Will is a special psychological term. This is a person’s ability to make specific decisions and act in accordance with their own interests. Do what you want to do with your own strength.
As for the characteristics of will, they have several aspects:
- Subject. Actually, the one who plans and thinks. The man himself. This reflects his personal side. Maturity of the individual.
- An object. That which the will is directed towards. This could be a physical object or another person. In this sense, we can talk about a direct impact on another individual, the suppression of someone else’s will through one’s own. A classic example is power relations, when the interests of a subordinate do not matter to the leader. The same can be said about a team, an educational institution and other places where there is a clear vertical of power and subordination. It doesn't matter whether it's formal or informal, right down to the prison cell.
- Purpose or direction. The ultimate problem that a person plans to solve. Actor. We are talking about achieving some result, for example, financial. Earn a million by the end of the year. For this, work every day and save money. Or about fulfilling an authoritative order. Do both before a certain day. In formal structures and relationships, the will of the leader is documented: by order, decree, leadership.
- Tools. Most often, these are external, auxiliary moments. For example, state coercion, if we are talking about power relations. In informal groups, force or authority are used as instruments of will. The first is based on fear. The second is based on respect and willingness to voluntarily obey.
- Final result. Actually, what is available in the dry residue.
- Strength of will. A term familiar to everyone. Describes how intensively a particular person implements his ideas and decisions.
Will cannot be directed towards oneself, as many psychiatrists and psychology specialists believe. If a person acts in this way, his internal personality traits come into conflict. A pronounced conflict begins. That’s why people cannot give up drugs, alcohol, overeating, smoking and other bad habits. Moreover, the condition is getting worse. Since attempts to direct volitional efforts towards oneself leads to tension, at best to neuroses, anxiety, and stress. More dangerous consequences are also possible.
In psychology, developed emotional and volitional qualities are a trait of a mature personality. Infantilism goes hand in hand with an insufficient level of development of this sphere of human activity, the psyche. But this can be fixed. Because the necessary qualities can be developed at your own discretion. Purposefully.
Who is a strong-willed man?
A man's strong-willed character must develop from the time he was a child.
In psychology, strong-willed character traits predetermine a strong-willed individual capable of decisive action in any area of life. In many ways, they determine a person’s masculinity. Men can rightfully be called strong-willed people if they are practically the canonical image of a breadwinner. To be strong-willed means to be responsible
To be a strong-willed man means to be able to make decisions, in short, to be responsible. The definitions of most elements of a strong-willed personality personify what is called an ideal man. He knows the value of himself, the people and objects around him. Acts according to his conscience, regardless of anyone’s opinion, if he is sure that his choice is most suitable for solving a particular problem. A strong-willed man is the most suitable example of a strong, sensible, morally stable person.
Independence
This refers to a person’s ability and desire to act without anyone’s help. This is one of the main criteria for the fullness of an individual. It is manifested in independent decision-making, self-control, implementation of the intended plan and, finally, bearing responsibility for one’s actions.
The role of parents in the formation of moral and volitional qualities in the child comes first. Independence can be noticed in a person even in preschool age.
At first, children use this quality to realize their goals, and then for self-affirmation. When a child grows up to high school, he uses independence mainly to experience and know himself, to test his capabilities.
Perseverance
The desire to achieve. In this period of time, achieve what you want, despite all the difficulties and despite unsuccessful attempts. This is the desire to achieve a goal at any cost. An example of a moral-volitional quality: an athlete who is not given a difficult element. If he doesn’t give up after the first to tenth unsuccessful attempt, then he is showing perseverance.
This quality also has a negative manifestation - stubbornness. This is a manifestation of persistence against common sense. Often a person exhibits this quality because the decision belongs to him, and refusal to achieve a goal undermines his authority. Speaking about children is a form of protest caused by the desire to show independence and initiative. Sometimes this is rude treatment by adults, ignoring their needs, or, conversely, indulging all children's whims.
This is also a consequence of the desire to assert oneself, although rationally it is a waste of resources. Stubbornness is based on a person’s conviction that a goal is achievable, contrary to other people’s opinions.
It must be taken into account that the opinion on the advisability of working in a certain direction is also subjective. In fact, it also shows the stubbornness that this is impossible “just because.”
Stubbornness is confused with a negative manifestation of perseverance, when it is a negative manifestation of persistence. These concepts are not identical.
Definition
In the formation of moral and volitional qualities, not only moral attitudes and the desire for success are taken into account, but also the characteristics of the nervous system, which are innate, such as weakness - strength, inertia - mobility.
Example: in people with a weak nervous system, fears are more pronounced, so it is more difficult for them to show courage than for strong ones. That is, a person is not strong, courageous and decisive not because he does not want to, but because he has few inclinations for this.
