PERSONALITY
MEANING
Personality is hard to define, but we know personality when we see it. We all make judgments about the personalities of people we know and we also form impressions about the personalities of people we don’t know but only read about.
The word personality is derived from the Latin word persona which means the person who uses it when coming in contact with others.
Thus the term personality means the social mask people wear as they assume the roles imposed on them by social conventions and traditions.
Personality refers to a person’s inner qualities, their behavioral characteristics, or both.
The psychologist, Gordon Allport (1937), defined personality as “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems which determine his unique adjustment to his environment.
According to RS Woodworth “Personality is the total quality of a person’s behaviour”.
According to Cattell, “Personality is that which allows predicting what a person will do in a given situation” So, from the above definitions, we can say that Personality is not a static state but dynamic in nature, which is constantly changing. Relates to the environment.
Collectively, Personality can be defined as the sum total of a person’s physical, mental and social qualities.
Personality refers to the systematic, consistent and general pattern of a person’s behavior which helps us to understand his behavior as a person.
The various characteristics of personality shed light on its nature and are as follows:
Uniqueness:
Personality is the most important part that makes us a person. It is said that no two people look alike; The same can be said about Personality; No two personalities are exactly alike.
Personality constant changeable:
The definition of Personality given by Allport shows that Personality is a dynamic whole. The parts of the personality are organized into units that are not static but active
Personality measures the behaviour:
Personality of individuals can be evaluated by their behaviour.
Motive force:
There are various motivational theories that help in understanding the dynamics of personality. A person’s behavior is overall influenced by motives, incentives, ego involvement etc.
Personality is an interaction between heredity and environment:
In short, Personality is the result of the interaction of heredity and environmental factors. Environmental factors affect the development of physical, social, emotional and moral characteristics of individuals.
other points
Unique and special
self-conscious.
It includes all behavior patterns. cognitive, conative and affective domains
The sum total of a person’s (gross) attributes.
Dynamic and always changable.
A person’s unique adjustment to his environment.
Personality is always striving for goals.
Motives, abilities, interest and nature are identified as underlying determinants of behaviour. Each individual personality has one or more distinctive traits to achieve recognition
DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONALITY
Personality development is the development of organized patterns of behavior and attitude that make a person unique, and can be recognized immediately after birth.
Nature Temperament, the constant interaction of environment and character helps in the development of personality.
Nature:
A genetically determined characteristic that determines a child’s approach to the world and how the child learns
To define personality traits, there are no genes that control the development of the nervous system that controls a person’s behavior.
Environment:
Another component of personality comes from the adaptive pattern related to the child’s specific environment, both of which play the most important role in the development of the individual’s personality, nature and environment.
Character:
Character is the third component of personality, which is defined as a set of cognitive, emotional and behavioral structures learned from a person’s experience.
Although Character depends on the inborn traits and the starting experience of a person but it continues to emerge throughout a person’s life.
TYPES OF PERSONALITY Types of personality
Different psychologists have given personality types in different ways.
According to Hippocrates (a Greek physician known as the FATHER OF MEDICINE), people are divided into four temperamental groups:
Sanguine Favorable: Individuals of this group are cheerful, enthusiastic and confidently optimistic. Energetic, emotionally & physically strong, confident.
Melancholic Melancholic: Individuals of this group are depressed and stupid. no energy, no happiness, emotionally & physically weak.
Choleric Choleric: Individuals of this group are hot tempered. Active but irritable, emotionally weak, physically strong.
Phlegmatic Phlegmatic: Individuals of this group are slow to calm and restless. Happy but lazy, emotionally strong, physically weak, calm.
According to Ernst Kreutzmeier (German psychologist) human beings are classified into four types.
Ernst found from his studies on psychiatric patients that certain body types are associated with certain types of mental disorders and these are:
Picnic:
Individuals of this body type are short, round and associated with manic depression. They have personality traits of extroverts.
