Nursery World - Child Behaviour: Time to talk?

Supporting the learning of introverted children means first getting to know them and being sensitive to their needs, explains Nicola Stobbs

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The terms ‘extroversion’ and ‘introversion’ have been used widely since the 1920s when influential psychologist Carl Jung used them to describe the basics of personality.

There is no clear-cut definition of an introvert or an extrovert personality, but broadly speaking introverts tend to be inward-looking and thoughtful, whereas extroverts tend to prefer the external world of activities and people. Extroverts’ ‘batteries’ are recharged when they are with others; introverts need solitude to recharge. About a third to a half of the population are introverted.

Babies’ reactions to novelty give an important and interesting insight into the ‘introvert’ personality. In an experiment begun in the 1980s, Jerome Kagan found that babies aged four months reacted very differently to new stimulation, such as recorded voices, popping balloons and colourful, dancing mobiles:

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