Lesson Four

brain functions and physiology

The way introverts' brains work is different from extroverts. This week, we explore some of these differences to discover our natural advantages.

Our dominant neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, is associated with moving memories into long-term storage. What does this mean? It means that introverts operate heavily in long-term memory. It means that when we speak, we may pause or speak more slowly than most extroverts because we are accessing our information from long-term memory storage. Another way to say this is that we can't speak "off the top of our heads" like those rambly, loquacious, pesky extroverts who are never at a loss for words. Did you ever have a situation where "the cat got your tongue"? Did you ever have a "frog in your throat"? This is what we mean! You're an introvert. On the other hand, we never forget something we've learned.

This also explains why we sometimes feel humiliated about our "failures", particularly when they are in public. Extroverts will quickly forget what they did at a wild party the night before (what party? what drinks? whose girlfriend?) whereas introverts will remember every excruciating detail intensely as if it were all going on again right now. We're not likely to embarrass ourselves the way extroverts do, but we have social traumas and sometimes get caught in a situation off guard where we don't know what's expected of us and we experience this as a traumatic "failure". Introverts learn more quickly from their mistakes because of this as well. Sometimes we can learn just by watching someone else or hearing about their failure.

Our speech and communication patterns are neurologically different as well. This is not a behavior which can be changed, such as shyness, but rather a physiological fact of life.

Other habits of introverts are rooted in physiology as well. The following characteristics of introverts are the result of different brain physiology. They are not behavioral. Therefore, they cannot be readily changed. Learn to know these things about yourself and accept them for their advantages. It also helps to be able to explain yourself to others who might otherwise label you "slow" or "anti-social".

  When speaking, introverts reduce eye contact to focus on collecting words and to reduce external stimulation and not because of low self esteem!!! Eye contact increases when introverts listen. Introverts are excellent listeners.

 Introverts start talking in what seems like the middle of a thought to extroverts.

Introverts have good memories but may take a long time to access their memory especially if doing it in front of someone else.

  Introverts can mistake telepathic communication for verbal communication since they live in their own inner world ... i.e., they may think they told you something when they just thought it.

  Introverts may not really know what they think or feel unless they write it down or tell someone else.

  Introverts like to "sleep on it" for clarity of ideas, thoughts, feelings and in making decisions. They do not like to be put on the spot for decision making, invitations or for opinions.

  Introverts tend to immerse themselves thoroughly in a very few subjects, enjoying the intensity of this and not being comfortable "spread too thin".

Please think about these characteristics and whether they are true for you. Email me with your reaction.

You may gain awareness during this course that verbal communication is not likely to be your strength. Not to worry. There are plenty of jobs where writing or working with thoughts and concepts are the most important feature and it is possible to educate your partner or friends that you would prefer to give a thoughtful answer in writing or at least to take your time in responding to questions of importance. . As an introvert you have the patience and desire to communicate well in writing and may want to select careers where this is a necessity or a benefit. You can be fairly certainly that those 70% extroverts won't be competing for the same job(s).

Please remember that these are physiologically driven factors, not behavioral, and can't be changed. Instead, look for the advantage!

Another way to engineer success for yourself is to become aware that introverts can communicate better when they are seated. This minimizes the energy "leak" and permits us to communicate more comfortably, more effectively and longer without exhaustion when it is necessary for us to do so or even to give a talk or presentation. There are some excuses you can have ready as to your desire to make your presentation from a seated position. Even "perching" on a nearby table will help. Try this. It is really amazing how helpful it is.

eysenck personality minitest

Let's take a look at the findings of another expert on introversion, Hans Eysenck. Eysenck has done a great deal of research into the differences between introversion and extroversion. You may or may not agree with his findings, but he has done a lot of work to bring consciousness to personality typing.

Hans Eysenck, a maverick psychologist who immigrated from Germany before World War II, hypothesized that extraversion-introversion is a matter of the balance of “inhibition” and “excitation” in the brain itself. His theories were similar to those discovered by Pavlov in measuring reactions in dogs.

