11 Signs You’re an Ambivert (With Quiz!)

Do you think you are an ambivert? I always have struggled with the question:

“Are you an extrovert or introvert?”

Like many people, I don’t quite fit into either category. In this article and video below, I want to introduce you to the concept of an ambivert.

Here’s a quick summary: Ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the introvert-extrovert spectrum, unsure of where you belong? You might be an ambivert, a flexible personality type capable of adapting their behavior based on the situation, mood, or context. This guide dives into what it means to be an ambivert, including signs you might be one and tips for leveraging your ambivert superpowers in work, relationships, and personal growth!

What is an Ambivert?

An ambivert is someone who exhibits qualities of both introversion and extroversion, and can utilize either personality type depending on their mood, context, and goals. It’s also pronounced AM-bi-vert. The emphasis is on the first syllable, “AM”, followed by a softer “bi”, and ending with “vert”.

Ambiverts have also been called:

• Outgoing introverts: An introvert who can be outgoing in certain situations, around certain people, or when they need to.
• Antisocial extroverts: An extrovert who needs time to recharge before socializing or likes to be alone more than a typical extrovert.
• Social introverts: An introvert who can dial up into extroversion when needed.

Whether you are an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert, you have a unique skill set! Watch our video below to learn how to harness your expert power!

Extroversion and introversion describe how someone reacts to people. Ambiverts are flexible in how they respond to people.

• In the right context, in the right mood, around the right people, ambiverts can flip up into extroversion.
• In difficult contexts, when tired or cranky or around toxic people, ambiverts can flip down into introversion.

11 Signs You’re an Ambivert (Ambivert Quiz)

Wondering if you’re an ambivert? If you find yourself nodding to these signs, you might just be smack dab in the middle of the introvert-extrovert spectrum.

First, let’s find out how you rank on the scale. Take the Ambivert Quiz:

Once you’re finished, here’s a closer look at the tell-tale signs that you’re an ambivert—because why settle for one side of the personality spectrum when you can have a slice of both?

1. Your Playlist Has Multiple Personalities. One minute, you’re deep into a playlist titled “Zen Garden Serenity,” the next, you’re blasting “Party Hits” and having your dance party. Your music tastes swing as widely as your social preferences, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
2. Your Idea of a Party Depends on the Day. Monday: A quiet evening with a book sounds divine. Friday: Why isn’t everyone dancing? If your social battery charges and depletes faster than a smartphone, welcome to the ambivert club!
3. Small Talk Isn’t Your Enemy…But It’s Not Your BFF, Either. You can small talk your way through a networking event like a pro, but deep down, you’re fantasizing about having a meaningful conversation about whether cats or dogs make better space explorers.
4. You’ve Perfected the Irish Goodbye. Slipping out of a party unnoticed is your superpower. Sometimes, mingling becomes too much, and you disappear with the stealth of a cat burglar, leaving people to wonder, “Wasn’t Alex just here a minute ago?”
5. Group Projects: Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way? All of the Above.  You’re comfortable taking the lead or hanging back and letting others guide the way. But if things go off the rails, you’re ready to step in and steer the project back on track.
6. Your Comfort Zone Is More Like a Comfort Spectrum. You thrive in a variety of settings, but you have clear boundaries. One day, you’re all about trying new things; the next, you’re wrapped in a blanket fort of safety and familiarity.
7. You’re a Social Chameleon. You can adapt to almost any social setting, which is both a blessing and a curse. You blend in at the high-energy concert and the serene art exhibit, but sometimes you forget where you parked your personality.
8. The Thought of Spending the Weekend Alone is Both Heavenly and Hellish. A weekend alone? Sounds great…until it doesn’t. You cherish your solitude but fear the moment it becomes too quiet, and you start talking to your plants more than usual.
9. You’re Equally Drained by Too Much Interaction and Too Much Isolation. Finding the perfect balance between socializing and alone time is like balancing a seesaw by yourself. Just when you think you’ve got it, life throws another person on either end.
10. You Can Be the Life of the Party or the Wallflower. It all depends on your mood, the crowd, and perhaps the phase of the moon. You can turn your extroversion up to eleven or dial it down to a serene introvert level.
11. Your Ideal Night Out Involves Going Out…and Then Coming Right Back In. The plan: Go out for a fun night. Reality: You make it to the doorstep, think about the comfort of your pajamas, and decide a cozy night in which a good movie beats any crowded venue.

If these signs feel all too familiar, congratulations! You’re an ambivert, enjoying (or enduring) the best (and sometimes confusing) aspects of both worlds. Embrace your versatile personality—it makes you uniquely equipped to navigate a world designed for extremes.

