Extraversion

How much you seek out company, activity and stimulation.

Measured by the Big Five Personality test. Scores run from 0 to 100.

Low scores (under 40): Reserved

You are usually quiet, thoughtful and selective about company, and you tend to favor depth over volume. Time alone often suits you well. Others may overlook you or read you as distant.

Balanced scores (40 to 60)

You enjoy company and solitude in roughly equal measure. You can be lively in the right setting and content to stay in the background in another.

High scores (over 60): Outgoing

People, conversation and action tend to draw you in. You start talking easily and bring momentum to a room. Quiet stretches alone may feel restless, and words sometimes come out before the thought is finished.

Related traits

• Openness
  How drawn you are to new ideas, imagination and unfamiliar experiences.
• Conscientiousness
  How much you plan, follow through and keep things in order.
• Agreeableness
  How much you prioritize warmth, cooperation and other people's feelings.
• Emotional stability
  How steady you stay under pressure, versus how strongly stress and mood shifts register.

Sources and method

The Big Five is one of the most widely studied academic models of personality. This test uses wording adapted from IPIP, a public-domain item pool of Big Five markers. It measures self-reported tendencies, so it reflects how you see yourself today, not a fixed label. Scores are rough, and no position on any dial is simply good or bad: each has strengths and costs depending on the situation.

Neither end of a dimension is better. Each comes with strengths and costs. For self-reflection and entertainment only.