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Introverts Have More Brain Activity?
Posted by
ScuttleMonkey
on Mon Nov 28, 2005 09:28 PM
from the looking-only-as-far-as-the-nearest-computer-lab dept.
from the looking-only-as-far-as-the-nearest-computer-lab dept.
* * Beatles-Beatles writes to tell us Yahoo News is reporting that introverted individuals tend to have more brain activity in general, specifically in the frontal lobe. From the article: "The attitude that there's something wrong with introverted people is widely shared in society, where fast talk and snap decisions are often valued over listening, deliberation and careful planning. Extroverts seem to rule the world or, at least, the USA, which hasn't elected an introverted president for three decades, since Jimmy Carter."
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Submitter is a link spammer, does /. care? (Score:5, Informative)
Am I the only person who has noticed the numerous stories that get posted by *--Beatles-Beatles? Am I also the only person who has noticed that the link used in is name is a constantly changing URL (depending on the story) with pointers to various scammy sites? Is it not obvious what he's doing? He's using the awesome PageRank of slashdot do promote his sites based on searches that have the word Beatles in them.
It's a small price to pay for free advertising. Find a story, summarize it in 5 minutes, post to slashdot, and get a pagerank boost that advertisers would pay hundreds (or maybe thousands) for. (Text links on high-ranking sites is big business - just ask oreilly).
Slashdot should at least put a ref=nofollow in the links to submitters (or better yet, only link the submitter's name to his/her user page).
In closing, a quick bit of WHOIS shows that all the sites linked by **B-B are registered to Carl Fogle. Carl, cut this crap out.
Re:Submitter is a link spammer, does /. care? (Score:5, Funny)
From the point of view of Slashdot, giving a pagerank boost is a small price to pay to get submissions that got at least 5 min of work into them.
Parent
Re:Submitter is a link spammer, does /. care? (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
How can you tell an extroverted computer geek from (Score:5, Funny)
Q: How can you tell an extroverted computer geek from an introverted computer geek?
A: The introverted computer geek will look at his shoes while he talks to you. The extroverted computer geek will look at your shoes while he talks to you.
Q: How do you tell if an Extroverted computer geek is Russian?
A: His shoes look at you while he is talking.
After 2+ years, it still doesn't get old.
Parent
Re:Submitter is a link spammer, does /. care? (Score:5, Interesting)
"Hello, please leave a message after the tone"
BEEP
Googling for his phone number [google.com] brings up a lot of information. Apparently he's in the search engine optimization business and has been spamming for a long time [statcounter.com]. And is a jerk about it too.
His website: hxxp://search-engines-web.com
Another website: hxxp://5url.com/
Google Phonebook: C Aab
stwnewspress.com: Contact Name = A. Seo
5url.subportal.com: Contact Name = A. Aab
Feel free to send him e-mail url55@hotmail.com
Parent
Fast talker (Score:5, Informative)
Maybe on your side of the pond, mate.
Vik
Re:Fast talker (Score:5, Insightful)
In excess? All of the above.
In moderation? None of the above.
Just like with introverts/extroverts.
As long as you're not making your life and the lives of those around you miserable with your behavior, there's not problem. Many introverts ruin their own lives with shyness. I'd hardly call that a "smart" way to live. Likewise, many extroverts find themselves shunned as they are socially uncomfortable to be around. Either way, it's a costly mal-adjustment of behavior, and such people could probably gain from a little therapy or religion or whatever it takes to rattle their cages and see their own dysfunction for what it is.
Parent
This is a surprise? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:This is a surprise? (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re:This is a surprise? (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:This is a surprise? (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:This is a surprise? (Score:5, Funny)
If you ever paid hard-earned cash for a "15 page intelligence and personality report" about yourself, you are probably far dumber than most people.
Well-educated, perhaps, but dumb as a sack of hammers.
Parent
Re:This is a surprise? (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:This is a surprise? (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Great subject.... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Great subject.... (Score:5, Funny)
Even you know very well that "American Cheese" isn't really cheese. It's mostly oil, and foreign oil at that.
Parent
Reminds Me... (Score:5, Informative)
A while back I read an article in The Atlantic titled "Caring for Your Introvert [learningplaceonline.com]" by Jonathan Rauch. Absolutely great piece.