The Science Behind Ambiversion

Research has found that how we react to people is physiological. This study^{1 https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/10/the-introverted-face/381697/} found that we judge someone’s level of extroversion or introversion immediately–often based on facial structure.

For example, We can also self-select our tendency toward extroversion. Which explanation sounds more like you?

• I am drawn to people; I get energy from social gatherings and am fairly outgoing. (Extrovert)
• It’s draining to be around lots of people. I prefer peace, solitude, and quiet time. I usually crave alone time in my free time. (Introvert)
• It depends. (Ambivert)

I will use the terms as labels for the sake of the article, but let’s get one thing straight:

Ambiversion Is Not a Label, It’s a Spectrum

When I talk about the Big 5 Personality Traits, I explain the extroversion scale. You can rank low, high, or medium. People who fall in the middle of the spectrum are called ambiverts.

Further research^{2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4214189/} also shows that the dopamine system in our brain, which regulates reward and pleasure, plays a significant role in determining where we fall on the introversion-extroversion spectrum. Ambiverts are believed to have a more balanced dopamine response system, allowing them to seek out social interactions when beneficial but not to the extent that it becomes overwhelming, as might be the case with extroverts.

Why Ambiverts Are Amazing (& How to Leverage Ambiversion)

Many people assume that extroverts are the best at sales, the best leaders, and the most successful at work—WRONG! Adam Grant, an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, analyzed 35 separate studies and found the statistical relationship between extroversion and income was basically zero.

He conducted a personality survey and collected three-month sales records for more than 300 salespeople, both male and female. The people who ranked right in the middle for extroversion and introversion–ambiverts–turned out to be the best salespeople.

“Ambiverts pulled in 24% more revenue than introverts and a mind-boggling 32% more revenue than extroverts!”

Grant theorized that ambiverts seem to strike a balance between the two more extreme personality traits:

“The ambivert advantage stems from the tendency to be assertive and enthusiastic enough to persuade and close, but at the same time, listening carefully to customers and avoiding the appearance of being overly confident or excited,” Grant said.

Find Your Nourishing Locations

Ambiverts typically slide up and down the spectrum depending on the situation, context, and people around them. I call this situational introversion.

For example, certain locations make me extremely nervous and quiet—nightclubs, rooftop bars, and stereotypically ‘chic’ places make me feel super out of place. In learning environments—such as classrooms, workshops, or seminars—you can’t get me to shut up. I constantly have my hand raised, try to make friends with everyone sitting within ten feet of me, and always ask for extra credit.

If you want to master your people skills, you have to know how you react to different situations. I split locations into three categories: Survive, Neutral, and Thrive.

Use this list of common places to find your top three thrive locations—places where you are your best self, and your top three survive locations—places where you dread going.

• Bars
• Nightclubs
• Restaurants
• House Party
• Board Rooms
• Office Meetings
• Conferences
• Coffee Shops
• Cocktail Party
• Backyard BBQ
• Networking Event

When you know where you thrive, you can build your schedule and your time around the locations where you can be your best self.

Find Your Nourishing People

People also can affect where we fall on the extroversion scale. Who brings out the best in you? Are there people you dread seeing? How about people you can’t get enough of?

Right now, make a list of the toxic and nourishing people in your life:

Nourishing:

Toxic:

See every person on that nourishing list? Text, email, or call them right now to get together. 

See every person on that toxic list? You deserve to be around people who sustain you.

Hobby Hoarding Is Allowed

If you’re a true ambivert, chances are you have interests in one, two, or three of many hobbies. But whatever hobbies you pick, I recommend choosing at least one good solo hobby and one group hobby.

Solo hobbies allow you to spend alone time recharging your bank for the next social outing. Think painting, writing, meditation, or reading.

Group hobbies are often neglected, but this one’s important (according to Harvard’s longest longevity study). These hobbies are social—think group soccer, cooking club, improv comedy, and more.

Having a range of hobbies allows you to balance your need for quiet reflection with your desire for social interaction. 

And remember, one day, you might crave the solitude of a long hike, and the next, the collective buzz of a board game night. Each hobby serves a different part of you, and that’s something to celebrate!

The Ambivert Advantage

Being able to balance both extroversion and introversion is an asset. Study these associated traits, courtesy of Larry Kim:

• Flexible: Ambiverts typically can adapt to context and situations more easily.
• Stable: According to psychologist Hans Eysenck, who coined the term “ambivert” in 1947, ambiverts offer a good balance between the hypersensitivity of some introverts and the domineering attitude of some extroverts.
• Intuitive: Daniel Pink said that ambiverts “know when to speak up and when to shut up, when to inspect and when to respond, when to push and when to hold back.”

