What is a person's personality? What is a personality in psychology, its structure and types Definition of the word personality.

The phenomenon of personality is too complex to give it an unambiguous definition. It can be considered as a social subject or a chain of psychological connections. The value of understanding what a person is is that it helps to better understand yourself, to study your abilities, motivation, temperament. It allows you to learn how to apply the acquired knowledge in practice, building relationships with other people.

What is personality

Personality is a combination of individual social and psychological properties of character and behavior. There are certain properties, structure and personality types. They differ because each classification method is based on the research and points of view of different scientists in the field of psychology and sociology. They are united only by some properties that help to “draw” a social and psychological portrait of a person.

• . An important component that demonstrates the attitude to the world, others, life, which determines behavior and forms views.
• . In accordance with this characteristic, there is a division into types of personalities: melancholic, choleric, phlegmatic, sanguine. Each of them has its own reactions to life circumstances, their perception.
• Motivation. A person may have several motives that determine his actions and proceed from his needs. They are the driving force, the stronger the motivation, the more purposeful the person is.
• . There are strong-willed, mental, physical, mental, etc. They are the basis for accomplishments and achieving goals. But not always a person skillfully disposes of them.
• Emotionality. Shows how a person expresses his attitude to the situation, people, events.
• Orientation. The ability to define values ​​and goals, to move towards their achievement. This is a collection of things, tangible and intangible, that are really dear to a person.
• worldview. A look at life, a vision of the world, an attitude towards them. It can be realistic, mystical, feminine, masculine, positive, negative.
• Experience. Knowledge and skills acquired throughout life, formed the worldview, habits.
• body drawing. External expression of personality characteristics: gait, facial expressions, gestures, stoop or attempt to keep the back straight, etc.

Social structure of personality

Sociology defines the structure of personality as a set of objective and subjective properties that form its detail and depend on society.

There are 2 approaches, each of which has its own important components:

• Activity, culture, memory. Activity involves conscious actions in relation to an object or subject. Culture affects the social norms that weigh on the actions of the individual. Memory is a storehouse of knowledge formed into experience.
• Value orientations, social roles, culture. This trio reflects the character traits acquired through interaction with the subjects of society, instilled by parents, inherited, shaped by life experience.

Personality structure

The psychological structure of personality mainly consists of the following components:

• Orientation. Needs, attitudes, interests. It happens that in a person only one of the components is leading, and the rest are less developed. For example, a person has a need for work, but this does not mean that he will be interested in it. In order for the orientation to work, in this case, a financial motive may be enough.
• Capabilities. This component influences the previous one. For example, an individual has the ability to draw, this generates interest, which is the leading component of direction and motivation for development in this particular area.
• Character. The most important component, sometimes a person is judged precisely by it, and not by orientation or abilities. For example, a person with a bad and difficult character will find it difficult to integrate into society, even if he has phenomenal abilities in any area.
• self control. Determines the ability to plan behavior, transform, correct actions.

Freud's personality structure

In the personality structure proposed by Freud, the following components:

• It. The unconscious part that generates desires, internal instincts, libido. A component based on biological attraction, driven by the desire for pleasure. If there is tension, it can be discharged through fantasies, reflex actions. Unfulfilled desires often result in a problem in social life.
• Ego. Consciousness, which controls It. The ego is responsible for satisfying the desires of the id. But this happens after the circumstances are analyzed, the implementation of the desired should not contradict social norms.
• Superego. A set of moral and ethical principles and taboos that affect human behavior. They originate in childhood (3-5 years), a period when parents pay the most attention to raising children. These rules are fixed in a children's direction, later supplemented by their own norms, which they acquire in life experience.

Three components should develop equally, if one of them is more active, the balance is disturbed. The balanced work of the three components allows you to develop a protective mechanism:

• Negation. Causes suppression of impulses coming from within.
• Projection. When a person attributes his negative traits to other people.
• substitution. When an unreachable object is replaced with one that is accessible.
• Rationalization. A person is able to logically explain his actions.
• Reaction formation. Committing acts that are opposite to internal impulses that a person considers forbidden.

Freud also identified the Electra and Oedipus complexes. Children unconsciously consider one of the parents as a sexual partner, feeling jealous of the second. Girls see their mother as a threat, boys see their father.

Personality structure according to Rubinstein

Rubinstein named 3 components of the structure:

• Orientation. It includes beliefs, motivation, needs, worldview, behavioral factors. Expresses the social essence, determines the type of activity.
• Skills, knowledge. Means obtained through knowledge and objective activity. Knowledge helps to navigate the world, skills allow you to engage in specific activities, skills contribute to the achievement of results.
• Typological properties. This includes temperament, character, abilities that make a person unique.

In addition, Rubinstein singled out the levels of organization:

• Vital. Includes experience, morality, worldview.
• personal. Individual character traits.
• Mental. Psychological processes, specificity, activity.

Rubinstein believed that the formation of personality occurs through interaction with society and the world as a whole. The structure of the orientation of the personality is made up of conscious actions and the subconscious.

Jung's personality structure

Jung identified the following components:

• consciousness;
• collective unconscious;
• individual unconscious.

Consciousness is divided into the human I (person), shown to others, and Ego, the real essence of man. The person helps to socialize. It is a mask that a person wears to get in touch with other individuals. This allows you to make an impression, to attract attention. Makes you buy fashionable things, expensive cars, big houses to fit and fit into a certain segment of society.

The ego is the core formed from experiences, thoughts, awareness of one's actions, decisions. It is experience, knowledge, skills. Thanks to the ego, a person is a holistic person.

The individual unconscious is formed from thoughts, beliefs, experiences, desires. Previously, they were relevant for a person, but after he experienced them, they turned into memories. They are stored in the unconscious, sometimes come out. They are divided into archetypes:

• Shadow. Kind of a dark twin. These are vicious desires, negative feelings, immoral thoughts that a person suppresses, as he is afraid to face them openly. Jung believed that it is harmful to repress the dark side, it must be accepted and one should consider one's good features against its background.
• Anima and animus. Masculine and feminine. The animus gives women masculine traits - firmness of will; the anima makes it possible for men to sometimes be weak - to show softness. Jung attributed this to the presence of male and female hormones in opposite sexes. The presence of the concepts of anima and animus enables women and men to better understand each other.
• Self. Jung called it the core that forms integrity. The self develops only with a balanced development of all components of the structure.

Personality structure according to Leontiev

A. N. Leontiev defines personality as experience, a set of actions, decisions. He divided the structure of personality into levels:

• Psychophysical background. This includes temperament, inclinations that can develop into abilities.
• Expressive instrumental. Roles, character, abilities. This is the outer shell of a person through which he interacts with the world.
• Inner world. Values, meaning, relationships. This is a person's view of the world through the prism of their own opinion about it.
• existential level. Includes freedom, spirituality, responsibility.

Leontiev singled out in his theory the concept of "the second birth of personality". It occurs when a person corrects his behavior, finding new methods for solving conflict and difficult situations.

The structure of personality according to Platonov

K. K. Platonov built a pyramidal personality structure, which has four substructures (from the foundation to the top):

• biological conditioning. Genetics and physiology. This includes age, gender.
• Display forms. Thinking, attention, memory, perception, sensations. The more developed they are, the more opportunities a person has.
• social experience. Skills, abilities, knowledge acquired through experience.
• Orientation. Worldview, aspirations, beliefs, ideals.

Socionic personality types in psychology

Socionics is a concept developed by Aushra Augustinavichiute based on the personality types proposed by Jung. In different sources there are different designations, they can be conditionally divided into such groups.

Analysts:

• INTJ is a strategist. He has a rich imagination, he always has a plan for the next Saturday, and for 20 years ahead.
• INTP is a scientist. Creativity and ingenuity are their forte. They believe in science, they believe that it can explain everything.
• ENTJ - commander. Resourcefulness, courage, fortitude are the strong features of such people. They always find a solution to a problem.
• ENTP is a controversialist. Thinkers with curiosity, a sharp mind. They are happy to get into arguments.

Diplomats:

• INFJ is an activist. Idealistic, sometimes vindictive, usually reticent, but inspiring.
• INFP is an intermediary. Altruists who can come to the rescue at any moment.
• ENFJ is a trainer. They have unusual charisma, natural leadership qualities, can inspire, charm.
• ENFP is a wrestler. More sociable, creative, imaginative, optimistic, full of enthusiasm.

Keepers:

• ISTJ is an administrator. Perceive only the facts, reliable.
• ISFJ is a protector. They have a high responsibility, will help relatives.
• ESTJ is a manager. Such people can easily manage the masses, they are skilled administrators.
• ENFJ - consul. Sociable, popular, love to take care of others.

Seekers:

• ISTP is a virtuoso. They are characterized by courage, craving for experiments, jacks of all trades.
• ISFP is an artist. They have a subtle charm, ready to rush in search and study of the unknown.
• ESTP is a businessman. Receptive, the energy in them is in full swing, they like to take risks, they are smart.
• ESFP is an entertainer. You will not get bored with such a person, they are always cheerful, adore spontaneous actions and surprises.

