CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION TO PERSONALITY

OBJECTIVE:
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
1. Define the personality and basic of personality
2. To known the nature of personality and types of personality
3. To distinguish the dimensions of Theories of Freud and Erickson
4. Known the importance of significance of personality development
5. To understand the five aspects of personality

Instructions to the learner:

Pre-Test
Direction: Read carefully each statement and circle the letter of the correct answer.
1. If a woman has very similar personality traits as her mom, the amount of variation in
______is high.
a. complex traits
b. heritability
c. intelligence
d. the environment
2. Which answer choice below provides as example of an adult with the anxious-preoccupied
style of attachment?
a. Dave is 27 years old and views other people in a very negative light
b. Keith is 25 years old and doesn't feel it is necessary to be intimate
c. John is 30 years old and has become overly dependent on his partner
d. Martin is 39 years old is comfortable with his level of intimacy
3. Psychiatrist Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross suggested stages of emotional
responses to death and dying. Which of the following represents one of the
stages proposed by Dr. Kubler-Ross?
a. Doubt
b. Faith
c. Hope
d. Pacify
4. Which is true about an avoidant-attached child?
a. He or she always needs affection from a parent figure
b. He or she may be very wary of strangers
 c. He or she may avoid being distanced from a parent figure
d. He or she may avoid or even ignore strangers
5. Which of the following statements is true?
a. Intelligence and creativity usually decrease with age.
b. Intelligence and creativity usually increase with age.
c. IQ scores are generally consistent at all ages.

d. IQ scores drop with age, but intelligence remains stable.

Pre- test feedback – Key to correction

1. If a woman has very similar personality traits as her mom, the amount of variation in
______is high.
a. complex traits
b. heritability
c. intelligence
d. the environment
2. Which answer choice below provides as example of an adult with the anxious-preoccupied
style of attachment?
a. Dave is 27 years old and views other people in a very negative light
b. Keith is 25 years old and doesn't feel it is necessary to be intimate
c. John is 30 years old and has become overly dependent on his partner
d. Martin is 39 years old is comfortable with his level of intimacy
3. Psychiatrist Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross suggested stages of emotional
responses to death and dying. Which of the following represents one of the
stages proposed by Dr. Kubler-Ross?
a. Doubt
b. Faith
c. Hope
d. Pacify
4. Which is true about an avoidant-attached child?
a. He or she always needs affection from a parent figure
b. He or she may be very wary of strangers
c. He or she may avoid being distanced from a parent figure
d. He or she may avoid or even ignore strangers
5. Which of the following statements is true?
a. Intelligence and creativity usually decrease with age.
b. Intelligence and creativity usually increase with age.
c. IQ scores are generally consistent at all ages.

d. IQ scores drop with age, but intelligence remains stable.

Learning Activities:
A. DEFINITION OF PERSONALITY AND BASICS OF PERSONALITY

What Is Personality?

Personality refers to the long-standing traits and patterns that propel individuals to consistently
think, feel, and behave in specific ways. Our personality is what makes us unique individuals.
Each person has an idiosyncratic pattern of enduring, long-term characteristics and a manner in
which he or she interacts with other individuals and the world around them. Our personalities are
thought to be long term, stable, and not easily changed. The word personality comes from the
Latin word persona. In the ancient world, a persona was a mask worn by an actor. While we tend
to think of a mask as being worn to conceal one’s identity, the theatrical mask was originally used
to either represent or project a specific personality trait of a character.

Happy, sad, impatient, shy, fearful, curious

What characteristics describe your personality?

WHAT IS BASIC PERSONALITY?

An individual's unique, covert, or underlying personality characteristics. The shared behavioral
traits of individuals raised in the same culture and experiencing similar child-rearing practices.
Personality can be described as: the collective qualities, characteristics, disposition and values of a
person which distinguish him or her from others, and which will affect the manners he/she reacts
toward or interacts with other people and his /her environment.
A person’s personality should be seen as on-going development process.
Every person has a different personality and set of traits.
DETERMINANTS OF PERSONALITY
 BIOLOGICAL FACTORS
 CULTURAL FACTORS
  SOCIAL FACTORS
 SITUATIONAL FACTORS
BIOLOGICAL FACTORS

1. Brain
Brain is one of the most important factors of personality determinant. It is generally believed that
the father and the child adopt almost the same type of brain stimulation and the later differences
are the result of the environment in which the child has been grown up. Electrical Stimulation of
the Brain (ESB) and Split Brain Psychology (SBP) and the outcomes of genetic transmissions and
are the tools that are used by the management of any organization to mould and amend the
employee’s behavior to a more positive and proper one.
2. Physical
Factors One of the most important factors in determining personality is the ‘Physical
Characteristics’ of an individual. It is believed that this factor plays a vital role in determining
one’s behavior in any organization. Physical features may involve the height of a person (short or
tall), his color (white or black), his health status (fat or skinny) and his beauty (handsome or ugly).
These factors are involved when interacting with any other person and thus contribute in the
personality development in many ways.
3. Heredity Factors
Last, but not the least, the heredity factors play a very important role as the major determinants
and factors of personality. Heredity factors are the ones that are determined at the time of
conception. These factors not only affect the physical features of a person, but the intelligence
level, attentiveness, gender, temperament, various inherited diseases and energy level, all get
affected by them.
 The example of how heredity factors determine such a huge and significant part of an
individual’s personality can easily be observed in children. Many children behave exactly how
their parents do. Similarly, twin siblings also have a lot of things in common.
SOCIAL FACTORS

Social factors also play a vital role in determining one’s personality. The things that revolve and evolve
around us on a regular basis determine our personality. The society that we live in, the cultural environment
that we face daily, the community we get interacted to, all are included in this factor. Relationships, co-
ordination, cooperation, interaction, environment in the family, organizations, workplaces, communities,
societies all contribute in way or another as personality determinants.

