Extroverts Need Not Necessarily Be Happier Than Introverts

Extroverts need not necessarily be happier than introverts, says new research. Those who go out, drink and make merry are generally thought to enjoy their life a lot more than the inhibited types. But Indiana University researchers found that the less socially inclined could have stronger family relationships and friendships, which could make them that much more emotionally secure. They could also resort to cognitive strategies like positive thinking to make up for their limited social interaction. What is more important than partying is maintaining contacts with family, with friends and like-minded individuals, insists Bernardo J. Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. “That could be other people in clubs that you belong to, like the accounting club, astronomy club . . . people you play intramural sports with." A second study, also conducted by Carducci, found that college students who are goal-oriented also tend to be happier than their less focused peers. "When you look at what these people do differently, people who strive to reach personal goals, they engage in more purposeful leisure, rather than sitting around and watching television," Carducci said. "They don't go clubbing as much as the others. They spend more time on what we call spiritual reflection. They write in journals. These are the kinds of people who tend to be more happy. These also are the people who mostly graduate from college."