The good news is that developing moral and volitional qualities is possible for every person.
Strength of will
The volitional qualities that best characterize the willpower of an individual include independence and initiative.
Independence is the ability to cope in one’s actions without the help of others, as well as the ability to be critical of other people’s influences, evaluating them according to one’s own views and beliefs.
The independence of the individual is manifested in the ability to independently organize activities, set goals, and, if necessary, make changes in behavior.
An independent person does not wait for hints or instructions from other people, he actively defends his views, can be an organizer, and lead him towards the realization of a goal.
Initiative is the ability to find new, unconventional solutions and means of their implementation.
The opposite qualities are lack of initiative and dependence.
A person without initiative is easily influenced by other people, their actions, actions, questions his own decisions, is not sure of their correctness and necessity. These qualities appear especially clearly in the form of suggestion.
One of the important volitional qualities of a person is his determination.
Decisiveness is the ability to make thoughtful decisions and consistently implement them.
Indecision is a manifestation of weakness of will. An indecisive person tends to either reject making a final decision or endlessly revise it.
Personal freedom is also characterized by its organization, which consists in a person’s ability to be guided in his behavior by a firmly established plan. This quality requires the ability not only to steadily implement your plan, but also to show the necessary flexibility when circumstances change.
So, the totality of manifestations of positive (basal and systemic) volitional qualities forms the willpower of the individual.
It has been established that people with a strong will have a high level of achievement motivation.
Achievement motivation is persistence in achieving one’s goal, the desire to improve results, dissatisfaction with what has been achieved, and the desire to succeed.
Yes, people with a high need for achievement are always looking for situations where they could test their capabilities, they are confident in the successful completion of a task, are ready to take responsibility, are decisive in extreme situations, do not lose balance in competition, and show great persistence when overcoming external or internal obstacles.
Individual approach
Desire alone is not enough to achieve a goal, no matter what inclinations a person has. In any case, endurance, patience, sensitivity and skill will come in handy.
In addition, even one person can manifest volitional qualities differently: somewhere better, somewhere worse. Thus, will in psychology is a balance between a person and the world around him, a conscious attempt to regulate one’s activities and behavior in order to overcome all obstacles.
Therefore, there is no single concept of “will” for all people. Otherwise, it would be predictable that one will always cope, and the other will always fail. And this is the trick: anyone can cope if they find their balance and manage to get together to get a result.
What kind of person can be called a strong personality? This is determined by two factors: the concept of strength and moral qualities, such as integrity, discipline, organization and the like. And these are the moral and volitional qualities of a person.
In ordinary life, a person’s volitional behavior can be determined by several strong qualities that are combined with moral principles. For example, it could be heroism in a dead end situation, or it could be heroism as self-sacrifice. Therefore, it is important to consider the will in the complex of manifested qualities and circumstances in which a person finds himself.
How is temperament different from character?
A person's temperament should not be identified with his character. The first term includes a set of genetic characteristics of the psyche. Temperament is formed in utero, it cannot be changed, but can only be superficially corrected by working on oneself and correctly setting life priorities.
Character is formed throughout life, changing in one direction or another. Interacting in the social sphere, individuals exchange behavioral and mental experiences, influence others and are subconsciously influenced by others.
The following factors can influence a person's character:
Level of education
Equally important is the desire to learn and explore the world, the desire to develop one’s personality, as well as perseverance, hard work and a focus on success.
Social environment
The environment can have a strong influence on character traits. “Whoever you mess with, that’s how you’ll gain!” - says popular wisdom.
Financial position
People usually become discouraged when they fail to escape poverty, and turn up their noses when things improve.
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Temperament depends on many factors. This includes climate, genes, and even age. The older a person gets, the more his mental reactions slow down. In youth, people tend to express feelings and emotions more violently.
In any case, there is no point in generalizing. The temperament of each of us is a bright kaleidoscope of positive and negative qualities that shape our individuality.
Self-control
This is a composite volitional characteristic that includes several concepts: courage, endurance, determination. It is associated with self-regulation and self-control in emotional terms, as well as self-restraint in emotional response.
It is also defined as a person’s ability not to get lost in difficult or unexpected situations, as well as the ability to manage one’s actions, while being judicious and restraining negative emotions. Simply put, self-control is power over yourself. And this is one of the main characteristics of a strong-willed person.
Capabilities
Important personality traits are considered to be abilities that determine the individual style of activity and are the basis for its success. There are also qualities that provide the ability to interact with other people and are necessary to gain respect and authority from others.
