7 Extremely Important Facts about Extroverts ...

Even though most people believe that only introverts need some quiet time every once in a while since they need to recharge, I must tell you that extroverts need it too. This is definitely one of the most important facts about extroverts everyone should know in order to avoid any misunderstanding. Maybe they don’t need as much time as introverts require to recharge, yet they still need it in “shorter doses and in different ways,” says Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, who is a certified speaking professional, executive coach and author. According to her, “an extrovert might listen to music with their headphones on while sitting in a coffee shop,” and they will feel energized in no time.

A very common myth about extroverts nowadays is the fact that they are awful listeners. Well, this is just not true. They can be incredible listeners since they have the ability to ask a lot of open-ended questions and they do a lot of paraphrasing. They know how to make people comfortable and they are able to develop a good rapport with others. So, try to recognize their need to interact and think out loud, because that doesn’t make them bad listeners; on the contrary, they might just be the person you need when you’re feeling a little bit down, since they are able to cheer you up in no time.

While most introverts like to engage in a conversation with one person at a time, extroverts like to hear different opinions and that’s why they often add more people to that mix. They love the company of other people, they like to mingle at parties and most of them love small talk, since they don’t like at all that awkward silence that occurs when there are a lot of introvert people there. They like to break the ice just to avoid that awkwardness, so that’s why this famous saying really suits them: “the more, the merrier.”

Even though they talk a lot and they like to meet new people, it doesn’t mean that they enjoy public speaking because talking in front of a room filled with people you don’t know can be pretty scary, even for an extrovert. Even though they have a faster pace and cadence in their voice and even if they can express themselves more easily in a social situation, they still need to do a lot of work in order to become amazing public speakers.

Even though “There is evidence that extroversion is associated with a more upbeat, exuberant, high-energy affect,” it doesn’t mean that extroverts are happier than introverts because most introverts are happy in a different way. For example, introverts may enjoy staying alone on a Friday night and reading a good book. Introverts get easily over-stimulated, so they feel the need to recharge more often. That doesn’t make them sad or less happy than extroverts, they are simply happy in different ways.

As you probably know, extroverts recharge by being around other people because their personality is actually stimulated by their environment, and there are even a lot of studies to prove it. For example, a study from the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that "extroverts are more likely to associate the rush of a feel-good brain chemical with the environment they are in at the time," and "prefer immediate gratification and focus more on face." So, think of that the next time you are a bit annoyed by your extrovert friends while you are at a party, since this is just the way they are.

A lot of people think that extroverts are shallow but this is just not true, they just process information in a very different way. Even though they like to meet new people and they talk a lot, that doesn’t mean that they are not interested in deeper topics of conversation or that they don’t care about important issues. Actually, by listening and talking to more people, they will have more information on a certain topic and they will be able to have a better idea about that thing.

There are a lot of differences among people since we all are extremely complex individuals, and just like Susan Cain said, “Your introversion or extroversion will interact with your other personality traits, personal history and the culture you grew up in.” So try to let go of all those stereotypes that can really cloud your judgment sometimes. Do you know any other extremely important facts about extroverts that you would like to share with us? Do tell!

Sources: thetruthaboutsushi.blogspot.ro, friendship.about.com, psychcentral.com