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Originally Posted by munchen
Not quite. This has to deal with where a person draws their energy from. Extroverts tend to draw their energy from being around people and from their enviroment. So they would be people at partys who are always full of energy and running around talking to people. Introverts are people that draw their energy from within. They can read for hours or play on the internet for hours, but social situations usually leave them tired and exuasted afterward. At a party they tend to hang out in small groups or friends they know well(or not go). Hence extroverts tend to always be "out there" and introverts are more reclusive. You can still be an introvert and be very social, still enjoy being around people. They just tend to need more time to themselves.
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I'm just going to throw in some info on extraversion and introversion here because I've seen a few posts already that include some good points but are misleading on others.
The difference between extroverts and introverts is primarily biologically influenced. Eysenck published a study in 1967 that founded the basis of this theory. He argued that the Ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) regulates activity in the cerebral cortex, which is involved in maintaining alertness and concentration and controlling the sleep cycle. When it's functioning at a high level, people are sharp and alert. At a low level, they are sluggish and drowsy.
Eysenck proposed that the typical (resting) level of ARAS activity in introverts is higher than in extroverts. So when nothing stimulating is going on, introverts are more alert than extroverts (and so can more easily focus on introspective activities like reading, games, studies). But since introverts have higher base arousal levels, they are easily overaroused. So they're more likely to withdraw from social interaction because they are overstimulated. Extroverts have a naturally lower base arousal level, and will seek out stimulation to bring their arousal up.
So social situations make introverts uncomfortable, because they are overstimulated. Practice at social situations will bring down the level of arousal an introvert will experience when they find themselves in those situations. Like the first day on the job vs. the 1200'th day.