David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
QUIZ: Are You an Introvert or an Extravert? (And Why It Matters)
by Susan Cain, Psychology Today
March 9, 2011
The north and south of temperament.
Take this quiz to find out where you fall on the introvert-extravert spectrum.
Answer each question True or False, choosing the answer that applies to you more often than not.
Why does it matter where you fall on the introvert-extravert spectrum? Because introversion and extraversion lie at the heart of human nature - one scientist refers to them as "the north and south of temperament". And when you make life choices that are congruent with your temperament, you unleash vast stores of energy.
Conversely, when you spend too much time battling your own nature, the opposite happens - you deplete yourself. I've met too many people living lives that didn't suit them - introverts with frenetic social schedules, extraverts with jobs that required them to sit in front of their computers for hours at a stretch. We all have to do things that don't come naturally - some of the time. But it shouldn't be all the time. It shouldn't even be most of the time.
This is particularly important for introverts, who have often spent so much of their lives conforming to extraverted norms that by the time they choose a career, or a calling, it feels perfectly normal to ignore their own preferences. You may be uncomfortable in law school or in the marketing department, but no more so than you were back in junior high or summer camp.
Susan Cain is the author of QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, a popular blog and forthcoming book about introversion.
by Susan Cain, Psychology Today
March 9, 2011
The north and south of temperament.
Take this quiz to find out where you fall on the introvert-extravert spectrum.
Answer each question True or False, choosing the answer that applies to you more often than not.
- I prefer one-on-one conversations to group activities.
- I often prefer to express myself in writing.
- I enjoy solitude.
- I seem to care about wealth, fame, and status less than my peers.
- I dislike small talk, but I enjoy talking in-depth about topics that matter to me.
- People tell me that I'm a good listener.
- I'm not a big risk-taker.
- I enjoy work that allows me to "dive in" with few interruptions.
- I like to celebrate birthdays on a small scale, with only one or two close friends or family members.
- People describe me as "soft-spoken" or "mellow."
- I prefer not to show or discuss my work with others until it's finished.
- I dislike conflict.
- I do my best work on my own.
- I tend to think before I speak.
- I feel drained after being out and about, even if I've enjoyed myself.
- I often let calls go through to voice-mail.
- If I had to choose, I'd prefer a weekend with absolutely nothing to do to one with too many things scheduled.
- I don't enjoy multi-tasking.
- I can concentrate easily.
- In classroom situations, I prefer lectures to seminars.
Why does it matter where you fall on the introvert-extravert spectrum? Because introversion and extraversion lie at the heart of human nature - one scientist refers to them as "the north and south of temperament". And when you make life choices that are congruent with your temperament, you unleash vast stores of energy.
Conversely, when you spend too much time battling your own nature, the opposite happens - you deplete yourself. I've met too many people living lives that didn't suit them - introverts with frenetic social schedules, extraverts with jobs that required them to sit in front of their computers for hours at a stretch. We all have to do things that don't come naturally - some of the time. But it shouldn't be all the time. It shouldn't even be most of the time.
This is particularly important for introverts, who have often spent so much of their lives conforming to extraverted norms that by the time they choose a career, or a calling, it feels perfectly normal to ignore their own preferences. You may be uncomfortable in law school or in the marketing department, but no more so than you were back in junior high or summer camp.
Susan Cain is the author of QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, a popular blog and forthcoming book about introversion.