Wear Your “Maybe” Like a Medal

People often demand a yes or no, black or white, introvert or extrovert answer. But wielding your “maybe” is like carrying a secret weapon—and this is an ambivert’s advantage!

Here’s why your “maybe” comes in:

• Maybe Means Mindfulness: By saying “maybe,” you’re not dodging decisions. You’re listening to your inner voice, checking in with your mental and emotional reserves. And if you’re not cool with it by the time a decision has to be made, no biggie! Just turn that maybe to a “next time!”
• Maybe Empowers Choice: When you say “maybe,” you’re keeping your options open, allowing you to step in or out without fearing stepping on toes.
• Celebrating Your Maybe: It’s time to celebrate your “maybe” for what it truly is—a symbol of your understanding that life isn’t always a straightforward path.

Use your may be at work, in relationships, and with friends! But be careful not to become too ambivalent, or you might end up like a toxic person: 7 Types of Toxic People and How to Spot Them

Ambivert Problems

With all that flexibility comes some liabilities. Since ambiverts can be so flexible, they often run into a few problems:

• They love to talk to people but want to plan it out first.
• They say yes to too many things because they aren’t sure what will work best for them.
• Their extroverted side says yes to things in the future, but then their introverted side has a hard day and no longer wants to go.
• When they’re in a bad mood…nothing sounds fun.
• They like going out only when they are in the right mood, with the right people.
• 18 more problems only ambiverts face.^{3 https://www.buzzfeed.com/hanifahrahman/ambivert-struggles}

Sometimes ambiverts are caught in the middle—between their desire to be extroverted and the needs of their introverted side.

Action Step: Write out the problems you’re facing when you feel pressure to be more extroverted or introverted to build awareness.

Natural Sales Skills

Research by Adam Grant at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has highlighted the advantages of ambiversion in social and professional settings. His study on salespeople found that ambiverts achieved superior sales performance compared to their purely introverted or extroverted counterparts, suggesting that the ability to modulate one’s approach to fit the social context is a significant asset.

Your Escape Plan

For the ambivert, the graceful exit is not just a tactic but a necessary strategy, ensuring you preserve your energy without dampening the party spirit.

Here’s how to elevate your departure to an art form:

The Pre-Exit Prep

• Set Expectations Early: When you arrive, hint at a busy day tomorrow. Perhaps you’re trying to get up earlier or have work to catch up on.
• The Power of Presence: While you’re there, be fully engaged. Dive into conversations, laugh heartily, and maybe even lead a toast. Being present ensures that your absence is felt as a loss, not a relief.

The Graceful Goodbye

• The Subtle Sign-off: Find your host and offer a genuine thank you, mentioning how wonderful the evening was.
• The Quiet Cue: No need for grand announcements. Feel free to let a few closer friends or acquaintances know before you leave if at a bigger event, and then make your great escape.

Post-Exit Elegance

• The Morning After Message: A quick note or text to the host expressing your enjoyment of the party cements your good guest status and mitigates any faux pas feelings from your early departure.
• Share a Highlight: Mention a specific moment or conversation from the party that stood out to you. It’s a way to show that, though you left early, you were truly present for the moments you shared.

Amplify Your Ambiversion

Now, I want you to leverage your ambiversion! Here’s how:

“The ambivert advantage stems from the tendency to be assertive and enthusiastic enough to persuade and close, but at the same time, listening carefully to customers and avoiding the appearance of being overly confident or excited,” Grant said. Know when to flexibly use the traits that serve you.

I want you to control how you spend your time and who you spend it with. I am giving you permission: you do not have to spend time with people who drain you or in places that drain you.

Life is too short to spend time with toxic people in draining places!

If you have to see a toxic person—such as a family member or co-worker–use time-blocking to buffer time spent with them. If you know you’ll see them, schedule some recharge time for yourself before or after. You also can have an escape route or excuse ready to go if your time with them runs long. Use scheduling to your advantage by blocking out times and places that work best for your personality.

What is an ambivert?

An ambivert is someone who exhibits both introversion and extroversion and can flip into either depending on their mood, context, and goals.

How do you pronounce ambivert?

Here’s the ambivert pronunciation: am-buh-vurt

Remember: There is no right or wrong personality type. The only right thing to do is live, act, and address who you are. Act on your strengths, purge toxicity, and get to know your true self.

Check out our video below to learn conversation starters for introverts!

Ambiverts in the Workplace

Ambiverts have a unique edge in the workplace. They can both relax in the quiet focus of work and keep up with the social side, like workplace humor. This duality, when harnessed correctly, can lead to outstanding performance and fulfillment in professional environments.

