| Life is a learning experience. The complexity | | | | The trait approach is derived from Darwin's |
| of human behaviour is finely related to the | | | | theory of evolution and the emphasis on |
| several mechanisms which define how, what and | | | | individual variation within a species, |
| when we learn about the world. People devote | | | | defining the function of that individual in |
| varied levels of energy to observe, memorise | | | | the social setting. This theory is mainly |
| and recount the ongoing stimuli around them - | | | | concerned with the heritable traits which |
| and that focus is the magical touch which | | | | determine behaviour and result in particular |
| produces the fascinating ambiguity of | | | | characteristics and types of individuals. |
| mankind. In the realm of behavioural science | | | | Such theory began with Gordon Allport around |
| (and also common sense), there is one word | | | | 1937. Allport defined a trait as "a |
| which is vastly used to define such effect: | | | | neuropsychic structure having the capacity to |
| personality. | | | | render many stimuli functionally equivalent, |
| | | | and to initiate and guide equivalent |
| What is Personality? | | | | (meaningfully consistent) forms of adaptive |
| | | | and expressive behavior." (1961) |
| 'Personality' is a word originated from the | | | | |
| Latin persona, which means 'mask'. | | | | The Big Five is a model of personality that |
| "Significantly, in the theatre of the ancient | | | | describes five defining personality traits. |
| Latin-speaking world, the mask was not used | | | | They were originally described by Warren |
| as a plot device to disguise the identity of | | | | Norman (1963) and consist of: neuroticism, |
| a character, but rather was a convention | | | | extraversion, openness, agreeableness and |
| employed to represent, or typify that | | | | conscientiousness. |
| character." (Wikipedia). | | | | |
| | | | Phenomenological Theory |
| Personality is a broadly used term which | | | | |
| meaning can be sought through popular | | | | The Phenomenological approach stresses the |
| knowledge. Most people use the word as a | | | | importance of the cognitive side of human |
| reference to the collection of | | | | behaviour - therefore - what and how people |
| characteristics which define how a person | | | | think. Phenomenological theory dictates that |
| sees and acts upon the world - something like | | | | conscious thoughts and beliefs are the major |
| a mix of their thought processes and | | | | determinants of personality. This approach |
| behaviour. In psychology, it could be defined | | | | puts individuals in the role of scientist: |
| as the emotional, cognitive and behavioural | | | | analysing the world and themselves within a |
| patterns unique to an individual, learned and | | | | social context to reach conclusions about the |
| incremented through experience, and | | | | formation and display of personality traits. |
| relatively consistent over time. | | | | George Kelly, a clinical psychologist, |
| | | | developed the concept of 'personal |
| Overview of the Personality Framework | | | | constructs' which refers to the "categories |
| | | | with which we interpret our experiences" |
| The study of personality has developed | | | | (Peterson 1997). The personal construct |
| relatively parallel to the evolution of | | | | theory suggests that our interpretations of |
| psychology as a science. The perspective on | | | | the world around us create our personality. |
| human nature has been floating between nature | | | | Therefore the concept of personality is a |
| and nurture throughout the years, with | | | | flexible one. |
| researchers constantly finding evidence to | | | | |
| support and validate both determinants. Thus, | | | | Phenomenological theory was further developed |
| many theoretical concepts of personality were | | | | by Carl Rogers' self-actualisation concepts. |
| based on the perspective that psychologists | | | | According to Rogers, the drive towards |
| and behavioural scientists had of human | | | | self-actualisation (familiar to the Maslow's |
| nature at a certain period in time. | | | | hierarchy of needs) was the major determinant |
| | | | of an individual's personality. This |
| "Over the years, numerous personality | | | | humanistic and optimistic approach was also |
| theories have been proposed, and they can be | | | | the basis for Rogers' client-centred therapy. |
| classified within several major approaches, | | | | |
| each assuming its own model of human nature. | | | | Social Learning Theory |
| Personality psychologists within each | | | | |
| approach emphasise different aspects of | | | | Finally, the social learning theory focuses |
| personality, favor different research | | | | mainly on the influence of social dynamics |
| methods, and use different standards to | | | | and learning. This approached is based on |
| evaluate sufficient explanations." (Peterson | | | | behaviourism and it stresses the importance |
| 1997) | | | | that the human learning process has in the |
| | | | formation of personality traits. In social |
| Understanding personality involves not only | | | | learning theory, the most important |
| analysing the individual as a whole, but | | | | psychological process is learning. The |
| considering individual behaviour in a | | | | pioneering theorists of this approach were |
| particular social context. Culture plays a | | | | John Dollard and Neal Miller, authors of the |
| major role in defining the variants between | | | | book Personality and Psychotherapy (1950). |
| individuals. For instance, western | | | | According to them, people learn behaviours |
| civilisations tend to encourage individuality | | | | that decrease their physiological drive. |
| - which increases the incidence of people | | | | |
| that present unique behaviour with the aim of | | | | Albert Bandura also played a key role in the |
| standing out. Being distinctive in our | | | | development of this theory. Bandura affirmed |
| society is normally a social benefit. In | | | | that people learn through modelling, and such |
| other societies - such as Japan and China - | | | | modelling becomes the main determinant of |
| uniqueness can play a divergent role: | | | | personality. The concept of self-efficacy, |
| standing out is not socially sanctioned and | | | | the belief that one can perform a given |
| therefore not admirable. | | | | behaviour, creates an immediate mechanism in |
| | | | which people modify behaviour in order to |
| Theories of Personality | | | | improve performance in life. |
| | | | |
| "The major theoretical approaches to | | | | The Human Perspective |
| personality are akin to great schools that | | | | |
| dominated psychology throughout the early | | | | Personality is not only part of the realms of |
| part of the twentieth century". (Peterson | | | | scientific research and behavioural studies. |
| 1997) | | | | In order to better understand the world, we |
| | | | tend to create patterns - to classify |
| Psychodynamic Theory | | | | everything we can into groups based on common |
| | | | characteristics. This learning process seems |
| Encouraged by Freud's psychoanalytic | | | | to work effectively with our brain structure, |
| approach, psychodynamic theories emphasise | | | | and also to improve the interpersonal |
| motivation and emotion as the major dictators | | | | communication process and to define roles in |
| of personality, along with the presence of | | | | a social setting. It is normal that we |
| unconscious divergences of individuals. In | | | | analyse other people's behaviours and |
| such theory, libido (defined by Freud as a | | | | physical appearance based on predefined ideas |
| 'psychological energy') is the primary | | | | which are enforced by our experiences, |
| determinant of our behaviour. This | | | | culture, inherited traits and social setting. |
| perspective concentrates on the conflict | | | | |
| between an individual's biological motivation | | | | A common example of such effect is found in |
| (instincts) and the social rules which guide | | | | the perspective towards personality: there |
| common individual behaviour. In the | | | | are hundreds of popular measurements of |
| psychodynamic theory, the structure of | | | | personality available through varied media |
| personality is described in terms of the | | | | and in different formats. Horoscopes, |
| conscious, preconscious and unconscious (id, | | | | personality and intelligence tests, amongst |
| ego and superego). Other major contributors | | | | others, are all part of our own way to view |
| of this theory were Carl Jung (collective | | | | the world and to place individuals on common |
| unconscious), Alfred Adler (compensation for | | | | ground. It seems almost natural to categorise |
| inferiority) and Erik Erikson (psychosocial | | | | ourselves and others in an attempt to make |
| development). | | | | sense of the world. Perhaps this evidence |
| | | | indicates that Kelly's argument is |
| Trait Theory | | | | particularly accurate: in a social setting, |
| | | | aren't we all scientists? |