Personality

I. Introduction to Personality Personality is considered as the primary asset of a person in order to be accepted in the society where he or she belongs. And in identifying one’s personality, one always starts with uttering words that describe such characteristics. In many situations, personality is always a qualification that is used in looking for a job, in joining a beauty contest, in choosing a friend or a partner in life, and in choosing a business partner. Even in the simplest work like selling, personality is considered. A. Definition of Personality Personality comes from the Latin term persona which means mask. Mask was first used in Greek drama, and later adopted by Roman actors or actresses. In the plays, actors wore masks used in comedy or tragedy to distinguish the roles of Roman Players which are actually referring to the external and superficial aspects of the individual. This observation is the same as Lupdag’s, as he defined mask as “anything that you can put on”. It is overt, which means externally focused. Personality is a pattern of psychological and behavioral characteristics by which other persons can be compared or contrasted with other people. It is this unique pattern of characteristics that emerge from the blending of inherited and acquired tendencies to make each person an identifiable individual. For the layperson, personality is often defined in terms of social attractiveness. The person with a “good personality” is one who impresses others with his or her ability to get along well with people. Beauty pageant contestants are typically judged not only on their talent and physical attractiveness, but also on their personality, here defined in terms of their popularity with judges and other contestants. Some students also talk about each other in these terms: Catherine is said to have a “great personality,” meaning that she behaves in ways that the perceivers find acceptable; John is said to have “no personality,” meaning that they find much of John’s behavior highly objectionable. Also, personality sometimes is treated as a consolation prize: Travis encourages Matt to date an unattractive female because she has a “great personality”; Jane encourages Linda to date an unattractive male because his “personality makes up for his looks.” Personality defined in terms of social attractiveness is inadequate in two major respects. First, it limits the number and kinds of behavior considered as aspects of personality; that is, only those kinds of behaviors that the perceivers select in making judgments about the attractiveness or unattractiveness of the perceived are regarded as part of personality. Second, it carries the absurd implication that some individuals, who obviously have unique learning histories and unique, biologically based temperament traits, are devoid of personality. Despite the many definitions of the term, investigators generally agree that personality is the dynamic and organized set of characteristics possessed by a person that uniquely influences his or her cognitions, motivations, and behaviors in various situations. It can also be thought of as a psychological construct a complex abstraction that encompasses the person’s unique genetic background (except in the case of identical twins) and learning history, and the ways in which these factors influence his or her responses to various environments or situations. Thus, many investigators regard the study of personality as primarily the scientific analysis of individual differences that help to account for why and how people react uniquely, and often creatively, to various environmental or situational demands. The primary focus of interest in the discipline is on the creation of theories that offer explanations for each individual’s unique ways of responding to his or her physical, social, and cultural environments. These explanations then lead to predictions that are tested and buttressed by empirical evidence. Such theories increase our understanding of individuals and help us to predict their actions accurately. 1. Various Definitions Made by Psychologists According to Atkinson and Hilgard, personality can be defined as the distinctive and characteristic pattern of thought, emotion, and behavior that make up an individual’s personal style of interacting with the physical and social environment. For Kline, personality is usually defined as relatively stable patterns of responding to environmental conditions that vary from individual to individual. Recio, Mejico and Anonuevo, they have defined personality as a consistency in a person’s behavior that remains stable under varying conditions. Dr. Enriquez said that in the Philippines, personalidad is commonly used for the term personality. But pagkatao, which means personhood best approximates the term personality. Dr. Enriquez emphasized pagkatao, since Filipinos do not need masks in order to present their personality. B. Beginning of Study of Personality The study of personality started with Hippocrates' four humors and gave rise to four temperaments. The explanation was further refined by his successor Galen during the second century CE. The "Four Humors" theory held that a person's personality was based on the balance of bodily humors; yellow bile, black bile, phlegm and blood. Choleric people were characterized as having an excess of yellow bile, making them irascible. High levels of black bile were held to induce melancholy, signified by a sombre, gloomy, pessimistic outlook. Phlegmatic people were thought to have an excess of phlegm, leading to their sluggish, calm temperaments. Finally, people thought to have high levels of blood were said to be sanguine and were characterized by their cheerful, passionate dispositions. C. Why Study of Personality? Virtually all of us are interested in knowing more about ourselves and others. In examining our own behavior, we wonder why we are having such difficulty in deciding on a career path, whereas some of our friends have already made their decisions many months ago. We are stymied to explain why we are sometimes rude to our romantic partner even though our love for him or her is overwhelmingly clear to us. We sometimes seek to understand why we are so competitive with others, even when we are playing a friendly game with our closest friends. Making sense of these and other experiences often can help us to make adaptive changes and to live more satisfying lives. In the process of change, our inner conflicts are confronted and resolved. We can establish and clarify the goals that serve to motivate and focus our efforts, thereby enabling us to experience personal growth within the context of making contributions to society. We are, of course, also interested in knowing more about others. In analyzing their behavior, we wonder, for example, why one of our friends refuses to date a person we find particularly attractive. We are intrigued by the student who is fascinated by astronomy, whereas we find it difficult to listen attentively for more than ten minutes to a lecture on the topic. We are at a loss to explain why a quiet, self-effacing person who is well liked by neighbors and relatives should suddenly decide to enter a small Amish schoolhouse and begin to slaughter students. In each of these instances, we seek to generate explanations for the actions we observe: we want to know why these individuals behaved as they did. Understanding the behavior of others not only satisfies our curiosity but also gives us a greater sense of control over our own lives, and makes the world more predictable and less threatening. Explanations for human behavior also are sought by psychologists who work in the discipline of personality psychology. In seeking explanations for individual differences in behavior, they construct theories designed to explain and, therefore, help us better understand a wide variety of behavioral differences that we experience. Their efforts are aimed at understanding human motivation and behavior throughout the entire developmental process from individual differences in activity level at birth to the differing attitudes of young and elderly people toward dying. As mentioned earlier, the range of behavior under consideration is clearly so great, and the phenomena examined are so complex, that no investigator, no matter how knowledgeable or creative, can study every