CULTURAL FACTORS AND RELIGIOUS FACTORS

The culture in which one lives in, that may involve traditional practices, norms, customs,
procedures, rules and regulations, precedents and values, all are important determinants of
personality. Moreover, the creed, religion and believes are also very important factors of
personality determinants.
SITUATIONAL FACTORS
Although these factors do not literally create and shape up an individual’s personality, situational
factors do alter a person’s behavior and response from time to time. The situational factors can be
commonly observed when a person behaves contrastingly and exhibits different traits and
characteristics. For example, a person’s behavior will be totally different when he is in his office,
in front of his boss, when compared to his hangout with old friends in a bar. In this way,
situational factors impact a personality in a significant way. They often bring out the traits of a
person that are not commonly seen
Link: https://youtube.be/8Jjyc-htz50

B. NATURE PERSONALITY
WHAT IS NATURE PERSONALITY?
Personality embraces moods, attitudes, and opinions and is most clearly expressed in interactions
with other people. It includes behavioral characteristics, both inherent and acquired, that
distinguish one person from another and that can be observed in people's relations to the
environment and to the social group.
“Personality is the key to adjustment and mental health. A healthy, well-develop and well-
integrated personality is a guarantee of effective adjustment.”
Alexander Schneiders

DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONALITY
Personality development begins at birth and develops gradually. The infant possesses only the
barest rudiments of personality. Potentialities for growth should be developed and the process is
known as maturation.

 Every feature of personality is in fluency by heredity and at the same time by the
surrounding conditions.
 Personality is not fixed during the first years of life.
 Mental health of children is dependent upon many factors brought by culture and
standards.
 The infant is entirely self-centered.
 During the child’s second or third year, he or she usually become stubborn, even to
reasonable suggestions and wishes of others. This resistance to adult authority is a sign of
the child’s self-assertion.
 By the age of three, the child has already moved towards further personality
differentiation.
 The child from four to five years of age is extremely talkative, and is curious about the
surrounding world.
 At this stage, the child can also be expected to play well with others children and work
with them on common projects.
 The first five years of life is the period of fastest growth in all aspects physical, mental,
social and emotional development.
 Next to feeling loved the child’s greatest personality need is for security. It is very
important in developing a stable self-concept, which is the foundation of child’s
personality development.
 The preschool child has a tremendous store of energy. Because of this and their increase in
social consciousness, he or she begins to understand the meaning of personal-social
relationship.
 The sixth year, because of their growing concern for ethical and moral behavior.
* They are greatly motivated by the sense of duty and accomplishment.
* It is during this period that latest can be discovered.
* Also, children often live in a world of fantasy; they frequently test their
imagination through work and play. Imitation of adult life gives them expression
and understanding of adult role in society.
 Children from Six to seven years old are usually very active full of vigor and very
energetic.
 Playing continues to be a major preoccupation.
 They attain a degree of physical, social, moral and emotional competence at their stage.
 They have the tendency to collect different things, usually valueless and trivial. But to the
child, the collection is part of his or her world and hoards them in special places where
thing will not be disturbed.
 Children sometimes rebel against their parental standard because of their attempt to break
away from some dependence from their parents. Difficulties in learning may arise; social
and speculative interests in group of person and classes of objects will to develop.
 The seventh year is a milestone in a child’s life.
* This is the age of reason and a big transformation takes place in the psyche.
* He or she become very attached to family life, proud of his or her parents and
generally boasts about them.
 The figure ‘7’ plays an important role in a person’s life. Development follows a pattern at
seven cycles.
 After the age of reason, an individual goes through seven years of (age of) puberty.
 Then follows another seven years of adult hood.
 Between eight and nine years’ old
* Period of “relaxation” where the child takes time to rest from the exuberant
period that preceded this age.
* Period of preparation for the critical age of puberty.
* The child likes school work and the eagerness to learn is at its peak.
* There comes an attachment to organized and orderly life; the child plans for the
future; he or she is sociable and polite.
* The child likes school work and the eagerness to learn is at its peak.
 * There comes an attachment to organized and orderly life; the child plans for the
future; he or she is sociable and polite.
 At age ten, however
* Children become less calm and more difficult to handle.
* Their minds start to move forward, to develop.
* They start to make judgments and analyze things.
* They become very critical of anything that displeases them.
 Towards the age of eleven and twelve
* Children will start to hide behind small affectations and slyness.
* Believes that he or she is misunderstood and persecuted.
* It is also very difficult what is going on inside their minds.
* They do not understand themselves either.
* At twelve, childhood begins to fade and adolescence starts to flourish.

