SELF AND PERSONALITY

What are they? Where do these Key idea

come from?

Characteristics in which These characteristics are Different people behave

we define our existence usually acquired from differently in same
and make people our experiences and are situation; same person
different from each reflected in our behaves consistently in
other behaviour. similar situations.
Different people have
different personalities in
different situations.
 SELF
Totality of an individual’s conscious experiences, ideas, thoughts and
feelings with regard to her/himself developed since the beginning
(childhood days)

Total of conscious experiences, ideas, thoughts, feelings (since

childhood)
Shaped by Parents, teachers, friends, society
Levels: Personal Identity → Name, qualities (honest,
hardworking), abilities (singer, dancer), beliefs.
Social Identity → Aspects linking to society/culture (religion,
region, group).
Cognitive and Behavioural Aspects
of Self

Self Esteem
Self Efficacy
Self Regulation
 Self-Esteem Judgement of self-worth.
If High → Confident, happy, perform well,
accepted.
If Low → Anxious, depressed, may show
Self-Efficacy
antisocial behaviour.
Develops (age 6–7) in four areas: Academic,
social, physical/athletic, appearance.
Self-Regulation
 Self-Esteem
Belief in ability to control life/outcomes.
Concept is based on Bandura’s Social Learning
Self-Efficacy Theory
If High → Individual can select, influence and
construct circumstances of their own life.

Self-Regulation
 Ability to monitor and adjust behaviour.
Self-Esteem If High → Individuals can change behaviour.
according to demands of the external
environment.
Includes: Willpower (resistance to situational
Self-Efficacy pressures) and self-control (delaying needs).
Psychological techniques of self-control:
Observation of own behaviour
Self-instruction
Self-Regulation
Self-reinforcement
 Culture and
Western Self Indian Culture
Culture (Collectivistic)
(Individualistic)
Self & group Self tied to
separate. group.

Clear Harmony &

boundaries. interdependence
.

Independence Blurred
stressed. boundaries.
 PERSONALITY
Literary Definition: This word is derived from Latin word- Persona,
which means mask used by actors in Roman theatre to perform their
roles.
Layperson’s Definition: Personality represents external or physical
appearance. They often mistake the superficial features for a
person’s overall personality.
Psychology Definition: Personality refers to our characteristic ways
of responding to individuals and situations. Personality refers to
unique and relatively stable qualities that characterise an individual’s
behaviour across different situations over a period of time.
Example: People can easily describe the way in which they respond to various
situations – Shy, sensitive, quiet, warm, nervous.
 Features of
Personality

It consists of both Expression of Its main features Though some

physical to personality in form do not easily features may
psychological of behaviour is change with time change due to
components unique for each internal or external
individual situational
demands, making
personality also
adaptive to
situations.
Some similar meaning words/terms to Personality which are often used as synonyms but
differ in meaning:
 Benefits of Understanding Diverse
Personalities
Better
Communicat We learn how to talk and listen to people in ways they understand.
ion

Good
Teamwork Everyone has different strengths, and knowing personalities helps
in working together.
Less
Conflicts Understanding why people behave differently helps avoid fights
and misunderstandings.
 Benefits of Understanding Diverse
Personalities
Improved
Leadership A leader can guide people better by knowing their nature.

More
Productivity People do well in tasks that match their personality.

Self-
Awareness Helps us understand our own strengths and weaknesses.

Stronger
Relationship Creates respect, trust, and cooperation in school, family, and
s friends.
 Approaches to Study Personalities
and Behaviours
Type
Approach

Humanistic Trait
Approach Approach

Cultural Interactional
Approach Approach

Behavior Psychodynamic
Approach Approach
 Type Approach

Comprehend and segregate people into groups by examining

and based on their broad patterns in observed behaviours.
Examples:
Hippocrates: Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Melancholic, Choleric.
Ayurveda (Charak Samhita): Vata, Pitta, Kapha.
Trigunas: Sattva, Rajas, Tamas.
Sheldon: Endomorphic, Mesomorphic, Ectomorphic.
Jung: Introverts, Extroverts.
Friedman & Rosenman: Type A, B, C, D.

(Refer to details of the theories

 Trait Approach

Groups people as per specific set of traits.