To quickly understand a person, it is enough to disassemble his personality on the shelves. Theories about its structure and types help with this. This information helps build business and personal relationships.

Knowledge of the elementary foundations of psychology can play an important role in the life of any person. In order for us to most productively fulfill our goals and effectively interact with the people around us, we need to have at least an idea of ​​what personality psychology is, how personality develops and what are the features of this process. It is important to know what the constituent elements and personality types are. Understanding these issues, we get the opportunity to make our lives more productive, comfortable and harmonious.

The Personal Psychology lesson below is designed to help you grasp these important fundamentals and learn as effectively as possible. Here you will get acquainted with how a person and the problem of personality are considered in psychology: you will learn its foundations and structure. You will also gain insight into personality research and many other interesting topics.

What is a personality?

In the modern world, there is no unambiguous definition of the concept of "personality" and this is due to the complexity of the phenomenon of personality itself. Any definition currently available is worthy of being taken into account in compiling the most objective and complete.

If we talk about the most common definition, then we can say that:

Personality- this is a person who has a certain set of psychological properties on which his actions are based, which are important for society; internal difference of one person from the rest.

There are several other definitions:

• Personality it is a social subject and the totality of his personal and social roles, his preferences and habits, his knowledge and experience.
• Personality is a person who independently builds and controls his life and bears full responsibility for it.

Together with the concept of "personality" in psychology, such concepts as "individual" and "individuality" are used.

Individual- this is an individual person, considered as a unique combination of his innate and acquired qualities.

Individuality- a set of unique traits and features that distinguish one individual from all others; uniqueness of personality and human psyche.

In order for anyone who is interested in the human personality as a psychological phenomenon to have the most objective idea of ​​it, it is necessary to highlight the key elements that make up the personality, in other words, talk about its structure.

Personality structure

The structure of a personality is the connection and interaction of its various components: abilities, volitional qualities, character, emotions, etc. These components are its properties and differences and are called “features”. There are quite a lot of these features, and in order to structure them there is a division into levels:

• The lowest level of personality these are the sexual properties of the psyche, age-related, innate.
• The second level of personality these are individual manifestations of thinking, memory, abilities, sensations, perception, which depend both on innate factors and on their development.
• The third level of personality it is an individual experience, which contains the acquired knowledge, habits, abilities, skills. This level is formed in the process of life and has a social character.
• The highest level of personality- this is its orientation, which includes interests, desires, inclinations, inclinations, beliefs, views, ideals, worldviews, self-esteem, character traits. This level is the most socially conditioned and formed under the influence of upbringing, and also more fully reflects the ideology of the society in which the person is located.

Why are these levels important and why should they be distinguished from each other? At least in order to be able to objectively characterize any person (including yourself) as a person, to understand what level you are considering.

The difference between people is very multifaceted, because at each level there are differences in interests and beliefs, knowledge and experience, abilities and skills, character and temperament. It is for these reasons that it can be quite difficult to understand another person, to avoid contradictions and even conflicts. In order to understand yourself and those around you, you need to have a certain baggage of psychological knowledge, and combine it with awareness and observation. And in this very specific issue, knowledge of the key personality traits and their differences plays an important role.

Key personality traits

In psychology, personality traits are commonly understood as stable mental phenomena that have a significant impact on a person's activities and characterize him from the socio-psychological side. In other words, this is how a person manifests himself in his activities and in his relationships with others. The structure of these phenomena includes abilities, temperament, character, will, emotions, motivation. Below we will consider each of them separately.

Capabilities

Understanding why different people in the same living conditions have different results at the output, we are often guided by the concept of “ability”, assuming that it is they who influence what a person achieves. We use the same term to find out why some people learn something faster than others, and so on.

The concept of " capabilities' can be interpreted in different ways. Firstly, it is a set of mental processes and states, often called the properties of the soul. Secondly, it is a high level of development of general and special skills, abilities and knowledge that ensure the effective performance of various functions by a person. And, thirdly, abilities are everything that cannot be reduced to knowledge, skills and abilities, but with the help of which their acquisition, use and consolidation can be explained.

A person has a huge number of different abilities that can be divided into several categories.

Elemental and compound abilities

• Elementary (simple) abilities- these are abilities associated with the functions of the sense organs and the simplest movements (the ability to distinguish smells, sounds, colors). They are present in a person from birth and during life they can be improved.
• Complex abilities- these are abilities in various activities related to human culture. For example, musical (composing music), artistic (the ability to draw), mathematical (the ability to easily solve complex mathematical problems). Such abilities are called socially determined, because. they are not congenital.

General and special abilities

• General abilities- these are the abilities that all people have, but developed by everyone to varying degrees (general motor, mental). It is they who determine success and achievements in many activities (sports, learning, teaching).
• Special abilities- these are abilities that are not found in everyone and for which, in most cases, certain inclinations are required (artistic, graphic, literary, acting, musical). Thanks to them, people achieve success in specific activities.

It should be noted that the presence of special abilities in a person can be harmoniously combined with the development of general ones, and vice versa.

Theoretical and practical

• Theoretical ability- these are the abilities that determine the inclination of the individual to abstract-logical thinking, as well as the ability to clearly set and successfully complete theoretical tasks.
• Practical ability- these are abilities that are manifested in the ability to set and perform practical tasks related to specific actions in certain life situations.

Educational and creative

• Teaching ability- these are abilities that determine the success of training, the assimilation of knowledge, skills and abilities.
• Creative skills- these are abilities that determine a person's ability to create objects of spiritual and material culture, as well as influencing the production of new ideas, making discoveries, etc.

Communicative and subject-activity

• Communication skills- these are abilities that include knowledge, skills and abilities related to communication and interaction with other people, interpersonal assessment and perception, establishing contacts, networking, finding a common language, disposition towards oneself and influencing people.
• Subject-activity abilities- these are abilities that determine the interaction of people with inanimate objects.

All types of abilities are complementary, and it is their combination that gives a person the opportunity to develop most fully and harmoniously. Abilities have an impact both on each other and on the success of a person in life, activity and communication.

In addition to the fact that the concept of “ability” is used to characterize a person in psychology, such terms as “genius”, “talent”, “giftedness” are also used, indicating more subtle nuances of the personality of a person.

• giftedness- this is the presence in a person from birth of inclinations for the best development of abilities.
• Talent- these are abilities that are revealed to the fullest extent through the acquisition of skills and experience.
• Genius- this is an unusually high level of development of any abilities.

As we mentioned above, a person's life outcome is very often related to his abilities and their application. And the results of the vast majority of people, unfortunately, leave much to be desired. Many people start looking for solutions to their problems somewhere outside, when the right solution is always inside a person. And you just have to look into yourself. If a person in his daily activities does not do what he has inclinations and predispositions, then the effect of this will be, to put it mildly, unsatisfactory. As one of the options to change things, you can use the exact definition of their abilities.

If, for example, you have an innate ability to lead and manage people, and you work as a goods receiver in a warehouse, then, of course, this occupation will not bring moral, emotional, or financial satisfaction, because you are doing something completely different deed. In this situation, some kind of managerial position is more suitable for you. You can start at least with a job as a middle manager. Innate leadership abilities, when used systematically and developed, will take you to a completely different level. Set aside time in your schedule to identify your inclinations and abilities, study yourself, try to understand what you really want to do and what will bring you pleasure. Based on the results obtained, it will already be possible to draw a conclusion on the topic in which direction it is necessary to move further.

To determine the abilities and inclinations, there are now a huge number of tests and techniques. You can read more about abilities.

An aptitude test will appear here soon.

Along with abilities, as one of the main personality traits, temperament can be distinguished.

Temperament

temperament called a set of properties that characterize the dynamic features of mental processes and states of a person (their occurrence, change, strength, speed, termination), as well as his behavior.

The idea of ​​temperament has its roots in the works of Hippocrates, an ancient Greek philosopher who lived in the 5th century. BC. It was he who defined the different types of temperaments that people use to this day: melancholic, choleric, phlegmatic, sanguine.

Melancholic temperament- this type is characteristic of people of a gloomy mood, with a tense and complex inner life. Such people are distinguished by vulnerability, anxiety, restraint, and also by the fact that they attach great importance to everything that concerns them personally. With minor difficulties, melancholics give up. They have little energy potential and get tired quickly.

choleric temperament- most characteristic of quick-tempered people. People with this type of temperament are not restrained, impatient, hot and impulsive. But they quickly cool down and calm down if they are met. Cholerics are characterized by perseverance and stability of interests and aspirations.

Phlegmatic temperament- These are cold-blooded people who are more prone to staying in a state of inactivity than in a state of active work. Slowly excitable, but cool down for a long time. Phlegmatic people are not resourceful, it is difficult for them to adapt to a new environment, reorganize in a new way, get rid of old habits. But at the same time they are efficient and energetic, patient, possess self-control and endurance.

