Is it Possible to Change Your Personality Type?

I’ve always fancied myself as one of those girls who just ooze confidence and charisma. You know the type I mean – those who glide effortlessly into a room, make the first three people they come across crease in hysterics and can comfortably strike up a conversation with virtually anyone and everyone.

Unfortunately it’s not working out so well for me. I was painfully shy as a child, and even though now I am somewhat able to cope in socially scary situations, deep down I still have a mild panic attack when faced with a room full of new people.

I am — and most probably will always be — an introvert with a dollop of extrovert. Like everyone, my personality is comprised of a mixture of traits. Some of these I am happy with, and others not so much.

But if I really wanted to change my personality type would it be possible? Or am I stuck exactly as I am forever, whether I like it or not?

Type A vs. Type B

Before we can attempt to answer that question, I think it is important to think about what personality types are.  The simplest way of examining personality types is to split them into two categories: Type A and Type B.

This theory was first introduced by a couple of cardiologists (Friedman and Rosenman, 1976) who observed their patient’s behaviour in the waiting room. They could divide them into type A’s – those who generally were more impatient, and type B’s – those who were a little more relaxed.

These are some of the traits now associated with the two personality types:

• Type A – more competitive, outgoing, aggressive, sense of time urgency, ambitious, impatient.
• Type B – typically more ‘relaxed’ traits. Creativity and imagination.

Of course, you’re probably thinking there is a massive flaw here already. People are overwhelmingly complex beings, and the idea that we can divide everyone into either type A or type B is naïve at best. Most people will find they have a mixture of personality types taken from both categories.

Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Another psychological theory of personality is the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The MBTI questionnaire is still used today in situations as diverse as marital counselling and executive development. That and the fact it places individuals in one of 16 personality types (rather than the above described two) may straight off give it a little more oomph.

The technique breaks your personality down into 4 dimensions:

• Focus of attention: Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I)
• The way you take in information: Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)
• How you make decisions: Thinking (T) or feeling (F)
• How you deal with the world – Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)

There are 16 different combinations that can be made from the letters. For instance, if you are an extrovert, who uses intuition, makes decisions by feeling and judges the world around you, your personality type is ENFJ.

How can we change our personality traits?

1. Fake it till you make it.

2. Stop Labelling yourself.

3. Try new things.

4. Meditation.

5. Reflect on your new personality.

Sarah Hunter

Sarah Hunter is a psychology graduate who has spent the last few years working in the student support sector. Having recently moved to Toronto from the UK, she hopes to use the opportunity to follow her dreams of becoming a writer. Find her at: https://scribblesfromoverseas.com/

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