The conditions which contribute to the maintenance of emotional stability in

later life are:
1. Adequate material facilities (Nourishing food, sleep that is commensurate to his or her needs
and age, and health that is intelligently safeguarded)
2. Secure home life. (The need for affection and status should be satisfied in home. This will result
in confidence and stable outlook in life.)
3. Opportunities for self-expression (The child should be given reasonable opportunity for self-
expression.) 4. Protection from high emotional tension (The child should be safeguarded against
severe traumatic experiences or situations which they cannot understand and evaluate.)
5. Opportunities for social living (It is through social intercourse that emotions are developed in
approved ways.)
CHILDRENS NEEDS FOR GOOD MENTAL HEALTH
To grow healthy and strong, children should have good food, plenty of sleep, exercise and
fresh air. Equally important is the fulfillment of children’s emotional needs.
To be both healthy and happy, children needs.
Love
Acceptance
Security
Protection
Independence
Faith
Guidance
Control

PERSONALITY ADOLESCENCE

 Adolescence is the period of transition from dependence on adult direction and protection
to self-determination.
 The pubescent stage is from 12-15 years for females and 14-17 years for males.
 Many facets of intelligence develop at a rapid pace with the onset of adolescence.
  Emotional attitudes of adolescence are unpredictable, as they swing from optimism and
enthusiastic cooperation to withdrawal and pessimistic depression.
 Physiological changes make young adolescents aware of one’s role.
 The degree of physical energy, the types of pleasurable activities engaged in are
representative of the interest of one’s cultural group.

PROBLEMS IN ADOLESCENCE

1. Freedom from parental supervision the adolescent faces the problem of achieving self-discipline
while still under parental control and dependent upon the family.
2. Constructive use of leisure
 Team sports
 Club activities
 Hobbies
3. Sexual relationships Emotional difficulties arise because of correct or inadequate information
concerning sex.
4. Peer adjustment the peer culture acts as transition period reaching adult status in the
community.
5. Intellectual maturity Attitudes are formed, which are likely to remain relatively unchanged
throughout life.
6. Vocational choice Adolescent make little or no preparation for an occupation.
7. Emotional maturity Adolescent must learn to channel his/her impulse to constructive endeavors.
8. Development of life goals One factor in attaining maturity involves the development of life
goals and healthy personal philosophy.

FACTORS IN PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

Personality is basically developmental in nature and factors, such as learning, training, and
discipline, are of primary importance in its development. These factors are experienced at home,
in the school and in the community.

Home and Mental Health

The home is the first and most significant agency that affects the life of a child. Aside from
physical care, a satisfactory family life is indispensable to the adequate development of the child.

 Because of the relation between personality and environment, family cohesion and
disruption are fundamentally important to adjustment and mental health. The saying “a
broken home results in a broken child” has been found to be true in many instances.
 The following aspects of inter-parental relationships were found to be factors to child
adjustment:
1. Tension over matters of sex
2. Problems of ascendancy-submission
3. Lack of consideration for each other
4. Lack of cooperation concerning the upbringing of the child
5. Extramarital relations
6. Problems of health
 7. Insufficient to talk over differences to mutually acceptable solutions
8. Insufficient expressions of affection
9. Tension over friends, work, and relatives

M.F Nimkoff described a good home as “one in which the child has parents who love each
other, who love him, understand his interests, and do what they can to help him realize them
and thus achieve adequate adjustment.”

INADEQUATE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP

Emotional rejection of the child
 Rejection may be defined as an overt behavior toward an individual which leads him to
believe that he is neither loved nor valued.
The following are practice which indicates parental rejection:
1. Emphasis on the children’s shortcomings
2. Severe punishment and negative responses
3. Rigid discipline
4. Desertion
5. Eviction
6. Unfavorable comparisons with other children
7. Unfavorable verbal statements indicating the he or she is unwanted

o Domination of the Parents

 Some parents are so rigid and uncompromising with their standards that anxiety is created
in the child. Thumb sucking, nail biting and bed-wetting, which frequently are the results
of anxiety, are met by threats and restraints by the parents.

o Submission to the child

 A submissive parent is one who capitulates to unrealistic demands and requests, usually
following pressures and teasing by the child. › Submissive behavior of parents tends to
develop conceit, over-confidence, disobedience, and disrespect for authority in children.

o Overprotecting the child

 Overprotection of parents involves over attention and pampering without offering

opportunities for the child to make decisions or to assume responsibilities.

Factors which appear to account for such overindulgence:

a. Absence of love and affection in the parent’s own childhood.

b. Inharmonious marital relationships
c. Frustrations of personal achievement or thwarting of vocational aspirations
d. Loss of mate or of another child

OTHERS DETRIMENTAL PRECTICES COMMON TO PARENTS

 Some parents wish to relive their lives through their children’s career and thus impose their
vocational or professional ambitions without regard to the child’s own interest and abilities.

 Some parents who have acquired considerable social and economic prestige because of
their perseverance and drive expect their children to be like them. › A parent who has a
strong preference for a child of a given sex is likely to make a child of the undesired sex
feel unwanted and/or will focus emphasis on the preferred sex characteristics.

ORIGIN OF PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS

Child rearing practices of parents are greatly influenced by the manner in which they themselves
were reared. The adults upon whom the child must depend on the exert the greatest influence on
the child’s life- the parents, Grandparents, aunts, uncles, or an elder sibling. Mother-child
relationship Father-child relationship Parent Surrogates

DISCIPLINE

Through the years, the accepted social and educational philosophy of child rearing is that
control based on authority and command. Some still believe that severe regulation of
children is essential for their development. Yet, when too rigidly enforced, discipline lays
the foundation for later rebellion.

