Introverts and extroverts have fundamentally different personalities and ways of interacting with the world. One major difference between the two is how they experience and deal with anxiety or nervousness. Many people believe that introverts tend to feel more anxious in social situations or when encountering new experiences. But is this perception accurate? Here we’ll explore the evidence behind the assumptions about introverts and anxiety.
What makes introverts introverted?
Introversion is one of the major personality traits identified in psychology. Introverts tend to be inwardly focused, preferring their internal world of thoughts and ideas to excessive external stimulation. Key qualities of introverted individuals include:
- Enjoying solitary activities
- Having a smaller group of close friends rather than many acquaintances
- Disliking small talk and preferring deeper conversations
- Feeling drained after too much social interaction
- Thinking before speaking and generally being introspective
- Preferring a calm, minimally stimulating environment
Introverts tend to be sensitive to external stimulation and process information thoroughly before responding. They have a lower threshold for arousal, meaning too much stimulation can feel overwhelming or stressful. Introverts enjoy contemplating ideas and require time alone to recharge their energy and focus.
What makes extroverts extroverted?
In contrast to introverts, extroverts thrive on social interaction, action, and external stimuli. Qualities associated with extroverted personalities include:
- Enjoying group activities and mingling with many different people
- Having a wide social circle and many acquaintances
- Loving to chat, even engaging in small talk with strangers
- Deriving energy from social interaction
- Acting on impulse and preference for talking over thinking/listening
- Becoming bored easily when alone or in quiet environments
Extroverts feel energized being around others and expressing themselves verbally. They thrive in buzzing, active environments and act on impulse more readily than introverts. Extroverts focus their attention outwardly and may speak before fully thinking something through.
Are introverts more prone to anxiety?
A common assumption is that introverts are more prone to anxiety, shyness, and nervousness than extroverts. This stereotype exists in part because introverts seem anxious or uncomfortable in social situations that extroverts thrive in. Additionally, extroverts exude more obvious self-confidence and charisma.
However, research on the actual differences in anxiety levels between introverts and extroverts shows a more complex picture. Here are some key findings that relate to anxiety and nervousness:
- Introverts and extroverts show little difference in anxiety levels in everyday situations.
- Extreme extroversion combined with high stimulation/arousal may predict social anxiety.
- Introverts and extroverts exhibit different physiological reactions to stress/anxiety.
- Differences emerge most clearly in novel or unfamiliar situations.
Overall, introverts do not seem inherently more prone to anxiety disorders or nervousness. Both introverts and extroverts can experience social anxiety. But their anxiety may manifest differently depending on their personality.
Everyday anxiety levels
Studies comparing reported anxiety levels of introverts and extroverts show surprisingly little difference overall. In most ordinary situations, introverts and extroverts experience comparable levels of anxiety and nervousness. For example, one study assessed anxiety in the following daily activities:
- Using the telephone
- Starting conversations
- Speaking in meetings
- Asking questions in class
- Giving a presentation
The study found no significant differences between introverts and extroverts in self-reported anxiety related to these common scenarios. Most people feel some nervousness with public speaking, for instance, regardless of introversion or extroversion.
Link between excitation and social anxiety
Although everyday anxiety levels seem similar across the traits, one area introverts may have an advantage is in stimulation-driven anxiety. Studies show extremely extroverted individuals are more likely to experience anxiety in highly arousing situations. Extroverts seek and thrive on high-stimulus environments. But when those stimulating surroundings becomeexcessive, it can trigger anxious arousal more easily in extroverts.
For example, one study found that extroverts were more likely than introverts to experience social anxiety in environments with loud music, crowded spaces, and constant distraction. Introverts, on the other hand, were less likely to feel these intensely stimulating settings contributed to social anxiety.
Physiological differences
Introverts and extroverts do exhibit different physiological reactions to stress and anxiety in some conditions. For example, studies show introverts have higher baseline arousal and increased blood pressure/heart rate response to stimulation. Extroverts overall have lower resting arousal levels.
What this means is while psychological perceptions of anxiety may be similar between the two groups, their bodily manifestations of anxiety differ. Introverts may have stronger physical stress reactions in response to anxious situations compared to extroverts.
Novelty/unfamiliarity magnifies differences
One area where differences in anxiety seem most pronounced between introverts and extroverts is in new or unfamiliar situations. Introverts appear to experience higher levels of nervousness related to novelty, while extroverts thrive on new experiences.
For example, one study had participants give a speech on different topics while researchers observed their anxiety levels through biometric measurements. Introverts had much higher anxiety when speaking about unfamiliar topics compared to familiar topics, while extroverts showed little change.
