Personality Development

Personality Development Paper

The study of personality is very interesting to many psychologists. Many people try to understand this field and often ask themselves questions regarding the personality. It is necessary to expand our knowledge on personality because it is very important to understand other people and also ourselves. This can help us identify our weaknesses and strengths, develop personality, form solid relationships, and most important be more fulfilled and content.

Personality Development

Personality is a blend of mental qualities that include thoughts and emotions that make a person unlike anyone else. A person conveys their personality through what psychologists describe as temperament. Temperaments according to Dictionary.com (2012) are, "the combination of mental, physical, and emotional traits of a person; natural predisposition." These temperaments are apparent very early in life. But genes and environment play a significant role in defining a personality.

Role of Environment in Personality Development

Personality development can be described as the development of an individual's qualities that make a person one of a kind. Personality reveals a person's beliefs, habits, traits, and characteristics. Personality shows a person's response and contact with others and involves three components: environment, temperament, and character.

Temperament can be decided at birth and explains the ways a person approaches life. The environment influences personality by using a person's surrounding. Environmental factors consist of the culture a person is brought up in, the values in the family, friends and social groups. The Environment

A person's mental characteristics are the qualities that make a person unique and different from others. These qualities involve all of thoughts and emotions that causes a person to do and say things in a certain way. Personality is conveyed through temperament tone.

Personality also describes a person's beliefs, expectations and values.

The Influences of Cultural Factors

We can also share personality traits with other people such as family members and people we are around a lot like friends. This is because of being brought up in the same way, which makes it typical to develop these traits through enculturation. Most people assume these rules, manners, traditions, and biases of their culture.

The Five Main Personality Theories

When developing a personality theory some common ideas are used. One of these concerns if a person thinks that behaviors a person displays are formed by intentionally which is considered free will, or forced and out of a person's control. In reality human beings do have the ability to pick what actions they take, but the influence of the environment, heredity, and learned behaviors make it look like actions are preset. Another belief is the question of environment versus heredity. B.F. Skinner would claim that behavior is created only by environmental possibilities, while Sigmund Freud would clearly argue that the role of heredity regulates the personality of an individual. Erikson would claim that personality is decided in the stage "trust vs. mistrust".

There are five main personality theories, which include biological theories; behavioral theories; psychodynamic theories; humanist theories; and trait theories. These five theories are well thought out and researched by psychologists and have been used throughout the centuries to better understand the human mind and personality development. Biological approaches suggest that a person's genetics are responsible for their personalities. Hans Eysenck was a significant biological theorist. Eysenck, along with other biological theorists, argued that personality is directly linked to genetics or biological processes.

Behavioral theories suggest that one's personality is a result of a human beings interaction with the environment. Behavioral theorists argue that an individual's personality is directly linked to that individual's personality is directly linked to the individuals interaction with the environment. Behavioral theorists approach personality with no consideration of feelings or thoughts (Feist & Feist, 2009). A few of the well-known behavioral theorists are John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner.

The psychodynamic approach is largely based on Sigmund Freud's theory that the unconscious mind and one's childhood experiences influences a person's personalities. Humanist theories are based on the importance of free will and a person's own life experiences when it comes to personality development. Lastly, the trait theory is one of the largest areas within the study of personality psychology. A trait is a relatively stable characteristic that causes a person to behave in a certain way.

Sigmund Freud significantly influenced psychodynamic theories with his development of the psychosexual theory. Another theorist who significantly influenced psychodynamic theories was Erick Erickson with his development of the stages of psychosocial development. Psychodynamic theorists link the unconscious mind as well as childhood experiences to personality (Revelle, 1995). Also, according to Freud id, ego, and superego are directly linked to personality. According to Erickson personality is linked to stages and conflicts existing in each stage. Additionally