Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Introversion?TheoryAssociating Introversion and AutismAutistic IntrovertsAutistic ExtrovertsManaging Social Interaction
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Introversion?
Theory
Associating Introversion and Autism
Autistic Introverts
Autistic Extroverts
Managing Social Interaction
Because such activities can be exhausting for people with a lower battery for social interaction, however, relatively few autistic people enjoy being extremely social all the time. This especially goes for social interaction with neurotypical people.
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The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test includes questions that determine whether an individual isintroverted or extraverted. These definitions are helpful because they separate shyness and social anxiety from a need to have alone time. While extroverts are described as people who gain energy and insight from social engagement, introverts are described as follows:
“I like getting my energy from dealing with the ideas, pictures, memories, and reactions that are inside my head, in my inner world. I often prefer doing things alone or with one or two people I feel comfortable with. I take time to reflect so that I have a clear idea of what I’ll be doing when I decide to act. Ideas are almost solid things for me. Sometimes I like the idea of something better than the real thing.”
In other words, introverts need not be shy or socially anxious. They may very much enjoy spending time with other people. On the other hand, they find it tiring to spend a lot of time in large groups, and they may prefer to think things through on their own rather than discussing ideas with others.
A Theory Linking Autism and Introversion
Why Introversion Is Associated With Autism
Because social communication with neurotypical people requires masking (hiding autistic traits and pretending to be neurotypical), most autistic people cannot maintain it for long, and many find it both frustrating and exhausting. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t want to engage with others—but the process is neither simple nor natural when those people are neurotypical (NT) and expect to interact with an NT person.
All of these incompatibilities with neurotypical methods of socializing make social interaction (particularly in large groups) difficult and, in most cases, very exhausting. As a result, some autistic people may prefer to socialize rarely, only with other neurodivergent people, or in small groups. In addition, many neurotypical people assume that a person who has a hard time socializing must, as a result, prefer not to socialize. It is important to note that many of these difficulties don’t happen when autistic people interact with other autistic people.
While all of these are important and meaningful reasons for preferring small groups and/or solitude, none suggest a dislike of social interaction in general. And, while social anxiety often does co-occur with autism, it is not an inherent part of an autism diagnosis.
There are many autistic extroverts. Autistic people who are also extroverts may find life more difficult than those who are natural introverts if they don’t have an autistic or neurodivergent community around them. There are a number of reasons for this:
It’s important to note that autistic people may appear to be introverted because of their lack of eye contact or body language. This may be misleading: making eye contact is generally uncomfortable or even painful for autistic people. An autistic person who doesn’t like eye contact might still be an extrovert.
How Autistic People Manage Social Interaction
It is challenging to be a relatively social person who lacks theskills requiredfor successful, spontaneous social interaction with the (largely neurotypical) people around you. Autistic people use a wide range of coping techniques to handle social interaction. Just a few include:
A Word from Verywell
It may be helpful for autistic people and their loved ones to think ahead about major social events (weddings, parties, etc.), identify potential challenges, and create and practice scripts to smooth the way. If you’re not autistic, it is especially important to check in with your autistic loved one to determine whether that person truly enjoys and wants a specific kind of social interaction. There is a strong bias in contemporary American cultures for large social groups and daily social interaction—but the reality is that there is no one acceptable way to live or interact with people and the world.
SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Recent Study Inconclusive on Whether People with Autism are Introverts or Extroverts. AutisMag, December 2016.Grimes J.Introversion And Autism: A Conceptual Exploration Of The Placement Of Introversion on the Autism Spectrum. STARS.Jaswal VK, Akhtar N.Being vs. Appearing Socially Uninterested: Challenging Assumptions about Social Motivation in Autism. Behav Brain Sci. 2018;:1-84. doi:10.1017/S0140525X18001826Murrie, E.Can Autistic People Be Extroverts?BBC, October 2016.The Myers & Briggs Foundation.Extraversion or Introversion.
Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Recent Study Inconclusive on Whether People with Autism are Introverts or Extroverts. AutisMag, December 2016.Grimes J.Introversion And Autism: A Conceptual Exploration Of The Placement Of Introversion on the Autism Spectrum. STARS.Jaswal VK, Akhtar N.Being vs. Appearing Socially Uninterested: Challenging Assumptions about Social Motivation in Autism. Behav Brain Sci. 2018;:1-84. doi:10.1017/S0140525X18001826Murrie, E.Can Autistic People Be Extroverts?BBC, October 2016.The Myers & Briggs Foundation.Extraversion or Introversion.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Recent Study Inconclusive on Whether People with Autism are Introverts or Extroverts. AutisMag, December 2016.Grimes J.Introversion And Autism: A Conceptual Exploration Of The Placement Of Introversion on the Autism Spectrum. STARS.Jaswal VK, Akhtar N.Being vs. Appearing Socially Uninterested: Challenging Assumptions about Social Motivation in Autism. Behav Brain Sci. 2018;:1-84. doi:10.1017/S0140525X18001826Murrie, E.Can Autistic People Be Extroverts?BBC, October 2016.The Myers & Briggs Foundation.Extraversion or Introversion.
Recent Study Inconclusive on Whether People with Autism are Introverts or Extroverts. AutisMag, December 2016.
Grimes J.Introversion And Autism: A Conceptual Exploration Of The Placement Of Introversion on the Autism Spectrum. STARS.
Jaswal VK, Akhtar N.Being vs. Appearing Socially Uninterested: Challenging Assumptions about Social Motivation in Autism. Behav Brain Sci. 2018;:1-84. doi:10.1017/S0140525X18001826
Murrie, E.Can Autistic People Be Extroverts?BBC, October 2016.
The Myers & Briggs Foundation.Extraversion or Introversion.
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