Introverts’ caution toward unfamiliar situations may reflect higher behavioral inhibition. But extroverts commonly plunge into new experiences boldly with less apparent anxiety. So introverts do seem more nervous handling novelty, likely related to needing time to assess new information before acting.
Causes of social anxiety differences
Research looking at brain function offers some clues as to why introverts and extroverts diverge in social anxiety and response to unfamiliar situations. Here are some of the factors that may underlie differences:
- Differences in threat/reward sensitivity
- Imbalanced excitation/inhibition in the brain
- Enhanced response to dopamine
- Discrepancies in learning from experience
Threat and reward perception
The way introverts and extroverts perceive potential threats versus rewards appears to play a role in social anxiety. One theory suggests extroverts are guided more by reward centers in the brain while introverts are guided more by threat/avoidance centers.
For instance, brain imaging studies show extroverts have more active reward pathways linked to socializing, making them gravitate toward social engagement. Introverts show more reactivity in threat processing centers, perhaps making them more vigilant about potential anxiety-provoking interactions.
Brain excitation and inhibition
Differences in excitation and inhibition balance in the brain may also help explain social anxiety tendencies. The excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate and inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA are usually balanced. But extroversion seems linked to excess glutamate levels, making extroverts more excitable.
Excessive excitation is tied to greater impulsivity and reactivity, potentially driving extroverts to jump into arousing situations. Meanwhile, introverts appear to have more inhibition, making them less reactive and more reflective before acting, potentially out of anxiety about the unknown.
Dopamine reactivity
Variations in the neurotransmitter dopamine, associated with reward-seeking and motivation, also differ between extroverts and introverts. Extroverts seem to have greater dopamine reactivity, making them keenly responsive to potential rewards.
Overactive dopamine could make extroverts too focused on chasing positive social rewards, leading them to disregard anxiety signals about when to withdraw from excessive stimulation. Introverts with less dopamine reactivity may be more wary of unfamiliar situations and attend more closely to anxiety warning signs.
Learning from experience
Finally, research suggests introverts may be better at learning from negative emotional experiences like anxiety to help avoid future threats. Extroverts, on the other hand, seem to learn better from positive emotional experiences and can overlook anxiety and threats.
This may relate to differences in threat versus reward sensitivity. Introverts appear to remember lessons from anxious experiences more strongly. Extroverts instead focus their learning on positive experiences and seem not to encode anxious memories as well, making them more prone to repeated negative social encounters.
Coping strategies and techniques
Although average everyday anxiety levels are similar for introverts and extroverts, their differing responses to stress and stimuli point to tailored coping strategies each group can adopt. Here are some techniques for introverts and extroverts to help manage anxiety.
Introvert strategies
- Be selective about venues and events so you don’t become overstimulated.
- Arrive early to social gatherings to scope out the environment.
- Take frequent breaks during prolonged interaction to recharge in a quiet space.
- Share your need for mental downtime with family/friends so they understand.
- Give yourself extra time to mentally prepare before unfamiliar activities.
- Set a time limit for unfamiliar social situations so you aren’t overwhelmed.
Extrovert strategies
- Limit extremely stimulating environments when you’re already stressed.
- Try relaxing solo activities like reading to balance highly active socializing.
- Learn to recognize signs of anxious arousal so you can take a break.
- Meditation can train your brain to better regulate excessive excitation.
- Slow down and assess situations when you feel overwhelmed.
- Keep a reasonable balance between familiar and new social activities.
| Introvert anxiety tendencies | Extrovert anxiety tendencies |
|---|---|
| Higher baseline physiological arousal | Lower resting arousal level |
| More threatened by novelty and unfamiliarity | Thrives on and feels rewarded by new experiences |
| Brain prioritizes avoiding potential threats | Brain prioritizes pursuing potential rewards |
| May overprepare due to fear of unknown | May plunge into new situations without preparation |
| Remembers past anxious experiences more vividly | Remembers past positive experiences more vividly |
Conclusion
Introverts are not inherently more anxious than extroverts overall. But key differences in how they process information, perceive threats and rewards, and respond physiologically result in divergent expressions of anxiety in some situations.
Introverts tend to feel more nervous with novelty and unfamiliarity due to their inward focus and sensitive processing. Extroverts may struggle more managing anxiety in extremely stimulating environments due to their higher excitability.
Being aware of their respective anxiety triggers allows both personality types to plan coping strategies tailored to their needs. With self-knowledge, introverts and extroverts can minimize anxiety’s disruptive effects and harness the strengths of their unique dispositions.