Introversion isn't totally genetic. It gets influenced by your environment at a young age, and our genes allow a certain amount of flexibility in response. This happens through “set points,” which are the upper and lower limits of how much extroversion your brain can handle.
Causes of Introversion
Researchers have found that introverts have a higher blood flow to their frontal lobe than extroverts do. This part of the brain helps you remember things, solve problems, and plan ahead. Introvert brains also react differently to dopamine than extrovert brains do.
Introversion is genetic, and introverts will stay introverts for life (in fact, people tend to get even more introverted with age). This means — although your child may surprise you at times — he or she will generally always have a preference for calm, minimally stimulating environments (and ample alone time).
Introversion is a well-studied personality trait with 50% genetic causation. Dopamine system has been linked to the introversion-extroversion spectrum with high dopamine linked to introversion.
If a child grows up with mainly introverted parents and sees the pattern of them getting their energy by being alone, and taking time for themselves, they start to need that themselves. Being introverted develops over time and is greatly influenced by the environment around them.
Costa and McCrae's work has found that from about age 18 to 30, people tend to become more neurotic, more introverted, and less open to new experiences; they also tend to become more agreeable and more conscientious. After age 30, these same trends are seen, but the rate of change dips.
We can't change our DNA (at least not yet). If you're an introvert, you'll be one for life. You'll always have a general preference for calm, minimally stimulating environments and take joy in spending healthy time alone. And that's okay, because there's nothing wrong with being an introvert.
Introvert is formed from the prefix intro–, meaning “inwardly” or “within,” and the root vert, meaning “to turn” (as in invert). The concept of introversion and introverts (and other personality types) was popularized by psychologist Carl Jung in the early 1900s.
While introverts make up an estimated 25% to 40% of the population, there are still many misconceptions about this personality type. It is also important to note that being an introvert does not mean that you are socially anxious or shy.
In 2011, research by psychologists Jennifer Grimes, Jonathan Cheek, and Julie Norem broke introversion into four main types: social introvert, thinking introvert, anxious introvert, and restrained introvert.
For introverts, acetylcholine is where it's at
It powers our abilities to think deeply, reflect, and focus intensely on just one thing for a long period of time. It also helps explain why introverts like calm environments—it's easier to turn inward when we're not attending to external stimulation.
Introverts tend to experience more anticipatory anxiety and anxiety disorders than extroverts. Anxiety typically means your stress response is constantly activated, even if there's no clear cause for it.
Introverts are more likely to be effective leaders in organizations that encourage workers to contribute ideas. Introverts' listening skills may draw top results from their teams. 7 Introverts also are observant, noticing details and connections others may not—including contributions that other introverts can make.
On average, introverts and extroverts are the same in terms of intelligence. But statistics show that around 70% of gifted people are introverts. People are considered “gifted” when they exhibit above-average intelligence or a superior talent for something, such as music, art or math.
Independence. Unique and fiercely independent, introverts are more inclined to let their own inner resources guide them than follow the crowd. We do our best work — and are our happiest — when we have the freedom to explore ideas, spend time alone, and be self-directed and independent.
Usually shy and quiet, an introvert gets exhausted physically and drained mentally with too much of external interaction. It doesn't even matter if the gathering is formal or informal. It means the same for him, and has a similar effect. There are very peculiar character traits associated with introverts.
Key Takeaways
Introverts are generally more attuned to expressing love in nonverbal ways and don't tolerate sentimentality. They also need more time to express their affection, so patience is very important at the beginning of the relationship.
INFJ is the rarest personality type across the population, occurring in just 2% of the population. It is also the rarest personality type among men. INFJ stands for Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, and Judging. This unique combination is hard to find in most people.
Being an introvert is often considered weak. They aren't quite as good as the extroverts, who just seem to breeze through life. But that's not true, there is nothing wrong with being an introvert. The main problem is with society, which doesn't see it in the same way.
What is introversion? Introversion is a personality trait, not a mental health condition. Introverts get their energy from within, meaning they need a lot of alone time to recharge.
Not only is Einstein one of the most famous scientists in history, but he was also a known introvert. Leaning into his introverted nature, Einstein believed that his creativity and success came from keeping to himself. He said, “The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.”
If you started out very introverted, you may develop more extraverted traits later in life. Or you may consciously choose to develop your capacity for extraversion. But either way, it's not the same as being an Extravert.
Introverts can be perfectly happy on their own, or terribly lonely in a crowd. A lot of the time, introverts need solitude and quiet to recharge themselves. This can make it harder for them to create and maintain social connections, and there can be a point where “alone” becomes “lonely”.
Introversion is a personality type characterized by traits such as reserve, passivity, thoughtfulness, and a preference to keep emotional states private. Introverts are most comfortable interacting in small groups and with one-on-one relationships and are energized by spending time alone.
Nonetheless, Introverts who choose certain paths may need, at times, to learn to “out talk” their Extraverted friends and colleagues in order to succeed. Because of this, they may speak a lot more than they might if the world were ruled by Introverts based on more Introverted standards.