Somewhere in between

"There is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert. Such a person would be in the lunatic asylum."

– Carl Jung

I am in complete agreement with this statement but a lot of people aren’t.
Why? Because the concept of introversion and extroversion is misunderstood. Nevertheless, next time someone asks you to identify and label yourself, read them this quote by Dau Voire, 

"I'm very picky with who I give my energy to. I prefer to reserve my time, intensity and spirit exclusively to those who reflect sincerity."

If someone asked you to visualize an extrovert and an introvert, two distinct images will pop up: the person who is always the center of attention at a party will be an extrovert and the person who is always the first to leave the party will be an introvert. There is a third category as well. A person who would enjoy the party wholeheartedly with his/her group of friends. Ambiversion describes a personality that falls between the two. 

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What is Ambiversion ?

Just like introversion and extroversion, ambiversion is a personality trait that is the midpoint of the introversion-extroversion continuum. An ambivert is an individual with qualities of both introversion and extroversion. They can be outgoing and adventurous, but they are also self reflective and quieter. 

Based on the research conducted by a psychologist Adam Grant (and others) ambiverts are characterized as being ambivalent about social situations—sometimes enjoying the company of others, but also enjoying being alone at times. He theorized that ambiverts seem to strike a balance between the extreme personality traits. Psychologist Adam Grant found that ⅔ of his population sample fall in the middle (picture the bell curve) i.e. under the “ambivert umbrella” which is opposite to the popular belief. Statistically speaking, the majority of the people are ambiverts. 

They are synonymously also labeled as outgoing introverts, antisocial extroverts or social introverts. If someone addresses you as any one of these, know that they think you are an ambivert. 

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Brain and Ambiversion 

The key difference is how they respond to the neurotransmitter dopamine. It’s not that introverts and ambiverts have less dopamine present in their brains than extroverts do. In fact, all of them have the same amount of dopamine available. The difference is in the activity of the dopamine reward network. All ambiverts, introverts and extroverts use both sides of their nervous systems at different times. Extroverts rely on their sympathetic nervous system whereas introverts get high on the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. For ambiverts , it's all about finding the right balance between the two. 

Emily Becker, in one of her articles, describes ambiversion as a hybrid car which is a combination of both electric power and fuel power. Ambiverts need to be fully charged and fully refueled to function effectively. 

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Signs to look for

It's all about finding your place on the spectrum. Ambiverts exhibit both introverted and extroverted traits, and may switch depending on the context and individual factors. For instance, if you are talkative, assertive but not exceptionally sociable then you fall under ambiversion. 

The mixture of traits makes it difficult to identify the specific category. Nonetheless, there are a few key traits that are associated with ambiverts, including, 

• Being able to adapt to different situations
• Being a good communicator (listening and speaking)
• Being able to regulate behavior and responses i.e. above average emotional intelligence
• Being comfortable in large groups and small intimate gatherings
• Being able to work well both in groups and independently 
• Having a strong sense of self-awareness i.e. knowing when and how to accommodate
• Providing balance in social situations
• Ability of expressing the emotions both out loud, and internally

Even though ambiverts are known to possess characteristics of both introverts and extroverts, their identity is unique where they get the best of both worlds. They are at advantage of being more flexible and adaptable.

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In a nutshell 

If you like to socialize occasionally but not everyday, then you are likely an ambivert. If you can make small talk, but too much of it gets boring, you exhibit ambiversion. The lesson from all of this is to not emphasize on labels. Learn about yourself but don’t let the labels stop from experiencing life. If you want to know where you fall on the personality spectrum, connect with us on our toll-free number 1800-833-8747 or email us at info@transformhappily.com.

Let us help you transform, happily!