aspect of them. D. Scientific Study of Personality Personality psychologists use the scientific approach to study individual differences because they believe it is the most effective way to gather accurate information about personality functioning. They also hope that such knowledge can be used to benefit people. In the final analysis, psychologists are convinced that a scientific orientation will lead us more directly and surely to beneficial, accurate information than will orientations that rely almost exclusively on rational speculation, mysticism, intuition, or common sense. Their conviction does not mean that those alternative ways of knowing have no value and can never be used to help us understand human behavior; insights stemming from the work of philosophers, novelists, poets, and theologians certainly have contributed to the totality of human self-knowledge. The discipline of personality psychology, however, is scientific in outlook. In general terms, science is an enterprise concerned with the description, explanation, prediction, and control of events. The outcome of all the efforts by countless investigators is the accumulation of systematized knowledge based on the observation of phenomena or events. Science is grounded in human values and concerns, from which researchers select certain problems for study. Researchers’ subjective values also may aid in the creative process, by helping them to generate new thinking about problems. While their subjectivity may be helpful, especially in the early stages of research, such biases may hinder psychological research at later points in the process by interjecting distortions where disinterested objectivity on the part of the scientist is required. For example, if after analyzing her data, an investigator interprets them very selectively (in accordance with her biases), she may publish misleading and invalid conclusions about the study’s outcomes. The “beauty” of science, however, is that it is self-correcting. Specifically, such distortions typically do not stand up to scrutiny from other investigators and eventually are corrected. In conclusion, the scientific process is benefited neither by uncompromising objectivity nor by dogmatic subjectivity. Instead, a healthy science is one that makes explicit its subjective elements as well as its objective features, and recognizes the role that each one plays in the research enterprise (Bornstein, 1999, pp. 1–16). At its best, scientific activity excites the imagination of investigators and taxes their ingenuity. It is often frustrating—for example, when one’s hypotheses (theory-based predictions) are disconfirmed but rarely dull. Thus, even the disconfirmation of hypotheses can prove exciting in the long run, as researchers strive to figure out what happened and why, and then proceed to work on creating a new approach to the problem. For them, science is definitely not the passionless, automatic, and impersonal activity imagined by the uninitiated. Scientific researchers are interested in developing adequate theories that will organize their thinking and enable them to describe, explain, predict, and control phenomena in a given domain. Thus, a theory is a conceptual system constructed by investigators to help make sense out of existing information, and to aid in the prediction of as-yet unobserved relationships between events. E. Domains of Personality As defined by many personologists, personality refers to both internal and external traits of an individual which are extremely different from the perceptions of many people about personality. Traits are the smallest units of personality, meaning, one’s personality is composed of different traits. For example, seeing a pretty woman with a long messy hair wearing a low waist tattered maong pants and neon colored shirt with a plunging neckline, dangling earrings and a long chain around her waistline, one would probably say “she’s pretty but she looks cheap”. What do you think was the basis for the judgment? It is right to judge the person by her physical looks? Apparently, the speaker who made that remark regards personality as something that is physical or external. Can it be considered that the person’s understanding of the term personality is right? Going back to the definitions stated earlier, the judgment based on physical aspect alone is a manifestation of misconstrued understanding of what personality is. With this observation, it is deemed necessary to discuss the domains of personality. Domains of Personality include the Physical or External Domain, this type of domain pertains to one’s posture, built and size, complexion and facial expression, as well as the appropriateness and condition of clothes that comprise the physical appearance of a person. This domain is highly related to the Filipinos’ notion of panlabas na anyo. Mental or Cognitive Domain, this type of domain judging ones’ personality base on how the person talks, the range of ideas he expresses and the things he talks about, as well as mental alertness are examples of this domain. One can infer personality by judging how one presents and expresses his/her ideas and opinions. Emotional or the Affective Domain, this type of domain refers a person’s emotional make up is shown by his likes and dislikes, whether he or she is aggressive or docile, how he responds when things become difficult, how quickly he gives up to anger, whether he can handle stress in job, what kind of sense of humor he possesses, and the like. Social Domain has to do with social contact. It is how the person conducts himself with other people and how well he or she observes the rules of etiquette that govern the society. Sociable, approachable, and friendly men and women know how to get along with friends and enemies. Spiritual Domain is the consciousness of the higher values in life. Religion expresses spiritual value. It includes the person’s faith, beliefs, philosophy and the like. Moral Domain, this has to do with the person’s awareness of the difference between what is wrong and right, his positive and negative adherence to the dos and don’ts of the society. The domains of personality may affect a change in a person’s behavior in any given situation. II. Theories of Personality Personality theory is an attempt to explain the observable continuities in a person’s behavior despite great complexity and even contradictions in the behavior. Personality theory tries to explain how the observable differences among people come about and also aims to explore how people conduct their lives. Personality theory is concerned with how life can be improved. There are several theoretical perspectives in the nature of personality. These may be categorized into three dominant explanations for personality development. Each approach is identified with key persons whose ideas and work influenced other perspectives. The three major forces in the history of the study of personality are Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, and Phenomenology or Humanism. A. The Psychoanalytic Approach Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), a neurologist from Austria and the creator of psychoanalytic theory is one of the towering intellectual figures of the 20th century. The basic premise of psychoanalytic theory is that much of what we think and do is driven by unconscious processes. Freud’s theory of personality assumes conscious forces and inner conflicts in shaping personality. He believed that personality is shaped by conflicts that arise during psychosexual stages of development. Freud also identified three structures of personality namely, the id, the ego, and the superego. The id consists of all the innate desires which include bodily needs, sexual urges and aggressive impulses. The id follows the pleasure principle which operates to satisfy drives and avoid pain without concern for moral restriction or society’s regulations. The ego stands for the reasons and good sense, and for rational ways of coping with frustration. It is the part of personality that deals with reality of how the id’s desires are to be met. The ego, guided by reality concern, tries to make the pursuit of individual pleasure conform together with existing societal considerations. The superego, the third part of personality, judges whether actions are right or wrong. Superego is developed from the ego during early