An ambivert is a person who exhibits qualities of both introverts and extroverts. They have a balance of both introverted and extroverted traits, and they can adapt to different situations and social settings.
What You Will Learn on This Page
What is an Ambivert?
An ambivert is a person who has a balance of introverted and extroverted traits. They possess characteristics of both introverts and extroverts, and they are able to adapt to different situations and social settings. Ambiverts are able to draw energy from being alone as well as from being with others.
Signs of Ambivert Personality
- They can be both outgoing and reserved.
- They are able to work well alone and in groups.
- They can be both talkative and good listeners.
- They are adaptable to different social situations.
- They have a balance of assertiveness and passiveness.
Ambiverts in the Workplace
In the workplace, ambiverts can be seen as valuable assets because of their ability to adapt to different situations. They can work well in both leadership and team roles and are able to effectively communicate with both introverted and extroverted colleagues.
How to Identify if You are an Ambivert
- Assess your level of energy in social situations.
- Reflect on your communication style.
- Consider if you feel comfortable working alone or in a group.
How to Leverage Your Ambivert Traits
- Recognize your strengths and utilize them in different situations.
- Practice active listening.
- Learn to read social cues and adapt to different social settings.
- Work on balancing assertiveness and passiveness in communication.
The Pros and Cons of Being an Ambivert: Understanding the Balance Between Extroversion and Introversion
To understand what Ambivert is, we have to know that on the personality spectrum, there are two edges, introverts(reserved) and on the other end Extroverts(outgoing).
If you have been wondering, “Am I an extrovert or an introvert?” there’s a massive chance that you’re an ambivert. Ambiverts are people who display balanced personality traits of both extroversion and introversion. They can usually switch between the two personalities depending on their mood, situation, and interests.
This guide will help you understand ambiversion more — what it’s like, the pros and cons of being one, so you can assess for yourself whether your personality fits this category.
What is Ambiversion?
Dictionaries describe ambiversion as a combination of introversion and extroversion. Simply put, it is having the characteristics and personality of both an extrovert and an introvert but with the ability to lean more into one or the other.
To set things clear, an extrovert person thrives better in situations where they get to interact and have conversations with everyone. They usually love being in the crowd, are often outgoing, and hate spending time alone.
Introverts, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of an extrovert. These are the people that do better in quiet environments and feel comfortable being alone. Most of the time, they are reserved in social settings and prefer close friends over large acquaintances.
Ambiverts are simply in the middle of the two spectrums. These people can be socially comfortable like an extrovert but also need quiet time like an introvert.
Depending on what the situation needs them to be, an ambivert person may lean more toward extroverted or introverted behavior at any given time or moment. Likewise, the personality change may also be due to their needs or mood.
Signs That You Are An Ambivert
If you think that the description of an ambivert suits you, but you are not certain, here are some signs of ambiversion that you might be able to relate to. If most of them apply, you’re most likely an ambivert.
1. You love being social but also crave time to be alone.
Ambiverts love going out and meeting other people, much like extroverts. If you are an ambivert, you can socialize, go out, and have fun all while getting to know new people without struggling with how to deal with them.
However, at some point, you may feel you’ve had enough of the socializing and will need to charge your social battery.
If you or someone you know disappears a few days after a long week of party and going out, it’s probably just an ambivert recharging.
2. You work well both in solo and in groups.
Whether in school or work, ambiverts make excellent team players because they can be comfortable working with other people.
You do not mind being assigned to groups with people you do not know very well since you know that you can tap on their extrovert traits and start conversations without hesitations.
Likewise, ambiverts also thrive doing solo projects since. They can easily tap their introverted mind and effectively do things on their own without needing anyone.
3. You do not mind small talk but prefer meaningful conversations.
Extroverts are known to be chatty and can talk about anything under the sun, while introverts tend to hate small-talk conversations and would rather have deeper conversations. An ambivert falls in between the two.
An ambivert does not mind small talks, being chatty, and dealing with open-ended conversations, but they also know how to carry on conversations that entail the deep stuff.
4. You like to meet new people… but with a backup.
Ambiverts love knowing and meeting new people, but unlike extroverts, they won’t go in there and introduce themselves to strangers. They would, however, have the courage to do so when they are with people they know.
5. You tend to have a lot of friends but only a few close friends.
Like extroverts, ambiverts are very friendly human beings. They get along easily with anyone, which makes them very easy to get to know and befriend someone. But like introverts, they only have a handful of close friends.
Do not be surprised to see ambiverts having different groups of friends — from friends of friends, friends from the choir group, friends from another school, and even friends they just met at the bar.
However, among these groups is only one group where an ambivert feels comfortable.
6. You like virtual communication but get awkward talking on the phone.
Ambiverts do not have a problem meeting new people, especially virtually. You can even get very chatty like extroverts, but your introverted self will balance it out, making you not so comfortable talking to someone on the phone.
You would often prefer texting or writing over the phone and video calls. This is especially true if you are not yet very comfortable with the person.
7. You can relate to both introvert and extrovert traits.
When answering the personality traits exam, you usually have a hard time determining whether you are an introvert or an extrovert since both of the traits apply to you in certain situations.
Most of the time, your answers are in the middle of the two choices given.
8. You balance out the people around you.
As an ambivert, you know when to step up your game and revive an awkward situation. When you’re in a group of quiet people, you tend to have so much fun and the better.
