It's a well known fact that the percentage of introverted personality types amongst Aspergers people is considerably higher than the percentage amongst the neurotypical community but this often leads to the belief that all aspies are, by definition, introverted.
Measuring Introversion
There's an online test based on Carl Jung and Isabel Myers-Briggs typological approach to personality which you can try at;
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm
My Scores
Just for the record, my scores on this test were; INFJ
I may lean towards introversion but I'm obviously not 100% introverted.
The test then pointed me to a page covering an; Idealist Portrait of the Counselor (INFJ)
The text of this page seemed fairly relevant to me - especially the opening paragraph;
Of course, some of my friends and relatives may beg to differ...
"Counselors have an exceptionally strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others, and find great personal fulfillment interacting with people, nurturing their personal development, guiding them to realize their human potential. Although they are happy working at jobs (such as writing) that require solitude and close attention, Counselors do quite well with individuals or groups of people, provided that the personal interactions are not superficial, and that they find some quiet, private time every now and then to recharge their batteries. Counselors are both kind and positive in their handling of others; they are great listeners and seem naturally interested in helping people with their personal problems. Not usually visible leaders, Counselors prefer to work intensely with those close to them, especially on a one-to-one basis, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes. "
More Information?
I'd be really interested to know how other people, both Aspie and NT score in the test. In particular, I'd love to hear from Aspies who score as extroverted.
Measuring Introversion
There's an online test based on Carl Jung and Isabel Myers-Briggs typological approach to personality which you can try at;
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm
My Scores
Just for the record, my scores on this test were; INFJ
- Introverted 33%
- Intuitive 25%
- Feeling 38%
- Judging 22%
- moderately expressed introvert
- moderately expressed intuitive personality
- moderately expressed feeling personality
- slightly expressed judging personality
I may lean towards introversion but I'm obviously not 100% introverted.
The test then pointed me to a page covering an; Idealist Portrait of the Counselor (INFJ)
The text of this page seemed fairly relevant to me - especially the opening paragraph;
Of course, some of my friends and relatives may beg to differ...
"Counselors have an exceptionally strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others, and find great personal fulfillment interacting with people, nurturing their personal development, guiding them to realize their human potential. Although they are happy working at jobs (such as writing) that require solitude and close attention, Counselors do quite well with individuals or groups of people, provided that the personal interactions are not superficial, and that they find some quiet, private time every now and then to recharge their batteries. Counselors are both kind and positive in their handling of others; they are great listeners and seem naturally interested in helping people with their personal problems. Not usually visible leaders, Counselors prefer to work intensely with those close to them, especially on a one-to-one basis, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes. "
More Information?
I'd be really interested to know how other people, both Aspie and NT score in the test. In particular, I'd love to hear from Aspies who score as extroverted.
Comments
Here are my results.
My type is INTP.
Introverted 89%...very expressed introvert
Intuitive 88%...very expressed intuitive personality
Thinking 88%...very expressed thinking personality
Perceiving 22%...slightly expressed perceiving personality
This is the "Portrait" page I was given. http://keirsey.com/handler.aspx?s=keirsey&f=fourtemps&tab=5&c=architect
slightly expressed intuitive personality 12%
moderately expressed thinking personality 38%
slightly expressed perceiving personality 1%
I am an Aspie, and the test thing did a pretty good job. I wish I knew an extroverted aspie to take the test.
ENFP
Extraverted: 11%
Intuitive: 12%
Feeling: 88%
Perceiving: 44%
# slightly expressed extravert
# slightly expressed intuitive personality
# very expressed feeling personality
# moderately expressed perceiving personality
My results were:
ENFJ
22% extroverted
50% intuitive
62% feeling
44% judging
The description for this type was listed as "the idealist -- portrait of a teacher."
Thanks for the link to the quiz.
And I am in the perfect job for me, Engineering. But I have also shifted based on my personal development. I have done labouring, designwork, drafting and now have progressed to certification.
ENTJ
Extraverted 44%
Intuitive 25%
Thinking 62%
Judging 67%
The "active but odd" description fits me perfectly.
The reason I wonder is that I find a lot of my expressed introvert traits coincide with descriptions of how autistics relate to the world: a tendency to melt down when overstimulated or "peopled out," a hatred of multitasking and interruptions, the need to be quiet and left alone to think, etc. I wonder, specifically, if introverts don't have a milder version of autistics' information-processing style.
I don't have Asperger's that I'm aware of, but I'm a 100% expressed introvert. I wonder if the autism spectrum couldn't be expanded toward the "mild" end to include strongly expressed introversion, just to the right of Aspies and high-functioning autistics.
