Given the common misconception of what an introvert is, we tend to build up a mental image of someone who is a little shy and perhaps prefers to spend their downtime alone with a good book, rather than at the center of a busy party. Sure, there is an appreciable diversity of introverts, as we’ll discover, but typically, each trait and penchant is experienced across the board. However, it is worth our while to take a closer look at this diversity within the cooler half of the spectrum. It might be time to reconsider. We are turning to the American psychologist Hans Eysenck, who classified personalities in terms of psychoticism. Some readers may be alarmed already by this word’s appearance here, but there is no need to enter into a detailed discussion of the science that inspired the philosophical movement known as psychologism.
Suffice it to say that Eysenck’s use of the term refers to a personal trait of being disciplined and controlled, which bears no relationship with the process by which one profits from the Nazi concept of a race war. That said, by consistently ranking introverts on one end, and neurotics on the other, the original findings gained currency across a number of languages. But it is the introvert we shall work with. Eysenck identified five categories of this personality: the receptive introvert is primarily appearance-driven and prefers to lie low; the assertive introvert, a mastermind who never replies to an email without a reason; the driven introvert, ambitious and hard-working; the anxious introvert, tormented by unnecessary guilt and despondency; and the warm introvert, sensitive to the feelings of others, but seeking solitude.
- Social Introvert: Ever met somebody who appears to be an extravert in social situations (outgoing, boisterous, even flirtatious) but demands weeks of solitude before another social interaction? If so, you may have encountered a species of social insoles, whose milieu is the company of friends, yet who require vast stretches of time to themselves before ever doing it again. Selective but persistent in their relationships with others, the social introvert is both a rarity and a bundle of contradictions wrapped in an enigma.
- Thinking Introvert: Your daydreamer. Lost in his thoughts. These are the folks that hold forth on every topic under the sun, but are often so in their heads they don’t notice that their social partners are gone. Solitary by nature and often quite independent, these are the spiritually introverted who provided much of the mysticism behind the ‘the burden of the gifted’. Introspective by nature, they are the inner psychologists of this world and tend to have rich and creative inner lives.
- Anxious Introvert: the shy introvert made nervous; this version is uneasy in social situations, overthinks every interaction, and gets uncomfortable in large groups, but he’s not just shy — he also might experience bouts of anxiety while dealing with larger groups. His shyness is not necessarily a preference — it’s something he’s working through.
- Practiced Prudent: Last but not least, the restrained introvert — the prudent, to give it its traditional name. These folks love their routines and are a touch uneasy when things are changing too much. We’ll often find them a little happier when they can plan the afternoon ahead and have touchpoints they enjoy returning to.
In learning about various types of introverts, the individuality of introverts is celebrated. There is no ‘right’ way to be an introvert. For those social introverts who want to be known as the next party-starter, and thinking introverts who are so busy in their own little world that they are the next Einstein, intimacy is the key. In short, the next time you meet an introvert, please let them share their multisensory brain and celebrate their difference.
I am a social introvert! 🙂