Psychologist explores how stress alters personality

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Photograph of Liberal Arts Building
College of Liberal Arts Building
 

Writing in Psychology Today, Marwa Azab, a psychology lecturer at Cal State Long Beach, highlights research showing that stress can temporarily alter someone's personality. People under pressure may become less social, less agreeable and less organized while growing more emotionally reactive. Her takeaway: stressful moments provide distorted snapshots, not definitive portraits of character, and warrant context before judgment.

 

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Marwa Azab 2025
Marwa Azab