Are You an Introvert? A Test for Introverted Personality Traits
How Do You Know If You're an Introvert? Take the Test!
This test for introverted personality traits not only reveals if you’re an introvert, it describes the top signs of introversion – some of which will surprise you. This personality test is from The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney.
For instance, did you know that introverts don’t think of casual acquaintances as friends? And, introverts take a long time to sort out information…and they dread returning phone calls (that’s me!).
“Introverts enjoy time alone, consider only deep relationships as friends, and feel drained after outside activities, even if they were fun” says Marti Olsen Laney, author of The Introvert & Extrovert in Love: Making It Work When Opposites Attract.
Laney also says these famous female actresses are introverts: Gwyneth Paltrow, Helen Hunt, Meg Ryan, Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, Grace Kelly, Julia Robert, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ingrid Bergman, Candice Bergen, and Glenn Close. Wow! We’re all in good company, then 
.
A Test for Introverted Personality Traits
Answer true or false to the following questions about introversion and extroversion:
1. I like to have long, uninterrupted periods to work on projects, rather than small chunks.
2. I sometimes rehearse things before speaking, occasionally writing notes to myself.
3. I like to listen more than talk.
4. People sometimes think I’m quiet, mysterious, aloof or calm.
5. I usually need to think before I respond or speak.
6. I like to share special occasions with just one or two people, rather than have a big celebration.
7. I tend to notice details many people don’t see.
8. If two people have just had an argument, I feel the tension in the air.
9. If I say I’ll do something, I almost always do it.
10. I feel anxious if I have a deadline or pressure.
11. I can zone out if too much is going on.
12. I like to watch an activity for awhile before joining in.
13. I form lasting relationships.
14. I don’t like to interrupt others; I don’t like to be interrupted.
15. When I take in lots of information, it takes me awhile to sort it out.
16. I don’t like overstimulating environments.
17. I sometimes have strong reactions to smells, tastes, foods, weather, and noise.
18. I am creative and/or imaginative.
19. I feel drained after social situations, even when I enjoy myself.
20. I prefer to be introduced rather than having to introduce others.
21. I often feel uncomfortable in new surroundings.
22. I can become grouchy if I’m around people or activities for too long.
23. I often dread returning phone calls.
24. I like people to come to my home, but I don’t like them to stay a long time.
25. I find my mind sometimes goes blank when I meet people or when I am asked to speak unexpectedly.
26. I talk slowly or have gaps in my words, especially if I’m tired or if I’m trying to think and speak at once.
27. I don’t think of acquaintances as close friends.
28. I feel as if I can’t show other people my ideas until they’re fully formulated.
29. Other people may surprise me by thinking I’m smarter than I am.
Are you an introvert? Finding the answers to this personality test is easy
Simply add up your “true” responses. The more “trues” you have, the more introverted personality traits or introversion signs you possess…
Scoring:
20-29 “true” responses means you’re a true introvert (like me!). “Only deep relationships measure up as friendships and you use them to relax. You need to mentally rest throughout the day, even after enjoyable activities. Because you will draw a blank under pressure, prepare for meetings, talks, and even parties beforehand. Accept your nature and learn to politely fend off energy-draining people.”
10-19 “true” responses means you’re both introverted and extroverted. “You sometimes feel torn between the desire to dance in the streets and walk alone on the beach. Notice this, so you can keep your energy consistent. You judge yourself through your thoughts and feelings, and through others, leaving you with a broad view that is sometimes difficult to straddle.”
1-9 “true” responses means you’re an extrovert. “You relish variety, have lots of ‘close, personal’ friends and will chat with complete strangers. Your stimulation is all external, so you talk, think, and act quickly. As you reach midlife, however, you may need to take a break from the high life to reflect, even though it goes against your nature.”
To learn more about extroverts, read 5 Personality Traits of Extroverted People.
Did this test for introverted personality traits reveal anything new about your personality? I welcome your comments below!
Category: Personality Traits & Types, Psychology Tips, Self-Esteem & Self-Confidence
I am absolutely and Introvert and have no probem with it at all. Over the years I have struggled to try and fit in with the “extroverts” only to find that I am fine just the way I am. Most extroverts are accepting of it and if they are not, who cares.
My life will go on as long as I live right and do the right things, I don’t feel ike I have to change my way of life to please others. By the way I got 25 out of the score of 29.
As many have said, it is that balance that makes all of the difference in how well you handle it…..loving my life!
I tend to bounce around between the three ranges provided and my mood varies accordingly from day to day, even moment to moment. One minute I’m an flamboyant extrovert, the next, a severe introvert. Here I am destroying the boundaries of the box; its tiring.
