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Intro / Things to Address
Happy New Year! The Pop of Psych Team started the New Year with a mini break, but we are back. We have good quality content planned for 2021, so be sure to tune in. Today’s episode is a little different than our previous episodes in that it is two thirds (in length) an informal chit-chat with someone new! Episode 17 is about Friendship Dynamics in relation to the introversion-extroversion spectrum. As always, our first segments will include research on the topic, but for our third segment we have prepared an interesting conversation where you can hear the introvert/extrovert friendship at work, as I am an introvert and my friend, Rachel, is an extrovert.
Introvert/Extrovert Characteristics - Segment 1
The idea of introversion and extroversion was popularized by Dr. Carl Jung. As Elaine Houston in the article titled, “Introvert vs Extrovert: A Look at the Spectrum and Psychology” states, “The interest of the introvert is directed inwards; they think, feel, and act in ways that suggest the subject is the prime motivating factor. Extroverts, on the other hand, direct their interest outwards to their surrounding environment; they think, feel, and act in relation to external factors rather than the subjective.” This is a very comprehensive approach to introversion and extroversion, a more simplistic view is: the extrovert is energized by social situations, whereas the introvert is drained by such, but of course, this is psychology. You can’t boil down personality into black and white. According to Houston, people commonly fall somewhere in the middle of the introversion-extroversion spectrum and exhibit the traits of both an introvert and an extrovert. This combination is what makes you, you. And even though there are certain personality traits that you would intuitively find in an introvert, don’t be surprised to find it in an extrovert because the line gets really blurry as you gain a more comprehensive understanding of the person. However, interestingly, whether you’re a little more extroverted or a little more introverted makes all the difference.
Studies have shown that extroverted people made more frequent eye contact, spoke much louder, and sensed more accurately the nonverbal communication cues in conversation than their introverted counterparts, whereas introverted people made decisions with information they acquired early on.
Please check out Elaine Houston’s article. I will link it below, but it is a great read for a more in- depth analysis of introversion and extroversion.
Introvert-Extrovert Pairing in Friendships - Segment 2
For this segment I will talk mostly about a study conducted by Nelson, Thorne, and Shapiro called, "I'm Outgoing and She's Reserved: The Reciprocal Dynamics of Personality in Close Friendships in Young Adulthood.” This study was conducted on 66 pairs of same-sex friends. Of these pairs, 19 consisted of both introverts, 22 consisted of both extroverts, and 25 consisted of one introvert and one extrovert. They were all university students, the average age being 19.6 years old. Prior to the actual recording of data, the pair was to engage in a conversation to catch up for ten minutes and then interviewed by a third party. While one person was interviewed about general information about the friendship, what they did together, how their friendship stood out from others and also was played the tape from their catch up in the waiting room, the other filled out a questionnaire. Measured was their introversion-extroversion scale via the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator and the Big Five Inventory and friendship/closeness rating. What the study found was strong mutual personality reinforcement going on between the pairs that consisted of like extroversion/introversion categorization, however complementary reinforcement of personality was partially evident in those of opposite “-troversions.” Interestingly enough the study states, “In mixed dyads, the introvert was judgmental of peers and the extravert appreciative of peers, the introvert served to anchor the friendship while the extravert served as propeller, and the introvert served as sounding board (listener) while the extravert served as sounder (talker).”
Chit Chat Questions - Segment 3 w Rachel
Do you consider yourself to be an extrovert?
How has your extrovertedness positively contributed to your daily life?
How has your extrovertedness negatively impacted your daily life?
Have you heard the phrase “extroverts adopt introverts?”
Have you ever “adopted an introvert?”
How do you approach people as an extrovert?
Closing
Thank you for listening to this week’s episode! Our team truly appreciates it. Today we talked about introversion and extroversion and what a person either more introverted or more extroverted contributes to a friendship. I would like to thank Rachel for joining me for a chit chat conversation of our friendship and hopefully you were able to hear the conversation of an introvert and an extrovert. As always, check out our website apopofpsych.wixsite.com/psych for resources and the transcript of this episode and see you in two weeks.
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