Extrovert online, introvert offline

[VertigoLapse]

So I realized something.. That I have absolutely no energy for others offline (of course there are exceptions), but that I have boundless energy online. Now I am thinking since body language and other factors aren't present that this was the cause, but then what about cam and mic chat? And so I am still left wondering what it is about real life that drains me so much, in comparison to online communication.

So I came here to see if you guys had any insight into this?

 

[88chaz88]

Congratulations, you have social anxiety!

Welcome to the club.

 

[VertigoLapse]

Congratulations, you have social anxiety!

Welcome to the club.

Ahh yes, I figured this also could be a major factor lol

 

[88chaz88]

I think it's down to what environment you feel comfortable in. I'm not going to assume your experience is the same as mine since I'm actually an extrovert, but if I'm in a situation where I need to be professional, or there's social pressure, or just if there's strangers present then I shut down like and act very much like an introvert. It's even draining to me, not necessarily because of the interaction, but my own personal panic.

This feeling is completely removed when I'm with friends or family, or online. For some reason online interaction feels a lot more comfortable and I actively seek it out, much like you'd imagine the stereotypical extrovert to do so offline.

It actually took me looking at MBTI in depth and interacting with introverts for me to realise I had social anxiety.

 

[acd]

I've been told by people online that I seem pretty outgoing and extroverted. I'm actually extremely introverted offline. It's easier to socialize at your own pace online ...from the comfort of your own home.

 

[infinite dreams]

Interesting phenomenon that I've witnessed a lot over the years. I think the anonymity and the remoteness (i.e., removed from physical space) appeals to a lot of folks and opens up some of the more private aspects of their outward personas.

Then there's me. I'm pretty much the same online as I am off. Extensive interactions, arguments etc. wear me out in typed form about as quickly as they would in verbal form.

#introvertaf

 

[Tin Man]

Hm, I'm more of an introvert online and a shut-in offline.

 

[charlatan]

In traditional Big 5 terms, anxiety with respect to social situations would correlate + with neuroticism and + with introversion both -- it's something of an overlap.

On balance, the neurotic extraverts are those who will be very anxious about social situations but maybe still plunge into social situations (and then worry about them).
The in-betweens might be very social if their anxiety is quelled.
If one is lower energy/generally prefers a little focused contact even if anxiety is quelled, then that's probably introversion. Again, in Big 5 terms.

The definition of introversion in Jungian psychology is different. It's more about a priori constraints imposed by the mind vs a viewpoint mostly independent of them. One sample viewpoint is that the only such constraint is the expressive power of the logical framework chosen, and that one can just continually correct for this, so it's no real constraint. A view that I think is easier to digest for Ne/Ti types.