Are you an introvert, extrovert, or a combination of the two? Well wherever you sit in this line it could have an impact on your happiness levels, according to the findings of new research.
Published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology the study revealed that acting like an extrovert could actually prove a boost to mood.
They asked a group of 131 people to act like an introvert for one week, and an extrovert for the same period.
To reduce bias they simply told them the characteristics they wanted them to adopt for seven days, rather than saying whether they were associated with being an extrovert or introvert. Participants were randomly assigned to either group.
To act extroverted they asked participants to be: talkative, assertive, and spontaneous.
To act introverted they asked participants to be: deliberate, quiet and reserved.
Subjects then completed a number of surveys assessing their happiness and wellbeing.
The study found that those acting as extroverts had an elevated mood, while the reverse was true for those acting as introverts.
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Commenting on the findings, Sonja Lyubomirsky, an author on the paper and professor of psychology at the University of California Riverside, said, “We thought that introverts would not benefit from acting extroverted as much, or would not be as happy as extroverts.”
Before adding, “Introverts got happier when they acted more talkative, spontaneous and assertive.”
“The paper suggests if people have a tendency to be more introverted and then intentionally engage in extroverted behavior, they still benefit,” Jennifer Beckjord, senior director of clinical services at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, who was not involved in the study, also told TODAY.
Overall the authors of the study concluded with the following statement, describing the potential impact of the insights gained.
'These findings suggest that changing behavior associated with personality is possible and can impact well-being. More broadly, this study adds to a growing body of research on the potential of experimental methods in personality psychology.'
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