The Introvert / Extrovert Debate

Regarding personality data, what we actually have are scores from a predictor of nebulous identity correlated with ratings for a seemingly discrete construct that is turning out to be equally slippery. In other words, very strong conclusions are seemingly being drawn from correlations between two under-specified constructs. This makes interpretation of the modest correlation extremely difficult. In primary studies,such correlations have generally left over 95% of the variance unexplained (Kaufman & Lichtenberger, 2006). Even the typical meta-analytic correlation of 0.5 still leaves 75% of the variance unexplained. This does not seem to me to constitute grounds for asserting test validation so strongly.

Walter Mischel and Albert Bandura - behaviour is controlled not by hypothetical traits but according to the degree of regularity of external stimuli. Constructed Development Theory says the opposite of this, that is, they believe that personality traits are only consistent if the situation is consistent and that they vary once the situation changes. In their view, behavioural consistency does not reflect stable personality traits. Rather, it is the environment that evokes and shapes the illusion of such traits.

In CDT terms, we construct our environment, and depending on our Dynamic Intelligence level, we are or are not aware of this construction. Averaging over such situations to find an overarching "trait" in fact masks critical differences amongst individuals. Social learning theory would contend that personality is more susceptible to change than would trait theory.

Personality is described on the basis of an individual’s score on five major traits. The acronym OCEAN is often used to convey these five traits, which are Openness to Experience (O), Conscientiousness (C), Extraversion (E), Agreeableness (A) and Neuroticism or Emotional Stability (N).

In the image above, there are the ATTRIBUTES ASSIGNED to Extraversion, but they’re not true. They are so vague as to be meaningless. Extraversion is characterised by excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness, and high amounts of emotional expressiveness. People who are high in extraversion are outgoing and tend to gain energy in social situations. Being around other people helps them feel energized and excited. Social events can feel draining and introverts often require a period of solitude and quiet in order to “recharge."

It is perpetuated by pop-psychology books such as the one in the image below. Colours are not psychological in the way the book describes them. It is simply trait psychology.

There are two types of measures: Type and Trait. The empirically based measures have been developed without specific personality models guiding instrument development. Many psychologists have recently shifted away from type theory in favour of trait theory. Much research has revealed that variation in human personality occurs along continuous dimensions and not as discrete categories, and viewing personality in this way allows for more flexible categorisation of individuals by eliminating the ‘boxes’ into which type theory tries to fit people.

No matter how many dichotomies of traits you choose to look at, a type theory approach will always have some limit to the number of ways a person’s personality could potentially be oriented. With a trait theory approach, there is an infinite number of places on the sliding scales of traits individuals could fall. This obviously refers to the MBTI model, or Inventory.

HOWEVER, the one thing both type and trait theory has in common is what they are MISSING! They are missing Intention, Awareness, Choice and Response!

If IACR were interjected into the MBTI, you would get a type system that is 600% more robust than its current incarnation. Why haven't they called our researchers at CogniLibro for some help?

The same premise is true of trait theory, which includes the ideas of Introvert and Extrovert.

We can see that the separation of these two traits is key to trait theory, but if we look at each from the principles of Constructed Development Theory, and understand how each is deconstructed using Cognitive Intentions, then we have a blueprint for someone DOING Introvert should they Choose to.

We overcome the limitations of trait theory by understanding how one DOES Introvert, using CDT and CI's. What were originally unconscious habits of thinking and behaving have become a conscious Choice for the individual. And as a consequence, once an individual knows how to deconstruct and reconstruct his thinking in the moment, he can choose whether he does Introvert or Extrovert, and the labels become meaningless.

Instead, the composite CI's become a blueprint for how that person constructs their thinking in the moment with the Intention of recharging their energy, should they Choose to. CDT subsumes Trait theory as a result: