Do you regularly need time alone to recharge, do you hate smalltalk and do you tend to think before you speak? Chances are you're an introvert. But if you really want to know for sure, there is a way to find out.

Introversion has been studied for decades, but it was only in the 1970's that a scientific explanation arose. At that point, the English psychologist Hans Eysenck laid the foundation for a new model for personality. He saw three main dimensions: extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism. He described extraversion and introversion as the extent to which a person is outgoing and has contact with other people. With neuroticism he meant the emotional stability of a person. People who score high on psychoticism are more prone to developing psychoses such as schizophrenia. This can manifest itself as a great need for excitement and a high impulsivity.

According to Eysenck, the brain plays a major role in introversion and extraversion. Because extroverts have a relatively low level of stimulation of the brain, they are constantly looking for external stimuli. Introverts, on the other hand, have a relatively high level of stimulation, which means that they tend to avoid external stimuli. Twin studies show that individual differences in extraversion introversion are largely due to hereditary predisposition.

Big Five
The dimensions of Eysenck have been further developed over the years. Years of worldwide psychological research show that you can describe someone's personality through five dimensions, the so-called Big Five. These dimensions are extraversion, agreeableness, emotional stability, conscientiousness and openness. You can score high, low or somewhere in between per dimension. There are no bad scores. You just have to make sure that you find or create a (work) environment that fits your personality. Many personality tests used for career advice are based on the Big Five personality theory.

According to the Big Five, introverts:

  • have lower social engagement
  • have lower energy levels  
  • tend to seem quiet 
  • tend to seem low-key 

This lack of social involvement shouldn't be understood as shyness or depression. It just means that introverts need less stimulation and more time alone than extraverts.

Want to know where you stand on the Big Five? Contact me to learn more.