Do you think that you are born an introvert or an extrovert?

No - I think it’s learned (to a degree). I think that a person who is an introvert in their earlier years can be taught to become an extrovert in later years. I have known extroverts who became introverts due to some sort of trauma. Perhaps we are born with the instinct to be either intro or extrovert, but I also think it’s not necessarily what we are destined to be - we can choose.

It’s grey. A lot introverts are great extroverts on stage - from rock stars to TV and corporate presenters, it’s like they switch personalities. Like most nature/nurture charcteristics, we’re all a bit both; circumstances may lead you one way or the other, but it’s flexible and you train yourself to be the opposite either deliberately or by neglect. The key aspect tends to be your attitude to risk - hence Frank Herbert’s line in Dune about the sure safe path leading ever to stagnation. Introverts tend to be risk averse and aim for safer and quieter environments. The nurture arguments tend to look at childhood and how many siblings you had. Only-children may be introvert because they don’t have the need to be competitive for attention/food/toys/etc. Likewise the youngest may lose out in the attention stakes because parents focus on the eldest and this discourages the youngest from asserting themselves. For Europeans, a striking thing about US culture is how loud people speak, especially in groups, but its probably because the US education system - reinforced by parents who grew up the same way - fosters ‘winning’ as a desirable and accepts that its up to the weaker ones to pull themselves up to be winners rather than to help everyone achieve their potential regardless. Europe is more about fair play, with losing being a learning opportunity rather than a bad thing. The term ‘loser’ as a taunt has only recently gained popularity in the UK, mostly through the influence of Hollywood’s depictions of US culture.

I’m not speaking of the common definition of introvert and extrovert. I’m speaking of how your recharge i.e. in your mind/alone/reading etc or with people. I mean you get shy extroverts too. But thank you for the answer.

Your definition of the word seems to have been missed :) An introvert is not how outgoing or good with people a person is. Nor is it about shyness (that’s more along the lines of social phobia). It is about how people re-charge their energy. Introverts need quiet time on their own to get re-energized. Too much of people and activity drains them. That does not mean they dont enjoy being with other people or cant be around other people. It just means that every once in a while they need down time. Extroverts on the other hand recharge from activity and other people being around them. Again, this doesnt mean they dont enjoy being on their own, but too much alone time gets very depressing for them. How outgoing a person is, how social they are, etc, is partially influenced by these inborn tendencies (yes, i think you’re born that way), and then partially influenced by the environment. But at the core of it, it is a personality trait, and those you are born with. (I dont suppose you’ve been reading the introvert advantage? best book on the subject i’ve heard of/found)

I’m definitely an introvert no doubt about it. I’m just very quiet. I don’t really talk unless I feel like I need to. I don’t really talk to other people unless they talk to me. I’ve always been like that. A lot of people freak me out at times too where I just feel awkward and I do need my time alone

I’ve been an introvert my whole life, when I was a little kid it was so much worse then it is now. I think it’s one of those things that can change though, your environment has a huge effect on who you are, and I think it could certainly change that.

*than

Ah, now I understand! The author is using other features of intro- and extrovert to build understanding. It wd certainly explain why the extroverts I know tend only to have quiet time after they’ve spent too much time clubbing :) I’m with the majority who are a bit of both. I’m good at leading in uncertain territory, but in familiar areas I tend to let someone else take the leader role and act as their back-room adviser. I’m certainly energised by thinking-time, and classical concerts - but I definietly don’t ‘energise’ from the other listeners around me, only from the music. (London concert-goers rarely talk to anyone outside the group they went in with - you make me wonder how many of them are introverts now!) I’d go nuts if I didn’t have a couple of nights a week doing something wilder tho. But i think of that as de-stressing for a different type of inner tension; it could stil be interpreted as re-charging tho. Two types of inner tension would account for both sides of my character however. Interesting! Getting to know yourself from the inside is a big advantage - yet another thing the ancient Greeks worked out, and a prime reason for the Romans thinking they were a nation worth acquiring. Just like modern corporations taking over the competition!

Thank you ty,for clarifying what I meant.

im a introvert! i took that myers briggs test at my high school and everything described me perfectly. i definately dont like to be around alot of people and can recarge by myself