What is personality in psychology and other sciences about man and society

In a broad sense, personality is a reflection of the social aspect of a person when analyzing him as an element of society participating in sociocultural life. Personality psychology considers a person as the bearer of a certain unique principle, which gradually reveals itself when interacting with other people within the framework of relationships provided for by society. This involves communication and different areas of activity.

The study of personality in psychology begins with defining terminology and deciphering the concept. Sometimes the word denotes an individual participating in a relationship and acting consciously. Sometimes a word denotes a system of traits that are significant to society and define a person as a member of a certain group. The concept of a person as an integral subject and seeing him as a set of traits differ in meaning, but in everyday life they are often used as synonyms.

What characterizes a person as a person

To determine what characterizes a person as a person, you need to understand the essence of the term. It is taken into account that there are several aspects of consideration, each of which provides an individual characteristic.

Linguistic personality is a complex of characteristics of a person that determines how he speaks and reproduces texts. Human personality psychology examines the linguistic aspect, analyzing:

• how complex the structure of speech is;
• how accurately and deeply words reflect reality;
• what are the goals and direction of speaking.

Linguistic personality is a complete representation that characterizes different components. It shows ideas about ethics, society, and psyche through linguistic discourse.

When studying personality traits in psychology, the speech aspect is taken into account. It implies the realization of oneself through communication, strategy and tactics of interaction with other persons, the repertoire of means inherent in a person. Psychologists evaluate linguistic and extralinguistic tools used by a person.

The concept of individuality in psychology includes the idea of ​​a communicative personality. The aspect implies strategies, tactics chosen by a person for interaction in society, as well as his motivation, semiotics, cognitive preferences determined by communication experience. This personality is a combination of communicative acts aimed at other participants in society.

What does the concept mean?

There are several approaches to explaining the concept: through philosophy, psychology, religion, linguistics. In philosophy, human personality has been considered for a long time:

1. In Cappadocia, face and hypostasis were identified, and the term “face” was descriptive - this was the name for the mask, the legal role of the person.
2. Thomas Aquinas, speaking about what kind of person can be considered a person, described the phenomenon as an individual substance, absolute reason.
3. In the new European movement, the term was associated with a citizen.
4. In romanticism he was associated with the hero.
5. In personalism, the individual is viewed as a subject of complex social changes who does not have the means to assert a unique “I.” To be a person means to freely express one's will. The individual, in the understanding of the personalists and S. Kierkegaard, is a part included in the whole. Nothing is known about her. What the concept of personality means in personalism can be formulated as follows: it is a person expressing his will, overcoming the finitude of his existence, social obstacles. Against the background of this theory, a fundamental idea of ​​social hostility develops - the foundation of existentialism.

There has also been a lot of discussion in the social sciences about what makes a person a person. Four approaches to understanding the term have been formed:

1. The psychoanalytic anthropology of S. Freud and C. Jung suggests that the deep personality is controlled by archetypes, and in general is limited by culture, taboos, and totems.
2. In the vision of A. Kardiner, the psychology of individual behavior is viewed through the configuration of cultures, national character and comparison within the framework of cultural patterns. Cultural formations are perceived as the basis on which a person’s identity is created.
3. M. Cole suggests studying personality traits through culture and cognition. This includes cognitive anthropology, analysis of problems of primitive thinking, and the study of ethnic semantics. In this interpretation, personality only slightly influences changes in the process of cognition.
4. The fourth approach is within the framework of the theories of K. Marx, F. Engels, M. Weber, J. Mead. It includes materialist, positivist and interactionist models. They give the psychological characteristics of a person through social culture: the person carries its traits.

The problem of personality in psychology is considered through the prism of understanding a phenomenon as a complex of habits, preferences, experience of life in society, and knowledge about culture.
The formation is influenced by the acquired knowledge, the tone and mood of the psyche, the psychophysical characteristics of the person, which form behavioral patterns and interaction with society and nature. Psychological personality traits include specific patterns developed by a person for use in different situations and groups.

