this point you need to look at si and te. Enfps have inferior si which can present itself as an inability to see past patters and learn from them. If te is your inferior you might find it very difficult to unhinge your fi judgement in the face of opposing external evidence. Sorry this is all blobbef togethet im on phone pad.
 

FunnyDigestion

New member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
1,126
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4
People are right-- it's where your energy comes from.

Introverts: ghosts, phantasms, partial deities & mystical beings
Extroverts: zombies, vampires, all forms of waking life

Well vampires are more confusing-- maybe INTJ.

when I'm hungry, that's when I'm an extrovert.
 

Elisius

New member
Joined
Dec 16, 2011
Messages
150
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
2w1
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
I was very extroverted when I was a little child.
Then when i was about 10 it started to wane, by 14 I was an introvert and a bit of a misanthrope.
Then it completely reversed directions and now I'm in love with humanity and a stark extrovert.
So, from personal experience, I say you can change.
 

FunnyDigestion

New member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
1,126
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4
I bet it's particularly different for FPs-- you tend to go thru emotional phases that impact your behavior around people.
 

entropie

Permabanned
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Apr 24, 2008
Messages
16,767
MBTI Type
entp
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783
You greatest weaknesses stay and those define you. Your strengths come and go
 
S

SingSmileShine

Guest
As you grow up, does your basic personality stay the same? i know that i used to be a lot louder, chattier, and more extroverted, like i always needed to be around people, and as i got older that seemed to stop being the case. is it a maturity thing? or is it that as i got into school, and met other kids who may not have been so nice, i sort of retreated into myself a little more? could that account for a more radical personality change or are all little kids just super talkative? lol.

I think your basic personality is probably similar no matter what, as [MENTION=5857]LunaLuminosity[/MENTION] said. [MENTION=13370]FunnyDigestion[/MENTION] seems to hit the nail on the head, too. I am similar, as well - ever since freshman year of high school, I've been a tad bit more reserved. If you still derive energy from others as opposed to from yourself, then, well, you're still an ENFP! Mature ENFPs are often not quite as bubbly as more immature ones, but you seem a lot like me and I'm ENFP to the bone. I'm in high school and I don't know how old you are, but a lot of people suck in high school. It leads to some more reservedness on my part, but I'm still optimistic and outgoing me. (This is the part where ENFP-me realizes she's talking too much about herself.) Okay, anyway, your N may make you seem a little bit more distant. NFs in general tend to be the most introverted of all the extravert types. In fact, it's probably the case that we ENFPs are the most introverted extraverts.

You are still an ENFP, from my perspective! I'm similar.
 

31january

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2011
Messages
31
MBTI Type
enfp
I think basic personality stays the same, but the way it manifests itself in our tendencies can change a lot depending on the experiences we have. throughout my childhood until now, i feel that i've kind of had different periods of being more or less outgoing...usually major changes would happen when i entered a new environment, because i didn't necessarily take on the same....social role?....in each environment. let's just say that if people who knew me from each place described me to each otehr, they'd be pretty shocked :p In any case, i think i tend to be less outgoing when i feel that there's a need to be cautious, especially if i've been hurt... in fact after sfter some stuff which happened this year, one of my friends commnented that i was more withdrawn.

of course, acting more introverted probably isnt always due to negative happenings like i described. i could imagine becoming less extroverted if i discovered quieter ways to find meaning, or....achieved some sort of inner peace/contentment, which lessened the compulsion to really go out there and search for improvement, or a better life?
 

WhimsyGirl

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Dec 4, 2011
Messages
64
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
3w4
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
31january;176 of course said:
i would think so. definitely there are certain types that as they get more mature, they also realize they don't need the spotlight 24/7.
 

Meaning

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I have always been quiet. When younger I was very much more carefree and compliant. Everyone loved me. I would get good grades, and sit there somber while they all cheered on my affable demeanor. I'm glad I grew up past my compliant pinching of the cheek days, but I long for and am fighting to recover my carefree, responsible and happy attitude.

I think you are getting quieter (I see you are ENFP), because you don't feel comfortable anymore. I noticed many ENFPs retreat into themselves when they don't feel welcomed or they don't fit into the group. Also, as the type description says, in new group settings they start off very introverted (sizing the group up, seeing if they'll be accepted), then slowly become more carefree and extroverted as they find and feel comfortable in acceptance.
 

INTP

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Jul 31, 2009
Messages
7,803
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intp
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5w4
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sx
Its doesent stay the same but it grows. This personality growing is growing as a person imo. Maturity to NF is to develope S and T, For ST its developing N and F. People do change to some extend(at least ideally), but if you dont have some psychotic episode you wont go from being emotionally stable to neurotic or from overly organized to overly disorganized etc.
 

Lark

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Jun 21, 2009
Messages
29,569
I dont think personality changes are ever that radical and I'm inclined to believe that people who switch between obviously one function and another are probably on the border between each anyway, one thing I would say is that extroversion does not mean keeping the company of just anyone and desiring company at any stake, its desiring good company in preference to alternatives and that's not always possible.
 

Owfin

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Dec 18, 2011
Messages
261
MBTI Type
ISTJ
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I am still ISTJ, but I am more accepting of my ENFP side.

It seems counter intuitive that maturity for me means being more playful and easy-going, but it is true. I used to suffer from an "excessive amount of boring-ness". I think I really enjoy things more now. I'm happier and I think I've reached a more stable level of confidence.

:woot:
 

entropie

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I am still ISTJ, but I am more accepting of my ENFP side.

It seems counter intuitive that maturity for me means being more playful and easy-going, but it is true. I used to suffer from an "excessive amount of boring-ness". I think I really enjoy things more now. I'm happier and I think I've reached a more stable level of confidence.

:woot:

trooperwithkitty-vi.jpeg


? :D
 
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