Margolis · Journal of experimental psychology. General 2020 · randomized crossover trial · n=?

Experimental manipulation of extraverted and introverted behavior and its effects on well-being.

Level 2 - randomized trial

Individual randomized trial testing behavioral manipulation

PubMed 31368759 · doi:10.1037/xge0000668 · record verified 2026-08-26

What was done

Participants were experimentally instructed to engage in extraverted behavior for one week and introverted behavior for one week to test the causal effects of personality-related behavior on well-being.

What was found

The abstract reports no numerical values, sample sizes, or effect sizes. It states directionally that participants experienced an increase in well-being when assigned to act extraverted and a decrease in well-being when assigned to act introverted.

Why it matters

It provides experimental evidence that short-term behavioral adjustments related to personality traits can causally influence subjective well-being rather than merely correlating with it.

Limits

The abstract omits sample size, participant demographics, baseline personality traits, and quantitative data. The intervention periods were brief (one week each), and the abstract does not assess whether behavioral demand characteristics influenced self-reported well-being or whether changes persist over time.

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