Personality
Definitions:
Personality is a dynamic concept describing the growth and development of a person’s whole psychological system–it looks at some aggregate whole that is greater than the sum of the parts.
Gordon Allport coined the most frequent used definition:
Personality—“the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to his environment”
Personality—“the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to his environment”
Personality is the sum total of ways in which an individual reacts to and interacts with others.
It is most often described in terms of measurable traits that a person exhibits.
S.R.Maddi defined Personality as “ a set of characteristics and tendencies that determine those commonalities and differences in the behaviour (thought ,feeling and actions) of people that have continuity in time and that may not be easily understand as a sole result of the social and biological pressures of the moment “.
It is most often described in terms of measurable traits that a person exhibits.
S.R.Maddi defined Personality as “ a set of characteristics and tendencies that determine those commonalities and differences in the behaviour (thought ,feeling and actions) of people that have continuity in time and that may not be easily understand as a sole result of the social and biological pressures of the moment “.
Personality Theories
In order to throw light on various aspects of personality, a number of studies have been undertaken by many psychologists. The results of some of such studies have been widely accepted and applied. These are termed as theories of personality which help us to understand & predict the human behaviour in a better way. Some of the important theories of personality are briefly explained below
1. Psychoanalytical Theory
2. Socio-psychological Theory
3. Trait Theory
4. Self Theory
1. PSYCHOANALYTICAL THEORY
Psychoanalytical theory was developed by the well known psychologist Sigmund Freud (Austrian neurologist & the founder of psychoanalysis). This theory is based on the notion (concept) that a man is motivated more by unseen forces than by conscious &logical thinking. During clinical research Freud found that his patient’s behaviour could not be always consciously explained.This led him to believe that the main motivating force behind a particular human behaviour is primarily hidden in the unconscious frame.
Explaining this unconscious framework, he used the following three conflicting psychoanalytical terms
i. The Id
ii. The Ego
iii. The Super Ego
THE SUPER EGO
Super Ego represents that higher level force which stimulates a man to behave keeping in mind the social & personal norms.It can be termed as the conscience of person.It is of normative ðical nature.
With the passage of time, a child learns the values and norms of his family,friends and the society at large and also develops his own values and norms. Based on these values and norms, the Super Ego continuously tells a man what is right and what is wrong and puts pressure to act accordingly.
Explanation with Example– Suppose a boy passes through a sweet shop & eyes on Gulab Jamun kept on the counter of the shop.Now, the Id will stimulate him to eat Gulab Jamun immediately. The Ego may remind him that right now he is not feeling well as such the sweet should not be taken. The Super Ego may further remind him that the Gulab Jamun are laying in the open as such the advice of his parents not to eat unhygienic items must be obeyed &thus the sweet must not be consumed.
THE ID
Id represents that para-normal energy which stimulates a man to satisfy his sexual and other biological needs (like hunger or thrust etc.) immediately at any cost.It is of unconscious and illogical nature.It has features of aggression,power and domination.
THE EGO
Ego represents that forces which inspires a man to satisfy his sexual and other biological needs at an appropriate time, place and manner. It is of conscious and logical nature.It is related with the hard realities of daily life.Ego continuously tries to control Id – whereas Id puts pressure on a man to gratify his libido (i.e., sex related) needs at the earliest, Ego advices him not to do so till the right time and place arrive.
The psychoanalytical theory helps to analyse and understand those human behaviours which occur unconsciously.
For example:-The increasing problems of alcoholism,Drug abuse,Sexual abuse,Women teasing & sabotage etc.
2.Socio-psychological Theory:-
The Socio-psychological theory has been contributed by such authors as Alfred Adler (an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school of individual psychology),
Erich Fromm, Karen Horney and Sullivan. This theory emphasises on the important role played by society in forming personality of a person. According to this theory, a man tries to meet the needs of the society and in return the society facilitates the man to meet his needs. This interaction between the society and the man is the foundation of a person’s personality. During this interaction a man learns a lot and accordingly modifies his personality. Thus this theory assumes personality as the sum total of all that a person has learned.
Erich Fromm, Karen Horney and Sullivan. This theory emphasises on the important role played by society in forming personality of a person. According to this theory, a man tries to meet the needs of the society and in return the society facilitates the man to meet his needs. This interaction between the society and the man is the foundation of a person’s personality. During this interaction a man learns a lot and accordingly modifies his personality. Thus this theory assumes personality as the sum total of all that a person has learned.
