“I was born this way,” is the short and sweet answer we’ve been searching for to explain our ways to our friends
How many times in your life have you struggled to explain yourself to well-meaning friends when they ask why you like to be alone, or why you aren’t joining the party?
Well, if you’re like us here at Wallflower, probably more times than you’ve had hot dinners. Never fear, though, as science provides us the best can’t-argue-with-that answer to our problem. Turns out we are born introverts.
There are several different scientific theories that try to explain introversion and extroversion. It is widely observed that nobody is 100% extrovert or 100% introvert. Carl Jung, the famed early 20th century psychologist, said that, “such a person would be in the lunatic asylum,” if they were purely introvert or extrovert. Which explains why we like being social, but in small groups.
The differences boil down to brain activity. One theory suggests that an introvert’s brain processes more information per second due to higher cortical arousal, i.e. the speed and activity of the brain.
Another part of our brain, the Reticular Activating System (RAS), which responds to stimuli like food and social contact, also plays a big part in whether we have an introverted or extroverted personality. Not sure, where you fall on the scale? Well tasting a lemon will give you your answer, apparently!
Another theory suggests that extroverts react strongly to the release of dopamine. Dopamine is also considered the reward-motivated chemical. Eat some chocolate cake? Or successfully talk to someone you fancy? Well, that rush you feel afterwards is dopamine. Studies suggest that this dopamine rush energises an extrovert, while the same chemical release would leave an introvert feeling overwhelmed. Extroverts and introverts have the same dopamine levels, our bodies just react differently to it.
Studies are continuously undertaken to discover a concrete reason why we are the way we are, and some of these are only theories, but they are theories that carry weight.
So the next time someone asks for the millionth time why you prefer to sit at home watching Gilmore Girls repeats rather than go out clubbing, you now have a solid go-to answer.
And if they keep needling, you can school them with your scientific knowledge.
