There have always been those people who claim introverts have less fun than extroverts—and now, there’s also some research to support it.
Personally, I call bullshit. In my opinion, an introvert’s joy just requires a lot less external stimuli or social interaction than an extrovert’s.
However, according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, “Introversion was associated with reporting less frequent and less enjoyable uplifts.” These “uplifts,” which are pretty much just positive experiences, are associated with both happiness and health.
“Experiencing more uplifts has been linked with better self-rated and objective measures of physical health, fewer mental health symptoms, and greater life satisfaction and hedonic well-being … perhaps in part because uplifts (and associated positive emotions) may buffer the effects of hassles and other stressors,” the study reads.
But what, exactly, is considered an uplift—and doesn’t that vary depending on the person?
Maybe ‘Uplifts’ Just Look Different for Introverts and Extroverts?
I mean, as an introvert myself, I tend to find pleasure in the simplest of activities, like reading a book with a mug of coffee or doing some gentle yoga while burning incense. An extrovert, on the other hand, might find more joy in going to an event with a group of friends.
The study authors even acknowledged this implication in their research.
“Any experience could be reported as an uplift or hassle in the present research; this potentially accounts for individual differences in how people perceive and appraise experiences, but also limits our ability to directly compare reactions to or perceptions of the exact same experience,” they wrote.
“For example, what is considered an uplift by an extravert (e.g., a social interaction with a stranger) may be considered a hassle by an introvert.”
Long story short: introverts still have fun, but perhaps we don’t need the same intensity as extroverts to feel fulfilled.
While the study does hint that introverts don’t get the same level of happiness from uplifts as their extroverted counterparts, it might be that they just prioritize peace above all else. At least, that’s the case for me.
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