What is Personality?

Personality is defined as the totality of character attributes and behavioral

traits of a person. Personality Analysis is a methodology for categorizing
the character and behavior of a person.

Personality is defined as the totality of character attributes and behavioral

traits of a person.

The term ‘personality’ has been derived from the Latin term persona which
means to speak through or mask.

• Personality has both internal & external element. The external traits
are the observable behaviors that we notice in an individual
personality.
• An individual personality is relatively stable if it is changes at all; it is
only after a few long times or as the result traumatic events.
• An individual personality is both inherited as well as shaped by the
environment, our personality is partly inherited genetically from our
parents. However, these genetic personality characteristics are altered
some what by life experiences.
• Each individual is unique in behaviour. There are striking differences
among individuals.

Almost everyday we describe and assess the personalities of the people

around us. Whether we realize it or not, these daily musings on how and why
people behave as they do are similar to what personality psychologists do.

Components of Personality

While there are many different theories of personality, the first step is to understand exactly
what is meant by the term personality. A brief definition would be that personality is made up
the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make a person unique. In
addition to this, personality arises from within the individual and remains fairly consistent
throughout life.

Some of the fundamental characteristics of personality include:

• Consistency - There is generally a recognizable order and regularity to

behaviors. Essentially, people act in the same ways or similar ways in a variety of
situations.
• Psychological and physiological - Personality is a psychological construct,
but research suggests that it is also influenced by biological processes and needs.
• Impact behaviors and actions - Personality does not just influence how we
move and respond in our environment; it also causes us to act in certain ways.
• Multiple expressions - Personality is displayed in more than just behavior. It
can also be seen in out thoughts, feelings, close relationships, and other social
interactions.
Theories of Personality

There are a number of different theories about how personality develops. Different schools of
thought in psychology influence many of these theories. Some of these major perspectives on
personality include:

Type

Social
learning
Trait
Personality
theories

Humanisti Psychoanal
c ytic

• Type theories are the early perspectives on personality. These theories

suggested that there are a limited number of "personality types" which are
related to biological influences.
• Trait theories viewed personality as the result of internal characteristics that
are genetically based. Another interesting approach to understand personality is
the traits. A personality trait is understood as being an enduring attributes of
person that appears consistently in the variety of situation. A trait differentiate
one from another in a relatively permanent and consistent way. A trait of an
individual is abstracted from his behavior .
• Psychodynamic theories of personality are heavily influenced by the work of
Sigmund Freud, and emphasize the influence of the unconscious on personality.
Psychodynamic theories include Sigmund Freud’s psychosexual stage theory and
Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development.
• Behavioral theories suggest that personality is a result of interaction between
the individual and the environment. Behavioral theorists study observable and
measurable behaviors, rejecting theories that take internal thoughts and feelings
into account. Behavioral theorists include B. F. Skinner and John Watson.
• Humanist theories emphasize the importance of free will and individual
experience in the development of personality. Humanist theorists include Carl
Rogers and Abraham
DETERMINANTS of personality

Environment
Environment

Heredity
Heredity Family
Family
Personality
Personality

Social
Social Situation
Situation

See more details of determinants via any book...

…………….

Definition :-

“Personality is dynamic organization of

psychological system that creates a person
characteristic pattern of behavior, thought and
feelings “
 Personality Compatibility Analysis
Carl Jung (1875-1961), a contemporary of Freud, developed a theory of
psychological types ascribing each person with one of two fundamental attitude
types: introversion and extroversion. Extroverts are outgoing, easily adaptable, and
confident about unknown situations. Introverts are hesitant, reflective, somewhat
mistrustful, and not socially outgoing.

Carl Jung

Individual Attributes
Individual attributes, for the most part, are that part of our personality that cannot
be altered much. We cannot become more intelligent, but we can become more
educated. We cannot become more attentive, or less impatient, or more optimistic.
These are physical characteristics that are determined by our brain structure and our
body chemistry. Drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, etc. can affect our brain
chemistry and our personality. Some changes are reversible, but others are
permanent and may result in addiction, flashbacks, hallucinations, and other
abnormal conditions. Strokes and head injuries can also cause personality changes.

The following table lists ten Individual Attributes and some characteristics of the
attributes. The characteristics are divided into positive and negative columns. The
labels "positive" and "negative" do not mean that the characteristics are desirable or
undesirable; they represent the degree of particular traits. It is not necessarily bad
to be moderate, impatient, or passive. Compatible persons will generally share a
substantial number of characteristics from the same column for each attribute, but
sometimes a relationship is more stimulating when two people have characteristics
from opposite columns. If a person is slow (i3-) and the other one energetic (i3+),
they will not be very compatible. One person will always want to go and the other
one will want to rest. However, if one is mature (i6+) and the other one
inexperienced (i6-), the relationship may work if the mature person has the patience
to teach the inexperienced person and the inexperienced person is willing to learn.
 CHARACTERISTICS
INDIVIDUAL ATTRIBUTES
POSITIVE + NEGATIVE -

i1. Achievement attitudes - persistent, ambitious, easy-going, moderate,

degree of motivation. obsessive unmotivated

i2. Emotional temperament - confident, stable, calm, insecure, erratic, angry,

emotions that rule our lives. relaxed, patient dissatisfied, impatient

i3. Energy level - pace of our

active, energetic, fast passive, lethargic, slow
daily life.