childhood. It acts on what Freud suggests as the moral principle. Moreover, it is the internalized presentations of the values and morals of the society and comprises the individual’s conscience as well as his image of the morally ideal person. According to Freud, a healthy person has a strong ego in order to satisfy the needs of the id, no to upset the superego, and still take into consideration the reality of every situation. If the id gets too strong, impulses and self-gratification take over the person’s life. If the superego becomes too strong, the person would be driven by rigid morals, then the person would be judgmental and fails to be realistic. B. Behaviorism The behaviorist approach to personality is deterministic. More focus is given to the environmental determinants of behavior. It pays little attention to biological determinants of behavior just like what the psychoanalytic theory did. Behaviorists believe that people are not inherently good or evil but are readily modified by events and situation in their environment. There are three prominent scientists considered as behaviorists in an associate learning sense. They are Watson, Pavlov and Skinner. Russian psychologists Ivan Pavlov (1849-1939) and American psychologists John Watson (1875-1958) made detailed laboratory studies of behavior which led to different therapy paths: Pavlov to classical conditioning interventions and Watson to operant conditioning ones. Pavlov and Watson defined personality as the summation of behaviors learned by a person as he or she interacts with the environment. In addition, Watson, father of behaviorism stated that individual’s personality is simply a collection of his/her observable and outward behaviors, all of which are learned through a series of reward and punishment experiences. Behavioristic theories are criticized for two distinctive reasons. First is, Behavioristic theories examine behavior of others in small bits and not relating the isolated behaviors to one another in some meaningful ways. Second is, Behavioristic theories put so much emphasis on environmental forces in the shaping of personality. For some psychologists, this outlook makes humans seem like puppets whose strings are pulled by the environment. Today, most psychologists are not strict behaviorists. However, behaviorists’ theories have made significant contributions to modern psychology. C. The Phenomenological or Humanistic Approach Humanistic perspective was developed from European existentialism. It developed as an alternative to the deterministic and mechanistic psychoanalytic and behavioristic perspective. Humanism theory is focused on self, which refers to the individual’s own personal internal experiences and subjective evaluation. It also emphasizes the person’s dynamism and his capacity for personal growth. Positive growth and free will determine one’s own destiny. Humanistic psychologists focus on the goodness in human beings, on the self-concept and on conscious mental experiences. 1. Two Well-Known Humanistic Abraham Maslow’s Humanistic Theory focuses on two areas, the hierarchy of needs and the concept of self-actualization. He postulated that the hierarchical theory of motivation is the heart of his personality theory. Maslow believed that all people are motivated to fulfill a hierarchy of needs to more complex social and psychological ones. His theory states that lower-order needs should be satisfied before an individual can become motivated by higher-order needs. Maslow said that a person is never static; he is always in the process of becoming different. It is the person’s responsibility to discover as many of his human potentialities as possible. By actualizing these, man becomes self-actualized. Although few people reach the stage of self-actualization, it is common to have momentary peak experiences. Maslow, in his study, considered people who did not only cope with everyday problems effectively but also created exceptional lives for themselves such as Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, and Eleanor Roosevelt. He found out that self-actualized people shared a number of trait such as: An accurate reality perception, but unlike most people who, because of prejudices and defenses, perceive inaccurately; Acceptance of themselves; Knowing themselves well enough and maintaining integrity in the face of opposition, unpopularity and rejection; Exceptional spontaneity, not trying to be anything than themselves; and appreciation of even the simplest things. Carl Rogers’ Phenomenological Theory of personality, Rogers believes that the innermost care of human nature is essentially good, purposive, and trustworthy. He is primarily concerned with the blocks and detours on the path to self-actualization or full functioning. He believes that many people suffer from a conflict between what they value in themselves and what they learn that other people value in them. Carl Rogers theorizes that we all have natural need for self-actualization. That is, a drive to behave in ways consistent with our self-concepts. Self-concept is made up of a collection of self-schemes: beliefs about the self that influence how we process self-relevant information and interpret our life experiences. Furthermore, he also believes that we also have a competing need for positive regard. III. Different Types of Personality Your character is a mix of four basic personality types: sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric and melancholic. Around 50% of the variations in human personality are defined by genetic factors. However, the personality itself is built up of two completely different traits; character and temperament. The difference between your character and your temperament is that your character traits come from your experiences, for example: Your parents’ habits, preferences and values; the “norms” of your society in expressing love and hate; what your relatives considered to be normal and acceptable; what was considered dangerous; what was considered funny; plus many other cultural aspects. Temperament, however, is the balance of your personality. These are biologically based tendencies that you inherited from your parents. This is your disposition to think and feel in a certain way that appeared from your early childhood. Learning about the temperaments will help you understand others and your personality in a much better way. A. Biology of Different Types of Personality Since the days of Ancient Greece and continuing onwards to the present day, it was confirmed that there are four different types of personality. These are broad basic personality types that are usually present in a unique mix that defines how you think, feel and behave. These personality types are Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Choleric and Melancholic. Long ago, each of these types was associated with a dominant humor present in the body: sanguine as blood humor, phlegmatic as phlegm humor, choleric as yellow bile humor, and melancholic as black bile humor. Additionally to that, the latest research shows that these four basic temperaments are associated with chemicals, like dopamine for sanguine type, estrogen for phlegmatic type, testosterone for choleric type, and serotonin for melancholic type. 1. Sanguine Personality Traits The Sanguine personality is affected by chemical called dopamine, which makes these people intensely curious and creative. Their curiosity can be expressed in their love for reading and different kinds of knowledge and they usually possess high amounts of energy, so they may seem restless and spontaneous. a. The Luxurious Lifestyle This type of personality loves the life of luxury; they like to impress others by their expensive clothes, designer accessories and sport cars. If choleric people thrive on money-making process itself, sanguine people know how to enjoy money, luxury and comfort like nobody else. They are big spenders and when given the ability to have anything they want, they will travel the world staying in splendid hotels, enjoying exciting safaris and luxury cruises; deriving full happiness and pleasure from their wealth. They will indulge in their rich, comfortable and sumptuous living effectively ignoring world problems and crises. b. The Risk Takers The Sanguine personalities out there are willing to take risks for the sake of pursuit of their numerous