Here are three juicy tips for ambiverts to use their versatility as a superpower!

Strategic Networking

Let’s say you’ve got a networking event coming up. Sure, it can be a great event, but sometimes you might need a little recharge after. I like to schedule “Extrovert Bursts” for networking and “Introvert Retreats” for recovery.

For example, you can prepare beforehand by slotting in time before and after the event for low-stimulation activities. This could mean working on a solitary project a couple of hours before the event to conserve social energy and planning a quiet lunch alone afterward to decompress.

This way, you’ll head into the networking event as chill as a cucumber without too much stress.

Chameleon Leadership

Do you know your charismatic leadership style? One approach to leading is taking a chameleon-like approach—by first assessing your team’s mood and energy levels, you can tailor what’s best for them.

For example, if the team seems low on energy or disengaged, step up with an extroverted style (without overdoing it!) by initiating lively discussions or energetic brainstorming sessions. 

Conversely, if the team is feeling overwhelmed or stressed, switch to an introverted approach by giving them space to work independently, focusing on one-on-one check-ins.

Here’s an example: Sarah, an ambiverted team leader, notices her team is feeling the mid-week slump. She decides to energize the morning meeting with a quick, interactive game related to their project. Later in the week, recognizing signs of stress among her team members, she cancels the regular group meeting in favor of individual touch bases, offering support and guidance without the pressure of a group setting.

Ambiverted Productivity

Do you have an “Ambivert-Friendly Zone” in your workspace? An ambivert-friendly zone has a small, quiet corner or space for times when you need to focus without distractions and a more open, communal area where you can engage and have great conversations.

If you don’t have a dynamic workspace, you can use headphones as a signal for “introvert mode” and keep an approachable symbol out, like a fun desk toy or a candy jar, when you’re open to socializing.

Ambiverts in Relationships

Ever wondered how ambiverts stack up against extroverts and introverts in relationships? Here’s a nifty table showcasing how!

Scenario	Ambiverts	Introverts	Extroverts
Meeting New People	Ambiverts approach new interactions with a balanced mindset. They’re cautious at first but warm up quickly if they feel a connection, adjusting their approach based on social cues.	Introverts may feel apprehensive or reserved, preferring to observe before engaging. They might take longer to open up and require more effort to initiate conversation.	Extroverts dive into new interactions with enthusiasm, readily initiating conversations and sharing personal anecdotes. They thrive on the energy of new connections and often make the first move.
Conflict Resolution	Ambiverts adapt their conflict resolution style to the situation. They can assert themselves when necessary but are also capable of listening and compromising, seeking a balanced resolution.	Introverts tend to avoid confrontation and might withdraw or concede to keep the peace. They prefer to process their thoughts and feelings privately before discussing the issue.	Extroverts are likely to address conflicts directly and immediately, wanting to talk through issues as soon as they arise. They’re comfortable with open dialogue but might overpower quieter voices.
Social Gatherings	Ambiverts can enjoy social gatherings but will monitor their energy levels, engaging actively when energized and stepping back to observe when needed. They find a balance between socializing and solitude.	Introverts might find large gatherings overwhelming and prefer to stick to familiar faces or spend time in quieter corners. They value deep, one-on-one conversations over mingling.	Extroverts relish social gatherings, often the life of the party. They move from group to group, engaging with many people and enjoying the spotlight.
Expressing Affection	Ambiverts show affection based on their partner’s needs and the moment’s intimacy, sometimes with grand gestures and others through deep conversations or thoughtful acts of service.	Introverts express affection in more reserved, subtle ways, valuing quality time and acts of service over grand declarations. They prefer showing love through consistent, thoughtful actions.	Extroverts are openly affectionate, often using verbal declarations of love, physical touch, and social engagements as their primary love languages. They’re not shy about public displays of affection.
Dealing with Change	Ambiverts navigate change by assessing both the emotional and logical aspects, making them flexible and resilient. They adapt by considering how changes affect their personal and social lives, seeking a harmonious balance.	Introverts may struggle with change, especially if it disrupts their routine or comfort zone. They need time to adjust and prefer to approach changes methodically, with ample time to prepare mentally.	Extroverts often embrace change with optimism, seeing it as an opportunity for new adventures and experiences. They adapt quickly but may overlook the details or the impact of change on their quieter counterparts.

When it comes to romantic relationships, there may be more in-depth ways of looking at how you might respond. If you’re interested, we’ve got you covered: The 5 Relationship Patterns: Which One Are You?

Master Your Personality

Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert, you can level up your strengths and strengthen your weaknesses. Take the flagship course in order to gain that edge:

Want to get to know your fellow colleagues? Read up on Introverts and Extroverts.