The Concept of Personality and Personality Theory - Essay Example

Personality Theory Olga Birgans Liberty The concept of personality is central in psychology that is why numerous theories try to explain it. Personality includes unique traits of character, reactions, feeling, and perception of the world that help to build relationships with others. Among the most important theories of personality it is necessary to mention two opposing views which are known as nurture vs. nature. Some psychologists think that genetics and natural instincts play the main role in person`s behavior while others say that upbringing and environment change the person. Family, culture, society affect personality development as well. Moreover, some researches claim that cultural norms often make personality traits more prominent. Even social relationships and conflicts also cause changes in human behaviors. There exists a division on the stages of human development which explain which qualities and virtues the person should gain in the process of personality development. Psychologists also underline that motivation is extremely important for personality development because it serves as a driving source for changes. Unconscious recognition is necessary for developing a personality because it is a step on the way to Self, the concept that can be regarded as the goal of personality development. It is interesting that Bible could not pass by the concept of personality and there are a lot of advices and examples of what a good person is according to Christianity. There are numerous personality theories each of which makes accent on some primary source of personality development. Some psychologists consider biological and hereditary factors to be the most influential for personality development, others see environment as the main driving force. Some psychologists underline motivation, experience, and personality traits as the basis of personality. For many understanding of unconscious along with consciousness is seen as a way to become a healthy personality. Personality is generally regarded as a mix of specific characteristics and traits that makes an individual unique. Allport also thinks that cognitive processes and motivation along with unique traits create a personality (1961, 28). According to Branden, personality concept is built around six pillars: self-acceptance, self-esteem, self-assertiveness, personal responsibility, purpose in life, and integrity. All these pillars are connected and dependent on each other, and their combination allows successful functioning in society (Branden, 1995, 61). Bulange underlines that self-esteem is probably the most important for establishment of healthy relationships between a person and the world around with the help of positive thinking (Bulange, 2010, 34). Kernis considers that conscious living is the main condition of forming a complete personality. Taking responsibility and accepting oneself are necessary things for development of personality as well (Kernis, 2003, 12). Personality is not a stable concept, it is something that undergoes changes day to day to adapt to the environment and develops constantly. Many psychologists wanted to find out the laws that help the personality to evolve and the final result that a person can achieve. Foundations of Personality The section is about several basic approaches of personality theory. The debate over dominant influence of genetics opposed to the dominant influence of social environment continues till our days. So it is important to know how this debate influenced the understanding of personality. Nature Versus Nurture It seems that both nature and nurture are important because they allow a person to become who he is. Nurture, such as upbringing, social institutions, influences the personality from birth to turn him into a product of the environment. Those psychologists who claimed that nature plays the main role in personality development usually underline the importance of genetics or general human drives. For example, Freud thought that aggression is an inborn quality of every person that influence human behavior generally (Freud, 1991, 25). Another psychoanalyst, Blowby also thought that people become who they due to such factors as attachment in the early childhood which is biologically determined (1956, 118). Behaviorists thought that experience and upbringing create a person, and so that every child can become anyone he wants (Herrnestein, 1972, 24). It is sad when a person has a lot of potential but circumstances in life or the environment affect the individual so that he cannot do much with the gifts or talents that he may possess. The Unconscious Many psychologists considered unconscious to be an important part of personality so that many factors influencing a human behavior, social relationship, traits of character are deep and not easily understood. Wyatt regarded unconscious as a primary a source of personality development. White wanted to say that it is necessary to understand that unconscious cannot be regarded as a part of consciousness. Unconscious is only a concept and it cannot occupy any space in the consciousness stricture. Unconscious is not contradicting with conscious as it exists in a different level of human psyche (White, 2013, 22). Freud pointed that unconscious is the real psychic, and the real nature of it is opened to us with the help of consciousness as the thing of the world that surround us open with the help of senses such as vision or touch (2010, 9). View of Self The concept of Self was best described by Jung who