To increase Openness to Experience, you must engage in targeted behavioral shaping that challenges your cognitive status quo. By systematically exposing yourself to novel aesthetic, intellectual, and cultural stimuli—and reframing the resulting discomfort as curiosity—you can neuroplastically alter this personality trait. This process shifts your default cognitive mode from rigid pattern-matching to adaptive exploration, effectively "training" your brain to prefer novelty over familiarity.
Key takeaways
- Personality is malleable: While genetics play a role, current research confirms that personality traits are subject to change through deliberate practice and sustained behavioral intervention.
- Action precedes feeling: You cannot think your way into being more open; you must act your way into it using exposure techniques commonly used in clinical settings.
- The two sub-facets: Openness consists of Openness (aesthetic sensitivity, fantasy, feelings) and Intellect (curiosity, ideas). A robust protocol addresses both.
- Discomfort is the signal: The feeling of resistance toward a new experience is the exact moment where the neural connection is strengthened.
- Systems over willpower: Relying on motivation fails. You need a structured system of "forced" novelty to break the habit loop of routine.
- Cognitive reframing: You must change the narrative from "this is weird/different/scary" to "this is data."
The core model
In the context of the Big Five model—which you can explore further in our topic section on personality—Openness to Experience describes the breadth, depth, originality, and complexity of an individual’s mental and experiential life.
Those with low Openness tend to prefer routine, stick to the familiar, and view abstraction with skepticism. While this can provide stability, it often leads to stagnation and a lack of adaptability in a changing world.
The psychological model for increasing this trait relies on the principle of behavioral shaping. We often view our personality as a fixed identity—"I am just not the type of person who goes to art galleries" or "I am not the type of person who learns coding." However, clinical evidence suggests that identity follows behavior, not the other way around.
To increase Openness, we must disrupt the habit loop. Most low-openness behaviors are simply efficiency heuristics; the brain prefers the path of least resistance. By introducing controlled exposure to novelty, we desensitize the amygdala's fear response to the unknown and sensitize the dopamine reward system to the acquisition of new information.
We are essentially engaging in cross-training for the mind. Just as a muscle grows under tension, Openness grows under the tension of the unfamiliar.
Step-by-step protocol
This protocol is designed to target both the Intellect and Aesthetic aspects of Openness. It requires a commitment of at least 8 weeks to see measurable change in your personality test results.
1. The Novelty Audit
Before you can change, you must quantify your current rigidity. For one week, document your routine. What do you eat? What route do you take to work? What media do you consume?
- Identify the "fixed points" in your day.
- Rate your resistance to changing them on a scale of 1-10.
- Select the three most rigid areas (e.g., "I always watch the same genre of TV" or "I never speak to strangers") as your primary targets.
2. Intellectual Micro-Dosing
We begin with the Intellect sub-facet. The goal is to expose yourself to ideas that contradict your current worldview without triggering a defensive shutdown.
- Identify a topic you feel strongly about (politics, diet, economics).
- Find a high-quality argument against your position (e.g., a well-sourced article or a podcast by an expert).
- The Practice: Read or listen for 15 minutes. Your goal is not to agree, but to pass the "Ideological Turing Test": Can you explain the opposing view well enough that a holder of that view would say, "Yes, that is what I believe"?
- This forces cognitive flexibility and suppresses the urge to judge immediately.
3. Aesthetic Exposure Therapy
This targets the sensory and emotional sub-facets of Openness. We use exposure principles here.
- Select a genre of art, music, or film you typically dislike or don't understand (e.g., Abstract Expressionism, Jazz, foreign language films).
- Commit to "consuming" this content for 20 minutes, three times a week.
- Crucial Step: Do not multitask. You must give it full attention.
- When you feel bored or annoyed, label that feeling. Ask: "What specific element is annoying me? Is it the lack of melody? The chaotic colors?"
- By analyzing the aversion, you transition from an emotional reaction to an analytical (Open) mode.
4. Route and Routine Variation
Physical exploration correlates with cognitive exploration.
- Once a week, you must go to a physical location you have never visited within 10 miles of your home.
- Alter your daily commute or walking route daily.
- This denies your brain the ability to run on "autopilot," forcing it to process new spatial data. This is a subtle form of reinforcement for being alert to your surroundings.
