Positive Thinking by: Amit Abraham

Dynamics ofPersonality Development

"This world will not be a good place for any of us to live unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in"

Personality can be defined as the deeply ingrained and relatively enduring patterns of thought, feeling and behaviour. Personality usually refers to that which is unique about a person, the characteristics that distinguish him or her from other people. Thoughts, emotions and behaviour as such do not constitute a personality, which is rather the disposition that underlie these elements.
Personality implies predictability about how a person will act or react under different circumstances.
Theorists emphasise on different aspects of personality and disagree about its organisation, development and manifestation in behaviour. One of the most influential theoretical systems is the Psychoanalytic Theory of Sigmund Freud and his followers. Freud believed that unconscious processes direct a great part of a person's behaviour. Although a person is unaware of these impulses and drives, they strive to assert themselves. Another influential theory of personality is derived from Behaviourism. This view, represented by thinkers such as the American psychologist B. F. Skinner, places primary emphasis on learning. Skinner sees human behaviour as determined largely by its consequences. If rewarded, behaviour recurs; if punished, it is less likely to recur.
(Formation and development)
Heredity and environment interact to form personality.
Right from birth, infants differ widely because of variables that are either inherited or result from conditions of pregnancy and birth. For example, some infants are more attentive than others, whereas some are more active. These differences can influence on how parents respond to the infant. Among the personality characteristics that are known to be at least partly determined by heredity, are intelligence and temperament; some forms of psychopathology are also in part hereditary.
In addition to the influences of heredity what happens to a developing child has a greater or lesser effect depending on when it happens. Many psychologists believe that critical periods exist in personality development. These are periods when an individual is more sensitive to a particular type of environmental event. During one period, for example, language ability changes most rapidly; during another, the capacity for guilt is most likely to be developing.
Most experts believe that a child's experiences in the family are crucial for personality development. How well the basic needs are met in infancy and during childhood can leave eperamnent mark on personality.
Children whose toilet training is started too early or carried out too rigidly, for example, may become defiant. Children learn behaviour appropriate to their sex by identifying with their same-sex parent; a warm relationship with that parent facilitates such learning.
Children are also influenced by their siblings. Some authorities emphasise the role of social and cultural traditions in personality development.
Traditionally, psychologists hold that the traits of an individual combine to form a personality and that this personality shows great consistency over a period of time. Recently however, many psychologists have argued that traits exist only in the eye of the beholder and that a person's personality varies with the situation.

(Implications)
Traits vary with the situation and so, we can adapt and adjust ourselves with the environment and develop into healthy humans. The process of adaptation and adjustment is largely determined by the way we feel and look at things. It is our attitude that is responsible for such adaptations and adjustments. We have to think that all things, good or bad, have their positive side and should learn to take advantage of them. We can alter ourselves and perform tailor-made roles for our psychological and social benefits. So let us go ahead and do it.

(Know yourself better)
There are many personality tests measuring various dimensions of personality. It is not possible here to measure all dimensions of your personality, hence, a simplified measure of personality type has been developed to help you identify yourself in terms of types.
Further ahead, you will come across various measures that will help you understand yourself much better.
The author has developed the following scales for the assessment of the personality type. It is based on the archetypal model of personality. According to this model, individuals can be classified into six categories.
These are explained in detail after the assessment of personality type. Find your type.
Read each statement and respond as per what you feel - strong agreement/ agreement/ undecidedness/ disagreement/ strong disagreement with the statement.
Be very honest and truthful to yourself.