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Recent Article On Introversion

heart

heart on fire
Joined
May 19, 2007
Messages
8,456
Publication: Psychology Today Magazine
Publication Date: Mar/Apr 2007
Last Reviewed: 15 May 2007

Field Guide to the Loner: The Real Insiders


Loners are pitied in our up-with-people culture. But the introvert reaps secret joy from the solitary life.

"In our society, where extroverts make up three-quarters of the population, loners (except Henry David Thoreau) are pegged as creepy or pathetic. But soloists like Matsuoka can function just fine in the world..(more at link)
 

ygolo

My termites win
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
5,988
Interesting article.

I wonder why the statistics are so varied. Do they use another definition of "introversion" than CAPT?

Or does CAPT only apply in the U.S.?

I think Psychology Today is fairly reputable, but it is not my field.
 

Sahara

New member
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
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927
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INFP
You know I find even psychologists try to help you become more extroverted. Thanks for the article heart. :)
 

ptgatsby

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
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4,476
MBTI Type
ISTP
Interesting article.

I wonder why the statistics are so varied. Do they use another definition of "introversion" than CAPT?

Or does CAPT only apply in the U.S.?

I think Psychology Today is fairly reputable, but it is not my field.

CAPT stats are for the US, but the reason it keeps happening is because these damn articles keep parroting old information - they aren't research or even "researched" in any depth. That, and they pick and choose between instruments and so forth (I believe the 25:75 is still maintained by Kiersey.)

Just about the author;

Elizabeth Svoboda makes a living convincing editors to let her write about stuff she thinks is cool or thought-provoking - think sales rep for ideas. The subjects she's covered, limited only by her editors' skepticism, include dinosaur track-based detective work, the connection between waterslides and chaos theory, and creationist biology classes in Galapagos schools. She grew up in the suburbs of Western New York, lives in San Francisco's Tendernob, and just finished a stint writing and reporting from Berlin and other Eastern European locales.

Elizabeth likes: hot tubs, seltzer with copious amounts of lemon, beedogs, bad '90s pop, The Simpsons, the movie UHF with Al Yankovic, historical fiction, In-n-Out Burger, ground pepper, Annie Dillard, the dog Asta in The Thin Man, ideas that move from brain to page with little lost in translation.

Elizabeth dislikes: cold showers, coffee with copious amounts of Splenda, fruitflies, bad '70s interior decorating, Family Guy, the movie XXX with Vin Diesel, science fiction, open-and-shut propositions, shaken pepper, Annie Lennox, the dog Beethoven in Beethoven, internal-monologue ideas that refuse to appear on the computer screen.
 

The_Liquid_Laser

Glowy Goopy Goodness
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
3,376
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ENTP
CAPT stats are for the US, but the reason it keeps happening is because these damn articles keep parroting old information - they aren't research or even "researched" in any depth. That, and they pick and choose between instruments and so forth (I believe the 25:75 is still maintained by Kiersey.)

Just about the author;

Elizabeth Svoboda makes a living convincing editors to let her write about stuff she thinks is cool or thought-provoking - think sales rep for ideas. The subjects she's covered, limited only by her editors' skepticism, include dinosaur track-based detective work, the connection between waterslides and chaos theory, and creationist biology classes in Galapagos schools. She grew up in the suburbs of Western New York, lives in San Francisco's Tendernob, and just finished a stint writing and reporting from Berlin and other Eastern European locales.

Elizabeth likes: hot tubs, seltzer with copious amounts of lemon, beedogs, bad '90s pop, The Simpsons, the movie UHF with Al Yankovic, historical fiction, In-n-Out Burger, ground pepper, Annie Dillard, the dog Asta in The Thin Man, ideas that move from brain to page with little lost in translation.

Elizabeth dislikes: cold showers, coffee with copious amounts of Splenda, fruitflies, bad '70s interior decorating, Family Guy, the movie XXX with Vin Diesel, science fiction, open-and-shut propositions, shaken pepper, Annie Lennox, the dog Beethoven in Beethoven, internal-monologue ideas that refuse to appear on the computer screen.


