Laurie Helgoe
Laurie Helgoe
Laurie Anne Helgoeis an American psychologist and author specializing in personality development and the psychology of desire. In 2008, her writing revealed that scholarly and popular accounts regarding humans who display the personality traits of introversion and extroversion were flawed, and that, instead of representing a 25-30% of the population, introverts make up 57% of the population. The identified flaw was a dated reliance on the early work of Isabel Briggs Myers, and the failure to note the latest comprehensive...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPsychologist
Date of Birth10 December 1960
CountryUnited States of America
I am very troubled by the tendency to define introverts by what they lack. Introversion is a preference, not a fallback plan.
When a quiet introvert talks, heads turn, and that's power.
Introverts process information internally, and we don't like to express our thoughts until they are fully formed.
If the extrovert watches and listens a bit more, the introvert's true mood will become more evident.
Extroverts are more attuned to social rewards, so they are more likely to flash a smile for effect. A notable exception are introverts - like me - whom I call "socially accessible" introverts. We have been trained well to smile and nod, which can place a burden on our processing efforts.
As an introvert, you can be your own best friend or your worst enemy. The good news is we generally like our own company, a quality that extroverts often envy. We find comfort in solitude and know how to soothe ourselves.
Introverts are collectors of thoughts, and solitude is where the collection is curated and rearranged to make sense of the present and future.
Introvert conversations are like jazz, where each player gets to solo for a nice stretch before the other player comes in and does his solo. And like jazz, once we get going, we can play all night. Extrovert conversations are more like tennis matches, where thoughts are batted back and forth, and players need to be ready to respond. Introverts get winded pretty quickly.
Quiet is might. Solitude is strength. Introversion is power.
Though introverts are drained by interaction, we can take immense pleasure in watching the scene around us.
Introverts paradoxically pull away from culture and create culture.
Introvert conversations are like jazz. Each player gets to solo for a nice stretch before the other player comes in and does his solo.
Often confused with shyness, introversion does not imply social reticence or discomfort. Rather than being averse to social engagement, introverts become overwhelmed by too much of it, which explains why the introvert is ready to leave a party after an hour and the extravert gains steam as the night goes on.
The ability to reflect is associated with critical thinking and reasoning ability. And the capacity to be alone is one of the highest levels of development. It's important to know how to self-soothe and be confident of other people's love even when they're not there in front of you.