From the Guidelines
To improve agreeableness, focus on developing empathy through active listening and perspective-taking exercises, as well as practicing daily compassion meditation for 10-15 minutes, as these interventions have been associated with improvements in psychological well-being and cardiovascular health 1.
Key Interventions
- Practice daily compassion meditation for 10-15 minutes to mentally extend goodwill to others
- Develop empathy through active listening and perspective-taking exercises
- Work on conflict resolution skills by using "I" statements rather than accusatory language
- Volunteer regularly in community service to foster altruism
- Keep a gratitude journal, writing three things you appreciate about others each day
- Practice patience in frustrating situations by pausing and taking deep breaths before responding
Mechanism of Action
These interventions have been shown to improve psychological well-being, which is linked to better cardiovascular health outcomes, including reduced stress, anxiety, and depression 1. By practicing empathy, compassion, and gratitude, individuals can strengthen neural pathways associated with cooperation and social connection, leading to increased agreeableness.
Expected Outcomes
Most people can expect to see noticeable improvements in agreeableness within 2-3 months of consistent practice, as the brain adapts to new response patterns and neural pathways associated with empathy and cooperation are strengthened 1.
Additional Considerations
Therapy approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can also help address underlying issues that may contribute to disagreeable behaviors, and can be used in conjunction with these interventions to further improve agreeableness.
From the Research
Improving Agreeableness through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in improving anger regulation and social problem-solving skills, which are essential for agreeableness 2
- CBT can be combined with other psychological treatments, such as behavioral parent training, to enhance its effectiveness in improving agreeableness 2
- The effectiveness of CBT can be improved by paying attention to psychological functions such as anger recognition, affective empathy, and response inhibition 2
Alternative Therapies for Improving Agreeableness
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown to increase psychological flexibility, which can lead to improved agreeableness 3
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and ACT can be used to treat anxiety disorders, which are often associated with low agreeableness 4
- These therapies can be delivered in traditional face-to-face formats or through digital self-help approaches 3, 4
Effectiveness of CBT in Improving Agreeableness
- CBT has been shown to be effective in reducing depression and anxiety in infertile women, which can be associated with improved agreeableness 5
- CBT has been found to be superior to fluoxetine in reducing depression and anxiety in infertile women 5
- CBT can be a feasible nonpharmacological treatment option for improving mood and quality of life in older adults with mild cognitive impairment 6