The modern view of discipline does not dispense with punishment but utilizes it only when
there are certain indications that it will result in improved adjustment on the part of the
child. Punishment is no longer regarded as an end in itself or as a repressive measure, but
as means to develop socially desirable behavior.

Nature Human Behaviour reveals that there are four personality types — average, reserved, role-
model and self-centered — and these findings might change the thinking about personality in
general.
The four personality include:
 Average: The most common type are people who are high in neuroticism and extraversion
while lower in openness.
 Reserved: People in this type are not open or neurotic but they are emotionally stable.
They tend to be introverted, agreeable and conscientious.
 Role-models: These people are natural leaders with low levels of neuroticism and high
levels of agreeableness, extraversion, openness and conscientiousness. They listen to new ideas
and are reliable.
 Self-centered: While these people score high in extraversion, they rank below average
openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness.

What are the four types of personalities?

 The four-temperament theory is a proto-psychological theory which suggests that there are
four fundamental personality types: sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic. ...
 Temperament theory has its roots in the ancient theory of humourism.
 In the centuries after Galen, other researchers contributed to the development of his four
primary temperament types, most prominently Immanuel Kant (in the 18th century) and
psychologist Wilhelm Wundt (in the 19th century) (Eysenck, 2009; Stelmack & Stalikas,
1991; Wundt, 1874/1886). Kant agreed with Galen that everyone could be sorted into one
of the four temperaments and that there was no overlap between the four categories
(Eysenck, 2009). He developed a list of traits that could be used to describe the personality
of a person from each of the four temperaments. However, Wundt suggested that a better
description of personality could be achieved using two major axes:
emotional/nonemotional and changeable/unchangeable. The first axis separated strong
from weak emotions (the melancholic and choleric temperaments from the phlegmatic and
sanguine). The second axis divided the changeable temperaments (choleric and sanguine)
from the unchangeable ones (melancholic and phlegmatic) (Eysenck, 2009).

Developed from Galen’s theory of the four temperaments, Kant proposed trait words to describe
each temperament. Wundt later suggested the arrangement of the traits on two major axes.
C. DIMENSIONS OF THEORIES OF FREUD AND ERICKSON

Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality Development

According to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of personality development, there are two basic
factors which drive an individual and help in shaping his/her personality. These two basic drivers
are love and aggression which have a direct impact on what an individual does and
thinks. According to Freud, love and aggression have a direct control on our minds and
thoughts.

Freud referred to Love and Aggression as “Eros” and “Thanatos” respectively.

“Eros” refers to intimate and passionate love between two partners. It is often defined as a kind of
madness which one experiences for his/her partner.

“Thanatos” was a figure in Greek mythology, though he never really existed as a person. Thanatos
symbolizes death.

Freud believed that Eros represents an individual’s instinct to survive. Eros refers to an
individual’s determination to live, where sex is the major driving force.

Thanatos on the other hand represents aggression which ultimately leads to death.

1. Structure of Personality

According to Freud, an individual’s mind has a fixed amount of desire towards sexual
activity, often called as libido. No two individuals would have similar desire for sexual activity
and the same would vary as per an individual’s situation, circumstance at the moment.

An adult personality generally has three determinants: Id, Ego and Super Ego

The outcome of the combination of all the three determinants shapes an adult personality. Freud
believed than an individual’s personality has three parts and thus is often called as tripartite
personality.

 Id
 Ego
 Superego

Id - refers to irrational needs and demands, something which has nothing to do with the reality of
the situation. Freud believed that Individuals seek immediate pleasure in order to satisfy their
biological and physiological needs without taking into consideration the reality.Id gives immediate
pleasure to individuals and is often irrational.

Ego - Ego develops when individuals start interacting with people around. Ego helps in the
fulfillment of id, taking into consideration the reality of the situation.

Super Ego - Super ego is often the third stage which includes the moral constraints imposed on an
individual by his parents or family.

2. Defense Mechanisms

According to Freud’s theory, Repression is one of the most powerful defense mechanisms which
push irrational impulses into unconscious mind. Defense mechanisms play an important role in
pushing unrealistic thoughts out of awareness. Stressful thoughts which are threatening to an
individual’s survival should be pushed into unconscious mind to reduce anxiety through
repression.

3. Psychosexual Stages

Freud believed that a single organ or body part is more sensitive to sexual stimulation at a
particular stage in a child’s complete development cycle. These organs often referred to as
erogenous zones include mouth, genital regions and anus. An individual’s sexual desires depend
on erogenous zone for a particular age. Sometimes a child finds himself/herself overindulged in
sexual pleasures of a particular age and is reluctant to grow beyond that stage. Frustration arises
when sexual needs are not fulfilled. Overindulgence and Frustration sometimes lead to
fixation. Fixation refers to a state where an individual is reluctant to progress beyond a particular
stage and is often obsessed with a sexual attachment.

Sigmund Freud's psychosexual theory and Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory are two well-

known theories of development. While he was influenced by Freud's ideas, Erikson's theory
differed in a number of important ways.

Like Freud, Erikson recognized the importance of the unconscious on development. He also
believed that personality develops in a series of predetermined stages. Unlike Freud’s theory of
psychosexual stages, Erikson’s theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole
lifespan.

Let's compare and contrast these two theories by looking at some of the key similarities and differences
at each stage.