Abilities and inclinations
Abilities are a complex system of human qualities and properties. Their biological basis is inclinations, that is, innate physical and mental characteristics, including temperamental properties. But not only. Often, inclinations are associated with the psychophysiological characteristics of the body; they are given to a person from birth and are necessary for success in a particular activity. But they don't guarantee it.
For example, an ear for music is required by a musician, and a high sensitivity of the visual analyzer is required by an artist. But this alone is not enough to master an activity, much less to achieve success. To do this, you need to develop abilities, and this is only possible through activity and requires the investment of labor and willpower. Mastery is not a gift given by nature or God, but, above all, work and perseverance.
Is it possible to develop abilities in the absence of natural inclinations? This is a very difficult question; there is no clear answer to it. Undoubtedly, in the absence of the necessary qualities, it will be more difficult to master the activity, it will require more effort and, perhaps, the achievements will not be so impressive. But recently, more and more psychologists support the idea that a persistent and persistent person can learn anything. The main thing is to give him the right training techniques. That is, to teach any person to draw, you just need to know how to teach correctly.
Types of abilities
The whole variety of human abilities is usually divided into two types: general and special.
Special qualities include those qualities that are required to master a specific activity, such as, for example, an ear for music for playing musical instruments or a phonetic ear for learning foreign languages. Playing sports requires endurance and mobility, and working with children requires a sense of empathy.
General abilities are no less diverse, because they are needed in a wide variety of areas of activity. First of all, these include mental abilities or level of intelligence. Although intelligence is considered an innate characteristic of a person, mental abilities require their development, including the quality of memory, attention, thinking, as well as the volitional sphere and reflection.
Sometimes a high level of mental ability combined with learning ability is called giftedness. This quality of a person can compensate for his lack of some special abilities and allow him to achieve success in many types of activities.
No matter how valuable abilities are, they are only potential, an opportunity for further development and improvement of a person. The same can be said about other individual psychological characteristics. Each individual has the opportunity to become a unique, extraordinary, talented person, but for this you need to know your psychological characteristics, your strengths and weaknesses and actively engage in self-development.
Determination
The ability of an individual to quickly make a decision in an important situation. At the same time, we are not talking about haste, when the speed of reaction can lead to the adoption and implementation of a rash decision, which will lead to an undesirable result. Determination is determined by two factors at once: the significance of the situation and the time of decision-making.
This is not making a rash decision without hesitation or delay, since here we are talking about frivolity. And this is not making a quick decision when a person has all the information and is confident in the correctness of the action. Decisiveness takes place when it comes to a person’s uncertainty in a given situation and the likelihood of success of his actions. That is, there is some doubt that must be overcome.
There are two points here that are often found in the definition of the concept, but are essentially erroneous:
- timeliness. This has the right to life if there is a clear time limit for making a decision. In other cases, it is about the speed of decision-making, and not about the “right moment” for it;
- the most correct solution. It is a characteristic of the adequacy of understanding the situation and information, as well as the thought process. Right and wrong decisions can be made at any speed. Determination is associated with the time to make a decision when there is a choice, although it can also be manifested in a situation where there is no alternative, and the person knows exactly what he needs to do (for example, throw a free ball).
Decisiveness refers to the time of understanding the readiness and execution of the desired action. This time varies for different people, but it is stable.
Sometimes determination is called courage. And although these concepts correlate with each other, they are not identical. In some situations they actually appear together, but are still two separate and independent qualities.
Decisiveness is characterized by a minimum of time in a difficult situation to make a decision, such as “ready or not ready,” when it is already known what needs to be done. The time to make a decision in an important situation is a characteristic of a person. A person will be more decisive in one situation than in another, while a courageous person is not always decisive. And this difference comes precisely from sports. In a situation where there is no danger, there is no courage. Those who are indecisive can show courage, and those who are determined can show fear.
How do personality traits manifest themselves and how to recognize them?
The personal qualities of an individual are determined by analyzing behavioral factors:
self-esteem. Character traits are manifested in relation to oneself: modest or confident, arrogant and self-critical, decisive and brave, people with a high level of self-control or lack of will; assessment of an individual's attitude to society
There are different degrees of relationships between the subject and representatives of society: honest and fair, sociable and polite, tactful, rude, etc.;
the positive or negative qualities of a unique personality are determined by the level of interests in the labor, educational, sports or creative spheres; clarification of a person’s position in society occurs in close connection with opinions about him; when studying psychological factors, special attention is paid to memory, thinking and attention, which characterize the development of personal qualities; Observing the emotional perception of situations allows us to assess the individual’s reaction when solving problems or its absence; measuring the level of responsibility. The main qualities of a serious person are manifested in work activity in the form of a creative approach, enterprise, initiative and getting things done to the desired result.