thought of Self as of some sense of completeness of a person. Everyone has to pass certain stages to acquire real Self in the process of individuation. The search of Self is a long and painful process which requires experience ad motivation from a person. According to Jung, “the Self...embraces ego-consciousness, shadow, anima, and collective unconscious in indeterminable extension” (1963, 108). Progression of Personality Development Many scholars have different points of view of personality development, but many theories agree that environmental, cultural factors play a big part in personality development. It is impossible not to mention Erikson who formulated a whole system of personality development dividing it into eight stages. According to the psychologist, during each stage of development a person acquires some important traits or virtues of character necessary for passing into the next stage. During adulthood a psychologically mature person has to learn how to form intimate relationships instead of remaining in isolation (this period lasts from 24 to 30). Further a person passes to the generativity stage which is opposite to stagnation (40-64).The last stage makes the person become integrated with society rather than desperate, and it lasts from 65 till death (Erikson, 1959, 21) Motivation Motivation serves as a basis of personality development because evry human has to perform certain actions to achieve something. Maslow presented a Theory of Human Motivation that includes physiological needs, safety, belongingness and love, esteem, self-actualization, and self-transcendence. These needs are built in a certain hierarchy, and reaching the lowest, such as shelter, food, makes the person want for more. His theory states that basic human needs have to be met before a person reaches the full potential of his purpose as an individual (Maslow, 1943, 372). Maturation Maturation is some internal process that is more-or-less independent of some external factors. The child grows and gets mature due to experience and learning so maturation is the accumulation of some knowledge and positive internal changes. Some things are able to speed the process of maturation but in general it is out of control because it is dependent on physiological changes (Thompson, 1952, 87). Biblical Integration Bible can serve as a guide for those who want to develop a healthy personality. First, it gives ten commandments which everyone has to follow. Second, there are numerous personages of Bible who became models of personality. Noah is a good example of a person who lived his life righteous before God. In spite of the fact that sin was all around him he chose not to be a part of it and God spared him and his family. So it is possible to say that Noah developed as a personality by living a right life and was awarded with God`s grace for it. John the Baptist was the man who came to this earth to prepare the way for the Lord. His way to Self was more complicates as he had to sacrifice many things to be chosen by God. He was never married and did not have children. He lived his life knowing his purpose and was faithful to His call. “For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey” (Matthew 3:1-4). John committed his life to the purpose of his birth. The Bible speaks about virtues to which a man has to stick to become a real human. For instance, in Peter5:8 it is said “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. Conclusion Each individual acts and reacts very uniquely to events in life because the personality affects his behaviors. Personality is a complex phenomenon and many psychologies try to explain it though there always appear debates. Since personality is not a stable concept, there are many theories of its development each telling about the stages the person has to pass to achieve completeness. References Allport, G. W. (1937). Personality: A psychological interpretation. Oxford: Holt. Bowlby, J. (1956). Mother-child separation. Mental health and infant development, 1, 117-122. Branden, N. (1995). Six pillars of self-esteem. New York: Bantam. Bulange, B. (2010). Individual psychology: Theoretical application. Journal of Individual Psychology, 57, 4-6. Carver, M. (2007). Nature versus nurture. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 23- 25. Erikson, Erik H. (1959) Identity and the Life Cycle. New York: International Universities Press. Freud, S. (1991). New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis. London: Routledge, 140-141 Freud, S. (2010). The Interpretation of Dreams the Illustrated Edition. New York: Sterling Press, 1-9. Herrnstein, R. (1972). Nature as Nurture: Behaviorism and the Instinct Doctrine. Behaviorism, 1 (1), 23-52 Jung, C. (1963). Mysterium Coniunctionis. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 108. Kernis, M. (2009). Stability and level of self-esteem as predictors of anger. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 26, 117–118 Maslow, A. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50 (4), 370–396. doi:10.1037/h0054346 Mischel, W., & Shoda, Y. (2008). A cognitive-affective system theory of personality. Journal of Psychology, 92(3), 18-21. doi: 10.1301/s1522212jpa7602 Thompson, G. (1952). Child psychology: Growth trends in psychological adjustment. Boston, MA, US: Houghton Mifflin Company. White, W. (2013) Psychology traits. Journal of Personality, 63, 21-24. Zuckerman, M. (2007). The shaping of personality: genes, environments, and chance encounters. Journal of Personality Assessment, 82(1), 11-22. doi: 10.1207/s15327752jpa8201_3 Read More