Introvert vs. Extravert Test: What’s Actually Being Measured?

Understanding introversion and extraversion can feel complicated if you don’t know their fundamental differences. In its simplest terms, the introversion and extraversion dichotomy measures your energy style. If you’re an Extravert, you gain energy through social events and spending time with others. If you’re an Introvert, you expend energy through socializing and instead gain energy through solitude.

So, you can grasp the basics without much extra research, but what’s being measured when you take an Introvert versus Extravert test? How can a test tell your day-to-day functions, and what are your results based on? Truity’s TypeFinder test, based on the 16-type research developed by Myers and Briggs, has a few facets of personality that make up your results.

Introvert versus Extravert test

An Introvert versus Extravert test from Psychology Today is circulating the internet, but it only measures your surface-level energy style. The TypeFinder 16-type test goes deeper and provides you with the results for your other traits, such as your cognitive style (how you process information), your values style (your personal values, which of course, affect how you make decisions) and your life style (how you organize your life). 

It also goes deeper into what we actually mean when we talk about “energy.” The Introvert versus Extravert test portion of TypeFinder features six different facets of your energy style. These facets give you a much better understanding of how you interact with yourself and others. 

For the math geeks, we measure your energy preferences for each of the following six aspects and then roll it all up into a conglomerate percentage of introversion and extraversion. Whichever is your highest percentage is your primary energy preference, which determines whether you’re an Introvert or Extravert. Here’s what our test is looking for:

1. Placid versus Energetic

A higher percentage of Placid energy is associated with introversion. It’s also associated with the Perceiving trait, but on a smaller level. Depending on how you score, you may use both of these styles. For instance, on my TypeFinder test, I was almost borderline between Placid (54 percent) and Energetic (46 percent). 

Scoring high on Placid means you don’t like to be “busy for the sake of being busy.” Placid mode is associated with having less energy than others around you, which means you tend to be more mellow and pick and choose what you want to expend your energy stores on.

On the flip side, a higher Energetic score means you like to stay busy, and your energy level is quite high. You have so much on your task list it’s overwhelming to onlookers who aren’t as busy as you. A high Energetic score is more in line with extraversion and the Judging preference.

As I mentioned above, I scored almost equal with these two facets of energy. As someone who loves a loaded schedule and (almost as often) complains about being so busy that I have no time to relax, it makes sense. It’s a typical contradictory nature of an INFJ. It also explains why I get burned out after a sprint of activities and require a lot of time to recuperate. 

You may score higher on Placid than Energetic, but that doesn’t always mean you’re an Introvert, and vice versa — scoring high on Energetic doesn’t make you an Extravert. Remember, the sum of your scores accounts for your total energy preference.

2. Reserved versus Expressive

Reserved versus Expressive measures how much you tend to share your thoughts, feelings, and opinions with others. 

A Reserved person keeps their thoughts to themselves, making it difficult for others to understand what they’re thinking. Reserved people may even keep their thoughts and feelings closed off from their dearest friends and family members. 

Expressive people tend to share their thoughts, observations, ideas and feelings with the people around them. So if you’re Expressive, you’re more open to sharing your opinions and thoughts. The Expressive trait correlates to extraversion (and Thinking types), while the Reserved trait aligns with introversion (and Feeling types).

My results put me at 65 percent Expressive and 35 percent Reserved, which I attribute to my habit of being highly opinionated. When I don’t like something, I’ll tell you — unless I feel it will hurt your feelings.

3. Private versus Prominent 

Another energy facet associated with introversion is Private. If you’re Private (like me, who scored 77 percent here), you prefer socializing in small groups or keeping things one-on-one. Large parties and events make you feel drained fast, and you prefer to stay choosy about who you spend time with and when. 

On the other hand, Prominent people, a facet related to extraversion, love being right in the middle of the action. They seek attention, often socialize and enjoy entertaining others, feeling like an essential part of their social groups.   

4. Calm versus Joyful

Another near-borderline energy facet for me is Calm versus Joyful. Because I scored high on both, the TypeFinder test notes that I use a blend of these two styles, choosing one depending on the circumstances and my present mood. 

Scoring high on Calm means you respond to life’s joys and positives in a subdued, quiet way (this corresponds to introversion). For example, instead of being boisterous, you don’t make a visible fuss over triumphs.

Joyful people are enthusiastic and feel positives and wins as irresistible events they need to celebrate. They respond to good news or events with infectious joy and try to revel in these good experiences. This style links with an extraverted energy preference.

5. Aloof versus Friendly

Before diving into the Aloof versus Friendly facet of the Introvert versus Extravert test, remember that if you score higher on Aloof, remember that this doesn’t mean you aren’t friendly. Rather, this facet looks at how outgoing you are around people.

I scored 68 percent Aloof (a facet related to introversion), which means I don’t approach people most of the time. I feel uncomfortable starting a conversation and prefer others to talk to me first. Often, when new relationships come into my life, it’s because the other person paved the way, and I followed.

People with the Friendly facet (corresponding to extraversion) like to meet new people, are experts at small talk and don’t experience shyness when conversing with strangers. If you have this facet, you prefer having many friends and connections.

6. Solitary versus Engaged

Solitary is the last facet of energy linked to introversion, while Engaged is the last of extraversion. 

The highest score out of all the facets for me was Solitary — a whopping 91 percent. But Solitary doesn’t mean you’re a loner; the aspect still explains your energy levels. If you’re a Solitary person, you’re overwhelmed by busy environments and prefer the peace of solitude. Because you’re sensitive to stimuli such as sounds, sights and lights, too much of anything leaves you feeling drained and overwhelmed. You’re a person who prefers to sit and reflect instead of placing yourself in the middle of the action.

Engaged people are the opposite. They seek out the action and put themselves in it. Noisy, busy places and stimuli excite them, and they love attending crowded events. Parties, concerts, city celebrations — these affairs are enticing and thrilling to an Engaged person.

Putting it all together

If you get the full report of the TypeFinder Personality Test, you’ll see a breakdown of these six aspects of your energy style under the introversion versus extraversion section of your report. But even if you haven’t taken a full-fledged introversion versus extraversion test, you now know what the TypeFinder 16-type test measures to determine your energy style. 

I was not at all surprised to see my results as an INFJ — the conglomerate is 60 percent Introverted and 40 percent Extraverted. On the whole, I operate my life as an Introvert (mostly), but I have some extraverted tendencies not uncommon in the INFJ personality type. INFJs are, after all, the Introverted type that many onlookers often mistake for an Extravert, thanks to our love of people.

Each of your six aspects, once measured, plays into your ultimate Introvert versus Extravert percentage. 

What about Ambiverts and Omniverts?

The 16-type test doesn’t have a result that will clearly pinpoint an Ambivert or an Omnivert — unless you score 50 percent on Introverted and Extraverted, which may point to your energy preference as Ambiverted. If you think you’re both an Introvert and Extravert, read about what that means outside of your test results.

The takeaway

Once you understand the six facets that account for your score on the Introvert versus Extravert test, you may have a clearer comprehension of why your score is what it is. Your score isn’t a random percentage — it’s calculated via your answers to questions based on these different facets of energy. As you explore more about yourself, keep in mind that everyone has their own way of existing, and your results are unique to you but also have their limitations.