Are you an otrovert? Meet the new personality type
Turns out, you may not be an introvert, extrovert, or even an ambivert. If you’ve felt you didn’t quite fit in, fret not — you may just lie in the grey area
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? This is one question that solely defines your personality type, but do you sometimes feel like you don’t belong to either group? If so, then there is a new personality type that psychiatrist Dr Rami Kaminski has developed, which might resonate with you.
Called an ‘otrovert’, it covers the grey area between an extrovert and an introvert. Dr Rami describes the term as a ‘person who feels no sense of belonging to any group’. The traits include feelings like attending a party but interacting with a limited set of people; forming genuine bonds with selective individuals; and tending to be more independent thinkers, resilient, and creative. According to Dr Rami, he has seen this personality type materialise in himself and his patients.
“It is not really a widely accepted term right now, and it would be important to see if further research supports its validity and the need to adopt it as a distinct terminology,” says Rupa Chaubal, clinical psychologist and trauma therapist.
She also tells us why many have started associating themselves with the term. “It seems comfortable to all age groups. Otroverts don’t show any signs of fomo (fear of missing out),” she adds.
Are you an otrovert?
Dr Paramjeet Singh, consultant psychiatrist at PSRI Hospital, lists down some key characteristics to help know if you are an otrovert:
Otroverts are emotionally self-sufficient, independent thinkers who value individual connections over group belonging.
They aren’t anti-social and enjoy being with people, but often prefer to observe rather than actively join conversations.
They don’t gain energy from groups like extroverts, nor conserve energy like introverts. Instead, they stay detached from group dynamics but form deep, meaningful one-on-one connections.
The rise of the otrovert
Dr Rami has described the otrovert concept in New Scientist, a London-based science magazine, as well as in his upcoming book, The Gift of Not Belonging: How Outsiders Thrive in a World of Joiners.
What began as a joke among his team gradually turned into a serious hypothesis after careful observation. Canadian actor Lisa Ray took to her Instagram to share that she identifies with this personality type. Dr Rami also suggests that historical figures such as Frida Kahlo, Franz Kafka, Albert Einstein, and Virginia Woolf may have belonged to this group.
Otrovert vs Ambivert
An ambivert balances traits of both introverts and extroverts, adapting based on mood or situation. In contrast, otroverts struggle to fit into group settings, often preferring to be alone or spend time with a select few.
What are extroverts and introverts?
Introversion and extraversion describe how people gain energy and process information: introverts recharge in solitude and are internally focused, while extroverts are energised by social interaction and outward experiences. Both are normal personality types that exist on a spectrum and aren’t strict categories.