Personality traits

Psychology considers the personality and individuality of a person, defining the first as a specific object, the second as a set of characteristics characteristic of only one person. A person belongs to a certain social group, is engaged in a chosen type of activity, is aware of his relationship to the world, and has a number of characteristics. Signs of personality begin with a social essence, since it is impossible to become an individual outside of society and profession: nature creates a person, society shapes him.

Personality characteristics include:

1. The study of worldviews - belief systems, views of the world, relationships between people. This is an internal property on the basis of which interests and goals are chosen, connections are formed, and positions are determined.
2. The degree of integrity of the worldview. The absence of contradictions is analyzed. Integrity is violated if a person belongs to several social strata that conflict with each other, or is controlled by conflicting interests that are characteristic of him under the influence of circumstances.
3. The third feature that forms the psychological portrait of an individual is the degree of awareness of one’s social position. It happens that you can’t find your place for a long time. Because of this, the worldview is not formed, there is no opportunity for effective manifestation.
4. Needs, interests, their versatility, stability, a person’s ability to switch between them.

Considering what feature characterizes a person as a person, the final features of the relationship and manifestation of its various properties can be highlighted. Each person is multifaceted, his psychological manifestations are individual. Correlations of qualities influence worldview and behavioral patterns.

What is the difference between personality and individuality?

In personality psychology, approaches to defining a phenomenon require an analysis of socially important characteristics of a person. Personality is the extent to which a person is characterized by an individual essence within the framework of the society and culture surrounding him. Each person individually determines his actions by the rules and norms established by society.

Individuality is a characteristic that shows a person as a subject of activity. With this approach, he is placed in the center of attention, rather than society and the surrounding culture.

Personality is essentially social, but in its way of being it is individual. It is the unity of individual and social, existence and essence.

Personality and individuality are connected and determine each other. Qualities are formed under the influence of self-awareness, which is determined by both social status and attitude towards it. According to personality psychology, the methods of creating a unique “I” are socialization (that is, adaptation to external conditions) and individualization (that is, the development of characteristics). The “I” is influenced by experience, committed actions, through which different aspects and personal roles are realized.

Individual and individuality

An individual is a separate representative of the human race by virtue of his birth. The qualities of an individual are manifested in his appearance: eye shape, leg size, hair color, and so on. An individual has innate inclinations and abilities, but will become an individual only in the process of social development.

The concept of individuality is different from the concept of individual. Individuality is the characteristics of an individual, its uniqueness, originality. It includes intellectual, spiritual qualities and physical characteristics. Individuality manifests itself when a person makes choices, makes independent decisions, or engages in any activity.

The concept of individuality is inextricably linked with personality. The relationship between the concepts of individuality and personality is manifested in the fact that a person who is an individual will necessarily demonstrate his individuality in interaction with society.

The problem of personality in psychology

Psychology studies the problem of personality from a cross-section, since the manifestations are diverse, contradictory, and a person’s behavior is often mysterious when viewed from the outside. Elaboration of the problem is necessary for a comprehensive analysis of processes:

• will;
• thinking;
• sensations;
• emotions.

Personality in psychology is the highest integration level of processes occurring in the psyche. A comprehensive study shows what the sensory organization, emotions, and intelligence of a person are.

Personality is an integrating base, a core that connects processes and transforms actions into consistent actions, subject to a certain logic.

Methods and approaches to the study of personality

Studying the problem of personality in psychology involves the help of pedagogy, taking into account the influence of age and ethnicity. The general theory is influenced by developmental psychology, religion and work, psychosomatic medicine, parapsychology, and ideas about the superconscious.

Personality psychology is a scientific direction that was formed during the crisis of Wundtian psychology against the background of the obsolescence of atomistic theory. Multi-level study gives an idea of ​​the psychological make-up of a person - in general, in particular, using individual examples.