According to this definition, excitation is the brain becoming awake and alert, ready to learn. Inhibition is the brain calming itself down, such as when we get ready to go to sleep, or sometimes as a reaction to too much outside stimulation.

Eysenck observed that extroverts have high brain inhibition factors. For example, when confronted with a traumatic situation, they "shut down" or became numb. Introverts on the other hand, are not able to shut down. They remember every vivid detail of a traumatic event and may even remember experiencing it like it was in "slow motion". Naturally it is more difficult to recover in the case of total recall.

Eysenck also made a comparison between extroverts and introverts regarding overt psychological "problems". I will quote him directly, as I find this very interesting. Eysenck observed that " ... people with phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder tended to be quite introverted, whereas people with conversion disorders (e.g. hysterical paralysis) or dissociative disorders (e.g. amnesia) tended to be more extraverted."

This is his explanation: "Disturbed introverts will learn to avoid the situations that cause panic very quickly and very thoroughly, even to the point of becoming panicky at small symbols of those situations -- they will develop phobias. Other introverts will learn (quickly and thoroughly) particular behaviors that hold off their panic -- such as checking things many times over or washing their hands again and again. Disturbed extraverts, on the other hand, are good at ignoring and forgetting the things that overwhelm them. They engage in classic defense mechanisms, such as denial and repression. They can conveniently forget a painful weekend, for example, or even “forget” their ability to feel and use their legs. "

My own observations in my twenty five years of intuitive counseling reveal that extroverts, when stressed, "act out". They may drink, smoke, get verbally abusive or punch someone out. They may also commit violent crimes and go to other extremes to get attention. Introverts on the other hand will usually withdraw into themselves to conserve energy, which may be mistaken for narcissism, neuroticism, schizophrenia or depression. It is none of those things. It is the way we conserve energy when stressed.

Can you follow the logic in these statements and do you see some truth to these evaluations? I would like some examples via email if you can think of any from your own life.

If you would like to take the EYSENCK PERSONALITY MINITEST , please click through and take the test. It is too short to be totally effective, but will give you some idea of the kind of reserach Eysenck came up with.

the big five magic number

If you would like to learn more about current personality typing, please continue with this section. Otherwise, skip to learning styles. This section is extra ... for enrichment as time and interest dictate.

The FIVE FACTOR THEORY was introduced in the 1990s, rating people in five basic categories which many felt was the magic number. You can take this assessment for free here and find out for yourself. THE BIG FIVE MINITEST The five categories are: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, stability and openness.

You can also find your personality typing by visiting ENNEAGRAM AND PERSONALITY TYPE. This site introduces the concept of Enneagrams and compares them to Myers-Briggs personality typing here: ENNEAGRAM and TYPE CHART.

learning styles

Among the normal population, only about 30% are introverts but as you move further up the intellectual hierarchy to PhDs, Rhodes scholars and gifted individuals, the proportions reverse and as much as 70% are introverts. It is worth exploring the close connection between introversion and giftedness for a few moments as we discuss learning styles for introverts. You do not need to identify yourself as gifted to profit from this section. It is intended for all those taking the course.

Introverts learn with compare and contrast materials, flow charts, concept maps, intuitive diagrams and other tools that help them see patterns, relationships and other connections with which they can create knowledge about the big picture they are forming in their mind. Extroverts learn by talking about information with each other and can become irritated if they are asked to form knowledge or even opinions. Introverts learn by connecting the dots between items of information which extroverts are content just to "catalogue" or memorize. We need time to reflect in order to make these kinds of connections. We also like to think before we comment. And most importantly of all, we do not like to comment unless we feel we have something original or signficant to contribute to a discussion. For this reason, many introverts suffer very badly in the classroom in elementary school and high school. We get no value out of "contributing in class" and the fact that we don't like to do it has nothing to do with our ability to learn.

Extrtoverts learn by hearing themselves talk. It is really necessary for them to parrot back information as that way they can hear what it is they are learning. (I know this is hard to believe.) Extroverts enjoy and profit from study groups, "group discussion", groupwork and group projects. I'm sure even the sound of those things strikes terror in your heart. Study group and group projects are doubly defeating to introverts. Not only do we not learn that way, we also suffer the consequences of exhaustion from unnecessary socializing. Many introverts report dutifully showing up for their group project or study group and then going home to begin their real study session, thus having to spend twice as much time as necessary.