Irony (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:Irony (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
People are introverts precisely for that reason. (Score:5, Insightful)
One key difference among introverts, introverts know you don't really care and stay in their own world. An Extroverts world and entire reality only exists if people in that reality allow for it.
View it like this, if you are an introvert because you don't want an overly dramatic, painful, insane life, and want actual control over your life, thats just the logical way to have control.
If you are an extrovert, you care what other people think of you, you care about others more than others care about you, and I'm not saying its wrong to care about others, but extroverts simply get attached to everyone, or no one, while introverts are very selective with whom they attach to and connect with.
It's just different strategies, if a person can put up with the pain of being an extrovert, then theres nothing wrong with it, but for others being an extrovert is impossible or difficult unless its in a very artificial way. The artificial way of being an extrovert is to pretend to care, pretend to listen to people, pretend to trust people, and pretend to be social. Example, being social at work or at school because you are supposed to, not because you actually like to or need to, this is how an introvert views.
An extrovert HAS to be social or they go insane with bordem. An extrovert HAS to feel loved or they get depressed. An extrovert MUST feel accepted, MUST feel normal, and so on and so forth.
introverts want to simply stay in their own world and enjoy their time here, and are much more time conscious in that they know its a complete waste of time to play social mind games with people.
Parent
Re:People are introverts precisely for that reason (Score:5, Insightful)
The problem occurs, however, when you meet truly boring people. The guy who works as an insurance claims adjuster and has no hobbies or interests. Thankfully that's pretty rare. Most of the time people have at least one thing about them that's truly interesting and unique, and if you get them started on that topic you can be entertained for quite awhile. As a bonus, they'll think you're the most interesting person in the world, too, since the most interesting people are those are interested in them. You better actually be interested in people, though, or you'll just find yourself getting annoyed.
Oh, but playing social mind games is fun, too.
Parent
Re:People are introverts precisely for that reason (Score:5, Insightful)
As for whoever said, extroverts need others to care about them, that can't be farther from the truth, they really just seem to have a more verbal way of self-reflecting. By talking with others, most extroverts I've known seem to realize more about themselves from either hearing other peoples experiences or just saying something about themselves aloud.
As for the parent poster stating that talking isn't hard, introverts know that, usually we genuinely just don't care and sometimes don't want to know the answer to these questions.
Parent
What about perverts? (Score:5, Funny)
Yes yes, I think so, yes, maybe, well, no yes. YES (Score:5, Insightful)
For example; today I had an awful day. I'll think about it until tomorrow morning. My extroverted friends will shrug it off as "bad day, tomorrow is another". If in fact I do "think" more, I'll spend less time socializing as it'll cut into my thinking time.
Yesterday at a church event I attempted to be even more extroverted than normal. I was insulted in the course of the evening, a minor misunderstanding of my position, and of course it distracted me the rest of the evening as I thought about how to restate and rectify my position.
So yes, we think more but why would the thinking want to associate with the brain-dead? We don't. We fall back into our shells and think about why the world is as it is.
Re:Yes yes, I think so, yes, maybe, well, no yes. (Score:5, Insightful)
An introvert says it, but only after thinking it over, if it is the best thing to say, the timing, thinking about what others say a bunch to try to come up with good things to say, etc. An introvert can "over analyze" things like that.
Other things happen too. When I'm going to meet someone, I'll often think up entire conversations on the way. It isn't purposeful, but I think something along the lines of "I could say X", then that leads to "then they would say Y", and it continues and before you know it I've had a little conversation in my head.
I think about all sorts of stuff. I can be walking down the street and I'll start thinking about something completely irrelevant. I'm not talking about "I remember that one birthday", I'm talking about "how you could build X" which leads to how to solve problem Y, how X would be useful in situation Z, etc.
That is sort of the whole introvert/extrovert thing. Introverts do all this stuff inside. Extroverts might do these things as conversations with other people, or they might fill that "need" in some other way with normal conversation and such.
That's how I see it. I used to be more of an introvert, and I've never been an extrovert so I can't say I've had that point of view (outside of the odd situation).
Parent
Perhaps (Score:5, Informative)
More information here: http://www.theintrovertadvantage.com/ [theintrove...antage.com]
Here's a quick bit from the site:
Are You One?
