Abstract

Introvert students are often labeled as arrogant, and stuck up personalities. In a classroom setting they are either bullied, or isolated by extroverts. Introversion is a personality type characterized by a focus on internal feelings rather than external sources of stimulation. According to Carl Jung�s Psychoanalytical perspective both nature and nurture influence the personality traits. Introverts have finite sensitivity, infinite capacity for empathy and reflect upon complex life situations. Nevertheless, the class room environment is hostile to anxious introverts. Educational Institutions in the west started employing Myers Briggs Type Indicator to assess student�s personality and design inclusive learning centered courses. Whereas in India there is a dearth of research on how introversion affects the Academic prospects. This Descriptive, Exploratory study aims to investigate how introversion in classroom affects the Academic performance of the students. It also tries to outline how the socioeconomic background of students influences their personality traits. One hundred full time graduation students were provided with self administered questionnaires and their responses are analyzed using SPSS. The study found that students from lower economic strata often tend to be more introverted in nature compared to their affluent counterparts. Majority of the inhibited introverts have shown lower academic grades. There is a need for institutional level shift from traditional pedagogy towards addressing the emotional, reflective, and learning needs of the students. Further research in this area is expected.

Description