Birth to 1 Year

The two theories of development both focus on the importance of early experiences, but there are
notable differences between Freud's and Erikson's ideas. Freud centered on the importance of
feeding, while Erikson was more concerned with how responsive caretakers are to a child's needs.

1. Freud's Theory
The first stage of psychosexual development is known as the oral stage. 1 At this point in
development, a child's primary source of pleasure is through the mouth via sucking, eating, and
tasting.
Problems with this stage can result in what Freud referred to as an oral fixation.
4. Erikson's Theory
Trust vs. mistrust is the first stage in Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. 2 During
this stage, children learn to either trust or mistrust their caregivers.

The care that adults provide determines whether children develop this sense of trust in the world
around them. Children who do not receive adequate and dependable care may develop a sense of
mistrust of others and the world.
Ages 1 to 3 Years

While there are a number of differences between Erikson's and Freud's ideas, their theories both
focus on how children develop a sense of independence and mastery.

1. Freud's Theory
The second stage of psychosexual development is known as the anal stage. 3 In this stage, children
gain a sense of mastery and competence by controlling bladder and bowel movements.
Children who succeed at this stage develop a sense of capability and productivity. Those who have
problems at this stage may develop an anal fixation. As adults, they might be excessively orderly
or messy.
5. Erikson's Theory
Autonomy versus shame and doubt is the second stage of psychosocial development.4 During this
stage, children become more mobile. They develop self-sufficiency by controlling activities such
as eating, toilet training, and talking.
Children who are supported in this stage become more confident and independent. Those who are
criticized or overly controlled are left doubting themselves.

Ages 3 to 6 Years

During the preschool and early elementary years, Freud's theory was much more concerned with
the role of the libido while Erikson's theory was more focused on how children interact with
parents and peers.
 1. Freud's Theory
The third stage of psychosexual development is known as the phallic stage. 5 In this stage, the
libido's energy is focused on the genitals. Children become aware of their anatomical sex
differences which leads boys to experience the Oedipus complex while girls experience the Electra
complex.

By the end of this stage, they begin to identify with their same-sex parent.

6. Erikson's Theory
Erikson's third stage of psychosocial development is the initiative versus guilt stage.6 In this stage,
children begin to take more control over their environment. They begin to interact with other
children and develop their interpersonal skills.

Ages 7 to 11 Years

Freud believed that this age served as more of a transitional period between childhood and
adolescence.7 Erikson, on the other hand, believed that kids continue to forge a sense of
independence and competence.
1. Freud's Theory

The fourth stage of psychosexual development is known as the latent period. In this stage, the
libido's energy is suppressed and children focus more on other activities such as school, friends,
and hobbies.

Freud believed this stage was important for developing social skills and self-confidence.

7. Erikson's Theory
Industry versus inferiority is the second stage of psychosocial development.4 Children develop a
sense of competence by mastering new skills, like writing and reading on their own.
Adolescence

Adolescence played a critical role in both Freud's and Erikson's theories of development. In both
theories, teens begin to forge their own sense of identity.
 1. Freud's Theory
The fifth stage of psychosexual development is known as the genital stage. 7 It is the time when
adolescents begin to explore romantic relationships. According to Freud, the goal of this stage is
to develop a sense of balance between all the areas of life.
2. Erikson's Theory
The fifth stage of Erikson's theory of psychosocial development is the identity versus role
confusion stage. It occurs during adolescence, from about 12 to 18 years.

During this stage, adolescents develop a personal identity and a sense of self. Teens explore
different roles, attitudes, and identities as they develop a sense of self.

Adulthood

Freud's theory focused exclusively on development between birth and the teen years, implying that
personality is largely set in stone by early childhood.

1. Freud's Theory

Freud's theory largely focuses on the period between birth and adolescence, implying that
personality is largely set in stone by early childhood. According to Freud, the genital stage lasts
throughout adulthood. The goal is to develop a balance between all areas of life.

2. Erikson's Theory

Erikson, on the other hand, took a lifespan approach, believing that development continues even in
old age. His theory includes the three additional stages that span adulthood:

 Intimacy vs. Isolation: Young adults seek out romantic love and companionship.
 Generativity vs. Stagnation: Middle-aged adults nurture others and contribute to society.
 Integrity vs. Despair: Older adults reflect on their lives, looking back with a sense of
fulfillment or bitterness.

A Word From Verywell

Freud's and Erikson's theories of development share a number of important similarities. Both
stressed the importance of social experiences and recognized the role that childhood plays in
shaping adult personality.
Unlike Freud's psychosexual approach, Erikson's psychosocial stage theory took a more expansive
view of development, encompassing childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. While Freud believed
that development was largely complete fairly early on, Erikson felt that it was a process that
continued throughout the entire course of a person's life.

https://study.com/academy/lesson/differences-between-freud-and-eriksons-approaches-to-
psychoanalytic-theory-differences-analysis.html#lesson

D. Importance / Significance of Personality Development

An individual’s personality refers to his/her appearance, characteristics, attitude, mindset and

behavior with others.

Let us go through the importance of personality development.

Personality development grooms an individual and helps him make a mark of his/her own.
Individuals need to have a style of their own for others to follow them. Do not blindly copy others.
You need to set an example for people around. Personality development not only makes you look
good and presentable but also helps you face the world with a smile.

Personality development goes a long way in reducing stress and conflicts. It encourages
individuals to look at the brighter sides of life. Face even the worst situations with a smile. Trust
me, flashing your trillion dollar smile will not only melt half of your problems but also evaporate
your stress and worries. There is no point cribbing over minor issues and problems.

