Sunday, October 19, 2014

Introduction to Personality



     Personality is more than skin deep; it divulges the heart and soul of an individual.  However, defining personality definitively can be challenging because it encompasses the totality of an individual’s traits and characteristics.  It is the development of inherited traits into a stable characteristic that allows others to understand who someone is; however, to truly understand how people develop personality it becomes necessary to review the different theoretical approaches.  Psychoanalytic, individual, and analytic theories are but a few that attempt to provide an explanation of how and why people develop the personalities that define who they are.
Defining Personality
     The word, personality, itself is from the Latin word persona, “which refers to the theatrical mask worn by Roman actors in Greek dramas” to project specific characteristics, thus hiding their own from the audience (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 3).  Although actors wear false personalities, in real life most people develop specific traits and characteristics that stabilize over time and reflect a person’s essence.  Psychologists have yet to come to a consensus on an exact definition of personality; however, there are several theoretical approaches that attempt to explain personality.     
Theoretical Approaches to Studying Personality
     In trying to understand how people develop personality, each psychological approach has provided its own theory on which they study personality.  The following attempts to explain only a few of these theories.
Psychoanalytic Theory
     Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939).  Psychoanalysis is one of the earliest theories from the psychological musings of Freud.  Although Freud was not the typical psychologist of his time, his theories stem from a lifetime of personal experiences rather than scientific study, per se (Feist & Feist, 2009).  His suggestions that one’s personality stems from the unconscious, preconscious, and conscious activities of the mind was the birth of many of the theories that followed (Feist & Feist, 2009).  The psychoanalytic theory holds that repressed childhood experiences and unconscious desires intrude on the conscious realm influencing one’s behavior. The goal of the psychoanalytic process is to release those memories through the use of free association, transference, and dream analysis designed to make the unconscious conscious, thus providing a cathartic experience (Feist & Feist, 2009).  
Individual Psychology Theory
     Alfred Adler (1870-1937).  As one of Freud’s comrade’s, Adler’s involvement in the early years of Freud’s Vienna Psychoanalytic Society plays a key role in his participation in the development of the psychoanalytic process.  However, varying from Freud’s psychoanalytic approach, Adler developed an individual psychology theory in 1912; believing that people draw motivation from social ambitions and influences, thus giving the individual responsible autonomy for his or her own behaviors.  This view suggests that “psychologically healthy people are usually aware of what they are doing and why they are doing it” (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 66).  Adler’s approach to psychology suggests that one’s feelings of inferiority and dependence lead to a striving for social success, thus shaping his or her style of living, behavior, and personality.       
Analytical Psychology Theory
     Carol Jung (1875-1961).  Jung was another of Freud’s protégés, although as he searched for a better understanding of the mind through dream, myth, art, and philosophy his work took on more of a spiritual element.  Suggesting the human psyche consists of an individual’s conscious mind, unconscious mind, and the collective unconscious of all human experiences and knowledge (Feist & Feist, 2009).  Furthermore, Jung suggests that physical and psychic energy are motivated by past experiences and future expectations.  That progression and regression are achieved through the adaptation of the external and internal world creating both introversion and extroversion psychological types.  Jung’s a theory on the stages of development and self-realization compares psychological development with the journey of the sun across the sky.  In that journey personalities develop in four stages: three distinct periods in childhood, youth, middle life, and finally old age (Feist & Feist, 2009).  In childhood, development occurs as chaotic and sporadic consciousness, the emergence of primitive ego, and the realization that they are individual persons.  In youth, development occurs through maturation and striving of independence and reproduction.  Middle life is a realization of declining youth and increasing potential.  For those who have fully lived his or her younger years, a grateful attitude for the opportunities of middle life can be enjoyed.  Jung (1931/1960a) as restated by Feist and Feist (2009) further suggests that this stage “involves a mature religious orientation, especially a belief in some sort of life after death” (p. 122).  Finally, in old age, Jung believed that life would be fulfilled only in death; however, for those who are “stuck in the illusion of youthfulness” dream interpretation therapy is helpful for these individuals as they develop a “meaningful philosophy of life” (Feist & Feist, 2009, pp. 122-123)        
Factors that may Influence Personality Development
     Generally speaking both nature and nurture influence development; however, according to Judge, Heller, and Mount (2002), researchers have identified five factors that combine to varied degrees and play into the development of personality giving each person his or her uniqueness.  Known as the Big Five, these factors are neuroticism, extraversion, and openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.
Neuroticism.  Those who are high in neuroticism tend to find themselves in more negative situations because of poor functioning skills, anxiety, and depression.    
Extraversion.  Extraverted individuals tend to seek out socially stimulating situations.  Of all the personality traits, extraversion is normally the one that people want more of, simply because of the level of energy and the implication of popularity and leadership.  The opposite of extraversion is introversion; creating the appearance of shyness.
 Openness to experience.  Creative, imaginative, curious, and insightful are adjectives used to describe the openness trait, which can explain the degree of intellectual curiosity demonstrated by someone high in the openness trait.
Agreeableness.  For those who enjoy working with others or exhibit compassion for others, agreeableness may be the factor that makes trust and cooperation come naturally. Agreeableness is also advantageous for social settings and relating to others.
Conscientiousness.  Individuals who demonstrate self-discipline, dutifulness, and have a sense of structure may fall into the high level of conscientiousness.  This trait also helps people to regulate impulsive behaviors.
     The Big Five factors of personality are not all or nothing traits but each contribute at varying degrees; the extent to which someone exhibits these factors can range from high to low, which is why every person’s personality is so original.
     As identified through the different theoretical approaches, many incorporate unconscious thoughts and memories that affect how personality is expressed but none as much as Freud.  Believing that releasing unconscious thought into the conscious and preconscious realm has cathartic effects on many disorders such as hysteria.  Adler’s theory uses one’s unconscious feelings of inferiority to increase an individual’s strivings to help people define who he or she eventually becomes.  Whereas, Jung’s analytical theory takes into account an individual’s conscious mind, unconscious mind, and the collective unconscious to develop his or her personality throughout his or her life’s journey.  Of course the genetic structure (nature) and the environmental influences (nurture) one has influence the degree to which someone has of the Big Five factors (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) making each person uniquely individual in his or her personality.    



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