Personality Meaning and Determinants of Personality PDF

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There is no such thing as a person born into the world. He is a person-in-waiting from the moment of his conception. A person's culture and social interactions begin after birth, when he interacts with other people. He develops a personality and a sense of self as a result of his diverse life experi...

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Personality: Meaning and Determinants of Personality Personality: What Is Personality, and How Do You Get It? There is no such thing as a person born into the world. He is a person-inwaiting from the moment of his conception. A person's culture and social interactions begin after birth, when he interacts with other people. He develops a personality and a sense of self as a result of his diverse life experiences and societal influences. What it is about people's personalities, as well as how culture and social experiences influence the development of such personalities. Because we've already covered the most critical role that socialising plays in shaping our personalities, this section will be kept to a bare minimum. I. Personality's Meaning: The Latin word for "personality" is "persona," which signifies a disguise. A person's "personality is a...patterned body of habits, traits, attitudes, and ideas that are organised externally into roles and statuses and link inwardly to motivation, objectives, and various elements of selfhood," according to K. Young's definition." A person's pattern of habits, attitudes and traits that determine his adaption to his environment was identified by G. W. Allport. Personality is defined by Robert E. Park and Earnest W. Burgess as "the sum and organisation of those attributes which determine the individual's position in the group." Bloch described it as "the unique organisation of the individual's habits, attitudes and ideals, as well as their emotional aspects, that gives the individual consistent behaviour." In the words of Arnold W. Green, "personality is the total of a person's values and non-physical qualities (his regular methods of acting and reacting)," a person's non-physical traits include things like ideas, prestige, power, and sex. It is this "organised aggregate of psychological processes and status related to the individual," according to Linton, that constitutes personality.

MacIver defines personality as "everything that an individual is and has experienced as far as this 'all' may be perceived as unity." Personality refers to a person's "habits, attitudes, and other social features that are characteristic of his or her behaviour," as stated by Lundberg and others. Personality refers to "the integration of socio-psychological behaviour, reflected by habits of action and feeling, attitudes, as well as beliefs," according to Ogburn. Davis sees personality as a "psychic phenomena that is neither organic nor social but an emergent from a combination of the two." As Anderson and Parker put it, "Personality is the sum total of all of our habits, attitudes, and behaviours that result from socialisation and characterise us in our relationships with others." Munn says, "Personality may be described as the most characteristic integration of an individual's structuring patterns... interests, attitudes, skills... abilities and aptitudes." In Morton Prince's words, "Personality is the sum total of all the biologically innate disposition... and the acquired disposition and proclivities gained by experience," he writes. When interacting with a series of situations, a person's personality is defined as "the sum of his or her behaviour with a specific inclination system." "Personality represents those structural and dynamic features of an individual or individuals as they express themselves in characteristic responses to situations," says Lawrence A. Pewin in his working definition of personality. The second is sociological. Even though there is a third way, the biological approach, the biological definition of personality that only considers the bio-physical aspects of the particular body is insufficient to describe personality. The psychological approach sees the individual as having a unique style. Mental trends, complexes, emotions, and sentiments all play a role in determining this writing style.

To better comprehend the phenomenon of personal disorganisation and how it's related to the development of one's personality, we might turn to psychology. With this method, one looks at a person's personality from the perspective of his or her place in the group, as well as their own notion of their own function within the group to which they belong. The opinions of others have a significant impact on the development of our character. As a result, a person's personality is made up of all of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that shape their place in society and define who they are as a person. An individual's personality develops as a result of his or her involvement in group activities. As a member of the group, he is exposed to a set of social norms and behaviours that influence his thoughts and values. A person's personality is made up of all of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. An individual's personality can be seen of as a reflection of how an adult constructs the external world in their mind. In social groupings and societies, standards of ethical judgement, belief, and behaviour are developed through the inter-action processes that occur. We would sum up by saying: i)Personality is not solely determined by a person's physical appearance. Structure and dynamics go hand in hand in this system. (iii) Personality cannot be divided. (iii) There is no such thing as a good or terrible personality. iv)For the most part, people's personalities can be explained scientifically. V)There is no one-size-fits all personality. (vi) The term "personality" refers to a person's enduring characteristics. It conveys a sense of regularity and constancy. (vii) Personality can be learned. (viii) Social interaction has an impact on one's personality. It's a behaviorbased definition.

Personality Types: There have been several attempts to categorise people into distinct personality types. During the 5th century B.C., the Greek physician Hippocrates made a distinction between the sanguine, melancholic, choleric, and phlegmatic temperaments of human beings. Carl Gustac Jung, a Swiss psychoanalyst, distinguished between introverts and extroverts. When it comes to self-preoccupation, introverts tend to focus on themselves, whereas extroverts tend to focus on the outside world. There is a third sort of person who falls somewhere in between the first two: the ambivert. In general, the majority of people are ambiverts. In the opinion of German psychiatrist Ernest Kretchmer, an extrovert is a large person, whereas an introvert is tall and thin. He dubbed the first group of people "pykrnic," and the second group "leptosome." Both W.I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki distinguished between the bohemian, the philistine, and the creative types of people in their writing. II. Personality Factors: Four things come together to form a person's personality: their physical environment, their genetics, their culture, and the specific experiences they've had. The factors that contribute to a person's unique personality are examined in detail in this section. Environment and Personality: In the previous section, we discussed the influence of physical environment on culture and noted that geographical location might influence cultural variation. Since the Eskimos live in a different part of the world than the Indians, their culture differs from that of the latter. As a result of his physical surroundings, man develops beliefs and values.