5. The "Yes" Heuristic
For the duration of this protocol, adopt a temporary rule regarding social or experiential invitations.
- If the invite is safe and ethical, but your gut reaction is "No, I'm tired" or "No, that's not my thing," you must override it and say "Yes."
- This breaks the identity lock. You will likely find that the anticipation of the event was more negative than the event itself.
- After the event, log the outcome. Was it actually terrible? Usually, the answer is no. This creates a positive feedback loop for future novelty.
6. Constructive Daydreaming
Low openness is often characterized by a very practical, concrete mindset. We need to train the imagination.
- Spend 10 minutes a day engaging in "divergent thinking."
- Take a common object (e.g., a brick). Write down 30 possible uses for it, no matter how absurd (e.g., a paperweight, a weapon, a crushed pigment source, a heating element).
- The first 10 will be easy. The next 10 will be hard. The final 10 force your brain to make remote associations, a hallmark of high Openness to Experience.
Mistakes to avoid
Ignoring Conscientiousness
There is a danger in confusing Openness with a lack of discipline. As you increase your desire for novelty, do not let your reliability suffer. You must maintain your commitments. High Openness combined with low Conscientiousness can lead to "Shiny Object Syndrome." If you find yourself unable to finish tasks, you may need to review the definition of Conscientiousness and balance your protocol.
The "Tourist" Trap
Going to a new place but eating at a chain restaurant and staring at your phone is not Openness; it is relocating your bubble. True Openness requires permeability—letting the environment affect you. If you are not slightly uncomfortable, you are not doing the work.
Overloading the System
Do not try to overhaul your entire personality overnight. Neural pathways require systems and time to reorganize. If you flood your system with too much chaos, you will trigger a stress response that makes you retreat further into your shell. Adhere to the pacing of the protocol.
How to measure this with LifeScore
Subjective feelings are unreliable indicators of personality change. To track your progress scientifically, you need baseline data.
- Establish Baseline: Take our comprehensive Personality Test (based on the Big Five model) before starting the protocol. Note your percentile score for Openness.
- Mid-Point Check: After 4 weeks of executing the protocol, re-assess.
- Longitudinal Tracking: Real personality change is observed over months. Use the dashboard in the /tests section to visualize your trajectory.
We adhere to a strict editorial policy regarding the validity of our psychometrics. Our methodology ensures that the changes you see are statistically significant and not just daily mood fluctuations.
FAQ
Is it really possible to change personality traits?
Yes. While personality was once thought to be fixed by age 30, modern psychology recognizes "volitional personality change." Through sustained practice and behavioral modification, individuals can alter their trait expressions significantly. The magnitude of change depends on consistency and the duration of the intervention.
Is high Openness always better?
No. Every trait has trade-offs. Extremely high Openness can correlate with eccentricity, lack of focus, and a susceptibility to believing irrational ideas (apophenia). If you find your mind wandering too much, you might want to explore our protocol on how to increase focus to balance this trait.
How does Openness relate to creativity?
Openness is the primary personality predictor of creativity. It governs the ability to connect disparate ideas and tolerate ambiguity. For a deeper dive into this mechanism, read our article on Openness to Experience and Creativity.
Will this protocol change my IQ?
Openness is moderately correlated with IQ, specifically the "Intellect" aspect. While this protocol is unlikely to increase your raw fluid intelligence (processing speed), it can significantly increase your crystallized intelligence (knowledge bank) and your willingness to engage with complex problems, effectively making you "functionally" smarter.
Can I do this if I am an introvert?
Absolutely. Introversion (low Extraversion) and Openness are distinct traits. You can be an introverted intellectual who loves deep philosophical books and abstract art (High Openness, Low Extraversion). You do not need to become a party-goer to be open; you need to become an explorer of ideas and experiences.
What if I hate the new experiences?
That is part of the process. You don't have to like everything you try. The goal of Openness to Experience is not universal enjoyment, but the willingness to try and the capacity to appreciate the novelty itself. Even a negative experience provides data and expands your world model.
For more insights on personality development, explore our glossary or browse the full blog.
Written By
Dr. Elena Alvarez, PsyD
PsyD, Clinical Psychology
Focuses on anxiety, mood, and behavior change with evidence-based methods.