Sanguine temperament such people are merry, optimistic, humorous and pranksters. Full of hope, sociable, easily converge with new people. Sanguine people are distinguished by a quick reaction to external stimuli: they can be easily amused or thrown into anger. Actively take on new beginnings, can work for a long time. They are disciplined, if necessary, can control their reactions and quickly adapt to new conditions.

These are far from complete descriptions of temperament types, but contain the most characteristic features for them. Each of them is neither good nor bad in itself, if you do not associate them with requirements and expectations. Any type of temperament can have both its disadvantages and its advantages. You can find out more about human temperament.

Having a good understanding of the influence of the type of temperament on the rate of occurrence of mental processes (perception, thinking, attention) and their intensity, on the pace and rhythm of activity, as well as on its direction, one can easily and effectively use this knowledge in everyday life.

To determine the type of temperament, it is best to use specialized tests compiled by experts in the field of personality studies.

Soon there will be a test to determine the temperament.

Another fundamental property of a person's personality is his character.

Character

character called acquired in certain social conditions, ways of human interaction with the outside world and other people, constituting the type of his life activity.

In the process of communication between people, character is manifested in the manner of behavior, ways of responding to the actions and actions of others. Manners can be delicate and tactful or rude and unceremonious. This is due to the difference in the nature of people. People with the strongest or, conversely, the weakest character always stand out from the rest. People with a strong character, as a rule, are distinguished by perseverance, perseverance, and purposefulness. And weak-willed people are distinguished by weakness of will, unpredictability, randomness of actions. The character includes many features that modern experts divide into three groups: communicative, business, strong-willed.

Communication features are manifested in a person's communication with others (isolation, sociability, responsiveness, anger, goodwill).

Business traits are manifested in everyday work activities (accuracy, conscientiousness, diligence, responsibility, laziness).

Volitional traits are directly related to the will of a person (purposefulness, perseverance, perseverance, lack of will, compliance).

There are also motivational and instrumental character traits.

Motivational traits - prompting a person to action, guiding and supporting his activity.

Instrumental features - give the behavior a certain style.

If you can get a clear idea of ​​the traits and characteristics of your character, this will allow you to understand the motivating force that guides your development and self-realization in life. This knowledge will allow you to determine which of your features are most developed and which need to be improved, as well as to understand through which features of yours you interact with the world and others to a greater extent. An in-depth understanding of yourself provides a unique opportunity to see how and why exactly you react to life situations and events, and what you need to cultivate in yourself so that your lifestyle becomes as productive and useful as possible and you can fully realize yourself. If you know the features of your character, its pros and cons, and begin to improve yourself, you will be able to respond in the best possible way in a given situation, you will know how to respond to harmful or beneficial influences, what to say to another person, responding to his actions and words .

Soon there will be a test to determine the traits of character.

One of the most important personality traits that have the most serious impact on the process of human life and its result is will.

Will

Will- this is the property of a person to make conscious control of his psyche and actions.

Thanks to the will, a person is able to consciously control his own behavior and his mental states and processes. With the help of the will, a person exerts a conscious influence on the world around him, making the necessary (in his opinion) changes.

The main sign of the will is connected with the fact that, in most cases, it is associated with the adoption of reasonable decisions by a person, overcoming obstacles and making efforts to implement the plan. A volitional decision is made by an individual in the conditions of oppositely directed needs, drives and motives that are opposed to each other and have approximately the same motive force, due to which a person always needs to choose one of two / several.

Will always implies self-restraint: acting in one way or another to achieve certain goals and results, realizing certain needs, a person acting on his own will must always deprive himself of something else, which, perhaps, he sees as more attractive and desirable. Another sign of the participation of the will in human behavior is the presence of a specific plan of action.

An important feature of volitional effort is the absence of emotional satisfaction, but the presence of moral satisfaction arising from the implementation of the plan (but not in the process of implementation). Very often, volitional efforts are directed not to overcome circumstances, but to "defeat" oneself, despite one's natural desires.

Mainly, the will is what helps a person to overcome life's difficulties and obstacles on the way; what helps to achieve new results and develop. As one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, Carlos Castaneda, said: "The will is what makes you win when your mind tells you that you are defeated." It can be said that the stronger the willpower of a person, the stronger the person himself (of course, not physical, but internal strength is meant). The main practice for the development of willpower is its training and hardening. You can start developing your willpower with quite simple things.

For example, make it a rule to notice those things, the postponement of which devastates you, "sucks energy" and the implementation of which, on the contrary, invigorates, charges and has a positive effect. These are the things that you are too lazy to do. For example, tidy up when you don’t feel like it at all, do exercises in the morning, getting up half an hour earlier. An inner voice will tell you that this can be postponed or it is not necessary to do this at all. Don't listen to him. This is the voice of your laziness. Do as you intended - after that you will notice that you feel more energetic and cheerful, more powerful. Or another example: identify your weaknesses (this can be aimless pastime on the Internet, watching TV, lying on the couch, sweets, etc.). Take not the strongest of them and give it up for a week, two, a month. Promise yourself that after the appointed time you will return to your habit again (if you want, of course). And then - the most important thing: take a symbol of this weakness and constantly keep it with you. But do not fall for the provocations of the "old self" and remember the promise. This is the training of your willpower. Over time, you will see that you have become stronger and will be able to move on to the rejection of stronger weaknesses.

But nothing can compare in terms of the strength of the impact on the human psyche, like another property of his personality - emotions.

Emotions

Emotions can be characterized as special individual experiences that have a pleasant or unpleasant mental coloring, and are associated with the satisfaction of vital needs.

The main types of emotions are:

Mood - it reflects the general state of a person at a certain moment

The simplest emotions are experiences that are associated with the satisfaction of organic needs.

Affects are violent, short-lived emotions that are especially manifested externally (gestures, facial expressions)

Feelings are a spectrum of experiences associated with certain objects.

Passion is a pronounced feeling that (in most cases) cannot be controlled.

Stress is a combination of emotions and the physical state of the body

Emotions, especially feelings, affects and passions, are an invariable part of a person's personality. All people (personalities) are emotionally very different. For example, according to emotional excitability, the duration of emotional experiences, the predominance of negative or positive emotions. But the main sign of difference is the intensity of the experienced emotions and their direction.

Emotions have a characteristic feature to have a serious impact on a person's life. Under the influence of certain emotions at one time or another, a person can make decisions, say something, and perform actions. As a rule, emotions are a short-lived phenomenon. But what a person sometimes does under the influence of emotions does not always give good results. And since Since our lesson is devoted to how to improve your life, then we should talk about ways to have a favorable impact on it.

It is important to learn to control your emotions and not succumb to them. First of all, you need to remember that an emotion, whatever it may be (positive or negative), is just an emotion, and it will soon pass. Therefore, if in any negative situation you feel that negative emotions begin to prevail in you, remember this and restrain them - this will allow you not to do or say something that you may later regret. If, due to some outstanding positive events in life, you experience a surge of joyful emotions, then also remember this practice. This practice will allow you to avoid unnecessary energy costs.

Surely, you are familiar with the situation when, after some time after a moment of stormy joy or delight, you feel some kind of inner devastation. Emotions are always an expense of personal energy. No wonder the ancient Jewish king Solomon had a ring on his finger with the inscription: "This too shall pass." Always in moments of joy or sadness, he turned his ring and read this inscription to himself in order to remember the short duration of emotional experiences.

Knowing what emotions are and the ability to manage them are very important aspects in the development of a person and life in general. Learn to manage your emotions, and you will know yourself to the fullest. Such things as self-observation and self-control, as well as various spiritual practices (meditation, yoga, etc.) allow mastering this skill. You can find information about them on the Internet. And you can learn more about what emotions are in our acting training.

But, despite the importance of all the personality traits discussed above, perhaps the dominant role is occupied by another of its properties - motivation, since it affects the desire to learn more about yourself and immerse yourself in the psychology of the individual, on interest in something new, hitherto unknown, even if you are reading this lesson.

Motivation

In general, in human behavior, there are two complementary sides - it is motivating and regulatory. The incentive side ensures the activation of behavior and its direction, and the regulatory side is responsible for how the behavior develops in specific conditions.

Motivation is closely related to such phenomena as motives, intentions, motives, needs, etc. In the narrowest sense, motivation can be defined as a set of causes that explain human behavior. At the heart of this concept is the term "motive".

motive- this is any internal physiological or psychological urge that is responsible for the activity and purposefulness of behavior. Motives are conscious and unconscious, imaginary and really acting, meaning-forming and motivating.

The following factors influence a person's motivation:

A need is a state of a person's need for anything necessary for a normal existence, as well as mental and physical development.

An incentive is any internal or external factor that, together with a motive, controls behavior and directs it to achieve a specific goal.

Intention is a thoughtful and conscious decision that is consistent with the desire to do something.

Motivation is not fully conscious and indefinite (perhaps) a person's desire for something.

