The roots of Introvertedness and Extravertedness

[Southern Kross]

Hmm, good question. Why introversion?

OK, I'm going to try to be brutally honest with myself. Several reasons - it can be one or a combination of these in any given situation:

- A lot of human interaction feels like hard work to me, because: a) I get nervous around people. I don't say the right things and I tend to feel uncomfortable and exposed; b) I feel bored by most people and with most of the subjects of conversation, c) I have to be actively engaged in something to actually get enjoyment out of it. I can't stand it when I feel mentally unchallenged - like things aren't going anywhere. If people just keep saying things that are just plain obvious and unoriginal or the same thing over and over again in different ways (which most conversation consists of), I start figeting and losing interest fast. I'll often walk away and do something else to keep me busy if I can. I think this is the reason why, when at family gatherings, I often end up playing games with the kids
- I can't think properly without being able to be alone and to stare into space. I find the thoughts in my own head more interesting than anything else going on, on the outside. When my thoughts start to bore me, its then I go looking for conversation or read the paper, or surf the net searching for something to feed my imagination. Also I like to really immerse myself in my thoughts and sensations - to be completely carried away with them (eg. listening intently to some really amazing and moving music etc). You can't do this with people around.
- I think I like being able to control the direction of conversation and interaction. This is probably why I like the internet. I can jump around to different articles, pages, video clips, forums etc at my own whims. If an interesting subject matter comes up in coversation or someone converses in a way that actually stimulates me, I sit up, listen and respond. Otherwise, I'm mentally AWOL.

I confess, I often prefer doing things alone because I'm selfish and like having my own way. If I'm by myself there are no debates about what to do and where to go, no organization and co-ordination necessary, no need to impress or be pleasant if I don't feel in the mood, no need to endure boring or annoying activities to please another - you just go and do what you want. More than once I have asked people to go to a movie with me, not for the pleasure of their company, but because I wanted to see the movie so bad and wanted to forgo the embarrassment of going alone. Its sort of like, "shut up and stop talking to me. I just wanted to see the movie" I guess I have a problem with compromise. In my defence though, my everyday life seems to consist of nothing but constant compromise - this is what it is to be an INFP I suppose - with that in mind, who can blame me for wanting things on my terms.

EDIT: Wow, I sound like such a tosser. Just to let you all know, I'm not like this by choice. If I knew how to undo this stuff, I would.

 

[ajblaise]

Apes and dogs and other animals are all extroverts (and sensors). Insects are the ultimate extroverts, going as far as having exoskeletons. The advanced frontal lobes of humans are what set them apart from other animals. Introverts have more frontal lobe activity, and are essentially better people and more advanced. Introverts dream up the world, and then the extroverts play in it.

Just kidding.. I'm not a type supremacist.

 

[Haphazard]

If you stay around people long enough, they tend to start saying the same things over and over again. It's obnoxious.

Also, I'm really bad at initiating conversation.

 

[Heinel]

Introversion and extroversion are based in biology.

I'm really not sure on any of the neurological terms, but people apparently have a tube or something that information that we perceive is processed in.

When I say information, I mean anything, literally any sort of input to your brain.

Introverts have a more narrow tube, meaning that the information we process is processed slower. The information goes through us a lot slower, resulting in us not gathering as much information at once but the information we do process is more understood more in depth since it goes through us in more time.

Extroverts are the opposite, they have a wider tube. They can process a lot of information at once that they perceive, but it goes through faster, so they may have a less thorough understanding of it.

So because of this, introverts will get tired from all of the work that our brains do to process information since I suppose it just takes more time and energy. Extroverts keep their brain energized by interacting and taking in new information somehow, I suppose because it doesn't tire them to process it, and the more that they perceive a certain kind of information the more of an understanding that they will have. This is why extroverts "think by talking" since, it takes more information flowing through them to come to more complete thoughts.

Introverts get energized by reducing the amount of information we are taking in because it allows our brain to rest.

This is at least what I've read. I haven't taken neurology or anything like that, I just read something on the internet about it and it seemed to make sense.

If that is true it seems like extroverts should tire more quickly since they process more information?

It looks like the conclusion seems to point to a premise suggesting that not only introverts take information more slowly, but the way they process it is also less energy efficient.

 

[capricorn009]

I'm an extravert, but I'm not ashamed of admitting that I don't have a mess of friends I
can call whenever I want to do something. I make small talk with strangers all the time,
but I've learned to be careful about who you let walk into your life, trying with people is
one of those things where it can either turn out to be something good, or they can get
stuff started that makes you wonder if good deeds go unpunished.

ENTJ

 

[slowriot]

Well I personally think it stems from biology, genes but extraversion/introversion can be socially learned. As a baby I was sleeping a lot and I was what my parents considered a easy child compared to my sister who was clearly extraverted. I was left a lot to myself as a kid willingly actually my parents are both introverts so I think they understood my want to be alone. So because of me being left alone I think I have become more introverted than what I would have been if I had been encouraged to be extraverted and out with people.

I have seen this in friends that I might consider introverted but still they have a better extraverted tendancy because they have been exposed to more people or more opportunities to be extraverted.

 

[BlackCat]

If that is true it seems like extroverts should tire more quickly since they process more information?

It looks like the conclusion seems to point to a premise suggesting that not only introverts take information more slowly, but the way they process it is also less energy efficient.

I don't really know. I don't think that extroverts get tired quicker, because the way that they get energy is by interacting with the world.

And introverts think about the information more. The weaknesses and strengths balance themselves out.

Well I personally think it stems from biology, genes but extraversion/introversion can be socially learned. As a baby I was sleeping a lot and I was what my parents considered a easy child compared to my sister who was clearly extraverted. I was left a lot to myself as a kid willingly actually my parents are both introverts so I think they understood my want to be alone. So because of me being left alone I think I have become more introverted than what I would have been if I had been encouraged to be extraverted and out with people.

I have seen this in friends that I might consider introverted but still they have a better extraverted tendancy because they have been exposed to more people or more opportunities to be extraverted.

What you're talking about isn't introversion and extroversion. That's wanting to be around people vs not wanting to be around people.

 

[Heinel]

I don't really know. I don't think that extroverts get tired quicker, because the way that they get energy is by interacting with the world.

And introverts think about the information more. The weaknesses and strengths balance themselves out.

Well if they can just fuel themselves as they go then in the end they still have more energy. Damn extroverts :steam:

 

[BlackCat]

Well if they can just fuel themselves as they go then in the end they still have more energy. Damn extroverts :steam:

Yep.