By:

Paul Ryan Sanchez

Are Extroverts Happier Than Introverts?

Studies have concluded that in fact extroverts are
generally happier than introverts.
Most of these studies were based on
levels of happiness when exposed to
a social setting and socializing with
the outside world.
A recent study by the students at
the University of Denver (DU) has
challenged this question and are on

The Quest for an Answer

To challenge this theory DU conducted an interview with 109
different participants.
The participants ranged in age (the youngest being 16 and the
eldest being 82).
Within these 109 participants both introverted and extroverted
people were represented.
These participants were then interviewed and asked a variety of
questions.
Participants were asked to rate their level of happiness from a scale

Extrovert vs Introvert
The lowest happiness level recorded was a 3 and the highest was a 10.
The average happiness level of the 109 participants was a 7.6.
Comparing the social life level and the happiness level then gave the range
difference between the two.
The social life level was split into two categories.

The participants who had a range difference of 1-2 were placed in one group and
was named the Extroverted Group, and the participants who had a range
difference of 3-4 were named the Introverted Group.

Findings
Introverts stated that their social life level was
moderately lower than their happiness level, their
happiness level was still generally high.
Participants who were engaged in high social activity
withheld a high happiness and social level, while
participants who werent engaged in high social
activity only contained a moderate happiness level
and a low social level.
This finding could support the theory that
extraversion activities do raise your happiness
level

Supportive Study
Why Extraverts are Happier: A Day Reconstruction Study by Wido
G.M. Oerlemans and Arnold B Bakker
Oerlemans and Bakker from Earasmus University Rotterdam in
the Netherlands interviewed 1,364 participants both extroverts
and introverts.
The questions asked in the interview focused on how the
participant felt both physically and emotionally while being
exposed to various activities.
The study concluded that yes extraversion does equal a higher
happiness level, but specifically extraverted activities (social

Results
No, extraverts are not generally
happier than introverts.
Extraversion activities do lead to a
happier life, but a majority of the time
it only pertains to extroverts.
Although the introverts do not engage
in extroversion activities this factor
does not alter the level of happiness
negatively.

References
Oerlemans, Wido G.M., and Arnold B. Bakker. Why Extraverts Are
Happier: A day Reconstruction Study. The Journal of Research in
Personality (2014): n. pag. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.