debate on can your personality be changed
Answers
Personality defines us and how we interact with the world. Though there are different theories about what personality really is and how our basic personality traits are first formed, the general consensus is that personality is shaped by early life experiences and tend to stay stable over time. According to the most widely accepted model of personality, there are five basic personality dimensions that can define us as individuals. Each of the"Big Five" traits, openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, have a cluster of related traits that shape our emotions and behaviours in a wide variety of situations.
The personality traits we have as adults tend to grow out of the kind of temperament we had as infants and toddlers(link is external). Much like the Big Five adult personality factors, there are also different kinds of temperament that seem to arise out of the interaction between our genetics and the upbringing we receive as children. Also, differences in temperament can also influence how children are treated by caregivers and children their own age. This can result in children having life experiences that can reinforce early differences in temperament and lay down the kind of personality they have as adults. It can also lead to their developing dysfunctional personality patterns that can develop into full-blown personality disorders later in life.
That said, personality changes can still occur depending on new life experiences. People who have experienced severe emotional trauma or life-changing events can experience significant personality changes as well. Even the kind of social roles we take on can change personality. First-time parents or people heavily invested in new jobs can find themselves becoming more conscientious as their new responsibilities force them to change how they think, feel, and behave in general. People in new romantic relationships can find themselves becoming more conscientious about their partners' well-being as their perspective on the world changes. As our lives change, so do our personalities.
For that matter, simply growing older can mean significant personality changes. As we become more mature, we (usually) become more agreeable, conscientious, and develop greater emotional stability. Growing more comfortable with our sense of self, our personality can change as well to match how we see ourselves. With this in mind, many different treatment methods aimed at dealing with personality disorders such as antisocial or histrionic personality disorder usually involves teaching patients how to alter destructive personality patterns. These personality patterns are often extremely difficult to change but it typically depends on how motivated people are to try.
But do most people really want to change their personalities? While we tend to admire people who are more extraverted or conscientious than we are, how many of us are really willing to put in the effort to make the kind of long-term changes that can alter personality traits? According to a recent research study by psychologists at the University of Illinois (link is external)most people are dissatisfied with their own personality and wished to change in a more positive direction. For each of the Big Five personality factors, only thirteen percent reported being satisfied with themselves as they were.
As for whether people really can alter their personality traits, the evidence is a little more controversial. Though many people try to change their personalities, either through counseling or by developing their own self-improvement program, e.g., taking public speaking courses to become more social and outgoing, it's still debatable how effective these approaches are in the long run. With this in mind, Nathan Hudson and R. Chris Fraley of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign conducted a study to see whether research subjects could change measurable aspects of their personality.