Over the years, society has rewarded extroversion. The ideal of success is linked to a person who is open to the world, sociable, and empathetic, and who navigates easily in different social situations. Because of this, introverts may feel undervalued or at a disadvantage. In fact, many struggle to become more extroverted, having at some point felt ridiculed or even labeled as a “misfit.”
However, extroversion and introversion are simply different ways of dealing with the world and social relationships. Now, a study conducted at Dartmouth College reveals that introverts have a much more accurate and objective perception of the social world than extroverts.
The Friendship Paradox and the Extroversion Bias
The study in question analyzed the interaction of two key factors in a group of 284 master’s students: level of extroversion and homophily. Homophily refers to the fact that people with similar levels of introversion or extroversion are more likely to seek out friends within their own group.
These students completed two surveys, one five weeks after starting college and another eleven weeks after. They also completed questionnaires asking who they socialized with and tests to assess their level of introversion/extroversion.
The results showed that extroverts tend to connect with other extroverts, so their social networks often contain an overwhelming majority of extroverts. However, introverts were more likely to form more “balanced” social networks, representing a more well-rounded demographic.
As a result, extroverts tend to fall into what’s known as the “Friendship Paradox.” This theory was proposed in 1991 by sociologist Scott Feld, who observed that most people have fewer friends than their friends do. This is because we tend to choose as friends people who, in turn, have many friends. We prefer extroverts over introverts. Therefore, the likelihood that our friends have more friends than we do is high.
This study found that extroverts believe they are much more sociable than they actually are, which is because their inferences about themselves and their social relationships depend largely on the social network they have built.
That is, extroverts tend to go out a lot and find like-minded people. From their perspective, the world is full of “flitting butterflies.” In contrast, introverts are aware that these “butterflies” exist, but they also know that they aren’t everywhere.
Therefore, if you’re an extrovert, you may have a biased view of yourself and your friends. However, if you’re an introvert, you may have a much more accurate and objective view. This is because introversion fosters qualities such as reflection and observation, which allow you to better assess the social world and understand how it works.
In fact, contrary to popular belief, introverts aren’t bad communicators. They simply prefer to be in smaller groups of people, rather than large ones. They value the quality of relationships over quantity.
Finally, did you know that introverts are better managers than extroverts? It’s been shown that people with an introverted tendency not only manage their time better but can also be better at guiding a business approach.
Another study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania found that proactive employees perform better when under the direction of an introvert. This is because introverted leaders are more likely to listen and pay attention to the people under their command, as well as recognize their efforts.
References:
Feiler, D. C. & Kleinbaum, A. M. (2015) Popularity, Similarity, and the Network Extraversion Bias. Psychological Science; 26(5): 593-603.
Grant, A. M. et. Al. (2011) Reversing the Extraverted Leadership Advantage: The Role of Employee Proactivity. Academy of Management Journal; 54(3): 528-550.
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