For introverts, it may have been a challenge for them to recognize and understand themselves growing up. However, with time and personal experiences, we start to gain a better understanding of who we truly are and what drives our behavior in different situations.
As humans, reasoning and emotions cause us to make decisions in life. That’s why it is so important to be aware of who we are as it strengthens our decision-making processes which can add to our self-confidence. This applies to both extroverts and introverts, who are generally driven to make decisions based on their brain structure.
If you would like to find out how introversion in personality influences behavior, continue reading to the end of this article to find out.
What are some distinct personality traits of an introvert?
At first glance, many might have the misconception that introverts are highly reserved, incredibly shy, and, at times, even aloof and arrogant. However, they are individuals who prefer being guarded and have innate types of motivation.
To gain a greater understanding of introverts, here are some other distinct personality traits based on different aspects:
Communication
Extroverts are individuals who seek happiness in connecting with large groups and multiple people, while introverts tend to prioritize connecting with other individuals on a meaningful and deeper level. They are more inclined to reveal themselves in small groups or one-on-one settings when they are greeted with a sense of comfort and familiarity. In addition, they tend to enjoy listening, in comparison to extroverts who tend to speak more.
Self-reflection
Introverts are introspective individuals who spend a large portion of their time thinking. As such, they usually exhibit greater self-examining behaviours and take a step back when decision-making comes into play, in comparison to extroverts who tend to make decisions more quickly. This is caused by their need to fully digest information and grasp situations, which can provide them with the confidence and reassurance to make the correct decisions for themselves.
While it is essential for us all as humans to think before acting, it is also important to ensure that you have a sound mental state of mind when it comes to making decisions. This can be done through ensuring that you have enough time for yourself or by speaking to a therapist or other qualified professional who has a clinical mental health masters who can be a reliable source for your decision-making needs.
Self-awareness
As introverts spend more time on self-reflection, they are more prone to being self-aware of their behaviors. With a large portion of their time being spent reflecting on their feelings, they tend to prioritize self-understanding as it allows them to learn more about themselves based on topics that are of interest to them and personal experiences.
What is the difference between Introversion and Extroversion?
Introversion is a character trait that focuses on the preference for a sound inner state of mind over extroversion, which aims for the preference for outgoing and chatty behaviour patterns. Based on a survey conducted regarding the Myer-Briggs 16 personality types, an estimated amount of 56 per cent of the US population have the desire to seek introversion.
While it is easy to distinguish many physical traits about ourselves, human behaviour can be a challenge to pick out as one size does not fit all. In actual fact, a majority of us display both introversion and extroversion quality traits.
What are some factors that cause introversion?
Having introversion as a personality trait can cause us to react in various ways, based on the situation at hand. Since it is nearly impossible for us as humans to fall neatly into either of the categories, what is important is that we understand the factors that drive our behavior. Here are some of the factors that cause us to experience introversion:
- Genetics
- Personal life experiences
- Parenting style
- Brain chemistry.
While these factors can vary from person to person, it can be helpful to find out how introversion can be an added advantage to your everyday life and how it may hinder you from easily obtaining what you want. That way, having the qualities of an introvert will bring out the best version of yourself and add to your overall self-confidence.
How does introversion in personality influence behavior?
By now, we would have been able to identify our personality types and whether we prefer large social gatherings or a quiet night with a few of our close family and friends as growing adults. While extroverts are creatures who draw their energy from social interactions, introverts might get drained from social gatherings, craving the need for me time.
In our society which places great emphasis on extrinsic motivation, it can be a challenge for introverts to find their fit as it may deplete their energy quickly. In worst cases, it might cause them to battle with issues such as loneliness, overthinking, and anxiety. If these issues are not addressed with proper care, it might be detrimental to an introvert’s overall mental health in the long run.
As such, it is always important for introverts to express their emotions and creativity in healthy ways that are familiar and comfortable to them. This can be done through the use of mindfulness activities such as journaling and meditation, or opening up to their social circle.
Find out what works best for you
As humans, we naturally experience a variety of challenges in our day-to-day lives. With that being said, it does not matter if our personality traits focus on introversion or extroversion. However, what matters is that we have the mental capacity to take things one step at a time to better understand ourselves especially since we live in a challenging and demanding society. The first step that we can take is to recognize our strengths and acknowledge certain aspects of our lives that require more work. That way, we will be working towards being the best version of ourselves, which helps to promote happiness and a peaceful state of mind for our own good.
