Personality | Psychology Today United Kingdom

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en-GB" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/FAQPage"> <head> <title>Personality | Psychology Today United Kingdom</title> <meta charset="utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html" /> <script>window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; window.dataLayer.push({"":"Psychology Today","entityLangcode":"en","page_type":"node","drupal_node_type":"reference","drupal_node_nid":"53843","drupal_node_title":"Personality","userUid":0,"event":"drupal_node_view","ContentWeb":"Basics"});</script> <meta name="description" content="From eccentric and introverted to boisterous and bold, the human personality is a complex and colorful thing. Personality refers to a person's distinctive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. It derives from a mix of innate dispositions and inclinations along with environmental factors and experiences. Although personality can change over a lifetime, one's core personality traits tend to remain relatively consistent during adulthood." /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Psychology Today" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Personality" /> <meta property="og:description" content="From eccentric and introverted to boisterous and bold, the human personality is a complex and colorful thing. Personality refers to a person's distinctive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. It derives from a mix of innate dispositions and inclinations along with environmental factors and experiences. Although personality can change over a lifetime, one's core personality traits tend to remain relatively consistent during adulthood." /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/magazine_384x504/public/magazine/2024-10/2024-11.png.jpg?itok=MK2t-Nce" /> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="220580041311284" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, maximum-scale=1.0, user-scalable=0" /> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1" /> <meta http-equiv="x-dns-prefetch-control" content="on" /> <meta name="theme-color" content="#191C1F" media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" /> <meta name="theme-color" content="#F2F2F2" media="(prefers-color-scheme: light)" /> <meta name="alexaVerifyID" content="ruuD3Gzrr-EaY185APFbxF69Va4" /> <meta name="google-site-verification" content="G-wasBQCXXJoehIaVW5BsO9VYKt4oqmWGo155wSSakQ" /> <meta name="y_key" content="0f29d521db0a2863" /> <meta name="msvalidate.01" content="9AD6650A37790044983CFB6B27D77607" /> <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes" /> <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="Psych Today" /> <meta name="robots" content="index,follow" /> <script type="application/ld+json">{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "dateCreated": "2009-03-17T15:36:36-0400", "dateModified": "2024-07-10T18:35:10-0400", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality", "url": "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality", "name": "Personality", "alternateName": [ "Personality", "Character Trait" ], "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Personality" }, "mainEntity": { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "inDefinedTermSet": "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics", "name": "Personality", "url": "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality" }, "mainContentOfPage": { "@type": "WebPageElement", "name": "What Is Personality?", "text": "From eccentric and introverted to boisterous and bold, the human personality is a complex and colorful thing. Personality refers to a person\u0027s distinctive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. It derives from a mix of innate dispositions and inclinations along with environmental factors and experiences. Although personality can change over a lifetime, one\u0027s core personality traits tend to remain relatively consistent during adulthood.\r\n\r\nWhile there are countless characteristics that combine in an almost infinite number of ways, people have been trying to find a way to classify personalities ever since Hippocrates and the ancient Greeks proposed four basic temperaments. Today, psychologists often describe personality in terms of five basic traits. The so-called Big Five are openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. A newer model, called HEXACO, incorporates honesty-humility as a sixth key trait.\r\n" }, "relatedLink": [ "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/big-5-personality-traits", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/openness", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/conscientiousness", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/extroversion", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/introversion", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/agreeableness", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/neuroticism", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/hexaco", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality-change", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality-disorders", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/cluster-b", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/dark-triad", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/narcissism", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/psychopathy", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/attachment", 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<div class="td_fat_subheader__verified"> <p><img width="18" height="18" loading="lazy" alt="" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/theme-assets/icons/icon-check-circle-gray.svg"/> Verified by <span class="font-weight-semi-bold">Psychology Today</span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="outer-layout-container"> <main class="layout-content layout-container" > <div class="layout-content-full"> <div> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> </div> </div> <div class="layout-container--grid layout-container--primary-left-rail"> <div class="layout-content-main"> <div> <div id="block-pt-content" class="block">       <article data-history-node-id="53843" role="article" class="center--basic--full center-page"> <div class="content-header d-flex reference-header"> <div class="content-header--text"> <h1 class="reference__title section-title">What Is Personality?