Thanks for your comments – it’s great to hear from my fellow introverts!
I am both an introvert and extrovert. I enjoy being by myself, but I can entertain anyone I meet. Social activites made me tired and I don’t have many close friends. I very creative and I don’t have with deadlines.
I scored 9 but actually should have been a 9.5
So I am an extrovert tending to introvert. Very interesting.
I got a score of 19, which makes me introverted and extroverted. I think I’m more the former. I like to sing and play the piano in public, doing my own compositions, which goes down well. I also like to spend a lot of time on my own. I’m a mathematician, an occupation which involves spending a lot of time on one’s own.
Hi ABC,
That’s interesting that you react to people who are emotionally attached to you by getting irritated. I don’t know if it has anything to do with being introverted, but I definitely know that we treat our loved ones worse than anyone else!
That is, we’re more likely to be short-tempered and rude to people we love, versus strangers or coworkers. I think it has something to do with the familiarity aspect, the closeness we feel. It’s kind of ironic that we don’t treat our loved ones with kid gloves, but it seems to be standard.
I’m not sure if this helps you; it’s just my thoughts!
Reading this book helped me a lot in understanding myself to a great extent. But one thing I would like to ask is that I enjoy being with people and talking around. I talk more and listen more.I am into sales and I do not get exhausted by attending to clients or when i am with my friends enjoying a social life. But it becomes very difficult for me to talk to people who are emotionally attached to me. Why is it so?. I get irritated fast when such people are around. Help me in finding a solution
Thanks for your comments; it’s always great to hear from introverts
You know me being an Introvert isn’t a bad thing, it takes all kind to make this place we call a world-home! I don’t quite understand why people feel you have to accept them as they are but they have to make you over….not my cup of tea!! But now that I have read this article I can use this knowledge to become more comfortable with myself…THANKS!
It is sad that some of the posters on here take being Introverted as some sort of flaw. It’s not, once you accept your true nature. Actually I am a borderline Extrovert/Introvert according to Myers Briggs testing. As I get a older I tend to embrace my introverted side more and more.
A gift of being introverted is that you can be quite independent. Introverts have a better time I think balancing their time spent with others vs time spent alone. Extroverts at times appear to be at the mercy of needing an audience or needing to be with others. I know quite a few who really seem to be at a loss if they have to spend any time alone. Which mystifies me, because I look forward to alone time, I need it if I go to long without it.
Also if you embrace being an introvert, you start to take pride in being a thoughtful, deliberate person, who isn’t subject to whatever whim is on the horizon.
Know and feel good about who you are Introverts ;>!!!
I think you made a typing error on number 27.
You wrote:
I don’t’ think of casual friends as acquaintances.
But I think it should be:
I don’t think of casual acquaintances as friends.
Hello Vishalini,
As I said, the original source for this test for introverted personality traits is stated in the above article. There’s no link; it’s the book itself that is the source.
hi, thank you for the reply… could you please send me the link to the original source of the test.hope to hear from you soon.
Hello vishalini,
Yes, you can use this test for introverted personality traits in your study, but remember that this is not the original source of the test. The source is cited in the article; it may be better (more accurate) to find the original test for introversion, and use that one.
Cheers,
Laurie
hi….my college mates and I are doing study on extroverts and introverts and we require questionnaires for our research, we were wondering if we could use your questionnaire in our study. if its possible could you please notify us as soon as possible
thank you
vishalini
By the way, ive just ordered your book on amazon. Cant wait to read it. Thanks
Hi Laurie,
Thanks for the quick reply. Your reply is conforting. Its really weird though. I once made an effort to be extroverted thinking it would be good for me. It lasted for 4 years, it might be weird to say this, but i kind of felt normal, i felt it was the right thing to do, i felt it was the normal thing, fitting into society, getting ahead. I also have to say though it was terribly exhausting physically and mentally. And then suddenly one day i gave up and went back to my usual self. Now i guess im back at square one. I feel being introverted isnt right, isnt natural even though i feel more relaxed in someways. Mmmhh.. I don’t know really what to think anymore… I guess im confused. Maybe i have a problem, i don’t know…
Thanks again, this place is great to read peoples opinions and give your own.
Hello fellow introvert,
While I don’t think it’s BAD for you to want to be introverted — and indeed, extroverts may have it easier — I do think we all need to accept ourselves for who we are.
You are an introvert. If you struggle to be something different, your life will be just that: a constant struggle.