Traits are relatively stable over time, generally consistent across
situations and their strengths and combinations vary across individuals.
Examples of Theories:
Gordon Allport: Cardinal, Central, Secondary traits.
Raymond Cattell: 16PF → Source traits, Surface traits.
Eysenck: 3 Dimensions → Neuroticism, Extraversion, Psychoticism.
Big Five (Costa & McCrae): Openness, Extraversion, Agreeableness,
Neuroticism, Conscientiousness.

(Refer to details of the theories

 Interactional Approach

The interactional approach explains that behaviour is the result of both

traits and situations. Personality is understood as the outcome of the
continuous interaction between traits and situations
Traits represent a person’s stable patterns of thinking, feeling, and
behaving.
Situations provide the context in which these traits are expressed.
Situations such as a market, a court, or a place of worship strongly
influence behaviour.
 Psychodynamic Approach

Levels of Mind: Conscious, Preconscious, Unconscious.

Structure: Id (pleasure), Ego (reality), Superego (morality).
Defence Mechanisms: Repression, Projection, Denial, Reaction
Formation, Rationalization.
Stages of Development: Oral, Anal, Phallic (Oedipus/Electra), Latency,
Genital.

(Refer to details of the theories

 Psychodynamic Approach

Post-Freudian:
o Jung → Aims and ambitions.
o Horney → Growth, challenged Freud’s views on women.
o Adler → Inferiority complex, social interest.
o Erikson → Identity crisis.
Criticism: Case studies, vague concepts, male bias, unscientific.

(Refer to details of the theories

 Behaviour Approach

The behaviourists believe in data which they feel as definable,

observable and measurable.
Focus on observable behaviour.
Focuses on study of stimulus – response and reinforcements.
Personality can be best understood as a response of an individual to the
environment i.e. person learns new behaviours in response to new
environments and stimuli.
 Cultural Approach

Attempts to understand personality in relation to features of ecological

and cultural environment (For example: Rituals, ceremonies, religious
practices, arts, recreational activities, games and plays)
Personality shaped by rituals, practices, ecology and adaptation to
culture.

(Refer to details of the theories

 Humanistic Approach

This approach is built on the theories of Sigmund Freud, Carl Roger and
Abraham Maslow.
Roger proposed the idea of a fully functional person. Motivation is seen
as the drive towards self-fulfilment and ultimately self-actualization. The
concept of the true self and the ideal self explains that when there is
congruence between the two, a person experiences happiness.
A healthy person is characterized by being self-aware, experience
mindfulness, living in the present, and accepting themselves as they are.

(Refer to details of the theories

 PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT
A formal process aimed at understanding personality of an individual
with minimum error and maximum accuracy.

Uses of Helps understand how an

Personali individual is likely to behave in a
ty given situation.
Assessm Used for diagnosis, counselling,
ent placement and training
Techniques of Personality
Assessment
Psychometric Tests

Self Report

Projective Techniques

Behavioural Analysis
 Techniques of Personality
Assessment
Psychome Self Projective Behaviour
tric Tests Report Technique al
s Analysis

Standardized tests that measure traits and abilities.

Objective, reliable, and valid; results are given in numerical scores.
 Techniques of Personality
Assessment
Psychome Self Projective Behaviour
tric Tests Report Technique al
s Analysis

MMPI, EPQ, 16PF.

Uses: Career guidance, personality type, optimism etc.
Limitations: Social desirability, acquiescence, hesitation.

(Refer to details below)

 Techniques of Personality
Assessment
Psychome Self Projective Behaviour
tric Tests Report Technique al
s Analysis

Features: Unstructured stimuli, no right/wrong, indirect.

Examples:
o Rorschach Inkblot Test
o TAT (Thematic Apperception Test)
o P-F Study (Frustration Test)
o Sentence Completion Test
o Draw-a-Person Test

(Refer to details below)

 Techniques of Personality
Assessment
Psychome Self Projective Behaviour
tric Tests Report Technique al
s Analysis

Methods: Interview, Observation, Ratings, Nominations, Situational Tests.

Limitations: Observer bias, halo effect, middle/extreme response bias,
time-consuming.

(Refer to details below)