The Ambivert, Half Extraverted And Half Introverted

There is no person who is totally extroverted or totally introverted. Between both extremes there are an infinity of nuances although, in general, in each person traits of introversion or extraversion predominate. However, there are some people who manage to combine the best of the extraverts and the best of the introverts in a very balanced way. Those are the ambivert.

According to Dr. Jennifer Granneman, author of the book The Secret Life of Introverts , those who call themselves ambivert are fascinating individuals. People who achieve an excellent balance between communication and listening. Also between the reserve of prudence and the openness of spontaneity.

The first to address this issue was the Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung . Jung’s concepts have had a great impact on psychology and, therefore, a good part of personality classifications are based on his postulates. The categories of introversion and extraversion were initially worked on by him and we have to refer to these to understand what ambivert is.

Introversion: neither shyness nor isolation

The main characteristic of introverts is that they focus more on their inner world than on the outer world. In a natural way, they are inclined to look within themselves and obtain their source of meaning in their ideas, their imagination, their memories and everything that makes up their subjective universe.

The introvert isn’t really shy . Nor unsociable. He simply appreciates the moments of solitude because the contact with himself is essential. He also does not refuse contact with others, but is very selective and does not want to be with someone next to him all the time. That is why they prefer quiet environments and reject noisy atmospheres.

From a neuroscience point of view, introverts are more sensitive to dopamine. Therefore, being in an environment with too many stimuli can drain them emotionally. Hence, they prefer calmer atmospheres.

Extraversion or feeding on others

On the other shore are the extroverts, those carefree and spontaneous people  who make friends easily and do not keep what they think. They are, in general, much more socially accepted than introverts. This is due to the ease with which they connect with others.

The extravert thrives on social relationships. He likes to be in contact with others and, in fact, he uses those bonds to feel good. Solitude seems boring and needs environments that provide constant stimulation. Passivity or too much silence ends up depressing them.

These types of people are often impulsive and perhaps superfluous. They are not very interested in delving into reflections. They are people of action, who need to be in motion and introspection is not something that attracts them. They are, so to speak, people with a minimum filter. What they think and feel is translated into action almost immediately.

The ambivert: the balance

The first to speak of ambivert was Edmund S. Conklin, an American psychologist. He did it in 1923. He noted that they were a model of stability and balance. He defined them as people who bring together the best of introverts and extroverts. They adapt easily to both loneliness and company and try to keep both aspects in balance.

The main trait of ambivertives is flexibility. In social situations they open up to others and seek relationships to be fluid and spontaneous. They know how to take advantage of the company of others, nourishing themselves with their contributions and allowing others to enter their world. Social situations do not make them tense or wear them down. They make the most of them and assume them as necessary for their balance.

In the same way, ambivertives can deal with loneliness without any problem. In fact, they look for it at certain times. They need to keep in touch with themselves and appreciate the contributions of introspection. They are also selective in what they share and do not share with others.

These types of people are adept at handling both codes: that of introverts and that of extraverts. Psychologist Daniel H. Pink has compared them to bilingual people, as they are fluent in two languages ​​at the same time and find the best way to express themselves in both.