However, if you’re in a group of loud talkers, you do the opposite and be the quiet one in the group. Nevertheless, you make sure you are heard if you ever have concerns.
9. Your friends are not sure if you are an introvert or an extrovert.
And it makes sense because you are neither of the two. Ambivert people often get commentaries from friends about how they are so outgoing one day and the next, and they’re reserved.
10. You’re mild-mannered.
Ambiverts are not the loudest in the room but are not the quiet ones too. Often, you are in between the two. You’re not the overly-friendly kind but get along with everyone well.
You also try not to gain attention as much as possible but wouldn’t mind being in the limelight now and then.
11. You tend to stay at the back and just watch people, but when an opportunity to speak up comes, you don’t hesitate to grab it.
Ambiverts are unlike introverts that hate being the center the attention. They are also not like extroverts that would confidently walk straight to the center and grab everyone’s attention.
Ambivert people are usually the ones who just sit quietly in the corner, patiently waiting for someone to notice them and ask them to go on stage, and ka-boom!
Pros and Cons of Amberversion
Although it may seem like being an ambivert only have advantages, like all the other personalities, it also has its fair share of disadvantages.
Here are some of the pros of being an ambivert:
- Ambiverts are flexible. Ambiverts can easily adapt and handle any given situation and people. Due to their extroverted side, they are often not socially, which allows them to interact with people more and leads them to know and understand people’s different personalities. Likewise, they understand the struggles of an introverted person so they most likely know how to deal with them too.
- They are intuitive. Ambiverts are known to have a good sense of intuition. They know when to speak and when not to; who to trust and who not to trust; and when to move forward or when to take a step back.
- Ambiverts can empathize easily. Ambiverts can empathize with other people easily with a personality that is a balance of both an introvert and an extrovert. They are good listeners but will also not hesitate to speak up when you ask for advice.
Meanwhile, here are some of the disadvantages of being an ambivert:
- They struggle to keep up with plans. Sometimes, your extroverted self gets way too excited, which causes her to plan out a month-long event, only for your introverted self to show up wanting to have a week of solitude and peace. Now, you’re having difficulty telling everyone you can’t come, and you find it hard to explain why.
- People mistake them for being an extrovert. Due to your extrovert traits showing up, some people might mistake you to be an extrovert which may lead them to ask you to do things that an extrovert will be comfortable doing. It can be pretty hard to explain that while you can technically do it, you are not as comfortable as an extrovert in doing the task.
- Their social battery can die down when they’re out having fun. Ambiverts have no problem partying and going out. The problem, however, is that you’re having fun talking to everyone one minute. You’re rethinking your life choices and wishing you just stayed at home. Bummer, right?
Being an ambivert means you get both of the best worlds, but it’s not all rainbows and butterflies, rather a hell of a rollercoaster ride.
Differences Between an Ambivert, Introvert, and Extrovert
Still confused as to how to differentiate an ambivert, introvert, and extrovert? The table below will show you the differences between these three personalities.
| INTROVERT | AMBIVERT | EXTROVERT |
| Enjoys time alone. | Enjoys spending time with friends but would need to have some time alone. | Enjoys spending time with others. |
| Prefers to work solo on projects. | Can thrive working either with a team or solo. | Prefers to work with teams. |
| Reserved. | Can be outgoing or reserved, depending on context, situation, and mood. | Outgoing. |
| Has a small circle of friends. | Has a lot of friend groups but only a few very close friends. | Has a lot of friends. |
| Tends to get shy about meeting new people. | Can be confident meeting new people when around old friends. | Confident in meeting new people. |
| Prefer small talk. | Do not mind small talks and big talks. | Can talk about anything under the sun; the small talk, deep talk. |
Knowing the differences between these three personalities will help you know yourself better. It will also help you understand your ambivert friend’s personality, which can be quite confusing sometimes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which career should I have if I am an ambivert?
Ambiverts are very flexible and can easily adapt to any given environment. But since ambiverts are known mediators and solution seekers, they will thrive in jobs that require them to practice skills like solution-seeking, mediating, and collaborating.
These roles may include paralegal, teacher, sales, public relations, creatives, therapists, counselors, and management roles, among others.
However, regardless of your personality, you should go for the career that you want to pursue, even if society dictates otherwise. These should only be used as guides, so you better weigh your options.
How would I know if I am an ambivert?
To better assess whether your personality fits the description of an ambivert, you can answer this personality assessment. You can also tell your friends to do the same!
Note, however, that not all assessments are hundred percent accurate. These types of assessments should not be used as a means to illustrate a person’s entire personality but rather as personal entertainment and to better understand oneself.
Final Thoughts
Ambiverts are neither introverts nor extroverts. Think about a scale of 1-10, with 1 being introverts and 10 being extroverts; ambiverts are 5. They are in between the spectrum.
That is what makes this personality remarkable. They make great friends, co-workers, and teammates because of their ability to relate to introvert and extroverted people. They can thrive in any given situation as they are flexible and adaptable.
On a side note, someone’s personality label should not be the sole basis for how you should treat a person.
That said, if someone is labeled to be an introvert or is showing introversion, it doesn’t mean that you should not reach out to them because the book says introverts want to be alone.
The same is true with ambiverts and the rest of the other personalities. These personality labels are just guides on how we could better understand each person since we all have differences.