Five flavors of introversion

Having an underlying preference for either extraversion or introversion is likely something we're born with, but genetics isn't the only thing that determines who we are and what we do. As we go through life from childhood onwards, we all have different journeys, and these shape the way in which we typically behave. Depending on our past experiences and our current situation, we may express our underlying preference for extraversion or introversion in different ways. The MBTI Step II assessment explores five flavors of extraversion and introversion, five nuances in the way people apply their underlying preference:

Initiating – Receiving. Most introverts behave in receiving way when they meet new people. They tend to wait for another person to initiate contact or to find a person they know to talk to rather than approaching someone new. They generally don't enjoy small talk, but they can (and will) talk at length about subjects they are interested in. However, most extraverts, and a small percentage of introverts, typically take the opposite initiating approach, happy to introduce themselves to new people and start a conversation.
Expressive – Contained. Most introverts process their thoughts internally and may not share their views; when they do it's likely that they will only share what they see as relevant, and only to the people who they think need to know. They can be hard to read and they typically see themselves as private; they are good at keeping secrets. They have a contained style, in contrast to most extraverts, who take the opposite expressive
Gregarious – Intimate. Most introverts would say that they have a small number of close friends and make a clear distinction between these and a larger group of other people that they would see as acquaintances. They develop relationships with a few significant people over time. They have an intimate, rather than a gregarious, approach.
Active – Reflective. Typically, introverts learn best by reading and writing, and prefer a quiet place to do this; extraverts usually learn best by doing. Introverts like to reflect on issues and think things through before meeting up to discuss; extraverts would rather get straight down to meeting people face to face. Most introverts have a reflective style, most extraverts an active
Enthusiastic – Quiet. Most introverts have a quiet They tend to avoid the spotlight, can be seen as reserved and quiet, and prefer calm to noisy environments. At their best, they are seen as serene and can be a calming influence. Most extraverts have an enthusiastic style, enjoying being the center of attention, wanting to be where the buzz is, and finding conversations stimulating.

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Introversion: Maybe it's not what you think it is

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