to what extent does introversion construct a barrier

TO WHAT EXTENT DOES INTROVERSION CONSTRUCT A BARRIER BETWEEN CREATIVE WORKERS AND THE INDUSTRY? Abstract This research paper will examine whether creatives in the media industries who self-identify as introverts feel that their introversion, as a personality trait, constructs a barrier between them and the industry, as well as their career success. The aim of this research was to identify if introversion affects creatives, and pave the way for further research into how potential problems within this area can be solved. Methodologically, the study uses semi-structured interviews and online ethnography to conclude that introversion can, to a degree, be a limitation between creatives and the industry, but can also help empower creativity in certain scenarios. Further comments are added suggesting how introverted creatives can strategize to overcome any limitations imposed by their introversion.

Justification Following my recent attendance at Canvas Conference 2017 in Birmingham, I engaged in some networking and managed to talk to a few people at an afterparty event. This did, however, leave me feeling very drained and dissatisfied at the end of the day.

After overcoming the unpleasant feeling, I wanted to understand more about why I felt this way, beyond the generic explanation of "I'm just an introvert". A quick online search revealed multiple articles describing this occurrence in similar ways. Introversion was explained not by the unwillingness to communicate with other people, but the limited ability to do so. Some bloggers compared this to an internal battery that has a limited capacity. After this “battery” drains, all forms of social interaction become daunting and very difficult to deal with. From a creative industries perspective, I was also aware of academics like Hesmondhalgh that have gone on to theorize the importance of networking for the sake of a sustainable career, making this a desirable topic to research. For these reasons, and for the benefit of better understanding the cultural and social norms associated with “breaking into” the creative industries, I'll be considering introversion as a potential barrier for creatives. I will also be aiming to find, or at least hypothesize on, a “have your cake and eat it too” type of conclusion.

Literature Review Creativity and Creatives To hypothesize what constitutes as a ‘creative’ (note the use of this word as a noun, rather than an adjective), we must first dive deeper into the notion of creativity. Academics define creativity in a variety of different ways. One definition describes creativity as the tendency to generate ideas that may be useful for solving problems, communicating with others, or for entertainment (Franken, 1993). Simplified further, creativity has been defined as “The process of having original ideas that have value” (Robinson, 2006), or “the capacity to produce such works” (Weisberg, 1993).

Despite there being some correlation in these definitions, it is difficult to quantify creativity, as there are several key developmental events that contribute to the maturation of creativity as a personality trait (Chávez-Eakle, et al., 2012). Studies examining the relationship between creativity and intelligence also approach this under multiple models, either as one being the subset of the other, or both being overlapping sets (Sternberg, 1999). This suggests that we cannot label a person strictly as a “creative” or “noncreative”, due to the varying number of criteria that different people use to assess creativity (Runco & Jaeger, 2012). As a result, creativity can best be expressed as a spectrum, and the position of each individual within this spectrum defined by a variety of contributing factors and variables. Within this context, some researchers have suggested that quantifying creativity is best done by expressing it as a shell that encapsulates other personality traits, rather than a distinct trait of its own (Simonton, 2012).

Introversion as a personality trait The Merriam-Webster definition of “introversion” is “the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in one’s own mental life” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Note the usage of “predominantly” – as research dating all the way back to 1923 claims that both introverts and extroverts can, to some extent, exhibit forms of the polar opposite trait (Conklin & U Oregon, 1923). Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi argues that most current psychological research confirms extroversion and introversion, as end-of-spectrum personality traits, are the most stable, but that creative individuals often fall somewhere in between, exhibiting both traits simultaneously (Csikszentmihalyi, 2013). This claim, along with other findings of traits,

both paradoxical and non-paradoxical (Eby, 2013), makes it difficult to systematize creativity within a set of characteristics, but opens the possibility to explore it in a more interpretative fashion. Introverts, like all people, experience the need to communicate. Research warns us of “A.I. - Artificial Introversion”, in which introverts that actively participate in communities online do not recognize this as a form of sociability (Porter, 2015). Within this context, socializing is not displaced, but rather practiced in a different, “digital-first” manner. Some findings have suggested that extroverts find their “real me” through traditional social communication, while introverts find their “real me” through their various forms of communication online (Amichai-Hamburger, et al., 2004). More recent quantitative research has also shown that Social Networking Sites (SNSs) may help overcome some of the barriers caused by introversion, claiming that Facebook use might help lead to increased time spent engaging with others face-to-face (Spradlin, et al., 2017). Just like the fluidity of creativity, introversion is also non-binary, and different individuals can be placed on different parts of the introvert-extrovert spectrum. Several studies over the years have attempted to quantify both creativity and introversion, and establish the correlation (or lack thereof) between the two. For the most part, however, the results of these studies have been varied, which makes forming a concrete consensus on the topic difficult.

