New entry into the dictionary of personality types.
It sounds like something you would find on a farm. It’s either some kind of cow or a new kind of chicken, right?
But no, the Otrovert is a new entry into the dictionary of personality types and is an outlier in the threesome of introverts and extroverts and ambiverts.
The term was invented by US psychiatrist Dr Rami Kaminski who took psychologist Carl Jung’s ideas of introversion and extroversion and added a new option. Jung, of course, was the father of modern psychology alongside Sigmund Freud.
Otro is Spanish for other, and otroverts are those who do not fit into the social mould. They are not just ambiverts either, who blend both extroversion and introversion. An otrovert is a different kind of animal completely, Kaminsky wrote in his research.
A different kind of person completely
“An otrovert is not energised by solitude in the same way as an introvert and not recharged by social contact as an extrovert would be,” said medical doctor and psychologist Dr Jonathan Redelinghuys.
“They exist outside of the spectrum. Also, they often appear outgoing, even confident, but they do not belong to the group and cannot connect to its mentality. They thrive one on one but are quickly drained by group dynamics.”
The defining feature of an otrovert is some kind of sense of otherness, like swimming upstream, almost inevitably. From an early age, they do not take easily to socialisation or group identification as most people do.
Collective traditions or group rituals often feel arbitrary, even suffocating. They would rather make up their own routines than participate in let’s say, singing the anthem like everyone else or following traditional religious rites. This is not rebellion for rebellion’s sake. It is simply who they are.
Not a rebel with a cause. Just because.
Kaminski’s research described how otroverts reject the cultural training that begins in childhood when most of us start to fit into communities through school, language and shared values.
While many people fall somewhere between the two binaries of introversion and extroversion, otroverts are just permanent outsiders. Their authenticity lies in avoiding groupthink and standing alone.
These are people who don’t live inside the rainbow, but ride it and duck and dive it at the same time.
“Emotional independence is a key marker,” Redelinghuys explained. “Otroverts are not antisocial and they are not shy.
“In fact, they can be gregarious. But they cannot connect with the collective spirit that binds a group. They may sit in a room full of people, speak with many of them, but still walk away feeling utterly alone.”
Otroverts are also known for thinking outside ethe box and a preference to be independent, said Redelinghuys. “Free from group influence, they often produce bold and novel ideas.
“History is full of figures who challenged norms, like Ignaz Semmelweis, whose discovery of handwashing in medicine was ignored in his time. Otroverts are not afraid of being seen as subversive if it means staying true to their ideas.”
Permanently living outside the box
Permanently living outside the box comes at a price though. Where teamwork or agreement is needed, otroverts may seem stubborn or even obstructively difficult.
“Kaminsky’s research said that they are more about individual discretion and not in following the masses. They value their own judgement and do not give it up easily, said Redelinghuys.
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But it’s not all upstream. Otroverts possess empathy in barrels. They are excellent at building strong relationships, but one on one.
Deep conversations and lasting personal bonds are often their comfort zone. They are good listeners and often highly intuitive about people they know well.
According to Redelinghuys, there is also a paradox to how they handle risk.
“Otroverts can have radical ideas but still prefer to remain in familiar surroundings. They avoid unnecessary physical or sensory risk. The boldness is intellectual and creative, not always behavioural.”
“Society needs otroverts,” Redelinghuys said. “They are the people who ask the difficult questions. They remind us not to blindly accept what everyone else is doing. In a world of conformity, otroverts insist on authenticity.”
