Some individuals relish the idea of socializing every day, while others find the thought of even a single night of post-work drinks exhausting.
Those who enjoy a bustling social calendar typically identify as extroverts, whereas those who prefer the comfort of home are often seen as introverts.
However, many people find themselves somewhere in between, identifying as ambiverts. But what if you don’t fit neatly into any of these categories? Enter the concept of the “otrovert.”
The term “otrovert” combines the Spanish word “otro,” meaning “other,” with the Latin root “vert,” which means “to turn.” While introverts look inward and extroverts look outward, an otrovert is someone who turns toward a different direction altogether.
This term was developed by Dr. Rami Kaminski, a psychiatrist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, who often felt like a “pseudo-extrovert” during his upbringing.
Though Kaminski was sociable, humorous, and had a range of interests, he did not enjoy team sports, resisted the idea of sleepaway camps, and found it difficult to engage with the gossip and pop culture that captivated his peers.
Otroverts are empathetic and friendly, yet feel a profound ‘otherness,’ perpetually on the social periphery. Kaminski defines the concept separately from introversion and extroversion as this exact experience: an outsider performing as an insider.
‘I always called it otherness,’ Kaminski told the Daily Mail. ‘That’s how I came up with the Otherness Institute. And actually, only when I was writing my book, I realized that writing ‘otherness’ wasn’t a good term because it was very impersonal. And so that’s how I came up with the [term] otrovert.’
Despite their empathetic and friendly nature, otroverts feel a profound ‘otherness,’ perpetually on the social periphery. Dr Rami Kaminski (pictured) defines the concept separately from intro/extroversion as this exact experience: an outsider performing as an insider
The term ‘otrovert’ was coined by Dr Rami Kaminski, a Mount Sinai Hospital psychiatrist who, despite being sociable, felt like a ‘pseudo-extrovert’ as a youth, disinterested in the topics that captivated his peers
The Otherness Institute is an online space where Kaminski was able to formalize his research. Now, he uses it to educate otroverts and help them navigate the world. To help people identify with the concept, his team developed a concise, ten-minute questionnaire, which you can find at the bottom of this piece.
He told the Daily Mail that the new term is a bit of a ‘double-edged sword.’
‘On the one hand, it does reflect what I wanted to say – people that are always aligned outside the group, and not either introverts or extroverts,’ he explained of his feelings around being lumped in with the two personality types.
Though, he understands the connection because of the ‘vert’ ending.
‘The truth is that the relation to extrovert and introvert is pretty much only the word,’ he said.
The core otrovert trait is a lack of need for group belonging. While they can socialize, it is often a performative and exhausting act, making downtime with a select few essential.
Kaminski provides a more profound reason for this feeling: He posits that identities like nationality and religion are learned, but otroverts are uniquely immune to this cultural conditioning.
His test was refined with biostatisticians to ensure its validity, and its widespread use has since given thousands the language to describe their lifelong feeling of ‘otherness.’
Mainstream psychology already acknowledges ‘ambiversion,’ a balance between introversion and extroversion.
Otroversion, however, is a different concept altogether. It is characterized by a fundamental sense of being an outsider and a default state of emotional self-reliance.
While otroverts can participate in groups, they rarely join them, as prioritizing the team over independent judgment feels inauthentic.
This often leads to a ‘pseudo-extrovert’ performance, especially in youth, where they skillfully blend into conversations without ever feeling rooted.
Outwardly, they are often perceived as charismatic and outgoing, with a healthy circle of friends. Internally, however, this performance is exhausting.
Kaminski’s central argument is that otroverts are less prone to the kind of loneliness that stems from a loss of group belonging.
Outwardly, otroverts are often perceived as charismatic and socially adept, with a healthy circle of friends. Internally, however, this performance is exhausting and creates a profound sense of dissonance (stock image)
Instead, the fear of loneliness is a projection from people who derive their identity from groups, whom he calls ‘communal people.’
He argues that this feeling of loneliness is often more acute for group-oriented ‘belongers’ than for otroverts.
The natural, tight-knit social structures of adolescence and college – like dorms, sororities and constant peer groups – inevitably begin to dissolve in their early 20s as people start careers, move away or form families.
For those who derive their identity from groups, their disintegration can cause fear and depression. Otroverts do not experience this.
Life often becomes more manageable with age as they have always relied on their own internal compass, not a group, for their sense of self.
‘It feels like not identifying with a group would feel lonely and even sad. But for those who never felt a sense of belonging to a group, the feeling actually is not so painful at all,’ he told the Daily Mail.
He said the issue is mainly with people who aren’t otroverts, and therefore don’t understand what it means – ‘because outwardly, you don’t come across differently from anyone.
‘I seemed like I belonged, and I also tried very hard, especially in adolescence, to do what kids like to do, and I didn’t like it.
‘And that is the place where otroverts don’t feel well. It’s not about not belonging, but it’s about trying to fit in despite this feeling.’
Unlike introverts or extroverts, whose drives are often tied to group dynamics, otroverts lack a fundamental need for group allegiance. Socializing can be exhausting, as it requires a performative effort, making downtime with a select few or in one-on-one settings essential (stock image)
Kaminski positions independent thinking not as a preference, but as the otrovert’s core being.
While introverts and extroverts draw sustenance from solitude or social interaction, respectively, otroverts are powered by their capacity for autonomous thought.
Their innate self-reliance generates a natural bias against groupthink and a resistance to any system, be it political, religious or social, that demands allegiance at the cost of intellectual freedom.
For an otrovert, preserving the independence of their own mind is not a choice but rather a fundamental need.
Kaminski’s own otrovert status has led him to more solitary interests: medicine, gardening and nature photography. These pursuits are quintessential examples of how otroverts naturally gravitate toward activities that are deeply fulfilling yet inherently non-communal.
For an otrovert, such pursuits are not a sign of isolation but a reflection of an authentic life, free from the performative demands of fitting into a group.
Find out whether you’re an otrovert with Kaminski’s quiz below.
