Someone who is introverted leans towards the inner universe.
Introvert is an adjective that describes someone with a tendency toward introversion . This concept is used in the field of psychology to refer to the individual condition characterized by an inclination towards the inner universe .
The introverted individual, therefore, has a reserved character : he does not usually externalize his emotions , his feelings or his thoughts. For this reason, they usually have problems when establishing social ties.
The introverted individual
The introvert focuses his interest and attention on his own internal processes. The extrovert or extrovert, on the other hand, tends towards extroversion or extraversion: the condition given by the inclination towards the exterior. Thus, the extrovert shows an open character and easily establishes social relationships.
It is important to note that no individual is totally introverted or totally extroverted. There are contexts, moments and nuances that lead to adopting one position or another. However, in someone who is introverted, what prevails is a discreet and circumspect attitude.
An example
An introverted man , when divorced, prefers to take refuge in his home and process grief in solitude. In this way, he does not tell details of what happened to his friends and family or share what he feels. Someone extroverted, on the other hand, meets with their loved ones and informs them what happened, expresses their pain or anger in public and constantly organizes outings to leave the bad moment behind.
On a general level, introverts do not usually enjoy social gatherings, they choose to be in less crowded places and their hobbies are activities that are carried out individually, such as reading and playing .
Introversion and shyness are often confused.
Introverted or shy?
One of the oldest confusions in our language occurs between the concepts of introversion and shyness . For a long time, most people have used them completely interchangeably, without knowing that there are clear differences between them. The reason for such an error is that both have very similar behaviors associated with them; However, the mental state that each of them generates is very different.
Although both the introverted and the shy individual avoid any large social gathering whenever they can and do their best to ensure that the stress of everyday life does not affect them, the former feels an excess of stimuli while the latter is afraid of speaking in public. Furthermore, shyness is characterized by the fear of being judged negatively, something that does not happen with introversion, which simply distances us from the noise .
The view of psychology
Many psychology experts propose two crossed axes with these and other concepts at their extremes: one that opposes introversion and extraversion, and another that opposes shyness and decisiveness. That is to say, the introverted individual does not want to be involved in large groups of people where everything but peace reigns; The shy person, on the other hand, cannot function, whether he wants to or not, because it is very difficult for him to make decisions and he becomes emotionally and mentally blocked when dealing with others.
To further accentuate the differences, scientists have pointed out on more than one occasion that it is possible to be shy and extroverted or introverted, since these last two concepts refer to the person's degree of sociability , the kind of environment they prefer, while shyness is a state of hypersensitivity that gives rise to certain emotional responses, such as self-protection and inhibition.
There are those who wonder if it is better to be an introvert or an extrovert. There is no fair answer, since it is not possible to go from one degree of sociability to the other spontaneously. Each person develops in this aspect in a particular way, and must learn to respect themselves and take advantage of their abilities. Introversion gives rise to contemplation of the environment, while extraversion opens more doors in the social sphere.