Most people don't realize this, but there are four completely different kinds of introvert.
- Quiet, because I'm choosy.The Socially Selective
- Quiet, because I'm thinking.The Inner Monologue
- Quiet, because I feel everything.The Deep Feeler
- Quiet, until I'm comfortable.The Slow Warm-Up
Which one are you? Rate 20 statements about yourself. It takes about two minutes.
Start the quizThe four types of introvert
Introversion isn't one trait. In 2011, psychologists at Wellesley College led by Jonathan Cheek proposed that it's really four: social, thinking, anxious and restrained introversion. They called it the STAR model. Most people lean on more than one, which is why this quiz scores you on all four instead of handing you a single label.
- Social introversion: The Socially Selective
- Preferring small groups or time alone to large gatherings. Not shyness: a choice about where your energy goes.
- Thinking introversion: The Inner Monologue
- A rich, absorbing inner life. Thinking introverts are introspective and imaginative, and can be perfectly at ease in a crowd.
- Anxious introversion: The Deep Feeler
- Self-consciousness and nerves in social situations, along with a tendency to replay conversations afterwards.
- Restrained introversion: The Slow Warm-Up
- A reserved, deliberate pace. Restrained introverts think before they speak and take time to warm up to new people.