Extroverted Introverts?

[kinetickyle]

Most people that don't know me very well assume that I'm extroverted because I make a lot of jokes, and I have no problem blurting out whatever is on my mind. However, when asked to join in social occasions, I almost always refuse. And according to every form of the MBTI I've taken, I'm always firmly on the introverted side.

I also found this list at this site:

Extroverts

• are interested in what is happening around them
• are open and often talkative
• compare their own opinions with the opinions of others
• like action and initiative
• easily make new friends or adapt to a new group
• say what they think
• are interested in new people
• easily break unwanted relations

Introverts

• are interested in their own thoughts and feelings
• need to have own territory
• often appear reserved, quiet and thoughtful
• usually do not have many friends
• have difficulties in making new contacts
• like concentration and quiet
• do not like unexpected visits and therefore do not make them
• work well alone

Both lists describe me pretty well. I'm usually not interested in new people, and I don't make new friends easily, but I can mingle effectively on occasion, especially if someone I know and trust is present. I sometimes appear to be open, but I never tell new people anything of any value. I've found that giving the appearance of openness keeps me out of the rumor mill.

I'm not wondering if I'm an I or an E - I'm definitely an I. What I'm wondering is how common this apparent duality is among other INTPs.

 

[Dormouse]

Most people I know in person would agree I'm an introvert.

Curiously, I tend to overestimate my level of extrovertism. I'd self-report an average to high level of talkativeness. However, I've been labeled 'the quiet one' in most social circles. The consistency of this seems to imply I'm the one with the skewed perspective.

The few people who have accused me of being an extrovert are ones I communicate with mainly online.

To answer your question more directly, I imagine this would be pretty common in more mature INTPs, or in one who have chosen careers which require frequent social interaction.

 

[kinetickyle]

I imagine this would be pretty common in more mature INTPs, or in one who have chosen careers which require frequent social interaction.

You make a good point about maturity. I'm definitely more able to fake extroversion now than I could when I was in my teens through my early 20s.

And now that you mention it, I may have a skewed perspective myself. I'm really only talkative in groups of three or less. In larger groups or at parties, I usually keep to myself unless directly addressed. Even then, I will sometimes reply with little more than a shrug. But I still thought it was interesting that so many of the extroverted traits listed applied to me.

 

[shoeless]

i think it's about being able to maintain a good balance within yourself.
it could also be about arrogance or the Ne function. depends on you, i suppose.

i am supposedly an extravert, but why then am i naturally poor at socializing in large groups? why did it take me so long to develop my social skills to any functional place? yes, i love people, i love talking, i need to be out to be energized. but i have the tendency to withdraw just as much as the next guy. there's a reason i always used to test as INTP.

so does that make me an introverted extravert? how can you tell the difference?

questions questions questions.

 

[SkyWalker]

This whole general extraversion vs general introversion does not make sense. Since extraversion/introversion only makes sense on a specific function (T/F/S/N).

You can only compare them on 1 function at a time.

(Otherwise you are comparing a person with all functions underdeveloped in the introversion domain or all functions underdeveloped in the extraversion domain, but these people do not exist, not even in theory, since the theory says that introversion/extraversion usually alternates evenly over the functions.)

BTW Popular extraversion vs introversion is usually about the feeling function only.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

BTW Popular extraversion vs introversion is usually about the feeling function only.

Popular extroversion vs introversion is about sociability, openness and energy level. Not Jungian theory. And it is about this thread is about also.

 

[SkyWalker]

Popular extroversion vs introversion is about sociability, openness and energy level. Not Jungian theory. And it is about this thread is about also.

I agree

I just think it comes closest to the feeling function, if I had to choose any of them. (Although it is not exactly the feeling function)

 

[Lobstrich]

On that particular list I'm able to put a tick on every introverted point but also on two from extroverted. 1st being "Say what they think" but that's more on a level of I speak my mind. If I have an opinion I do not hold it back. But I don't just go around and spout all kinds of stuff though. And the 2nd point being that I break unwanted relations easily. As I've said millions of times, honesty above everything.

 

[ked]

Functionally, half of the Is have extraverted thinking and extraverted feeling; the other half having extraverted iNtuition and extraverted Sensing/seeing. The E simply means that one's most dominant function is extraverted, that's all, though as a result one's head or awareness is in the E-world, rather than in one's own head, though there are Es who think they are Is, e.g. ENxx's who think their dominant Ne/Ni is the same as Introversion as they live in their own heads and might not be as social as many other people of their types - that's why some make a difference to these even topmost functions and look only the social matters when they put one as an Extrovert or an Introvert, but social things are mainly matters of a hobby and not something to do with the personality though there are correlations and they are many, e.g. not only the E, but also the S and NF/nf, the S living in the sensoric world is more likely to deal with people, and the NF/nf-functions are also people functions.

 

[PhoenixofVindemiatrix]

You could be an introverted extratim in Socionics.

 

[EditorOne]

Without getting into the details, remember most of us are capable of the opposite of the things that make us INTP. It's not like not having a left arm or something. INTP is the strong stuff and also the place we go to be comfortable. Everyone has the potential to reverse those preferences/traits momentarily. Yes, it does get easier to be socially extroverted as you get older. No, it never becomes the preferred condition. No, it's not a good idea to reverse all four aspects and make an important decision like what college to attend (like explaining to a group the judgement you've reached on why one school's colors feel better to you than another...).

Usually stepping out of one or another INTP trait involves accommodating someone else, does it not?