Are Introverts Wired Differently Than Extroverts?

Ever since I was little, I wanted to have olive skin. I wanted to tan easily. If I had this complexion, I thought, I would be "cool". Society taught me that having this healthy glow was more appealing; it meant you were attractive and thus had an easy, relaxed life (it was basically visual evidence that you had plenty of time to soak up the sun). However, long ago, it was more attractive to be pale and fair skinned. It meant that you were rich and from noble lines. Basically, our attractiveness standards have changed in American society.

Along the same vein, American culture applauds the "virtues" of extroversion. As Susan Cain explains in her book Quiet, in the early 1900's, led by a man named Dale Carnegie, the agricultural America turned its focus towards being a business powerhouse. At this time, inner attributes that were once valued, such as one's character (like being honorable and well-mannered), soon became sub-par compared to outward characteristics like being fascinating and dynamic. Since then, extroverts have been depicted as more fun, social, funny, interesting, successful, etc. But I'm here to tell you that in reality we're all okay.

“Our culture made a virtue of living only as extroverts. We discouraged the inner journey, the quest for a center. So we lost our center and have to find it again.” Anaïs Nin

Because society holds extroverts to be the ideal, I wanted to be that "cool" kid with the shades, surrounded by adoring friends-the one who had it all. I wanted to be the ideal version of myself. As much as I tried though, I could not pull off a believable attempt of being extroverted. It was because introversion is at the core of who I am (see earlier post "Born This Way"). Expanding on this topic of either being born an introvert or shown to be like an introvert-or both, I began to wonder if an introvert's brain functions differently from that of an extrovert.

According to Ben Thomas, there are several neural clues and intriguing hints that explain how introverts think and process information differently than extroverts. A certain study done in Harvard in 2012 showed that "people who identify as introverts tend to have larger and thicker gray matter in certain areas of the prefrontal cortex, a highly complex brain region associated with abstract thought and decision-making. People who identify as strongly extroverted, on the other hand, tend to have thinner gray matter in those same prefrontal areas—which hints that introverts tend to devote more neural resources to abstract pondering, while extroverts tend to live in the moment." Also, "researchers have found that an introvert’s premotor cortex tends to process stimuli more quickly than that of an extrovert." 

Still other studies found "that the right-hemisphere amygdala tends to be larger in extroverts than in introverts, as does the anterior cingulate cortex... Since other studies have implicated the anterior cingulate in social error detection, this may point to some underlying (but still incompletely understood) differences in the ways introverts and extroverts process social missteps." One last intriguing fact that was brought up by Thomas is that "studies have found that cortical neurons of introverts and extroverts may respond differently to the neurotransmitter chemicals gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA)—an intriguing finding since both GABA and NMDA have both been implicated in anxiety disorders."

In a nutshell, the answer to the question is yes. There are several molecular differences between the introvert's and extrovert's brain.

If any introvert is feeling glum while reading this, thinking that there is no possibility of being "cool" like the idealized extrovert, know that it's not a bad thing to be introverted. In fact, several other countries in the world actually value introversion and quietness over extroversion. And just remember that, even in our extroverted-dominant society, introversion was once the more preferred trait one could hold. In any case, I would like to encourage any introvert feeling at a state of loss to focus on the positive qualities you possess and surround yourself with those who celebrate these positive qualities.

“Isn’t it refreshing to know that what comes perfectly natural for you is your greatest strength? Your power is in your nature. You may not think it’s a big deal that you can spend hours immersed in something that interests you—alone—but the extrovert next door has no idea how you do it.” Laurie Helgoe

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

Don't be mad if I leave a party early. It just means that I've had my fill of external stimulation, and it's time for me to go and recharge in solitude. Don't be exasperated if I don't have much to say in a group discussion. I am only thinking before I speak, or I may not have much to say. If I don't want to go on an outing to the mall or other social affair, it's probably because I am due for some "me time" and the crush of people may tire me out. Period. That's it. You "feel" me? This doesn't make me a bad person. I just have a different set of traits that are fed differently than the other one-half to two-thirds of the extroverted world.

In some situations, I may be referred to as "relaxed" or "chill". In other situations, my introverted characteristics are seen as positive. I have been told plenty of times that I am "easygoing", "wise beyond my years", and give off an aura of maturity. In fact, there are plenty of positive traits tied to introversion.

Unfortunately, as the chart above depicts, many people seem to focus on the negatives due to an introverted personality. However, in this post, I am going to focus on all of the potential positives that come with having an introverted personality. Just a few of the many positives linked to being an introvert are: intelligence, conscientiousness, sensitivity, trustworthiness, expert specialization, and leadership. Yes, even leadership. Actually, there have been MANY famous, influential leaders such as Barack Obama, Mahatma Gandhi, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Warren Buffet, and Al Gore just to name a few.

As brilliantly stated by Michaela, there are (at least) 10 advantages of being an introvert. Those include: choosing words carefully to avoid excess or misinterpretation, having imagination, accessing creative ideas through solitude, above-average ability to focus, processing greater amounts of information in any given situation, attentively listening, thinking before acting (obvious benefits), being observant, and having a peaceful nature.