Good nature, jolly, fatty, sociable..
Asthenic:
Individuals of this body type have the characteristics of delicate body and introverted personality.
They suffer from mental disorders like schizophrenia.
He is shy, sensitive, unsociable.
People with this body type have a strong body. They are energetic and aggressive, strong determined, adventurous and balanced.
They are usually associated with manic depression and manic depressive psychosis.
Individuals with this body type have disproportionate body parts and do not belong to any of the three types mentioned above (this disproportion is due to hormonal imbalance). As the body is disproportionate, their behavior and personality are also unbalanced.
Influenced by Kretschmer’s view, Sheldon classified personality based on nature and body type.
Physiological components are Endomorphic Endomorphy, Mesomorphic Mesomorphy and Ectomorphic Ectomorphy.
Corresponding temperament parameters are viscerotonia, somatotonia and cerebrotonia respectively.
Sheldon somatotype
Endomorphic (viscerotonic)
Character:- Gentle, sociable, tolerant, comfort loving, peaceful
Appearance :-fatty
Mesomorphic (somatotonic)
character- Vigorous, combative
Appearance:- Active, assertive, muscular, plump, buxom,
Ectomorphic (cerebrotonic)
Character- Calm, delicate, restrained, non-assertive, sensitive
Appearance :- Lean, delicate, weak muscles
Endomorphic (Viserotonia): This aspect of personality shows a predominance of the visceral organs. Individuals of this group are plump, soft, fat and round-friendly, temperamental and light punches also indicate excess viscera as fat.
Mesomorphic (Somatotonia): This aspect of personality refers to bone and muscle. A mesomorphic has broad shoulders, narrow hips, and rippling muscles.
Ectomorphic (Cerebrotonia): It is one of the classifications given by Sheldon.
CG Jung (a leading Swiss psychologist originally a follower of Sigmund Freud) classifies personality into two main groups:
INTROVERT is an introvert and EXTROVERT is an extrovert and persons belonging to this group are called introverts and extroverts respectively.
INTROVERT:
According to Jung, INTROVERT Introverts have an attitude of keeping everything to themselves, especially in times of emotional stress and conflict. Characteristics of introverts include shyness and preference for working alone.
INTROVERT Introvert likes indoor games and keeps himself busy reading and writing books alone. He likes to be alone more.
They don’t like busy people/places.
INTROVERT An introvert has some fixed ideas and thinks a lot before doing anything.
INTROVERT Introverts are very sensitive and don’t spend as much money on other people as extroverts.
He is a day dreamer, shy, moody, alone, and cool.
EXTROVERT extrovert
EXTROVERT Extrovert has the opposite behavior qualities overall. Individuals of this group are outgoing, extravagant, lively and direct.
EXTROVERT Extroverts react positively to various situations and mix freely with others.
They are talkative and good at social interaction. Extroverts are very generous and outspoken and sometimes even more daring
EXTROVERT Extroverts always like outdoor games and don’t pay much attention to details. They are always a happy, lucky person.
EXTROVERT Extroverted people usually spend a lot of money on others and try to get love and affection from others.
He is friendly, talkative, emotionally sensitive, fluent in speech, always looking for something to enjoy.
In his theory of personality, there are two types: Introversion, Introversion, Extroversion, Neuroticism, Neuroticism and Psychological.
TYPE A PERSONALITY
Restlessness
competitive drive
restlessness
Driving hard
Sense of urgency
TYPE B PERSONALITY
Calmer calmer
more philosophical more philosophical
easy going
Non competitive
Longer life
Little dull
Personality assessment is done for various reasons.
Psychologist wants to identify people for salesman job. Clinical psychologists often use personality tests to assess psychological disorders. Personality tests do not have “right” and “wrong” answers. Instead, they look for answers that will reveal people’s typical attitude or behaviour.
