Meaning and Nature of Personality

Generally personality means the external aspects, color and physical built. Often, we hear in the daily life that the personality of that man is very good, effective or bad. The meaning of good personality is that the physical appearance of that person is beautiful, he is healthy and soft spoken, he is good natured and his conduct is good and he easily attracts others. Undoubtedly these virtues are the characteristics of good personality, but this is only one aspect of personality. From the psychological point of view, the meaning of personality is something else. Personality is the mirror of whole behavior. Personality is expressed by thinking, behavioral activities and one’s movements. The conduct and behavior of a man is the mixture of physical, mental, emotional and social virtues, in which oneness and consolidation is found. Thus personality is the entire virtue of the behavior of a man. All behavior of a man is for the adjusting with the society. In the social circle of each man, due to his special personality, some differences are found in his behaving pattern. Whatever type of behavior he does for adjusting himself with the social surroundings that makes his personality. The behavior of a man is affected by his internal feelings and external environment. According to some people, there is no special difference between conduct and personality. According to Woodworth—“the indication of character is towards that character, which can be called good or bad, which is success or failure in adopting the accepted ideals by the society.

The indication of the personality is towards that behavior, which is neither good nor bad, but other persons feels it interesting or uninteresting and which makes the conditions favorable or unfavorable among his companions. The difference between character and personality is not explained by this statement. So according to scientists this difference can be neglected. What is conduct? What are the characteristics of conduct? These things have been mentioned in the previous chapter. Higher characteristic have important place in the personality development, so in the daily life it will not be practical to consider conduct different from personality. It is necessary to study the opinions of different psychologists for understanding the nature of personality clearly. In the present chapter the meaning and definition of personality, the characteristics of personality, factors influencing the personality along with organized personality, the light will be thrown on the personality tests as well.

Meaning and Nature of Personality

Many opinions are famous related to word ‘personality’. In the common language the meaning of personality is understood by external aspects, but psychologists have given its meaning under a new light:

1. Verbal meaning—‘Vyaktitva’ is the Hindi translation of the word ‘personality’. This word has been taken from the Latin word ‘Persona’ which means outfits, wearing which, the character of the drama, during the time of play, used to change into indifferent roles. In the beginning, the meaning of this word was used as a cover, thus word personality indicates towards the external virtues.
2. Meaning from general point of view—The meaning of common people’s personality is, the external aspects and those virtues by which he attracts others toward himself and after influencing others, wins over them.
3. Meaning from the practical point of view—“A man’s personality is the total picture of his organized behavior.’’ 
4. Meaning from the philosophical point of view—personality is the other name of spiritual knowledge; it is the ideal of completeness.
5. Meaning from the social point of view—On the basis of sociology, the definition of personality has been given in this way: “Personality is the organization of those all factors by which a man gains some place in the society; so we can call personality a social flow.”
6. Meaning from the psychological point of view—from this point of view, in the explanation of personality, importance has been given to the environment and heredity. It seem after explaining personality in the psychological way, whatever internal and external qualities, abilities and characteristics are in a man, personality is the integrated form of all of them. Whichever virtues, capabilities and strengths are conceived by a man from birth, they continue to develop by and by. A man, in his developing period, on the basis of his innate strength, does activity and reaction for the adjustment with the society, consequently he gains some special abilities, habits, interests, and attitudes. In the effort of establishing adjustment with the environment, his innate gained virtues are purified and increased, so personality is also called ‘Dynamic Organization’.The aim of education is the all round development of personality. Psychological and educational intimate relationship. Therefore, it is necessary to know the definitions of personality provided by psychologists:

• Biesanj & Biesanj—“Personality is the organization of person’s habits, attitudes and traits and arises from the inter-play of Biological, social and cultural factors.’’
• Munn—“Personality maybe defined as the most of the behavior, interests, attitudes, capacities, abilities and aptitudes.’’
• Allport—“Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustment to his environment.”
• Drever—“The word personality is used for the dynamic organization of well organized form of those physical, mental, moral and social virtues of individual, by which he deals with others in his social life.’’

Types of Personality

It is important to know the types of personalities for knowing the diversities related to personality. Different Psychologists have classified the personality on the basis of different attitudes. Generally from the following points of view the kinds of personality have been divided:

1. Constitution Viewpoint
2. Sociological Viewpoint
3. Psychological Viewpoint

(1) Constitution Viewpoint—German psychologist Kreshmer has made the following types on the basis of constitution.

(a) Asthenic—This type of man is thin and lean. His head is long, arms are slim, chest is small and limbs are long and slim. This type of man does not like to hear his criticism, but likes to criticize others.

(b) Athletic—This type’s individual is strong and healthy. His chest is wide, swelling and strong arms and strong muscles. They can adjust with other according to wish.

(c) Pyknic—This type man is short height, circular, and fatty. He is fond of comfort and is practical.

(d) Dysplastic—The mixture of above three types is found in it. The body of this type’s man is simple.

The famous psychologist of America ‘Sheldon’ has divided the personality on the basis of physical shape:

(a) Endomorphic—This type of man is more fat, spherical, soft and has concrete body. His digestive parts are more developed. He is fond of food. He is fond of comfort, fast in sleeping, fond of love, fond of entertainment, gentle, wise, tolerant and soon gets worried.

(b) Mesomorphic—These type of men have healthy and well organized body. They have more strength and energy. They are adventurous, active and hard working.

(c) Ectomorphic—Such men have lean, soft and weak body. They are hesitant, less talkative, isolated, patient and full of emotions.

