An introvert or extrovert test that goes beyond the label

This introvert or extrovert test looks at where you draw energy from, how you recharge and how much stimulation you enjoy. It takes about four minutes, is free to take, and needs no sign-up. You get a score on each dimension, then a style: introvert, ambivert or extrovert.

Please note that Social Energy uses Selfcarta's own questions, which are not yet independently validated. It is a good way to think about your tendencies, not a scientific measurement.

What the test measures

Many quick quizzes treat this as a single yes or no. Ours looks at three connected dimensions, since people can differ on each.

Social energy

Do you tend to feel lifted or drained by time around people? You might love a dinner with friends and still need a quiet Sunday afterwards. This dimension sets your overall style.

Recharge style

When your tank is empty, what fills it? Some people head for a walk alone or a good book. Others ring a friend, and feel better by the time they hang up.

Stimulation

How much is going on around you when you feel at your best? Some people like a busy cafe and a full calendar. Others do better with a quiet room and one thing at a time.

You can land in different places on each. A person with moderate social energy who needs quiet to recharge and likes a lively environment is common, and a single label would miss all of that.

The ideas behind it

Introversion and extraversion come from a long tradition of personality research, and extraversion is one of the Big Five traits. Most researchers treat it as a continuum, which is why we use a scale and only name a style afterwards. Many people sit in the middle, as an ambivert.

Research also suggests that no point on the scale is simply better. A broad review by Michael Wilmot and colleagues found a small, persistent advantage for extraversion across many work outcomes. It also found that different parts of extraversion behave differently: the positive emotion side was consistently helpful, while the sociability side brought few benefits. In a study of 340 sales representatives, Adam Grant found that those in the middle of the range brought in the most revenue.

Your style also doesn't lock you in. William Fleeson and Patrick Gallagher's work suggests that traits do predict what people typically do, while people still act in a range of ways from moment to moment. A person who leans introverted can give a great speech. A person who leans extroverted can enjoy a silent retreat.

We should be plain about one thing. The research above is about extraversion measured with established tools. It isn't evidence for our test. Our questions are original, and they haven't been through independent validation, so we don't make accuracy claims for them.

What you can do with your result

The most useful thing about knowing your social energy is planning around it.

• Leave a gap after draining events, or book something social after a long stretch alone
• Tell people what you need: "I'd love to come, and I'll probably head off by ten"
• Choose how you contribute at work, with our guide to introverts and extroverts at work as a starting point

See how others read you

People often read your energy differently from how it feels on the inside. You may feel drained while everyone else thinks you are having a great time. With Second Sight, people who know you can answer a 10-item version of the Social Energy Expedition about you. Friends, family and co-workers are anonymous and are shown as averages with at least two others. The Partner circle is a named, one-to-one comparison.