Every one of my college courses has a component of group work, whether it’s constant peer reviews, collaborative papers, or presentations. Considering my self more of an introvert, I have always preferred to work on my own and dreaded having to work with others on assignments that were worth a huge portion of my final grade. I felt guilty about my resistance towards group work, feeling that I was anti-social and would be categorized as “doesn’t work well with others” until I stumbled across a TED Talk entitled “The Power of Introverts” presented by Susan Cain.
Introversion can most commonly be defined as shyness, but in fact, introversion and shyness do not mean the same thing. Introversion is how one responds to stimulation. Introverts excel in quiet environments and cherish alone time. Constantly being around people physically and mentally exhausts introverts. They are easily overstimulated because in comparison to extroverts, introverts feel most awake and alert with less stimulation. Extroverts prosper in active environments and receive energy from being around people. Introverts tend to be more creative and wise, as extroverts tend to be personable and vocally expressive.
Although statistics show that one out of two or three people identify as an introvert, schools and workplaces are designed mainly for extroverts. Schools no longer line their desks in rows; they now put desks together in clusters of four or more. Students are treated as committee members. The sense of autonomy in the classroom is decreasing and children are required to work in groups in subjects where group work isn’t necessarily needed, such as math and writing.
People, children especially, need the opportunity to develop their own ideas and participate in the deep thought that only arises through solitude. Psychological research proves that an individual cannot be in a group of people without mirroring their opinions, especially of the most dominant charismatic person of group. There is zero research to support that the most dominant charismatic person has the best ideas.
People who do not want to work in groups are commonly seen as problem cases. The ideal student is an extrovert, even though research has proven that introverts receive better grades and overall are more knowledgeable. Even in the workplace, introverts are often not promoted to leadership positions, when in some circumstances introverts can act as better leaders. In comparison to extroverts, introverts are more likely to take into consideration everyone’s ideas, where extroverts get too excited about one idea and feel the need to have their say in everything.
Most importantly, creativity and productivity stem from isolation, which can be proven in the many successes of introverts. Steve Wozniak, the creator of the apple computer, said he would never have been so successful if he weren’t too much of an introvert to leave the house. Dr. Seuss feared meeting his readers because he had created most of his poems in his bell tower office in the back of his house. Darwin walked alone in the woods and turned down dinner invitations. Moses, Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammad all journeyed alone to desolate places only to come back with life-changing epiphanies.
Today’s western culture favors the “man of action” over the “man of contemplation.” This perception stems from the evolution of occupation. The decrease of agricultural jobs to a business minded society has led to the constant need to prove oneself and network.
Group work in its entirety should not be eliminated for it can be resourceful and beneficial when revision is needed. But instead of immediate group work, it would be more effective to first allow everyone to spend time alone to foster his or her own ideas and then collaborate. This would compromise the level of stimulation needed for both introverts and extroverts to be successful. So let's stop this group work madness and embrace the benefits of solitude.
Be sure to check out the TED Talk and other works of Susan Cain.
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