The Communication Gap

Introvert-extrovert couples are said to fill each other’s weaknesses and are attracted to each other. However, both have very different style of handling conflict. While, introverts are more likely to avoid conflicts than their extroverted partner, extroverts are more confrontational and upfront with their feelings.

Psychologist William Graziano conducted an experiment of sixty-one male students to play in a simulated football game. He divided the students into teams were half the participants assigned to play a cooperative game and the other half promotes competition between teams. Each participants were shown fabricated biographical information about all the participants and were asked to rate how one feel about the other players. The findings Graziano found about the difference between introverts and extroverts were remarkable: introverts like people more they meet in friendly context while extroverts prefer those they compete with¹.

Another study in which robots interacted with stroke patients during physical rehabilitation produced very similar results. Introverted patients prefer to be treated in a gentle manner and would work longer, while extroverts are more compliant when treated with aggressive language.

“Catharsis hypothesis” –aggression builds up inside us until it’s healthily released–pg.233

• Lieberman experiment pg.237
  • Introverts enjoys a conversation more with extroverts than with another introverts and vice versa.

introversion-extroversion levels are not correlated with either agreeableness or enjoyment of intimacy. Introverts are just as likely as the next kid to seek others’ company, though often in smaller doses.