Can You Change Your Personality or Just Your Attitude? What Modern Science Confirms
By James H. Sterling
Can therapy change my core personality traits, or does it only modify my behavior?
Clinical trials indicate that targeted therapies, particularly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), produce measurable changes in core traits. A landmark meta-analysis of over 200 studies showed that approximately 3 months of targeted therapy can yield significant, lasting reductions in neuroticism and moderate increases in extraversion, driven by persistent changes in daily habits.
Why is it easier to change an attitude than a personality trait?
Attitudes depend primarily on conscious cognitive appraisals and subjective framing, which update rapidly when presented with convincing new evidence or emotional motivation. Personality traits rely on biological nervous system sensitivity and decades of ingrained neural pathways, requiring sustained behavioral repetition over extended periods to rewire.
Are personality assessments like the Enneagram or MBTI useful if they lack clinical validity?
While popular typologies lack predictive scientific validity and test-retest reliability, they can occasionally function as reflective prompts. They provide a shared vocabulary for teams to discuss work styles. However, organizations should never use them for hiring, promotion, or definitive psychological evaluation; dimensional tools based on the Big Five model remain the gold standard.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
