Introverts are excluded unfairly in an extraverts’ world
One in three people are introverts, physically present, but culturally absent. We shouldn’t have to change to be heard
by Noa Herz
Personality
What the new science of narcissism says about narcissists
What the new science of narcissism tells us about its nuances, and how to avoid its darts while gaining from its strengths
by W Keith Campbell & Carolyn Crist
How to come out of your shell
You don’t have to be outgoing. But if being introverted is holding you back from the life you want, dive in for a way out
by Christian Jarrett
How to create compelling characters
It’s not only writer’s intuition. Use personality psychology to create just the right blend of surprise and believability
by Kira-Anne Pelican
Assertiveness is a virtue that anyone can develop with practice
You can’t stop people making demands on your time and energy, but you can develop assertiveness skills to protect yourself
by Rebecca Roache
What makes some of us crave self-insight more than others?
Some people have a powerful desire to understand themselves, but their path to self-knowledge is rarely straightforward
by Christoph Heine
There’s a reason some of us find it easier to change than others
There is a personality trait we carry throughout life that explains why some of us find it easier to change than others
by Amanda J Wright
The fence is uncomfortable, but it affords the best view
Ambivalence is often misconstrued as flakiness. In fact, recognising both sides of an argument fosters empathy and insight
by Iris Schneider
Speaking a different language can change how you act and feel
For many multilinguals, switching between tongues can lead to shifts in personality, revealing the malleability of the self
by Antonella Gismundi
Your sense of right and wrong is interwoven with your personality
Personality traits such as agreeableness and openness to experience can help explain differences in moral judgment
by Luke D Smillie & Milan Andrejević
If you stay mentally well your entire life, you’re not normal
Surveys suggest only a minority of people live lives entirely free from mental disorder. What can we learn from them?
by Jonathan D Schaefer
To improve your life, consider changing your personality
New research supports the idea that intentionally developing certain traits is not only possible, but comes with benefits
by Christian Jarrett
Helping others might feel good, but is it really good for you?
There’s a popular idea that being altruistic is unequivocally good for all involved – the reality is more complicated
by T Ryan Byerly
A new approach to therapy promises to tackle neuroticism head-on
Therapy often focuses on symptoms of specific disorders. Targeting a high-risk personality trait could be more efficient
by Shannon Sauer-Zavala
Ever taken pleasure in another’s pain? That’s ‘everyday sadism’
It’s not just killers who are sadistic. To counteract the suffering caused by everyday sadism, recognise how common it is
by Lucy Foulkes
Childhood shyness can be advantageous – don’t pathologise it
Given their cautious vigilance, shy children are more likely to detect social threats and anticipate how events will unfold
by Raha Hassan & Kristie Poole