Introverts VS Extroverts: 11 Things They Need To Understand About Each Other

I was having a chat with a lady and she was very boring and said little (even though she was the one who initiated the conversation), I said you’re an introvert”. She took it personal and said why would I use insultive words on her and I thought ‘wow’. Obviously she had no idea what introvert means.

I apologized to her and explained what introvert and extrovert ment, and I somewhat made myself distant and scarce after the chat. Call me petty but I like to converse with people who have a strong command of the English diction.

1. Being outgoing and outspoken doesn’t equate to being an extrovert. Being shy and reserved doesn’t equate to being an introvert. There are a lot of outgoing introverts and there are a lot of shy extroverts.

2. There seems to be this sense that it’s only introverts that don’t like “small talk.” Newsflash: Nobody likes small talk. Nobody wants to be around people who hurl several pieces of unwarranted information at them. And believe it or not, extroverts and introverts both can and do initiate small talk. It is not solely the prerogative of classic extroverts.

3. As you may or may not know, introversion and extroversion has to do with how people are energized. Introverts generally get their energy from being alone, extroverts generally get their energy from being around other people. The people and the situations still matter.

4. An extrovert may be incredibly difficult to know because their “public face” is different from their “intimate face.” And an introvert may be quite easy to get to know because they may have less degrees of difference in these two spheres.

5. Extroverts generally tend to more actively participate in larger groups than introverts. But never assume that this means they “love people.” You can indeed be a “people’s person” and also find people incredibly exhausting. The two are not mutually exclusive.

6. When it comes to dating, there is no sure-fire way to know how an introvert or extrovert likes you. You probably know introverts who are cool as cucumbers and can make magic happen in a matter of seconds. And you might know extroverts who become anxiety-filled creatures when they’re in the midst of a crush.

7. For all the verbal language prowess extroverts are perceived to have, according to research, introverts are more apt at describing things in detail, while extroverts tend to be more abstract in their language use. So “understanding” extroverts may actually require more attentiveness than you thought. And “understanding” introverts may require less.

8. Being an extrovert or introvert is not something anyone really chooses. And neither identity makes you special or inadequate. Each identity is a function of your DNA, upbringing, and culture. It’s not exactly something to take pride in. You haven’t achieved anything in life by simply being an introvert or extrovert.

9. Sometimes a lot of the people who are able to “work a room” in things such as a networking or social event, you might perceive as extroverts. In reality, the person could be an introvert who spends adequate time alone, and although will need to be recharged after said event, is also just a good social connector.

10. As you get older, you are less likely to be either an extreme introvert or an extreme extrovert. And in fact, most people move closer to the middle (ambiversion), and the traits of each type generally tend to become less obvious.

11. Everyone needs a break from people from time to time. In fact, most people should do it more because the world is filled with a lot of noise. The difference in “needing” this alone time between extroverts and introverts is the frequency and the different degrees of comfort.