Instead Embrace—and Reward—Their Less-Animated Behavior
by Kai Krautter, Anabel Büchner, and Jon M. Jachimowicz
February 15, 2024
Full article available here. Excerpts below.
… Our research shows that an individual’s level of extroversion shapes how they express passion, and thus how they’re perceived by others. Extroverted people engage in more behaviors that are commonly associated with passion, such as animated body language, talkativeness, and dynamic tones of voice. Introverted people, on the other hand, engage in more behaviors that are commonly associated with disinterest, such as listening without speaking, maintaining a serene demeanor, and typically not being the first to raise their hand.
The introvert’s less-animated behaviors can sometimes lead to misconceptions about their level of passion, leading to real, tangible consequences. In our studies of the workplace, supervisors rewarded extroverts’ more-animated expressions of passion with higher estimations of their status, which has been shown to be associated with preferential treatment, greater chances of promotions and raises, and other benefits. This sort of imbalance of status, admiration, and respect might happen in the classroom as well. …
3 ways to ensure your passionate introverts shine
1. Learn how your students express passion
2. Collaboratively identify new ways to express passion
3. Reward passionate performance—not performative passion
Finally, once you’ve worked with your students to identify the ways in which they express their passion, it’s up to you to reward that true passion—whether through thoughtful feedback, encouraging words, or more one-on-one time.
For example, try making a point of calling out a student’s less-animated passion publicly, particularly if it wasn’t expressed in stereotypical ways (e.g., “I love how passionate you are about this”). That sort of public acknowledgement will help the student—and others like them—feel seen.
… Society often assumes that the only way to be passionate is to act extroverted, but that is simply not true. To the contrary, our research demonstrates that introversion and passion are far from mutually exclusive. It’s up to all of us to recognize that passion doesn’t always burn bright enough to see—but that doesn’t mean it’s not hot enough to spark a fire within.