Social types in our everyday lives: Introverts
Perhaps the word “introvert” conjures up an image of someone reading a book silently, or someone standing in solitude in a large group setting.
Put quite simply, introverts are those who gain more energy from inside themselves than from crowds.
Introversion is commonly associated with thoughtfulness, reservedness and appreciation of solitude, but the label “introvert” involves a broad spectrum of people, one-third to one-half of the population according to Susan Cain’s TEDtalk The Power of Introverts, and can not be used to apply a multitude of blanketing generalizations and descriptions to the very large and diverse group that it encompasses.
As a person who considers herself an introvert, I can assure you that this definition does not mean that introverts hate crowds, nor that we are completely uncomfortable in social situations.
Instead, it essentially means that introverts find more strength in solitude than in the outside world.
While this quality may make communication, self-confidence or social interaction more difficult encounters for some, the effect is not the same on everyone and neither is the prevalence of introversion, meaning that for many introverts, the tendency to appreciate alone time can have the adverse effect and make him or her more confident and personable when he or she is not alone.
In any case, the stereotypes surrounding introversion, or extroversion for that matter, are invalid because a small shared characteristic of a very large group of people does not guarantee that the group has a slew of other traits, habits and ideas in common. The relationship between extroversion and introversion is not black and white, but a full spectrum.
