PERSONALITY

CHAPTER 9
Definition
No single definition of personality is acceptable to all psychologists. Definitions of personality vary from
one theorist to the next, but most agree that “it consist of distinctive patterns of behavior that characterize
as persons’ adaptation to the situation in his or her life”.

To psychologists, “personality” refers to the total person. It is the expression of what you are and what
you do. It is the core of each individual, the product of all the responses that are expressed in everyday
living- in the home, the school, the office, in the street, etc. it includes the constantly meet. Personality is
the totality of one’s physical or inherited attributes, as well as those psychological factors that determines
one’s characteristic behavior. This totality is so arranged in an individual that sets him apart from the rest.

Finally, personality refers to the qualities within a person, distinctive patterns of behavior that
characterize each individual’s unique adoptions to the situations in his life. Personality refers to the
behavior patterns a person shows across situation or the psychological characteristics of the person that
led to those behavior patterns.
Development of Personality
Inherited
The Role of Heredity Intelligence
Predisposition

Family and Home

The Role of Learning
Environment

Culture
INTERNAL THEORY
(Type A and Trait Theory of Personality)
a. Endomorphic components
this means the prominence of
1. Theory based on body intestines and visceral organs,
types (William Sheldon) and fats are in proportion to
height
This theory relates
personality with bodily
b. Mesomorphic components
constitution, health and
these refer to bones and
vigor. The type names are
muscles
derived from the names of
the cell layers of the embryo
where different bodily
tissues originate c. Ectomorphic components
The individual tends to be tall, thin and poorly
developed.
INTERNAL THEORY
(Type A and Trait Theory of Personality)
a. The Asthenic type
Of individuals is those who are
thin, tall and emaciated
2. Theory based on body
build and strength b. Pyknic type
(Kretchmer) The opposite of asthenic type

An individual maybe
c. Athletic type
classified under any of the
Is between asthenic and the pyknic
following types
type who are extremes in body build

d. Dysplastic type
Those persons who can’t be classified
among the 3 types
INTERNAL THEORY
(Type A and Trait Theory of Personality)

3. Theory based on body chemistry (Hippocrates)

Hippocrates the father of medicine, theorized that there are

four basic types of temperaments based on body fluids such
as: too much blood made a person sanguine (lively); an
excess yellow bile resulted in a choleric personality (active);
black bile made a person melancholic (sensitive); and a
surplus of phlegm made one phlegmatic (stable). An
understanding of these four categories could help us relate
ourselves with the members of the group at home. At the
work place or in all social contacts we make from time to
time.
Psychoanalytic Theory
Sigmund Freud constructed a model of personality with three interlocking parts: the id,
ego and superego
Analytical Theory
Carl Jung a Swiss psychoanalytical and founder of Analytic Psychology, he classified
personality into two types:
Individual Psychology
Alfred Adler believed that people are forever struggling to overcome their feelings of
inferiority
Psychoanalytic Interpersonal Theory
Karen Horney, two major components of her “person” psychology were the twin notions of basic
anxiety and basic hostility
Humanistic Theory
These theories emphasize the importance of people’s subjective attitudes, feelings and
beliefs especially with regard to the self. The following are the popular humanistic
theories

Self-Theory
(Carl Rogers)
Emphasized the whole
experience which he
referred to as the
phenomenal field.
Phenomenal field is the
individual’s subjective
frame of refence; it may or
it may not correspond to
external reality
Self-Actualization Theory
(Abraham Maslow)
Believed that each person
has an essential nature that
“presses” to emerge.
Maslow's expressed the
view that we have
higher-level growth needs
such as the need of
self-actualization and
understanding of
ourselves.
EXTERNAL THEORIES
These theories emphasize external factors like situation in which the behavior is carried
out.

Social Leaning Theory

Cognitive Theory
(BF Skinner)
(Jean Piaget)
This theory explains that
Believed that behavior is
people’s actions are shaped
always a joint product of
and controlled by
the person and the
environmental rewards and
situation. Behaviors do not
punishment while others
occur in vacuum but always
also learn through imitation
inn a situational context.
and modelling.
WAYS TO IMPROVE ONE’S
PERSONALITY
Make a Discuss with
self-appraisal others
Formulate a
program for
self-improvement

Re-evaluate your
value system Define your way
of life