Introvert – Nature or Nurture?

Parents face a lot of pressure as their children grow up. Every mom and dad wants to make sure that their child has every opportunity and chance to succeed. So what happens when a parent feels that his or her child is being held back by something within? This is often the case when the parent notices that the child is developing as an introverted personality. They might ask themselves: is this genetics and nature running their course, or is my parenting the cause of the introversion, and is it a problem? These are questions that are more likely to be asked by extroverted parents. But just what causes introversion – nature or nurture?

There is much debate over which holds more weight in determining whether a child will evolve into an introverted or extroverted personality. Some people point to genetics as the primary cause. Others are convinced that a child’s upbringing is the most important determining factor in deciding whether he or she will grow up to be an introvert or extrovert. Currently, psychologists seem to have formed a consensus that both nature and nurture have influence in this evolution.

Many people look to examples of an introvert family for proof that this personality trait is a consequence of genetics (or nature, for the purpose of this article). Perhaps the most telling examples are identical twins. These children are generally raised in the same fashion by their parents, but often turn out to be different personality types. Twin studies have shown that there is a genetic component to introversion and extroversion somewhere between 39 and 58 percent.

On the other hand, what of the argument that a child’s environment is more important than their genetic background? Obviously, the way a child is raised plays a crucial role in their development into an adult. That is why it is important for parents to actively encourage children to interact with others, while never forcing them to do so. Children must be left to develop their social skills at their own pace.

What becomes clear after a thorough researching of the “nature vs. nurture” phenomenon is that neither has an exclusive claim to the development of a child’s personality, especially in relation to extroversion or introversion. Instead, both play an intertwined role in determining what kind of personality the child will grow into. That’s why it is so important for parents to show love, affection, and understanding regardless of how their child acts.

You can imagine that I’ve never been a fan of parents trying to “mold” their children into either extroverts or introverts. If a child demonstrates a natural curiosity and enjoyment of high levels of social interaction, this is normal and fine. If a child demonstrates the desire to play by him or herself sometimes or stay on the fringe of activity, observing before deciding whether or not to join this is fine, too. I think we get into trouble when we start labeling behaviors that are perfectly normal as abnormal, thus handing the child an unnecessary burden that he or she may carry for life.

Though western society seems to place more value on extrovert personalities who serve as the life of the party, introverts play an important role in society as well. Introverts often excel in pursuits and occupations that involve quiet thinking, such as math, science, and art, and find success on their own terms.