Introversion

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July 2, 2012 — It’s generally believed that one third of the people in the world are introverts – people with rich inner lives who tend to be energized when alone and drained of energy when around other people. Here in the U.S., there’s a cultural preference for the opposite temperament: extroversion. Extroverts love to be around people. They’re prone to talking, asserting, and dominating group situations and are rewarded for such in the workplace, the classroom, and in many other social situations.

That said, what’s a bright, quiet, thoughtful, measured introvert to do? How do they fit in American households, offices, relationships, and how do they carve out much-needed downtime or set up creative realms. Guest host Jennifer Lynn attempts to answer those questions with the help of self-proclaimed introvert Susan Cain, author of the bestseller “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking.” Other guests include Swarthmore College psychology professor and author Barry Schwartz who’s written about human nature.