Personality development helps you develop a positive attitude in life. An individual with a
negative attitude finds a problem in every situation. Rather than cribbing and criticizing people
around, analyze the whole situation and try to find an appropriate solution for the same.
Remember, if there is a problem, there has to be a solution as well. Never lose your cool. It would
make the situation worse.

It is essential for individuals to behave well with people around. Being polite with others will not
only make you popular among other people but also earn you respect and pride. You can’t demand
respect by being rude with people around. Personality development plays an important role in
developing not only your outer but also inner self. Human being is a social animal. One needs
people around. An individual needs to have that magnetic power which attracts people towards
him. You need to have that charisma of yours. Personality development helps you gain recognition
and acceptance from the society as well as people around.

Personality development plays an essential role not only in an individual’s professional but also
personal lives. It makes an individual disciplined, punctual and an asset for his/her organization.
An in-disciplined individual finds it difficult to survive in the long run. Personality development
teaches you to respect not only your Boss and fellow workers but also family members, friends,
neighbours, relatives and so on. Never make fun of anyone at the workplace. Avoid criticizing and
making fun of your fellow workers.

One should never carry his/her attitude or personal grudges to work. Office is not a place where
you can be rude to others just because you had a fight with your friend last night. Personality
development sessions help you differentiate between your personal as well as professional life. It
is really essential to keep a balance between both the lives to lead a peaceful and stress free life.
Personality development helps an individual to inculcate positive qualities like punctuality,
flexible attitude, willingness to learn, friendly nature, eagerness to help others and so on.
Never hesitate to share information with others. Always reach office on time. Some people have a
tendency to work till late. Late sittings not only increase your stress levels but also spoil your
personal life. Sitting till late at the office indicates that an individual is extremely poor in time
management skills.

Personality development helps you develop an impressive personality and makes you stand apart
from the rest. Personality development also plays an essential role in improving one’s
communication skills. Individuals ought to master the art of expressing their thoughts and feelings
in the most desired way. Personality development makes you a confident individual who is
appreciated and respected wherever he goes.

Personality Development Tips

tips for enhancing one’s personality:

 Smile a lot- Nothing works better than a big smile when it comes to interacting with
people around. Do not forget to flash your trillion dollar smile quite often. Believe me, it
works! As they say “a smile is a curve that sets everything straight”. A smiling face wins
even the toughest soul. Wear your smile while interacting with others. Smile not only helps
in enhancing an individual’s personality but also winning other’s heart.
 Think positive- It is really essential to think positive. Remember there is light at the end
of every dark tunnel. Do not always think negative as it not only acts as a demotivating
factor but also makes an individual dull and frustrated. Don’t get upset over minor things.
Be a little flexible and always look at the broader perspectives of life.
 Dress Sensibly- Dressing sensibly and smartly go a long way in honing one’s personality.
One needs to dress according to the occasion. How would a female look if she wears a sari
to a discotheque? Obviously ridiculous! No matter how expensive your sari is, you can’t
wear it to a night club or a pub where everyone is dressed in smart casuals. Price has
nothing to do with smart dressing. An individual who is well dressed is respected and
liked by all. No one would take you seriously if you do not wear suitable clothes fitting
with occasions. Do take care of the fit of the dress as well. An individual should wear
clothes as per his/her body type, height, physique and so on. Someone who is bulky would
not look very impressive in body hugging clothes. It is not necessary that something which
looks good on your friend would also look good on you. Wear the right make up. You do
not have to apply loud make up to look good and attractive. Even minimal make up, if
applied sensibly can really make you stand apart from the rest.
 Be soft-spoken- Do not always find faults in others. Fighting and quarrelling lead to no
solution. Be polite with others. Be very careful of what you speak. Avoid being rude and
short tempered.
 Leave your ego behind- An individual needs to hide his ego everywhere he goes. Be it
office or workplace you need to leave your ego behind if you wish to win appreciation
from others. An individual who is good from within is loved by all.
 Avoid Backbiting- Backstabbing and criticizing people are negative traits which work
against an individual’s personality. Learn to appreciate others. If someone has done
some extraordinary task, do not forget to give a pat on his/her back. Believe me; the other
person will speak high of you even when you are not around. Do not spread unnecessary
rumours about someone. An individual should not try to interfere too much in someone’s
 personal life. Dishonesty, cheating, lies tarnish your image and people start avoiding you
in the long run. If your friend is seeing someone, you have absolutely no rights to make
his/her affair national news.
 Help others- Do not always think of harming others. Share whatever you know.
Remember no one can steal your knowledge. Always help others.
 Confidence- Confidence is the key to a positive personality. Exude confidence and
positive aura wherever you go.
 A Patient listener- Be a patient listener. Never interrupt when others are speaking. Try to
imbibe good qualities of others.

E. THE FIVE ASPECTS OF PERSONALITY IS THE FIVE BIG PERSONALITY TRAITS

The Big Five Model, also known as the Five-Factor Model, is the most widely accepted
personality theory held by psychologists today. The theory states that personality can be boiled
down to five core factors, known by the acronym CANOE or OCEAN:

 The Big Five personality traits are extraversion (also often spelled extroversion),
agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism.
 Each trait represents a continuum. Individuals can fall anywhere on the continuum
for each trait.
 The Big Five remain relatively stable throughout most of one’s lifetime.
 They are influenced significantly by both genes and the environment, with an
estimated heritability of 50%.
 They are also known to predict certain important life outcomes such as education
and health.

