The Lowdown on Introverts—and a Quiz You Can Take to Learn More!

We are told that introverts are inward looking, and prefer their own company, extroverts are outward looking, and love the company of others. If only it was that simple!

In fact, introverts and extroverts do have those characteristics, but just as with many things human, those traits appear on a scale. You can be mostly introvert, with some extroverted traits, or mostly extrovert, with some introverted traits.

Basically, introverts gain energy from spending time alone—it’s as if they need to ‘refuel’ themselves from a source of vitality inside them. When in the company of others, especially in a stimulating environment, they become drained of energy.

Extroverts, on the other hand, thrive when among people, and become renewed and re-energized in environments that are stimulating. They become depleted if they spend too much time alone.

I’ve always thought that there are slightly fewer introverts than extroverts in our population—but recent studies say the balance is closer to 50/ 50. Perhaps it’s just that extroverts are more noticeable!

It’s also likely that with introverts being less public in their behavior, the extrovert way of relating is the most readily accepted and understood. Which is why people sometimes lose patience with the introvert, and don’t accommodate their idiosyncracies.

Introverts are a puzzle to others

The introvert’s strong desire for solitude is particularly puzzling and irritating, especially in close relationships. It is hard sometimes, to understand why the person you are living with wants so much time alone, and away from you.

But there are good reasons for this, as Michaela Chung (in her blog, Introvert Spring), explains:

“An introvert’s desire for solitude is more than just a preference. It is crucial to our health and happiness. We need time alone to restore ourselves. Introverts are pressured to push ourselves in social situations to the point of exhaustion.

But when we give ourselves permission to seek the solitude we crave, life becomes lighter. Social situations are more bearable. Even annoying small talk is easier to endure when we’ve fortified ourselves with solitude.”

Going deeper into personality types

Categorizing people into introvert and extrovert types, however, is a rough, generalized explanation of personalities and how we behave. There is so much more, some of which can be discovered through the Myers-Briggs personality tests. Here are the acronyms for 8 of the categories, followed by an explanation for the order of the letters.

• The Inspector – ISTJ Personality.
• The Counselor – INFJ Personality.
• The Mastermind – INTJ Personality.
• The Idealist – INFP Personality.
• The Giver – ENFJ Personality.
• The Provider – ESFJ Personality.
• The Supervisor – ESTJ Personality.
• The Visionary – ENTP Personality.

1. The 1st letter of the acronym represents introverted or extroverted.
2. The 2nd letter stands for intuitive or sensing
3. The 3rd letter is for thinking or feeling, and
4. The 4th letter represents judging or perceiving.

The order of importance unfolds in this way: First letter is dominant, second letter is auxiliary, third letter is tertiary (of 3rd rank), fourth letter is inferior. Putting it all together, INTJ stands for Introverted, intuitive, Thinking, Judging.

The rarest type is extremely intuitive

There are many descriptions online about each personality type. But since the rarest type is INFJ, comprising only1.5% of the general population, this unique category is worth examining. Here is one analysis from a site which reflects the views of Carl G. Jung, and Isabel Briggs Myers:

“INFJs are gentle, caring, complex and highly intuitive individuals. They are artistic and creative, they live in a world of hidden meanings and possibilities. They know things intuitively, without being able to pinpoint why, and without detailed knowledge of the subject at hand.”

Here’s a test you can take right now

If you have never taken the test, or if you have, but want it confirmed, you can take it here. I’ve taken it twice, with different email addresses, and it returned exactly the same result. I also asked my husband (who knows his type) to test it out, which he did. His results were emailed to him, and were accurate. So I trust this test, and this site.

Here it is. You can take it, submit your email, and they will send you a result within 5 minutes or so. A caution here—you may be asked to submit a Google password, but it isn’t necessary in order to complete the test, so don’t do it. Also, you may be asked to buy something. Don’t do that either. Email should be sufficient.

Some cautions about personality tests

In using this scale, or any other system of personality analysis, always keep in mind that you weren’t born with a complete set of personality traits. Rather, our personalities are formed within the context of many other influences such as early childhood experiences and cultural expectations.

Also, people can change as they mature. As Jessica Stillman writing for Inc.com, (Why You Should Stop Asking ‘What’s Your Personality Type?’) says:

“People can and do change based on both immediate circumstance and broader changes in the context of their lives. Expecting yourself -or others -always to act in accordance with a ‘type’ can be limiting.”

I’ll leave you with this, a blog especially for introverts. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Happy testing! I find this subject fascinating, so watch my blog for more!