A review of the individual properties of people helps to create an overall picture of behavior in the professional and social spheres. The concept of “personality” is a person with individual properties determined by the social environment. These include personal characteristics: intelligence, emotions and will.
Grouping of features that contribute to personality recognition:
- subjects who are aware of the presence of their inherent social traits;
- people taking part in the social and cultural life of society;
- personal qualities and character of a person are easy to determine in social relationships through communication and the work sphere;
- individuals who are clearly aware of their uniqueness and significance in the public.
A person’s personal and professional qualities are manifested in the formation of a worldview and internal perception. An individual always asks philosophical questions about life and his significance in society. He has his own ideas, views and life positions that influence the formation of his personality.
Courage
Synonyms for the concept: courage, dedication, integrity. This is fearlessness, courage and valor - a person’s ability to suppress the body’s instinctive defensive reactions that arise in extreme situations and manage their behavior effectively.
Three forms can be distinguished separately:
- Courage. A situation where a person knows about the danger, but still completes the task.
- Bravery. A person experiences emotional arousal from a sense of danger.
- Courage. When fear is replaced by a sense of duty, and a person strives to achieve a socially significant goal.
These are different states and goals for a person and society, and they do not relate to a person’s personal characteristics.
Volitional personality traits
There are quite a lot of strong-willed properties. Below are the main ones.
Decisiveness is shown at the moment when an effort should be made to choose a goal.
Independence is manifested in a person’s ability to set goals and achieve them, despite difficulties. An independent person can take advantage of the advice of others.
Suggestibility is the opposite of independence. It is a characteristic feature of all weak-willed people who are unable to independently decide what to do correctly in a given situation. The suggestible person expects others to make decisions for her.
Negativism represents a negative quality of will. At the same time, a person does actions that contradict the advice of others. This is usually typical of teenagers seeking to prove independence and self-sufficiency.
Persistence represents the ability to overcome obstacles. This quality is possessed by people who can show their will over a long period of time. This leads to completing complex tasks and obtaining the desired result.
Persistence helps a person achieve his chosen goal. At the same time, there is an understanding of how important each completed step is in obtaining the final result.
Stubbornness is opposed to tenacity. Such a person is trying to achieve a goal that is not that important at the current moment in time.
Self-control is expressed in the calmness of the individual and his ability to regulate his behavior even in an extremely difficult situation, while mobilizing all resources.
A person is not born with the qualities listed above. They are formed gradually. In children, their development occurs in the process of play, thanks to the example and education of adults who try to make them courageous, persistent, resilient, dexterous and strong people, capable of coping with difficulties and consciously regulating their actions.
Role playing is very important in this process. It is they who stimulate the child to make efforts to perform his role well and obtain better results than others.
At school, the will is formed by learning. Thanks to her, children do not only as they want, but also as they should. Memorizing information requires persistence and perseverance.
Self-education plays an important role in the development of volitional qualities. It is this that allows you to learn how to manage your behavior, show effort and gather resources to defeat negative traits and bad habits.
Improvement
The first stages are formed in childhood. And the education provided by parents plays a huge role in this matter. If they pamper their child, do everything he asks, and try to indulge him in every possible way, then, most likely, he will grow up capricious, in a negative sense, stubborn with passive inclinations. This entails a certain danger, since upon entering adulthood, the individual will expect similar parental behavior from others.
But if mom and dad initially set serious demands on the baby (not to be confused with despotic ones), then from an early age the child will learn to achieve the goals set. And one of the effective ways to do this is to send him to a circle. But it is he who should choose it, since imposing hobbies is fraught with negative consequences in the future. It is important not to completely control the interests of children, but to promote their development.
Let's say a boy or girl really likes to draw. This means that such an aspect as passion is already present. But the second factor – patience and discipline – must be created. Therefore, it is worth giving your child drawing tasks, praising the results and providing a reward for achievements.
But you can engage in development as an adult, although this will be much more difficult if the habit of self-discipline is absent. Let's consider one of the methods step by step:
- Select a tool. This implies the area where efforts will be applied: profession, interests and hobbies. The best option is to choose the area where experience is at zero. Then progress will be visible much more clearly.
- Setting goals. At first they should be small. So, for example, a man who comes to the gym for the first time is unlikely to lift a barbell weighing 100 kg. It's the same in programming, writing or painting. If you immediately set global goals for yourself, you can quickly “burn out” without getting the desired result.
- From simple to complex. As soon as you begin to confidently perform the simplest actions, then increase the complexity. Otherwise, there is a risk of remaining at the same level.
- Write it down. Record successes and analyze failures. This will provide additional motivation and prevent further mistakes.
Types of norms: what are they?
