It has been found that introverted individuals have higher cortical arousal levels thus enhancing memory consolidation and storage abilities (Cox-Fuenzalisa, Angie, Holloway, Sohl, 2006). They have better memory for the long term.
Extroverts' brains run on an energy-spending nervous system, whereas introverts' brains run on an energy-conserving nervous system. This is why introverts feel content and energized when reading a book, thinking deeply, or diving into their rich inner world of ideas.
Introverts are looked down upon for lack of good 'communication skills'. Right from an early age, introverts have to compete very hard with peers, who seem to have no problem in public or interpersonal speaking. What seems to be effortless for peers is actually the most difficult task for an introverted child.
A 2008 study published in the Journal of Motor Behavior found that introverts take a longer time to process information than extroverts. Kahnweiler says this is actually because they process more thoughtfully than extroverts do — they take extra time to understand ideas before moving on to new ones.
The PET scans revealed that introverts have more activity in the frontal lobes of the brain and anterior, or front, thalamus. These areas are activated when a person's brain takes on internal processing such as remembering, problem solving and planning.
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.
While introverts are generally likely to report lower levels of happiness than extroverts, this does not mean that introverts are unhappy. Ultimately, it's important to note the happiness benefits of both introverted and extroverted behavior, no matter where you fall on the spectrum.
If you're an introvert, you likely possess emotional intelligence skills that your more gregarious counterparts secretly admire, and rightly so. Introverts are often misread as people who wish they could change. But that's not so!
You might feel physically tired, stressed, angry, or irritable. Social exhaustion can feel like hitting a wall. You may feel as if you don't have the energy to get out of bed, let alone be in a room with other people.
Introversion, shyness and anxiety
Introverts can experience a bit of anxiety when they need to speak in social situations. Introducing themselves, talking to a stranger or public speaking are mentally draining for them. These are the examples of a definitely stressful situation out of their comfort zone.
It can be difficult for introverts to make new friends because getting to know someone takes so much energy. However, introverts don't need a wide circle of friends. They prefer one or two close friends, even though they may know many people and have many acquaintances.
Whether it's making small talk to the point of feeling drained or just having a busy day at work, life can be exhausting for both introverts and highly sensitive people. It's not unusual for them to feel quite tired and mentally fatigued at the end of the day, and they may even need more sleep than others.
It has been found that introverted individuals have higher cortical arousal levels thus enhancing memory consolidation and storage abilities (Cox-Fuenzalisa, Angie, Holloway, Sohl, 2006). They have better memory for the long term.
Introverts are more likely to have a dominance of their right brain, the limbic brain, the emotional and creative brain, the “being” brain.
Because they are naturally very observant and thoughtful, introverts are also excellent listeners. Great leaders don't just talk, they listen intently — to their employees, consumers, and anyone else around them. They're vocal about their ideas but are also open to feedback and change.
Studies showed that introverts tend to have lower self-esteem than extraverts (Bown and Richek, 1969; Tolor, 1975; Cheng and Furnham, 2003; Swickert et al., 2004).
This means that introverts may process more information per second than extroverts, which helps explain why introverts are prone to overthinking.
Overall findings show introverts are more vulnerable than extraverts to depression and decreased mental well-being. Introverts are more likely to be compliant and have lower self-esteem than extraverts, and also have less social support than extraverts, which can be detrimental when experiencing depression.
Extroverts may live longer than introverts – but not during a pandemic. A US study showed that extroverts had a slightly higher mortality rate than introverts during the first Covid-19 wave in the US. It remains to be seen whether this pattern continued into 2021 and 2022.
In a post on Quiet Revolution, Cain confirms what you've probably suspected all along—we act more “introverted” as we age. Psychologists call this phenomenon “intrinsic maturation,” and it means our personalities become more balanced as we get older—“a kind of fine wine that mellows with age,” writes Cain.
One of the drawbacks of being an introvert is that you probably have a hard time bragging about yourself. Introverts just don't want to come off as arrogant or full of themselves, so they won't bring up certain accomplishments.
Introverts tend to draw energy from going inwards and being on our own whereas as extroverts tend to draw energy from things that are external to their mind. That is why overly stimulating environments can be energy draining for introverts, leaving us feeling tired, lacking in energy and even stressed.
When Introverts become angry, they tend to hold everything inside, hiding their anger from others and even from themselves. Or at least this is what most people think. In fact, this idea is more myth than reality. When Introverts become angry, they may try to repress their feelings.