Extraversion
Extraversion is the Big Five personality trait that describes how much energy you get from people, talk and activity, from very outgoing at the high end to quiet and reserved at the low end.
Everyone sits somewhere on this scale. Take the free 10-statement quiz below to see your own score in about two minutes.
- 10 statements
- About 2 min
- Free score
Updated
How well does each statement describe you? Answer for how you usually are.
Compare yourself with people you know of about your own age, and go with your first honest reaction. There are no right or wrong answers. Keyboard: 1 to 5 to answer, Enter for next, Backspace to go back. Answers save on this device as you go.
Your result
Your score is where your answers fell on a 0 to 100 scale. 50 is the middle of the scale, not the average person, and it is not a percentile. It is saved only on this device.
These ten statements measure one trait. For all five traits and your four-letter type, take the quick test or the full test.
What is extraversion?
Extraversion is one of the five traits in the Big Five model of personality. It is about social energy. People who score high tend to be talkative, lively and sociable. They enjoy groups, speak up easily and like to be where things are happening. People who score low, often called introverts, are quieter and more reserved. They enjoy time alone or with a few close friends, and they like calm places.
Researchers spell it “extraversion”, while most people write “extroversion” and “extrovert”. Both mean the same thing. The trait is also not the same as being confident or friendly. A person can be quiet and confident, or outgoing and nervous. Extraversion is mainly about how much you seek out people and excitement, and how much they lift your mood.
What does high extraversion look like?
- Talks easilyYou start conversations, think out loud and rarely run out of things to say.
- Enjoys groupsParties, team projects and busy places give you energy instead of draining it.
- Speaks upYou are comfortable leading a group and being the center of attention.
- Seeks actionYou like a full schedule, new plans and some excitement. Too much quiet time leaves you flat.
- Shows good moodsYou laugh often and show your feelings openly, especially the happy ones.
What does low extraversion look like?
- Thinks before speakingYou like to work out what you think before you say it, so you may be quiet in a fast group chat.
- Prefers a few close friendsYou would rather have one deep talk than meet many new people.
- Needs quiet to rechargeAfter a busy day with people, you need time alone to feel like yourself again.
- Stays in the backgroundYou don’t need attention, and you may dislike being put on the spot.
- Likes calm placesA quiet room, a slow weekend or a small group feels better than a crowd.
What are the facets of extraversion?
Each Big Five trait breaks down into smaller parts called facets. Our full test scores 6 facets of Extraversion, four statements each. The names in brackets are the research labels.
- Friendliness (Friendliness)
- How fast you warm up to people and show interest in them.
- Love of groups (Gregariousness)
- How much you enjoy crowds, parties and busy places, compared with being alone.
- Taking charge (Assertiveness)
- How readily you speak up, lead and say what you want.
- Busyness (Activity Level)
- How fast you like to live. High scorers keep a full schedule and move quickly.
- Thrill-seeking (Excitement-Seeking)
- How much you crave noise, excitement and adventure.
- Cheerfulness (Cheerfulness)
- How often you feel and show joy, fun and good humor.
Is it better to be an extrovert or an introvert?
Neither is better. Studies find that people who score higher on Extraversion report more happy moods on average, and many enjoy work with lots of contact with people. People who score lower often do well at work that needs focus and long stretches of quiet thought. Both can be good leaders, good friends and good students.
Problems come from a poor fit, not from the trait. An introvert in a job full of meetings may feel drained. An extrovert who works alone all day may feel restless. Knowing your score helps you plan a week that gives you energy instead of taking it.
Can your extraversion score change?
Somewhat. Your basic level tends to stay fairly steady through adult life, though studies that follow people for many years find small changes with age. Your behavior can change much more than the trait. Many introverts learn to give talks and run meetings, and many extroverts learn to enjoy quiet work. They just rest in different ways afterward.
Which personality types are high in extraversion?
On this site, your Extraversion score sets the first letter of your type code. A score of 50 or more gives E (Outgoing). A score under 50 gives I (Reserved).
Higher Extraversion: E types
What are the other four Big Five traits?
Extraversion is one of five traits. Together they make up the Big Five, the model of personality that researchers use most. Read our Big Five personality test guide for all five at once.
- Openness: How much you enjoy new ideas, art, change and big “what if” questions.
- Conscientiousness: How much you plan ahead, keep order and push yourself to finish things.
- Agreeableness: How much you put kindness, trust and getting along ahead of competing and challenging.
- Neuroticism: How strongly you feel stress, worry and other difficult emotions. It is not a measure of any health condition.
Extraversion questions and answers
Am I an introvert or an extrovert?
Your score answers that as a point on a scale, not a box. The quiz above gives a quick score from ten statements. Our introvert or extrovert test gives a fuller answer, with 24 statements and six facet scores. Many people land somewhere in the middle.
What is the opposite of extraversion?
Introversion is the low end of the same scale. In the Big Five there is just one trait, and introversion means a low score on it. It is not a separate trait, and it is not the same as shyness.
Is introversion the same as shyness?
No. Shyness is about fear of being judged. Introversion is about where you get your energy. Many introverts are calm and confident speakers who simply need quiet time afterward, and some extroverts feel shy.
What is an ambivert?
An ambivert is someone near the middle of the Extraversion scale. They enjoy people in good measure, then need time alone. It is not an official research category, but it is a useful word, because many people score near the middle.
Is extraversion the same as being social?
Mostly, but not only. Extraversion covers how social you are, and also how active, assertive and cheerful you tend to be, and how much you seek excitement. Two people can both love their friends but differ a lot on thrill-seeking or taking charge.
Where do the quiz statements come from?
They are the ten Extraversion statements from the 50-item IPIP Big-Five factor markers, a free, public-domain set of research questions. Our quick test uses the same ten. The How it works page explains the source and the scoring.
See all five of your scores
The full test scores every Big Five trait and its facets, and gives you a four-letter type. It is free.