It is motivation that is the "fuel" of a person. Just as a car needs gasoline to keep going, so a person needs motivation to strive for something, develop, reach new heights. For example, you wanted to learn more about human psychology and personality traits, and this was the motivation for turning to this lesson. But what is a great motivation for one may be absolute zero for another.

Knowledge about motivation, first of all, can be successfully used for yourself: think about what you want to achieve in life, make a list of your life goals. Not just what you would like to have, but exactly what makes your heart beat faster and gets you emotionally excited. Imagine what you want as if you already have it. If you feel that this turns you on, then this is your motivation to act. We all have periods of ups and downs in activity. And it is in moments of recession that you need to remember what you have to move forward for. Set a global goal, divide its achievement into intermediate stages and start acting. Only the person who knows where he is going and takes steps towards it will reach his goal.

Also, knowledge about motivation can be used in communicating with people.

A great example is when you ask a person to fulfill some kind of request (for friendship, for work, etc.). Naturally, in return for a service, a person wants to get something for himself (regrettable as it may seem, but most people have a selfish interest, even if it manifests itself in someone to a greater extent, and in someone to a lesser extent). Determine what a person needs and this will be a kind of hook that can hook him, his motivation. Show the person his benefit. If he sees that, having met you halfway, he will be able to satisfy some essential need for him, then this will be almost a 100% guarantee that your interaction will be successful and effective.

In addition to the above material, it is worth mentioning the process of personality development. After all, everything that we have considered before is closely interconnected with this process, depends on it and at the same time influences it. The topic of personality development is very peculiar and voluminous for describing it as a small part of one lesson, but it is impossible not to mention it. Therefore, we will touch on it only in general terms.

Personal development

Personal development is part of the overall development of man. It is one of the main topics of practical psychology, but it is understood far from being unambiguous. When using the phrase "personal development" scientists mean at least four different topics.

1. What are the mechanisms and dynamics of personality development (the process itself is being studied)
2. What does a person achieve in the process of his development (results are being studied)
3. In what ways and means can parents and society form a personality out of a child (the actions of “educators” are being studied)
4. How a person can develop himself as a person (the actions of the person himself are studied)

The topic of personality development has always attracted many researchers and was considered from different angles. For some researchers, the greatest interest in personality development is the influence of socio-cultural characteristics, the ways of this influence and models of education. For others, the subject of close study is the independent development of a person as a person.

Personal development can be both a natural process that does not require outside participation, or a conscious, purposeful one. And the results will be significantly different from each other.

In addition to the fact that a person is able to develop himself, he can develop others. For practical psychology, assistance in the development of personality, the development of new methods and innovations in this matter, various trainings, seminars and training programs are most characteristic.

Basic theories of personality research

The main trends in personality research can be identified starting from about the middle of the 20th century. Next, we will consider some of them, and for the most popular (Freud, Jung) we will give examples.

This is a psychodynamic approach to the study of personality. The development of personality was considered by Freud in psychosexual terms, and he proposed a three-component structure of personality:

• Id - “it” contains everything inherited and incorporated in the human constitution. Each individual has basic instincts: life, death and sexual, the most important of which is the third.
• Ego - "I" is a part of the mental apparatus that is in contact with the surrounding reality. The main task at this level is self-preservation and protection.
• Super ego - "super self" is the so-called judge of the activities and thoughts of the ego. Three functions are performed here: conscience, self-observation and the formation of ideals.

Freud's theory is perhaps the most popular of all theories in psychology. It is widely known because it reveals the deep features and stimuli of human behavior, in particular the strong influence of sexual desire on a person. The main position of psychoanalysis is that human behavior, experience and knowledge are largely determined by internal and irrational drives, and these drives are predominantly unconscious.

One of the methods of Freud's psychological theory, when studied in detail, says that you need to learn how to use your excess energy and sublimate it, i.e. redirect to achieve specific goals. For example, if you note that your child is overly active, then this activity can be directed in the right direction - send the child to the sports section. As another example of sublimation, you can cite the following situation: you were standing in line with the tax office and faced with an impudent, rude and negative person. In the process, he yelled at you, insulted, thereby causing a storm of negative emotions - an excess of energy that needs to be thrown out somewhere. To do this, you can go to the gym or swimming pool. You yourself will not notice how all the anger will go away, and you will again be in a cheerful mood. This, of course, is a very trivial example of sublimation, but the essence of the method can be caught in it.

To learn more about the sublimation method, visit this page.

Knowledge of Freud's theory can also be used in another aspect - the interpretation of dreams. According to Freud, a dream is a reflection of something that is in the soul of a person, which he himself may not even be aware of. Think about what reasons could lead to the fact that you had this or that dream. The first thing that comes to your mind as an answer will make the most sense. And already, based on this, you should interpret your dream as a reaction of your unconscious to external circumstances. You can familiarize yourself with the work of Sigmund Freud "The Interpretation of Dreams".

Apply Freud's knowledge to your personal life: in exploring your relationship with your loved one, you can put into practice the concepts of "transference" and "counter-transference". Transfer is the transfer of feelings and affections of two people to each other. Countertransference is a reverse process. If you understand this topic in more detail, you can find out why certain problems arise in relationships, which makes it possible to resolve them as soon as possible. It has been written about in great detail.

Read more about Sigmund Freud's theory on Wikipedia.

Jung introduced the concept of "I" as the individual's desire for unity and integrity. And in the classification of personality types he put the focus of a person on himself and the object - he divided people into extroverts and introverts. In Jung's analytical psychology, personality is described as the result of the interaction of aspiration for the future and individually innate predisposition. Also, special importance is attached to the movement of the personality along the path of self-realization by balancing and integrating the various elements of the personality.

Jung believed that every person is born with a set of certain personal characteristics and that the external environment does not allow a person to become a person, but reveals the characteristics already embedded in it. He also identified several levels of the unconscious: individual, family, group, national, racial and collective.

According to Jung, there is a certain system of the psyche that a person inherits at birth. It has been developing for hundreds of millennia and makes people experience and realize all life experience in a very concrete way. And this concreteness is expressed in what Jung called archetypes that influence the thoughts, feelings and actions of people.

Jung's typology can be applied in practice to determine one's own type of attitude or the types of attitudes of others. If, for example, you notice indecisiveness, isolation, sharpness of reactions, a predominant state of protection from the outside, distrust in yourself / others, this indicates that your attitude / attitude of others is of an introverted type. If you/others are open, easy to contact, gullible, get involved in unfamiliar situations, neglect caution, etc., then the installation belongs to the extraverted type. Knowing your type of attitude (according to Jung) makes it possible to better understand yourself and others, the motives for actions and reactions, and this, in turn, will increase your efficiency in life and build relationships with people most productively.

Jung's analytical method can also be used to analyze one's behavior and the behavior of others. Based on the classification of the conscious and the unconscious, you can learn to identify those motives that guide you and the people around you in your behavior.

Another example: if you notice that your child, upon reaching a certain age, begins to behave hostilely towards you and tries to abstract himself from people and the world around him, then you can say with a high degree of certainty that the process of individuation has begun - the formation of individuality. This usually happens during adolescence. According to Jung, there is a second part of the formation of individuality - when a person "returns" to the world and becomes an integral part of it, without trying to separate himself from the world. The method of observation is excellent for revealing such processes.

Wikipedia.

Personality Theory by William James

He divides personality analysis into 3 parts:

• The Elements of Personality (which are grouped into three levels)
• Feelings and emotions caused by constituent elements (self-esteem)
• Actions caused by constituent elements (self-preservation and self-care).

Read more about this theory on Wikipedia.

Individual psychology of Alfred Adler

Adler introduced the concept of "lifestyle", which is manifested in the attitudes and behavior of a particular individual and is formed under the influence of society. According to Adler, the personality structure is unified, and the main thing in its development is the desire for superiority. Adler distinguished 4 types of attitudes that accompany lifestyle:

• Control type
• receiving type
• avoidant type
• socially useful type

He also proposed a theory that aims to help people understand themselves and those around them. Adler's ideas were the forerunners of phenomenological and humanistic psychology.

Read more about this theory on Wikipedia.

Psychosynthesis by Roberto Assagioli

Assagioli identified 8 zones (substructures) in the main structure of the mental:

1. lower unconscious
2. Middle unconscious
3. higher unconscious
4. Field of consciousness
5. Personal "I"
6. Higher "I"
7. collective unconscious
8. Subpersonality (subpersonality)

The meaning of mental development, according to Assagioli, was to increase the unity of the psyche, i.e. in the synthesis of everything in a person: body, psyche, conscious and unconscious.

Read more about this theory on Wikipedia.

Physiological (biological) approach (type theory)

This approach focused on the structure and structure of the body. There are two main works in this direction:

Typology of Ernst Kretschmer

According to her, people with a certain body type have certain mental characteristics. Kretschmer distinguished 4 constitutional types: leptosomatic, picnic, athletic, dysplastic. Read more about this theory on Wikipedia.

