We are dedicating this week to the attitude/orientation of INTROVERSION – EXTRAVERSION. This is the dimension responsible for how we respond to external and internal experiences—in other words, how we recharge our mental energy.

1. EXTRAVERTS draw energy from frequent contact and interactions; they enjoy being around others and readily make new acquaintances.
2. INTROVERTS, on the other hand, draw energy from within; they prefer being on their own or with people they know well, and are less inclined to strike up new acquaintances.

Extraversion and Introversion are biologically determined and linked to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. In extraverts, the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system dominates (the arousal system), whereas in introverts, it is the parasympathetic branch (the inhibition system). Due to these biological factors, you cannot fundamentally change your preference over the course of your life (such shifts are exceptionally rare); what you can certainly do, however, is develop your competencies in either area. Thus, an introverted person can learn to engage swiftly in interactions with others, just as an extraverted person can learn to embrace silence and give others space. Naturally, whenever you have the choice or find yourself acting under stress, your innate preferences will emerge—so an Extravert will feel the need to share their impressions with the whole world, whilst an Introvert will prefer peace and quiet.

The Extraversion–Introversion dimension is a continuum, and each of us can sit at a different point along this spectrum with varying intensity of a given attitude. Therefore, no two Extraverts are quite the same, just as no two Introverts are identical :)

"Both types are so different and present such a striking contrast, that their existence becomes quite obvious even to the layman in psychological matters once attention has been drawn to them."

– Carl G. Jung, Psychological Types