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Introverts vs. extroverts – there seems to be an ongoing discussion about which type of personality is better than the other. In my opinion, both are good, and there are hardly any people who only belong to one group.
I believe there is a massive misunderstanding in society about introverts vs. extroverts. Introverts are assumed to be relatively weak. Extroverts are defined as rather strong. But neither of that is correct.
To help you understand why I think that way, let me provide you with an introduction to both personality types first.
Introverts
Per definition, the noun introvert defines “a shy, reticent person” according to the Oxford Languages Dictionary that’s directly connected to Google’s services. If you are introverted, this is often associated with shy, reserved, withdrawn, reticent, diffident, retiring, and quiet.
From my perspective, that’s entirely wrong when we talk about an introverted mindset of people.
Introverts – a definition
I like and prefer the definition of introverts by the Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung from the 1920s. He once talked about psychological types, the introverted and extraverted types in analytical psychology. He defined introversion as an “attitude-type characterized by orientation in life through subjective psychic contents.”
That approach is, of course, very generic. In general, it’s more about how you spend and recharge your energy. Introverts do that by focusing on their inner thoughts and ideas while they care less about what’s happening on the outside. They recharge by being in smaller groups or even alone than with a big group of friends.
What are the four types of introverts?
Social introverts
This is the most common type of introvert you will most likely find. They prefer small groups and quiet settings over crowds of people or friends. Too many external signals can make them feel overwhelmed.
Restrained/inhibited introverts
Thinking before acting is not a bad thing. Introverts of the restrained or inhibited type are less likely to make spontaneous decisions.
In a business setting, they might be slow starters and less likely to burst out many ideas in a meeting, but you should listen to them when they have to say something.
Thinking introverts
You might mix up the thinking introverts with the restrained or inhibited introverts. But don’t make that mistake. Thinking introverts have many creative imaginations, and they are daydreamers. Sometimes, you will find those kinds of people in creative agencies, the film industry, or they are fiction writers.
Anxious introverts
Last but not least, there is a group of anxious introverts. They tend to spend time alone because they feel awkward around others.
If you have one of those shy introverts around you, please ensure you are not overwhelming them or approaching them too quickly. Give them time to get to know you before you build up a friendship with them. Unfortunately, they are often overlooked or left out in a work environment for no good reason.
How do you tell if you are an introvert?
Here are ten common signs of why you might be an introvert. You can test yourself with the Myers & Briggs test to determine where you land. I will begin with the most obvious signs of an introvert and end with the least obvious ones. You can only tell by assessing your personality.
- You don’t like working in groups.
- You prefer writing over talking.
- You have a few friendships, but on the other hand, you are very close with those.
- It would help if you had time to make decisions.
- You are reflective and self-aware.
- You feel tired after being with a crowd of people.
- You feel comfortable being alone, and you get your energy from that.
- You tend to daydream or use your imagination to work out problems.
- You retreat in your mind to rest.
The strength of introverts
Their strength is that they are well-suited to many situations. If you are an introvert, you are a good listener. You are also good at analyzing things and reading situations. Of course, you need to find your time to recharge, but as long as you can do that, you can be a successful leader, remain humble, and avoid the unimportant spotlight in fame.
Bottom line
Society underestimates introverts quite a lot because they are sometimes quiet, more patient, and more relaxed than extroverts. Introverts can achieve excellent results in their job. In private life, they are accurate, honest, and consistent friends who sometimes need their space and time.
Let’s move on to the definition of extroverts to complete the comparison between introverts vs. extroverts. Just one more comment on introverts from my side. Being shy has nothing to do with being an introvert. While shyness is an emotion, introversion is a personality type.
Extroverts
Contrary to introverts, extroverts, as you might have guessed already, is defined as “outgoing, socially confident persons.” If you are extroverted, you will be associated with outgoing, sociable, gregarious, social, cordial, friendly, people-oriented, and unreserved.
From a mindset perspective, I will explain to you a different point of view.
Extroverts – a definition
Carl Jung, as mentioned above, also provided a definition for extroversion which is “an attitude-type characterized by concentration of interest on the external object.” Again, this definition is very generic, and it will help to take a closer look at a more approachable way to look at extroverts.
Extroverts recharge their energy while interacting with people and bigger groups of friends. They are more outgoing and friendly than others. They need less time on their own as they seek out that social interaction.
As mentioned above, extroverts are more sociable than introverts. If you define yourself as an extrovert, you most likely attend group sports, hang out with friends, and love after-work activities or other social events.
Because of that personality trait, you are less likely to turn down any invitation to a gathering, and you do have a lot of friends or a more extensive social network. In addition, you are optimistic, discuss problems, raise questions, and are not afraid of taking risks while staying flexible.
What are the two types of extroverts?
According to the Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioural Neuroscience study, I want to introduce you to two types of extroverts.
Affiliative extroverts
The study says, “Affiliative extraversion involves the positive emotion of social warmth and is expressed as a tendency toward amicability, gregariousness, and affection.” To summarize that scientific definition, you can say these are friendly and warm extroverts.
Affiliative extroverts maintain many close relationships as those mean a lot to them.
Agentic extroverts
Agentic extroversion involves, according to the same study, “incentive motivation and is expressed as a tendency toward assertiveness, persistence, and achievement.” A more approachable definition would be that agentic extroverts are persistent and driven by success.
They love standing in the spotlight and aim for leadership positions if there is an opportunity. Still, they are not necessarily qualified as they often forget about other people.
How can you tell you are an extrovert?
Here you can find ten common signs that might define you being an extrovert.
- You are working well in group environments.
- You can remember faces and names quickly.
- You prefer spending most of your time with others.
- You enjoy speaking publicly.
- You are confident in social settings.
- You are an easy communicator with various people.
- You might like to assist others with difficulties.
- You are straightforward and may be charismatic.
- You have many friends, and friendships are vital for you.
- You like to take charge in situations.
The strength of extroverts
Extroverts are often perceived as having it way easier in their life, and strangely enough, I know many people who would love to become more extroverted than they are now. And… there is a way to work on yourself. But more on that in my article about how to become extroverted.
Introverts vs. Extroverts, and Ambiverts – a conclusion
When we talk about introverts vs. extroverts, we should not forget about the third group. There are also ambiverts, which “make up 68% of the population,” according to Barry Smith, director of the Laboratories of Human Psychophysiology at the University of Maryland.
That group is a good mix of being introverted and extroverted at the same time. Their personality can show up in different situations in their life. According to him, ambiverts make up roughly 68% of the population.
So, chances are very high that you belong to the group of ambiverts. Maybe you have a dominant side, but most likely, you may not be 100% introverted or extroverted.