Dr. According to Saul Rosenzweig, personality testing and assessment methods can be divided into the following categories:
Self-Report Technique OR Subjective method
Observation Technique OR Objective method
Projective Technique Projective methods
Self-Report Technique OR Subjective method
Subjective method Subjective methods are those in which the object has to know about the subject
In this method, the subject himself tells about his attitude, personal experience, goals, needs and interests.
Some important subjective methods are:
Autobiography Autobiography
An autobiography is a description by a person about his life experiences, his current goals, motives, interest and attitude.
The subject is free to choose experiences that reveal his personality that are important to him.
Case History
Case history relies to a greater or lesser extent on autobiography.
In a case history, information about a person from various sources is combined.
For this several interviews are conducted with the individual and other persons who know the person.
Provides information on case study techniques
Interview Interview
Interview is the most common method of assessing a person’s personality.
The interviewer either asks questions or lets the person speak freely to get a clear picture of the person.
From what the person says, the interviewer knows about his interests,
Questionnaires Questionnaires
Questionnaires A questionnaire is a series of printed or written questions that a person is asked to answer. The subject is expected to answer each question by checking or circling or underlining the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ given against the question.
The investigator counts the number of “yes, no” and thus the examiner is in a position to tell whether a person has certain symptoms or not.
A limitation of this method is that the person may not be willing to reveal the true facts about him or may not be in conscious possession of these facts.
The method at its best reveals that part of the personality which is clearly stated or available for examination of the subject.
Observation Technique OR Objective method
objective method Objective methods rely on the observable behavior of the subject revealed to observers, examiners, or others who serve as judges.
Where its specific traits, habits, needs and other characteristics can be directly observed by the examiner.
Projective Technique Projective methods
In this method, the subject is requested to behave imaginatively, i.e. by making up a story, interpreting ink-blots or making some objects out of plastic material and drawing what he wants to draw.
The subject is thus encouraged to ‘project’ or throw freely his thoughts, feelings, desires and other reactions into some situation that is provided. Therefore, this method reveals the underlying traits, moods, attitudes and perceptions that determine a person’s behavior in real-life situations.
Some important projection techniques are-
Rorschach test, TAT or Thematic Apperception Test, sentence completion tests, play technique, word association test, incomplete sentence technique.
Importance of knowledge of personality for nurses
Knowledge of personality formation and change is very necessary for nurses.
With this knowledge, the nurse can understand not only about the patient’s personality but also about his own personality, which is positive and helps in effective nursing care.
Hence, the nurse should try to understand the patients’ personality, and if they are negative, try to change them.
Relationship with patients and can also influence job satisfaction.
Personality, or the way you address the person you are serving and present your self, is very important in the workplace.
A nurse is a person who helps sick patients, helps them to get well and healthy again.
Nurses should have a good disposition, be very cheerful and have a smile on their lips.
They should get satisfaction from their work, and they should do their work with consciousness and concentration.
It incorporates socio-cultural concepts into personality development, provides a systematic, step-by-step approach and outlines specific tasks that must be completed during each stage.
Characteristics of different age groups
Everyone has a unique identity. This identity includes various personality traits which can be positive or negative.
These traits can also be congenital, and vary depending on the degree of influence of the environment on the individual.
INFANCY: Infancy:
From birth to 3 months of age, the infant does not perceive the physical separation between itself and the mother.
The developmental stage has a duration of 3 to 18 months. Infant is completely dependent on others.
The needs of the trust are met consistently and predictably.
Feelings of loving, nurturing and accepting the environment result from the child’s complete dependence
Between 18 months and 3 years of age, the capacity for empathic understanding develops in future relationships.
Early Childhood (0-5 years): Early Childhood (0-5 years):
Structure of Basic Nature:
Nature, which includes characteristics like activity level, emotional responsiveness, forms the foundation of personality.
Attachment formation: Interactions with caregivers during infancy and early childhood contribute to the development of attachment styles, influencing trust, intimacy, and interpersonal relationships later in life.
