How Shy People Can Learn to Speak Up
by Athena Iglesia
In a society that favors extroverted people, introverts are often not seen because they are not heard. The shy, reticent, and withdrawn are overshadowed by the outgoing, talkative, and uninhibited. Often considered a deficiency, introversion is not a disability, but it can be debilitating. That this doesn’t have to be the case is the subject of a recent book by Susan Cain: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. In a world where introverts are often told to “speak up” what power does she possibly mean?
Trait vs. State
Despite their efforts to try and break out of their shell, introverts sometimes simply can’t prevail. This, in fact, comes down to three factors: genetics, biology, and our environment.
Susan Cain and journalist Sarah Keating highlight a study that traces personality and temperament down to genetics. The study compared the personality traits of identical twins and fraternal twins. Based on the correlation of the personality traits within each pair, the study suggests that traits do have some genetic basis. As Keating notes, about 30% of introversion as a trait can be attributed to genetics.
Susan Cain also highlighted another study, which suggests that personality is influenced by our biological makeup, specifically pertaining to our brain. The study followed the lives of infants to adolescence and found that infants classified as “high-reactive” tended to be introverts whereas those classified as “low-reactive” tended to be extroverts. “High-reactive” refers to infants that reacted with a fuss and “low-reactive” refers to infants that showed little to no reaction. Infants that reacted with dramatic pumping had an easily excitable amygdala (“the brain’s emotional switchboard [that] signals the rest of the brain and the nervous system how to respond”) and therefore reacted more intensely to something new and stimulating. Since introverts have a sensitive amygdala, they find more comfort in solitude than in situations that overstimulate their nervous system. Being placed in group settings or at the center of attention can make an introvert shut down. It’s not that introverts aren’t sociable, they just need to be placed in the proper stimulating environment.
We can see how this poses an issue in our society.
Speak Up vs. Shutting Up
“The Extroversion Ideal,” as Susan Cain coins it, was a product of the United States’ Industrial Revolution. This new lifestyle birthed a cultural evolution that now focuses on personality and how others perceive someone. The new economy requires, “a salesman, a social operator, someone with a ready smile, a masterful handshake, and the ability to get along with colleagues while simultaneously outshining them.”
Those that do not meet such a standard often do not make the cut. Self-help books boomed which catered to those seeking to improve their first impressions. Advertisements promoted their products by connecting it to this “Culture of Personality” and claiming only their products can save them from the judgment of society. One such advertisement can be seen above. Perhaps not that much has changed in the age of Instagram. With a society that is centered around such a strong preference for sociable and outgoing people, or extroverts, the soft-spoken individuals are left shut out, unable to display what they have to offer.
But, why are introverts typically soft-spoken in the first place? In a study that focused on the vocal function of introverts and extroverts in a psychological stress reactivity protocol, it was found that “vocal functioning may be less efficient in individuals defined as introverts, especially during stress.” This study collected sEMG (surface electromyography) data from two extralaryngeal sites: submental and infrahyoid. Laryngeal muscles are responsible for sound production. The data showed significant results regarding the infrahyoid, which is a muscle involved in movements of the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage during vocalization. The researchers found that introverts had greater extralaryngeal activity, particularly with the infrahyoid muscle. Greater variation of activity in this muscle may require more energy for speech production. Thus, this may demonstrate why introverts are quiet.
As explained before, introverts are more easily overstimulated than extroverts. Part of this overstimulation includes auditory sensitivity. In a study about personality attributes and noise sensitivity, it was suggested that introverted individuals have more sensitive auditory thresholds than extroverted ones. This may explain why introverts find what they deem is their normal speaking voice to be louder to themselves than to others. Speaking at what others hear as normal may sound, to introverts, like they are yelling. Therefore, their voices tend to be softer than what society prefers.
Power vs. Powerlessness
So, returning to the question in the opening, what power could soft-spoken individuals possibly hold? Introverts have a lot to offer if society actually lets them showcase it.
For one thing, introverts are more creative than extroverts, which is vital for innovation. Susan Cain highlighted a study that researched the nature of creativity which offered that more creative individuals tended to be independent and individualistic. She also mentioned numerous studies that showed how working independently led to better results, qualitatively and quantitatively. As she said in her Ted Talk, “solitude is a crucial ingredient often to creativity.” And how many extroverts actually crave solitude?
Contrary to popular belief, introverts make great leaders and actually produce better results than extroverted leaders. Susan Cain explains this is because they are more careful and less likely to take outsize risks. Also, being that they prefer listening over talking, introverts are more willing to let employees run with their ideas as opposed to extroverts who tend to place their own input on other people’s ideas.
Overall, when introverts speak up, it is all the more meaningful and powerful. They are hesitant to voice their opinions in the first place, so when they make their voice known, it is “because they had no choice, because they were driven to do what they thought was right.” If introverts are super passionate about something, they will let it be heard. It takes a special spark to ignite introverts into speaking up.
Unless society grows to accept the power introverts hold, they can’t stay quiet forever. To help introverts speak up, Patricia Weber’s Communication Toolkit for Introverts highlights the one solution that may enable them to do so: embrace who you are. “People can’t change their personality but they can choose different behavior to get results they want.” By capitalizing upon your unique strengths, talents, and gifts, you can increase your self-confidence to gain the courage to speak up and showcase such unique qualities to the world. Use your heightened listening skills to understand what others are saying and craft a response that is deep and meaningful for “the less you say, the more someone else will remember what you say.” Use your planning skills to organize what you want to present to others and to have answers to questions you may anticipate. Use your preference for solitude to turn your creativity wheels and produce innovative ideas that are valuable. Use your authenticity to cultivate deeper relationships and strengthen your personable skills. Be the introverted person you truly are, unashamed, because the power you hold radiates and the world is simply missing out.