</h1> <p class="reference__review-info fine-print"> <a href="/gb/docs/editorial-process" class="reference__review-info-link"> <span class="reference__review-info-icon"></span> <span class="reference__review-info-text">Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff</span> </a> </p> </div> </div> <div> <div class="reference__body"> <div class="field-name-body"> <p>From eccentric and introverted to boisterous and bold, the human personality is a complex and colorful thing. Personality refers to a person's distinctive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. It derives from a mix of innate dispositions and inclinations along with environmental factors and experiences. Although personality can change over a lifetime, one's core personality traits tend to remain relatively consistent during adulthood.</p> <p>While there are countless characteristics that combine in an almost infinite number of ways, people have been trying to find a way to classify personalities ever since Hippocrates and the ancient Greeks proposed four basic temperaments. Today, psychologists often describe personality in terms of five basic traits. The so-called <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/big-5-personality-traits" title="Psychology Today looks at Big Five" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">Big Five</a> are <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/openness" title="Psychology Today looks at openness to experience" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">openness to experience</a>, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/conscientiousness" title="Psychology Today looks at conscientiousness" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">conscientiousness</a>, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/extroversion" title="Psychology Today looks at extraversion" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">extraversion</a>, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/agreeableness" title="Psychology Today looks at agreeableness" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">agreeableness</a>, and <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/neuroticism" title="Psychology Today looks at neuroticism" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">neuroticism</a>. A newer model, called <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/hexaco" title="Psychology Today looks at HEXACO" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">HEXACO</a>, incorporates honesty-humility as a sixth key trait.</p> </div> </div> <div class="reference__sections"> <div> <div> <div class="section section--separator"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="h2 section-title" itemprop="name"> What's My Personality Type? </div> <div class="section__body" itemscope itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer"> <article> <img src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_180x180/public/2019-10/shutterstock_385843402.jpg?itok=uYwTfFex" width="180" height="180" alt="stockfour/Shutterstock" title="stockfour/Shutterstock" loading="lazy" /> </article> <div itemprop="text"> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The idea of a personality "type" is fairly widespread. Many people associate a "<span><span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/type-a-and-type-b-personality-theory" title="Psychology Today looks at Type A" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">Type A</a></span></span>" personality with a more organized, rigid, competitive, and <span><span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/anxiety" title="Psychology Today looks at anxious" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">anxious</a></span></span> person, for example. Yet there’s little empirical support for the idea. The personality types supplied by the popular <span><span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/myers-briggs" title="Psychology Today looks at Myers-Briggs Type Indicator" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">Myers-Briggs Type Indicator</a> (MBTI)</span></span> have also been challenged by scientists.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Psychologists who study personality believe such typologies are generally too simplistic to account for the ways people differ. Instead, they tend to rely on frameworks like the <span><span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/big-5-personality-traits" title="Psychology Today looks at Big Five" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">Big Five</a></span></span> model of trait dimensions. In the Big Five model, each individual falls somewhere on a continuum for each trait—compared to the rest of the population, a person may rate relatively high or low on a trait such as <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/extroversion" title="Psychology Today looks at extraversion" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">extraversion</a> or <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/agreeableness" title="Psychology Today looks at agreeableness" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">agreeableness</a>, or on more specific facets of each (such as <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/assertiveness" title="Psychology Today looks at assertiveness" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">assertiveness</a> or compassion). The combination of these varying trait levels describes one's personality.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>To assess these individual differences, a variety of </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/personality-traits"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>personality tests</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> have been created. These tests commonly prompt people to indicate the extent to which various descriptions of thinking or behavior reflect their own tendencies. Based on a person’s responses, the test yields a “personality type” description (in the case of a test like the MBTI) or indicates how one compares to other respondents on a number of traits (in the case of the Big Five Inventory or similar measures).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>To learn more, see </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/personality-traits"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Personality Traits</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span> and </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/personality-tests"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Personality Tests.</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="pt-ad pt-ad--300x250 d-block d-none d-md-block d-lg-none block" id="block-ad-subpage-300x250-programmatically-rendered"> <div class="pt-ad--container pt-ad-show-text"> <div class="pt-ad--text"> <span>article continues after advertisement</span> </div> <div id="div-gpt-ad-1404853927369-9" class="pt-ad--content"> <script type="text/javascript"> if (window.googletag && googletag.apiReady) { googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1404853927369-9'); }); } </script> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="section section--separator"> <div class="h2 section-title"> Why Personality Matters </div> <div class="section__body"> <article> <img src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_180x180/public/shutterstock_563119180.jpg?itok=TGyBtObn" width="180" height="180" alt="JacobLund/Shutterstock" title="JacobLund/Shutterstock" loading="lazy" /> </article> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Personality psychology—with its different ways of organizing, measuring, and understanding individual differences—can help people better grasp and articulate what they are like and how they compare to others. But the details of personality are relevant to more than just a person's <span><span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/identity" title="Psychology Today looks at self-image" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">self-image</a></span></span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The tendencies in thinking and behaving that concepts like the Big Five represent are related to </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/personality-and-life-outcomes"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>a variety of other characteristics and outcomes</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> on which people compare to one another. These include differences in personal success, health and well-being, and how people get along with others. Even the risk of dying appears to be associated to some degree with differences in personality traits.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Personality also crosses into the realm of mental health: Professionals use a list of </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/personality-disorders"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>personality disorders</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> involving long-term dysfunctional tendencies to diagnose and treat patients. Among the categories used by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists are the commonly discussed <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/narcissism" title="Psychology Today looks at narcissistic" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">narcissistic</a> personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder—but a major diagnostic guide, the <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/dsm" title="Psychology Today looks at DSM" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">DSM</a>, includes 10 <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality-disorders" title="Psychology Today looks at personality disorders" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">personality disorders</a> in total.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>To learn more, see </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/personality-and-life-outcomes"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Personality and Life Outcomes</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span> and </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/personality-disorders"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Personality Disorders.</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="section section--separator"> <div class="h2 section-title"> Where Does Personality Come From? </div> <div class="section__body"> <article> <img src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_180x180/public/2021-01/pexels-nicholas-githiri-1027931.jpg?itok=rg_nHL0g" width="180" height="180" alt="Photo by Nicholas Githiri from Pexels" title="Photo by Nicholas Githiri from Pexels" loading="lazy" /> </article> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Why individuals develop the personalities they do and how much someone’s personality typically changes over time are some of the biggest questions in personality psychology. Science provides some answers, but there is still plenty of room for debate and exploration. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/genetics" title="Psychology Today looks at Genetics" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-GB">Genetics</a> partly helps to account for differences in personality traits, but other influences certainly play a role. A range of </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/theories-personality"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>theories of personality</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> have been proposed to explain what personality is and why individuals become who they are, with some focusing more heavily than others on potential non-genetic factors, such as a person’s taking on new social roles (like spouse or parent).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Despite its day-to-day stability, </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/personality-change"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>personality </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>can</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> change</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> in the long term, potentially to a substantial degree over the course of a person’s life. Research suggests that people tend to show signs of increasing maturity (including, for instance, increased social sensitivity) in their personality test scores as they grow older. It may even be possible to deliberately change aspects of one’s own personality by making a repeated effort to behave differently.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>To learn more, see </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/theories-personality"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Theories of Personality</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><em><span> and </span></em></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/personality/personality-change"><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>Can Personality Change?