Personality can be defined as a person's unique patterns of behavior and thinking.
In personality traits, introversion and extroversion are the two most focused aspects.
Currently, society generally believes that extroverted people are better suited to social environments, a notion that has had some negative impact on those who do not fit the extroverted profile.
However, we should not overlook the inner strengths of introverted individuals, who tend to engage in deep thinking.
Although they may gain fewer benefits from social activities, they also avoid some potential drawbacks.
As social beings, we spend most of our time interacting with others.
Let's discuss the concept of "social anxiety," which refers to anxiety associated with social activities.
People with social anxiety typically show increased levels of physiological arousal, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of nervousness, feeling uncomfortable when interacting with others.
A notable feature of social anxiety is the excessive concern about how others perceive them, known as evaluation fear.
When they have to speak in public, they often appear very shy, which can lead to nervous physiological reactions such as sweating and trembling.
It is important to note that these manifestations do not necessarily mean you are an introvert.
Everyone has their own definitions of extroversion and introversion, which can be described with some words or examples.
If you are a typical extrovert, then you are usually lively, impulsive, enjoy social activities, and often participate in group events.
You are good at socializing, enjoy attending parties, have many friends, and need to interact with people, disliking solitary reading or studying.
If you are a typical introvert, you are usually quiet, conservative, introspective, enjoy reading but dislike crowded places, and only appear less aloof when with close friends.
It is important to emphasize that most people are somewhere between these two extremes.
Self-awareness is a skill that needs to be learned throughout life.
The following three behaviors may just indicate "false introversion":
1. Shyness
In fact, many concepts in psychology are interrelated, and most researchers believe that social anxiety and shyness are the same phenomenon.
However, social anxiety is different from introversion, and it is crucial to understand this distinction.
Introverted people may avoid social activities typically out of personal choice, while most people with social anxiety do not like their state of shyness.
Research shows that about two-thirds of people with social anxiety consider their shyness a real problem.
They feel embarrassed or awkward in social situations and are more prone to blushing.
People with social anxiety often fear negative evaluation from others and tend to mistakenly believe that others are not interested in them.
This may be because shy people tend to add a negative tint when interpreting others' feedback.
This behavior reflects a self-defeating tendency.
In a video experiment called "Two-Way Discussion," participants watched a pre-recorded video.
Despite the reactions in the video being preset, people with social anxiety more often interpreted the expressions as showing dislike towards themselves.
Therefore, people with social anxiety frequently play out scenarios in their minds, but it is important to understand that shy people are not true introverts.
On the contrary, they often wish to have a broader social circle than they currently have, especially when they need help and hope to turn to more people for support.
Unfortunately, their shyness hinders the possibility of making more friends.
In reality, social anxiety does not always manifest as a lack of conversation skills; for some shy people, the real challenge is initiating a conversation.
What people with social anxiety truly lack is confidence, specifically the ability to make a good impression.
2. Covert Narcissists
The concept of covert narcissists first appeared in the 1930s when Scientific American published an article about "quiet narcissists."
"Quiet narcissists" refer to those who appear introverted on the surface but actually have a high self-evaluation and strong self-confidence, not needing external validation.
The formation of covert narcissism is closely related to their upbringing.
Their parents usually only show satisfaction when the children meet their high expectations, and when the children fail to meet expectations, they are criticized and suppressed.
This leads the children to believe that they can only gain attention through positive behavior, feeling that their shortcomings are not accepted and only their strengths are recognized, thereby failing to develop a healthy sense of self-esteem.
As a result, covert narcissists hold more distrust towards the outside world, are unusually sensitive to others' words and actions, often tend to overinterpret,
and are prone to thinking that others are attacking or targeting them, being exceptionally sensitive to criticism, and even being overly serious and emotionally volatile.
3. Enjoying Solitude
Traditionally, solitude has often been seen as a sign of unwillingness to socialize; however, some people find positive value in being alone,
such as helping to think through problems, relieving life pressures, or inspiring creativity.
Unlike introverts, these people still long for attention deep down and wish for a community that accepts them, they just haven't found a social circle where they feel safe.
If they encounter someone or a group that helps them integrate into the community, they would actually enjoy deeper interpersonal relationships.
Therefore, if you find yourself possessing these traits, you should no longer use the "introvert" label to justify your behavior.
What you need to understand is that you might not be truly introverted; in fact, you might be more willing to engage with others and capable of showing your true self than you imagine.
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