Extraversion and introversion: a scale, not a box

Why is Extraversion a scale rather than a type?

Extraversion is a scale because people do not split into two groups: scores run smoothly from very reserved to very outgoing, and many people land somewhere in the middle. Introvert and extravert are the two ends of that scale, not two kinds of people.

Everyday behaviour shows the same thing. One study asked people several times a day, for a few weeks, how they were acting at that moment. Almost everyone regularly showed nearly every level of a trait ^[2]. A person with a low score can be the life of the party one evening; a person with a high score has quiet mornings too. What sets people apart is their average, and that average turned out to be remarkably stable.

At DepthFive your score is a percentile against more than 100,000 people: 65 means you score higher than about 65 out of 100 people in that group. If you give your age and gender, you also see a second number compared with people like you. There is more on this in percentiles and norm groups.

What does a high Extraversion score look like?

A high score means that people and a lively setting give you energy. You talk easily, seek others out and get a group moving. A week into a new job, you already know half the office by name.

You often think out loud, working out what you believe as you talk. A full calendar feels more like a treat than a burden, and a long weekend alone at home can leave you restless. Your enthusiasm tends to be catching, and others are happy to join your plans.

The flip side: in a group you may leave little room for quieter people, because you have filled the silence before they could speak. And with too little going on, you get restless or bored sooner than most.

What does a low Extraversion score look like?

A low score means that quiet and focused work give you energy. This is the side people call introverted. You prefer a good conversation with a few people to a crowd, and you think before you speak.

At a party you are more likely to be talking with one person in the kitchen than standing in the middle of the room. At work you happily put your headphones on, and a morning of quiet work gets you further than a morning of meetings. You listen well, and when you do speak, it is usually well thought through.

The flip side: in busy groups you can get drowned out and show less of yourself than you deserve. After a day full of people you need time to recharge, even when the day was fun.

What does a middle score mean, and what is an ambivert?

A score between 40 and 60 is just above or just below the middle: you enjoy company, and afterwards you also like time to yourself. Whether you seek out people or quiet depends on the situation.

The word ambivert has become a popular label for people in this part of the scale. It is not a separate type, nor a scientific category, but a handy name for the middle of the same scale. Since many people sit there, being an ambivert is ordinary rather than special.

Near the middle, the difference between "just above" and "just below" tells you little. Every measurement has a small margin of error, so someone at 48 today might land on 52 next time. Asking yourself when people give you energy and when quiet does is often more useful than the label.

What does research say about Extraversion?

Research links Extraversion with sensitivity to reward, finds a small link with job performance in some lines of work, and shows that the trait shifts with age. These are always averages across groups, never a prediction for one person.

Work. In a meta-analysis covering five occupational groups, Extraversion was linked with job performance mainly in jobs with a lot of social contact, such as management and sales ^[3]. The link was small, and in other occupations it was not clearly there.

Age. In studies that followed people for many years, the confident, take-charge side of Extraversion rose on average in young adulthood, especially between 20 and 40. The lively, sociable side rose during adolescence and declined again in old age ^[4]. You can read more in does personality change with age?

Which myths about Extraversion are common?

The most common myth is that introverted means shy. Shyness is about unease around other people; introversion is about where your energy comes from. Plenty of people with low scores give a talk to a full room without trouble, and then simply want a quiet evening.

A second myth is that extraverts have it better, because the world often rewards whoever speaks loudest. Each side has its own strengths. A good team needs someone who gets the group moving and someone who thinks quietly before a decision is made.

A third myth is that you are one or the other. As described above, it is a scale, and everyone shows a wide range of levels in daily life. Your score shows where you stand on average.

Finally, Extraversion is not about how kind you are. Warmth and consideration for others belong to Agreeableness in the Big Five. There are warm people with low scores and less warm people with high ones.