3.Trait Theory :-
This theory is based on the assumption that a person’s personality is primarily based on his traits. Therefore by looking at one’s traits, a fairly good idea about his personality can be made.
A trait may be termed as any attribute, peculiarity, characteristic, variable or feature of persistent nature which is visible in one’s thinking and acting. Every individual has a number of traits but all the traits are not found in all the persons. Moreover, the penetration or depth of a trait vary from person to person.
Gordon Allport and Raymond B. Cattell have done pioneering studies for Trait Theory. Allport has based his study on ‘common traits’ and ‘personal dispositions’. The former has been used for comparing persons on the basis of their traits whereas ‘personal dispositions’ have been used to find the uniqueness of those traits in the concerned persons.
He has classified the common traits in 6 (in abbreviation PASTER) categories—
- P- Political
- A- Aesthetic(i.e., sensitive to beauty or artistic)
- S- Social
- T- Theoretical
- E- Economic
- R- Religious
These categories of traits are present in different degrees or quantities in a person which he has termed as ‘personal dispositions’. The personal distribution of traits in quantitative terms has been classified at three levels—
I. Cardinal (most pervasive)
II. Central (unique & limited in number) and
III. Secondary (peripheral or irrelevant)
On the basis of ‘personal dispositions’ of ‘common traits’— i.e., in what quantity the different traits are visible in an individual— one’s personality can be understood.
Adopting a different approach, Cattell (The Scientific Analysis of Personality) has group the traits in two categories—
- Surface traits
- Source traits
Surface traits refers to those traits which are visible on the surface of one’s personality. On the other hand, source traits are the root or basic traits which generate surface traits
Cattell has identified 35 surface traits (e.g., honestdishonest, wise-foolish, sociable-seclusive, affectionate-cold etc.) and 12 source traits (e.g., toughminded and sensitive, trusting-suspicious, practicalimaginative, self-assured-apprehensive, uncontrolledcontrolled etc.).
4.Self Theory:–
Self theory, a brain child of Carl C. Rogers, assumes that a person himself shapes his personality— i.e., an individual’s personality is primarily based on his self. Self in simple words, means how one perceives about one’s merits and demerits in his own eyes and through others eyes. He has presented the following 4 aspects of the self concept—
- Self-Image
- Ideal-Self
- Looking Glass-Self
- Real-Self
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Personality
Definitions:
Personality is a dynamic concept describing the growth and development of a person’s whole psychological system–it looks at some aggregate whole that is greater than the sum of the parts.
Gordon Allport coined the most frequent used definition:
Personality—“the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to his environment”
Personality—“the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to his environment”
Personality is the sum total of ways in which an individual reacts to and interacts with others.
It is most often described in terms of measurable traits that a person exhibits.
S.R.Maddi defined Personality as “ a set of characteristics and tendencies that determine those commonalities and differences in the behaviour (thought ,feeling and actions) of people that have continuity in time and that may not be easily understand as a sole result of the social and biological pressures of the moment “.
It is most often described in terms of measurable traits that a person exhibits.
S.R.Maddi defined Personality as “ a set of characteristics and tendencies that determine those commonalities and differences in the behaviour (thought ,feeling and actions) of people that have continuity in time and that may not be easily understand as a sole result of the social and biological pressures of the moment “.
Personality Theories
In order to throw light on various aspects of personality, a number of studies have been undertaken by many psychologists. The results of some of such studies have been widely accepted and applied. These are termed as theories of personality which help us to understand & predict the human behaviour in a better way. Some of the important theories of personality are briefly explained below
1. Psychoanalytical Theory
2. Socio-psychological Theory
3. Trait Theory
4. Self Theory
1. PSYCHOANALYTICAL THEORY
Psychoanalytical theory was developed by the well known psychologist Sigmund Freud (Austrian neurologist & the founder of psychoanalysis). This theory is based on the notion (concept) that a man is motivated more by unseen forces than by conscious &logical thinking. During clinical research Freud found that his patient’s behaviour could not be always consciously explained.This led him to believe that the main motivating force behind a particular human behaviour is primarily hidden in the unconscious frame.
Explaining this unconscious framework, he used the following three conflicting psychoanalytical terms
i. The Id
ii. The Ego
iii. The Super Ego
THE SUPER EGO
Super Ego represents that higher level force which stimulates a man to behave keeping in mind the social & personal norms.It can be termed as the conscience of person.It is of normative ðical nature.
With the passage of time, a child learns the values and norms of his family,friends and the society at large and also develops his own values and norms. Based on these values and norms, the Super Ego continuously tells a man what is right and what is wrong and puts pressure to act accordingly.
