Can we change?
Most of us would like to be a little different. In fact, our character changes more over the years than psychologists long thought. But can we specifically improve it? And does that even make sense?
"Please be more orderly," my husband says without hesitation. I have just told him that I would like to take part in a study by the University of Zurich, in which a smartphone app is used to try to change a specific personality trait in a targeted manner. I'm thinking: In addition to a few other qualities that I don't find ideal about myself, it would actually be nice to always have a tidy desk, to work through each task in a structured manner and no longer accidentally leave the coffee in the kitchen, because I wanted to get something done quickly.
What would you most like to change about yourself? If you can think of a few things right off the bat, you're like most people. In surveys, between 85 and 95 percent say they want to change at least one aspect of their personality-whether it's to become more disciplined, patient, confident, or assertive. Accordingly, the market for self-improvement offers is booming; various promises of salvation praise their method as a way to more happiness and success. According to market researcher John LaRosa, the self-improvement industry was already worth $9.9 billion in the US in 2016…
