Quiet type / outgoing type (inkya / youkya)
Overview
Inkya and youkya are short for "gloomy character" and "cheerful character." They're slang terms that split people into two groups by personality and by where they stand at school. Youkya is used for someone who is bright, has lots of friends, and is at the center of the class. Inkya is used for someone who is reserved, doesn't stand out, and spends time in a small group.
This way of sorting people is also tied to school caste (sukuuru kaasuto, the unofficial ranking of students within a Japanese class). But the sorting itself becomes one cause of the labeling effect. The belief "I'm an inkya, so..." becomes the reason behind reserved behavior.
How question boxes break the caste
One interesting thing about question boxes is that they have the power to break down the wall between inkya and youkya. Even someone you find hard to talk to in the classroom can be sent a question if you're anonymous. Answers from someone who usually doesn't stand out may also draw attention for being funny.
In fact, the people who are popular in question boxes are not necessarily the outgoing kids in the classroom. There are people who write well, people with a unique point of view, and people who answer with care. These are abilities separate from your "character" in the classroom. In a question box, answers can be judged by a different yardstick than the classroom caste.
Taking off the label
The problem with sorting people into inkya and youkya is that it squeezes people into one of two choices. Some people are outgoing in front of friends and quiet in front of strangers. How someone acts can change from situation to situation.
In a question box, it's easier to take off the label others have put on you and act freely. Someone called "the quiet one" in class may talk at length in their question box. If someone asks which is the real you, "the inkya me" or "the question box me," both are the real you. People aren't so simple that a single label can explain them.