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Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts

By | April 6, 2010, 9:55 AM PDT

Shy or introverted people may actually process the world differently than those who are more extroverted, according to a new study.

Researchers have determined that about 20 percent of people are born with a personality trait called “sensory perception sensitivity,” or SPS, which facilitates an inhibited, even neurotic, demeanor.

Colloquially, we say those people are “slow to warm up” to social situations, or may cry easily, or offer deeper than expected thoughts, according to the study.

Researchers at Stony Brook University in New York and Southwest University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in China gave 16 participants a questionnaire to separate participants into two groups: sensitive and non-sensitive.

The researchers asked the participants to compare a photograph of a visual scene with one of a preceding scene, asking whether or not the scene had changed. Some changes were subtle; some were obvious. While participants looked at the scenes, the researchers scanned each participant’s brain with functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, machine.

The scientists found that participants deemed “sensitive” analyzed the scenes with subtle differences for a longer time than “non-sensitive” participants did, demonstrating greater activation in brain areas involved in associating visual input with other input to the brain and with visual attention.

The results suggested that highly sensitive individuals:

  • Prefer to take longer to make decisions.
  • Are more conscientious.
  • Need more time to themselves in order to reflect.
  • Are more easily bored with small talk.

Those attributes complement previous research, which found that highly sensitive individuals are more bothered by noise and crowds, affected by caffeine, and easily startled compared to “non-sensitive” individuals.

All that may seem obvious, but the research suggests that sensory sensitivity is a result of an inherent nature to be more attentive to experiences — not the other way around.

A sensitivity trait is found in more than 100 other species, suggesting that it could offer an evolutionary advantage or disadvantage: the thinkers versus the doers.

Example: Thinkers could survive in a dangerous situation that requires thought, but doers may have better chances in situations that require aggressive action.

Their results were published in the March 4 edition of the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.

[via LiveScience]

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Andrew Nusca

About Andrew Nusca

Andrew Nusca is the editor of SmartPlanet.

Andrew Nusca

Andrew Nusca

Editor

Andrew Nusca is editor of SmartPlanet and an associate editor for ZDNet. Previously, he worked at Money, Men's Vogue and Popular Mechanics magazines. He holds degrees from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and New York University. He based in New York but resides in Philadelphia.

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Andrew Nusca

Andrew Nusca
Andrew Nusca does not hold any investments in the companies he covers.
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0 Votes
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Guess it makes sense
Of course I'm an INTJ.

The thing is that the extroverts are more likely to get into management positions than introverts. Which means you have people with an inherit tendency to not think, telling those who do think what to do.

So, anyone seen "How to train your dragon?"
Posted by Dr_Zinj
8th Apr 2010
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As the old (is it really a joke) goes...
From http://www.chaosmatrix.org/library/humor/equation.html

Knowledge is Power
Time is Money
and as every engineer knows, Power is Work over Time.

So, substituting algebraic equations for these time worn bits of wisdom, we get:

* K = P (1)
* T = M (2)
* P = W/T (3)

Now, do a few simple substitutions:

Put W/T in for P in equation (1), which yields:

* K = W/T (4)

Put M in for T into equation (4), which yields:

* K = W/M (5)

Now we've got something. Expanding back into English, we get:

Knowledge equals Work over Money.

What this MEANS is that:

1. The More You Know, the More Work You Do, and
2. The More You Know, the Less Money You Make.

Solving for Money, we get:

* M = W/K (6)

Money equals Work Over Knowledge.

From equation (6) we see that Money approaches infinity as Knowledge approaches 0, regardless of the Work done.

What THIS MEANS is:

The More you Make, the Less you Know.

Solving for Work, we get

* W = M K (7)

Work equals Money times Knowledge

From equation (7) we see that Work approaches 0 as Knowledge approaches 0.

What THIS MEANS is:

The stupid rich do little or no work.
Posted by charlesk61
8th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
Gotta agree with charlesk61 completely.

Oh and the funny thing is I already figured this all out on my own and I'm only 17 yrs and no "scientist". Plus they also forgot to mention that us 'deep thinkers' are usually more unhappy too. We think TOO much, and its draining.
Posted by ubergoober
8th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
Hmmm... After giving it quite a bit of thought I have to agree.
Posted by greggatshack
13th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
As an INFP, I am also not surprised. And charlesk61 has really done the math! No wonder I am working so hard and getting paid so little. (But at least I still have a job...)
Posted by rgetsla
13th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
I recommend a book titled "The Introvert Advantage", which lays out, fairly conclusively, a whole lot of research that is much more evolved than what this piece is referring to.
Seems that true introverts have a different rudimentary brain chemistry, performing many processes with dopaminergic pathways that most folks use cholinergic pathways for. Which, if you're into neuroscience at all, explains a whole lot.
Posted by CraiGrrr
13th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
First:
"Thinkers could survive in a dangerous situation that requires thought, but doers may have better chances in situations that require aggressive action."

Should be immediate.

Second:
Other studies have shown that depressives tend to be more accurate observers than average.

