We all know people who are the life and soul of the party… and those who would rather do anything else than spend their weekend socialising.
More often than not, people tend to have black and white emotional reactions to certain situations, fitting neatly into two personality types: introverts and extroverts.
But now psychiatrists say there could be a third category—the ‘otrovert’.
According to Dr Rami Kaminski, a New York based psychiatrist who has studied personality types for decades, otroverts may appear popular, outgoing and deeply invested in one-on-one relationships, but struggle to foster a sense of belonging in groups.
Whilst biology may, to a certain point, pre-determine which of these three personality types a person will fall into, experts say genetics and environment can greatly influence our knee-jerk reactions to certain situations.
And studies have shown that up to 60 per cent of personality traits are inherited, meaning the tendencies of a more self-reflective introvert parent could be passed on.
‘But, what’s most important is understanding where you sit in this spectrum and why you might react in a certain way,’ Debbie Keenan, a senior psychotherapist told The Telegraph.
‘Self-awareness helps us manage difficult feelings, build positive relationships and improve confidence and resilience.’
Here we break down how to decipher which personality type you gravitate towards and what that could mean for your relationships…
Extroverts are described as living life to the full, wallowing in social interactions and recharging by spending time in a crowd
The Introvert
The classic introvert recharges by spending time alone, and thrives in situations which give them space to think things through and reflect on past experiences.
Not to be mistaken for a lack of confidence, which often stems from self-doubt, introverts know their worth and act accordingly, often viewing their time as a valuable currency, not to be wasted on things that don’t align with their values.
Whilst introverts tend to prefer a close-knit small circle of friends, they are known to be caring and compassionate—even if sometimes they get caught up in their own head.
And when it comes to love, the best thing for them can be space and calm.
According to Ms Keenan, when it comes to their career, introverts are more likely to gravitate towards a job that allows them space for inwards contemplation, like a journalist, writer or designer, as beings who thrive on routine.
And for introverts, it’s all about finding a way to manage stress and anxiety, Ms Keenen said.
‘Stress is not something introverts handle well, and when pushed into an uncomfortable situation, they can go into a hyper state of anxiety.
‘An introvert is likely to have a smaller window of tolerance, so to function successfully, they may need to plan their movements ahead, set strong boundaries and understand they are biologically more sensitive to stimuli.’
Introverts however often value their alone time, losing themselves in silence and reaping energy from self-reflection
The Extrovert
The life of every party, a classic extrovert doesn’t need to be told twice that they’re outgoing. They already know.
Often mistaken for adrenaline junkies, extroverts throw themselves into every experience sent their way. Perhaps unsurprisingly, extroverts have a stronger response to the feel-good hormone dopamine, which could explain why they tend to feel more positive more often.
This makes them born leaders, driven by reward and ambition and never afraid to speak their mind.
But, this zest for life can also be draining, for both the extroverts and those around them, Ms Keenan warned.
‘In a work environment, this could be especially hard,’ she said.
‘Extroverts can handle complex tasks, rev up group morale and deal well with stress, but they can be impulsive, get involved with risky behaviour and miss out on reflection.’
To really thrive in relationships, it would benefit extroverts to take a step back and consider the needs of those around them, she added.
The term otrovert, coined from the Spanish for ‘other’, refers to people who appear popular, sociable and deeply invested in one-one-relationships but feel lonely in a crowd
The Otrovert
The otrovert is a bundle of contradictions: a natural leader who would rather let others revel in the glory of their success; a people person who has no problem spending time alone.
A high-flyer who tends to walk to the beat of their own drum—but could do with leaning on others from time to time.
Mr Kaminski described otroverts as ‘soloists who cannot play in an orchestra.’
‘They are fiercely independent, happy to sit on the sidelines and neither need nor tolerate codependency,’ he added.
And when it comes to relationships, for otroverts the cliche opposites attract doesn’t apply.
‘In relationships they would get on well with other otroverts, as there would be no codependency,’ Ms Keenan explained.
‘They would honour each other’s boundaries; there would be mutual respect. A huge plus is that otroverts are extremely proficient in nurturing intimacy.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .