Ideas worth spreading

Who are you, really? The puzzle of personality

18,293,620 views |

Brian Little |

TED2016

• February 2016

What makes you, you? Psychologists like to talk about our traits, or defined characteristics that make us who we are. But Brian Little is more interested in moments when we transcend those traits -- sometimes because our culture demands it of us, and sometimes because we demand it of ourselves. Join Little as he dissects the surprising differences between introverts and extroverts and explains why your personality may be more malleable than you think.

What makes you, you? Psychologists like to talk about our traits, or defined characteristics that make us who we are. But Brian Little is more interested in moments when we transcend those traits -- sometimes because our culture demands it of us, and sometimes because we demand it of ourselves. Join Little as he dissects the surprising differences between introverts and extroverts and explains why your personality may be more malleable than you think.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Brian Little

Personality researcher

See speaker profile

Cambridge research professor Brian Little analyzes and redefines the threads of our personalities -- and suggests ways we can transform ourselves.

Learn more

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.