The 4 types of introverts

Welcome to The Introverted Path!

Happy Thursday! Hope everyone had a good holiday weekend if you were celebrating here in the US.

I am getting pretty excited for fall and cooler weather. It has been a super hot summer, so I am ready to bust out the sweatshirts and open up the windows.

Today I wanted to talk about the 4️⃣ different types of introverts. Now that we have a better understanding of what an introvert is, it’s time to take that a level deeper.

In today’s email:

• Intro to the 4 different types of introverts

• Links to other content I enjoyed this week

Let’s dive in 🤙 

The 4 different types of introverts

Over here at The Introverted Path, we love a good acronym.

Last week we looked at the Big 5 personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Also commonly referred to as OCEAN or CANOE.

And guess what? The 4 different types of introverts are commonly remembered by the acronym STAR.

The STAR model of introversion was developed by psychologist and researcher Jonathan Cheek, PhD in 2011.

Each of these types has different motivations, strengths, and weaknesses.

💡 Why this is important: Not all introverts are made the same. Understanding the differences between the four types gives insight into what sets us apart. This can also help to explain motivations behind friends, family, or coworkers.

1. Social introvert

Social introverts prefer small groups to large gatherings. They enjoy being social, but have their energy drained in big social settings.

It is important to note that social introverts don’t avoid crowds because they have social anxiety - it is their preference for smaller groups.

A social introvert may have JOMO (joy of missing out) instead of FOMO (fear of missing out).

2. Thinking introvert

The thinking introvert is most at peace when they are spending time alone, doing things such as reading or learning. These things tend to take up much of their mental space and they can deprioritize other people as a result.

These types of introverts can frequently be confused for extroverts because they are such engaged conversationalists. They provide deep and insightful feedback to a conversation.

Thinking introverts may come off as spaced out or aloof. They frequently pause to gather their thoughts before responding.

3. Anxious introvert

An anxious introvert can come across as nervous or on edge. They tend to completely shy away from people or settings that can cause anxiety.

Their tendency to turn inward is a protective mechanism. Because of their fear of the unknown, they prefer to remain at home or in familiar settings.

This leads them to keep away from new experiences or large social gatherings.

4. Restrained introvert

The restrained introvert will keep their guard up until they get to know someone. Once you gain their trust, they are happy to let their guard down.

This type can bring a good balance to more extroverted types. They can be relied on to keep grounded in common sense.

Restrained introverts may first come off as standoffish until they get to know you better.

My thoughts 💭 

It’s interesting to me to see the different types of introverts. Just like other topics we have discussed, this is all on a spectrum.

The idea isn’t that each introvert fits neatly into one of these categories.

But knowing the 4 broad types can help better understand yourself and others in your life.

Alright, so now it’s time for me to figure out which type I am…

I align most with the restrained introvert. It can take a while for me to warm up to new people or to make an impression in large groups.

My first instinct is usually to listen versus talk. I am not very forthcoming with information about myself to new people.

I have mentioned before that close friends would describe me differently than loose friends. Once you earn my trust and I let my guard down, I am much more outgoing.

The other type I resonate with is the social introvert. I do enjoy being social and can even do large social events, but my energy is quickly drained.

I usually hit a point where I am ready to be in the comfort of my own home. And when I am in large groups of people I don’t know, this point comes quicker than if I am with people I do know.

Now, at my worst, I am the anxious introvert. I have struggled with anxiety in the past and have found ways to deal with it, so this doesn’t happen often.

But when it does arise, I for sure seek out alone time. I don’t want to be bothered to leave the house or deal with people.

I’m curious to hear your thoughts - feel free to respond back if you resonate with any of these 4 types or with any other comments you may have!

Links that I enjoyed this week 💥 

• Newsletter: Feeling behind? Read this (link)

• Blog: 3 steps to stop negative thinking (link)

• Blog: The moment of a lifetime (link)

That’s it for today - hope you enjoyed this week’s newsletter!

Best,

BG