Instead of trying to be what you’re not, I encourage you to learn how introverted personality traits can be beneficial and rewarding! And, surround yourself with introverts who are happy with themselves.
I love being an introvert — I used to think I was wrong and different. But I’ve realized that I am who I am, and in order to be happy, I need to accept who I am.
There’s nothing wrong with being introverted. Another key to being happy as an introvert is to read books about introverts, such as the one I featured at the top of this article.
I hope this helps, and hope that you find happiness and acceptance in your personality traits. It’s a process that takes time, but it’s worth it!
Blessings,
Laurie
Hi, thank you for the posts i find them really interesting.
I was just curious as to your thoughts or anyone elses…
I scored 27, i have always been introverted and so my answer to most questions has been ‘true’.
I am 32 and my thought for most of my life is that it is bad/difficult/not easy in todays society to be introverted. I have answered true to practically every question, but i always wished that the answer for most of the questions was false. Is it bad to think that way. Its just i have always thought life is much easier for extroverted people. I would love you to comment on this please. I think its been the issue of my life.
Thank you
Hello Shirley,
Thanks for your comments on this test for introverted personality traits! I agree, that finding the best career path does hinge on figuring out if you’re an introvert or extrovert…and knowing how to recognize the signs of introversion can help you find the right career.
Great website! I think there are many valuable information and advices here. Along the same line, I came across the following website which I found interesting. Traditionally, personality tests such as MBTI have been used as career aptitude test. However, these tests have a very limited scope as they ignore many important factors such as person’s skills, values, and interests.
There have been many advancements in the area of career aptitude testing. Usage of artificial intelligence to evaluate suitability of a job for a person is one of the these techniques. You can take a complete version of the MBTI personality test plus many others such as memory, IQ, problem solving, and patience tests in OptYourLife. This website’s expert system tries to find the most suitable career path for you using neural network. Moreover, salary of different careers will be considered in the final analysis to provide a more insightful advice for you:
Dear Ma’m,
I read the article you specified. And, yes, I agree that I need a counselor who will help me in making me normal. But first, I’ll have to convince my parents, because they won’t agree to it. Besides, I don’t know how to explain them what my problems are…
Anyways, you have been very helpful.
Thanks a lot…
Dear Introvert,
I’m sorry to hear that your introverted personality traits are holding you back! Being an introvert can be wonderful — unless of course it negatively impacts your relationships, career, and life goals.
Here’s an article I wrote for introverts who are struggling with their personalities:
The Unhappy Introvert – When Personality Traits Cause Problems
I hope it helps.
You may need to talk to a counselor or join a support group for shy people. I really think the best way to turn introverted personality traits into something positive and fulfilling is to practice with people who know what they’re doing. That is, a counselor or support group leader who can help you learn how to make conversation and accept who you are as a person.
Also, finding the roots of your shyness and social awkwardness may help…it just depends on why you feel so uncomfortable with other people!
Wishing you all the best — read the above article and let me know if it’s helpful –
Laurie
Hello, Ma’m.
I’m 20 years old. I had been wondering why certain things happen to me, like feeling nervous in crowd, preferring to be alone, not being able to express what I think and feel, etc. I had guessed I was an introvert. And your test proves me right. I scored 28 with a “NO” for 13. I’m highly introverted.
Maybe, this will be like my biography, but I think it’s the only place where, finally, I’ll be able to pour out what I do and what happens to me.
I always like to be alone. Whenever something good happens, like end of the exam or having a good score or winning a prize, I just don’t want to celebrate it the way other people do. I don’t like to go to some restaurant with friends or hang out. I like to celebrate it being alone, reading a novel, listening to songs or watching a movie. And because of this, my family and whatever few friends I have, think that I am unsocial, weird. But I just can’t live their way.
When it comes to greeting people, I can’t smile to them, can’t say Hi, can’t even meet their gaze.
My relationships with friends, family aren’t that good. I keep on talking many things with my parents, but when I’m outside the home, I feel very insecure. I’m hardly the speaker. Somebody has to initiate the talk and I can’t contribute much. I just keep nodding, and answering if they ask anything. And that answer is hardly longer than a sentence of few words.
It’s affecting my life very badly. I lost the affection of the person I love the most, because I couldn’t even meet his gaze, couldn’t express what I feel for him and he took that otherwise. It’s getting on my nerves.
I don’t have any problem in being alone all the life, but now, I’ll be entering the corporate world soon, where I’ll have to interact with more people and still keep myself from draining out my potential.
Ma’m, is there any way I can change my social behavior?
Thanks…