Personality Be Changed? By Carol

¶ … Personality be Changed? By Carol S. Dweck. Specifically it will contain a summary of the article. Dweck's article ultimately shows that personality can be changed and offers examples, and shows why beliefs can help change personality and thus should be included in psychological study.

The purpose of this article is to dispel the myth that a person cannot alter their personality; that they are born with it, and it is in their genes to act and behave in a certain way. The author writes, "Far from being simply encoded in the genes, much of personality is a flexible and dynamic thing that changes over the life span and is shaped by experience" (Dweck 3). The author discusses "in-between" personality traits that fall between broader personality traits, and maintains these "personal strivings" and "coping strategies" are the places where people can change their personalities. She believes that core beliefs can modify these strivings, and that is how personalities are changed, by altering core beliefs and belief systems.

The author's findings are centered on beliefs. She writes, "People's beliefs include their mental representations of the nature and workings of the self, of their relationships, and of their world" (Dweck 4). She notes that broad personality traits cannot easily be altered, but that beliefs can, and that modifying behavior and personality can occur, and cites examples of her research in areas of relationships and infant personality building. The author has conducted research on beliefs, and says, "My research shows that acquired beliefs play a critical role in how well people function. These are people's self-theories" (Dweck 5). She also believes the brain is capable of learning and changing over time, and that it responds to challenges. She also uses research conducted on infants to show how personality, reaction, and relationships are formed, and how they form the basis of personality.

The study indicates that research has shown how personalities are formed, and how they can be changed, but she does not show specific examples of her research when it comes to changing beliefs and people who have drastically changed their personalities. It would have been more interesting and enlightening if she could have given a concrete example of a person who changed their personality by changing their beliefs, although she does use some student studies that indicate the group has a whole had personality changes when their instructors behaved in certain manners. A specific, detailed example would have helped make the concept clearer and easier to understand, however.

The implications of the research are that personalities are not rooted in the genes and are unable to change. That means that people who have negative personality traits can work on their core beliefs and change their personalities, and that is interesting and insightful research. Practically, this could help counselors and psychologists help treat their patients more effectively by tapping into their core belief systems and helping them change negative areas of their personality.