Introverts like to be alone. Unlike extroverts, they are less noticeable or are considered shy. But does that make being introverted worse? What strengths do introverts have? Our new host Eric Mayer describes himself as rather introverted and wants to know how we can see being alone as an opportunity. "Am I actually an introvert?" - comedian Moritz Neumeier also asked himself this question. The answer: yes. Although he has been in the spotlight for more than 10 years, he now claims to be an introverted man. People like him like to withdraw and really recharge their batteries when they are alone. In a society that is becoming increasingly alienated, that is not the worst quality, is it?! Extroverts, on the other hand, are considered sociable - not shy. They enjoy being the center of attention and quickly feel isolated if they spend too much time alone. Eric wants to know: Why do extroverts and introverts tick so differently? And are extroverts really the "better" ones? What happens in the brains of introverts and do they have special talents or strengths that are often overlooked? Eric is also hoping to get answers to his questions from the professor of personality psychology Eva Asselmann and the neuroscientist Friederike Fabritius. He wants to use an exciting experiment to find out: Can introverts increase their happiness level if they behave extrovertedly? ******* CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 00:46 Eric meets Moritz Neumeier at his stage show in Dresden 01:55 Conversation with Moritz Neumeier, who says he is very introverted 04:07 What does science mean by introverted and extroverted people? 07:52 How do you feel when you are introverted - and how do you notice it? 10:25 Introverts don't choose to be introverted 10:49 The difference between introversion and extraversion can be seen in the brain 11:09 What is the difference in the brains of introverts and extroverts? 14:18 Can an introvert feel happier by behaving extrovertedly? 16:41 The studio experiment 18:48 How did the experiment change the level of happiness? 19:25 Which introverts feel happier after the experiment and which don't? 21:26 Resolution and conclusion of the experiment 22:37 Setting boundaries helps - tips for introverts 23:53 Being alone as an opportunity 26:45 Conclusion 27:08 Endcard ******* You can find more videos from the Terra X cosmos in the media library: https://www.zdf.de/dokumentation/terr... Terra X on Facebook: / zdfterrax Terra X on Instagram: / terrax ******* OUR SOURCES ???? Gray matter in the prefrontal cortex is denser in introverts than in extroverts https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ???? PET scans of introverts show more activity in the frontal lobes of the brain. https://www.researchgate.net/publicat... ???? Dutch studies have shown that the right hemisphere amygdala tends to be larger in extroverts than in introverts, as does the anterior cingulate cortex - except in female extroverts, whose anterior cingulate cortex is apparently smaller than that of introverted women. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/art... ???? Extroverts are happier with their income. However, this does not necessarily have anything to do with their bank balance. https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/resea... ???? In order to achieve individual top performance, you need a brain-adapted work environment. The introverted neuroscientist Friederike Fabritius shows how everyone in the company benefits. https://www.campus.de/buecher-campus-... ???? Extroverted behavior apparently makes us happier. https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?do... ???? Introverts can apparently increase their satisfaction when they behave extrovertedly. https://osf.io/gcbxk ******* IN THE VIDEO Moritz Neumeier, comedian Prof. Eva Asselmann, psychologist at the HMU Health and Medical University in Potsdam Friederike Fabritius, neuroscientist ******* CREDITS Script & direction: Caro Pellmann Sound: Mohammad Alzamel, Sascha Czycykowski, Mischka Heimberger, Sepher Khazaie, Frank Menzel Camera: Oliver Biebl, Jörg Junge, Samuel Köhler, Christoph Messerschmidt, Benedict Sicheneder, Uli Sontag, Stephan Zwickirsch Production: Ulrike Römhild, Zoe Wingenfelder, Moritz Bömicke Post-production: Oliver Filser Editors: Martina Sprengel, Marc Elvers, Harald Platz, Kim Krämer, Martina Schönfeld