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Introvert or Extrovert?

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?


  • Total voters
    46
INTJ.

According to this particular MBTI test, my type is the most rare. About 1% of the population overall.

Rational Portrait of the Mastermind (INTJ)

All Rationals are good at planning operations, but Masterminds are head and shoulders above all the rest in contingency planning. Complex operations involve many steps or stages, one following another in a necessary progression, and Masterminds are naturally able to grasp how each one leads to the next, and to prepare alternatives for difficulties that are likely to arise any step of the way. Trying to anticipate every contingency, Masterminds never set off on their current project without a Plan A firmly in mind, but they are always prepared to switch to Plan B or C or D if need be.
Masterminds are rare, comprising no more than, say, one percent of the population, and they are rarely encountered outside their office, factory, school, or laboratory. Although they are highly capable leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once they take charge, however, they are thoroughgoing pragmatists. Masterminds are certain that efficiency is indispensable in a well-run organization, and if they encounter inefficiency-any waste of human and material resources-they are quick to realign operations and reassign personnel. Masterminds do not feel bound by established rules and procedures, and traditional authority does not impress them, nor do slogans or catchwords. Only ideas that make sense to them are adopted; those that don't, aren't, no matter who thought of them. Remember, their aim is always maximum efficiency.

In their careers, Masterminds usually rise to positions of responsibility, for they work long and hard and are dedicated in their pursuit of goals, sparing neither their own time and effort nor that of their colleagues and employees. Problem-solving is highly stimulating to Masterminds, who love responding to tangled systems that require careful sorting out. Ordinarily, they verbalize the positive and avoid comments of a negative nature; they are more interested in moving an organization forward than dwelling on mistakes of the past.

Masterminds tend to be much more definite and self-confident than other Rationals, having usually developed a very strong will. Decisions come easily to them; in fact, they can hardly rest until they have things settled and decided. But before they decide anything, they must do the research. Masterminds are highly theoretical, but they insist on looking at all available data before they embrace an idea, and they are suspicious of any statement that is based on shoddy research, or that is not checked against reality.

Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, Dwight D. Eisenhower, General Ulysses S. Grant, Frideriche Nietzsche, Niels Bohr, Peter the Great, Stephen Hawking, John Maynard Keynes, Lise Meitner, Ayn Rand and Sir Isaac Newton are examples of Rational Masterminds.

A full description of the Mastermind and Rational is in People Patterns or Please Understand Me II

After looking at a few piece of info on this particular type. It seems to be a fairly good description of my personality. Politically speaking (since this is a political forum) the "does it work?" idea pervades all of my thinking and is ultimately why I am a liberal (even though I am quite centrist when the spectrum is looked at from an absolute perspective), because from what I have seen, it works.

Wikipedia said:
INTJs apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of mind, freeing the INTJ from the constraints of authority, convention, or sentiment for its own sake ... INTJs are known as the "Systems Builders" of the types, perhaps in part because they possess the unusual trait combination of imagination and reliability. Whatever system an INTJ happens to be working on is for them the equivalent of a moral cause to an INFJ; both perfectionism and disregard for authority may come into play ... Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the INTJ's Achilles heel ... This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp the social rituals ... Perhaps the most fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people to make sense.

The bold parts are quite accurate as they describe me. Ultimately, I am glad my wife makes sense and I really don't care about societal norms, I do what I think is right. However, I have adapted many of those norms and outward habits as they are economically necessary for me to provide for my family, I don't believe in them though and I think they are mostly nonsense.
 
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Introvert when sober.
 
Up to a third of the world's population is infected (if you grew up around cats, it's a near-sure bet you are).

Read the section on "behavioral changes".

Correlations have been found between latent Toxoplasma infections and various characteristics:[29]

-Decreased novelty-seeking behaviour[30]
-Slower reactions[citation needed]
-Lower rule-consciousness and greater jealousy (in men)[30]
-Promiscuity and greater conscientiousness (in women)[30]

The evidence for behavioral effects on humans is controversial (see a collection of research papers at Prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Flegr, CSc.: List of papers).[citation needed] No prospective research has been done on the topic, e.g., testing people before and after infection to ensure that the proposed behavior arises only afterwards. Although some researchers have found potentially important associations with Toxoplasma, the causal relationship, if any, is unknown, i.e., it is possible that these associations merely reflect factors that predispose certain types of people to infection. However, many of the neurobehavioral symptoms that are postulated to be due to toxoplasmosis correlate to the general function of dopamine in the human brain, and the fact that toxoplasma encodes the dopamine synthetic enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase enzymes makes it likely that neurobehavioral symptoms can result from infection.

It's unlikely I have this, based upon the symptoms, and I have 3 cats.
 
For the record, I've dated several INT types, and I find them damn hot. Nothing is sexier than a smart man. NOT BORING, at all. Good in bed, too.

So, Dave, fwiw, you will find someone who appreciates your finer points. It just may be a slower process because of your introversion.
 
For the record, I've dated several INT types, and I find them damn hot. Nothing is sexier than a smart man. NOT BORING, at all. Good in bed, too.

Especially the INTJ since we are always trying to optimize a process ;)
 
Full on introvert, probably actually in that highly sensitive category listed in the article. I have a lot of social anxieties and phobias as well.
 
What's this Myer-Briggs thing, and is there somewhere where I can take it online?
 
I think introversion in males stems from a lack of physical activity. I would wager that many such males have lower than average testosterone levels, which can have deleterious effects on one's health and mental well-being. It happened to me after I stopped playing sports for a few years; I became very introverted, my testosterone levels dropped, I became very anxious and sensitive, very unlike myself; I started exercising regularly and felt more like my old self, more confidence and better sleep, too.

