The idea that personality shapes our personal reality is viewed by some people as an undisputed fact while others are still unsure. Questions remain, can a person deliberately change their personality traits, and if yes, how quickly it can be done?

If you want to be this type of person, you can

The Big-5 personality traits that are at the cornerstone of the modern psychology can be developed, a recent study from the University of Zurich and other international scientists confirmed.

Over 1,500 participants participated in the study that set to assist people in developing desired personality traits.

The study provided a specially designed smartphone app for participants that acted as a digital coach via a chat bot and provided tasks and feedback daily to achieve desired results.

The Big-5 personality traits include:

• Conscientiousness
• Openness to new experiences
• Extraversion (sociability)
• Agreeability (considerateness)
• Neuroticism (emotional vulnerability)

Most participants wanted to improve their emotional resilience (reduce vulnerability), increase their conscientiousness and extraversion.

The control group was using the app for 2 months, while other participants continued the use for over 3 months.

The second group who used the app for 3+ months achieved more pronounced changes in behavior, visible to people around them, if they wanted to score hire on a certain trait. The changes in character traits persisted after 3 months after the end of the intervention.

However, reduction in emotional vulnerability wasn’t that visible to others, possibly, because it’s mostly an inner process that’s not as obvious for an outside observer.

The study demonstrated that not only there is a method to changing one’s individuality but also it can happen much quicker than believed previously. Moreover, an app can be a great virtual coach in this process.

The study used the app called PEACH (PErsonality coACH), which was developed specifically to explore the possibility of digital coaching and intervention.

One of the authors of the research Mathias Allemand, who is a professor of psychology at University of Zurich, said, “These surprising results show that we are not just slaves to our personality, but that we can deliberately make changes to routine experience and behavior patterns.”

You are able to become the person you want to be, and the change will happen pretty fast, if you set it to be.

Read also:

• How to become happier? Scientists found an answer
• Want to be more attractive? Scientists say it’s about being generous
• Which qualities do Russian men value in women the most?
• What makes Russian women unique?