From the Guidelines
Personality traits, including OCEAN (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism), can be modified through intentional behavioral changes and therapeutic interventions. While the provided study 1 focuses on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its treatment, it highlights the effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in modifying behaviors and reducing symptoms, which can be applied to personality trait modification. DBT's modules, such as mindfulness skills, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness skills, and emotion regulation skills, can be tailored to target specific aspects of personality traits.
To modify OCEAN personality traits, consider the following strategies:
- For openness, engage in new experiences, ideas, and perspectives daily
- For conscientiousness, implement structured routines, use planning tools, and practice delayed gratification
- For extraversion, gradually increase social interactions and practice social skills in challenging situations
- For agreeableness, practice active listening, empathy exercises, and conflict resolution techniques
- For neuroticism, adopt mindfulness meditation, cognitive restructuring of negative thoughts, and regular physical exercise
Therapy approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy can accelerate progress in personality modification, and while no medications are specifically approved for this purpose, they can be used to treat co-existing conditions like anxiety and depression, which can impact personality traits 1. Personality change requires consistent effort over months, and combining intentional behavior changes with environmental adjustments can reinforce desired traits.
From the Research
Modifiability of OCEAN Personality Traits
- The OCEAN personality traits, which include Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism, have been a subject of research in terms of their modifiability 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- A study published in 2021 found that around 60.40% of college students from 55 countries reported trying to change their personalities, with the most common goals being to increase emotional stability, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness 3.
- Another study published in 2021 found that a digital personality change intervention using a randomized controlled trial and a smartphone application resulted in significant self-reported changes in personality traits, with effects persisting for 3 months after the intervention 4.
- The study also found that observers such as friends and family members detected significant personality changes in the desired direction for those desiring to increase on a trait, but not for those desiring to decrease on a trait 4.
- These findings suggest that OCEAN personality traits can be modified through intervention, and that people are actively trying to change their personalities to achieve positive life outcomes 3, 4.
Factors Influencing Modifiability
- Research has also explored the relationships between the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and OCEAN personality traits, finding complex interactions between the two 6.
- A study using the Dark Cube model found that high narcissism was consistently associated with high extraversion, and high psychopathy was consistently associated with low agreeableness, but other relationships were conditional and dependent on the levels of other dark traits 6.
- The use of machine learning models to infer OCEAN traits from text has also shown promise, with a study finding excellent results in predicting trait values and identifying new terms related to the OCEAN traits 5.
- These findings highlight the complexity of personality traits and the need for further research into the factors that influence their modifiability 3, 4, 5, 6.