Who/What are Social Introverts? Who/What are Social Extroverts?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an introvert is defined as "a shy person; a quiet person who does not find it easy to talk to other people."  Conversely, an extrovert is defined as "a friendly person who likes being with and talking to other people; an outgoing person."  In reality, nobody is a pure introvert or a pure extrovert; belonging to one of these extremes inevitably could lead one down a path of headaches and self-destruction.  However, most functioning members of society tend toward one side of the spectrum or the other.  Whereas most individuals are introverts and/or extroverts at varying degrees (yes, one can be an introvert at one moment and an extrovert at the next), we still seem, somehow, to coexist in society.  As a self-described introvert, I am searching for the leading factors behind one's identification as either a social introvert or extrovert.  While some experts claim that such identification is a result of nature, or genetics, others dictates that it is a result of nurture, or environment.  I want to interpret for myself to see what the leading factors seem to be, and then I want to afterwards be able to investigate the thoughts and mental processes behind the behaviors of these two groups.  Why do introverts generally choose to keep to themselves?  Why do extroverts find the need to associate with the rest of society?  Moreover, I want to find out how the behaviors of members among these two groups vary depending on situation (group situation where friends are present, group situation where no friends are present, situation in which one is alone), and how society perceives the roles and importance of these two groups.  Personally, I currently feel that being a social introvert or extrovert may be a combination between nature versus nurture, that extroverts generally crave, if not, require more social attention than introverts, placing fewer restrictions on their behavior, that introverts may be found to exhibit similar qualities to extroverts when surrounded by friends, and that society generally favors social extroverts over introverts, even though one group is no more important than the other in value.  As I look deeper into these topics, I hope to be able to understand both social introverts and extroverts not only for the reasons behind their behaviors, but for the thoughts that run through their heads and their perceived roles in society.  I will continually update by blog as I receive the latest information and collect the most recent data from my research studies.  If you would like to learn more about the research methods that I plan to apply and the experts that I plan to consult, the other pages on this blog ("Research," "Mentors") will direct you to more in-depth explanations of my project.  I hope that my audience will learn alongside me and will appreciate the behavioral differences in introverts and extroverts as I take this journey into the world of social interactions, or the lack thereof.

Also, if you want to watch an excellent TED Talk detailing the strengths and powers of introverts, as well as the need in society for these individuals to receive recognition, please watch the twelfth video in the playlist on this website, shared with me by my English teacher (thank you, Ms. Hetrick!):
http://www.ted.com/playlists/171/the_most_popular_talks_of_all

The Start of My Research

Since settling on the topic of behavioral differences between social introverts and extroverts and their roles in society, I have started considering the methods through which I plan to conduct my research.  Although nothing is finalized yet, I believe that the research for this project will be carried out in a three-step process.  The first step of this process is research through literature.  By looking through behavioral genetics textbooks and studies investigating the factors behind the behavioral differences of the two groups, I hope to eventually be able to ascertain as to whether social introverts and extroverts are created by their environments or by their genetic makeup, or by a combination of the two (nature vs. nurture).  In this respect, I hope that by contacting experts in the field of behavioral genetics I will be able to consult with others who have an adequate understanding of the subject matter.  The second step of this research process is research through survey.  I plan to distribute surveys out to mass groups of people (students as well as adults), questioning what their definition of an introvert or an extrovert is, asking how they would identify if tasked with choosing one group to relate to, inquiring what thoughts go through their heads when they are forced into a group setting, examining how they would respond to different situations, and looking into their perceptions of both introverts and extroverts and of their usefulness to society.  By conducting this step in the research, I hope to better recognize the differences between social introverts and extroverts, to better understand and sympathize with the two groups, and to better evaluate their use in society, as viewed from society's perspective.  The third step of this research process is research through observation.  While this step in the research process is tentative and may or may not be carried out because confounding factors may be involved and because I may fail to record the data accurately, I hope to gain permission from some teachers to observe their students during class and to record their responses to different societal situations (identifying them as introverts and extroverts) and any apparent treatment of introverts and extroverts in the class setting.  If this step in the research process is conducted successfully, I may be able to learn how and why the two groups act under different situations and what their treatment is by their peers, who merely serve as miniature pre-adults.  In order to receive effective results and conduct my research in an efficient process, I still must brainstorm and plan for an extensive period of time before any of these steps in the research process can be considered finalized.  However, I hope that I will have my research through literature underway and my first survey designed before the end of next week.  I will continue to update this blog with posts as I reach nearer to the different steps in the research process and begin to realize/understand new things and produce results.