Social challenges for the introverted creative Despite the fluidity of introversion, however, more introverted creatives still face several challenges in day-to-day life. From a productivity perspective, studies have shown how contemporary open-plan office space has made “the ‘we’ space grow and the ‘me’ space shrink” (Pyrillis, 2014). This poses a challenge not just for introverts at work, but for any employee that may require a more private and isolated environment for the sake of maximizing their productivity. Some studies also theorize a “workplace introversion bias” - the discrimination against introverts in a professional working environment, with three main antecedents: environment, perpetrator, and victim (McCord & Joseph, 2016). One creative introvert from the advertising industry mentions that they feel their introversion limits their career. Even within an environment where charisma and socializing are a factor to success, they mention they sometimes find it hard to “fake it” and believe that talking more usually contributes to unnecessary noise, as opposed to solving problems and advancing ideas (Tsue, 2013). Another key point of consideration is Hesmondhalgh’s research, which draws attention to the blurring boundaries of socialising and networking in the creative industries. One interviewee mentions that, despite their intent to separate their personal and professional life, they find that after-work socializing in a pub environment increases their chances of getting more work (Hesmondhalgh & Baker, 2010). From an introvert perspective, this may mean forcefully engaging in otherwise extrovert-favouring activities, only for the sake of maintaining sustainability in one’s career.

Summary In summary, the findings from this literature review suggest that both creativity and introversion can be placed on a spectrum, and that each person’s position on this spectrum is highly dependent on several external variables. Regarding social engagement, creative introverts go about socializing and engaging with the creative industries in a manner that is usually different to the one employed by extroverts. Despite this, there are still some social challenges that the creative introvert faces in their professional (and likely personal) life.

Methodology Justification There are several considerations needed prior to deciding on a methodology approach. As introversion is more of a “social” topic of debate, a qualitative research approach would be best, seeing as it is designed to “explore and assess things that cannot easily be summarized numerically” (Priest, 2010). Considering the above-mentioned reasons, I have chosen to use semi-structured interviews as my primary research method, and further support these with online ethnography. While my original intention was to base my research entirely on an online ethnography, I’ve decided that this can be better used to support interview findings. This gives the potential of bringing clarity on the topic of how introverted creatives go about communicating with others, and connect with the creative industry in non-traditional ways.

Uses and Limitations The characteristics of a semi-structured interview provide for an effective methodology, particularly when interviewing participants that the interviewer has only one chance to interview, and where some level of understanding of the topic is present prior to interviewing (Cohen & Crabtree, 2006). Semi-structured interviews, within this context, are also useful as the interviewer can adjust questions on-the-spot, as the interview is taking place. This can give respondents the freedom to answer questions in better detail, adding valuable insight into how participants explain and contextualize the issues at hand (Berry, 1999). A limitation of this research method is the possibility of the interview taking an unexpected turn and detour, which can render the findings inconclusive in some cases (Brennen, 2013). For this reason, I have chosen to further support my findings with an online ethnography of a variety of online spaces, specifically for creative introverts.

Ethics Considering the work-life bleed that was identified in the literature review from Hesmondhalgh’s work, a key ethical consideration for interviews is anonymization. Further care must also be taken when asking questions in a semi-structured fashion, as there is the possibility to digress away from the main topic of discussion into an interviewee’s personal life and experiences. While these are valid points of discussion which can help form an understanding of the fluid creative identity, it is important not to purposefully “invade” a participant’s personal life beyond a reasonable scope within the topic. The same consideration must be kept in mind when conducting the online ethnography, as some discussions online may also side-track into personal experiences.

For the benefit of interviewees, once the analysis has been completed, the findings can also be presented to each participator post-anonymization (Brennen, 2013).

