I see a fundamental misunderstanding, even among so-called profesionals, about what introvert vs extrovert actually means. I am an introvert but struggled with the traditional definitions. This article builds on and complicates these incorrect foundations.
Here's the simplest explanation that I have found: social interactions cost introverts energy. Extroverts gain energy from social interactions. When I heard this, it was liike a light bulb going off. It's not that I, as an introvert, didn't like people or exclusively preferred being alone. It's that too much social interaction is, quite literally, exhausting. That doesn't mean it's avoided at all cost or that social interaction can't be or isn't enjoyed.
If you've met a true extrovert you'll know this. For such people, social interaction really can resemble a high. It can be something they crave and they can crash from.
Larger groups are just more social interaction. It can be easier with known people (eg family gatherings) because the processing cost of the social interactions is less and there are fewer unknowns.
Here's the simplest explanation that I have found: social interactions cost introverts energy. Extroverts gain energy from social interactions. When I heard this, it was liike a light bulb going off. It's not that I, as an introvert, didn't like people or exclusively preferred being alone. It's that too much social interaction is, quite literally, exhausting. That doesn't mean it's avoided at all cost or that social interaction can't be or isn't enjoyed.
If you've met a true extrovert you'll know this. For such people, social interaction really can resemble a high. It can be something they crave and they can crash from.
Larger groups are just more social interaction. It can be easier with known people (eg family gatherings) because the processing cost of the social interactions is less and there are fewer unknowns.