Work by William Herbert Sheldon

Sheldon suggested that the shape of the body affects the personality and reflects its characteristics. He singled out 3 body classes: endomorph, ectomorph, mesomorph. Read more about this theory on Wikipedia.

Eduard Spranger's concept of personality

Spranger described 6 psychological types of a person, depending on the forms of knowledge of the world: Theoretical person, Economic person, Aesthetic person, Social person, Political person, Religious person. In accordance with the spiritual values ​​of a person, the individuality of his personality is determined. Read more about this theory on Wikipedia.

The dispositional direction of Gordon Allport

Allport put forward 2 general ideas: the theory of traits and the uniqueness of each person. According to Allport, each person is unique and its uniqueness can be understood by identifying specific personality traits. This scientist introduced the concept of "proprium" - that which is recognized as one's own in the inner world and is a distinctive feature. Proprium directs a person's life in a positive, creative, growth-seeking and developing direction in accordance with human nature. Identity here acts as an internal constancy. Allport also emphasized the indivisibility and integrity of the entire personality structure. Read more.

intrapsychological approach. Theory of Kurt Lewin

Levin suggested that the driving forces for the development of the personality are within itself. The subject of his research was the need and motives of human behavior. He tried to approach the study of personality as a whole and was a supporter of Gestalt psychology. Levin proposed his own approach to understanding personality: in it, the source of the driving forces of human behavior is in the interaction of a person and a situation and is determined by his attitude towards it. This theory is called dynamic or typological. Read more about this theory on Wikipedia.

Phenomenological and humanistic theories

The main causal means of personality here is faith in a positive beginning in every person, his subjective experiences and the desire to realize his potential. The main proponents of these theories were:

Abraham Harold Maslow: his key idea was the human need for self-actualization.

Existentialist direction of Viktor Frankl

Frankl was convinced that the key points in the development of the individual are freedom, responsibility and the meaning of life. Read more about this theory on Wikipedia.

Each of the theories existing today has its own uniqueness, significance and value. And each of the researchers identified and clarified the most important aspects of a person's personality and each of them is right in his field.

For the most complete acquaintance with the issues and theories of personality psychology, you can use the following books and textbooks.

• Abulkhanova-Slavskaya K.A. Development of personality in the process of life // Psychology of formation and development of personality. Moscow: Nauka, 1981.
• Abulkhanova K.A., Berezina T.N. Personal time and life time. St. Petersburg: Aletheya, 2001.
• Ananiev B.G. Man as an object of knowledge // Selected psychological works. In 2 volumes. M., 1980.
• Wittels F. Z. Freud. His personality, teaching and school. L., 1991.
• Gippenreiter Yu.B. Introduction to general psychology. M., 1996.
• Enikeev M.I. Fundamentals of general and legal psychology. - M., 1997.
• Crane W. Secrets of Personality Formation. St. Petersburg: Prime-Eurosign, 2002.
• Leontiev A.N. Activity. Consciousness. Personality. M., 1975.
• Leontiev A.N. Problems of the development of the psyche. M., 1980.
• Maslow A. Self-actualization // Personality Psychology. Texts. M.: MGU, 1982.
• Nemov R.S. General psychology. ed. Peter, 2007.
• Pervin L., John O. Psychology of personality. Theory and research. M., 2000.
• Petrovsky A.V., Yaroshevsky M.G. Psychology. - M., 2000.
• Rusalov V.M. Biological basis of individual psychological differences. M., 1979.
• Rusalov V.M. Natural prerequisites and individual psychophysiological features of the personality // Personality psychology in the works of domestic psychologists. SPb., Peter, 2000.
• Rubinshtein S.L. Fundamentals of General Psychology. 2nd ed. M., 1946.
• Rubinshtein S.L. Being and consciousness. M., 1957.
• Rubinshtein S.L. Man and the world. Moscow: Nauka, 1997.
• Rubinshtein S.L. Principles and ways of development of psychology. M., Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1959.
• Rubinshtein S.L. Fundamentals of General Psychology. M., 1946.
• Sokolova E.E. Thirteen Dialogues on Psychology. M.: Meaning, 1995.
• Stolyarenko L.D. Psychology. - Rostov-on-Don, 2004.
• Tome H. Kehele H. Modern psychoanalysis. In 2 volumes. Moscow: Progress, 1996.
• Tyson F., Tyson R. Psychoanalytic theories of development. Yekaterinburg: Business book, 1998.
• Freud Z. Introduction to psychoanalysis: Lectures. Moscow: Nauka, 1989.
• Khjell L., Ziegler D. Personality Theories. SPb., Peter, 1997.
• Hall K., Lindsay G. Personality Theories. M., 1997.
• Khjell L., Ziegler D. Personality Theories. St. Petersburg: Peter, 1997.
• Experimental psychology. / Ed. P. Fress, J. Piaget. Issue. 5. M.: Progress, 1975.
• Jung K. Soul and Myth. six archetypes. M.; Kyiv: CJSC Perfection "Port-Royal", 1997.
• Jung K. Psychology of the unconscious. M.: Kanon, 1994.
• Jung K. Tavistock Lectures. M., 1998.
• Yaroshevsky M.G. Psychology in the XX century. M., 1974.

Test your knowledge

If you want to test your knowledge on the topic of this lesson, you can take a short test consisting of several questions. Only 1 option can be correct for each question. After you select one of the options, the system automatically moves on to the next question. The points you receive are affected by the correctness of your answers and the time spent on passing. Please note that the questions are different each time, and the options are shuffled.

Personality is a basic concept not only in psychology, but also in sociology and philosophy. Yes, and in everyday life you can often hear "odious personality", "interesting personality". What does this term mean? This will be discussed in this article.

Concept definition

Since the phenomenon of personality is the subject of study not only of psychology, but also of other humanities, the term does not have an unambiguous definition. For a better understanding of what a person is, three main definitions will be given below.

Personality is a set of individual qualities of a person (thinking, will, and so on) that determine his behavior in society, talking about his values, life experience, aspirations.

In other words, the psychological difference of one individual from another characterizes his personality.

Personality can be defined as a subject of society with a set of roles (social and personal), certain habits and experience.

This term also means a person who is fully responsible for all aspects of his life.

Personality structure

For a better understanding of the term, it is worth considering its structure.

Communication features determine how contact and sociable a person is, how he communicates with others (openness, kindness, politeness, rudeness, isolation).

Motivational traits mean those qualities that induce action, directing it.
Instrumental features give a certain style to human behavior.

Emotions

Motivation

Motivation is a set of reasons that can explain the behavior of an individual. It depends on such factors:

• motives
• incentives
• needs,
• motives
• intentions.

The motive determines the purposefulness of behavior. It is based on either a psychological or physiological impulse.

The stimulus can be internal or external. Under its influence, the individual seeks to achieve a certain goal, solve the problem. Motive and incentive jointly control human behavior.

A need can be understood as a state in which something is missing for the normal functioning of both mental and physical.

In psychology, motivation is understood as an incompletely conscious, perhaps not fully defined desire for something of an individual.

Intention is a conscious thoughtful decision, which is based on the desire to perform some action.

Motivation is what makes a person move forward in their development. It is important to understand that for each person the “driving force” will be different. And what motivates one may not “inspire” another at all.

Personality is a complex and multifaceted concept. But basic knowledge about it will help you better understand yourself and those around you to build more harmonious relationships.

Personality Congenital features of thinking, sensations and behavior that determine the uniqueness of the individual, his way of life and the nature of adaptation and are the result of constitutional factors of development and social position.

Brief explanatory psychological and psychiatric dictionary. Ed. igisheva. 2008 .