</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></span></a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="center--next_page_link d-flex"> <a href="/gb/basics/personality/personality-traits" title="Personality Traits">Next: Personality Traits</a> <div class="center--next_page_arrow"></div> </div> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="js-view-dom-id-dfdbaaaac41fc7e3f1855cca606a6f2beb2335447e03d30abd1aa0dbd2fadcdb"> <section class="basics--essential-reads"> <div class="h2 page-section-header">Essential Reads</div> <div class="teaser--card-inset-details--row"> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5027450"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/evolutionary-social-cognition/202411/why-some-partners-choose-gift-giving-over-jealousy"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/shutterstock_2256815875.jpg?itok=0eW1ep-4" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="Mangkorn Danggura/Shutterstock" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/evolutionary-social-cognition/202411/why-some-partners-choose-gift-giving-over-jealousy" title="Why Some Partners Choose Gift-Giving Over Jealousy"> Why Some Partners Choose Gift-Giving Over Jealousy </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> Some people shower partners with affection and gifts, while others resort to jealousy or manipulation to keep them close. This may be why. </div> </div> </article> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5027390"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/fulfillment-at-any-age/202411/what-shape-will-your-personality-take-over-time"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/Change%20badalyanrazmik%20arrows-709731_1280.png.jpg?itok=VSVQDdny" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="Badalyanrazmik/Pixabay" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/fulfillment-at-any-age/202411/what-shape-will-your-personality-take-over-time" title="What Shape Will Your Personality Take Over Time?"> What Shape Will Your Personality Take Over Time? </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> The fact that personality can change throughout life is well established, but new research shows its shape isn't the same for everyone. </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="teaser--card-inset-details--row"> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5025624"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/finding-a-new-home/202410/22-reasons-spending-time-alone-can-be-beneficial"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-10/woman-alone%20time-psychology-emamzadeh_0.jpg?itok=4VhiZBLI" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="ottawagraphics/Pixabay" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/finding-a-new-home/202410/22-reasons-spending-time-alone-can-be-beneficial" title="22 Reasons Spending Time Alone Can Be Beneficial"> 22 Reasons Spending Time Alone Can Be Beneficial </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> A recent investigation examines the association between personality and the functions of time spent alone. </div> </div> </article> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5027214"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/fulfillment-at-any-age/202411/at-long-last-a-quicker-way-to-measure-your-personality"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/Personality%20Geralt%20psychology-1957259_1280.jpg?itok=TaoZcjRC" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="Gerd Altmann / Pixabay" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/fulfillment-at-any-age/202411/at-long-last-a-quicker-way-to-measure-your-personality" title="At Long Last, a Quicker Way to Measure Your Personality"> At Long Last, a Quicker Way to Measure Your Personality </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> It鈥檚 always fascinating to gain insight into what makes you tick. Getting right to the point, a new measure of personality makes the process reasonably quick and easy. </div> </div> </article> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> <div class="h2 page-section-header page-section-header--with-divider">Recent Posts</div> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="js-view-dom-id-fa3a8f0c02d3b6ca777e2fed62518ca792bff24194b68223b6a5f6f0c72b3e3e layout-container--grid--content-main-additional basics--recent-posts"> <div class="layout-content-main"> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5027555"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/how-i-shapes-we/202411/from-dates-to-love-can-life-events-rewrite-our-attachment"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/Break%20Dance.jpg?itok=rIeij1Sc" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Barbara Egin, used with permission" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/how-i-shapes-we/202411/from-dates-to-love-can-life-events-rewrite-our-attachment" rel="bookmark">From Dates to Love: Can Life Events Rewrite Our Attachment? </a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Can life events, such as entering a new relationship, change attachment styles? A team of researchers took on these questions, and their findings reveal some fascinating insights. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Can life events, such as entering a new relationship, change attachment styles? A team of researchers took on these questions, and their findings reveal some fascinating insights. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5025978"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/a-little-knowledge/202410/stop-creating-stress-for-yourself"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/pexels-olly-868704.jpg?itok=CTAOT52g" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/a-little-knowledge/202410/stop-creating-stress-for-yourself" rel="bookmark">Stop Creating Stress for Yourself</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Stress is like diet and exercise. If we are mindful, we can change our behavior and prevent stress just as we can improve our diet and exercise habits. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Stress is like diet and exercise. If we are mindful, we can change our behavior and prevent stress just as we can improve our diet and exercise habits. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5027054"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/dont-get-me-wrong/202411/take-off-your-halo"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/yan%20krukau.jpg?itok=8AK8ZpQA" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Pexels/Yan Krukau" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/dont-get-me-wrong/202411/take-off-your-halo" rel="bookmark">Take Off Your Halo</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> We have a tendency to make broad judgments based on limited information. It is probably wise to pause and consider this now and then. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> We have a tendency to make broad judgments based on limited information. It is probably wise to pause and consider this now and then. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5027253"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/long-fuse-big-bang/202411/improve-your-relationships-by-thinking-like-an-extraterrestrial"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/ET3.png.jpg?itok=ZxU7L_5I" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Dall.E3 / OpenAI" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/long-fuse-big-bang/202411/improve-your-relationships-by-thinking-like-an-extraterrestrial" rel="bookmark">Improve Your Relationships by Thinking Like an Extraterrestrial</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Learning to think like someone you鈥檙e not. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Learning to think like someone you鈥檙e not. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026990"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/of-leaders-and-traits/202411/how-personality-drives-major-choices-in-business-fields"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/psychtoday_mod.jpg?itok=gaVMq4vm" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="DALL-E / OpenAI" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/of-leaders-and-traits/202411/how-personality-drives-major-choices-in-business-fields" rel="bookmark">How Personality Drives Major Choices in Business Fields</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Does your business major reveal your personality? New research links Machiavellian traits, like power-seeking and manipulation, to certain business majors. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Does your business major reveal your personality? New research links Machiavellian traits, like power-seeking and manipulation, to certain business majors. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026950"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/from-freud-to-fluoxetine/202411/on-popular-misconceptions-of-narcissism"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/Narcissus.jpg?h=4df3b1f1&itok=nrZ2vLQF" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Public domain" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/from-freud-to-fluoxetine/202411/on-popular-misconceptions-of-narcissism" rel="bookmark">On Popular Misconceptions of Narcissism</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Narcissistic personality disorder is a severe but rare form of psychopathology; its misapplication on social media is rampant. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Narcissistic personality disorder is a severe but rare form of psychopathology; its misapplication on social media is rampant. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026686"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/lets-face-it/202411/people-with-a-sweet-tooth-also-have-a-sweet-heart"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/field_blog_entry_images/2024-11/RDNE%20Stock%20Project.jpg?itok=7HI6S04R" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="RDNE Stock project / Pexels" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/lets-face-it/202411/people-with-a-sweet-tooth-also-have-a-sweet-heart" rel="bookmark">People With a Sweet Tooth Also Have a Sweet Heart</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> New research on the links between agreeableness and a sweet taste preference. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> New research on the links between agreeableness and a sweet taste preference. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026637"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/people-unexplained/202411/which-jobs-match-your-personality-traits"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/shutterstock_2485102935.jpg?itok=SYQfHXOi" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="La Famiglia/Shutterstock" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/people-unexplained/202411/which-jobs-match-your-personality-traits" rel="bookmark">Which Job Is the Best Fit for Your Personality?</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> The traits that best suit managers, pilots, trainers, and others. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> The traits that best suit managers, pilots, trainers, and others. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026623"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/cui-bono/202411/a-few-core-values-underlie-life-goals-and-vocational-choice"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/money-671295_1280.jpg?itok=0yxiv2_J" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="John Hain / Pixabay " /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/cui-bono/202411/a-few-core-values-underlie-life-goals-and-vocational-choice" rel="bookmark">A Few Core Values Underlie Life Goals and Vocational Choice</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Research has converged on six to 10 core values that motivate us toward career and life goals. Awareness of the relative importance of these values helps us make wise choices. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Research has converged on six to 10 core values that motivate us toward career and life goals. Awareness of the relative importance of these values helps us make wise choices. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026547"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/black-belt-brain/202410/can-the-fighting-arts-promote-positive-personality-traits"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-10/Cobra_Kai_graffiti-_under_subway_line_4_on_Congresso_de_la_Union_CDMX.jpg?itok=Vn9VRpQz" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Courtesy Thayne Tuason, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/black-belt-brain/202410/can-the-fighting-arts-promote-positive-personality-traits" rel="bookmark">Can the Fighting Arts Promote Positive Personality Traits?</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> With martial arts training, we likely need not fear fostering the Cobra Kai no-mercy mentality. Kung Fu Panda's agreeable and conscientious personality is a more probable outcome. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> With martial arts training, we likely need not fear fostering the Cobra Kai no-mercy mentality. 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