Analysis Creativity Conducting semi-structured interviews with three separate participants in the 1824 age range, each self-identified as an introvert, and occupied a different sector of the creative industries. When asked whether they consider themselves a “creative” and attempt to quantify this on a scale from 1 to 10, each participant was quick to give themselves a high score. Participant 1 rated themselves a high 7 out of 10, which is surprisingly the lowest score out of the bunch. All participants justified placing themselves high on the scale by talking about not only the kind of work they do, but their hobbies and interests as well. Participant 2 also mentioned that their hobbies are well-linked with their creativity, speculating that some could potentially lead to further work, all related to art. At a later stage in the interview, the participants talked about the widely different spaces of the creative industries that they occupy, making for a reasonable representation of the industry. Participant 1 said they mainly do freelance 2D animation, graphic design for a variety of purposes, and music production; Participant 2 said they mainly do makeup, but also branch out into illustration and tattoos; Participant 3 accented their own online brand for prop making, 3D modelling, and their hopes to get into motion graphics in the future. An interesting note to make is that in all three interviews, participants briefly justified their position within the creative industries by talking about their work and

personal creativity as early as the first question in the interview. This confirms the previously mentioned claim that creativity is more than just a core trait needed for a creative’s work, but also a key trait that encompasses other traits and contributes to one’s personality (Simonton, 2012).

Introversion Regarding their level of introversion, all participants ranked themselves highly on the same scale from 1 to 10. Two participants justified this by mentioning that they don’t talk to people very often, and Participant 3 said the same regarding drinking and going to parties. They also mentioned that they personally prefer meet ups with little social obligations, noting that they still speak to people they know well, and within social settings and groups they feel comfortable in. This links back to the notion that most creative individuals can express a mixture of introversion and extroversion (Csikszentmihalyi, 2013). Despite this, Participant 2 mentioned that they don’t enjoy being around other people, and that they are very protective of their own personal space. Regarding the term “Artificial Introversion” (Porter, 2015), two participants said they weren’t aware of the term. The third went on to justify their introverted state mentioning that they personally believe their introversion is “contextual”, and that they aren’t “an introvert by choice”. While this had little to do with the way the term Artificial Introversion is coined, it was an interesting additional comment. Participant 1 identified with the claims of the term after being given it, and said it was “probably accurate”. They also mentioned that they find it easier to communicate online since “if you connect with

someone, you probably already know who they are, and what their interests are, so you know what they're into and […] and if it's worth even talking to the person”.

Socialising and Networking Moving on to socialising and networking with other creatives, all participants mentioned that they do this online, but not so much in person. Participant 2 said that socialising and networking in person often falls outside their comfort zone, but despite this they do work with a variety of other creatives on collaborative projects. Participant 3 highlighted that they need to socialise and network more often, but mentioned that financial limitations sometimes stop them from going to more prominent local networking events. Participant 1 said that their main method of socialising with creatives is through Discord (online platform originally targeted for gamers) and Google Hangouts, but did not speak of any interactions in person. Discord was a platform also highlighted by Participant 3, who later went on to describe how joining a certain Discord group helped them find someone highly experienced in the skill they wanted to learn. This person helped them through their learning process and was “essentially like a mentor” for them. All three participants mentioned that they have been involved, in some extent, in using Facebook and Facebook Groups for connecting with creatives as well. While Participant 3 claimed that Facebook makes it easy to find groups dedicated to specific niches in the creative industries, Participant 1 noted they use Facebook more rarely, as they feel it usually requires a person to have somewhat of an existing connection in person before reaching out. Participant 2 mentioned they feel Facebook generally encompasses an audience with opinions that are too strong, and mostly negative, so they listed DeviantArt, Flickr

and Tumblr as their main go-tos. Aside from these common internet silos, the internet has proved to be a common space for introverts of all types. Projects like “Quiet Revolution” (Cain, 2012) help empower introverts, and tackle sensitive issues like the aforementioned “workplace introversion bias”, and the need for quiet spaces in offices, catering to the needs of the introvert. Focusing on creatives, a more recent project titled “The League of Creative Introverts” (Rose, 2017), aims to create a new tight-knit community, focused on tackling the issues that creative introverts face most commonly. While still in its early stages, and not launched officially, a Facebook Group for the community has been created and hopes to gradually grow, similar to the way Participant 3 described.

