[childofprodigy]

I've been wondering about the proportion between extraverts and introverts and have found different numbers

This site:
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says that there's around 50/50 split between extraversion and introversion in the general population

This study:
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however, says that only 25% of the population is introverted (if you browse down to the second paragraph of the "Giftedness and Psychological Type" section)

My question is, which one do you think is the correct number as obviously 50% and 25% are completely different....

[Latro]

Seems like this varies too much to be analyzed in a controlled experiment without a prohibitively large sample size.

[Synamon]

Actually the
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in the gifted study (the second link) was 65/35 on E/I so the 25% number was only for a single small sample in one study, not the composite.

The
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I've seen on the general population place the E/I ratio near 50/50.

[childofprodigy]

Originally Posted by Synamon To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Actually the To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. in the gifted study (the second link) was 65/35 on E/I so the 25% number was only for a single small sample in one study, not the composite. The To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. I've seen on the general population place the E/I ratio near 50/50.

So would you say that the 50/50 number is more reliable? Because I think it makes more sense...although 65-35 also makes a lot of sense

[Eleven]

I may be way off, but I think that MBTI introversion/extroversion is a different distinction to the scientific introvert/extrovert distinction. MBTI is about where you focus and what gives you energy. The two aren't unrelated, but the scientific distinction is about brain structure/function/chemisrty.

I think, in focus-oriented MBTI terms, it might be about 50/50. The other kind of introversion is estimated, I believe, at about 25%. So, some brain-extroverts may be MBTI introverts. This could explain the confusion.

Or, as I said, I might be way off.

[Starfrost]

There is a lot of data that could confuse the results:

-A Shy/insecure extrovert could be confused with an introvert.

-A lonely and or needy introvert who stabs at an social opportunity can be confused for extroverted.

An introvert is usually associated with titles like wallflower, shy, loner, hermit, someone who hates people, etc. Usually "negative" in society is something people do not want to be linked to. (Like being a virgin in some circles, for example.)

I think it's more 50/50, while it's more likely I'll encounter and or notice extroverts. They take certain job occupations that interact with the public while introverts will "hide" in their occupations.

[Blse]

50/50 sounds most reasonable given our culture and behavior patterns. As a culture we value individualism - we think of it has healthy for people to take some time to themselves, to do self-reflection, spend some "alone-time" and enjoy privacy - and we dislike neediness, clinginess or constant craving for attention and approval. Given these traits in our national culture, as well as statistics pointing out that average American only has about 2 close confidants (one them often being a spouse), 50% introversion seems most reasonable. Unfortunately, the term introvert is too often misunderstood as a synonym for shy - but correctly understood it's a very common and widely accept behavioral pattern in our culture.

[reckful]

	Originally Posted by Blse To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	As a culture we value individualism ... and we dislike neediness, clinginess or constant craving for attention and approval.

Just for kicks I Googled "favors extraversion" and came up with a number of hits noting that American culture favors extraversion (which has always been my understanding). When I Googled "favors introversion" I didn't get any hits noting the opposite.

I somewhat agree with you that "the term introvert is too often misunderstood as a synonym for shy," but there's unquestionably a lot of overlap between introversion and most of the things commonly understood to be aspects of "shyness." And I'd say American culture is increasingly inclined to treat shyness as a defect or disease crying out for treatment (whether through therapy or through drugs like Prozac).

And "neediness, clinginess or constant craving for attention and approval" is not a good summary of extraversion.

	[C]orrectly understood [introversion is] a very common and widely accept behavioral pattern in our culture.

Introversion is an aspect of temperament, and temperament and behavior are different. Temperament can strongly influence behavior, but when it comes to deciding how to behave people generally have a lot of leeway to either indulge their temperaments or resist them.