Personality

2) determined by the inclusion in social ties, the systemic quality of the individual, which is formed in joint activities and communication. In "hormic psychology" (V. McDougall), in psychoanalysis (Z. Freud, A. Adler), L. was interpreted as an ensemble of irrational unconscious drives. actually removed the problem of L., which had no place in the mechanistic scheme "S - R" ("-"). Very productive in terms of specific methodological solutions, the concepts of K. Levin, A. Maslow, G. Allport, K. Rogers reveal a certain limitation, which manifests itself in physicalism, the transfer of the laws of mechanics to the analysis of the manifestations of L. (K. Levin), indeterminism in " humanistic psychology and existentialism. The successes of Western empirical psychology in the field of psychotherapy of L., communication training, etc. are noticeable. In Russian psychology, a person as L. is characterized by a system of relations conditioned by life in society, to which he is a subject. In the process of interaction with the world, an actively acting L. acts as a whole in which knowledge of the environment is carried out in unity with experience. L. is considered in the unity (but not identity) of the sensual essence of its carrier - the individual and the conditions of the social environment (B. G. Ananiev, A. N. Leontiev). The natural properties and characteristics of the individual appear in L. as its socially conditioned elements. So, for example, brain pathology is biologically determined, but the character traits generated by it become the characteristics of L. due to social determination. L. is a mediating link, through which external influence is connected with its effect in the psyche of the individual (S. L. Rubinshtein). The emergence of L. as a systemic quality is due to the fact that the individual, in joint activity with other individuals, changes the world and, through this change, transforms himself, becoming L. ( A. N. Leontiev). L. is characterized by activity, i.e., the desire of the subject to go beyond his own limits (see), expand the scope of his activities, act beyond the boundaries of the requirements of the situation and role prescriptions (, risk, etc.). L. is characterized orientation- a stable dominant system of motives - interests, beliefs, ideals, tastes, etc., in which they manifest themselves as a person; deep semantic structures (“dynamic semantic systems”, according to L. S. Vygotsky), which determine it and are relatively resistant to verbal influences and are transformed in the joint activity of groups ( principle of activity mediation), the degree of awareness of their relationship to reality: attitudes (according to V. N. Myasishchev), attitudes (according to D. N. Uznadze, A. S. Prangishvili, Sh. A. Nadirashvili), dispositions (according to V. Ya. Yadov) etc. Developed L. has a developed self-awareness, which does not exclude the unconscious mental regulation of some important aspects of the activity of L. Subjectively for the individual, L. acts as his self, constructed by the individual in the processes of activity and communication, ensuring the unity and identity of his personality and revealing himself in self-assessments, in a sense of self-respect, the level of claims, etc. The image of the “I” is how the individual sees himself in the present, in the future, what he would like to be if he could, etc. Correlating the image of "I" with the real circumstances of the individual's life allows L. to change his behavior and achieve the goals of self-education. The appeal to self-esteem and self-respect of L. is an important factor in the directed influence on L. in the process of education. L. as a subject of interpersonal relations reveals itself in three representations that form a unity (V. A. Petrovsky).

1) L. as a relatively stable set of its intra-individual qualities: symptomatic complexes of mental properties that form it, motives, directions of L. (L. I. Bozhovich); the structure of the character of L., features of temperament, (works by B. M. Teplov, V. D. Nebylitsyn, V. S. Merlin, etc.);

2) L. as the inclusion of an individual in the space of interindividual connections, where relationships and interactions that arise in a group can be interpreted as carriers of L. of their participants. Thus, for example, a false alternative is overcome in understanding interpersonal relationships either as group phenomena or as L. phenomena - the personal acts as a group, the group - as a personal one (A. V. Petrovsky);

3) L. as an “ideal representation” of an individual in the life of other people, including outside their actual interaction, as a result of semantic transformations actively carried out by a person in the intellectual and affective-need spheres of L. of other people (V. A. Petrovsky).

An individual in his development experiences a socially determined "need to be L.", i.e., to posit himself in the life of other people, continuing his existence in them, and discovers the "ability to be L.", realized in a socially significant activity. The presence and features of the "ability to be L." can be detected using the method of reflected subjectivity (see). The development of L. is carried out in the conditions of the socialization of the individual and his upbringing (see).

Brief psychological dictionary. - Rostov-on-Don: PHOENIX. L.A. Karpenko, A.V. Petrovsky, M. G. Yaroshevsky. 1998 .

Personality

The phenomenon of social development, a concrete living person with consciousness and self-consciousness. The structure of a personality is a holistic systemic formation, a set of socially significant mental properties, relationships and actions of an individual that have developed in the process of ontogenesis and determine his behavior as the behavior of a conscious subject of activity and communication. Personality is a self-regulating dynamic functional system of properties, relations and actions continuously interacting with each other, which are formed in the process of human ontogenesis. The core formation of the personality is self-esteem, which is based on the assessment of the individual by other people and his assessment of these others. In a broad, traditional sense, a person is an individual as a subject of social relations and conscious activity. The personality structure includes all the psychological characteristics of a person, and all the morphophysiological features of his body - up to the characteristics of metabolism. The popularity and persistence of this extended understanding in the literature seems to be due to its resemblance to the ordinary meaning of the word. In a narrow sense, it is the systemic quality of an individual determined by involvement in social relations, formed in joint activities and communication.

According to A.N. Leontiev, personality is a qualitatively new formation. It is formed through life in society. Therefore, only a person can be a person, and then only after reaching a certain age. In the course of activity, a person enters into relationships with other people - into social relationships, and these relationships become personality-forming. From the side of the person himself, his formation and life as a person act primarily as development, transformation, subordination and resubordination of his motives. This representation is quite complicated and needs some explanation. It does not coincide with the traditional interpretation - in a broad sense. The narrowed concept allows us to isolate a very important aspect of human existence, associated with the social nature of his life. Man as a social being acquires new qualities, which are absent if he is considered as an isolated, non-social being. And each person from a certain time begins to make a certain contribution to the life of society and individuals. That is why, next to the concepts of personality and personal, the concept of socially significant appears. Although this significant may be socially unacceptable: a crime is as much a personal act as a feat. For the psychological concretization of the concept of personality, it is necessary to answer at least questions about what the neoplasm called personality consists of, how personality is formed, how the growth and functioning of his personality appears from the standpoint of the subject himself. The criteria for a formed personality are as follows:

1 ) the presence in the motives of the hierarchy in a certain sense - as the ability to overcome one's own immediate impulses for the sake of something else - the ability to behave indirectly. At the same time, it is assumed that the motives, due to which immediate impulses are overcome, are social in origin and meaning (simply mediated behavior can be based on a spontaneously formed hierarchy of motives, and even “spontaneous morality”: the subject may not be aware of what exactly makes him act in a certain way” but act quite morally);

2 ) the ability to consciously manage one's own behavior; this leadership is conducted on the basis of conscious motives-goals and principles (in contrast to the first criterion, it is assumed here that conscious subordination of motives is conscious mediation of behavior, which implies the presence of self-consciousness as a special instance of the personality). In didactic terms, all the properties, relationships and actions of a person can be conditionally combined into four closely related functional substructures, each of which is a complex formation that plays a certain role in life:

1 ) regulation system;

2 ) stimulation system;

3 ) stabilization system;

4 ) display system.

In the course of human social development, the systems of regulation and stimulation constantly interact, and on their basis more and more complex mental properties, relationships and actions arise that direct the individual to solve life problems. The unity of the individual throughout the life path is ensured by the memory-continuity of goals, actions, relationships, claims, beliefs, ideals, etc. Western psychology considers the individual as "an entirely psychic being." In hormic psychology and in psychoanalysis, personality was interpreted as an ensemble of irrational unconscious drives. The concepts of K. Levin, A. Maslow, G. Allport, K. Rogers, which are very productive in terms of specific methodological solutions, also show certain limitations. But in the field of personality psychotherapy, communication training and other things, the successes of Western empirical psychology are very noticeable. In domestic psychology, the personality is considered in unity (but not identity) and the sensual essence of its bearer - the individual and the conditions of the social environment. The natural properties and characteristics of the individual appear in the personality as its socially determined elements. Personality is a mediating link through which external influence is connected with its effect in the psyche of the individual. The emergence of a personality “in hell of a systemic quality is due to the fact that an individual, in joint activity with other individuals, changes the world and through this change transforms himself, becoming a personality. The personality is characterized by:

1 ) activity - the desire of the subject to go beyond his own limits, expand the scope of activity, act beyond the boundaries of the requirements of the situation and role prescriptions;

2 ) orientation - a stable dominant system of motives - interests, beliefs, ideals, tastes and other things in which human needs manifest themselves;

3 ) deep semantic structures (semantic dynamic systems, according to L. S. Vygotsky), which determine her consciousness and; they are relatively resistant to verbal influences and are transformed into activities of joint groups and collectives (the principle of activity mediation);

4 ) the degree of awareness of their relationship to reality: attitudes, attitudes, dispositions, etc.

A developed personality has a developed self-consciousness, which does not exclude the unconscious mental regulation of some important aspects of its activity. Subjectively for the individual, the personality acts as his Self, as a system of self-image, constructed by the individual in the processes of activity and communication, which ensures the unity and identity of his personality and reveals himself in self-assessments, in a sense of self-esteem, the level of claims, etc. The image of the Self is something how the individual sees himself in the present, in the future, what he would like to be if he could, etc. Correlating the image of the I with the real circumstances of the individual's life allows the individual to change behavior and realize the goals of self-education. The appeal to self-esteem and self-respect of the individual is an important factor in the directed impact on the individual in the course of education. Personality as a subject of interpersonal relations reveals itself in three representations that form a unity:

1 ) personality as a relatively stable set of its intra-individual qualities: symptomatic complexes of mental properties that form its individuality, motives, personality orientations; the structure of the character of the personality, features of temperament, abilities;

2 ) personality as the inclusion of an individual in the space of inter-individual relations, where relationships and interactions that arise in a group can be interpreted as carriers of the personalities of their participants; in this way, for example, a false alternative is overcome in understanding interpersonal relationships either as group phenomena or as personality phenomena: the personal acts as a group, the group as a personal one;

3 ) personality as an “ideal representation” of an individual in the life of other people, including outside of their actual interaction; as a result of the semantic transformations of the spheres of intellectual and affective needs of other personalities actively implemented by a person. An individual in his development experiences a socially determined need to be a person - to posit himself in the life of other people, continuing his existence in them, and discovers the ability to be a person, realized in a socially significant activity. The presence and features of the ability to be a person can be detected using the method of reflected subjectivity. The development of personality occurs in the conditions of socialization of the individual and his upbringing.

