Optimal Levels of Stimulation

Hans Eysenck, an influential research psychologist in the late 1960s, hypothesized that we humans always seek “just right” levels of stimulation¹–input from the outside world that our brain processes. Eysenck saw the connection between #the two great personality trait and levels of stimulation: introverts find it optimally stimulating when they work alone in a quiet place, while the party-seeking extroverts chase more stimulations and can be seen more often socializing.

Eysenck believes that the difference between two personality traits can be found in our #Ascending Reticular Activating System (ARAS), part of our brainstem that has ascending pathways to the cortex and connections to other parts of the brain which contribute to our wakefulness and behavioral arousal. Eysenck speculated that ARAS maintains the balance between over- and under-arousal by controlling the amount of stimulation that goes into our brain: introverts have wide open channels where excessive stimulations can flow, causing them to feel overwhelmed, while extroverts have narrower channels making them prone to under-arousal. “Over-arousal doesn’t produce anxiety so much as the sense that you can’t think straight–that you’ve had enough and would like to go home now. Under-arousal is something like cabin fever. Not enough is happening: you feel itchy, restless, and sluggish, like you need to get out of the house already,” wrote Susan Cain¹.

Understanding the underlying difference between introversion and extroversion, we can arrive to a solution, in parlance of personality psychologists, the “optimal levels of arousal”, or as Cain puts it, the “sweet spots.” An introvert in a party with profuse amount of socializing may feel overwhelmed and seek solace in a less stimulating environment, or a sweet spot. Conversely, an introvert reading within the confines of the study room found him/herself to be reading at a lower rate of speed and have been reading few sentences multiple times may feel like getting out and hanging out with friends. Again, the sweet spot or just the right amount of stimulation. The opposite can also be true for extroverts who gets bored easily and find the company of others to be their the right amount of stimulation, while being alone to be under-stimulating.

Knowing how to get into our optimal levels of arousal can also greatly improve our lifestyle and was scientifically found to be healthy. People who are aware of their sweet spots have the understanding to decide whether to stay in their current employment or start their own business. It also encourage us that #being ourselves has positive benefits than pretending to be someone we are not, which can leak and be mentally exhausting. Also, evidence shows that sweet spots can have life-or-death consequences. Recent study at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research suggests that introverts function better then extroverts when sleep deprived, which is cortically de-arousing condition. Drowsy extroverts behind the wheel may feel less alert and careful with their surroundings. Conversely, introverts in a loud and noisy traffic may feel overwhelmed which could impair their thinking.

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