46 | New Scientist | 15 January 2022Features
How to hack
your personality
I
AM a conscientiousness objector. No,
not a conscientious objector: I have never
been drafted into the army. What I object
to are meticulously colour-coded diary entries,
weekly meal plans and home organisation à la
Marie Kondo – all of which are neatly captured
by a personality trait I score particularly low
on: conscientiousness.
This has never been a major issue, even if it
has made me feel like a disorganised outcast,
especially when spending time around other
mothers in my London suburb. You know, the
sort of people who always arrive at parties or
play dates on time, with everything they might
possibly need, looking composed.
But recently, I started to wonder what my life
might be like if I were more like them. I thought
about how exhausting things can be: the last-
minute panics, the mess, the lost keys, the
missed appointments. I thought about the
potential benefits for my health and well-being
if I could change all that. At the very least,
surely everything would be a lot easier.
Traditionally, psychologists believed
personality to be more or less fixed over
your lifetime. Not any more. Now it seems
personality evolves throughout life, and
in recent years, several studies have even
demonstrated that it is possible to transform
your personality on purpose. Given certain
personality traits are linked to life satisfaction,
and even better mental health, this could have
a substantial impact on many people. It seems
almost too good to be true, and psychology has
a slightly shaky reputation when it comes to its
findings holding up to scrutiny. But I was
curious, so I decided to have a go for myself.
When psychologists talk about personality,
they are referring to our habits of thought,
IKemotion and behaviour as they manifest over
ER^
AY
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TAR
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Who you are changes throughout life – and the latest
research suggests you can deliberately alter your character.
Miriam Frankel investigates