History and Background

The Big Five model resulted from the contributions of many independent researchers. Gordon
Allport and Henry Odbert first formed a list of 4,500 terms relating to personality traits in 1936
(Vinney, 2018). Their work provided the foundation for other psychologists to begin determining
the basic dimensions of personality.
In the 1940s, Raymond Cattell and his colleagues used factor analysis (a statistical method) to
narrow down Allport’s list to sixteen traits. However, numerous psychologists examined Cattell’s
list and found that it could be further reduced to five traits. Among these psychologists were
Donald Fiske, Norman, Smith, Goldberg, and McCrae & Costa (Cherry, 2019).
In particular, Lewis Goldberg advocated heavily for five primary factors of personality
(Ackerman, 2017). His work was expanded upon by McCrae & Costa, who confirmed the model’s
validity and provided the model used today: conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism,
openness to experience, and extraversion.
The model became known as the “Big Five” and has seen received much attention. It has been
researched across many populations and cultures and continues to be the most widely accepted
theory of personality today.
Each of the Big Five personality traits represents extremely broad categories which cover many
personality-related terms. Each trait encompasses a multitude of other facets.
For example, the trait of Extraversion is a category that contains labels such as Gregariousness
(sociable), Assertiveness (forceful), Activity (energetic), Excitement-seeking (adventurous),
Positive emotions (enthusiastic), and Warmth (outgoing) (John & Srivastava, 1999).
Therefore, the Big Five while not completely exhaustive, cover virtually all personality-related
terms.

Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness describes a person’s ability to regulate their impulse control in order to engage
in goal-directed behaviors (Grohol, 2019). It measures elements such as control, inhibition, and
persistency of behavior.
High
 Competence
 Organized
 Dutifulness
 Achievement striving
 Self-disciplined
 Deliberation
Low
 Incompetent
  Disorganized
 Careless
 Procrastinates
 Indiscipline
 Impulsive

Conscientiousness vs. Lack of Direction

Those who score high on conscientiousness can be described as organized, disciplined, detail-
oriented, thoughtful, and careful. They also have good impulse control, which allows them to
complete tasks and achieve goals.
Those who score low on conscientiousness may struggle with impulse control, leading to
difficulty in completing tasks and fulfilling goals.
They tend to be more disorganized and may dislike too much structure. They may also engage in
more impulsive and careless behavior.
Agreeableness
Agreeableness refers to how people tend to treat relationships with others. Unlike extraversion
which consists of the pursuit of relationships, agreeableness focuses on people’s orientation and
interactions with others (Ackerman, 2017).
High
 Trust (forgiving)
 Straightforwardness
 Altruism (enjoys helping)
 Compliance
 Modesty
 Sympathetic
 Empathy
Low
 Sceptical
 Demanding
 Insults and belittles others
 Stubborn
 Show-off
 Unsympathetic
 Doesn't care about how other people feel

Agreeableness vs. Antagonism

Those high in agreeableness can be described as soft-hearted, trusting, and well-liked. They are
sensitive to the needs of others and are helpful and cooperative. People regard them as trustworthy
and altruistic.
Those low in agreeableness may be perceived as suspicious, manipulative, and uncooperative.
They may be antagonistic when interacting with others, making them less likely to be well-liked
and trusted.
Extraversion
Extraversion reflects the tendency and intensity to which someone seeks interaction with their
environment, particularly socially. It encompasses the comfort and assertiveness levels of people
in social situations.
Additionally, it also reflects the sources from which someone draws energy.
High
 Sociable
 Energized by social interaction
 Excitement-seeking
 Enjoys being the center of attention
 Outgoing
Low
 Prefers solitude
 Fatigued by too much social interaction
 Reflective
 Dislikes being the center of attention
 Reserved

Extraversion vs. Introversion

Those high on extraversion are generally assertive, sociable, fun-loving, and outgoing. They thrive
in social situations and feel comfortable voicing their opinions. They tend to gain energy and
become excited from being around others.
Those who score low in extraversion are often referred to as introverts. These people tend to be
more reserved and quieter. They prefer listening to others rather than needing to be heard.
Introverts often need periods of solitude in order to regain energy as attending social events can be
very tiring for them. Of importance to note is that introverts do not necessarily dislike social
events, but instead find them tiring.
Openness to Experience
Openness to experience refers to one’s willingness to try new things as well as engage in
imaginative and intellectual activities. It includes the ability to “think outside of the box.”
High
 Curious
 Imaginative
 Creative
 Open to trying new things
 Unconventional
Low
 Predictable
 Not very imaginative
 Dislikes change
  Prefer routine
 Traditional
Openness vs. Closedness to Experience
Those who score high on openness to experience are perceived as creative and artistic. They prefer
variety and value independence. They are curious about their surroundings and enjoy traveling and
learning new things.
People who score low on openness to experience prefer routine. They are uncomfortable with
change and trying new things so they prefer the familiar over the unknown. As they are practical
people, they often find it difficult to think creatively or abstractly.
Neuroticism
Neuroticism describes the overall emotional stability of an individual through how they perceive
the world. It takes into account how likely a person is to interpret events as threatening or difficult.
It also includes one’s propensity to experience negative emotions.
High
 Anxious
 Angry hostility (irritable)
 Experiences a lot of stress
 Self-consciousness (shy)
 Vulnerability
 Experiences dramatic shifts in mood
Low
 Doesn't worry much
 Calm
 Emotionally stable
 Confident
 Resilient
 Rarely feels sad or depressed

