Comments on: Myths about Introverts

By: Larry C. Lyons

Larry C. Lyons — Thu, 19 May 2011 14:51:51 +0000

As someone who used to work in this field (graduate degrees in experimental psych), I've been very skeptical of the Myers-Briggs type indicators. They are just too pat. In terms of introversion – extraversion, its a continuum not a discrete set of categories. A person can endorse some introverted tendencies but that does not mean that they are what is stereotyped as Introverted.

My own research in grad school (as part of a much larger study of several thousand people) showed that the MBTI can be better subsumed by more comprehensive measures, such as the revised NEO-PI. That measure gives a much better view of the individual's personality.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 18 May 2011 15:41:24 +0000

Great post Barney. I'm glad I'm not the only one like this – it's hard to tell sometimes.

I actually agree with #3 also. I believe you can be quite tactful but still decline to engage social fluff conversation and indirectness, which goes hand in hand with #1.

By: Lola LB

Lola LB — Wed, 18 May 2011 13:00:12 +0000

I tend to be an introvert mostly for the reason being that I'm deaf and I find it very awkward to be in a situation where I can understand only 25%, at most, of what people are saying, even with my lipreading skills. That's why I may seem to be kind of standoffish at conferences and don't stay very long at conference social events. Especially when I don't know anybody.

By: Jim Priest

Jim Priest — Tue, 17 May 2011 23:31:40 +0000

Probably my favorite introvert post: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2003/03/caring-for-your-introvert/2696/

I make my wife read that every now and then :)

By: barneyb

barneyb — Tue, 17 May 2011 22:53:26 +0000

The full list can be found at http://suzywire.tumblr.com/post/4976665094/top-10-myths-about-introverts

By: Peter Boughton

Peter Boughton — Tue, 17 May 2011 22:44:51 +0000

Not sure I 100% agree with all of that, but probably also a good enough "guide".

Curious to see the original list you truncated from though – do you have a direct link?
I checked the first ten pages of the link you provided but can't see it, and too many damned animated gifs to keep going. :/

By: Sami Hoda

Sami Hoda — Tue, 17 May 2011 20:02:28 +0000

Not sure if #3 is accurate. "Introverts often donâ€™t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries" doesn't have anything to do with introversion, rather with other personality traits that determine whether a person is tactful or not. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers-Briggs_Type_Indicator#Functions:_Sensing_.28S.29.2FIntuition_.28N.29_and_Thinking_.28T.29.2FFeeling_.28F.29