Running head: PERSONALITY THEORY Personality Theory Rebecca Kuster University of PhoenixAn individual??™s personality can be as unique as his or her fingerprint. When defining a personality trait or quality, it is important to understand what personality is and what it defines. According to the text, personality is not easily identifiable, but it can be recognized as ??? a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person??™s behavior??? (Feist & Feist, G. 2009). Personality is important to many in our society; people are attracted to one another because of personality traits. Many people believe that a good personality can mean different effects for different people. Human beings have different values and can be attracted to different personality traits such as humor or a quite nature.
Different personality features can be considered personality traits as well. Some definition of personality traits would be 1. Habitual patterns and qualities of behavior of any individual as expressed by physical and mental activities and attitudes; distinctive individual qualities of a person, considered collectively 2. The complex of qualities and characteristics seen as being distinctive to a group, nation, place, etc. 3. The sum of such qualities seen as being capable of making, or likely to make, a favorable impression on other people 4. Informal personal attractiveness; engaging manner or qualities (YourDictionary, 2010). The human personality can take on many outlines.
A human beings personality can affect the way one speaks, walks, or the way we operate a vehicle. The human??™s nervous system and brain can generate particular behaviors, which can be very difficult to follow. To understand an individuals brain patterns can prove to be quite difficult. Nerve cells connect to neurons that can construct the brain to seem as if it is a working computer with millions of connectors. The relationship between an individual??™s brain patterns and functions can directly affect personality. Evident characteristics like emotions and thought process help in determining how an individual can modify to particular changes in the environment. According to our text reliability and validly have a great deal to due with theoretical approaches when studying personality. The validity of a particular degree is used to weight out the options of a particular situation and then measure its importance.
Two particular types of validity that the text mentions are predictive and construct validity. Construct validity works with an individual??™s inner personality trait such as an individual??™s intelligence and emotions. The second type of validity is predictive, which can predict future behaviors in a human being such as smoking or risk taking. ??? Personality theories differ on basic issues concerning the nature of humanity. Each personality theory reflects its author??™s assumptions about humanity. These assumptions rest on several broad dimensions that separate the various personality theorists. We use six of these dimensions as a framework for viewing each theorist??™s concept of humanity??? (Feist & Feist, G. 2009).
An individual??™s personality disposition can also affect particular behaviors, meaning that the same people may face the same situation but react differently. Because of such moral situations, humans have to make difficult choices and choose many paths within their lifetimes. Personality development can blossom as an individual grows up; characteristically human beings have a base personality, which does not waiver. Social, cultural, and spiritual influences may also be reflected through an individual??™s behavior. These characteristics can be observed when analyzing personality traits.
An individual may face a moral dilemma and that person may react in a manner, which is out-of-character if no one is around to place judgment. Although an individual may be raised in a family with strict moral ethics, which can be emphasized in his or her religious foundation, the temptation to commit an ??? unlawful activity??? may be to tempting on account of one??™s innate nature. Human beings can only adapt to certain theories and assumptions, which allows scientists and psychologists to formulate hypotheses, which they can use to study human personality. An individual??™s personality can shape the foundation of the road that we travel. Environmental, cultural and economic influences all aid in shaping an individuals unique personality.? Parental influences are especially prevalent and vital when shaping personality.
? In North America, we raise children to be independent and to form their own personalities.? ??? Children are often allowed to act somewhat like equals to their parents.? For instance, they are included in making decisions about what type of food and entertainment the family will have on a night out,??? (ONeil, Dennis, 2002). Children in America are expected to help in the household by assisting their caregivers in and various ways. Children in other countries are raised in a different manner thus their characteristics differ from North American distinctiveness. Genetic variances can affect the way we behave. Factors in an individual??™s environment and the parenting style in which caregivers use when raising children can form certain personality ??? quirks.??? The ideal parent seems to mix an authoritative style with an empathetic nature.
Western society seems to deem this type of rearing as the best practice. Parents whom provide an open and supportive household seem to be closer with their children. Children from authoritative families seem to be well adjusted and well liked amongst their peers.
The correlation of socioeconomic factors and the formation of an individual??™s personality are hard to overlook when discussing personality theory. Social and economic factors can affect ones??™ personality by altering the way they think and view certain situations. Individuals with little or no money may suffer from more illnesses because they do not have the means to see a doctor. Being ill incessantly would certainly have a detrimental effect on one??™s personality. A deficiency in formal education may also affect one??™s personality. The influence of peers has a large effect on young adults in today??™s society. The groups we choose to socialize with can determine who we may become as adults. No matter what commonalities we may share as human beings, our unique personalities will always set us apart from one another to make us individual.
References: Feist, J., & Feist, G. (2009). Theories of personality (7th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. YourDictionary. (2010).
Define Personality Traits retrieved from http://www. yourdictionary. com/library/reference/define-personality-traits. html ONeil, Dennis (2002). Process of Socialization.
Behavioral Sciences Department, Palomar College. Retrieved from http://anthro. palomar.
edu/social/default. htm November 28, 2010.