interests. These people feel bored if they are not absorbed by something intriguing and their constant cravings for adventure and novelty are the major motivating force behind their actions, decisions and choices. People with sanguine personality adapt easily and generally can play many roles – buoyant, lively and optimistic, and they have the ability to absolutely charm the pants off anyone that seeks their attention. Their need for variety and luxury explains why they prefer to live in big cities where they can satisfy their desires much easier. c. The Boredom Busters! Sanguine people are very poor at tolerating boredom. Routine jobs, repetitive experiences and boring companions annoy and irritate them, and for the most part, they will try to avoid routine and monotony at all costs. In actual fact, they love and thrive on interruptions because they get energized during these small changes in course. These people are impulsive and they will often find it difficult to control their cravings and may struggle with weight. More than any other types of personality, this temperament is more susceptible to smoking, alcohol, drugs, gambling and risky sex. Their spontaneity reflects in last-minute plans and moments of intellectual discovery. Sanguine people are usually more creative than other types, be it poetry, music, theater, art, business or cooking. Sadly, they are also most susceptible to chemical imbalances, addictions and mood disorders. This personality type is characterized by curiosity and having a wide range of interests. They seem to be hungry for knowledge – some of them are walking encyclopedias, while some others visit almost every known country in the world. Many stay in school years and years after their peers have graduated. They will do almost anything to satisfy their always present need to be absorbed by something meaningful and exciting, and they will often end up having several degrees. d. The Dopamine Course! Dopamine activity promotes motivation and goal-oriented behavior, as well as enthusiasm, focus, assertiveness, incentive and drive to achieve. However, sanguine people are so busy with their numerous interests that they will procrastinate completing their tasks; they are just too busy to think about deadlines and actually finishing one task before going ahead to begin another. These people are very autonomous and unconventional. They trust their impulses and take risks. Their motto is: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”. They launch into projects that seem sure to fail but somehow always manage to win big! People with sanguine personality are extreme optimists who make it their job to seek joy and find a way to be happy. These are sensation seekers that derive pleasure from highly arousing experiences and it could almost be stated that they “drink life” and enjoy it to the fullest. c. Sanguine Love Because this is the most adventurous of four temperaments, Sanguine are most compatible with their own type. These people are looking for a play mate; someone who will go adventuring with them, be it in conversation, in bed, or all around the world. They see dating as entertainment and love to go out and do novel things. In short, this means the relationship with a Sanguine person can be very exciting. Because they love pleasure of senses, they are likely to take you to all kinds of art and cultural events, movies, shows, and exotic restaurants. They are also highly sensitive to the world around them and you might even notice their attraction to complex designs and abstract art as well as their preference to sour, spicy and crunchy food. They like intense and complicated music and the rhythmic side of them is even present in the way that they talk. Their extrovert nature and constant cravings for variety means that most Sanguine people have a lot of experience in dating and they can easily adjust to almost any courtship situation. They are friendly and enthusiastic and have no desire to control you, so you will probably feel comfortable and at ease. These people are also generous and are likely to give gifts early in the relationship. Sanguine people are good listeners and they will always ask you about yourself in order to engage you and to satisfy their curiosity. During the conversation many of them look directly at you as well as leaning forward, touching your hand, arm or leg, while listening intently. Most of them have no problem with moving from one topic to another and despite that Sanguine people find self-disclosure difficult, they will talk about themselves occasionally, more with jokes that seriousness but eventually, disclosure will come when they are comfortable. These people like nonsense and incongruous humor and have no problems laughing at themselves in order to make other people laugh. They are good at bantering and witty exchanges and as people pleasers they strive to perform and entertain, focusing on surprises, which of course, they simply adore! 2. Phlegmatic Personality Traits People with phlegmatic personality are unassuming, agreeable and intuitive and they possess the ability of “web thinking”, i.e. to see the relationship between many bits of data they collect. a. Phlegmatic Skills They have a wonderful skill to gather the facts, classify them into categories, and then see the relationship between seemingly contradicting elements. Basically, it is the ability to read between the lines. These men and women don’t do very well at memorizing separate unrelated facts, they grow bored and annoyed and to be excited by the process, they need to be able to generalize. b. It’s all about the estrogen! Phlegmatic personality traits are linked to estrogen, which is present in both men and women. However, phlegmatic people are predominantly females. The two hemispheres of the brain are connected by millions of nerve fibers, and estrogen builds more nerve connections between the remote areas within each hemisphere, in turn, this assists the ability of “seeing a bigger picture” or “web thinking”. These people are imaginative: they like to think abstractly about the things that only can be imagined. For example, they will try to read your body language and tell you what you were thinking from your half smile. The Phlegmatic person will want to know other people’s deepest feelings and strive to build intimate attachments with about everyone in their lives. They are interested in cooperation and interpersonal harmony, and this is why they preserve their family ties and friendships. When there is a conflict, they seek to agree, to satisfy the needs of everyone involved. These men and women are very empathetic and compassionate. They try to understand what the other person is thinking and feeling, then to respond accordingly, which allows them to connect with that person. Moreover, people with phlegmatic personality are agreeable. They could be described as cooperative, considerate, charitable, sympathetic, trusting and warm. They like to express their feelings, sometimes dramatizing their experience (another evidence of high estrogen activity). Phlegmatic men and women seek to contribute to society at large. They strive to fight cancer, donate to orphanages and help the poor and more than that, they also strive to a greater self-knowledge which they see as a must. On the negative side, people with a phlegmatic personality can be indecisive, unable to focus on important details while ruminating on the bigger picture. Their talkativeness can be annoying and because they seek for a connection, they may appear needy, constantly demanding reassurance. While trying to understand you, they also may assume that you see and feel the world the same way they do. They might take criticisms as an insult and pout for days, weeks and months and finally, they are very prone to depression. c. Phlegmatic Love The Phlegmatic lover is the most sensitive of four temperaments. When they are with their potential partners, phlegmatic people seek for common intellectual and emotional ground, which will serve as a bridge from heart to heart. Because they reveal their feelings right in the beginning, they can be deeply hurt by rejection and these people do not see dating as a fun experience in the same way that Sanguine people do. Dating for them is always seeking for marriage or long-term committed relationship and they have a tendency to look for