While hearing the terms introvert and extrovert may make you think of whether someone is shy and quiet or more outgoing and social, there’s much more to each personality type, including how an individual processes the world around him or her.
Well-known psychologist Carl Jung first coined the terms in the early 1900s to describe how people get or expend their energy. There are conflicting findings regarding the ratio of introverts to extroverts, with some results indicating more individuals are introverted and others showing that there are more extroverts. Dallas resident Drew Mbiam, who said he has more of an introverted personality, believes that he values self-reflection and his alone time, rather than focusing on what’s happening externally, as a result of early life experiences.
“Something happens when we’re kids that causes us to either depend on ourselves or think that people aren’t useless and can help us out,” he said.
On the complete opposite end of the introvert-extrovert spectrum is Dallas-area resident Josh Odegard, who enjoys large social gatherings and said he becomes energized by being around people.
“I almost feel like I am being drained when I’m alone,” he said. “I’ve worked in an office alone without any other in-person human interaction for the last 20+ years, so when I get off of work, the last thing I want is to be alone even more. I love finding something to do with others, and the human interaction makes me feel motivated. On days when I’m not working but still alone, I get bored very quickly and usually feel unmotivated to do anything.”
Not everyone falls into a specific side of the continuum, though. In fact, much research has shown that a vast majority of individuals are actually ambiverts, having characteristics of both introverts and extroverts. Montana resident Karen Brinkmann, who considers herself an ambivert, said she thinks it’s most likely that individuals are born with certain personality types, and for an ambivert, the feelings of needing stimulation from others or finding energy from introspection is often contingent upon various factors.
“I think that certain situations might bring out more or less of introversion or extroversion,” she said. “For example, at the beginning of the pandemic, I felt more cautious and worried and tended to be more introverted. By the end, though, I was dying for interaction with others and was more inclined to seek out social settings where there were lots of people.”
Though stereotypes and assumptions should not be made, there are often common traits and inclinations among individuals who have similar responses to social situations and stimuli from everyday life. Brinkmann said she has noticed that people’s tendencies to be more outgoing or more reserved are connected to certain other characteristics.
“Introverts, in my experience, tend to be introspective and deep thinkers,” she said. “Extroverts seem to be confident and easygoing."
Odegard has seen similar behavior, though he said he also believes that sometimes one’s personality that results from his or her reaction to social surroundings isn’t always defined by that individual.
“I think that a person’s extroversion or introversion can shape their personality—or at least other people’s perceptions of their personality,” Odegard said. “Introverts who need a lot of alone time can sometimes be perceived as shy, distant, or even unfriendly.”
Not everyone is of the same mindset, though. Mbiam said he does not believe that a large part of a person’s personality is derived from whether or not he or she is an introvert or extrovert.
“People can be outspoken or quiet nerds, loud or silent while being adventurous, and so on and so forth,” he said. “Being an introvert or extrovert is more like a personality enhancer or seasoning, instead of the main dish.”
One may wonder how these personality types interact in relationships and what levels of compatibility individuals who are energized by people and socialization have with those who need quieter settings and feel a bit drained after being in crowds.
“I think introverts and extroverts are compatible, and it always seems like introverts and extroverts end up as couples,” Brinkmann said. “It’s probably part of the ‘opposites attract’ theory.”
Odegard, however, said he has dated several extroverts and introverts and believes that it’s often better for people to be with those who are more like them. He said those who are a mix of introvert and extrovert, however, can likely have successful relationships with anyone.
“If two introverts get together, they can each have enough alone time while satisfying their partner’s need for the same, and two extroverts will probably enjoy going out and being around other people equally enough to be a good match,” he said. “However, if an extreme introvert ends up with an extreme extrovert, I think that could cause issues between them, like one partner wanting to go out a lot, while the other doesn’t. Over time, one of them could end up getting annoyed or even resenting their partner, even to the point that the relationship ends because of it.”
Mbiam said he doesn’t think there’s a clear-cut way to know whether an introvert and extrovert are compatible and believes that it should be viewed on more of a case-by-case basis.
“It’s like cooking,” he said. “People can find they like a certain amount of introversion or extroversion. Whatever works for one person depends on what they are looking for in a partner.”
WEEKLY PHOTO OP
.jpg)
Runners from throughout the metroplex enjoyed last week’s TNSR 2024 Spring Quarterly