Mentor(s)

One of the best ways to learn about an unfamiliar subject is to speak with others who share a similar interest in the topic and already have an adequate understanding of the matter, or at a least a base understanding of its components.  Throughout the period in which this project is to be conducted, I plan to contact/collaborate with several experts in the fields of behavioral genetics and human relations.  By meeting with multiple experts, not only will I develop a more coherent understanding of the behavioral differences between social introverts and extroverts as a result of the reinforced instruction by these individuals, but I will also be able to look into their differing opinions of matters and interpret for myself as to how I should think critically about some subjects.  In order to cultivate the greatest understanding of the factors behind being a social introvert or extrovert, as well as of the mental processes of introverts and extroverts and their roles in society, qualified individuals from the fields of both behavioral genetics and human relations, in addition to others possibly, will be consulted so that they may explain phenomena to me and lend their own interpretation of results from studies conducted throughout the course of the project.

My primary mentor for this project will be Dr. John Peles, Ph. D., a professor in biology that teaches behavioral genetics at the Greater Allegheny campus of Penn State University.  Dr. Peles has agreed to share his interpretation of data produced from the upcoming research studies and to help me better understand the concept of "nature vs. nurture" in the context of the behavior of introverts and extroverts, as well as to aid me in finding connections with other faculty at Penn State Greater Allegheny who may be able to serve as additional mentors.  My father, along with his colleagues, should be able to help me understand the factors behind the differences in social introverts and extroverts (environment or genetics?), and other co-workers at his campus should be able to help me recognize the roles that introverts and extroverts hold in society.  With more information forthcoming, I will be sure to update this post and page whenever I begin to contact more individuals in regards to serving as mentors on this project, and as I begin to consult their intelligence in interpreting data.

Twenty-Percent Project Possible Topics

EDIT:  For my AP English Literature & Composition (AP English II) class, students must create a Twenty-Percent Project related/specific to an interest.  The following are five possible topics/subjects for my Twenty-Percent Project for the class:

1.)     Why do people choose to reject religion?  Why do others choose to switch from one religion to another/Why do others choose one religion over another?  Why do individuals of religions sometimes portray feelings of hostility?  Do the majority of the members of a church truly accept the values of that church?  Do some values differ between members and leaders of the church?  Are there any genetic/mental factors that drive these differences between individuals?

2.)     Why do social introverts and extroverts behave the way that they do in group situations?  What thoughts run through their heads in different group situations?   Do their behaviors draw influence from nature or from nurture (experience)?

3.)    Why do dogs (usually) report to their owners when their name is called, and why do they keep a normal routine (recognizing timeframes for sleeping and eating)?  Do they still obey individuals calling their name, even if those individuals are not their owners?  What drives the factors behind their recognition of routine/tradition?

4.)     Why do individuals decide to join a branch of the armed forces?  After their term(s) of service, do most individuals still recognize that these reasons were valid for their participation?  During their term(s) of service, do most individuals continue to serve for the same reasons?  Is there a certain genetic/mental factor that drives these individuals to join the armed forces?

5.)     What are the effects of aluminum on crayfish metabolism?  Why do varying aluminum concentration levels affect crayfish metabolism?  (This was a research study I considered conducting this past summer so that I could add it to my credentials for college and to my resume for later job interviews.)

            EDIT:  To clarify my interest in Topic 5, I find chemistry to be extremely fascinating.  After completing undergraduate and graduate school, I hope to either find a job as a chemical engineer or as a pharmacist (I am currently planning on completing a major in chemical engineering and some graduate degree in pharmacy).  In addition, I have been considering biochemistry and molecular biology as a possible minor in college.  There are so many scientific fields to explore, and I would like to learn as much as possible.  So as to increase my chances of being accepted into graduate school, I was planning on conducting the study on crayfish with the guidance of my father, a professor at Penn State, so that I could begin to add published works/studies to my resume.  The crayfish would have been relatively easy to work with, and the tests that I would have had to conduct would have been relatively simple to carry.  If I do decide to carry out a study of this caliber, however, it likely now will relate to a new (yet similar) topic, as crayfish are difficult to get at this time of the year.