I believe that all human nature lies on a spectrum which includes everything from likes and dislikes, to personality traits and temperaments. By and large, humans are social creatures and we need each other to survive as a species. However, there is a difference in how much social interaction we each prefer and/or need. For those that lie close to the end of Introversion, it can be daunting to function in a world that seems to be made for extroverts.
If you know someone who is an introvert, it might feel confusion or frustrating when they become irritable in social situations or need to leave early. Let’s look at Introversion and what it is
Here is an image for those that like visuals.
As you see on this line, there is a spectrum going in each direction. There are people who lie closer to either end, and there are people who are closer to the middle. The closer you are towards the introvert end, the more likely you are to display the following traits:
Social Interaction
- Has only a few close friends and are often mistaken for lacking social skills and being antisocial neither are true.
- Does more listening than talking making them excellent listeners
- Seems to be in their own world
- Prefers to talk about deep conversations and dislikes “small talk”.
- Tend to be quiet which is mistaken for shyness.
- When introverts are tired, in a large group, or if too much is going on, they may show little animation, with little facial expression or body movement.
- Need time to think before speaking
Social Preferences
- Likes solitary activities, like reading, or activities with only a few people
- Likes to spend time by themselves to “recharge”.
- Tends to gravitate towards one on one interactions rather than being the center of attention even if it’s positive.
- Prefers to have a plan when going out that is predictable and has an “exit” strategy
Emotions
- May get irritable after spending a lot of time around other people
- Feel emotionally drained after spending time with others, especially strangers.
- Is more reserved about personal details
- Highly sensitive to their environment and the emotions of other people
- Introverts are also rather territorial. They dislike sharing space with others for too long and may find house guests intrusive.
Other Traits and Preferences
- Introverts can concentrate intensely on a book or project for a long time if they find it interesting and like to explore subjects deeply and thoroughly.
- Introverts are highly aware of their inner world of perceptions, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and feelings. They are also highly aware of their surroundings, noticing details that others don’t see.
- Introverts also favor consistency over change, and cope with change best when they know ahead of time what to expect and have enough time to prepare for it.
If you are an introvert, it doesn’t mean that you display all of these traits, it just means there is a higher chance you do. Understanding yourself or your fellow introvert is the best way to accept and support yourself and others. The most important thing to realize is that we are all different and that being an introvert, extrovert, or in the middle comes with their own strengths.