What Affects Your Personality?

If it takes a while for you to get comfortable with new people or in different situations, you probably were born that way. To break out of your shell a bit, you might practice small talk with friends or come up with some things to chat about before you meet someone new. 

Your life experiences, your education, and the many other things that make you unique shape your personality more than anything else. Your genes and your parents also play a role, with your genes having more of an effect than the parenting styles of your mom and dad. 

People who are often anxious or angry may make more bodily fluids, like sweat. That can affect the bacteria that cause body odor, so their natural smell may be different from that of someone who’s more relaxed. Some of those differences might be noticeable enough that others can pick up on it.

As an adult, your personality is probably a bit different from when you were a kid -- and that’s not a bad thing. Most people change for the better. One study found that we get warmer, more helpful, and more agreeable as we mature. For most people, this starts in their 30s and continues through their 60s.

Introverts get their energy from thinking and reflecting, so they need time to process. They also like to recharge with alone time. Extroverts get their energy from being around other people and enjoy socializing. They like to figure things out while they’re talking.

If you’re the type of person who thinks about things before you do them, you’re conscientious. You’re more likely to think about what you eat and be active and less likely to abuse alcohol or drugs.

Your frontal lobe, which is behind your forehead, helps you do a lot of things. It lets you plan, organize, and solve problems, and it controls many parts of your personality.  An injury to this part of the brain can change how you think, feel, and behave. 

During the 1930s, matching personality traits to blood types became popular in Japan and other parts of the world. People with type O blood were thought to have confidence and be more flexible, traits that make good leaders. Type A blood meant you were a calm soul who wanted to keep the peace. None of this is backed by science, but some people still believe it.

People with narcissistic personality disorder often think they’re better than others and deserve special recognition. They don’t think about the feelings of those around them, and they don’t take criticism well. Genetics, childhood trauma, and verbal abuse are thought to play a role in personality disorders.