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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