(Cooper)
Too often, while reading my blog posts after publishing them, I feel as if I have put too much of a focus on introverts and not enough focus on extroverts. In essence, I myself seem to be a hypocrite; I preach to a society that (supposedly) favors extroverts about how it should understand both groups (introverts and extroverts), yet the majority of my blog posts favor introverts. Moreover, I have neglected to explain ambiverts and their presence in society. Given that the majority of the population is arguably composed of ambiverts but this is the group that society writes off (most individuals have only ever heard of the introvert and the extrovert; the ambivert is a foreign term for an individual whom these people assume society already has a general understanding of), I feel the need to dedicate at least some additional time to this group as well. Therefore, this post will focus mainly on extroverts and ambiverts, although I may add references concerning introverts at random instances. As a side note, I thank those of you whom have participated in my survey thus far (so far, other than myself, a whopping total of one individual), and I ask those of you whom have not yet participated to please take some time at any point and give your opinion(s). The link for the survey can be found immediately below this block of text.
Whereas most of my focus has been on introverts in my blog posts, it is also a necessity for society to understand extroverts. When society takes time to analyze the two groups, it often takes introverts to be tormented souls tortured either by shyness or, in the case of the actual definition of an introvert, by the excess of stimuli in their environment, while extroverts are assumed to generally be happy individuals who, at times, are pushy and conceited. Thus, extroverts are actually often pushed into the background when studying the two groups, as sympathy for introverts brings in bias. However, in many instances, nothing could be further from the truth concerning the common assumption that society has about extroverts. In order to truly understand the behavioral differences between introverts and extroverts, society must actually recognize what an extrovert is and what the real explanation for their action(s) is. As discussed in prior posts, the definition of an extrovert is an individual who gains energy from other people. If they spend too much time alone, extroverts may actually feel as if their energy is being sapped, and the only remedy for recharging is social interaction. In essence, extroverts soak up the various stimuli around them as a means of arousal for recharging (which is in stark contrast to introverts, who require less stimuli and can actually become overwhelmed if their environment is too bustling). This in itself helps to explain the actions of that kid in your class who can never seem to be quiet. They may not necessarily be conceited, and it is doubtful that they are trying to be rude, but they are simply attempting to take in as much stimulus as possible. Given that individual must need their basic needs for survival/comfortable living, they cannot necessarily be blamed for their action(s), not should be given misconceived labels. According to 1960s psychologist Hans Eysenck, extroverts have a lower basic rate of arousal than introverts or ambiverts, meaning that they are more alert and stimulated with a copious amount of stimulus, even if the same amount overwhelms an introvert. In a way, extroverts may be the "tortured souls," given that they require more stimulus than in introvert does in order to stay at the same normal level of functionality and performance. The graph pictured below demonstrates this idea, in that extroverts must achieve a higher arousal potential than introverts just to function at the same hedonic tone.
Extroverts require a higher level of arousal potential than introverts before they can reach the hedonic tone of optimal levels of response and learning (Cooper).
Other times, you may find that an extrovert acts quicker on whim than they do on reason. This is not necessarily because extroverts are careless or frivolous, but they are affected than a different neurotransmitter than introverts, and the pathway that they use to process stimuli and information is much shorter. Dopamine, the primary neurotransmitter in extroverts, stimulates and excites the senses moreso than acetylcholine, the primary neurotransmitter in introverts, which promotes reason and rationality, does. This is not to say that extroverts are dumber than introverts, but they simply make more capricious decisions because their neural pathways are shorter, meaning that information is processed quicker and by effect they act quicker, and because this pathway is activated by dopamine rather than acetylcholine, exciting and stimulating the brain. As a result, extroverts will take more risks because they live more in the moment than introverts and are excited into action, often with little time to consider the rewards or consequences.
