People with creative personalities really do see the world differently

Research found that open people don't just bring a different perspective; they really see things differently.

The research findings suggest that open people's creative tendencies are ingrained in their basic visual perception. Open people may have inherently different experiences to other people.

A well-known perceptual phenomenon is called inattentional blindness. This is when people are so focused on one thing that they miss something else right in front of their eyes.

A study showed that your susceptibility to inattentional blindness depends on your personality. Open people are less likely to suffer from inattentional blindness.

There is mounting evidence that personality is malleable, and cognitive training interventions shows promise to increase openness. Travel also broadens the mind.

However, the dark side to the permeability of consciousness that characterises open people is that it is linked to aspects of mental illness, such as being disposed to hallucination. Care should be taken not to see things that are not there.