Explanation with Example– Suppose a boy passes through a sweet shop & eyes on Gulab Jamun kept on the counter of the shop.Now, the Id will stimulate him to eat Gulab Jamun immediately. The Ego may remind him that right now he is not feeling well as such the sweet should not be taken. The Super Ego may further remind him that the Gulab Jamun are laying in the open as such the advice of his parents not to eat unhygienic items must be obeyed &thus the sweet must not be consumed.
THE ID
Id represents that para-normal energy which stimulates a man to satisfy his sexual and other biological needs (like hunger or thrust etc.) immediately at any cost.It is of unconscious and illogical nature.It has features of aggression,power and domination.
THE EGO
Ego represents that forces which inspires a man to satisfy his sexual and other biological needs at an appropriate time, place and manner. It is of conscious and logical nature.It is related with the hard realities of daily life.Ego continuously tries to control Id – whereas Id puts pressure on a man to gratify his libido (i.e., sex related) needs at the earliest, Ego advices him not to do so till the right time and place arrive.
The psychoanalytical theory helps to analyse and understand those human behaviours which occur unconsciously.
For example:-The increasing problems of alcoholism,Drug abuse,Sexual abuse,Women teasing & sabotage etc.
2.Socio-psychological Theory:-
The Socio-psychological theory has been contributed by such authors as Alfred Adler (an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school of individual psychology),
Erich Fromm, Karen Horney and Sullivan. This theory emphasises on the important role played by society in forming personality of a person. According to this theory, a man tries to meet the needs of the society and in return the society facilitates the man to meet his needs. This interaction between the society and the man is the foundation of a person’s personality. During this interaction a man learns a lot and accordingly modifies his personality. Thus this theory assumes personality as the sum total of all that a person has learned.
Erich Fromm, Karen Horney and Sullivan. This theory emphasises on the important role played by society in forming personality of a person. According to this theory, a man tries to meet the needs of the society and in return the society facilitates the man to meet his needs. This interaction between the society and the man is the foundation of a person’s personality. During this interaction a man learns a lot and accordingly modifies his personality. Thus this theory assumes personality as the sum total of all that a person has learned.
3.Trait Theory :-
This theory is based on the assumption that a person’s personality is primarily based on his traits. Therefore by looking at one’s traits, a fairly good idea about his personality can be made.
A trait may be termed as any attribute, peculiarity, characteristic, variable or feature of persistent nature which is visible in one’s thinking and acting. Every individual has a number of traits but all the traits are not found in all the persons. Moreover, the penetration or depth of a trait vary from person to person.
Gordon Allport and Raymond B. Cattell have done pioneering studies for Trait Theory. Allport has based his study on ‘common traits’ and ‘personal dispositions’. The former has been used for comparing persons on the basis of their traits whereas ‘personal dispositions’ have been used to find the uniqueness of those traits in the concerned persons.
He has classified the common traits in 6 (in abbreviation PASTER) categories—
- P- Political
- A- Aesthetic(i.e., sensitive to beauty or artistic)
- S- Social
- T- Theoretical
- E- Economic
- R- Religious
These categories of traits are present in different degrees or quantities in a person which he has termed as ‘personal dispositions’. The personal distribution of traits in quantitative terms has been classified at three levels—
I. Cardinal (most pervasive)
II. Central (unique & limited in number) and
III. Secondary (peripheral or irrelevant)
On the basis of ‘personal dispositions’ of ‘common traits’— i.e., in what quantity the different traits are visible in an individual— one’s personality can be understood.
Adopting a different approach, Cattell (The Scientific Analysis of Personality) has group the traits in two categories—
- Surface traits
- Source traits
Surface traits refers to those traits which are visible on the surface of one’s personality. On the other hand, source traits are the root or basic traits which generate surface traits
Cattell has identified 35 surface traits (e.g., honest dishonest, wise-foolish, sociable-seclusive, affectionate-cold etc.) and 12 source traits (e.g., tough minded and sensitive, trusting-suspicious, practical imaginative, self-assured-apprehensive, uncontrolled controlled etc.).
4.Self Theory:–
Self theory, a brain child of Carl C. Rogers, assumes that a person himself shapes his personality— i.e., an individual’s personality is primarily based on his self. Self in simple words, means how one perceives about one’s merits and demerits in his own eyes and through others eyes. He has presented the following 4 aspects of the self concept—
- Self-Image
- Ideal-Self
- Looking Glass-Self
- Real-Self