To reiterate the causes behind behaviors in extroverts, they seem to be more outgoing and are more involved in society because they need their "fill" for energy. They may seem conceited, shallow, narcissistic, etc. (and some extroverts very well do fit these descriptions, as do some introverts), but their actions are actually outlets through which they communicate their need for social interaction. A common analogy that individuals have used to described the contrast between extroverts and introverts is "extroverts are to introverts as left-handed is to right-handed." Like introverts, extroverts act on their need for social interaction and stimulation. Over time, they may become more comfortable with their actions, which turn into habit, and constantly involve themselves in society. An action that you might see as rude and shallow (constantly dominating class conversation) might be viewed by them as an effort to acquire social interaction and extra stimulus, an effort that they eventually feel comfortable with enough that they apply at most moments. Below is a "care guide" for peers of extroverts, detailing their needs, and thus the motives behind their actions.
(Cooper)
After recognizing some of the common behavioral causes for extroverts, there are also several myths and misconceptions about them that must be debunked so that society can better respect them and further realize the motives and explanations behind their behaviors. For example, most individuals, after reading the prior explanations in this post and thinking about extroverts in the real world, may deem that extroverts are needy, as they constantly need attention and stimulation in order to stay aroused. This, however, is not the case. Like introverts, extroverts need their alone time as well, but this "alone time" does not actually necessitate that the extrovert must be alone (huh?). Extroverts need time to wind down like everyone else, but they also need to constantly feel socially involved. Therefore, their alone time often takes place in a public location, where the extrovert is not in the company of others (meaning that they are not talking to anyone), but there are others around them. As a result, extroverts handle their alone time so that they can settle down and catch up with life, but by making sure that they are at least in someone else's presence (although not their company), they still feel stimulated and aroused from the conversations around them. As an example, an extrovert may spend their alone time at a coffee shop, where they can have their alone time but still acknowledge the presence of others around them. A second common myth about extroverts is that they are bossy, created by the fact that they are so spontaneous, ambitious, and outgoing. Because extroverts do not need as much time to process information, they often pounce on an idea or concept, and due to the fact that they are outgoing and friendly (these characteristics are developed as they pursue social interaction), they often seem to dominating. Most extroverts are not necessarily bossy, but the spontaneity of their actions and the ambition of their character leads them to take charge, which others can perceive as bossiness. The third instance of a misconception concerning extroverts is the stereotype of the typical "drama queen/king." Members of society often assume that as soon as an extrovert/outgoing individual communicates the idea that they are sad, distressed, depressed, angry, frustrated, etc., they must be a drama queen/king. The fact of the matter, however, is that no individual can always be happy; it is not humanly to possible to always be in a good mood (even if one a externalizes positive mood at all times, they will always have instances of negative feelings on the inside). Because extroverts still need stimulation, they continue to interact with society, even if they may be hurting. As a result, others often presume that these individuals are just being dramatic, supposedly giving up when one little thing does not go their way, although this is not usually the case. A fourth myth about extroverts is that they are shallow. As one individual explains it though, extroverts very well are capable of introspection. Because extroverts do pursue social interaction, their thought process may relay all thoughts before reaching the final, "mature" comment that others expect. In contrast, introverts will usually sit and think these "shallow thoughts" before actually communicating a similar developed comment. Therefore, the real issue is not that extroverts think shallowly (we all do in the process of coming upon a comment), but they allow others to see their thought process, so they come off as shallow. Another aspect to this is that extroverts, when communicating with strangers and mere acquaintances, seem to only provide shallow comments. However, as the same individual from before explains it, an individual does not expect a stranger or mere acquaintance to come up to them and start talking about quantum physics, psychology, integral calculus, etc. Rather, as extroverts have more social interactions with strangers than do other individuals, given their need for stimulation, they come off as shallow because they are unsure of what topics to bring up. Finally, the last misconception is that all extroverts are shallow, narcissistic, self-centered individuals. Conversely, however, most extroverts all willing to be good listeners if the other individual(s) in the conversation contribute. Otherwise, they are forced to take control of the conversation, and, to avoid awkwardness, they talk about themselves, as you are the topic that you know the most about and have the most ease to talk about. Granted for some extroverts, these myths and misconceptions are true, but by and large, they are inaccurate and falsified when considering the actual general nature of extroverts.