i4. Intellectual factors - alert, inquisitive,

inattentive, dull-witted
characteristics of our minds. intelligent

i5. Material attitudes - how frugal, thrifty, spendthrift, wasteful,

we regard our environment. materialistic spiritual

i6. Maturity - our level of mature, knowledgeable, immature, inexperienced,

experience and wisdom. wise ignorant

i7. Philosophical attitudes - optimistic, positive, pessimistic, negative,

our ways of thinking. flexible inflexible

i8. Physical attributes - how youthful, healthy, old, sick, weak, mentally
we regard our body. strong, sane sick

i9. Risk attitudes - degree of conservative, cautious, adventurous, impulsive,

concern for oneself. calculating daring, drug user

i10. Task performance -

organized, accurate, error-prone, disorganized,
attitudes toward problem
skillful, methodical blunderer, careless
solving.

The following paragraphs discuss details of ten Individual Attributes of personality. In

some cases, it is possible to anticipate how these characteristics affect relationships.

i1. Achievement attitudes. How motivated are you to reach your goal? Are you
indifferent or are you obsessive? Sometimes personal goals do not become evident
until age 25 or 30. Once you decide to have a family, further your professional
career, or establish a business, you have a different degree of motivation than before
you made this decision. Whereas you may have been indifferent before, your new
perspective of life motivates to reach your goals. Or, if you have already achieved
some of your goals, it may be more important to relax and enjoy life. In this case,
your zest for accomplishment may diminish.

i2. Emotional temperament. How patient are you? Do you get restless when you
have to wait? How do you react to frustration? Does your temper explode when your
car is not delivered on time from the auto shop or do you try to look for alternatives
calmly? Your emotional temperament is a measure of the degree and duration of
your outbursts of frustration and of your ability to remain calm under pressure. If
you are irascible, you are likely to do and say things that will ruin a relationship.
Many relationships end with the phrase "If that is what you think, then it is over!".
Relationships endure better when the reaction to an unpleasant surprise is more
logical and less emotional. However, an extreme disappointment or an unfortunate
accident can cause great emotional grief that cannot be controlled. Two angry and
impatient people are more likely to get into a fight than an angry and a patient
person. A habitually angry person and a calm person cannot have a very good
relationship even if the calm person tries to adapt to the angry person.

i3. Energy level. Do you like physical activities and sports, or would you rather sit
down in a theater? Do you like to spend an hour at the gym or is it enough for you to
walk around the block? Your energy level determines the rhythm of your life. Some
people get up early and have already done many things before breakfast while
others would rather stay in bed and sleep late. Human dynamos and slow, passive
people can only frustrate each other. The energetic individual needs to be active to
be happy. The slow individual will be miserable and exhausted with an active life
style. Can such opposites manage to make good partners? Yes, but only if they do
things separately. This can be completely unacceptable to a person with great libido
because it demands mutual participation. Partners with similar levels of energy can
have more satisfying relationships.

i4. Intellectual factors. Intelligent gentleman seeks dumb blonde for a serious
relationship. Not very likely! Successful relationships require similar levels of
intellect. When we have a personal problem, we need someone who can understand
us. A dull-witted person may be very kind and loving, but this may not be enough for
an alert, intelligent person. Intelligent persons understand each other better. Persons
with lower intellect will feel more at ease with a person of their own caliber; they will
not feel dumb or intimidated.

If you are of average intelligence, you should not be looking for a genius. You will
end up in second place. Your decisions will always be subjected to analysis by a
greater intellect that will make you feel inferior. Relationships between people with
different intellectual levels generally end up like a parent/child relationship.

i5. Material attitudes. Are you economical or extravagant? Do you prefer to save
for the future or would you rather spend what you have now? Do material
possessions matter to you, or are you more interested in spiritual pursuits? Many
relationships fail because of conflicts about money and possessions. "You make twice
as much money as I do, why do we have to split the expenses half and half?", "I am
the wife and you are supposed to support me.", "Why do you give so much money to
your mother when I don't have anything to wear?"