Moral guidelines are similar to legal ones. They also shape the actions of people, but they are not recorded in writing, but are simply known to everyone.
Such values embody morality, because they determine the consciousness of an individual in various spheres, be it family, professional activity or interpersonal relationships. And if the state applies sanctions in the form of administrative or criminal liability for violation of the law, then failure to comply with moral principles is punishable by public condemnation and the emergence of internal negative emotions, which we call remorse.
If we talk about the types of norms, then imagine a scale with two opposite poles: plus and minus. These are encouraged and condemned actions that entail certain consequences.
The first includes the well-known requirements:
- give up your seat in transport to pregnant women, children and the elderly;
- greet and say goodbye;
- help those in need.
Each of these rules has its own antipode. It will become an unacceptable action in society. It is impossible to maintain a neutral position in the system, since even inaction will entail specific events. That is why an individual has to follow existing norms in order to live successfully in society.
Discipline
This is the desire and conscious desire to follow order. The concept includes restraint (restraining impulses that come at the wrong time).
It has a moral and intellectual component, as it includes generally accepted norms of behavior and rationality applicable in situations of choice. The behavior of a disciplined person is ordered and in conjunction with all other systems.
This is the ability and desire to manage one’s behavior in such a way as to accomplish assigned tasks. It is based on the ability to control one’s desires and subordinate one’s behavior to the requirements of necessity. Once formed, it turns into self-discipline.
Too strict discipline can lead to passive thinking and an inability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Initially, discipline is achieved by motivation either to avoid punishment or for one’s own benefit (the carrot and stick method).
Definition of character
The ancient Greek scientist Theophrastus studied character and introduced this term into science. He believed that this definition should reflect the traits, characteristics, signs and characteristics of a person. Aristotle understood character as a definition of a person's actions; he used such a concept as ethos
(Greek ἦθος), denoting disposition, mental disposition. Translated from ancient Greek, character (χαρακτήρ) is a distinctive feature. When speaking about the nature of any person, they mean the totality of qualities of manners, lifestyle, mental and general state. In the history of the study of this concept, different definitions have been derived.
Mark Samuilovich Lebedinsky and Vladimir Nikolaevich Myasishchev defined character in mental individuality, expressed in peculiar behavior, formed on the basis of temperament and behavior of the individual. Konstantin Konstantinovich Platonov considered character to be a set of stable traits expressed in actions and actions. The Soviet psychologist, Konstantin Nikolaevich Kornilov, saw character in personality traits, manifested in an expressed worldview, moral beliefs, ideals, and interests.
Character is manifested in activity, communication, reveals behavior and specific features, shades. Some people enjoy challenging activities and enjoy overcoming obstacles. Others choose simpler work and try to avoid problems
For some, the importance of the work performed and the result obtained, which should be the best, is important, others may treat the work carelessly and will be satisfied that they are coping with responsibilities no worse than others. All this characterizes the differences in the natures of people
So, what does such a concept as character mean? These are the combined traits of a certain personality, expressed in actions or behavior in relation to people, activities, events happening around
. Everyone’s character is unique and manifests itself in communication, behavior, socio-psychological, moral, spiritual worldview and actions.
We can say that in society there is a division into people with strong and weak character. A person with a strong nature behaves persistently, persistently, and purposefully. A weak-willed person exhibits weakness, unpredictability, and imbalance. The task in studying the structure of character should determine its traits, manifestations, and their interrelationship.
Character is closely intertwined with will and temperament. Gordon Allport also noted that temperament and character look like synonyms and are intended for the individual. He noted that speaking about a person with good character implies an assessment of the individual, and not social and ethical qualities. Therefore, the concept has an evaluative image. Allport presented temperament as the primary material, the constitution of the intellect, and the characteristics of genetics.
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The ability to suppress rash, impulsive and emotional reactions, as well as strong desires and drives, aggression, which can incite conflict. Such actions of a strong-willed person include:
- physical attack (start a fight);
- passive-aggressive attack (the person slams the door when leaving);
- verbal attack (insult, altercation, barbs);
- indirect verbal (anger and dissatisfaction are expressed to third people, behind the offender’s back).
Self-control is also defined as composure and self-control in conflict. Although the first may be associated with a person’s insensitivity and emotional inexcitability. Another manifestation of endurance is stoicism, the ability to endure unpleasant influences or even suffering for a long time, life’s adversities for a long time.
This quality can be found when inappropriate or harmful desires are suppressed. Self-control is the inhibitory component of will (moral stability). It is also a suppression of spontaneity and inhibition of reaction and action. However, endurance is not patience or insensitivity. The first is related to performing an action and maintaining activity. The second is with the psychological structure of the individual.
