Expert explains new ‘otrovert’ personality type and it’s very different to introverts or extroverts
If you've never really resonated with being either an introvert or an extrovert, then this personality type might be the perfect fit for you.
Although a lot of people think that our personas can be divided neatly between these two well-known categories, not everyone completely identifies with these terms.
There's something of a grey area between the two camps of enjoying solitude and relishing socialising, and a psychiatrist has dubbed these people 'otroverts'.
Dr Rami Kaminski, a psychiatrist from the US, explained that the term describes a 'person who feels no sense of belonging to any group'.
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He coined the phrase otrovert after recognising the personality type in both himself and some of his patients, as well as historical figures such as Frida Kahlo, Franz Kafka, Albert Einstein, and Virginia Woolf, who he says 'were famously untethered to any group'.
But what exactly makes someone an 'otrovert'?
It's essentially something of a mixture of being introverted and extroverted - so although otroverts can interact with large groups, they don't necessarily feel as though they have found their tribe.
"Otroverts are very friendly and able to forge very deep connections with other people," he told the Daily Mail. "The only social difference happens in the lack of connection to groups: collective identity or shared traditions."
According to Dr Kaminski, these kinds of people prefer to go against the grain and don't tend to think in the same fashion as the large majority of society does.
He noticed these qualities in himself when he was just a child and had joined the Scouts, as it was his turn to recite the pledge, his peers excitedly did, but he 'felt nothing'.
The psychiatrist, who has more than 40 years of experience, realised that he didn't feel the same sense of connection and community that the other kids did.
Dr Kaminski explained this is a classic 'otrovert' trait in his book, as people with this personality type often struggle to find passion for team activities - whether that be sports, work, or even living alongside others.
He also firmly believes that these people are immune to the 'Bluetooth phenomenon', which refers to people emotionally 'pairing' with those around them.
The expert further explained: "Otroverts discover very early in life that they feel like outsiders in any group. This is despite the fact that they are often popular and welcome in groups.
"That discrepancy may cause emotional discomfort and a sense of being misunderstood."
As a result, otroverts might find it difficult to cope with the pressure of 'fitting in' with the world around them.
Although it sounds like a difficult cross to bear, being an 'otrovert' doesn't mean that you are doomed to being a societal misfit who feels like a square peg in a round hole.
In fact, in terms of relationships, it can allow for a stronger, more meaningful bond to be built with those that otroverts are close to.
"Otroverts find it very difficult to be part of a group, even if the group is composed of individuals who are each good friends," Dr Kaminski explained. "The problem lies in the relationship with the group as an entity, rather than with its individual members."
Take a party, for example - an otrovert would much prefer having a deep chat with one person in a quiet corner, rather than being a social butterfly who floats around from guest to guest.
Dr Kaminski believes that having this personality type can lead you to become a freethinker, more independent and imaginative than an introvert or extrovert.
That's because otroverts aren't really too fussed about who they impress or the fear of rejection - and as they've got nothing to lose, the psychiatrist said these people often flourish creatively.
Dr Kaminski has penned a book about this personality type, titled The Gift of Not Belonging: How Outsiders Thrive in a World of Joiners, which 'urges otroverts to embrace their unique gifts'.
Topics: Lifestyle, Mental Health, News
Olivia Burke