extraversion: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Academic, Psychological, Formal
Quick answer
What does “extraversion” mean?
A personality trait characterized by an orientation of one's interests and energy toward the outer world of people and things rather than the inner world of subjective experience.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A personality trait characterized by an orientation of one's interests and energy toward the outer world of people and things rather than the inner world of subjective experience; being outgoing, sociable, and energetic.
In psychology (specifically the Big Five or Five Factor Model), it is one of the five core personality dimensions encompassing traits like sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness, excitability, and high levels of emotional expressiveness. Outside of psychology, it can refer more generally to an outgoing nature or a focus on external stimuli.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British academic and psychological writing, 'extraversion' is the strongly preferred and standard spelling. In American English, 'extroversion' is far more common in general use and increasingly in psychological literature, though 'extraversion' is still used in formal trait psychology contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, the term carries a formal, psychological connotation. 'Extroversion' is perceived as more everyday and intuitive.
Frequency
'Extraversion' is of low frequency in general corpora, appearing primarily in specialized texts. 'Extroversion' is the dominant form in American English across registers and is gaining ground in British English outside strict academia.
Grammar
How to Use “extraversion” in a Sentence
[Subject] demonstrates/has/exhibits a high level of extraversion.[Adjective] extraversion is linked to [outcome].The [theory/model] defines extraversion as [definition].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “extraversion” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- Her extraversive tendencies were noted in the assessment.
- The model includes an extraversion factor.
American English
- The extraversive aspects of his personality were evident.
- Researchers analyzed the extraversion data.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in HR and organizational psychology for team building, role placement, and leadership assessments (e.g., 'The role requires a candidate scoring high in extraversion for client-facing duties.').
Academic
The primary context, used in psychology papers, personality research, and psychological assessment (e.g., 'The study examined the heritability coefficients for the Big Five factor of Extraversion.').
Everyday
Rarely used in its precise form; 'extroversion' or descriptive terms like 'outgoing' are preferred (e.g., 'She's very extroverted.').
Technical
Precise definition in psychometrics, trait theory, and diagnostic manuals; used in test manuals, research protocols, and clinical reports.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “extraversion”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “extraversion”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “extraversion”
- Misspelling as 'extroversion' in a formal academic context where 'extraversion' is required.
- Using 'extraversion' casually in everyday conversation where 'outgoing' or 'extroverted' is more natural.
- Confusing it solely with loudness or dominance; it includes positive emotions and activity levels.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Extraversion' is the original Latin-based spelling used in formal psychology (e.g., Jung, the Big Five). 'Extroversion' is a later, phonetically influenced spelling that has become dominant in general American English and is increasingly common elsewhere. In strict academic writing, 'extraversion' is often preferred.
Not directly. The standard adjective is 'extraverted' (or 'extroverted'). The rarely used adjective 'extraversive' exists in technical contexts, but 'extraverted' is standard.
Not exactly. Low extraversion (high introversion) primarily means gaining energy from solitude and preferring less stimulation. Shyness is a form of social anxiety or inhibition, which can occur in people across the extraversion spectrum, though it correlates with introversion.
No. While sociability is a key component, the trait also encompasses activity level, assertiveness, positive emotionality (cheerfulness), excitement-seeking, and talkativeness. It's a broad dimension of personality.
A personality trait characterized by an orientation of one's interests and energy toward the outer world of people and things rather than the inner world of subjective experience.
Extraversion is usually academic, psychological, formal in register.
Extraversion: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɛkstrəˈvɜːʃ(ə)n/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɛkstrəˈvɜːrʒən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A life of the party (colloquial correlate)”
- “A people person (colloquial correlate)”
- “The social butterfly (colloquial correlate)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'EXTRA'version = turning OUTWARD for 'EXTRA' external stimulation, as opposed to INtroversion = turning INward.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSONALITY IS A DIRECTION OF ENERGY FLOW (outward vs. inward).
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is the spelling 'extraversion' most firmly established as standard?