Theoretically, it could, however the problem is in the fact that Autism and Aspergers share some common traits, and without these you will not, (unless misdiagnosed), be classified as one or the other. It is more probable that someone with AS will be misdiagnosed as having Autism rather than the reverse. This is because of multiple, "grey areas" within what constitutes the difference between the two, and to what degree of variance that ones, "label" should be shifted to one form over the other.
Does this mean there is not a relation between introversion and autism? I do not believe so, but to lump people who are diagnosed as introverts with AS or Autism creates a whole new set of problems and complications with regards to proper treatment.
Given that introversion is more often than not a "co-morbid" of those diagnosed with Autism/AS, it becomes easier to assist those affected because you can work on each separately and collectively. However, given that not every one who is considered to be introverted has AS or Autism, to treat them like they do complicates things unnecessarily. If you do not have a hypersensitivity to environmental issues, (light, smells, sounds, etc.), why waste time being treated for them. Not only that, but many people with AS are very linear/logical thinkers. However if you are introverted but think like most people in every other way, other than the social norms, a doctor used to tailoring "treatment" to those who have AS/Autism probably will not be able to assist you very well, and may even cause more issues when you fail to understand the methods he uses to try to help you cope.
When I say that, I do not mean to be insulting, but I have learned that people often think they are logical, and indeed we all are to a degree, but I have been called a "very logical" thinker my entire life, and there have been many, many occasions that, when I tried to relay some information, the logic was lost on people. Perhaps it would be best to say some of us are hyper-logical, lol.
So, yes, there may be a correlation between the two, but until we have learned more about the individual aspects of AS, Autism, and Introversion, then, logically speaking, it would be best to learn about them separately and then determine how much application each lends to the other.
Which, when I stop and think about it, makes sense. Just because I like to perform and can talk for hours on end about stuff I'm interested in (or problems in my life, ugh) doesn't automatically make me an extrovert. I'm just loud and talkative. :)
I'm an ISFP, for the record, though I'm not entirely sure I understand all the questions properly. Still, artistic, emotional type who has trouble expressing themselves verbally, but is very empathetic... that's me all over.
I myself score INFx/INTx at equal percentage(on another test that gives spectrum percentages for all 16 types, INTJ, INFJ and INFP being my highest scores)
I'm mostly switching between INTJ and INFJ depending on my emotional well being and, the situation (if I'm working or private).
The reason why this result is very surprising, is because for neurotypicals, there actually are barely 1% INFJ and 1% INTJ among them.
From the Wrongplanet poll, this is 8-9% INFJ with aspies and 33% INTJ's.
A much much higher % of people with aspergers are INxJ then there are in the general population.
I, also, discovered that if I'm completely honest with myself, make a whole lot more emotional decisions then I realized. (choice of special interests, attachments to certain items, loving certain people etc, are an emotional drive to begin with).
The thing with the poling on Wrongplanet is that a whole lot of people there are, either by choice or by progression in understanding themselves, not really entrenched in trying to understand all of themselves. Some are, but many prefer to not bother with the emotional side, ignoring a huge part of themselves.
And a whole lot of people on WP and other sites are "self diagnosed" as aspie, and simply like to portray themselves as stereotypical aspies, going into INTJ extremes in their online behaviorism, just to have an excuse to be anti-social and assholes. All while simply not being anywhere on the spectrum.
Thats not to say that all self-diagnosed aspies are non-aspies, but online, a really really big chunk are.
Introverted: 100%
Intuitive: 62%
Feeling: 50%
Perceiving: 67%
I was in a studygroup awhile ago and three of us were aspies there. Taking the test they got the results: ISTP and ESTP.
I really appreciate your post!
I'm an INFJ and high-functioning aspie. The true type and autism are orthogonal spectrums. Only unbiased research would disclose distributions and possible correlations. Measurements would have to uncover the true type, not shadows.
I've never met someone like myself, but would probably freak out if I did! ;) As both type and autism may be seen as a spectrum, it would further depend how far the values go.
So repeat after me: We are all unique! :D
The combination is hell on earth, but can be mitigated. Seek to socialize, do courses, volunteer, get to know people around you, ask about stuff, etc. Still, no dance on roses, but a challenge.
A comfort may be we aren't many, and others are either oblivious or have other struggles. Anyways unless you're somehow involved in helping people help themselves, life will not shine until then. Being an aspie can be helpful if you're crazy enough to take advantage of it!