Psychological characteristics and personality traits

Features of human personality in psychology:

• temperament;
• capabilities;
• preferences;
• interests;
• character.

More details:

1. Temperament is an innate specificity of the nervous system. It is determined by nature and determines certain qualities. The term was introduced by Hippocrates, who proposed 4 forms of the phenomenon: melancholic, sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric. Academician I.P. Pavlov proposed 3 basic components to which higher nervous activity is subordinated: strength, balance, mobility. Combinations of components determine temperament.
2. Abilities are personal properties necessary to perform the chosen activity. Without constant development they fade away.
3. Preferences imply a predisposition to a particular field of activity.
4. Interest is a conscious orientation, interest in information in a specific area.
5. Character implies stable personal characteristics determined by upbringing and self-education. This is an acquired characteristic that changes throughout life.

Psychology of behavior

Psychology of personal behavior - behaviorism - is a science that was formed in the last century in North America. The founder of the theory, J. Watson, proposed considering behavior as the key subject of psychology. In behaviorism, behavior is a complex of behavioral reactions characteristic of a person, and each reaction is caused by a certain stimulus. In the presence of reinforcement, the connection between the response and the stimulus is strengthened. As a rule, behavior is determined by the expectation of positive reinforcement, in some cases by the desire to avoid negative reinforcement. Behaviorism implies the ability to form any type of personality using the connection of reactions and stimuli.

In behaviorism, personality is an organized, stable system of skills, which is the basis of stable behavior. Skills are adapted to real situations, and new ones are formed when things change. Human programming is carried out through changing incentives and reinforcement.

Psychological portrait of personality

A psychological portrait is a comprehensive psychological characteristics of a person, giving an idea of ​​their character and possible actions in specific circumstances. Experienced psychologists are involved in drawing up a portrait, since drawing up an accurate picture requires the ability to analyze information, as well as deep knowledge in the field of personal psychology. To form a reliable portrait, it is necessary to use as much information about the person as possible, and if in doubt, conduct additional diagnostics.

Forming a portrait involves testing to identify:

• temperament;
• character;
• intellectual level;
• individual consciousness;
• will;
• self-esteem;
• ability to communicate;
• other characteristics of the person.

Having completed the testing, the psychologist will evaluate the results and describe the nuances of character, and advise in which direction to work on yourself. Thanks to a portrait, you can understand, accept yourself, learn about your strengths and weaknesses, learn to feel your needs, and separate them from those imposed by society.

Psychology of human interpersonal relationships

The psychology of personal relationships considers interpersonal connections as a complex interaction between people, determined by relationships in society. Relations in society are official, fixed at a formal level. These are effective objectified interhuman connections. Interpersonal relationships are those experienced by the subject, mutual connections between people that can be realized. They are determined by emotions, nuances of the psyche. This is an expressive relationship, rich in emotions.

Interpersonal relationships are formed:

• cognitive aspects;
• affective aspects;
• behavior.

Cognitive, gnostic – cognition, understanding and awareness of information. Affective – emotional experiences due to mutual connections between persons. The behavioral aspect is realized by actions - friendly behavior, difficulties of interaction. It is carried out according to the norms programmed in culture and society.

Vertical and horizontal interpersonal relationships are possible. In the first case, the status of the participants is different, in the second - equal.

In the formation of interpersonal relationships, interpersonal compatibility plays an important role. It is determined by similarity, mutual complementarity and is expressed in satisfaction from mutual action and the results of this action. Against the background of compatibility, mutual sympathy often appears. The opposite phenomenon is incompatibility, which provokes antipathy.

Conclusion

Thus, you will be able to fully reveal the problems and meaning of your work on the topic “One is born as an individual, one becomes an individual, one defends individuality.” The essay should contain approximately 150 words - this is enough to present all the necessary thoughts and arguments, you can also give more examples, but you should not exceed the 350 word limit. If you do everything correctly, you will receive a high score for your work.