School is not/was not a positive experience for many introverts and sadly, as the Aquarian Age advances, there is more emphasis than ever on being a team player and working in groups at school and on the job. The atmosphere in most schools is tailor made to comfort and delight extroverts. It can be loud, crowded, superficial, boring, overstimulating, and focused on action, not reflection.

There is little time to reflect on what you're hearing or learning during a school or work day. There is little privacy. If you try to eat lunch alone, you're considered a freak. If you avoid the break room, you're considered a snob. If you ask to work on your own, you're considered anti-social. Let's face it. One of the great reasons for educating individuals is to teach social customs, but whose social customs are being taught? Many of us wonder what's wrong with being quiet, self sufficient, studious, attentive and intelligent.

How much of a school day is dedicated to private reflection or enforced quiet? If you think it's bad riding public transportation or sitting in a restaurant these days, with cell phones everywhere, think back to your school day. Is it any wonder most of us were stressed, exhausted and miserable?

Modern schools, like 9-plex movie theaters, wrap around sound, shopping malls and food courts, are designed by and for extraverts. From the beginning of the day (especially if they have to ride the bus or use public transportation), the school day is full of large, noisy groups, from homeroom to the cafeteria, assemblies and gym. The school day is geared for extroverts who like crowds, talk easily and loudly to anyone who will listen, tolerate noise well and crave constant activity.

What were your school years like? Try to recall a typical day in elementary school, middle school and high school. What were some of the most stressful expectations? The reason I'd like you to recall some of these things is for soul recovery. As a healer, we understand that people leave parts of their soul behind when they are expected to be something they are not for an extended period of time. Traveling back to a traumatic time consciously and understanding the dynamics of the situation from a mature persepctive, can being much integrity and healing to your psyche. So let's do that now. Email me with what you remember and care to write about.

Today, what is your favorite way to learn? Can you think of any teachers or employees who constructed an environment that was conducive for learning according to your favorite method? Some examples: working on a project by yourself, private tutorials, private lessons, time to practice in private before expecting a public performance .... What is the ideal learning environment for you and what are the things that you currently are interested in learning? How are you going about it? How do you cope with expectations for different types of learning on the job? Give this some thought and email me during the week with your recollections.

Gifted introverts are often asked to perform in front of the group. If you were gifted, or asked to perform, how did you handle this as a child? Did anyone help you with rehearsal of the social aspects of your presentation or performance? Were you stressed from the performance or the social expectations? In what areas did you perform publicly: sports, music, debate, political forums , running for office ... Many introvert advocates suggest self-training even as an adult through instruction and practice in public speaking, debate, drama, music, social skills, dance, and mentoring. This gives us a useful mask to put on when necessary. Have you taken any steps as an adult to improve your presentation ability?

The kind of instruction with which introverts can thrive includes:

methods that utilize internal reflective focus and honor the need for structure, quiet, and small groups

independent study

small group instruction

collaborative learning activities

tiered instruction

debate

dramatics or role-playing

journaling

and book clubs

Introverts also enjoy lectures and expository and deductive modes of instruction. Most introverts need wait time, warning about what they are expected to do, activities with minimal noise and stimulation, down time built into the schedule, and moderate amounts of small group work.

Internet learning is geared beautifully for introverts. There is privacy, time to reflect on what is being taught and learned. The distractions of other students are kept to the minimum, both their interruptive factor and their need to parrot information noisily and from our perspective uselessly.

If this is one of your first internet learning experiences, consider broadening your horizons with some more classes. Today it is possible to learn, shop, "interview" and communicate on the internet. This suits us just fine!

OPTIONAL: CLICK HERE FOR SOME REAL LIFE TESTIMONIALS FROM OTHER INTROVERTS ABOUT THEIR SCHOOL EXPERIENCES.

setting boundaries

Setting good boundaries is important as an adult and especially for adult women who are introverts and who may not be used to asking for the time and space they need. Here is a list of legitimate requirements on the part of introvert. You should work to include as many of these needs as possible in your daily life and living situation.

