Joan, when i was first doing training in personality types, introverts were thought to be about a third of the population. In 1997 Myers-Briggs, the mother ship of personality types, did a huge survey and now say that introverts are slighty over 50% of the population. The descrepency seems to have come about because we have become an extroverted society: we are expected to be outgoing and social, we work in teams - even in kindergarden, the cocktail party/happy hour is expected to be a fun, loud group experience, the salesperson must be outgoing and friendly, we are expected to want to join the PTA, the jr league, the lions club, etc. So, introverts adapt and often look like extroverts, or for a short time ARE extroverted, but then must go away and recoup some energy.
Mary, that was a very interesting discussion and very well mayhave been a division of E's and I's. E's look outside of themselves for stimulation, I's go inside of their brains. It has now even been shown that I's brains are more active when they appear to be quiet than E's brains. Of course, the second category of personality types is how do you like to take in information? The sensing types get information thru their senses - what did they feel, hear, taste, smell, experience. Intuitive types tend to say "what if" and rely more on what they sense. So, those who were opting for "the crowd response" may have been S types who would want to hear, see and feel the crowd response. The N type (an I has been already used for introvert, so the N is used for intuitive) may be happier with knowing the results for themselves.
The point to remember is that we all are some combination of the two, the question is which do we prefer and how much do we prefer it. I am a 60/40 introvert. I have had two friends who were 90/10 extroverts. It is not uncommon for us to gravitate to the opposite type, altho it can become hazardous in marriages if the two don't appreciate the strengths of the other type. What seemed entertaining while dating can drive one crazy 24/7. "Why does she have to talk every issue to death?" (Es talk though their problems in order to understand them, Is want to understand their problems before talking about them.)"How come she sits in a corner at a party and wants to go home at 11:00 when the party is just getting started?" ( he's gotten energy from the party, she's expended her energy.) A woman in one group i was working with said "i should have done this before i got married the first time. I thought he hated all my friends, he always wanted to leave a party." she was probably a 90/10 E and was always looking for the next party. It served her well, she owned a very successful beauty salon.
Yes Babi, i would guess that a lot of people on seniorlearn are Is. It's not intrusive, we come on when we want; it's about an introspective activity - reading; we can feel like a community, but not be overwhelmed by stimuli. Your point is well taken about "not being faulted if we don't", Is often are guilt tripped by Es -who don't understand us - who think we are being snobs because we don't want to go to lunch with them everyday, or want to sit on the side and observe. Pity the poor I child who is told "stop reading, go play w/ the others" or is driven from basketball to dance lessons, to play group.
It's a fascinating study. The other type categories have to do with how you make decisions -feeling or thinking/considering people or things in your decision making, and how structured you like to be - do you like to keep your options open or do you have an agenda/list you must follow?