I'd recommend to any male that they exercise regularly, especially if you're still young and growing. Nothing fancy, push-ups, sit ups, lunges, etc. Anything to get your lungs open, your blood pumping, and the testosterone flowing.
 
I think introversion in males stems from a lack of physical activity. I would wager that many such males have lower than average testosterone levels, which can have deleterious effects on one's health and mental well-being. It happened to me after I stopped playing sports for a few years; I became very introverted, my testosterone levels dropped, I became very anxious and sensitive, very unlike myself; I started exercising regularly and felt more like my old self, more confidence and better sleep, too.

I'd recommend to any male that they exercise regularly, especially if you're still young and growing. Nothing fancy, push-ups, sit ups, lunges, etc. Anything to get your lungs open, your blood pumping, and the testosterone flowing.

psssst... introversion isn't a disease.
 
I took that thing, I got INTJ. Meh, it's what it is.
 
psssst... introversion isn't a disease.

Didn't say that, buddy. I'm saying excessive introversion can stem from low testosterone levels, which has deleterious effects on physical and mental well-being.

I bet if I put you into a situation with lots of strangers, your heart would start beating through your chest, you might flush at the face, and you would generally feel uncomfortable. Who wants that?

After I started exercising again, my face cleared up (I had moderate adult acne), my back and shoulders got better (I had injuries from sports), the quality of my sleep improved, and I felt much more comfortable in strange situations with people I didn't know. My testosterone levels went back to normal and I generally felt whole again. Exercise is healthy, you should try it, especially if you're still developing.
 
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After I started exercising again, my face cleared up (I had moderate adult acne), my back and shoulders got better (I had injuries from sports), the quality of my sleep improved, and I felt much more comfortable in strange situations with people I didn't know. My testosterone levels went back to normal and I generally felt whole again. Exercise is healthy, you should try it, especially if you're still developing.

That's great. Good for you. But introverts aren't just shy. They are internally wired. Extroverts are wired to need other people. Introverts need alone time.

Our society is geared towards extroverts, but being an introvert is normal for many people. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

It's also not just something "you just grow out of." :doh
 
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I'm an ISTJ... with a score of 100% on the Introvert scale. No surprise at all, though, when I first took this test 25 years ago, I was an IRTJ.
 
Didn't say that, buddy. I'm saying excessive introversion can stem from low testosterone levels, which has deleterious effects on physical and mental well-being.

I bet if I put you into a situation with lots of strangers, your heart would start beating through your chest, you might flush at the face, and you would generally feel uncomfortable. Who wants that?

After I started exercising again, my face cleared up (I had moderate adult acne), my back and shoulders got better (I had injuries from sports), the quality of my sleep improved, and I felt much more comfortable in strange situations with people I didn't know. My testosterone levels went back to normal and I generally felt whole again. Exercise is healthy, you should try it, especially if you're still developing.

I'd like to see some research rather than just anecdotal evidence.
 
On this topic, I think this is an interesting theory:

Toxoplasmosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Up to a third of the world's population is infected (if you grew up around cats, it's a near-sure bet you are).

Read the section on "behavioral changes".
Especially the last paragraph under that heading.

Perhaps when we ask people "Are you a cat person or a dog person?", we're actually asking something with far deeper implications than what sort of pet one prefers.
Promiscuity and greater conscientiousness (in women)[30]

these hardly seem to related, do they?
 
Extroverts are wired to need other people. Introverts need alone time.

If that's the definition, then I guess I am an introvert. I don't *need* anyone. What I do *need* is to be alone sometimes, often actually. I go fricken nutso if I don't get any time alone.

However, I have no issues socially. Not shy. Not neurotic. Not lacking in confidence. I always associated a difficulty socializing with "introvert" and a profound desire to socialize with extrovert. And I never really fit in with either.
 
If that's the definition, then I guess I am an introvert. I don't *need* anyone. What I do *need* is to be alone sometimes, often actually. I go fricken nutso if I don't get any time alone.

However, I have no issues socially. Not shy. Not neurotic. Not lacking in confidence. I always associated a difficulty socializing with "introvert" and a profound desire to socialize with extrovert. And I never really fit in with either.

An introvert doesn't necessarily have trouble socializing. If given a choice, they would choose alone time verses social time. An extrovert would be the opposite. Of course, this would not be an absolute, but more on a scale.
 
I dunno... none of those questions really work. I could answer either way, or neither, and be accurate. I almost wish they all had a "sort of" option.

You may be in the center in many of the areas. For instance, on the introvert/extrovert scale, I'm dead in the center. I need an equal mix of time with people and time away from people.

There are more detailed tests. Search MBTI test.
 
An introvert doesn't necessarily have trouble socializing. If given a choice, they would choose alone time verses social time. An extrovert would be the opposite. Of course, this would not be an absolute, but more on a scale.

Oh okay. Well then yeah. I hate people unless I'm getting paid to be around them. ;)
 
If that's the definition, then I guess I am an introvert. I don't *need* anyone. What I do *need* is to be alone sometimes, often actually. I go fricken nutso if I don't get any time alone.

However, I have no issues socially. Not shy. Not neurotic. Not lacking in confidence. I always associated a difficulty socializing with "introvert" and a profound desire to socialize with extrovert. And I never really fit in with either.

Think about introversion/extroversion like this...introverts get their batteries recharged by being alone. Extroverts get energy from being with other people.

If you need more alone time than people time, you're an introvert.
If you need more people time than alone time, you're an extrovert.
If you need a mix of both, you're somewhere in the middle.

Introversion to extroversion is like a scale from 1 to 10. Some people are 1's. Some are 10's. Some are 6's or 4's.

It really has very little to do with shyness, being quiet, etc. However, many introverts ARE quiet, because they spend more time inside their heads than they do interacting with people externally.
 
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