Dictionary of practical psychologist. - M.: AST, Harvest. S. Yu. Golovin. 1998 .

Personality Etymology.

Comes from Russian. face (persona corresponds to the term persona - originally a mask, or, performed by an actor in the ancient Greek theater).

Category.

A relatively stable system of individual behavior, built primarily on the basis of inclusion in the social context.

Specificity.

Already in 1734, H. Wolf gave a definition of personality (Personlichkeit) as follows: "That which retains memories of itself and perceives itself as the same both before and now." This tradition of understanding personality was continued by W. James, who interpreted personality as the sum of everything that a person can call his own. In these definitions, the concept of personality becomes identical with the concept of self-consciousness, so the definition of personality through social relationships is more justified. With this approach, the personality appears as a system of social behavior of the individual.

The core formation of the personality is self-esteem, which is based on the assessment of the individual by other people and his assessment of these others. In this case, special importance is attached to the identification of the individual. Research.

The model of personality developed in depth psychology, primarily in psychoanalysis (A. Adler, G. Sullivan, E. Fromm, K. Horney), is focused on explaining intrapsychological processes when referring primarily to the concepts of the structure and dynamics of "internal conflict".

On the contrary, the personality model developed in behaviorism is based on externally observable behavior, on actions and interactions with other people in an actual situation ( , ). In modern behaviorism, personality is understood as a system of generated forms of behavior that are formed on the basis of situation-specific behavior (Rotter's social learning theory). Within the framework of humanistic psychology, a person is considered primarily as making responsible decisions (, the theory of a self-actualizing personality). In Marxist psychology, personality is defined as a product of the historical development of an individual, primarily within the framework of joint labor activity (A. Wallon, I. Meyerson, J. Politzer, S. L. Rubinshtein, A. N. Leontiev). In particular, Leontiev considers personality as created by social relations, which the subject enters into within the framework of his activity. At the same time, individual activities of the subject, represented primarily by their motives, enter into a hierarchy of relations with each other, forming the so-called hierarchy of motives. In the concept of A.V. Petrovsky, the type of personality development is determined through the type of group in which it is included and in which it is integrated; proper personal activity is the desire to go beyond the usual and act beyond the boundaries of the requirements of the situation or roles. Structure.

Rubinstein (1946) singled out the following components of personality: 1. Orientation (attitudes, interests, ). 2. Ability. 3. Temperament.

In the classification of personality traits by V.S. Merlin (1967), based on the definition of dominance or natural or social origin, the following levels are presented: 1. Individual properties (and individual characteristics of mental processes). 2. Properties of individuality (motives, relationships,). In modern studies of the structure of personality - along with testing experimental hypotheses, in which the role of specific factors influencing personality variables is determined - a large role is given to factor-analytical strategies ( , the big five model). Diagnostics. Literature.

Bozhovich L.I. Personality and its formation in childhood. M., 1968;

Sev L. Marxism and personality theory. M., 1972; Zeigarnik B.V. The theory of personality in foreign psychology. M., 1972 Leontiev A.N. Activity. Consciousness. Personality. L.M., 1977; Psychology of Personality. Texts. M., 1982; Petrovsky A.V. Personality. Activity. Collective. M., 1982; Stolin V.V. Self-consciousness of the individual. M., 1983; Asmolov A.G. Personality as a subject of psychological research. M., 1984; Huell L., Ziegler D. Personality Theories. SPb., 1997

Psychological Dictionary. THEM. Kondakov. 2000 .

PERSONALITY

(English) personality; from lat. persona- actor mask; role, position; face, personality). In the social sciences, L. is considered as a special quality of a person acquired by him in the sociocultural environment in the process of joint activities And communication. In humanistic philosophical and psychological concepts, L. is a person as a value for the sake of which the development of society is carried out (see. AND.Kant). With all the variety of approaches to understanding L., the following are traditionally distinguished. aspects of this problem: 1) the versatility of the phenomenology of natural sciences, reflecting the objectively existing diversity of manifestations of man in the evolution of nature, the history of society, and his own life; 2) the interdisciplinary status of the problem of L., which is in the field of study of the social and natural sciences; 3) the dependence of the understanding of L. on the image of a person who explicitly or covertly exists in culture and science at a certain stage of their development; 4) discrepancy between the manifestations of the individual, L. and individuality, studied within the framework of relatively independent of each other biogenetic,sociogenetic And personogenetic directions of modern human knowledge; 5) breeding a research setting that orients a specialist to understanding the development of L. in nature and society, and a practical setting aimed at the formation or correction of L. in accordance with the goals set by society or set by a specific person who turned to a specialist.

Representatives of different trends sociogenetic orientation study processes socialization person, mastering social norms And roles, the acquisition of social attitudes (see ) And value orientations, the formation of the social and national character of a person as a typical member of a particular community. Problems of socialization, or, in a broad sense, social adaptation the person, are developed g. about. in sociology and social psychology, ethnopsychology, History of Psychology. (See also Basic structure of personality, , .)

In the spotlight personogenetic orientation there are problems of activity, self-awareness And creativity L., the formation of the human self, the struggle motives, education of individual character And abilities, self-realization and personal choice, incessant search meaning life. L. is engaged in the study of all these manifestations L.; various aspects of these problems are covered in psychoanalysis,individual psychology,analytical And humanistic psychology.

In the isolation of the biogenetic, sociogenetic and personogenetic directions, a metaphysical scheme for determining the development of L. is manifested under the influence of 2 factors: the environment and heredity(cm. ). Within the framework of the cultural-historical system-activity approach, a fundamentally different scheme for determining the development of personality is developed. In this scheme, the properties of a person as an individual are considered as “impersonal” prerequisites for the development of personality, which in the course of a life path can receive personal development.

The sociocultural environment is a source that feeds the development of L., and not a “factor” that directly determines . Being a condition for the implementation of human activity, it carries those social norms, values, roles, ceremonies, tools, systems signs faced by the individual. The real foundations and driving force behind the development of L. are joint activities and communication, through which the movement of L. in the world of people is carried out, introducing it to culture. The relationship between the individual as a product anthropogenesis, a person who has mastered the socio-historical experience, and an individual who transforms the world, m. b. conveyed by the formula: “An individual is born. They become a person. Individuality is upheld."

Within the framework of the system-activity approach, L. is considered as a relatively stable set of mental properties, as a result of the inclusion of an individual in the space of interindividual connections. The individual in his development experiences a socially conditioned need to be L. and discovers the ability to become L., realized in socially significant activities. This determines the development of man as L.

The abilities and functions that form in the course of development reproduce in L. historically formed human qualities. The mastery of reality in the child is carried out in his activity with the help of adults. The activity of the child is always mediated by adults, directed by them (in accordance with their ideas about proper upbringing and pedagogical skills). Based on what the child already possesses, adults organize his activities to master new aspects of reality and new forms of behavior. ).

L.'s development is carried out in activity (see. ) controlled by a system of motives. The activity-mediated type of relationship that a person develops with the most reference group (or person) is a determining factor in development (see. ).

In general, the development of L. m. presented as a process and result of a person entering a new socio-cultural environment. If an individual enters a relatively stable social community, he, under favorable circumstances, goes through 3 phases of his formation in it as a L. The 1st phase - - involves the assimilation of existing values ​​and norms and mastery of the appropriate means and forms of activity and thereby, to some extent, assimilation individual to other members of this community. Phase 2 - - is generated by the growing contradictions between the need to "be like everyone else" and L.'s desire for maximum personalization. 3rd phase - - is determined by the contradiction between the desire of the individual to be ideally represented by his own characteristics and differences in the generality and the need for the generality to accept, approve and cultivate only those of its features that contribute to its development and thereby the development of himself as a L. If the contradiction not eliminated, disintegration sets in and, as a result, either the isolation of L., or its displacement from the community, or degradation with a return to earlier stages of its development.

When an individual fails to overcome the difficulties of the adaptation period, he develops qualities conformity, dependence, timidity, uncertainty. If at the 2nd phase of development an individual, presenting a reference for him group personal properties that characterize his individuality do not meet mutual understanding, then this can contribute to the formation negativism aggressiveness, suspicion, mendacity. With the successful passage of the integration phase in a highly developed group, an individual develops humanity, , justice, exactingness to oneself, etc., etc. Due to the fact that the situation of adaptation, individualization, integration with the successive or parallel entry of an individual into various groups is repeatedly reproduced, the corresponding personality neoplasms are fixed, a stable structure of the personality is formed.