bonding, nurturing and attachment with a potential partner or date. In fact, when dating, they truly give themselves and it has been known for them at times, to get so tired emotionally that they stop dating for a period of time. Once phlegmatic people find “the one”, they work on maintaining intimacy with this partner. They will avoid conflicts, they will do major adjustments and sacrifices – all for the sake of this cherished bond. Everything that happens within the relationship such as the odd phone call here and the email there is looked at as an important part of their relationship to the point where they actively enjoy analyzing their relationships and their partners’ thoughts and motives. Between all four temperaments, this is the most romantic one. They fall in love most frequently and romance is critical to them; they plan romantic evenings and weekends well in advance. They will send you romantic cards; give you hugs and confess their love in hope that you will answer with the same. 3. Choleric Personality Choleric personality is associated with testosterone and although every temperamental makeup is represented by members of both sexes, most choleric people are men. Generally Choleric are money-oriented people, they are fascinated by stocks, investments, money markets and all kinds of revenue generation methods, just like others are fascinated by art and poetry. These people are very practical and they make for naturally gifted businessmen. Constantly looking for opportunities and always working on themselves, they build successful businesses that thrive and benefit others. This doesn’t mean that these people are greedy for money, by any means! From their perspective, work is considered to be fun. However, they never do well in subordinate position. They are all about independence, financially and otherwise. a. It’s About Exact Sciences! Another special quality of choleric people is their ability to systematize everything. This is the reason why they usually enjoy math and other “exact sciences” – they actually have hard time trying to understand why the approaches they use for solving a mathematical problem cannot be used when solving relationship issues. Testosterone also contributes to their spatial skills. This can be reflected in musical and athletic ability, particularly sports that require spatial skills, such as soccer. b. Don’t Bug Me, I’m busy! As it was mentioned earlier, people with choleric personality type are good at math, geometry and engineering, which often affects their professional choices. They are goal-oriented and have a wonderful focus as they work. Their concentration is deep and narrow and this is why, when they are busy with something they are simply not capable to notice other things that are going on around them. You could think of them as kind of “one-trick-ponies”. If a Choleric man is absorbed by something, do not even bother to get his attention because all you are likely to get is disappointment. Don’t blame the poor guy though; he has physical and chemical reasons why he can’t attend to you now. It’s nothing personal - it’s just the way they are. This type of people is very analytical and logical. These people are kings and queens of figuring out things. High testosterone activity in these men and women makes them straightforward and generally, they don’t strive to be polite, respectful or friendly. They do stuff according to what is convenient to them and, most importantly, is in line with their goals. Wasting words and repeating the obvious seem pointless to them. Forcing them to do so is a surefire way to annoy them! Choleric personality is characterized by pragmatism and it is typical to them to take their decisions fast and act immediately. Unlike many others, they don’t have a problem when offered multiple choices. c. Apparently, Talk is Cheap Extremely tough-minded, they act in accordance with their motto: “Talk is cheap”. This means that they rather prefer to prove themselves with action and put the talk aside. You will hardly hear a choleric going on and on about what he is planning to do, like it often happens with sanguine-phlegmatic. This kind of behavior is extremely annoying and embarrassing him and although you might think he is boring and has nothing to share, the fact of the matter is he is often the one who has most fun (alone). Years pass and you may be amazed at what he has achieved. It is no wonder why they are how they are – they have everything they need to excel in business, sports or science. They are simply naturally predisposed to set the goals then reach them and believing in reasoning, logic and investigation. They are skeptical and do not trust easily. They need to investigate the facts on their own, and then analyze them. d. Testosterone Rules the Roost Choleric personality has great problem-solving skills – as long as they are satisfied with reasoning behind their strategy, they act bold and self-confident. Both confidence and daring arise from high testosterone activity and they have absolutely no problem with tolerating long hours of work, isolation and discomfort if only this takes them to their goal. Highly independent people with not much respect to diplomas and other credentials, they are armed with their autonomy and independence and are likely to be highly competitive, almost to the point of being incredibly aggressive (which is another sign of testosterone activity). People with this temperament are determined to succeed and despite the fact that they set the high standards and work long and hard, they are rarely satisfied with the time and effort they spent on their projects. They just keep on raising the mark to the point where many of them live with the constant worry that one day, they will simply fail. Once they disappoint themselves, they will blame themselves ruthlessly. However, they never give up their attempts to succeed and continue striving to the goals. They love knowledge and look for intelligent partners, otherwise, they generally avoid socializing unless they are interested in the conversation, which of course should be somehow related to their goals. This temperamental makeup is typically characterized by detachment from their feelings, because they admire emotional control. They rather strive to be logic, analytical, competent, just and convincing. These people usually appear cool and collected. They don’t smile much and avoid eye contact and despite their best efforts at total self-control, they might “lose it” sometimes and explode into rage. e. Choleric Love For people with a choleric temperament, dating is not fun like it is with sanguine people. Choleric people approach dating in the same manner they approach other issues in their lives – they analyze their hopes and needs, as well as the potential partner. It is crucial that this potential partner shares their goals and interests because choleric people need someone to exchange ideas and talk about what interests them, for example, science and politics. People with this temperament are attracted by those who are good listeners, smart at handling conflicts and disagreements and have other recognized social skills. While they analyze and hide their own emotions, Choleric people look for someone who is emotionally expressive, flexible and even hesitant. Often phlegmatic personalities are their choice when seeking the perfect partner. Choleric people usually are not interested in several relationships at once and have little dating experience when they are young. They may act awkwardly and if they don’t envision future with you and are not interested in you, they may treat you with neglect and be very impatient. Because of their forthright style and take-charge approach, they are likely to end the relationship abruptly when you may not even expect it. On the other hand, if they find someone who they think is worth of their time and effort, they will focus intensively on that person. They can be very romantic and are ready for a deep commitment. Instead of expressing their emotions they will focus on pleasing you by getting you what you want. They like to be needed, so describe them your problems and difficulties and they will try to fix it for you. Between all four temperaments, this temperament falls in love less frequently. They have only few serious relationships during their lives. However, if they had decided to build a relationship with that one special partner, they wouldn’t leave it easily, even if it wasn’t exactly what they wanted – they are not the type of people that enjoy regularly changing their minds. 