  A private space. If not your own room, den, office or bedroom, a "time out" place in the house where you are not disturbed, such as a kitchen nook or corner of the family room.

  Guaranteed quiet time. Agree on some signals that this is "quiet time"; provide head phones for family members who can't live without CDs, DVDs and other form of harrassment :-) Why should it be your inconvenience when they can bear some share of the responsibility for providing compatible shared living space?

   Respect and understanding for "alone" not "lonely" behavior (If you continually heard that being away from people makes you lonely as a child and have internalized that message, you may hear it around you as well (the inside shows up outside). Begin to correct your inner tapes now. Most introverts are not lonely when alone; in fact, they are very happy alone. Guard your self talk and the outer will change to conform.

  The right to say "enough" without ridicule or grudge. This statement refers to people, activities, and noise. You should be able to put in a certain amount of time at a family gathering and then be able to beg off without comment. That way family gatherings remain a pleasure and not a source of personal torture.

  Healing the Inner Child. I have found as an adult that it is sometimes helpful to read some of the excellent children's books that are written for introverted children. It is as though I am re-parenting myself and correcting old tapes. I recommend some of these books at LISTMANIA. Probably the three most highly recommended books would be The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine Engle for men or women and Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery , an extremely popular book for young girls and women who are healing their inner girls.

Rereading a few excellent children's literature books may help re-establish self esteem and erase damaging old tapes. These tapes can be there whether you consciously want them there or not until you take charge of your inner space and replace them with positive messages. Especially in the days of ordering online, you can easily get these books, or you can say they are for your niece or nephew if you're feel conscious buying books for young people. As a healer, I know that we want to go back and heal the inner child as well as the adult. Otherwise change is not always integrated to the core and defeatest or depressing old patterns can pop up under stress or when least expected.

Also visit BOOK SURVEY RESULTS, Section # What were your favorite books when you were a child? for books my introverted readers have enjoyed.

If you have a book you would like to recommend, please let me know. Email me.

take the survey

Name email   What was your family's attitude toward your introversion as a child? understanding no clue ridicule or teasing clueless but generally supportive What was the atmosphere in your childhood home? allowed privacy and quiet time shared room with extroverted siblings noisy and chaotic numerous obligatory family gatherings What is the atmosphere in your current living situation? allowed privacy and quiet time extroverted spouse or significant other introverted spouse or significant other live alone by choice numerous obligatory family gatherings minimal socializing with understanding of mate What changes in your current living situation would you like to make? Will you have the support of your partner, significant other, children, roommate(s), etc. in making these changes?

 

real life

  This week notice how it feels when you communicate sitting down or standing up. Try to put a weight on the amount of energy each uses.

  This week, pay attention to people's attitudes toward the phone. Guess which ones are extroverts and which are introverts. Ask them how they like talking or doing business on the phone and see if you were right. Remember when "interviewing" others that, unlike us, extroverts love to talk about themselves.

  This week think of more examples of good learning experiences and how you can incorporate them into your present day world.

  This week think about boundaries at home and what you can do to provide self care with the support of others.

 

 

Biography : Hans Eysenck (1916-1997) was born in Germany on March 4, 1916. His parents were actors who divorced when he was only two, and so Hans was raised by his grandmother. He left Germany at 18, when the Nazis came to power. As an active Jewish sympathizer, his life was in danger.

In England, Eysenck continued his education, and received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of London in 1940. During World War II, he served as a psychologist at an emergency hospital, where he did research on the reliability of psychiatric diagnoses. The results led him to a life-long antagonism to main-stream clinical psychology.

After the war, he taught at the University of London, as well as serving as the director of the psychology department of the Institute of Psychiatry, associated with Bethlehem Royal Hospital. He has written 75 books and some 700 articles, making him one of the most prolific writers in psychology. Eysenck retired in 1983 and continued to write until his death on September 4, 1997.

Eysenck's theory remains influential; before his death in 1997, he was the most cited living psychologist, and he is the third most cited psychologist of all time, after Freud and Piaget.