"Although there are several studies that measure introverts and extroverts, the Myers Briggs Typology Inventory – a popular personality measure – found in a global study that 56.8% of the population are introverts," says Joanne Broder, a practicing psychologist and fellow of the American Psychological Association."
While there is no single characteristic that defines an introverted person, generally speaking, introverts prefer being alone or among a few people rather than larger crowds.
Introverts frequently seek out and enjoy opportunities for solitude and often choose activities where they can be alone or in small groups such as walking, hiking, reading, photography, DIY projects, playing video games, writing, gardening, drawing, or listening to music.
It's not that they detest spending time around others, it just requires more effort out of them, and they get to a point where they need to take a break and recharge by being on their own.
According to Dr. William Irwin, who is a professor of philosophy at King's College in Pennsylvania, to be an introvert is not necessarily to be shy, though the two can go together.
To be shy is to be diffident and unassertive, to be reluctant, and oftentimes regret it later.
An introverted person might be none of these things. As Irwin put it, they are not agoraphobes; they do not fear or avoid all societal interaction, and they're not necessarily hardcore loners or misanthropes.
Broder adds that introverts are people who are comfortable enough to be in their own skin and are simply happy to be alone with themselves. The psychologist says that people with the personality trait are also generally more selective in who they invite into their world, "which tend to be genuine and true friends, as opposed to casual peers."
Ultimately, it’s perfectly okay to be an introvert, Broder says, "because introverts are comfortable, authentic and independent, rather than molding themselves to the crowd to be included with others."