4. Melancholic Personality Traits Men and women with melancholic personality share many traits. They tend to be loyal to their family and friends and extremely careful. Respectability and moral issues are particularly important to them and they will often love to follow typical “norms” of society and family traditions. They are respectful to authority, follow rules and feel comfortable in hierarchies, where structure, rules and order are implemented. It is important for them to feel themselves a part of the larger community. They see their loyalty to it as a duty. a. The Serotonin Association Melancholic personality traits are associated with serotonin, which suppresses aggressive tendencies. This explains why melancholic people are calm and self-confident, deeply attached to their family and community and loyal. As it was mentioned, they are very orderly and don’t like unpredictability. They enjoy making definite plans and keeping schedules. They love routines, which they find relaxing and this should not come as a big surprise, because any repetitive motion increases serotonin levels. It is relaxing in its nature, but nobody enjoys it more than a melancholic! b. Attention to Detail These people pay attention to details. They remember special dates, anniversaries and events. They will remember details about their neighbors and colleagues. Family and social ties are not seen by melancholics as something that limits their freedom and flexibility, as this could be with a sanguine or a choleric. In fact, to them these are safety nets, kind of a soft place to fall but in a much grander scale. It is also something that adds meaning to their life. Since society and family ties are such an important part of their daily lifestyles and routines, they absolutely can’t see themselves without it. Take this part away from them and they will be devastated. This is why the melancholic is not likely to be somebody who would marry a foreigner or leave to another country for permanent residence. c. It’s All About The Order! Melancholics need to be orderly even in their speech. They will express themselves precisely, accurately, providing all of the relevant information and if you interrupt them or ask them a question they will think you are not interested in what they are talking about. Unlike the Sanguine personality, they hate distractions and get frustrated by them. If you want to impress them don’t talk about your big ideas, instead give them precise information and stick to details. Their need for order is expressed even in their jokes, they won’t be a fan of nonsense humor or unresolved humor, and their jokes reflect order, predictability and closure. d. Accuracy Counts! People with a melancholic personality are not only orderly, they are also accurate. They are process-oriented and like to pursue their goals in a precise straightforward way. Before they start a specific task, they need to organize themselves and break down the task into the manageable steps. The average melancholic is not the kind of person that will work well under the pressure and to be comfortable in a given situation, they need to be in a clear-cut place where the details are known and proven. e. Patience is a Virtue! Melancholics are persistent and patient. They don’t get bored easily and excel at tasks that require attention and repetition. Interestingly, repetitive actions raise levels of serotonin even more and this is why some people repeat one and the same action over and over when they are anxious, like checking to see if the door is closed well or if they turned off the stove or re-checking their suitcase before going to the vacation. Sadly a misbalanced melancholic is most susceptible to OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), where a person engages meaningless rituals, like counting, washing hands or excessive cleaning in order to prevent some disaster he imagines. Some of them may suffer in a less obvious way, but probably the hardest ruminating over and over about the same thought and rethinking it hundreds, if not thousands of times each and every day. f. The Taste Test Their orderliness is also reflected in their tastes. Melancholics love geometrical designs that are simple, orderly, predictable, repetitive and symmetrical. If you give a melancholic man one striped shirt and hundred shirts with asymmetrical design, he will be wearing that one striped shirt every day. Asymmetry simply makes them too uncomfortable. Note however, that most people are actually a mix of several personality types that make them much more flexible. In geometrical shapes the particular favorites of melancholics are pyramids. g. The Melancholic Manager These people do excellent managers and administrators because they follow the rules, stick to the facts, they are reliable and maintain the social ties. They are superb at managing people whether it is at work or at home. One of their strongest needs is the need to belong and this is why they want to be reliable, respectable and charitable. Their emotional well-being depends on their social networks. h. Pride Melancholics are proud of their accomplishments – they will display their trophies, medals, diplomas, certificates and photos with influential people. Generally, they want to do the things in an accepted way; they prefer to plan things in advance and to know ahead of the time what they are going to do. i. The Negatives On the negative side, people with a melancholic personality may become close-minded, dogmatic and stubborn. They also tend to turn to pessimism which may turn into fatalism, believing that nothing will ever change for better. Sometimes they get overly critical, judgmental, expressing their own moral superiority. Their frugality may turn into stinginess. As well as this, some melancholics can become fixated on the past, where they ruminate for hours how their life would be if they did or choose something else in the past. Also they may have difficulty with stopping what they are doing, so hoarding is often a very common problem. j. Melancholic Love While most people tend to become passionate and somewhat irrational when they fall in love, Melancholics‘love is more pragmatic and down-to-earth. They see their love partners as assistants; their love preferences are based on common sense and compatibility. They should be predictable; adhering to the traditions and loyal to family. Melancholics take dating seriously as they keep the good manners. They will never be late. Melancholic men will open doors for women and melancholic women will cook for men. Moreover, they will always make concrete plans for what you will do in advance. They will be protective of you and, if they are really serious, they are likely to give important gifts. In short, these people enjoy the traditions associated with dating and a relationship. These types like to be concrete. They like facts and are literal in everything. Their conversation is detailed and factual, hating drama, and may appear unromantic to other types. This is the reason why they are usually attracted to their own type, especially when they are willing to settle down and start the family. Melancholics do not choose their life partners impulsively. They do it very cautiously, considering the opinions of their friends and relatives. They fear to be criticized and this is why they may need friends and relatives to approve their date before they commit to him or her. This is also one of the reasons why melancholic people enjoy doing things as a couple within a larger group of friends. Between all four temperaments, these people can be classified as the pillars of society. They enjoy community events and outings with the group of friends. As a result, the intimacy with this kind of people develops slowly. This is convenient to the Melancholics by dating and courting in this way they can think carefully about their plans with you and further ahead such as marriage, children etc. They can plan things in advance and it is important to them that romance goes as planned. B. Determining Personality Types Your personality type can be determined by many factors. You can approach it the scientific way, by