There is a definite link between personality and the environment to the extent that cultural development is influenced by the physical environment. An ancient Greek philosopher called Northern Europeans "spiritual but intellectually illiterate," and attributed this to the region's chilly environment. However, Asians are highly brilliant and ingenious, but they lack the spirit of a free man, making them slaves. According to Montesquieu in the 18th century, persons who live in a cold climate are more likely to resist oppression. Great heat depletes courage, but cold invigorates both the body and brain. As a general rule, civilizations have thrived in environments where the average temperature is close to or below the optimum. People that live in mountainous or desertous areas tend to be strong, courageous, and independent. Huntington covers a lot of ground when it comes to the influence of one's physical surroundings on one's attitudes and psychological make-up. The physical conditions are more permissive and limiting than causal, as previously explained. They impose boundaries on the growth of a person's individuality. It's true that people's physical and mental features are influenced greatly by their environment, but it's impossible to say that climate and geography are solely responsible for human behaviour. Every culture has a wide variety of personalities. However, civilizations have arisen in a variety of geographical and climatic settings. There are no climate zones in Christianity. As a result of the extreme temperatures and elevations, people tend to be monogamous. Even if there is no conceivable geographic shift, men's attitudes and ideas can alter. Geographic determinists oversimplify human personality, therefore their interpretations should only be accepted after careful study.

Inheritance and Character: A person's personality is also influenced by their family history. Humans are considered to share some of their personality traits because of a shared genetic code. The basic biological demands and capacities of every human group are the same. Some of our personality similarities can be attributed to our shared needs and abilities. At conception, the male and female germ cells merge into a single cell, resulting in the creation of man. Physically, he resembles his parents, as well as his siblings. Personality is strongly influenced by the neurological system, organic urges, and the duchess glands. They determine whether a person is strong or weak, intelligent or stupid, a coward or a brave one. The demeanour of a man who is physically fit and healthy tends to be attractive. Inferiority complexes are common in men who are physically unattractive, have bad health, or are underweight. The development of his personality is stymied. " He may become a thief, a robber, or a drinker if he is shunned by society. Socrates and Napoleon are two examples of geniuses who could turn out to be leaders. The neurological system and the glandular system can also influence an individual's personality. The nervous system has an impact on an individual's intelligence and talent. Personality development is influenced by hormones. Hormones can be hazardous in excess or deficit. One type of man is eager to please and eager to please whereas another type is lazy, inert and weak. This could be due to an increase in hormone production in the first scenario and a decreased hormone production in the second. Hormone secretion must be in check for a healthy personality. Another method in which genetics might influence a person's personality is through an unintended consequence. There will be better opportunity for girls to develop their personalities if society's male members favour thin women as

their companions. There is no aspect of personality that is not influenced by one's ancestry, according to Allport, Gordon, W. However, human personality is not solely shaped by genetics. As of now, we can only infer that there are -genes for typical personality traits, just like there are genes for other parts of human make-up and functioning." Genes may play a role in personality differences between members of the same family living in the same environment, at least in part. We can also infer that some of the personality traits that run in families are passed down over the generations. It remains to be seen whether we can find distinct "personality" genes, measure their effects or forecast how a child's personality will develop on the basis of its parents' traits. News reports state that scientists believe they've discovered a gene that controls traits such as recklessness, exuberant behaviour, and overindulgence To summarise, one's personality cannot be predetermined just by genetics. People are born with a variety of personality traits, but the way those traits "jell" is dependent on the environment in which they grow. Endocrine enthusiasts, as Ogburn and Nimkoff write, "would be an error to hold, as'endocrine enthusiasts do, that... the glands govern the overall personality." By injecting particular hormones, it is possible to over-activate or underactivate some of these types and therefore alter human personality. It might be claimed that the existing evidence does not support the dogmatic concept that personality is passed down through the generations via the genes. Of fact, certain characteristics appear to be influenced more directly by genetics than others. Some familial lines appear to have a higher level of manual skills, IQ, and sensory discernment than others. Belief, loyalty, bigotry, and etiquette are largely learned through life experiences, on the other hand.

