The Science of Personal Transformation: Can People Really Change?

Ever wondered how our thoughts and actions, when aligned, cause us to become this ‘new version of ourselves’? Well, psychologically, there’s an answer to it. Transformations don’t exactly happen overnight. To change is to evolve. A game of intention and growth followed with consistency over a period of time. When we meet someone after a long time and realise they might have changed or even moved on, it brings up a core reflective question, “Can people really change?”. Scientific and psychological reasoning can offer insight into how change takes shape in the human mind, ultimately resulting in what we call ‘transformation’.

If concepts like neuroplasticity, learned optimism, and reinforcement often come up in discussions about change, this article invites you to go even deeper. It unpacks the science behind personal transformation and offers thoughtful perspectives on that timeless question: “Can people really change?”

What is Transformation?

According to the psychoanalytic theory, transformation is the process in which one’s impulses or unconscious wishes are disguised or manifested to gain admittance to consciousness (APA Dictionary of Psychology, n.d.). When one is determined to take small steps and change internally, their values align with the goals, leading to the longevity of that transformation. To understand this further, two kinds of motivation affect the way we act and think in a certain way that leads to change. Intrinsic motivation, the kind that you engage in that is driven by inward thoughts, desires, actions and capability for your satisfaction. Extrinsic motivation, then, is the behaviour led by a drive to achieve some external reward to escape a punishment (MSEd, 2023b). The self-determination theory explores how these factors drive change in their own ways.

Self-Determination as Key to Transformation

The Self Determination Theory by Deci and Ryan, proposed in 1985, explores the same. The theory is based on two kinds of motivation, intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Self-determination means making your own choices and decisions that impact and manage your own life and goals. Research shows that when individuals make choices based on their wishes, thoughts, and desires, it boosts their motivation and confidence. This is known as intrinsic motivation. Here, two things drive this motivation they are autonomy and competence. Autonomy lets the individual believe that they have the freedom to make their own choices and take the right steps in order to reach a goal, or in this case, to make that change. Competence, then, is the ability to take those actions and believe that one has the skill set to succeed and move forward. Both result in change and, over time, personal transformation (MSEd, 2024d). The need to grow and evolve drives one’s behaviour, while self-determination helps speed up the process.

Logic of the Locus of Control

Locus of Control by Julian Rotter also helps us understand how we as people actually change by a simple shift in approach. It explains how much more in control a person feels when they shift their focus from external factors that aren’t always in their control to internal motivation and situations they can control, like their own decisions, thoughts and actions. This helps make more long-lasting changes that can result in more success and consistency (Lopez-Garrido, 2023).

How your brain helps you change- Neuroplasticity

Bursting the bubble that people have a “fixed personality” is done fairly well by the concept of neuroplasticity. The manifestation of which starts with identity reframing. When we think differently and act differently than what we are used to, something in our brain rewires. Neuroplasticity means the way the capacity of neurons and neural connections in the brain rewire and change upon receiving new information, development, sensory stimulation or even dysfunction (Rugnetta & Michael, 2025b). It is fun to understand how this is applied by the brain for reinforcement for memory and learning as well. This explains how people actually do change because the neural connections expand and rewire. Identity reframing, where one takes the negative aspects of trying to reach a goal and instead uses them to reframe the situation to their own advantage, greatly aids in transformation.

Cognitive dissonance theory by Leon Festinger promotes this growth. It’s where the internal conflict of acting opposite to what you want to do or wish can actually drive change and boost motivation to perform. People can change for these reasons as well.

Hebb’s law then fits well with this capacity and basically means that repetition leads to consistency and transformation. ‘Neurons that wire together, fire together’. It leads to a gradual personality shift that results in a change.

Unrealistic Expectations, Neuroanatomy and An Ultimate Transformation

The false hope syndrome by Polivy and Herman is critical to this process, as setting unrealistic expectations of change may not necessarily yield positive outcomes, especially in a short period. It can lead to overconfidence and unrealistic hope (Mapp, 2022). Learned helplessness (Seligman) may follow if repeated failures are seen. Therefore, setting realistic expectations makes it easier for our brains and bodies to sync and align with the values that will aid in growth and transformation over time. The prefrontal cortex, PFC (Hathaway & Newton, 2023) your executive assistant. It is that part of the brain that develops as we grow. It processes information and sensory inputs from time to time and ‘moment to moment’, comparing them to past experiences and outcomes to react. This plays a major role in how a human being changes over time with new inputs, experiences, and newly made decisions to reach their personal goals for a transformation.

Lastly, the amygdala that processes hard and negative emotions makes it longer for change to occur and old patterns to break making transformation a process rather than an overnight change.

The non-linear approach to a changed being

How do changes occur and why do we feel like people have changed? Well, It’s not exactly the person that changes so much as the changes in the way they makes decisions and evolved thought processes that lead to different outcomes. Mostly a conscious choice. This alters the perception of the person. A mental glow up that can have physical manifestations too, depending on the goals set. In this case, a positive outcome would be a better personal transformation. Transforming is not linear.

The Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) proposed by Prochaska & DiClemente helps understand how this change occurs in steps. These help us understand exactly how a person changes overtime and how sticking to the values and decisions can either help them change and grow or relapse (MSEd, 2024c). The six steps are:

1. Precontemplation- Where one often tries to avoid and starts denying the issue at hand or what needs to be fixed.
2. Contemplation- One takes a step further to weigh the pros and cons.
3. Preparation- here one decides what actions to take to bring about the change.
4. Action- Taking the action(s)
5. Maintenance – Maintaining the new changes and routine (Here others can start to see changes in the person and wonder if they are really changing)
6. Relapse- Here is where mistakes happen, falling into old patterns and setbacks occur.

Conclusion

Transformation is not an overnight process. People can change, and even scientifically, they do. It all happens when you make conscious and intentional choices and decisions to actually grow and reach your goals while staying consistent.