Another good column/Q&A about introversion, by author Susan Cain. The most surprising thing that Cain discovered?
The most surprising and fascinating thing I learned is that there are “introverts” and “extroverts” throughout the animal kingdom – all the way down to the level of fruit flies! Evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson speculates that the two types evolved to use very different survival strategies. Animal “introverts” stick to the sidelines and survive when predators come calling. Animal “extroverts” roam and explore, so they do better when food is scarce. The same is true (analogously speaking) of humans.
I have my extroverted moments. But the quiet glass of wine with a friend instead of a party? The need for seclusion at times? The irritation concerning the confusion between shyness and introversion? So me.