Understanding Introversion as a Personality Trait & Learning Style

OIS Teacher PD DayNovember 20, 2015

#oisnov20

https://faithfullyadhd.wordpress.com/2014/08/04/introvert-adhd-huh/

Session ContentIntroduction

There will be a test!

What is introversion? (And what is it not?)

What makes us introverted/extroverted?...research

How do introverts experience our schools?

Discussion/Q & A

Time for Self-Evaluation

30 questions: 20 from “Quiet” & 10 from KierseyChoose the answer that applies to you more often than not

Determine your score:“Quiet”: Add up “T” & “F” responsesKiersey: Add up “A” & “B” responsesWhere do you fall out of a total of 30? (T & B = introverted)

With a table-mate,Share your overall score.Discuss 2-3 questions which accurately describe your nature.Discuss 1-2 answers which were surprising.

There is no such thing as a pure extrovert or pure introvert. Such a man

would be in the lunatic asylum.Carl Jung

We all exist on a spectrum, as indicated by your scores

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ExtrovertIntrovertSpectrum.png

What is Introversion NOT?

LOTS and LOTS of misconceptions!

ShyAloofColdLonerHermitAnti-socialUnfriendlyDislikes peopleDepressed

http://barbaralayla.blogspot.com/2010/07/misunderstanding-introverts-part-one.html

Other examples...

WHO: Introversion is a potential health problem.

APA: Introversion is a contributing factor to some personality disorders.

http://disjointedthinking.jeffhughes.ca/2012/03/safe-spaces-for-solitude/

Introversion is now somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology.

Susan Cain

⅓ to ½of the human population is thought to be introverted.

A minority in the regular population,but a majority in the gifted population. Jill Burruss & Lisa Kaenzig

http://advertisementfeature.cnn.com/think-brilliant/the-surprising-power-of-introverts.html

http://advertisementfeature.cnn.com/think-brilliant/the-surprising-power-of-introverts.html

http://cdn.quotesgram.com/img/77/83/1311001446-Introverted_20Thinkers.jpg

What is Introversion?Jung (1921): introverts are drawn to the inner world of thought and feeling; social interactions are taxing, so they need time alone to recharge.

Influence of popular psychology: introversion and extroversion now are typically defined by how outgoing or shy we are.

And remember the spectrum...

http://quotesgram.com/extrovert-vs-introvert-quotes/#Y2P5zHrE07

For introverts, to be alone with our thoughts is as restorative as sleeping, as

nourishing as eating.Jonathan Rauch

Most people in politics draw energy from backslapping and shaking hands and all

that. I draw energy from discussing ideas.

Al Gore

How do we become introverts (or extroverts)?

Nature vs. Nurture: How much do we inherit, how much comes from experience?Temperament (foundation) vs. Personality (building);Not an either/or proposition

Twin studies: Personality traits are 40 - 50% heritable.

How do we become introverts (or extroverts)?

Studies show that introvert brains are different from extrovert brains…

Hans Eysenck: Levels of cortical arousal (speed & amount of brain activity)Introverts have higher levels; overwhelmed in highly stimulating situationsExtroverts have lower levels; seek out stimulating situationsRAS regulates arousal operates at a high base level for introverts

PET scans show blood flow to different areas of introvert and extrovert brainsI: areas associated with constructing meaning (inward focus)E: areas associated with engaging with outside stimuli (outward focus)

http://advertisementfeature.cnn.com/think-brilliant/the-surprising-power-of-introverts.html

How do we become introverts (or extroverts)?

Studies show that introvert brains are different from extrovert brains…

Dopamine study: Processing of rewardsMore active dopamine pathways in E brains; reinforces reward-seeking behaviorI brains “buzz” less, so they don’t go as far to seek out rewards

Ritalin study: Internal vs. external cues for reward and motivationExtroverts attributed pleasure to videos rather than the drugIntroverts were no longer excited by the videos...internal

Gambling study: I & E brains scanned while gamblingEs who won at gambling experienced more pleasure; took more risks

How do we become introverts (or extroverts)?

Jerome Kagan: longitudinal study on reaction to novel stimuli, infancy - age 11Results: 20% of 4-month-olds were “high-reactive”; 40% “low-reactive”Which were more likely to become introverts?Role of amygdala as brain’s “electrical switchboard”High-reactives are more likely to become introverts, wary of new stimuliMeasurement of high-reactives’ eye movements - “alert attention”

Carl Schwartz: Used fMRI scans on Kagan subjects to look inside their brainsKagan’s high-reactives tended to react more strongly to photosEvidence that temperament continues to influence us; but other factors shape

our personalities

Rubber-band theory: personality elasticity exists, but is limited

Neither E=mc2 nor Paradise Lost was dashed off by a party animal.