Neuroticism vs. Emotional Stability

Those who score high on neuroticism often feel anxious, insecure and self-pitying. They are often
perceived as moody and irritable. They are prone to excessive sadness and low self-esteem.
Those who score low on neuroticism are more likely to calm, secure and self-satisfied. They are
less likely to be perceived as anxious or moody. They are more likely to have high self-esteem and
remain resilient.
Factors that Influence the Big 5
Like with all theories of personality, the Big Five is influenced by both nature and nurture. Twin
studies have found that the heritability (the amount of variance that can be attributed to genes) of
the Big Five traits is 40-60%.
Jang et al. (1996) conducted a study with 123 pairs of identical twins and 127 pairs of fraternal
twins. They estimated the heritability of conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness
to experience, and extraversion to be 44%, 41%, 41%, 61%, and 53%, respectively.
This finding was similar to the findings of another study, where the heritability of
conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness to experience and extraversion were
estimated to be 49%, 48%, 49%, 48%, and 50%, respectively (Jang et al., 1998).
Such twin studies demonstrate that the Big Five personality traits are significantly influenced by
genes and that all five traits are equally heritable. Heritability for males and females do not seem
to differ significantly (Leohlin et al., 1998).
Studies from different countries also support the idea of a strong genetic basis for the Big Five
personality traits (Riemann et al., 1997; Yamagata et al., 2006).
Gender Differences
Differences in the Big Five personality traits between genders have been observed, but these
differences are small compared to differences between individuals within the same gender.
Costa et al. (2001) gathered data from over 23,000 men and women in 26 countries. They found
that “gender differences are modest in magnitude, consistent with gender stereotypes, and
replicable across cultures” .
Women reported themselves to be higher in Neuroticism, Agreeableness, Warmth (a facet of
Extraversion), and Openness to Feelings compared to men. Men reported themselves to be higher
in Assertiveness (a facet of Extraversion) and Openness to Ideas.
Another interesting finding was that bigger gender differences were reported in Western,
industrialized countries. Researchers proposed that the most plausible reason for this finding was
attribution processes.
They surmised that actions of women in individualistic countries would be more likely to be
attributed to her personality whereas actions of women in collectivistic countries would be more
likely to be attributed to their compliance with gender role norms.

REFERENCES:
Lim, A (2020, June 15). The big five personality traits. Simply Psychology.
https://www.simplypsychology.org/big-five-personality.html
Grohol, J. M. (2019, May 30). The Big Five Personality Traits. PsychCentral. Retrieved 10 June
2020, from https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-big-five-personality-traits
Cherry, K. (2019, October 14). What Are the Big 5 Personality Traits? Verywell Mind. Retrieved
12 June 2020, from https://www.verywellmind.com/the-big-five-personality-dimensions-2795422
Ackerman, C. (2017, June 23). Big Five Personality Traits: The OCEAN Model Explained.
PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/big-five-personality-theory
Costa, P., Terracciano, A., & McCrae, R. (2001). Gender Differences in Personality Traits Across
Cultures: Robust and Surprising Findings. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81(2),
322-331. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.81.2.322
 Annabelle G.Y. Lim , The Big Five Personality Traits published June 15, 2020
Tim Dare, ‘Challenges to Applied Ethics’, Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics (Second Edition)Links to an external
site. 2012, Pages 167–173 https://doi-org.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/10.1016/B978-0-12-373932-2.00015-6

Jan Crosthwaite ‘The Nature of Ethical Expertise: A Problem in the Professional Ethics of Professional Ethicists’
(1995) 9 Bioethics 361-379 ISSN 0269-9702

Scot D. Yoder 'The Nature of Ethical Expertise' The Hastings Center Report Vol. 28, No. 6 (Nov. - Dec., 1998), pp.
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Bradley Wendel (2010) ‘Personal Integrity and the Conflict Between Ordinary and Institutional Values’ Tim Dare and
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Lahey B. B. (2009). Public health significance of neuroticism. The American psychologist, 64(4),

241–256. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015309

Post-Test
Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your answer on the space provided
before each number.
__b___ 1. Erikson's developmental stage of industry vs. inferiority can be compared to which of
Freud's psychosexual stages?
a. Anal c. Phallic
b. Latency d. Oral
__d___ 2. How are Freud and Erikson's theories of development similar?
a. Both believe the oral stage is the first stage of development.
b. Both emphasize biological forces in development.
c. Both emphasize social forces in development.
d. Both use similar age divisions and believe the unconscious is important.
_b____ 3. Which of the following tests assesses the intelligence of children up to 12 months of
age?
a. The Bayley Scale c. The Gesell Developmental Schedules
b. The Fagan Test d. The Mullen Scale
__d___ 4. Psychologist James Marcia was mainly focused on what aspect of
adolescence?
a. Complexity c. Duties of being an adult
b. Development of self-concept d. Teen identity development
___c__ 5. Which of the following is true concerning a child who has developed
autonomous morality?
a. The child believes that societal laws should be agreed upon
b. The child knows that his or her parents' rules can't be changed
c. The child knows that rules do not have to be set in stone
d. The child makes decisions based on self-interest