Final comments Finally, being asked if they believe their introverted nature has imposed any limitation on their career, all participants believed that it did, but each gave a different justification for this. Participant 1 went on to mention that they aren’t very good at small talk and making connections, which has somewhat limited their career opportunities. They also clarified that they aren’t good at talking about topics that fall outside their interests, therefore they don’t socialise as much with people from their university, or potential employers. Participant 2 noted that they have missed out on many opportunities that could have helped them become a better creative and a better person overall. Participant 3 responded similarly to Participant 1, but also said they find their current employment situation embarrassing, considering their age. They also mentioned that their introversion is somewhat pushing them towards freelancing, as opposed to other forms of

employment. Both participant 2 and 3 also accented on the fact that their introversion gives them a lot more time to focus on their projects and become better at their craft. Before ending the interviews, I provided each participant with the chance to add any comments they feel are relevant to the topic, and talk about anything else they would consider important. Surprisingly, this was the section of the interview that revealed the most about each participant and linked together some of their thoughts on the topic. Participants 2 and 3 accented on the likely relationship between introversion and their own mental health, bringing issues like ASD, depression, hyperfixation, and dyslexia into the discussion. Participant 3 said that they believe introversion gives everyone a different experience, and that they personally feel it does not limit their creativity. Further accenting on their answer to the previous question, they highlighted how it can help them learn more. Participant 2 also had a more positive take on this, saying that the “cure” for such creatives is to embrace their introversion, get inspired by it and find a way to implement it into their own work. They did, however, mention, that the process takes a lot of time. Participant 1 went on to discuss their introversion from a much more different perspective. They highlighted that the internet offers a plethora of information, both for what a creative job is like day-to-day, and for learning technical skills. Considering how easy it is to access this information, they mentioned that they find it somewhat pointless to interact with other creatives face-to-face, claiming it was unlikely they would learn anything they don’t already know. They also went on to mention how, if they aren’t interested in being friends with a person, they are unlikely to go out of their way to talk to them. Considering all comments by Participant 1, this does somewhat confirm the previously mentioned

ideology of introverts leading their personality online-first (Porter, 2015), as the participant did confirm themselves.

Conclusion Concluding based on the findings of this study, introversion was found to indeed pose some limitations for creatives, particularly concerning employment and career prospects. Findings also indicate a possible link between mental health issues and introversion as a personality trait. Regardless of this, some positives about introversion and creativity were also highlighted, mostly concerning additional time for engaging with personal projects and work, as well as perfecting technical skills. Moreover, respondents could easily identify with leading their personalities "online first", and constructing this as their own sense of community. Despite the mainstream misconception of introverts not enjoying socializing, findings from the online ethnography suggest otherwise, with several online communities for like-minded people, right at the core of where introverted creatives socialize. From a strategic standpoint, considering both the findings of this study and several online publications, introverted creatives can strategize around their introversion to turn the tables and score advantages for their creative careers. As speculated by one participant, a likely "cure" is to embrace introversion. Since most respondents confirmed Csikszentmihalyi's notions of fluid levels of communication, introverted creatives can likely strategize around this. Using some of their previously identified advantages

(technical skills, deep focus on work), given a strategic approach, they can place themselves in a position where they may have a small advantage over extroverts when aiming to advance their careers. As one participant outlined they prefer to communicate strictly with people that share their interests, this may be a key advantage to meeting more people from a given industry, provided creatives have the courage to interact with them outside of their comfort zone. Despite the small sample size of participants in the study, the responses from the interviews clearly hint at recurring topics of consideration, and open possibilities for further study on the issues of introversion as a barrier to creatives and the industry.

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Appendices Interview Questions 1. Do you consider yourself a creative? 1.1. How creative would you say you are? (Scale 1-10) 2. Do you consider yourself an introvert? 2.1. How introverted would you say you are? (Scale 1-10) 3. Would you say you're a part of the creative industries? 4. What kind of work do you do in the creative industries? 5. Do you network/socialise with other creatives? How do you go about doing this? 6. Are there any online communities or Facebook groups that you use to socialise and network with other creatives? 7. Are you aware of the term "Artificial Introversion"? 8. Have you felt that your introverted nature has limited you in your career? 9. Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Interview 1 (redacted)

Interview 2 (redacted)

Interview 3 (redacted)