Personality Introduction The word personality has come from a Latin word ‘persona’ that means a mask. So may be personality stands for the mask we wear while behaving with different people. Our behavior differs as we enter different groups of people. Yet, there is something in us that is still the same. This means, we do not always appear the same as we are. We always want to know who we are. That means, we want to know our self. But the self lies at the core of personality. So the study of personality helps us know our real being and our unique qualities. Definition of personality: Personality is the dynamic organization of psycho-physical systems of an individual. Different psychologists have defined personality differently. Let us see some important definitions of them: According to Gordon W. Allport as defined in1937, “Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychological systems that determine his unique adjustment to his environment.” Later in 1961, he re-defined it as “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychological systems that determine his characteristic behavior and thought.” According to Allport’s definition, personality has the following components: Dynamic organization: Means, to stay healthy, we must integrate all factors being as a whole. Psychological system: Our biology influences our personality. Our temperament constitutes inherent biological foundation for personality. Determinative: Traits not only predict the behavior, but they also determine behavior. Unique: Traits are highly Individual & unique. Adjustment to environment: Personality develops a function to adopt to surroundings. Factors influencing personality: There are many factors that influence the development of personality. These are biological as well as psycho-social. Let us see them in details: Biological factors: These include Genetics, body chemistry, physical structure or physique, physical disabilities and endocrine glands functionality. Healthy condition of these factors add to good personality traits while unhealthy state in any of the se factors contribute to the development of some deficiency or disorder in the related area of personality. Psycho-social factors: These include family, school, neighborhood, peers and cultural influences. Just as in case of biological factors, even here, healthy status of these factors leads to healthy development of personality while deficiency in any of the factors of any type, contribute to deficiency and disorder of that type, to that extent in one’s personality. Major approaches to study of personality Personality is studied by different psychologists using different assumptions. Of them, the two major assumptions are the type theories and the trait theories. Let us see them: Type theories: 1. Hypocratus: 4 types: Phlegmatic = calm, cold, slow, indifferent; Choleric = hot headed, irritable, passionate, strong, imaginative; Sanguine = optimistic, happy, optimistic, light hearted; Melancholic = sad, depressed, pessimistic, dejected, deplorable, self-involved. 2. Kretschmer: 3 types: Pyknic = fat, sociable, jolly, easy going, good natured; Athletic = normal body, energetic, optimistic, adjustable; Asthenic = lean, thin, unsociable, reserved, shy, sensitive, pessimistic. 3. William Sheldon: 3 types, Endomorph = relaxed, sociable, slow, physically tolerant. Soft & round bodied; comfort loving, foody. Mesomorph = assertive, athletic, energetic, bold, risk taking, adventurous, muscular, strong. Ectomorph = loners, sensitive, fearful, introvert, artistic. 4. Carl Jung: 2 types Introverts: loners, withdrawn, shy, emotionally unstable. Extroverts: sociable, outgoing, bold, emotionally stable. Trait approaches: Traits are important ways of describing an individual’s personality. They are relatively enduring & consistent ways of thinking, acting & feeling. They are relatively stable over time. 1. Gordon Allport: 2 types Cardinal (or central): highly generalized, indicate goal around which life of a person revolves. Secondary: influential within a narrow range. 2. Big five factors: 5 broad trait factors. Neuroticism v/s emotional stability: Ability & general tendency to experience and digest negative feelings. Extroversion v/s introversion: ability to express one’s own thoughts freely with others around. Openness v/s closeness to experiences: ability to accept new experiences and handle them well. Agreeableness v/s disagreeableness: Ability to have considerate attitude towards people around. Conscientiousness v/s absence of conscientiousness: Ability to have high ambition & work to achieve goals. Psychodynamic approach: This is highly popular approach, based on the theory of Sigmund Freud. It talks of 3 levels of consciousness: Conscious: thoughts we are aware of Pre-conscious or Sub-conscious: thoughts that we can be aware of if watched closely. Unconscious: thoughts we are never aware of. It also talks of 3 elements that make structure of personality: Id: raw, unorganized part of being. Ego: balancing factor that harmonized id and superego. Superego: the part of being that establishes and imposes do’s and don’ts of behavior on a being. Assessment of personality Personality is assessed by various ways as per different psychologists. The major of them are: Self report: Here, a person rates himself in various ways while answering questions in structured tests like MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) or CPI (California psychological inventories) etc. Projective techniques: Here, a person is given some neutral cues and while trying to interpret them, a person expresses the innermost thoughts and fears or thoughts that he is hiding not just from world but also from his own self. Behavioral analysis: Here by using the method of observation or interview or by giving situational tests, the behavior of person to certain situations is observed.
Posted on: Sat, 31 Aug 2013 09:32:25 +0000