A particularly significant period in the age development of L. - () and early when the developing L. begins to single out himself as an object of self-knowledge and self-education. Initially assessing others, L. uses the experience of such assessments, developing self-esteem which becomes the basis of self-education. But the need for self-knowledge (primarily in the awareness of one's moral and psychological qualities) cannot be. identified with the withdrawal into the world of inner experiences. Height self-awareness associated with the formation of such qualities of L. as and moral , contributes to the formation of persistent beliefs and ideals. The need for self-awareness and self-education is generated, first of all, by the fact that a person must be aware of his capabilities and needs in the face of future changes in his life, in his social status. If there is a significant discrepancy between the level of L.'s needs and her capabilities, acute affective experiences arise (see. affects).

In the development of self-awareness in adolescence, a significant role is played by the judgments of other people, and above all, the assessment of parents, teachers and peers. This makes serious demands on the pedagogical tact of parents and teachers, requires individual approach to each developing L.

Conducted in the Russian Federation since the mid-1980s. work to update the education system involves the development of the L. of the child, adolescent, youth, the democratization and humanization of the educational process in all types of educational institutions. Thus, there is a change in the purpose of education and learning, which is not the aggregate knowledge,skills And skills, and the free development of human L.. Knowledge, skills and abilities retain their exceptional importance, but not as a goal, but as a means to achieve the goal. Under these conditions, the task of forming the basic culture of literature comes to the fore, which would make it possible to eliminate the contradictions between technical and humanitarian culture in the structure of literature, overcome the alienation of man from politics and ensure his active inclusion in the new socio-economic conditions of society. The implementation of these tasks presupposes the formation of a culture of self-determination of L., an understanding of the inherent value of human life, its individuality and originality. (A. G. Asmolov, A. V. Petrovsky.)

Added ed.: An almost generally accepted translation of the word L. as personality(and vice versa) is not quite adequate. personality- it is rather . In Peter's time, a doll was called a person. L. is selfhood,selfness or self, which is close to Russian. the word "self". A more accurate equivalent of the word "L." in english lang. does not exist. The inaccuracy of the translation is far from harmless, because readers get the impression or belief that L. is subject to testing, manipulation, formation, etc. L. formed from the outside becomes the cash of the one who formed it. L. is not a product of the collective, adaptation to it or integration into it, but the basis of the collective, any human community that is not a crowd, herd, flock or pack. The commonality is strong in the variety of L. that constitutes it. Synonymous with L. is her freedom, along with a sense of guilt and responsibility. In this sense, L. is above the state, the nation, she is not inclined to conformity, though not alien to compromise.

In ros. the philosophical tradition of L. is a miracle and a myth (A. F. Losev); "L. same, understood in the sense pure L., for each I is only an ideal - the limit of aspirations and self-construction ... It is impossible to give the concept of L. ... it is incomprehensible, goes beyond the limits of any concept, transcendent to any concept. One can only create a symbol of the fundamental characteristic L... As for the content, it cannot be. rational, but - only directly experienced in the experience of self-creation, in the active self-construction of L., in the identity of spiritual self-knowledge" ( Florensky P.A.).M.M.Bakhtin continues Florensky's thought: when we are dealing with the cognition of L., we must generally go beyond the limits of subject-object relations, by which the subject and object are considered in epistemology. This should be taken into account by psychologists who use strange phrases: "subjectivity of L.", "psychological subject". About the last frankly sarcastic G.G.Shpet: “A psychological subject without a residence permit and without a physiological organism is simply a native of a world unknown to us ... if we take him for a real one, he will certainly draw in an even greater marvel - a psychological predicate! Today, philosophically and psychologically suspicious subjects and their shadows are increasingly wandering through the pages of psychological literature. An unscrupulous subject, a soulless subject - this, most likely, is not quite normal, but familiar. And a sincere, conscientious, spiritualized subject is funny and sad. Subjects can represent, including all sorts of abominations, and L. - personify. It is no coincidence that Losev connected the origin of the word L. with a face, and not with a mask, a person, a mask. L., as a miracle, as a myth, as uniqueness does not need extensive disclosure. Bakhtin reasonably noted that L. can reveal himself in a gesture, in a word, in an act (and maybe even drown). A.A.Ukhtomsky was undoubtedly right in saying that L. is individuality, her condition. It should be added - a state of mind and spirit, and not an honorary life title. After all, she can lose face, distort her face, drop her human dignity, which is taken by force. Ukhtomsky echoed H.A.Bernstein, saying that L. is the supreme synthesis of behavior. Supreme! In L. integration, merging, harmony of external and internal is achieved. And where there is harmony, science, including psychology, falls silent.

So, L. is a mysterious excess of individuality, its freedom, which cannot be calculated, predicted. L. is visible immediately and entirely, and thus differs from the individual, whose properties are subject to disclosure, testing, study and evaluation. L. is an object of surprise, admiration, envy, hate; the subject of an unbiased, disinterested, understanding insight and artistic portrayal. But not the subject of practical interest, formation, manipulation. What has been said does not mean that it is contraindicated for psychologists to think about L. But to think, and not to define or reduce it to a hierarchy motives, its aggregate needs,creativity, crosshair activities,affects,meanings, subject, individual, etc., etc.

Let us give examples of useful reflections on L. A. S. Arseniev: L. is a reliable person, whose words and deeds do not diverge from each other, who freely decides what to do and is responsible for the results of his actions. L. is, of course, an infinite being, breathing bodily and spiritually. L. is characterized by awareness conflict between morality and morality and the primacy of the latter. The author insists on a value rather than a monetary and market dimension. L. T. M. Buyakas identifies other features: L. is a person who has embarked on the path of self-determination, overcoming the need to seek support in external support. L. has the ability to fully rely on himself, make an independent choice, take his position, be open and ready for any new turns in his life path. L. ceases to depend on external assessments, trusts herself, finds internal support in herself. She is free. No description of L. can be. exhaustive. (V.P. Zinchenko.)

Big psychological dictionary. - M.: Prime-EVROZNAK. Ed. B.G. Meshcheryakova, acad. V.P. Zinchenko. 2003 .

Personality

   PERSONALITY (With. 363)

The concept of "personality" is one of the most vague and controversial in psychology. One can say how many theories of personality exist (and dozens of them have been created by the largest psychologists), how many definitions there are. At the same time, there are some basic ideas about personality that are shared by most specialists.

Almost all psychologists agree that a person is not born, but becomes, and for this a person must make considerable efforts - first to master speech, and then with its help many motor, intellectual and cultural skills. The personality is considered as the result of the socialization of the individual, who assimilates (“appropriates”) the traditions and value orientations developed by human society over the millennia of its formation. The more a person was able to perceive and assimilate in the process of socialization, the more developed personality he is.

Can a person not be a person? For example, is an infant, a mentally handicapped person, or a hardened criminal a person? These questions are constantly discussed not only by psychologists, but also by philosophers, physicians, and lawyers. It is difficult to answer them unambiguously, since each case requires specific consideration. Nevertheless, most scientists are inclined to recognize the right of all people to be called a person, although in some cases - with certain reservations. It is more correct to call a child, a teenager, a young man an emerging personality, since at these age stages there are only the makings of a mature personality, which still have to develop and take shape in an integral system of properties. As for mentally disabled people, the degree of preservation of their personality can be very different - from small deviations from the norm in the so-called borderline states to significant personality damage in severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia. In cases of mental pathology, the attitude, motivation of behavior, and peculiarities of human thinking are qualitatively different from similar characteristics of healthy people, therefore it is more correct in such cases to use the concept of "pathological" or "abnormal" personality. Criminals recognized as mentally healthy are antisocial individuals, since the knowledge, skills and abilities they have accumulated are turned against the society that formed them. Personality can be lost by a person due to a serious illness or extreme old age, which manifests itself in the loss of self-awareness, the ability to navigate not only in time and space, but also in human relationships, etc.

Many psychologists agree that the main way of existence of a person is continuous development, aimed at realizing their capabilities in activities and communication. As soon as a person stops efforts to develop his mental functions, social and professional skills and abilities, the regression of the personality immediately begins.

Popular psychological encyclopedia. - M.: Eksmo. S.S. Stepanov. 2005 .

Personality

Personality is a phenomenon of social development, a living person with consciousness and self-awareness. The term denotes stable characteristics or traits of a person that determine his thinking and behavior in different situations. It also implies that different people behave differently in similar situations, and the difference in behavior is a product of the dissimilarity of their personalities. The personality separates from other, more transient states (such as mood) because of its stability over time. Given these premises, one can conclude that a person should behave in a consistent manner in different situations. For example, an extrovert will show signs of extraverted behavior wherever he is. Opponents of this point of view argue that behavior does not remain constant over time, but depends on the characteristics of a given situation.

The history of words - (Latin persona). The concept of "personality" is one of those concepts that throughout the history of human thought have caused the greatest inconsistency in definitions. And the scope and content of this concept in the interpretation of each philosopher, ... ... Big Medical Encyclopedia