Introduction to social sciences

Personality

Why are people different Physical skills &

abilities

Strength

Flexibility

Stamina

Physical balance

Mental skills & abilities

Numerical

Verbal

Perceptual

Inductive

Personality Personality might mean

The social appeal and effectiveness of a person

An individual’s striking characteristic.

Individual differences

Defining Personality

“ Characteristic patterns of behavior and

modes of thinking that determine a

person’s adjustment to the

environment”

Characteristic

Implies consistency in individual actions

People tend to act or think in different ways.

E.g. one person suppresses anger, the other expresses anger without any reason.

Behavior Result of interaction between

personality characteristics and the social and physical conditions of the environment.

Internally controlled behavior: determined by the characteristics of the individual and is fairly consistent

Externally controlled behavior: determined by the particular situation in which the behavior happens

Public personality The “you” others observe and listen to.

It includes expressive features, manners (speech patterns, the way you carry yourself), general disposition (general mood – cheery or grumpy), the way you react to threatening behaviors, the attitudes you express etc.

Behaviors are different in different social gatherings.

Private Personality

Fantasies, thoughts, and experiences that you don’t share with others.

Special experiences, wishes that seem too childish and immature, dreams and memories are all part of

Shaping of personality

Biological influences

Common experiences

Unique experiences

Biological influences Body build:

Low co-relation between body build and personality

Mostly stereotyping E.g. fat people are jolly

Body physiologyCertain enzymes and chemicals in a human

body affect the personalityE.g .thrill seekers have a different chemical

makeup than calm people

Common experiences Families in one culture share the same beliefs,

customs and values.

Children are taught accepted behaviors.

E.g. how to behave a formal reception , a sports event

Even then, individuals may not have the same personality because They are transmitted by adults who may not all share

the same values and practices The individual has some experiences which are

unique.

Unique experiences Experiences shape an individual

A sick person who has been cared for a long time, may want to be cared for the same way and exhibit this desire.

A chance to show heroism may cause someone to change views about himself and act more courageously next time.

A traumatic experience may teach someone to be more careful.

Personality theories Trait approach

Every person has identifiable dominant traits (a quality that differs from person to person). Those are in born characteristics like aggressive, cautious etc.

Social learning approach Personality development based on learning, people

learning from the society through various methods. Psychoanalytic approach

Focuses on private personality; motivated by unconscious impulses.

Freud’s 3 functions of personality, id, ego and super ego.

Phenomenological approach Subjective study of human behavior; conscious views.

Consistency in personality

Regularities in personalities

Consistency over time

Consistency over situations