Exploration and learning: Children begin to explore their environment, develop language skills, and learn social norms through interactions with family members and peers.
Middle Childhood (6-12 years): Middle Childhood (6-12 years):
Formation of self-concept Formation of self-concept: Children develop a sense of self-awareness and self-esteem based on feedback from others and their own experiences.
Socialization: Peer relationships become increasingly important, influencing social skills, empathy.
Cognitive development: Advances in cognitive abilities, such as reasoning and problem-solving, affect personality development by shaping how individuals understand and interpret the world around them.
Adolescence (13-18 years):
Identity formation: Adolescents explore various roles, values, and beliefs as they seek to establish a coherent sense of identity.
Peer influence: Peers play a role in shaping the development of adolescents’ attitudes, behavior, and identity
Risk-taking and experimentation: Adolescents may engage in risk-taking behavior as they navigate the formation of autonomy and identity, which may affect personality development.
Early Adulthood (19-40 years): Early Adulthood (19-40 years):
Identity consolidation
Young adults’ sense of self
Continue to improve and long-term goal
and establish values.
Intimacy and relationships:
Forming intimate relationships and career paths or lives
Commitment to goals in the development of adult personality
contributes.
Coping strategies Coping strategies:
Individuals respond to life’s challenges and tensions
Develops coping mechanisms and resilience,
which shapes emotional stability.
Middle Adulthood (41-60 years):
Career and family roles Career and family roles:
Adults Career progression, parenthood and care
Changes in priorities and responsibilities related to keeping
can experience, which influences the development of personality.
Late Adulthood (61+ years): Late Adulthood (61+ years):
Adjustments to aging:
Physical and cognitive associated with aging
Personality traits in coping with changes
may be affected.
WILL AND CHARACTER Will and character
WILL desire
Will: It is the will of a person which is knowingly or unknowingly carried out by his actions.
WILL: Will consciously regulates activities and behavior by individuals.
WILL “Will” helps in achieving set goals by overcoming various obstacles and difficulties.
WILL will depends on various factors such as: Age of the person
physical & mental health
amount of training
When a person performs an activity according to his choice it is known as free will.
Will is not considered a separate psychic faculty. It is considered a quality or aspect of behaviour.
Strength of Will can be due to one or more of the following:
Have the right ideals and standards
Ability to choose between alternative solutions to problems
Ability to stick with decisions once made
Ability to resist desires, impulses and urges
Desire is determined by our actions or activities performed by us.
These actions can be either involuntary or voluntary. The former is something you do without even thinking about it, like blood circulation, breathing, heart beat, blinking if the eyes are involuntary actions. While a voluntary action is something you do on purpose like throwing a ball, clapping, talking, running, holding, reading, eating etc. are examples of voluntary actions.
CHARACTER character character
Character: Strength and originality is a person’s nature derived from education and environment known as character.
Character is a person’s life time advantage. It is the result of growth, it is not innate, which means that individuals are not born with CHARACTER but they have acquired it.
CHARACTER can be good and strong like honesty, friendship, etc
Or can be bad like lying, dishonesty etc.
Character is a set of behavior traits that define what a person is like. It determines whether a person will effectively achieve goals.
Although character is related to personality, it is not the same thing. Personality is mainly innate traits, while character consists of learned behaviour. Both can change according to the situation.
People seem to be born with a certain personality or attitude. Some people are shy, while others are outgoing and talkative.
This learning comes directly or from observations of other characters and is related to their attitudes and values. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, your character concerns your attitude toward doing difficult tasks, dealing with others, and following the rules of your culture.
SOURCES OF FORMATION OF GOOD CHARACTER
Heredity Heredity
early childhood experience
Modeling by important adults and older youth
peer influence
general physical & social environment General physical or social environment
communication media
Materials taught in schools, churches etc.
Certain situations and roles
A good character is best developed through shared values between families, schools, religious institutions and communities.