Heh, she sounds like an ENFP. She's insightful and informative, but I doubt she rigorously checks her sources. Regardless of who the author is though I wouldn't accept any statistic given in any news article unless it provides a link to the source (and even then make sure the source is reliable). ;)
 

maidenhair

New member
Joined
Jul 10, 2007
Messages
11
MBTI Type
INFP
I've always hated the word loner because it's used so pejoratively. I'm never called a loner - I'm accused. I've always felt pushed to be more gregarious by well-meaning relatives, teachers and employers but could never make them understand that I choose to keep my behaviour low-key and limit my interactions with others. I've neither wanted nor needed frequent socialization. My imagination and books keep my attention. I certainly don't need to be reminded that I am a navel-gazing weirdo by people in the real world.

On another note, the claim that introverts find most social situations overstimulating is spot-on. I think lonely is another word many of us find applicable. I rarely feel lonely when I'm actually alone because I have various activities that keep my mind and/or body active; therefore, I'm not thinking about being alone. At large gatherings, I feel overwhelmed. I start to sink inside myself because it's blatantly obvious that I stand out awkwardly amidst the revelry. I find it hard to converse with people in large groups because my voice is often stifled by extraverts who either want the attention for themselves or want to control the pace and subject of the conversation. Because I'm naturally quiet, I'm overlooked as stupid and uninteresting, decreasing further the opportunities I have to contribute to discussion. I often retreat to a corner or stay beside the people I know, pretending to be engaged in others' discussions but constantly feeling like a conversational parasite.
 

heart

heart on fire
Joined
May 19, 2007
Messages
8,456
My purpose in posting this article was to show that out there in pop culture land where so many people 's heads reside, introverts still have a negative image. Perhaps people who hang out at MBTI boards forget that the rest of the world is not so much into personality profiles and things like that.
 

Theory

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Jul 17, 2007
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ENFJ
I'm not sure I believe that extroverts make up 3/4 of the population. If they do, then they must not live anywhere near me. I rarely meet other extroverts.
 

proteanmix

Plumage and Moult
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Apr 23, 2007
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1w2
I'm not sure I believe that extroverts make up 3/4 of the population. If they do, then they must not live anywhere near me. I rarely meet other extroverts.

Just like the ENFJs that everyone but me knows at least 10 of. :huh:
 

Wolf

only bites when provoked
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
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2,127
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INTJ
And you forget that there's selection in the sources they are using, so they are nowhere near accurate.

From an intuitive standpoint, you're more likely to ferret out Introverts and Intuitives because they're more likely to care and be considered sufficiently defective to end up tested by persons that are reporting. But it's also cultural - some places favor certain types over others and therefore you'll see a skewing of results. Either that or it's flat genetic, in which case the results are still skewed anywhere without a genetically-isolated population.
 

The_Liquid_Laser

Glowy Goopy Goodness
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Jul 11, 2007
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3,376
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ENTP
Just like the ENFJs that everyone but me knows at least 10 of. :huh:

FYI, ENFJ is probably the type that I have encountered the least. I only know one person who I believe is an ENFJ. For most other types I've known several of that type.
 

Wolf

only bites when provoked
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
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INTJ
I can't say I've ever met an ENFJ in person, either. I have no clue about them at all...

I've known a number of supposed INFJs (I'm starting to believe that girls that like me skew their choices to look better and end up with this, regardless, they had pretty serious psychological problems) and some definite INFJs (that are certainly sane), and I like the real/sane ones very much. Some of the best friends I've ever had...

I've never met a confirmed ENFP in person, either, but I know a coupe online. They're quite intriguing: energetic, generally-positive, and fun to talk to. I wonder if I'd actually get along with them in person, though. They also seem to have an introvert streak - they can enjoy alone time and don't seem to get as drained by it as most extroverts; they even report enjoying alone time.

I work with a bunch of INTs and couple ENTs, but that's just due to what I do. Outside of specific places where they are highly valued, at a conference that attracts INTPs and INTJs, and the INTPc meetup in Vegas, I have only met one confirmed INTJ. Many claim to know quite a few of us, too, but we're so rare, weird, and hard to get to know that I don't believe them.
 
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