Are You An Introverted or Extroverted Woodworker?

This is a question that I started pondering a few days ago.  What percent of the woodworking community is

extroverted and what percent is introverted?  In the general population roughly 60% of people are extroverts leaving 40% introverts.  Is this true for the woodworking community as well?

In case your not sure which group you fall into here's a definition of each:

Extroverts:

Most people believe that an extrovert is a person who is friendly and outgoing. While that may be true, that is not the true meaning of extroversion. Basically, an extrovert is a person who is energized by being around other people. This is the opposite of an introvert who is energized by being alone.

Extroverts tend to "fade" when alone and can easily become bored without other people around. When given the chance, an extrovert will talk with someone else rather than sit alone and think. In fact, extroverts tend to think as they speak, unlike introverts who are far more likely to think before they speak. Extroverts often think better when they are talking. Concepts just don't seem real to them unless they can talk about them; reflecting on them isn't enough.

Extroverts enjoy social situations and even seek them out since they enjoy being around people.
About.com

Introverts:

Introverts often: have quiet energy; listen more than talk; think quietly inside my head; think, then act; feel comfortable being alone; prefer to work "behind-the-scenes" ; have good powers of concentration; prefer to focus on one thing at a time; are self-contained and reserved.     
[PersonalityType]

An introvert’s essential stimulation is from within the inner world of ideas and impression, thoughts and reflections. Introverts literally draw energy from attending to the inner world. The bias is toward reflection. Introverts need to do things by themselves so they can turn inward and reflect and thereby rebuild their energy. Introverts think things through in order to understand them. Introverts process internally first, and then come out with the conclusion. They prefer written communication. Introverts may prefer privacy, being with a one or two others or being alone. Introverts give depth to life. In America: Extroversion 60-65%; introversion: 35-40%. [Inspritresources]


Usually it's pretty easy to tell which group you fall into.  However, some people will fall somewhere
in-between, and have characteristics of both extroverts and introverts.

What does all this mean?  Nothing!  

Woodworking can require long periods of solitude while building a piece of furniture.  To some, introverts in particular, this can be a very relaxing, and battery charging activity.  To the extroverts, they may prefer to work with a fellow woodworker and share the same shop space. This can allow an extrovert to bounce ideas off someone and have that social contact they need. One way isn't better than the other, they're just different ways of working.

Just for the record, I'm an introverted woodworker (and everything else for that matter).  So you'll have to excuse me now while I go to my quite shop and ponder what woodworking project I'll work on next.

So what say you?  Do you prefer to work in the shop alone or with other woodworkers around you in a shared space?

Craig Stevens
Woodworkers Resource