Many believe they know the difference between an introvert and an extrovert, and can easily assign themselves one way or another. It is assumed that extroverts are the life of the party, talkative, and sociable, while introverts are reserved, private, and quiet. However, these stereotypes are not always the truth, as both types have much more to them than just these basic behaviors.

One main difference between these two types is how the individual “recharges their batteries.” When one has gone through any form of activity or situation that has exhausted them, everyone has his/her own way to refresh the mind and body. Extroverts thrive off of the presence of other people, and therefore recharge themselves in social situations and interacting with people, as being alone for long periods of time can be exhausting. Introverts, on the other hand, mainly have no problem with alone time, and use it as their own form of recharging. While introverts, like any other person, still obviously need human interaction for overall happiness, social interaction for long stretches of time can be tiring, and alone time is crucial as a mental reset. Introverts are unbothered by being alone and actually quite enjoy it, while an extrovert might struggle or feel uncomfortable in this same situation after a long enough time.

In addition to this, there is a list of other differing behaviors and tendencies between introverts and extroverts. Extroverts can tend to be more open with others, and can more easily open up to more people. One might enjoy group conversations over one-on-one, and will have a wide group of friends, but with weaker personal bonds. An introvert might struggle with immediately opening up before trust is fully granted, and while most likely having a lesser amount of friends, one will have a much closer relationship with these few.

It is important to remember that these behaviors are not all necessary to decide which way one leans, and oftentimes introverts can express stereotypical traits of an extrovert, and vice versa.

To check out the full chart of differences, click here:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/difference-between-introverts-extroverts-chart_n_57f794c2e4b0b6a430316b3a