We all use both our introverted and extroverted skills, but we are hard wired to be more one than the other. Look at the lists below and determine which one feels more like YOU!
Not every aspect will fit exactly for you because we are all unique. If you don't feel like you fit one side more than the other, even by 51% to 49%, then ask yourself this question: If there is an emergency do you tend to stand still and feel somewhat shutdown or in slow motion? If you have a standstill reaction to stress more often, then you are probably an introvert. In a crisis do you tend to move your body immediately and feel like taking action, maybe without pausing to think? Then you are probably an extrovert if you react with movement. Under stress we can experience our innate temperament. Look over the two lists and think about how you ARE, not as you'd like to be. If your still uncertain, as a last ditch effort, ask someone you trust and who is honest to read these and suggest which one sounds more like you.
Introverts:
Extroverts:
I recommend this book if you think you are or know somebody that you think is indeed an introvert, as this book says alot about what an introvert is and what the article briefly describes.
Re:Perhaps (Score:5, Insightful)
On the other hand, many "nerds" who really struggle at small talk still crave opportunities to meet lots of people and on those rare occasions when they are on top of their game they feel energized and love it.
Being a nerd (or a geek for that matter) does not necessarily mean being an introvert.
Parent
Also seen in the brain scan ... (Score:5, Funny)
Well, duh... (Score:5, Insightful)
Ever wondered why meeting people is easier when tipsy? It makes your brain shut up.
Re:Well, duh... (Score:5, Funny)
Oh, no, I bet Mr. Goatse is quite extroverted.
He certainly seems to be aggressively interested in sharing his innermost feelings to all and sundry.
Quite practiced at it, too.
I would think introverts would tend to avoid analizing at nearly all costs.
Parent
Re:Well, duh... (Score:5, Interesting)
Typical extrovert thinking... "hey why don't you get drunk then you'd have fun just like me". I don't blame you for thinking that, an extrovert can't help it, they have no chance of understanding what makes an introvert tick because not only do we not care to spend the time to tell you, but you won't sit still long enough to hear it.
Here's the thing. Introverts don't want your kind of fun, we're quite happy doing our own thing, sitting down, talking quietly and thinking about stuff - that is what is fun for us, not mindless verbal diahhorea (sp?), getting drunk and hitting on anything with legs.
Parent
Re:Well, duh... (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm rather introverted, and for me it goes like this. Most of the time when I'm thinking about something I have an internal conversation with one of three distinct voices in my head. They often come to different conclusions. I mediate and come to a consensus. the short of this is that it's a lot of fucking talking going on in my head.
The other thing is that I tend to be obtuse - in social situations and be very analytical in public. This causes problems.... many people dont like to interact with someone they perceive might be smarter than they - it causes them to feel insecure. Also, many people tend to base their whole worldview on their opinions. So in what I might perceive as casual conversation ends up altering someone's world view unnecessarily... this tends to create uncomfortable conditions.
One or two drinks for me does the exact thing poster mentioned. When I drink... the other voices are quiet. They don't speak, and it's a very serene vacation from the pinball match that is my psyche. It also allows me to focus intently on more pertinent and prudent pursuits: getting laid. And getting laid is about listening and being what that chick wants right at that time.
Interestingly enough - an analogy. Marijuana is banned by the Olympic committee, even though it doesn't really give athletes an advantage. I ran track - and knew some athletes who smoked weed before meets. The reason: it takes the edge off. Being nervous and jumpy throws their rhythm off; and rhythm is everything when wins and losses are measured in the blink of an eye.
Alcohol works like that for me in a social environment. I usually get something mild or watered down - or get something strong and nurse it. Athletes call it being too keyed-up; I can imagine the equivalent exists for those who have strong cognitive faculties.
And while like you, I enjoy doing my own thing for the most part; I far more enjoy getting laid on a regular basis. You have to join the world to do this.
Parent
Re:Well, duh... (Score:5, Informative)
First put forward by Freud and greatly elaborated by Jung neither introvert nor extravert necessarily determines skills at either thinking or socializing. Both have to do with which mode of behavior a person finds energizing and which s/he finds draining. Because of this energizing/draining aspect it is likely, though by no means guaranteed that introverts will be drawn more to reflection and therefore become more skilled thinkers, planners, visualizers, etc than they are socializers. Conversely it is more likely, though not assured, that extraverts will become more skilled socializers than they are thinkers, visualizers, etc.