For the time being, I am only going to discuss ambiverts in passing, as my overall focus is the behavioral differences between introverts and extroverts. However, because the majority of society is composed of ambiverts, I still feel the need to discuss their behaviors and impact on society. When psychologist Carl G. Jung first coined the terms "introvert" and "extravert" ("extravert" later changed to "extrovert" over time), he referred to the extreme ends of the social spectrum, in that introverts were individuals who could not function whatsoever in the company of others and extroverts were individual who could not function whatsoever without the company of others. Thus, everybody else in society was referred to as "ambiverts," in that they maintained a healthy balance of introversion and extroversion. However, as history progressed, the boundaries for these terms loosened, in that the term "introverts" eventually came to refer to individuals who had difficulty with social interactions while the term "extroverts" eventually came to refer to individuals who were comfortable/adept with social interactions. For the intent of simplicity, I will use the terms as society knows them today, which means, by effect, that I will refer to ambiverts as those who really do have a relative balance between introversion and extroversion. Realistically, however, most normal members of society of ambiverts according to Jung's original definitions, and a large amount are still also considered ambiverts according to society's current standards. In general, ambiverts enjoy both alone time (solitude and quiet) and society (the company of others), but too much of either objects for too long will drain them of their energy. Therefore, ambiverts generally require a mix of both objects/concepts in order to function at their best. As a result, ambiverts are generally social individuals (although not to the same extent as most extroverts), but they also need their alone time to rewind and relax (although not to the same extent as most introverts).
Often, ambiverts are taken for granted in society. People take notice of introverts because they sympathize for them and feel bad, and they take notice of extroverts because they usually form the forefront of society. Even psychologists specifically focus on these two groups because they are the more interesting of the three (introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts). However, according to Jung, ambiverts are the "most numerous" in society, while they are also the "less differentiated normal" men. In essence, society pays attention to introverts and extroverts because they express certain fascinating traits that are not present in ambiverts, the "boring" group of individuals who exhibit "no" personal traits or leanings. Moreover, society decides that the role(s) of ambiverts is/are self-explanatory, as they do make up the majority of the nation and are considered to be a blend between the other two groups. In the process, however, society neglects to pay attention to ambiverts altogether, which could be detrimental, given that they do make up society's majority and exhibit special skills and traits not present in introverts and extroverts. Generally, ambiverts are considered to be the most flexible, emotionally stable, intuitive, and influential individuals, as they are less rigid and more social than introverts and less stubborn and more restrained than extroverts. In fact, ambiverts are currently defying stereotypes that society had long held as fact. For the longest time, it was believed that extroverts made the best salespeople, given that they were the most engaging and outgoing. However, in recent studies, it has been found that ambiverts twenty-four percent more sales than extroverts per hour. Because ambiverts are seen as less pushy and stubborn than extroverts while exhibiting more restrain and maturity, ambiverts obviously do make a good case for being ideal salespeople. As demonstrated in this instance, ambiverts hold a great value to society, even if they never receive the majority of the focus in a study.
Once again, please participate in my survey if you find a moment, and please also share it with your friends. Thank you.
Works Cited:
Almquist, Heather Kramer. "An Extrovert Living in an Introvert World." Sanctuary Counseling. Sanctuary Counseling, LLC., 10 Jun. 2014. Web. 23 Jan. 2015.
Cooper, Belle Beth. "22 Tips To Better Care for Introverts and Extroverts." Buffer Social. Buffer, 15 Aug. 2013. Web. 23 Jan. 2015.
Kim, Larry. "Why Ambiverts Are More Successful and Influential Than Extroverts." Inc. Mansueto Ventures, 1 Oct. 2014. Web. 23 Jan. 2015.
There is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert. Such a person would be in the lunatic asylum.