I, for one, can relate to and resemble most to all of these advantages. For example, I have acute, Superman-quality hearing; I can hear the tiniest of sounds like a fly on the opposite side of the room or a train that runs nowhere near my house. This helps greatly when it comes to playing music well. Concentrating also comes pretty naturally to me as well; it may take something as loud as a crash to focus my attention elsewhere in certain cases. This helps with last minute studying and understanding new, complex subjects. I am also very independent; I can do most anything on my own without the need for another person by my side holding my hand (this may also be an effect of being an only child). This trait came in very handy when I started college classes two years before my peers join me. Additionally, flexibility is something I've managed without any effort. Although some people mistakenly believe that introverts are rude, judgmental, or standoffish, the opposite is true. We genuinely DO like people - just give us a chance.

In essence, I think it's important to be able to realize the strengths introverts naturally have, even in the midst of the negativity directed towards us by others who don't know us. If you are feeling down about your "undesirable" traits, just remember that there is so much power introverts hold; just in a different way than extroverts. When you are concentrating on being what others think as unfriendly, shy, or lacking social skills, keep in mind that you have the ability to work well with others, are flexible, independent, and can even have many lasting, meaningful, long-term relationships. If you think you are too quiet and people see you as a blank slate, remember that you really have such a creative mind with the ability to think before you speak - making whatever you say, possibly, more meaningful. If you think of a negative, remember the abundance of positives. Susan Cain basically sums it up:

“Spend your free time the way you like, not the way you think you're supposed to. Stay home on New Year's Eve if that's what makes you happy. Skip the committee meeting. Cross the street to avoid making aimless chitchat with random acquaintances. Read. Cook. Run. Write a story. Make a deal with yourself that you'll attend a set number of social events in exchange for not feeling guilty when you beg off.” 
― Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Spectrum of Introversion

At times I've been regarded as "quiet". At other times, "shy". Other labels that have been affixed to fellow introverts are "timid", "withdrawn", "passive", "anti-social", and "a loner". As much as labels hurt (I can't stress enough the importance of not labeling others in general) it brought me to an important question regarding introversion. Are all introverts alike? Do we share the same traits? Why are we viewed through a dark lens with adjectives like quiet, shy, timid, withdrawn, passive, anti-social, and loners? Or perhaps, is there a "spectrum" of introversion - with some actually fitting the bill of an anti-social loner, while others simply appear quiet and have no problem projecting their thoughts and actions outwards?

Sophia Dembling addresses the topic of types of introverts; an interview with Jonathan Cheek reveals that, with his study, there are four types of introverts, or as he calls it, "shyness". There is shy-secure people who "have some social anxiety but don't need a lot of interaction and don't stress about it." Then there are shy-withdrawn people who " are more anxious about affiliating with others...Shy-withdrawn people struggle more than the shy-secure because in our society, they must frequently do that which makes them anxious." Third, there are shy-dependent people who "want so much to be around others, they are overly accommodating and compliant, and self-effacing...'They are affiliative, they go along to get along. They have a better short-term social adaptation profile but long term, how can you build a relationship based on mutuality if you are volunteering to be the junior partner?'" Last on Cheek's list of the four types of introverts, there are shy-conflicted people who "have a high need for affiliation, but also are anxious about it...'They vacillate and tend to have anticipatory anxiety.'"

Similarly, on Introverted Personality, introverts can be divided into four categories, and two sub-categories within each main group:

Michael Jordan

The first group of this introvert spectrum is Artisans, who "need freedom and impulsiveness to grow and create." The two sub-categories of this group are Crafters and Composers. The Crafters (like Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong) are "experts and usually perfectionists with tools", and the Composers (like Steven Spielberg) "excel in fine arts and strive to bring a harmony among the physical world and their inner vision." 

Mother Teresa

The second category introverts may be aligned with is Guardians who "attach importance to being accepted by a group or community", to which Protectors and Inspectors are the two sub-categories. The Protectors (like Mother Teresa) "deal very effectively with distressing situations and watch over the downtrodden members instinctively", and the Inspectors (like George Washington) "follow a certain code of discipline and orderliness and keep a watch over the institutions of the society." 

John Lennon

Thirdly, there are Idealists-who "are known for their fiery personality"-can be divided into either Healers and Counselors. Healers (like John Lennon and Kurt Kobain) tend to be "very shy and reserved and try hard to bring about a sense of peace and harmony in the world" while Counselors (like Nelson Mandela) "give importance to personal growth and insist on genuineness." 

Albert Einstein

Lastly, introverts may fall under the Rational category who "give much importance to intellect and proficiency." The two sub-categories of this category are Architects and Masterminds; Architects (like Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin) "aim at shaping up the world according to their vision and are nature’s engineers" while the Masterminds (like Sir Isaac Newton) "are born planners of the universe. They think realistically and have defined goals."

Since I'm only 16 and still finding out about myself, I feel I am closer to the Shy-Secure group of introverts. I have some social anxiety in certain situations (who doesn't?) and don't need a bunch of external stimulation, but for the most part, I don't stress about that which I don't have any control over. However, whether you identify with Inspectors or the Shy-Withdrawn group, it's important to realize that there isn't a "right" introvert category to identify with. We all are okay just as we are... So which type are you?