Intemperance is the opposite of restraint. It may be caused by a corresponding psychological illness or bad character.
Volitional personality traits
Many would undoubtedly like for everything in life to happen naturally, so that they don’t have to make an effort. However, everyday life dispels their dreams. After all, every day people have to solve many problems, they face a lot of difficulties and they have to constantly make efforts.
Even going to the nearest supermarket is already a bit of effort. At the same time, in order to move forward and develop, people act, but each subject chooses the path of progress individually. Its length and speed along it are most often determined by the individual’s attitude towards difficulties, how much he intends to overcome in order to achieve the goal.
Simply put, on this path a person uses his own volitional qualities.
The volitional personality traits include the following:
– determination (the ability to instantly identify a goal and the trajectory of its implementation, even in extreme circumstances);
– determination (confident progress towards the intended goal, determination to devote time and make efforts in order to achieve it);
– perseverance (the ability to bring a new task to a consistent completion, not to deviate from the plan, not to look for an easier path);
– courage (overcoming confusion and fear while soberly understanding potential dangers);
– self-control (self-control, the ability, through the will, to restrain one’s own actions that interfere with the implementation of the plan);
– discipline (meaningful subordination of one’s own actions to certain norms);
– independence (the ability to perform actions alone, without looking at the environment, as well as evaluate the behavior of other individuals according to one’s own beliefs).
It is believed that a person’s volitional parameters do not belong to innate qualities. It should be understood that their formation is determined by temperament, which depends on the physiological characteristics of the nervous system. People's response to certain life difficulties is associated with the intensity and speed of mental reactions, but the formation of volitional personality parameters occurs only in the process of activity and gaining experience.
The first manifestations of volitional acts are observed in early childhood, when the baby tries to control himself (does not require immediate satisfaction of needs). Communication and knowledge of the surrounding reality forms a character in which strong-willed traits subsequently take over the leading position in the structure of the personality.
Personal development occurs only in conditions of overcoming obstacles. Often, the more pronounced the manifestations of a person’s volitional parameters, the more successful his professional sphere, standard of living, social relationships and satisfaction with his own existence in general.
Everyone wants to be known as a strong personality, but few people realize that a strong personality has qualities acquired through daily work and struggle with life’s obstacles. That is, simply put, a strong person is a subject who has developed strong-willed personality parameters, confidence and a positive worldview, since they cannot be frightened or stopped by any troubles or obstacles.
Thus, all volitional characteristics of a person are developed throughout existence, interaction and activity. At the same time, childhood is considered a particularly significant stage of such formation.
Initiative
This is one of the types of independence, expressed in the implementation of such actions that will be the beginning of something new or will serve as a means of changing the existing way of life.
If you develop this quality, it turns into enterprise. This is social courage, overcoming the fear of responsibility. This is also a volitional characteristic of a person’s behavior and is motivation. Developed initiative makes a person energetic, searching and creative. It develops leadership and entrepreneurial qualities.
Professional personality traits
It is not enough to gain certain knowledge in a particular professional activity. To achieve success in the chosen field, a person must have specific qualities. Regardless of the significance of the profession, a person’s abilities are classified into several categories:
- verbality – language proficiency, determination of the significance of concepts and words;
- numerical ability - the ability to accurately and quickly perform standard arithmetic operations;
- the ability to correct numbers, letters, words;
- have an idea of objects in 2-3 dimensions;
- ability to detail objects and graphic images;
- motor coordination - control of the movements of the eyes, legs and arms; the ability to coordinate them with certain signals;
- dexterity - the ability to manipulate small objects;
- perception of color shades, the ability to distinguish and compare them;
- general intelligence is the ability to learn, which consists of understanding and accepting the material being studied, the ability to reason and draw correct conclusions.
Human abilities
Based on the described properties, a list of psychological qualities necessary for specific professional activities is compiled. To become successful in business, other individual characteristics are also necessary. They are called social temperament and influence an individual’s confidence in certain operating conditions.
Types of individual psychological professional qualities:
Typological properties, including lability of the nervous system, dynamism, mobility, strength. Perceptual and sensory properties, the level of which develops with the acquisition of skills. Individual attention, including such elements as switching, distribution, stability. Psychomotor skills, based on the development of certain operating systems necessary in solving professional problems. Mnemonics is the ability to remember material, techniques and the ability to develop professional memory.
Note! In any activity you need to be able to think and have imagination; strong-willed qualities are especially important. Without them, it will not be possible to overcome difficulties in the work process
Perseverance
The systematic and long-term emergence of will on a person’s path to achieving a goal, despite difficulties and obstacles. To a greater extent, this quality reflects the purposefulness of the individual and represents focus.