Winifred Gallagher

http://www.constructivegrumpiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/introvert-infographic-famous.jpg

A mind foreverVoyaging through strange seas of

Thought alone.William Wordsworth

(describing Isaac Newton)

Scientists can easily report on the behavior of extroverts, who can often be found laughing, talking, or gesticulating. But if a person is standing in a corner of

a room, you can attribute about 15 motivations to that person. But you dont

really know what’s going on inside.Elaine Aron

70%of today’s employees work in an open office plans.

Some people are more certain of everything than I am of anything.

Robert Rubin

What does this mean for our students?

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/05/23/32introvert_ep.h31.html

What an extroverted act it is in the first place to go to school. All day long, you

are in a classroom full of people with constant stimulation.

Susan Cain

The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Unknown

Think about how introverted kids experience a day at school:• Large group instruction in classes of 20 and more• Emphasis on teamwork instead of independent work• Focus on group discussions, social gregariousness• High levels of noise and activity

Do we:• Provide opportunities to work both in groups and individually?• Allow time for thinking before responding?• Have spaces where kids can recharge?• Create opportunities for students to practice skills that terrify introverts?• Let a preference for extroverted traits influence our assessment of

students?

Many schools are designed for extroverts

Secondary School Student Development ReportMotivation for learning • Actively engages in learning through listening, speaking, reading and writing. • Works independently. • Perseveres when problem solving by using a variety of different methods and questioning techniques to reach a solution. • Takes initiative in class and is proactive when working on assignments.

Social Responsibility • Makes informed decisions and displays ethical behavior. • Takes responsibility for self and is accountable for own actions. • Is socially conscious and mindful of others.

Social / Emotional Intelligence• Is empathetic, open-minded and actively listens to others.• Is a risk taker, challenges self to creative problem-solving, and explains thinking processes and solutions.• Collaborates well with peers and works effectively and efficiently in a team environment.• Allows others to share thoughts and is considerate of various perspectives.

Personal Management • Comes prepared to learn with all required materials. • Punctual to class, manages time effectively during the lesson and meets deadlines. • Is ready and willing to learn and asks for support when necessary.

http://ideas.ted.com/how-to-teach-a-young-introvert/

Practical suggestions that could benefit introverts• Mix up approaches the both Is & Es favor: lectures, downtime, independent

projects (I); movement, stimulation, collaborative work (E).

• Wait-time is HUGE! Write out answers to questions posed in class, perhaps.

• Be aware that introverts will have 1-2 deep interests that might them appear freaky & invite teasing. Praise, encourage, help them find others like them.

• Use pairs and 3s for collaborative work; keep things structured by assigning clearly defined roles.

• Independent work will help extroverts, too (mastery)!

• Don’t force participation; make it easy, create a safe environment instead.

Several studies show that extroverts get better grades than introverts during

elementary school, but introverts outperform extroverts in high school &

college.

One study tested 141 college students’ knowledge of 20 different subjects, from art to astronomy to statistics, and found

that introverts knew more than the extroverts about every single one of

them.

At the university level, introversion predicts academic performance better

than cognitive ability.

SourcesCain, Susan. "Must Great Leaders Be Gregarious?" The New York Times. The New York Times, 15 Sept. 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/opinion/sunday/introverts-make-great-leaders-too.html?_r=1>. Cain, Susan. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. New York: Crown, 2012. Print.

"Personality Test - Keirsey.com *** Keirsey Temperament Sorter II." Personality Test - Keirsey.com *** Keirsey Temperament Sorter II. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.

Rauch, Jonathan. "Caring for Your Introvert." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 1 Mar. 2003. Web. 24 Oct. 2015. <http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2003/03/caring-for-your-introvert/302696/>.

Dodd, Scott. "Is President Obama’s Personality Type To Blame for His Disastrous Debate Performance?" Slate Magazine. 5 Oct. 2012. Web. 3 Nov. 2015. <http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2012/10/obama_s_denver_debate_performance_introverted_personalities_are_misunderstood_.html>.

Sources"How to Teach a Young Introvert." Ideastedcom. 2 Sept. 2014. Web. 19 Nov. 2015. <http://ideas.ted.com/how-to-teach-a-young-introvert/>.

"Studies Illustrate Plight of Introverted Students." Education Week. Web. 19 Nov. 2015. <http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/05/23/32introvert_ep.h31.html>.

"The Science of What Makes an Introvert and an Extrovert." Io9. Web. 20 Nov. 2015. <http://io9.com/the-science-behind-extroversion-and-introversion-1282059791>.

"Are You An Introvert Or An Extrovert? What It Means For Your Career." Fast Company. 21 Aug. 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2015. <http://www.fastcompany.com/3016031/leadership-now/are-you-an-introvert-or-an-extrovert-and-what-it-means-for-your-career>.