Only experience can shape a person's personality, not genetics. Experience dictates how these resources will be utilised. Heredity does not determine whether or not a person is a self-confessed activist or one who works for the greater good. To what extent he devotes his time and effort is also determined by the quality of his education. There should be an obvious correlation between the personalities of children born to the same parents and raised in the same environment if there is a direct link between heredity and personality. However, research indicates that even at the juvenile age of three or four years, they already demonstrate distinct personalities. In the words of Koenig, Hopper and Gross, a newborn human is a "candidate for personality."' As a result, it's evident that a person's traits and values can't be predicted just based on genetics. Culture and individuality: Without a shadow of a doubt, a group's culture heavily influences the personality types that predominate within it. Personality, according to some scholars, is a key component of culture. Individuality and cultural background are seen as two sides of the same coin by them. 'The formation of the personality and the acquisition of culture are not separate processes, but one and the same learning process,' says Spiro.' When it comes to culture and personality, "personality" and "culture" are two distinct concepts. Each culture has its own distinct personality type. For their collaborative research in 1937, anthropologist Ralph Linton and psychoanalyst Abram Kardinar studied many ancient tribes as well as one modern American community in minute detail. According to their findings, every culture has a "fundamental personality type" that is both created and

supported. Members of one cultural group are isolated from those in other groups because of their shared experience. Culture is a coercive factor that Frank says dominates the individual and shapes his personality through the ideas, concepts, and beliefs that have been brought to bear on him through communal life. People can make their lives out of the basic materials provided by culture. People's personalities are shaped by the group's customs, traditions, mores, religion, institutions, moral and social norms. The way a child is treated from the time of his or her birth has a profound impact on how that youngster will grow up. There are a number of general influences that any culture has on the people who grow up in it. As previously mentioned, Ogburn distinguished between "material" and "non-material" aspects of culture. He asserts that one's personality is influenced by one's exposure to both material and non-material forms of culture. In terms of the termer, he gives instances of the impact of plumbing on the development of habits and attitudes favourable to cleanliness and the relationship between timepieces and timeliness. The American Indians, who have no clocks or watches in their society, have no concept of exacting appointments. It's his opinion that they don't know how long things take. Because of cultural variations, an American Indian's personality differs from that of a white man when it comes to timeliness. Similarly, the phrase "Cleanliness is next to godliness" can be found in several cultures that place a high emphasis on cleanliness. The invention of plumbing and other related technologies has a significant influence on our desire to maintain a clean environment. Due to their reliance on melting snow, the Eskimos are notoriously filthy people. An Eskimo has a much more difficult time staying clean than a man who only needs to turn on a faucet. As a result, cleanliness is not determined by a person's genes but rather by the society in which they grow up. Language serves as a useful example of the link between non-material culture

and personality. Because he alone is capable of speaking, humans stand out among all other species. Only in the context of a social group can one learn a language. People that are unable to communicate display a distorted personality. Language is the primary means by which a person's personality develops since it is the key channel through which he or she receives information and develops attitudes. Furthermore, speaking is a trait of one's personality. A woodcutter's harsh voice can easily be differentiated from a man's quiet tones. The German's short, crisp, guttural speech and the Spaniard's fluid, flowing, voluble speech appear to be a part of their personalities. Italians and Jews place a high value on their physical gestures, such as their hand and shoulder movements, when speaking. The Jews utilise their gestures solely to emphasise their points, whereas the Italians rely on them to convey a significant portion of their message. The interaction between men and women is another example of the influence of culture on personality. As a result, women were largely reliant on their fathers or husbands for their financial well-being during the earlier period when farming was the primary source of income. It was just a matter of time until people learned to follow orders in such a situation. But today, hundreds of women work outside the home and earn a paycheck. They are no longer as reliant on males as they once were, as they now have the same rights as men. Women's personalities are now defined by a strong sense of self-reliance rather than subservience. There has been a significant increase in sociologists' efforts to discover the cultural variables that contribute to an individual's distinctiveness within their group. Based on her research, Ruth Benedict has identified two distinct cultural subtypes: Apollonian and Dionysian.

Restraint, even temperances, moderation, and cooperation are the hallmarks of the Apollonian personality type, whereas emotionalism, excess, pursuit of prestige, individualism, and competitiveness are the hallmarks of the Dionysian personality type. The Kwakiuti and Dobuan cultures are classified as Dionysian, while the Zuni culture is classified as Appollonian. In India, Hindus have a very different personality than English people. What's the deal? 'A distinct Hindu culture' is the solution. Rather than focusing on the material world, Hindus place a high value on the spiritual and religious aspects of life. There is a spiritual atmosphere in every Hindu household. The mother rises early, bathes, and meditates for an hour each morning. Upon rising from their beds, youngsters go to kiss and kneel down to their parents, who are revered as family deities. The Hindu infant is born with a religious and philosophical mentality based on the "inner life" in mind. It is apparent from the examples mentioned thus far that culture has a significant impact on one's personality. Individuals' thoughts and actions are primarily shaped by their cultural upbringing. When it comes to religion, the Hindu devotee and the Russian communist have vastly different views. However, it should not be assumed that culture is a gigantic die that changes everyone who comes under it in the same way. A culture's inhabitants aren't all from the same ancestry. There are people in every culture who are more aggressive than others, and there are others in every society who are more submissive, compassionate, and competi...