Financial advisors and marriage counselors suggest that you discuss financial
matters and obligations before you get married. The average marriage in the United
States lasts an average of 7 years (it is not "till death do us part"). Your plans should
include a prenuptial agreement that describes what each will take in case of a
divorce. This is particularly important for second marriages when there are
substantial assets or children from previous marriages. You should also agree on how
to handle expenses when both people work, when one loses a job, or when the
woman becomes pregnant and cannot work. You also need to discuss about savings
goals, life insurance, wills, and revocable trusts. Agree on how previous debts will be
handled. Marriage makes you legally responsible for your partner's debts. Are you
uncomfortable talking about divorce and finances before getting married? You don't
need to do it, but be prepared for unpleasant surprises.
i6. Maturity. Maturity is a personality attribute that describes good judgement. Do
you do something without thinking about the consequences? Are your actions well
thought out and premeditated? Maturity cannot be equated to education, but
education provides maturity. Maturity is the ability to judge whether something is
safe or dangerous, good or evil, or prudent or foolish. It is said that wise people
learn from the mistakes of others, whereas fools learn from their own mistakes.

Can two people of different maturity levels have a successful relationship? As stated
earlier, the relationship may work if the mature person has the patience to teach the
inexperienced person and the inexperienced person is willing and able to learn.
These are typical teacher/student relationships. The inexperienced person may
initially feel inferior to the mature person, but as long as the level of intelligence is
compatible, the relationships may be successful. In the long term, these
relationships have the risk of failing when the inexperienced person matures and
demands an equal relationship with the partner. At this point the person who had
previously been superior may resent the change of status.

i7. Philosophical attitudes. Are you optimistic or pessimistic? Is the glass half full
or half empty? Do you think that we are animals that have evolved on the earth as
an accident of nature, or do you think that man was put on earth by a Divine
Creator? Are you willing to consider changing your point of view? To what degree are
you willing to fight to defend your point of view? Why do you think that you are
right? The philosophical attitude of our personality develops from our education and
our internal conception of how the world works. A positive philosophical attitude
gives you hope when life is hard, whereas a negative attitude may even lead you to
suicide.

How likely is it that two people with different philosophical attitudes are compatible?
The chances are very small. Most relationships between people of different religions
reach a crisis when it is time to educate their children. "Should we raise the children
as Jews, Muslims, Christians, etc.?", "Should the children go with me to church with
me and to the mosque with you?", "Will you change your religion for me? If you love
me enough you will convert to my religion." So many people have been killed in the
name of religion over the centuries that it is very evident that successful
relationships cannot exist between people of different creeds. Even if your partner
supports you, his or her family may object to your beliefs. You will not be a whole
family.

As partners, optimists and pessimists face similar problems, but the tensions surface
in different ways. An optimist may feel that he has a new business opportunity that
will be financially rewarding, whereas a pessimist is sure that the investment money
will be wasted without any results. In the end, they will fight about money.
Successful relationships require similar philosophical attitudes.

i8. Physical attributes The physical attributes of your personality are a

combination of your age and your physical fitness. Some people at age 50 are ready
for the grave, whereas some in their 80's may be getting ready for a party. You are
as young as you feel. Can an older person have a successful relationship with a
younger person? The answer is yes, unless the age difference is very great. The
average life expectancy in the United States is 84. If there are no health problems,
age is not a deterrent to a good relationship. If you are thinking of raising a family, it
is better that you and your partner are both young. This will give you time to raise
the children and put them through school until they are independent.

When one of the persons is healthy and the other one is sick, the healthy person has
to understand the level of effort that will be needed to take care of the sick person.
This is not an obligation that should be taken lightly and it can stress the
relationship. If a person has a mental illness, it is seldom possible to have successful
relationship. The sane partner will always have doubts about whether offensive
behavior or actions from the other person are intentional or a result of the illness.

i9. Risk attitudes. Hundreds of automobile accidents happen every day. You are
taking a risk when you drive to work. You need to pay for your house and your food,
so you take the risk every day. You do this not because you lack maturity, but
because for you it is a necessity. You try to minimize your risk of injury by using seat
belts and driving carefully. You are a cautious person. What about the person who
goes mountain climbing or diving for the weekend? Is he or she more adventurous or
daring? How about the hang glider or amateur pilot?

The level of risk of an activity can be assessed by asking your life insurance agent
how much the insurance will cost for a diver, a pilot, etc. The death rates associated
with each activity are a real measure of the risk. If you do something knowing that it
is dangerous, you are a risk taker. If you know that the casino always makes a profit
and you gamble anyway, you are a risk taker. If you smoke, drink alcohol
excessively, or take drugs, you are a risk taker even if you think that you will not be
harmed by your actions. The statistics are not in your favor.

Can two people with different risk attitudes have a successful relationship? Not
always. People who are cautious do not like the stress of taking risks, whereas the
risk-takers find it boring to do something less exciting.

i10. Task performance. Task performance describes the accuracy and organization
with which we solve problems. Methodical people organize and schedule their work
to know which things will be done when. Disorganized people do not have systematic
ways of approaching problems and may not be able to solve some problems. Error-
prone and disorganized people do not have much in common with accurate,
methodical people. Relationships between these individuals are subject to stress
because the disorganized person cannot meet the expectations of the methodical
person. Disorganized persons are not neat and this is irritating to methodical
persons. It is possible for a disorganized person to become more organized, but this
requires great effort and changing established habits.