– Half of introverts surveyed report increased levels of loneliness during the pandemic, as compared to only one-third of extraverts
– 31% of introverts report higher instances of unhappiness, compared to only 12% of extraverts
– Nearly 7 in 10 introverts cannot think of a fun/unique way they’ve kept in touch with loved ones during the pandemic; 47% of extraverts say the same
To explore the mental and emotional effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on varying personality types, particularly as it pertains to missed time and milestones with loved ones, Nixplay surveyed 2,000 American adults in late August.
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Introverts faring worse than extraverts during pandemic
Despite theories that introverts may be spared from the negative psychological effects of the pandemic given their low need for social interaction, it turns out they are in fact experiencing increased levels of loneliness (50%) and unhappiness (31%). In comparison, one-third of extraverts report feeling unhappy and only 12%, lonely.
Contextually, introverts overall appear to be much less likely than extraverts to keep in touch via other methods aside from face-to-face interaction. Throughout the pandemic, introverts were less likely than extraverts to engage in video calls (37% vs. 55%), talk on the phone (73% vs. 83%), or even use social media to communicate with loved ones (51% vs. 63%). Additionally, introverts communicate with both friends (17% vs. 26%) and family (32% vs. 40%) less frequently.
Most notably, introverts aren’t taking initiative to interact with their family and friends in new ways. According to the survey, introverts report fewer instances of fun and unique ways that they’ve kept in touch with loved ones (69% vs. 47%).
Most Americans have missed a milestone; took time with loved ones for granted
Across the wider population, nearly 80% of people report having missed one or more important social event or milestone during quarantine. Those who have missed an event reported higher levels of loneliness (48%) versus those who have not missed any (39%).
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Good news: most are turning to productive coping methods
Despite the varying losses experienced by Americans during this time, overall, many do seem to have turned to positive coping methods to get through these hard times, the most common being:
- Turning a negative into a positive, making the best of a situation (62%)
- Not allowing myself to be caught up in things outside of my control (62%)
- Concentrating efforts about doing something about the situation to make it better (56%)
Those turning a negative into a positive report the highest levels of happiness (91%) and lowest levels of loneliness (43%). While 27% of people overall do report turning to substance abuse as a coping mechanism, this group similarly displays lower levels of happiness (83%) and higher levels of loneliness (65%).
Tech is enabling connection during the pandemic
Top ways in which people are connecting with loved ones during this time are via phone calls (74%), text messages (72%), social media (57%) and video calls (47%). Over half (53%) have sought out an out-of-the-box way to continue connecting with loved ones, such as virtual Netflix and chill (39%), socially distanced backyard wine night (36%) and watching a game or movie outdoors on a pulldown screen (36%).
In terms of photo-sharing, 43% of Americans are sharing photos with loved ones multiple times per week or more, with more than one-third noting that they’re sharing more photos as a result of the pandemic, primarily digitally, with 60% using social media albums and 51% using online photo albums. 47% report currently using digital photo platforms and wifi-connected photo frames, or have plans to do so in the future (53%).
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