What is a personality? Why are personalities so important to people? What makes up a personality and how does it change someone’s outlook on life and their choices? The definition of personality is a characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling and acting. It’s a complex concept which integrates ideas from other areas of Psychology. For example, a “strong” personality is commonly used to imply an extremely consistent and unique behavior pattern. Meaning if someone grows up with a strong personality, they will most likely continue on in life with that same outlook. Traits determine personalities.
What people do and how they act directly affect their personality. It began with the ancient Greeks trying to determine people’s characteristic behaviors and conscious motives. Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine”, used a biological model of illness based on the imbalance of bodily fluids and the characteristic behavioral traits associated with each kind of imbalance. However, Hans Eysenck pioneered a biologically-based explanatory theory and developed a psychological test to measure his theory. His two basic dimensions are Extraversion-Introversion and Emotional Stability-Instability.
Similar to Hippocrates’ original model, Eysenck’s work led up to two modern developments of his theory. His first theory was how there are biological links between our nervous system’s functioning and the ways we characteristically behave. Then the social-cognitive comes into effect. Named by Albert Bandura, the behaviorist added internal mental processes to the external and environmental focus of behaviorism. The idea that “behavior emerges from the interplay of external and internal influences” really puts into perspective that everything people do is directly linked to their personality traits.
Different people choose different environments, which then shape that person. Our choices of activities, values, friends, all have reciprocal influences upon us. After re-reading that statement countless times, I begin to think about all the times I’ve had the opportunity to do something different and if I’ve acted upon them. Starting from a young age I was always exposed to new and different things. It could have been a different type of food or pictures from a foreign country. I always wanted to learn about new places and new things.
My uncle is someone I look up to greatly. He is a man that could look back on his life and be proud of all he’s accomplished. He has traveled the world, something I wish to do one day. He has seen the pyramids of Egypt, Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Russia, and seen the Eiffel Tower in France just to name a few. He has spent months in Italy, taking college classes even though he has a master’s degree in Psychology already. He wanted to learn from different college professors that grew up in a country different than his own. Taking classes in a different country gave him new experiences and fresh ideas on life.
Growing up hearing all these amazing stories from my uncle made me realize how important life is and how you use it. I want to use life to its full potential. I want to get out there in the world and experience new and different things. Coming from a small New Jersey suburb, I know what it’s like to feel confined. My uncle fortunately was able to break free from the mold and I plan to do the same. Moving to New York City to study acting at a liberal arts college was a big step towards fulfilling my life dream of getting out of suburbia.
After a few months of living in the big city, I have noticed that my surroundings have matched up with my personality. New York City is fast paced, people are always moving, and they always have somewhere to go. Life is constantly changing here and change is something I like. I went from a graduating class of two hundred in a small town where everyone knew each other to the biggest, most populated city in the entire world. New York is loud, it’s confident and strong. I like to think of myself as similar to the city I now occupy.
People choose to do different things because they want to experience things that are diverse. Some are content living a dull life while others have a undying thirst for something more. Self-esteem is a critical part of anyone’s personality. How people feel about themselves is a very important trait. Having self-esteem means to have self-worth. “People who feel good about themselves have fewer sleepless night; succumb less easily to pressures to conform; are more persistent at difficult tasks; are less shy, anxious, and lonely; and are just plain happier” (Greenberg, 2008; Leary, 1999; Murrary et al., 2002; Watson et al. , 2002).
Having high self-esteem equals a better, more confident life. Self-esteem seems to reflect reality. Feeling good is a result of doing well. Maybe challenges were met and difficulties were surmounted. “And if problems and failures cause low self-esteem, won’t the best boost therefore come not so much from our repeatedly telling children how wonderful they are as from their own effective coping and hard-won achievements? ” There is little doubt that high self-esteem causes any mental damage to those it affects but experiments do reveal an effect of low self-esteem.
“Temporarily deflate people’s self-image and they will be more likely to disparage other or to express heightened racial prejudice” (Ybarra, 1999). “Those who are negative about themselves also tend to be thin-skinned and judgmental” (Baumgardner et al. , 1989; Pelham, 1993). “In experiments, people made to feel insecure often become excessively critical, as if to impress others with their own brilliance” (Amabile, 1983). A healthy self-image makes oneself happier with life. Having self-esteem comes with accept yourself and others.
“Said more simply, some “love their neighbors as themselves”; others loathe their neighbors as themselves. People who are down on themselves tend to be down on other things and people. ” When it comes to self-esteem I personally fluctuate a bit. There are times where I feel like I’m on top of the world and can do anything and be anyone I want. I have the ability to be a confident, independent eighteen-year-old student living in New York City. However there are the times that I feel like I want to crawl back into bed and sleep the day away. This happens during performances in theatre.
I can remember throughout my high school career my self-esteem flipping from high to low on a daily basis. During my freshman and sophomore years, I was given small, insignificant roles. I was always kicked to the side when it came to performances. My self-esteem during the months of rehearsal was not very high because I always would wonder why I was never given the opportunity to show off my talent. Fortunately for myself and my self-worth, my junior year changed that. I was given a lead role in the spring musical. I blew everyone away with my performance and after each show I felt amazing.
The thrill of hearing the applause after taking my last bow made me feel incredible. My self-esteem was through the roof and I never wanted to bring it down. Whether it is self-esteem or social-cognitive, traits make up whom people are. They are the DNA of one’s personality. Traits have the ability to change your mood, your thoughts on life and even your attitude. Some might say changing your personality is impossible, but with enough confidence and energy, you could personally control your life and not have your personality traits do that for you.