The most salient aspect that differentiates communal introverts from otroverts, is belonging.

While communal introverts are tentative and self-effacing, otroverts are often pseudo extroverts. Behaviorally, an otrovert can appear gregarious, outgoing, and commanding in social situations. But this friendly behavior does not lead to lasting connection. Otroverts are unaffiliated with any collective and belong to no friend circle. 

Communal introverts are usually relegated to the sideline of social gatherings as being shy, quiet, and tentative. This often results in social marginalization. They must accept being less “popular” than their extroverted peers. But they are not outsiders, nor do they want to be. They can feel lonely, they can crave company, they feel a sense of belonging to their family, their ethnic group, their nationality, professional organization, or to an ideological affinity. They are likely to have a group of friends with whom they feel comfortable. They are on the loner side of the spectrum, but they are still affiliated.

In fact, the only trait shared by otroverts and communal introverts, is the propensity to being alone.

Otroverts rarely feel lonely. And they don’t belong to any group, family, nationality, or ideology. They are not part of a group or a circle of friends. They have friendships with individuals, they can be deeply connected to a life partner and are likely to be very loving parents, but they are eternal outsiders. Once they understand their otherness and stop trying to “fit in” and be communal, they can enjoy a life of productive individuality with few but warm and authentic relationships.