testing yourself and having a psychologist analysis you. A personality test is rather simple. By answering a few questions about your likes and dislikes and where you would like to go in life, a professional can give you a report detailing the type of personality you have. In psychology, there are five factors that determine different personality types. The big five factors are Openness (appreciation for a variety of experience), Conscientiousness (planning ahead rather than being spontaneous), Extraversion (involves going out with friends and being energetic), Agreeableness (being agreeable), and Neuroticism (refers to worrying or being vulnerable). Your personality test assesses how much of each of these five factors you possess. Another way of determining your personality type is to just take a long and deep look at yourself. Asking questions is a great way of discovering who you are and what you are. Ask things like: “If a child is hurt and alone, what would you do?” The main thing you want to know is if you are a good person. IV. Personality Disorder Those who struggle with a personality disorder have great difficulty dealing with other people. They tend to be inflexible, rigid, and unable to respond to the changes and demands of life. Although they feel that their behavior patterns are “normal” or “right,” people with personality disorders tend to have a narrow view of the world and find it difficult to participate in social activities. A. Recognizing a Personality Disorder A personality disorder must fulfill several criteria. A deeply ingrained, inflexible pattern of relating, perceiving, and thinking serious enough to cause distress or impaired functioning is a personality disorder. Personality disorders are usually recognizable by adolescence or earlier, continue throughout adulthood, and become less obvious throughout middle age. B. What Causes a Personality Disorder? Some experts believe that events occurring in early childhood exert a powerful influence upon behavior later in life. Others indicate that people are genetically predisposed to personality disorders. In some cases, however, environmental facts may cause a person who is already genetically vulnerable to develop a personality disorder. C. Types of Personality Disorders There are many formally identified personality disorders, each with their own set of behaviors and symptoms. Many of these fall into three different categories or clusters; Cluster A: Odd or eccentric behavior; Cluster B: Dramatic, emotional or erratic behavior; Cluster C: Anxious fearful behavior. 1. Cluster A: Schizoid Personality Disorder - Schizoid personalities are introverted, withdrawn, solitary, emotionally cold, and distant. They are often absorbed with their own thoughts and feelings and are fearful of closeness and intimacy with others. For example, a person suffering from schizoid personality is more of a daydreamer than a practical action taker. Paranoid Personality Disorder - The essential feature for this type of personality disorder is interpreting the actions of others as deliberately threatening or demeaning. People with paranoid personality disorder are untrusting, unforgiving, and prone to angry or aggressive outbursts without justification because they perceive others as unfaithful, disloyal, condescending or deceitful. This type of person may also be jealous, guarded, secretive, and scheming, and may appear to be emotionally “cold” or excessively serious. Schizotypal Personality Disorder - A pattern of peculiarities best describes those with schizotypal personality disorder. People may have odd or eccentric manners of speaking or dressing. Strange, outlandish or paranoid beliefs and thoughts are common. People with schizotypal personality disorder have difficulties forming relationships and experience extreme anxiety in social situations. They may react inappropriately or not react at all during a conversation or they may talk to themselves. They also display signs of “magical thinking” by saying they can see into the future or read other people’s minds. 2. Cluster B: Antisocial Personality Disorder - People with antisocial personality disorder characteristically act out their conflicts and ignore normal rules of social behavior. These individuals are impulsive, irresponsible, and callous. Typically, the antisocial personality has a history of legal difficulties, belligerent and irresponsible behavior, aggressive and even violent relationships. They show no respect for other people and feel no remorse about the effects of their behavior on others. These people ware at high risk for substance abuse, especially alcoholism, since it helps them to relieve tension, irritability and boredom. Borderline Personality Disorder - People with borderline personality disorder are unstable in several areas, including interpersonal relationships, behavior, mood, and self-image. Abrupt and extreme mood changes, stormy interpersonal relationships, an unstable and fluctuating self-image, unpredictable and self-destructive actions characterize the person with borderline personality disorder. These individuals generally have great difficulty with their own sense of identity. They often experience the world in extremes, viewing others as either “all good” or “all bad.” A person with borderline personality may form an intense personal attachment with someone only to quickly dissolve it over a perceived slight. Fears of abandonment may lead to an excessive dependency on others. Self-multilation or recurrent suicidal gestures may be used to get attention or manipulate others. Impulsive actions, chronic feelings of boredom or emptiness, and bouts of intense inappropriate anger are other traits of this disorder, which is more common among females. Narcissistic Personality Disorder - People with narcissistic personality have an exaggerated sense of self-importance, are absorbed by fantasies of unlimited success, and seek constant attention. The narcissistic personality is oversensitive to failure and often complains of multiple somatic symptoms. Prone to extreme mood swings between self-admiration and insecurity, these people tend to exploit interpersonal relationships. 3. Cluster C: Avoidant Personality Disorder - Avoidant personalities are often hypersensitive to rejection and are unwilling to become involved with others unless they are sure of being liked. Excessive social discomfort, timidity, fear of criticism, avoidance of social or work activities that involve interpersonal contact are characteristic of the avoidant personality. They are fearful of saying something considered foolish by others; worry they will blush or cry in front of others; and are very hurt by any disapproval by others. People with avoidant personality disorder may have no close relationships outside of their family circle, although they would like to, and are upset at their inability to relate well to others. Dependent Personality Disorder - People with dependent personality disorder may exhibit a pattern of dependent and submissive behavior, relying on others to make decisions for them. They require excessive reassurance and advice, and are easily hurt by criticism or disapproval. They feel uncomfortable and helpless if they are alone, and can be devastated when a close relationship ends. They have a strong fear of rejection. Typically lacking in self-confidence, the dependent personality rarely initiates projects or does things independently. This disorder usually begins by early adulthood and is diagnosed more frequently in females than males. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder - Compulsive personalities are conscientious and have high levels of aspiration, but they also strive for perfection. Never satisfied with their achievements, people with compulsive personality disorder take on more and more responsibilities. They are reliable, dependable, orderly, and methodical, but their inflexibility often makes them incapable of adapting to changed circumstances. People with compulsive personality are highly cautious, weigh all aspects of a problem, and pay attention to every detail, making it difficult for them to make decisions and complete tasks. When their feelings are not under strict control, events are unpredictable, or they must rely on others, compulsive personalities often feel a sense of isolation and helplessness. D. Professional Help When these characteristics are carried to an extreme, when they endure over time and when they interfere with healthy functioning, a diagnostic evaluation with a licensed physician or mental health professional is recommended. There are many types of help available for the different personality disorders. Treatment may include individual, group, or family psychotherapy. Medications, prescribed by a patient’s physician, may also be helpful in relieving some of the symptoms of personality disorders, including problems with anxiety and perceptions. Psychotherapy for patients with personality disorders focuses on helping them see the unconscious conflicts that are contributing to or causing their symptoms. It also helps people become more flexible and is aimed at reducing the behavior patterns that interfere with everyday living. In psychotherapy, people with personality disorders can better recognize the effects of their behavior on others. Behavior and cognitive therapies focus on resolving symptoms or traits that are characteristic of the disorder, such as the inability to make important life decisions or the inability to initiate relationships. V. Personality Development Personality development is the development of the organized pattern of behaviors and attitudes that makes a person distinctive. Personality development occurs by the ongoing interaction of temperament, character, and environment. “Personality Development”, how often do we hear this term, from our mentors, our teachers, on the covers of self-help books or on the banners of institutes and learning centers? The abundance of the usage of this term signals towards its importance in today’s life. So what do you mean by personality development? Is it something about how you look, or how you speak? Or is it how easily you can connect with people? Personality development is none of these. Or somewhere it is all of it. In order to survive in today’s world one needs to be smart and quick-witted all the time. It’s no longer just about how much effort you put into your work but one’s personality also has a lot to do with what one achieves. A. Personality Development Tips Know Yourself Obviously before you get on developing something you need to know all about it first. The same goes with your personality. One needs to start with taking a good look at themselves, analyzing their traits, the strengths and weaknesses and everything that needs to be worked upon. Don’t shy away from accepting your flaws and learn about yourself as much as you can. Bring Positivity Your thoughts and your actions both need to be positive in order to have an attractive personality. The way we think has a lot of effect on the way how we act. And if one prospers positive thoughts inside his mind then that also gives him a confidence boost and enhances their personality. Situations and circumstances in life can always be full highs and lows. But in order to adopt a positive outlook towards life, you need to find the brighter side of the things and focus on the good parts. Have an Opinion Having an opinion and being able to confidently put it forward doesn’t just help making your conversations interesting but it also makes you look more influential and well informed around other people. Never shy away from projecting your opinions even if they happen to conflict with those of other people. Be well informed about all the relevant stuff in your surrounding and fell free to have opinions. It will make you feel important too. Meet New People Meeting new and different kinds of people is a healthy step towards expanding your horizons and exposing yourself to a larger number of things. You get an opportunity to know more about other cultures and lifestyles and it significantly has a positive effect on your own personality. Read More Often and Develop New Interests A man of very few interests has very little to talk about. But if you are well informed about things and cultivate a number of interests, more people tend to like you. You can strike up interesting conversations instead of appearing to be dull and monotonous. When you meet new people you do not have to think about what to say as you can share your knowledge or your interests and get them indulged in conversation. Be A Good Listener “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” True it is. Being a good listener may not seem like but it is an important step towards achieving a more likable personality. When somebody talks to you, listen with interest and give them all the attention and importance. Maintain a direct eye contact and do not get distracted by the surroundings. It will help you in knowing a better deal about people and attending them in a better way. Be A Little Fun Oh yes, this is necessary! Being able to find a humorous side in otherwise terrible situations and bringing a little quirkiness of your own is appreciated by one and all. Everybody loves a person who can make them laugh and bring a funny perspective to the regular things of life. One does not need to be all serious and sober all the time but adorning your funny hat (not literally) every once in a while will turn you in to a more charming personality. Be Courteous Being courteous is never out of fashion and is well appreciated and respected by everyone. Be humble and greet everyone with a smile. Never shy away from helping or supporting your peers and being available to them whenever they need you. Doing random acts of kindness will not just make somebody else’s day, but it will also make you come along as a pleasing person. Also it will give your personality a confidence boost. Be humble and down to earth to your juniors and seniors alike. Work on Your Body Language Body language is just as important for your personality as your verbal communication skills. It tells a lot about yourself and helps people in making accurate conjectures about you. Everything including the way you walk, sit, talk or eat leaves an impact over the people around you and having a correct body language can do wonders for your personality. Walk in an upright position with shoulders straight. Do not droop. Sit in a relaxed posture and make always eye contact while speaking. Check Your Attire I am not abruptly beginning to emphasize about your exterior self instead of your skills and abilities but one’s attire has an important role to play while making a desirable impression. And not just that, but it also gives yourself a confidence boost knowing that you look good and are dressed appropriately. Dress up in a decent manner and keeping your surroundings in mind. While flashy colors and too much body tattoos or piercings convey an unprofessional attitude, neatly ironed clothes make you look presentable. Be Yourself Though one can always look up to other people to take an inspiration from, but you should still remain your own unique self. Each one of us is different, we have our own sets of skills and flaws and trying to be somebody else gets you nowhere and just simply backfires. Trying too hard to fit in a new group or wanting to belong should never take your authenticity and singularity away. Never try molding into another person but instead work on being the best version of yourself. Be Confident Yes, that’s the key. Being confident about who you are and what you are doing is the most important tip for personality development. Never doubt your capabilities and if there is something you need to work upon then put in all the effort so you can come over your fears and gain confidence. Read success stories or surround yourself with motivational thoughts or “encouragements” which can boost up your self-esteem and help you in attaining a charming personality. Just everything you do, have faith in yourself and put in your hard work. There can be nothing more appealing in your personality than an incredible confidence. VI. Conclusion Your personality is entirely up to you. It is in the actions you take and the decisions you make. Either you are a patient person, or not; a responsible person or not. The only way to change your personality is to take active steps to become the person you want to be. Taking up a hobby is a great way to become well rounded and improve your personality. Sports can make you stronger, arts and crafts can make you patient, and volunteering can make you caring. Even just reading a book can push you to be better. 30 30