– Carl G Jung
For the time being, I am only going to discuss ambiverts in passing, as my overall focus is the behavioral differences between introverts and extroverts. However, because the majority of society is composed of ambiverts, I still feel the need to discuss their behaviors and impact on society. When psychologist Carl G. Jung first coined the terms "introvert" and "extravert" ("extravert" later changed to "extrovert" over time), he referred to the extreme ends of the social spectrum, in that introverts were individuals who could not function whatsoever in the company of others and extroverts were individual who could not function whatsoever without the company of others. Thus, everybody else in society was referred to as "ambiverts," in that they maintained a healthy balance of introversion and extroversion. However, as history progressed, the boundaries for these terms loosened, in that the term "introverts" eventually came to refer to individuals who had difficulty with social interactions while the term "extroverts" eventually came to refer to individuals who were comfortable/adept with social interactions. For the intent of simplicity, I will use the terms as society knows them today, which means, by effect, that I will refer to ambiverts as those who really do have a relative balance between introversion and extroversion. Realistically, however, most normal members of society of ambiverts according to Jung's original definitions, and a large amount are still also considered ambiverts according to society's current standards. In general, ambiverts enjoy both alone time (solitude and quiet) and society (the company of others), but too much of either objects for too long will drain them of their energy. Therefore, ambiverts generally require a mix of both objects/concepts in order to function at their best. As a result, ambiverts are generally social individuals (although not to the same extent as most extroverts), but they also need their alone time to rewind and relax (although not to the same extent as most introverts).
As shown here, according to psychologist Carl Jung, one was not an introvert or an extrovert unless they fell to the extremes on the spectrum. Rather, most individuals are ambiverts, although they may have some introvert or extrovert functions (Cooper).
Often, ambiverts are taken for granted in society. People take notice of introverts because they sympathize for them and feel bad, and they take notice of extroverts because they usually form the forefront of society. Even psychologists specifically focus on these two groups because they are the more interesting of the three (introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts). However, according to Jung, ambiverts are the "most numerous" in society, while they are also the "less differentiated normal" men. In essence, society pays attention to introverts and extroverts because they express certain fascinating traits that are not present in ambiverts, the "boring" group of individuals who exhibit "no" personal traits or leanings. Moreover, society decides that the role(s) of ambiverts is/are self-explanatory, as they do make up the majority of the nation and are considered to be a blend between the other two groups. In the process, however, society neglects to pay attention to ambiverts altogether, which could be detrimental, given that they do make up society's majority and exhibit special skills and traits not present in introverts and extroverts. Generally, ambiverts are considered to be the most flexible, emotionally stable, intuitive, and influential individuals, as they are less rigid and more social than introverts and less stubborn and more restrained than extroverts. In fact, ambiverts are currently defying stereotypes that society had long held as fact. For the longest time, it was believed that extroverts made the best salespeople, given that they were the most engaging and outgoing. However, in recent studies, it has been found that ambiverts twenty-four percent more sales than extroverts per hour. Because ambiverts are seen as less pushy and stubborn than extroverts while exhibiting more restrain and maturity, ambiverts obviously do make a good case for being ideal salespeople. As demonstrated in this instance, ambiverts hold a great value to society, even if they never receive the majority of the focus in a study.
Once again, please participate in my survey if you find a moment, and please also share it with your friends. Thank you.
Works Cited:
Almquist, Heather Kramer. "An Extrovert Living in an Introvert World." Sanctuary Counseling. Sanctuary Counseling, LLC., 10 Jun. 2014. Web. 23 Jan. 2015.
Cooper, Belle Beth. "22 Tips To Better Care for Introverts and Extroverts." Buffer Social. Buffer, 15 Aug. 2013. Web. 23 Jan. 2015.
Kim, Larry. "Why Ambiverts Are More Successful and Influential Than Extroverts." Inc. Mansueto Ventures, 1 Oct. 2014. Web. 23 Jan. 2015.
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