Introverts Tend to Give Extroverts Less Praise in Team Evaluations

Extroverts may need to start watching their backs around the office. A new study shows that introverts are more likely to underrate their extroverted peers regardless of actual performance. Amy Morin highlighted the major points of the study in her article for Forbes. The research is slated to be published in an upcoming issue of the Academy of Management Journal.

The study began with 178 MBA students. The participants were split into groups of four or five people to set to work on project for the semester. Upon its completion, each participant was asked to complete a questionnaire, assessing his or her team members and his or her own personalities.

By the conclusion of the study, the questionnaires indicated that self-identified introverts tended to rate their fellow introverts higher. But there was also a trend of negativity in introverts towards their extroverted teammates, rating them much lower—regardless of their performance. However, researchers didn’t see this personality bias in extroverts.

In another study, researchers took 143 student participants online to play a brief game alongside three teammates. The researchers hopped online with the groups, manipulating their profiles and comments to have a more introverted or extroverted bent. At the end of the game, participants were asked to evaluate the performance of their teammates. Once again, the introverts tended to give extroverts less credit–regardless of their contributions. Meanwhile, extroverts continued to show no bias toward their quieter team members, basing praise and criticism on merit.

This study holds value for those in management positions, which may help them better evaluate how their introverted and extroverted employees approach one another come time for peer reviews. Introverts should also be aware of their tendency to critique their extroverted co-workers more harshly, but extroverts should, in turn, take note to tone-down their outgoing dispositions among quieter team members. While an extrovert may see herself as being social and friendly, her introverted co-workers may see her attitude as loud and obnoxious in a professional environment. Though, it’s more important for managers to take these perceptions into account during end-of-the-year evaluations.