You Can Become More Stable Over Time
You Can Become More Stable Over Time
Blog Article
It's easy to say "that's just the way I am." But people can change with time and effort.
Here's some good news, especially if you're moody. You can change. Research shows that people become more stable over a lifetime, experience fewer dark emotions and become more conscientious and less judgmental with age. Some of us change quite a bit, notes personality researcher Shannon Sauer-Zavala, a clinical psychologist at the University of Kentucky.
But aren't personalities fixed in childhood or at birth? Not really. "People can intentionally shape the traits they need to be successful in the lives they want. That’s contrary to the popular belief that your personality type places you in a box, dictating that you choose partners, activities and careers according to your traits," she writes.
That's an implicit suggestion of personality tests, a two billion dollar industry, But tests like the popular Enneagram predict little. It might be fun to call yourself an "ENFP" using the Myers-Briggs methodology, but the test was made up by non-experts and evidence shows that it's flawed. For example, a recent independent assessment found only a weak relationship between the scores and "leadership behaviors," though it has been used to predict leadership ability. About half of the people who take the test get a different outcome even within five weeks. And as the well-regarded Wharton School professor Adam Grant points out, the test doesn't look at emotional stability, which is key to making good decisions.
What Is Personality?
In the Big-5 model, psychologists summarize personality as a collection of five attributes: neuroticism, extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness and openness. Note that this famous "Big Five" doesn't include your likes, dislikes, sense of humor, values or goals. It's a mistake to think that the Big Five traits are '"who you are." Let's say you frequently snap at people (low agreeableness) and are extremely rigid about what you'll eat (not open). But sometimes your caustic remarks are very funny and your diet has kept you at a healthy weight. Being funny and health-conscious doesn't mean you need to be nasty and rigid. You can become more agreeable—and still have a wicked sense of humor. You might hold your tongue but write satire you post online or save your wit for close friends who appreciate it. You can become more open and try new foods—but still stay away from desserts, for example.
Whatever you think about a particular test, remember that you are taking it at a point in time. If you don't like the results, then consider how you can change.
What Is Personality?
In the Big-5 model, psychologists summarize personality as a collection of five attributes: neuroticism, extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness and openness. Note that this famous "Big Five" doesn't include your likes, dislikes, sense of humor, values or goals. It's a mistake to think that the Big Five traits are '"who you are." Let's say you frequently snap at people (low agreeableness) and are extremely rigid about what you'll eat (not open). But sometimes your caustic remarks are very funny and your diet has kept you at a healthy weight. Being funny and health-conscious doesn't mean you need to be nasty and rigid. You can become more agreeable—and still have a wicked sense of humor. You might hold your tongue but write satire you post online or save your wit for close friends who appreciate it. You can become more open and try new foods—but still stay away from desserts, for example. Report this page