Many early psychologists believed that personalities were developed at an early age and did not change significantly during a person's life. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, developed theories relating to personality development in childhood. The theories of later psychologists, including neo-Freudians, behaviorists, and humanists, actually emphasized the possibility of change later in life. Erik Erikson developed theories of change at 8 different stages of life.
             I personally believe that I can change my personality. The method that I would choose to change is systematic desensitization. The way that desensitization works in changing personalities is when you are introduced to something in a gradual way you become less sensitive to the object. For example, people with allergies are slowly given ever increasing doses of the pollen to which they are allergic and they slowly build up immunity to the pollen. The same process can be applied in changing a personality trait.
             Fear of a certain object, such as a horse, can be overcome through gradually developing a familiarity with the horse. There could be a process of several steps designed to desensitize a person to the fear. First, I could look at the horse from standing outside of a corral. Second, I could move up to the fence. Third, I could step over the fence so that there was nothing between the horse and me. Fourth, I could offer the horse something to eat out of my hand, such as oats or an apple. Fifth, I could pet the horse on the side of its head. At this point, if I still felt fear, I could go further and put a saddle on the horse. Finally, I could actually get on the horse.
             At each point in the process of desensitizing myself from my fear of horses, I must be comfortable with the situation before I can go forward to the next level. It may take many days to become perfectly comfortable and to be able to move to
             ...