An introvert finds that directing attention inwardly (hence the term into (inward) vert (to turn)) comes easily and is energizing, while directing attention outward (for example, in social gatherings) is draining. This does not mean that introverts cannot be good at socializing. It is just that doing so is an effort. They then need alone time to recover from the socializing.
An extrovert finds that directing attention outward (hence the term extro (outward) vert (to turn)) comes easily and is energizing, but directing attention inwardly (for example reflecting on feelings or past experiences) is draining. The extrovert can become quite skilled at this interior focus but s/he will need some social time to recover from it, just as the introvert will need alone time to recover from the perceived drain of socializing.
So both types can behave in both ways. Their behavior is not what defines them as introverts or extroverts. What defines them as one type or the other is how they respond to these two spheres of activity - inward looking and outward looking - by finding one energizing, one draining, one coming easily and one requiring an effort.
Parent
Groupthink!! (Score:5, Funny)
I feel the karma burning, but hey, I got a 4 today, so I can afford a -1.
As always, issue of causation (Score:5, Insightful)
There is frequently an assumption that the physical (brain chemistry, electrical activity) causes the behavior (introspection), as opposed to the other way around, or some other, independent cause.
To Borrow a Quote... (Score:5, Insightful)
Strive for diversity, not one or the other... (Score:5, Insightful)
I try to beleive I'm a little more diverse than one word, the same way I don't describe myself as a Jew, or white, or red head, or whatever. If you are in a situation where you have to describe yourself as one word, you may be around the wrong people.
frontal lobe (Score:5, Funny)
You know, we'd guessed....
Presidents nothing, try Apprentices (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Presidents nothing, try Apprentices (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
In representation of introverts (Score:5, Funny)
introvert != quiet (Score:5, Insightful)
That can mean that you're also quiet or a wallflower at parties, but does not at all have to be. It may just as well be that you're happily partying and jabbering away - just mostly with people you already know, preferably smaller groups, and not that often.
In fact, I prefer to see introversion as the positive difference of the clingy extrovert who can't stand being alone, who values themselves only through the eyes of others, and who has to fill their time with sounds and voices at any cost, whether if it means constantly blaring TV, spending hours on the phone saying nothing at all, or always having a boy/girlfriend just to have _someone_, since anyone, no matter what kind of creep, is better than being alone.
Re:USA != The world (Score:5, Funny)
What is this "World" that you speak of? Is "World" one of the Middle States? Like between Kansas and Ohio? I never could remember those.
Parent
Re:Two things (Score:5, Interesting)
Even though I am against spamming, I beg to differ on your request to ban someone from submitting articles. I know many users (examples: top ten submitters [slashdot.org]) who submit articles that are cohesive, thought out and in general good that also use their article author link to promote a site.
It seems to me that as long as the flow of the articles is coherent, insightful and fresh, this is what is important. Now yes, if every 1 out of 7 articles ever posted on slashdot was from this submitter than I would worry, but that is not the case here. The issue is on the quality of the articles, and not just based on who submits them. This is what it is about, correct? As Martin Luther King said
"a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character".
In this case, the submitters should be judged by quality of the articles they submit, not by what kind of author-link they have.
Parent
Perhaps (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:Two things (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe this isn't as much of an issue as you think it is.
Parent
Re:Two things (Score:5, Informative)
It's not you the message is intended for, it's Google. Google ranks sites at least partially (and primarily) by a method designed to determine the usefullness of a site based on links. Links from some sites count for more than others. Because
Parent
Re:Two things (Score:5, Funny)
And here I thought he was EVIL. Oh well, live and learn. (it's a joke...laugh dammit!)
Parent
Re:Two things (Score:5, Insightful)
That comment is as valid as it is contoversial.
Don't blame the parent for "flamebait" when the submitter is the one who brought American presidents in general, and Jimmy Carter in particular, into this thread.
Parent
Re:As Lewis once opined... (Score:5, Funny)
The difference being that jocks get invited to sports.
I keed! I keed! I joke-a with yooooooou!
Parent