Until a few years ago, I never gave earnest thought to the different personalities of people. I was always aware that certain people are more outgoing and outspoken while others are reserved. Of course, I was no stranger to the concepts of introversion and extraversion. Also, going by the usual definition, I never was able to relate to either. Some people would say I was out and out introverted, but others would disagree. Frankly, I never cared.
Entering the corporate environment came with lots of learning and unlearning, along with reading, communicating, writing, collaborating, upskilling, and moving out of my comfort zone.
And now, more often than not, I get asked, why don’t you speak more? Oh! Is that you presenting at the conference? Don’t you have any problem with the system? Is that really you in the picture (having fun)? How do you enjoy living by yourself?
People mostly perceived me as introverted, but again, within me, I knew it never fit me. I felt being inconsiderate causes people to get the wrong perception of one’s personality and, most importantly, their skills. These made me dig a little deeper to understand the difference between personalities. And, let me break it to you, the reason behind the distinction is not only in our heads but is all backed up by Science.
Before going deep into the science behind personalities, let me confess people’s perception of my persona was never really incorrect.
Without getting muddled by the oh-so-famous Myers-Briggs test, I can tell I fall in the spectrum between both extremities. Here is a piece that describes me better.
Too Two Different
At moments, I’d be the chatterbox
At other moments, I’d be chilling with the idiot box
When I trust you blindly, I love the talking
But, yes, I embrace solitude to get going
We match the vibe, we’ll be the chirpy tribe
Well, I’ll also do well with the silent vibe
Keep up with the trends, I do make friends
Peaceful and Fierce is my concomitant experience
An observant, but usually wouldn’t vent
Because creativity is my best relaxant
I enjoy dancing like nobody’s watching
But, small talk? No, that isn’t my thing
I know more than I say, and I’m happy when you slay
I’d say yes to things, but then might call it a day
With an extrovert heart and introverted actions, I assure you I care
A part of everywhere yet doesn’t belong anywhere
Could you relate to any of these characteristics? I’m assertive that you can.
Around 68% of the human population are ambiverts, according to Barry Smith, professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland.
We are familiar with the characteristics that form a person as an introvert and extrovert. But what’s the reason behind this contradistinction?
Along with the environment, genes play a role in building our temperament. And how much of a difference does genetics make? It’s only 0.1%, as all humans have 99.9% of the same genetic prescription.
The Neurological Difference
Our bodies can’t function without something known as neurotransmitters. The major ones are Dopamine, Acetylcholine, Serotonin, GABA, and Glutamate. These chemical messengers regulate vital body functions such as breathing, heart rate, sleep cycle, appetite, muscle movement, etc. They also have an integral role in shaping our moods and behaviors.
Dopamine is a feel-good chemical that provides rewarding experiences with instant zaps of happiness, pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation.
Extroverts are less sensitive to dopamine and demand more of it to feel the kick, says Dr. Marti O. Laney in her book The Introvert Advantage. On the contrary, too much Dopamine is overstimulating for introverts because of their high sensitivity towards it.
Extroverts feel the impact of this rewarding juice when they act more. Being active causes the sympathetic nervous system to release Dopamine in the brain. They get energized when they see people or have places to go.
To be clear, all these don’t imply the reserved ones have less Dopamine in their brain. They just use less of it. Instead, introverts utilize an entirely different neurotransmitter on their dominant brain pathway: Acetylcholine or ACh.
Reading, drawing, or engaging in deep activities causes the brain to release ACh. Like Dopamine, it provides a sense of happiness and contentment, however, the pleasure bump is so mild that extroverts hardly even register it. That is why extroverts often seek more exciting or outgoing situations while introverts are cool staying by themselves.
The Neurotransmitter Pathways
Another stark difference between introverts-extroverts has something to do with the nervous system. Both types of personalities employ both sides of their nervous systems at different times.
Introverts: Long Acetylcholine Pathway
Introverts’ brain pathways dominate the stimulation of the parasympathetic part of the nervous system, also known as the “rest-and-digest” side. Acetylcholine transmits a chemical signal to this part by triggering the hypothalamus, which causes the body to relax. It leads a person to slow down, contemplate, and examine the situation. All of these make an introvert behave in a certain way. If a situation demands any action, they require conscious energy and thinking before executing the task.
Hence, introverts depict the following characteristics:
- Takes some time to reflect and make decisions
- Thinks before speaking or acting
- Enjoys working independently
- Are hesitant to a new experience
- Feel exhaustion in social settings
Extroverts: Short Dopamine Pathway
Contrary to introverts, social ones tend to favor a different side of the nervous system, i.e., the sympathetic side, also known as the fight-or-flight system. It releases adrenaline, and oxygen (blood) rushes the muscles flooding the body with energy. The neurotransmitters released from various organs enter the feedback loop, sending components to the brain to generate more dopamine. Adrenaline and dopamine both releases happy hits from the feel-good store.
The sympathetic activation, thus, makes an individual more active, inquisitive to new experiences, and outgoing. The brain becomes more alert, thinking gets reduced, and decisions are faster.
That’s why extroverts commonly show below traits:
- Talks more than they listen
- Are fluent in social interactions
- Acts quickly under stress
- Are quick at decision making
- Feel excitation by new discussions and experiences
Given the unique characteristics of both personalities, it makes sense why ambiverts often find it difficult to relate to either. From the many features that ambiverts depict, here are the ones that perfectly sync with my experiences:
- A calculated risk taker
- An empathetic listener
- Quiet and unafraid: good listener but also doesn’t shy away from talking
- Comfortable in social settings, but also craves alone time to recharge and reflect
- Flexible, can work with different personalities
- Feel the need to dial back to social time
- Last, which becomes a typical downside in many situations (speaking for me) – “Indecisiveness”
Now that we have the introvert-extrovert puzzle solved, backed by all the scientific explanations, I’ll come back to my realization of it. People’s perception of your personality, does it matter? Is your temperament a factor that decides your success in your personal and professional life?
There are advantages and disadvantages to both personality types, society, the education system, and workplaces – all demand putting yourself out there and working in teams. These may cause introverts to feel out of place in many situations. The introverted part of me also felt the same. That doesn’t mean introversion can’t lead people to be successful. I’d like to highlight the fact that many introverts have been great leaders in the past. The list of successful introverts is, in fact, quite long: Bill Gates, J. K. Rowling, Albert Einstein, Michael Jordan, Barack Obama, Warren Buffett, Mahatma Gandhi, and so on.
So, researching and going into the science and statistics of the topic made me understand others’ opinions of your personality don’t matter because neither kind of personality guarantees success in your friendships, relationships, or career. Yes, what matters is how much you understand yourself, your abilities, your strengths, and even your weaknesses.
What about you? Do you consider yourself more gregarious or reserved? Or do you believe the classification is flawed, and there is no such thing?
Whatever your answer is, let me say this again – no matter what type, there are plenty of reasons to embrace your personality.
I’m glad to have given thought to writing this as I’m now more aware of my personality and boundaries, or may I say flexibilities. It has helped me become aware of my individuality, identify my unique set of skills and capabilities and the right environment to use them. Also, while I continue enjoying the best of both worlds, I’ll keep evolving into the amazing ambivert that I am (only for myself).
Lastly, if you ever start doubting if you are on the right path to success, just take a moment to embrace your uniqueness and turn it into a tool that can lead you to victory and triumph. Because there is only one you, and that is your biggest strength. Don’t hang back to step out from the crowd to show your own way of doing things. Cheers!
