Recent research conducted largely in the United States suggests that most people would like to change one or more of their personality traits. Yet almost no research has investigated the degree to which and in what ways volitional personality change (VPC), or individuals’ active efforts toward personality change, might be common around the world. Through a custom-built website, 13,278 college student participants from 55 countries and one of a larger country (Hong Kong, S.A.R.) using 42 different languages reported whether they were currently trying to change their personality and, if so, what they were trying to change. Around the world, 60.40% of participants reported that they are currently trying to change their personalities, with the highest percentage in Thailand (81.91%) and the lowest in Kenya (21.41%). Among those who provide open-ended responses to the aspect of personality they are trying to change, the most common goals were to increase emotional stability (29.73%), conscientiousness (19.71%), extraversion (15.94%), and agreeableness (13.53%). In line with previous research, students who are trying to change any personality trait tend to have relatively low levels of emotional stability and happiness. Moreover, those with relatively low levels of socially desirable traits reported attempting to increase what they lacked. These principal findings were generalizable around the world

Baranski, E., Gardiner, G., Lee, D., Funder, D., Beramendi, M., Bastian, B., et al. (2021). Who in the World Is Trying to Change Their Personality Traits? Volitional Personality Change Among College Students in Six Continents. JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, 121(5), 1140-1156 [10.1037/pspp0000389].

Who in the World Is Trying to Change Their Personality Traits? Volitional Personality Change Among College Students in Six Continents

Perugini M.;Costantini G.;
2021

Abstract

Recent research conducted largely in the United States suggests that most people would like to change one or more of their personality traits. Yet almost no research has investigated the degree to which and in what ways volitional personality change (VPC), or individuals’ active efforts toward personality change, might be common around the world. Through a custom-built website, 13,278 college student participants from 55 countries and one of a larger country (Hong Kong, S.A.R.) using 42 different languages reported whether they were currently trying to change their personality and, if so, what they were trying to change. Around the world, 60.40% of participants reported that they are currently trying to change their personalities, with the highest percentage in Thailand (81.91%) and the lowest in Kenya (21.41%). Among those who provide open-ended responses to the aspect of personality they are trying to change, the most common goals were to increase emotional stability (29.73%), conscientiousness (19.71%), extraversion (15.94%), and agreeableness (13.53%). In line with previous research, students who are trying to change any personality trait tend to have relatively low levels of emotional stability and happiness. Moreover, those with relatively low levels of socially desirable traits reported attempting to increase what they lacked. These principal findings were generalizable around the world
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
College students; Cross-cultural; Volitional personality change;
English
2021
121
5
1140
1156
none
Baranski, E., Gardiner, G., Lee, D., Funder, D., Beramendi, M., Bastian, B., et al. (2021). Who in the World Is Trying to Change Their Personality Traits? Volitional Personality Change Among College Students in Six Continents. JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, 121(5), 1140-1156 [10.1037/pspp0000389].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/376004
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