By PRETHIBA ESVARY SUBRAMANIAN
“Shyness is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not over-stimulating to an individual.
“Shyness is inherently painful; introversion is not,” Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking author Susan Cain said.
I think we can all agree that there are some facts about introverts and extroverts which we are familiar with.
But what about some of the uncommon qualities of these two personality types which society may have overlooked?
Taylor’s University Counselling and Psychological Service (CPSC) Head Marian Arumugam shared some of the uncommonly known traits that introverted and extroverted Taylorians may possess.
INTROVERTS
1. They are quietly confident and assertive when required.
According to Marian, introverts bring out this side of their personality when a situation demands for it.
She relayed that one of her colleagues, who is known to be rather introverted, would occasionally demonstrate a more confident side and be more assertive when she has to be.
Cain stated that some of the most influential leaders in the world such as Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt were introverted.
Yet as leaders, they were confident and assertive when it came to bringing about a transformation in their people and country.
2. They may possess good social interaction skills.
Marian said, “Introverts can be skilled at interaction. The only difference they have with extroverts in regards to this is that they may not be as loud.”
She explained that introverts normally take the time to listen and analyse pieces of information. So, when they do interact with others, they tend to have unique ideas and are polite when speaking as they have a higher self-awareness than extroverts.
EXTROVERTS
1. They are constantly on a treadmill.
Marian said, “Extroverts are almost always on a high.”
Based on her past experiences with clients, some of the extroverts that come in to see her are high achievers and are good at engaging with people, she said.
Because they are constantly around people, they feel as though they have a certain expectation to live up to and they are also less self-aware.
“It is important for them to practise caution. The reason being that if they face a drop in energy level, it could be a massive one,” she said.
2. They may lack certain social skills.
One may think that extroverts, being the people-person that they are, would score top marks when it comes to having good social skills.
Marian explained, “In a social situation, extroverts are known to overshadow the others.
“They may also show less respect for others without realising it when it comes to receiving opinions.”
However, she added that it does not apply to every extrovert as each individual is different.
Nevertheless, Marian and Cain agreed that no one individual is a complete extrovert or an introvert. They are merely more inclined towards one or the other.
Marian explained that it all boils down to the level of stimulation or arousal one gets from a situation and a type of activity.
This stimulation also depends on the people they are with, their surrounding environment, their depth of interest and perception.
Marian said, “It doesn’t matter whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, if you have even a little sense of humour, you will be able to overcome the obstacles that life has to offer.
“If you are emotionally-resilient, you will reach your goals, no matter which of the two categories of personality you incline to more.”
“Shyness is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not over-stimulating to an individual.
“Shyness is inherently painful; introversion is not,” Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking author Susan Cain said.
I think we can all agree that there are some facts about introverts and extroverts which we are familiar with.
But what about some of the uncommon qualities of these two personality types which society may have overlooked?
Taylor’s University Counselling and Psychological Service (CPSC) Head Marian Arumugam shared some of the uncommonly known traits that introverted and extroverted Taylorians may possess.
INTROVERTS
1. They are quietly confident and assertive when required.
According to Marian, introverts bring out this side of their personality when a situation demands for it.
She relayed that one of her colleagues, who is known to be rather introverted, would occasionally demonstrate a more confident side and be more assertive when she has to be.
Cain stated that some of the most influential leaders in the world such as Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt were introverted.
Yet as leaders, they were confident and assertive when it came to bringing about a transformation in their people and country.
2. They may possess good social interaction skills.
Marian said, “Introverts can be skilled at interaction. The only difference they have with extroverts in regards to this is that they may not be as loud.”
She explained that introverts normally take the time to listen and analyse pieces of information. So, when they do interact with others, they tend to have unique ideas and are polite when speaking as they have a higher self-awareness than extroverts.
EXTROVERTS
1. They are constantly on a treadmill.
Marian said, “Extroverts are almost always on a high.”
Based on her past experiences with clients, some of the extroverts that come in to see her are high achievers and are good at engaging with people, she said.
Because they are constantly around people, they feel as though they have a certain expectation to live up to and they are also less self-aware.
“It is important for them to practise caution. The reason being that if they face a drop in energy level, it could be a massive one,” she said.
2. They may lack certain social skills.
One may think that extroverts, being the people-person that they are, would score top marks when it comes to having good social skills.
Marian explained, “In a social situation, extroverts are known to overshadow the others.
“They may also show less respect for others without realising it when it comes to receiving opinions.”
However, she added that it does not apply to every extrovert as each individual is different.
Nevertheless, Marian and Cain agreed that no one individual is a complete extrovert or an introvert. They are merely more inclined towards one or the other.
Marian explained that it all boils down to the level of stimulation or arousal one gets from a situation and a type of activity.
This stimulation also depends on the people they are with, their surrounding environment, their depth of interest and perception.
Marian said, “It doesn’t matter whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, if you have even a little sense of humour, you will be able to overcome the obstacles that life has to offer.
“If you are emotionally-resilient, you will reach your goals, no matter which of the two categories of personality you incline to more.”