“Understanding personality fluidity can pave the way for greater happiness”
Simone Rotella
In contemporary therapeutic conversations, a common saying emerges: there’s no need to change – you are wonderfully unique, and the right individuals will embrace your quirks wholeheartedly. Traditionally, our personalities have been regarded as relatively fixed traits, leading many to feel entirely beholden to their innate predispositions. Such notions, however, may be misguided.
Research increasingly supports the perspective that personal traits are more adaptable than initially believed, revealing intriguing pathways to personality transformation that can enhance our lived experiences. For instance, a 2024 study indicated that three months of digital coaching resulted in measurable improvements in traits such as emotional stability and conscientiousness.
Moreover, considering traits often inspires a binary perception, where individuals categorize themselves strictly as introverts or extroverts. Carl Jung, the father of these terminologies, suggested they exist along a continuum, arguing the existence of ‘pure’ introverts or extroverts is a misnomer. Depending on circumstances—day of the week, mood, or even physiological states—the version of you that emerges can vary significantly.
Regardless of your inclination, nurturing social connections is essential for optimal well-being. Characteristics associated with extroversion help in coping with physical stressors, such as elevated heart rates and blood pressure. The extensive Harvard Study of Adult Development, spanning an impressive 80 years, tracked around 700 men, ultimately concluding that ensuring robust social relationships is vital to achieving happiness and good health.
It’s worth noting that even those who lean towards introversion, enjoying quieter settings and smaller social circles, often lead rich social lives. However, the rising prevalence of the introvert label, particularly amid a global loneliness epidemic, raises concerns. In a world where isolating feelings plague approximately 16% of the population, many young people today identify as introverted—an inclination intensified by the recent pandemic, which has led to notable declines in traits like extroversion and agreeableness among adults.
Even self-proclaimed introverts may discover flexibility in their social engagement. Research from 2022 unveils that it’s the strength of one’s introverted identity, rather than inherent introverted traits, that provokes discomfort when prompted to be more extroverted. This suggests that loosening our self-definition can foster meaningful change.
Should you be highly extroverted, you might find enhancing reflective skills beneficial—a quality often associated with introverted individuals. Additionally, bolstering traits linked to well-being, such as effective emotional regulation or fostering openness to new experiences, is consistently proven achievable.
Emphasizing the plasticity of personality types could usher in greater happiness for all. However, embracing the sometimes uncomfortable truth that change is possible—and perhaps necessary—might be the catalyst we need.
Claudia Canavan is head of features at New Scientist