Persistence is realized through the constant manifestation of perseverance and patience, which leads to confusion of these two volitional qualities. Intelligence tests actually reveal perseverance, while persistence depends on:
- human motivation (to a much greater extent than persistence);
- the degree of confidence in the ability to achieve a distant goal;
- the presence of strong-willed attitudes to overcome difficulties;
- nervous system (as opposed to the same persistence).
And it begins with moral and volitional education in childhood.
Character and its classification
Character consists of stable traits that explain the behavior and characteristics of a person’s activities. The typology of a person’s character is manifested in his work, communication with people, and handwriting.
Manifestation of character in communication
In psychology, there are several scientific approaches to understanding character:
- Constitutional biological approach. The founder of this concept is E. Kretschmer. According to his views, character is a combined combination of a person’s physique and temperament.
- Psychoanalytic approach. This characterological theory was developed by the masters of psychoanalysis Z. Freud, K.G. Jung and A. Adler. They explained manifestations of character by the presence of unconscious drives in a person.
- Ideological approach. The author of this concept is Robeck, who believed that character is formed as a result of the fact that a person subordinates his desires to the established rules and norms of society. In addition, Robek believed that the social position of an individual largely determines his characterological traits.
While studying character structure, B.G. Ananyev identified in it such components as personality orientation, level of development of communication skills, habits, and features of the emotional-volitional sphere.
N.D. Levitov believed that character is formed on the basis of a person’s attitude to society and other people, to himself and his activities, things.
The similarity of different approaches is seen in the fact that all researchers confidently stated that character depends on a person’s living conditions and his temperament. The basis of character is made up of stable traits that a person can accept and be aware of, or may deny or not be aware of.
Attention! Unlike the type of temperament, character is not an innate property of a person; it is formed in the process of life
Patience
In a general sense, this is a long-term counteraction to undesirable factors (usually physiological (fatigue, hunger, pain, fatigue)) that prevent one from achieving a goal within the allotted period of time. This quality begins to manifest itself when a person experiences internal discomfort, an obstacle to completing a task, and begins to experience it.
If we are talking about mental or physical work, then there is a feeling of fatigue, which in turn is associated with a state of fatigue. Patience can be demonstrated by overcoming fatigue. In this case, to continue to work effectively, a person needs to apply additional resources.
The time during which he can do this is an indicator of his endurance, it characterizes his patience. This is a general volitional characteristic that does not depend on the type of difficulty overcome. If we talk about strengthening physical qualities and moral-volitional qualities, then will also depends on the mental parameters of a person.
Character traits
Stable properties of the psyche - “paths trodden by neurons” - these are character traits. They appear with enviable consistency and allow us to make predictions in human behavior. So, knowing the stinginess of an employee, it is not difficult to assume that he will not borrow money before payday. And the one who is now whispering another gossip in your ear will tomorrow say nasty things about you. However, not all shades of a person’s behavior are important or fateful for her.
Dominant traits
American psychologist Gordon Allport grouped character traits into three categories:
Dominant - determine the core of personality, are found in systemic relationships with the world: egoism - altruism
Ordinary - manifested in everyday life: honesty - duplicity
Secondary - manifested in various areas of activity: diligence, obedience, love of reading
Priority character traits are especially clearly manifested in critical situations, when there is no time to think, a person acts “automatically”. For example, in ordinary situations, all people prefer to put on a mask of modesty; some sincerely consider themselves to be so. But when they praise others, they suddenly lose their temper, begin to list their merits and achievements, and reveal deeply hidden vanity.
Mental sphere of character manifestation
The second way to classify characteristic personality traits is by the manifestation of stable mental properties.
Intellectual traits - curiosity, resourcefulness, frivolity, absent-mindedness Emotional traits - cheerfulness, sentimentality, gloominess, dispassionate Willful qualities - perseverance, courage, cowardice, humility Moral traits - justice, responsiveness, callousness, cruelty
Positive qualities are formed only if a person is interested in acquiring them. It is impossible to impose intellectual properties by force. All character traits associated with a person’s mental properties are the result of his free choice in childhood and adolescence.
Systemic character traits
The core qualities of a person determine her relationship with the world and leave a mark on her behavior.
In relation to oneself, the dominant manifestations are pride on one pole and the opposite quality - humility. Characterizing connections with other people, one must pay attention to communication or isolation, altruism or selfishness. In relation to work - the main qualities are hard work or laziness. Connection with objects of the surrounding world. manifests itself in such traits as frugality and neatness or sloppiness and wastefulness
It is also difficult to create a clear portrait of a person in accordance with his character because the true motives of actions are not always clear. Fighters for justice, flaunting their integrity, may well turn out to be elementary envious people, indifferent to everything except their own benefit. And closed silent people will discover courage and resourcefulness in the moment of decisive action. The French writer V. Hugo said about this:
Courage
Courage is aimed at realizing humane goals and restoring justice. And if these aspects are absent, then we are no longer talking about courage, but about bravado, rebellion, adventurism and the like.
