Let’s be honest, introverts have always been around but it seems like now, more and more people are identifying as them.
In fact, you could say (rather ironically) that introversion has been pushed into the spotlight. However, when it comes to actually defining what an introvert is, things are a little less clear.
Psychologist Jonathan Cheek and his research team have found that there’s not just one way to be an introvert, but four; social, thinking, anxious and restrained (known as STAR).
They were identified after surveying almost 500 adults, ranging from 18 to 70 years-old and asking them things like their preference for alone time or how often they daydream, and are outlined in the Masters thesis of Cheek’s student Jennifer Grimes.
Listen: Making friends when you’re an introvert is hard. Post continues after audio.
The four types of introverts.
1. Social
In the STAR theory, social introversion is the most closely aligned with what the common understanding of introversion is and relates to someone who enjoys spending time alone and “does not find oneself experiencing negative effects or emotions” in doing so.
It can also apply to those who don’t like socialising with groups at all – these would score high in social introversion. The main distinction is that it’s a decision made out of choice, rather than due to anxiety. (Post continues after gallery.)
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2. Thinking
Thinking introversion applies to people who don’t hate social events, but are introverted in the sense they are thoughtful, introspective and self-reflective.
“You’re capable of getting lost in an internal fantasy work, but it’s not in a neurotic way, it’s in an imaginative and creative way,” Cheek explained to the Science of Us.
