Human civilisation is mostly dominated by the extravert viewpoint. This is because extraverts outnumber introverts 3 to 1, are more vocal than introverts and are more understandable than introverts. There is no denying that introverts have beautiful minds at least in this field. But the question is, is there more enhanced thinking capacity in introverts than in the extroverts?
Well, to answer that, we must first accept the fact that introverts and extroverts have different stuff going on upstairs, on the whole different levels.
The differences in Brain Functioning
Our personality and lifestyles is totally dependent on what we see, what we feel, what we think, etc. It's basically associated with the thinking process of the brain. Every brain has a super-activation level (the threshold at which the thinking capacity of the brain is boosted to the whole new level).
Extroverts have a lower level of activation, causing them to seek out higher levels of stimulation to feel alert, and at their best. This is why extroverts tend to be more social. They are also drawn to risk-taking activities.
Meanwhile, introverts are almost complementary to these. They need less stimulation to feel engaged, we prefer low-key activities, such as reading, cycling, or having coffee with a close friend. Sometimes, we might need an extra jolt of stimulation after a long period of solitude. But we'll usually crave quiet comforts much sooner and more frequently than extroverts.
Introverts
Extroverts
Higher Level of activation.
Lower Level of Activation.
Almost always stimulated to feel alerted.
Keeps a low-key profile.
Engaged in activities that involves as less people as possible.
Engaged in activities that involves as more people in order to increase socialization.
Risk-averse and contemplative.
Drawn to risk-taking activities
IntrovertspringIntroversion and extraversion are personality types: two complementary ways of operating in the world.
Humans have both an extroverted side and an introverted side. He believed that each person's personality falls somewhere on a spectrum between the two.
C G Jung's Theory, Carl Jung, 192
The Dopamine Levels
Ronald, Anna & Machteld's Theory suggests that our genetics cause us to behave in one way or another.
For example, people who have more dopamine (which research has linked with extroverted behavior) in their brains tend to lean more towards the extroverted side of things. And, on the other hand, people who have lower levels of dopamine are more inclined to be introverted.
Problem-Solving and Planning Skills
A study conducted by psychologist Marti Olsen Laney found that introverts have higher activity levels in their prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain which involves the tasks such as problem-solving and planning, which aren't necessarily indications that they have more intelligence. Instead, introverts are better at these specific tasks than extroverts.
Furthermore, many other studies show that there is no correlation between introversion and IQ. For example, research done by psychologist Alan S. Kaufman.
They aren't good at short-term memory tasks.
The Department of Psychological Science at the University of North Georgia have proved that extroverts are generally more impulsive and hence perform tasks faster than introverts.
The surprising result of the study was the finding that introverts made more errors in those short-term memory tasks than extroverts, even though they took more time.
4 Types of Introverts - Which One Are You?
Reserved Introvert
- Reserved introverts can be shy, but they generally progress past this as they get older and gain more self-confidence.
- They avoid large crowds or lots of noise and often choose to avoid social situations involving many people.
- They tend to be very close with their group of friends and are generally excited to spend time with them.
- They are also usually very creative people who enjoy art or writing.
Introspective Introvert
- Introspective introverts enjoy spending time around others but may find themselves withdrawing into themselves when they are overwhelmed.
- They value knowledge and often have interesting things to say, making it very easy for others to see them as more confident than they really are.
Solitary Introvert
- Solitary introverts tend to be on the opposite end of the spectrum from those of the reserved and would much rather spend time with themselves rather than anyone else.
- They often enjoy spending lots of time alone reading or pursuing their favourite hobby.
- They are often very dedicated to their interests and are goal-oriented people.
- They can be sometimes seem rude when people approach them because they generally prefer to be left alone.
Social Introvert
- Social introverts actually like spending time with others but do not enjoy large parties or large social gatherings.
- In many cases, they can be mistaken as extroverts.
- They would much rather have a few close friends over for coffee than go to a party and may even choose solitary hobbies over social ones.