Progress Report on My Presentation

 My time is almost up.  ("Deadline for Filing")

Near the middle of April, my presentation on the behavioral differences between introverts and extroverts is due.  Currently, I have not found the opportunity yet to actually begin working on my presentation, but I do have a general idea for how I would like to structure it.  For the beginning of my presentation, I want to address the myths surrounding introversion and extraversion and ask my audience to reevaluate their current beliefs about the two groups.  Following this, I plan to explain the theorized causes behind the differences between introverts and extroverts as well as the perspectives through which researchers attempt to identify an individual as an introvert or an extrovert.  This part of my presentation will include topics such as the biological perspective on extraversion, the trait-based perspective on extraversion, and the correlation and interaction between genotype and environment in respect to an individual's behavior(s) and trait(s).  After detailing what introverts and extroverts are, the final part of my presentation will be dedicated to the social implications and real-life applications of introversion and extraversion.  Not only will I attempt to describe how introverts and extroverts can adjust to a world that may not always be ideal for their given dispositions and how these groups can actually accommodate for each other, but I also plan on highlighting the strengths and benefits that individuals in the respective groups have/retain.  I feel as if my project will mean nothing if we can only learn to understand ourselves without applying this newfound knowledge to improve our lives and overall self-concepts.

Sometimes, individuals have to reevaluate their beliefs about a subject.  (Miss O)

An additional part of my presentation will be focused on the personality test that I am composing.  The survey that I created in January is all but dead in the water, mostly because I never really marketed it and encouraged others to respond to it.  In the coming month, I plan on pushing to get more participants in my survey, from which I may include my findings in my presentation, but this success is not guaranteed.  However, while researching introversion and extraversion over the past five months, I noticed that most personality tests that address this/these subject(s) make the mistake of regarding shyness as a synonym for introversion.  As explained previously, introverts can be shy individuals, and individuals who are introverts may share similar common behaviors with individuals who are shy, but the true definition of an introvert is an individual who typically has a lower capacity for arousal relative to extroverts.  I feel that such personality tests are misinformative, and, moreover, that they display the fact that society really does not know the true meaning of the terms introversion and extraversion, which we then inadvertently describe incorrectly to other individuals as well.  Therefore, because of my connections through my father, I have scheduled a meeting with Dr. Margaret Signorella, a professor of psychology at Pennsylvania State University, for Monday, March 23, where I plan on presenting her with my ideas for a self-designed personality test specifically focused on introversion and extraversion.  I hope that she may be able to review my draft and give me the needed advice so that I may shortly after publish a valid, accurate test of an individual's level of extraversion (or lack thereof) online.  My plan is to accompany this personality test with an explanation of the true dimensions of introversion and extraversion, and my overall goal is to get my message out about the subject and have a resource that will improve other individuals' understandings of it.  In doing so, I feel that my mission to somehow contribute to society through this project will be accomplished.

(Carlson)

My work on my presentation should begin very soon.  Unfortunately, however, this also signals that my work on this blog should end very soon.  I continue to look forward to uncovering more mysteries about the introvert-extrovert divide in the coming month.



Works Cited:
Carlson, Chris.  "Personality Tests - All Hype or the Answer?"  PipelineDeals.  Pipeline Deals, 24 Feb. 2015.  Web.  20 Mar. 2015.
"Deadline for Filing."  Padgett Business Services.  Hudson Valley Tax Pros, n.d.  Web.  20 Mar. 2015.
Miss O.  "A Different Perspective."  Meet Miss O.  The Theme Foundry, n.d.  Web.  20 Mar. 2015.