Can organizations train employees to become more conscientious, even without their personal motivation? A recent study by SMU psychologist Nathan Hudson suggests it's possible.
Yet boosting emotional stability demands the individual's own commitment, Hudson notes.
Emerging research, including Hudson's work, shows personality traits can shift through targeted interventions. These traits influence key life outcomes like relationship quality and career success.
Hudson's study tested two key ideas: that effective change requires people to select their target traits and invest effort in them.
Conscientiousness—marked by responsibility, diligence, and organization—improved via structured tasks over time, regardless of motivation. Habit-forming activities drove these gains.
Emotional stability proved different: Participants advanced in handling tough situations only if they chose to target it. Otherwise, four weeks of assigned tasks yielded no benefits.
“This offers hope that schools, businesses, or organizations can prompt small, habit-building changes to foster greater organization and accountability,” Hudson said. “Emotional stability, however, likely needs deeper personal investment.”
Hudson stresses this isn't about control.
“Personality change—especially by others—can seem alarming. Yet society routinely intervenes: Primary school builds not just intelligence, but friendliness, sociability, responsibility, and work ethic,” he explained.
Prior studies by Hudson and peers confirm that deliberate efforts often yield personality shifts.
Prior to this, it was unclear if gains were possible without self-selection or motivation.
Hudson ran two four-month studies.
In the first, 175 students were randomly assigned to target either conscientiousness or emotional stability, receiving tailored tasks like "organize your desk" or "list daily tasks."
The second involved over 400 students from various universities who picked a trait—unbeknownst to half, whose tasks mismatched their choice.
Personality was assessed pre- and post-intervention using the standard 44-item Big Five Inventory.
Students completing more conscientiousness tasks improved, even unmotivated. Mismatched emotional stability tasks were ineffective—or even counterproductive.
Hudson attributes emotional stability's need for motivation to its link with negative emotions.
"It's tough for many to simply 'stop feeling angry' or 'stressed.' Indirect approaches like journaling or positive reflection work best when people are invested," he said.
Conscientiousness, by contrast, builds through routine actions like tidying or scheduling—motivation optional, as long as tasks are followed.
“Motivation matters little for conscientiousness interventions, provided participants engage,” Hudson concluded.