Cowardice is the opposite in meaning to courage. It is characterized by a person’s condition when he is unable to perform an action that meets moral requirements or is unable to resist the temptation to act immorally. This is a manifestation of cowardice.
As a rule, this occurs due to fear - a biological reaction of a person when assessing a situation as dangerous for important categories (life, prestige), and in essence is a natural desire to escape from danger.
Among healthy people, no one is fearless. Willpower does not lie in the absence of fear, but in the decision to control one’s behavior without succumbing to fear and the desire to avoid danger.
If a person is not aware of the danger, then there is no question of courage. Because such a person does not overcome anything. Courage is about taking risks even when there is fear, and managing your behavior regardless of it. The less the influence of fear on a person, the higher his level of courage.
So courage is restraining one’s defense mechanisms and continuing to implement one’s intentions soberly and efficiently, in situations that are dangerous to one’s health and prestige. True courage is intelligent.
Character types
- A harmoniously integral type, well adaptable in various situations. This type of character is distinguished by the stability of relationships and at the same time high adaptability to the environment. A person with this type of character has no internal conflicts; his desires coincide with what he does. He is a sociable, strong-willed, principled person.
- Internally conflicting type, but externally consistent with the environment. This type of character is characterized by inconsistency between internal motivations and external behavior, which, in accordance with the requirements of the environment, is carried out with great tension. A person with this type of character is prone to impulsive actions, but these actions are constantly restrained by volitional efforts. The system of his relationships is stable, his communicative properties are quite developed.
- Conflict type with reduced adaptation. This type of character is characterized by conflict between emotional impulses and social responsibilities, impulsiveness, a predominance of negative emotions, and underdeveloped communicative properties.
- Variable type, adapting to any conditions as a result of instability of positions, unprincipledness. This type of character indicates a low level of personality development, the absence of a stable general way of behavior.
So, character is a general regulatory feature of a person, which is formed in appropriate living conditions. The basis of character education is a system of influences on the orientation of the individual and the corresponding organization of the ways of human life.
A person’s character is formed gradually, in the process of active, systematic activity. However, significant changes in character sometimes occur abruptly, as a result of mental shocks, in a difficult conflict situation. Character is especially clearly demonstrated in critical circumstances.
Integrity
This is the quality of a person who consciously follows some chosen principles (beliefs, views), which are the norm of behavior for him.
Integrity is based on confidence in one’s own rightness and the fairness of the accepted order. There is a set of laws before which everyone is equal. And there are people who are ready to circumvent laws and regulations. They may offer more favorable conditions in exchange for some benefit for themselves. The ability to resist temptation and adhere to generally accepted order is a manifestation of integrity and moral stability.
And this manifestation becomes a volitional act when adherence to principles threatens a person’s life, health and well-being, while a deviation from beliefs for the sake of profit will indicate a person’s unprincipledness.
Working on EQ
EQ is an international abbreviation for emotional intelligence. This term refers to the child’s ability to recognize his emotions and associate them with desires and actions. With low EQ scores, contradictory behavior, insufficient contact with peers, inability to express one's needs, aggressiveness and fear are observed.
Effective games for the development of emotional (communicative) intelligence:
- "Satisfied elephant." To play the game you will need pictures of animal faces. The presenter holds up a card with an emotion diagram and asks you to find a picture of an animal that experiences the same feeling.
- "Pictograms". It is necessary to prepare two sets of cards in advance (cut and whole). The cut pictograms are mixed in the total mass, the child’s goal is to assemble the whole template.
The second option involves doubles play. One of the children chooses half of the picture and describes it to his interlocutor, the goal is to find the second half of the picture. If there is a discrepancy, you must provide an explanation of why this particular picture was chosen.
- "How are you?". The simplest game that allows you to determine the mood and emotions of children with affective behavior. You need to invite the child from a stack of cards depicting emotions to choose the one that matches his mood (now, an hour ago, yesterday).
- "Broken phone". An original game to develop emotional intelligence that can be played with children over 3 years old. The entire “telephone network” closes its eyes, only the first link remains awake. The presenter shows him the emotion and offers to pass it on to the next person. Transmission is carried out only by facial expressions and gestures. After the action reaches the last player, the presenter, starting from the end, asks what emotion was conveyed and why, whether it was difficult to understand the participant.