BTW
The INTJ etc classification only works well on people who are "unbalanced" People who score on or near the midline will tend to flip-flop categories in successive tests.
Posted by wizoddg
13th Apr 2010
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Money math
The logical conclusion of charlesk61's math means that if I don't work or think at all, I'll become infinitely wealthy....

I saw How to Train your Dragon.

+ film-makers need to quite trying to emphasise their newest gimmick to the point that it interferes with, rather than enhances the work.

+ the runes were wrong.

+ non-Pc 'racist' and 'sexist'

+ the sailing was wrong

+ the aerodynamics were wrong

+ It is a very fun film which everyone in the theatre greatly enjoyed!/b
Posted by wizoddg
13th Apr 2010
0 Votes
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Still thinking...
...

Let's do a study on other nations to see if certain nations consist of more aggressive people vs non-agressive introverts.

charlesk61 - thanks for the post. I'm still laughing.
Posted by GuntherGump
13th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
So they only had a sample size of 16 and no indication of variability between participants. I am skeptical.
Posted by yagisanatode
13th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
This explains a lot - including why I married my husband, an
extrovert. Opposites and all that - He proposed on a whim - I thought
about it for 8 years - go figure!
Posted by julifnash@...
13th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
The problem is that extrovets won't ever read the article because they are too busy meeting people.
Posted by frankenstone
13th Apr 2010
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My Shyness Disappeared By Making a Simple Change
I was shy all my life, then suddenly, it went away and I became and extrovert.

What changed?

I had all of my amalgam dental fillings removed. They emit 3 to 17 ug of mercury into your mouth per day per filling (per CDC study).

Research on mercury toxicity has now shown that it causes about 130 common diseases including depression, fears/phobias, hypothyroid, elevated DHT (balding, enlarged prostate), low T3, low ATP production, and a long list of other common problems.

Here is a link to my story for those interested:
http://herballure.com/mms
Posted by mmem700
13th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
I believe the article indicated that three different locations each tested 16 subjects but I agree with yagisanatode that testing 16 or even 48 people is too small of a sampling to draw any real conclusions. There are too many variables in human thought patterns and adults can learn to overcome any negative effects of being introverted. I'm a total introvert but I've trained myself to function well in extroverted situations. I am a very good salesperson, can speak on any subject in front of any size audience and don't have any fear of social situations. I do agree with the conclusion that introverts and extroverts might use different chemical signals to process thoughts and feelings.
Posted by flybywire99
13th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
Prefer to take longer to make decisions.
Are more conscientious.
Need more time to themselves in order to reflect.

Exactly what are the logical distinctions among these three?
But, abstracting away from the trivialities inherent in that question,
whoa! this experiment *totally* explains why I've never copped so
much as a reach-around, never got a French kiss till I was twenty,
never had sex till I was 25, didn't get my BA till I was 35, didn't get
married till I was 53, am seriously considering giving up on the
doctoral thesis that I stared in 1975, and try never to go into the
presence of even a single stranger without my wife!
My brothers are a federal judge and a retired VP & CFO of a unit of
Pfizer. This analysis certainly trivializes the conundrum as to why
they succeeded and I didn't: they made quick decisions, were never
conscientious, and didn't take any time to reflect.
It's utterly transparent. And only sixteen subjects were required to
show this! Even if I weren't too shy to offer an opinion, I would
never have dared to guess that a mere sixteen people were
necessary to solve a problem that affects hundreds of millions of
people.
Posted by hwgray
13th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
It is not as easy as E/I, get over it. E/I personality types are not any different than A/B personality types. You still have S/N, T/F, J/P.... E and I equal A and B but what happens when you add the other traits?

I am "I minus one," but everything else is so close I could be the runner up for the mid-way personality contest, or something! My daughter is such a high "E" that she would win "A" type personality of the decade.
Grand-daughter, "with an E/A attitude that would kick anyone?s butt" and ?F? that would knock you off your feet in a heartbeat which just beats all,? the F, being a big factor. Introvert verses Extrovert is not the final story in your life, you still have so much more to see, learn, know and tell, no matter how young or old you are!
Regardless if you are out more going around others or keep to your-self you should know, you are still you! That is all that matters!
By the way, I am ISTP, but the S/N and the T/F are so close that you would not notice anything depending on the circumstance. For some things my ?S? trait are high and others the ?N?, and it?s the same with the ?T and the F.? All of these traits define me not just the ?E and I.?
Posted by Joanna G.B
14th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
I am a highly sensitive person. Sometimes people tell me I am shy. Shy is a very negative term which can make people feel really depressed. It is wrong to label highly sensitive people as being shy, as sensitivity is different to shyness.
We are not shy, we are HSP (Highly Sensitive People).
I recommend reading The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron.
Posted by david@...
14th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
as you wish~http://www.pandoraestore.com/
Posted by pandora2010
14th Apr 2010
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RE: Why am I shy? New study offers insight on introverts
another way of grouping people. i am one of those introverts, so what!
why build another cage to house us in. let it go.
Posted by wilwad
14th Apr 2010
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