Psychologist Warner have told many types of men from the physical health and development point of view—(a) Health (b) Incomplete (c) Undeveloped (d) Handicapped (e) nerve patient (f) backward and dull minded (g) lazy (h) epilepsy (i) powerful.

Psychologist Canon has said the types of personality on the basis of inner excretion gland. The development of man is affected much by glands, by which personality differences are found:

(a) Thyroid Gland—The excretion through this gland is called Thyroxin. Physical and mental development is effected by it. If this gland is not developed properly among the men, they are dull minded, tiny and lean. They are lazy, worried, depressed and disappointed. When this gland works properly, man is always cheerful and his health is proper.

(b) Pitutory Gland—Because of the more excretion of this gland, body becomes long, if there is less excretion, the body becomes tiny or body is not developed properly. If this gland works properly, man is cheerful, peaceful, patient and physically and mentally tolerant.

(c) Adrenal Gland—When this gland developed more, the nature of man is quarrelsome and industrious. They are developed before time.

Thus the more and less excretion of gland makes the personality of man uncommon. Human nature depends upon the activities of these glands. So we can say that these glands also decide the personality.

According to Indian Ayurvedic there are three kinds of men:

1. Phlegmatic—These people are fatty, peaceful and hardworking.
2. Painstaking—These are lean, working and fickle minded people.
3. Rheumatics—These people are neither fatty nor lean, they have medium body but they are irritated.

It is the belief of Athenians that there are four kinds of men on the basis of four gland found in the body of the men:

1. Phlegmatic—These people are peaceful and lean.
2. Melancholic—These people are pessimistic.
3. Choleric—these people are soon aggressive.
4. Sanguine—These people are optimistic, highly ambitious, happy and of hard working nature.

(2) From the Sociological point of view—Psychologist Sprangar has given the following kinds of personality on the basis of social feelings and work:

• Theoretical—This kinds of man forces more on the theory of man. Philosophical, scientific, social reformers come in this category.
• Economic—This kinds of man evaluates everything from the economical point of view. Traders are come in this category.
• Religious—These people have faith in god and spirituality, as, saint, sage, yogi, kind-hearted and religious men.
• Political—These people have faith in the politics and power, this type of men have a desire of dominating others. They take interest in political works, as, leaders
• Social—These types people have more social virtues. They are interested in social-welfare.
• Aesthetic—These types of people are devotees of art and beauty and watch every thing from the aesthetic point of view, as-artists, painters, etc.

(3) Psychological point view—Psychologists have told the two basis of personality on the basis of human nature:

Psychological Age: on the basis of human nature are described by two major personality:

(i) Introvert Personality—Those people have this types of personality, whose nature, habits and virtues are not expressed externally. These people are self centered and lost in themselves, they have no worry of outer world. Their other qualities are following:

1. These people are less talkative.
2. They are soon confused.
3. They feel complication in expressing their thought because of hesitative nature.
4. They are worried, keep themselves limited in their thought.
5. They are full of anxiety, doubt and carefulness.
6. They have true sense of duty.
7.  They do every work carefully.
8.  They are good author, but not good orator.
9. They are studious and thoughtful, often such men are the book licker and they become scientist, philosopher and researcher after some time.
10. They do not like useless laughing, criticism and useless talking.

(ii) Extrovert Personality—This type of people take interest in the outer world, their qualities are followings:

1. These people take interest in social life, always aware for adjustment in the society. They are optimistic and according to situation they manage themselves.
2. They are expert in the practical life, they have opportunistic nature, and soon they become popular. This type of man becomes mostly social, political or trader, leader, actor and player etc.
3. They influence others to do their work.
4. They are free from worries; their purpose is to pass a joyful life. They remain cheerful in the present and do not worry about future.
5. They have more sense of self exposure. They always try to influence others by their movement, outfits and abilities.

Ambivert Personality—This type man can bring introvert virtues in his thinking and he can give place to extrovert virtues as a work. For example- a man can be a good writer and speaker, a man exposes social behavior, but he does not want to do any work alone. The man of Ambivert personality sees the benefit of self and society.

Summary

• Generally personality means the external aspects, color and physical built. Often, we hear in the daily life that the personality of that man is very good, effective or bad. The meaning of good personality is that the physical appearance of that person is beautiful, he is healthy and soft spoken, he is good natured and his conduct is good and he easily attracts others. Undoubtedly these virtues are the characteristics of good personality, but this is only one aspect of personality. From the psychological point of view, the meaning of personality is something else. Personality is the mirror of whole behavior.  Personality is expressed by thinking, behavioral activities and one’s movements. The conduct and behavior of a man is the mixture of physical, mental, emotional and social virtues, in which oneness and consolidation is found. Thus personality is the entire virtue of the behavior of a man.

• From the philosophical point of view- personality is the other name of spiritual knowledge; it is the ideal of completeness.

• From the psychological point of view—from this point of view, in the explanation of personality, importance has been given to the environment and heredity. It seem after explaining personality in the psychological way, whatever internal and external qualities, abilities and characteristics are in a man, personality is the integrated form of all of them. Whichever virtues, capabilities and strengths are conceived by a man from birth, they continue to develop by and by. A man, in his developing period, on the basis of his innate strength, does activity and reaction for the adjustment with the society, consequently he gains some special abilities, habits, interests, and attitudes. In the effort of establishing adjustment with the environment, his innate gained virtues are purified and increased, so personality is also called ‘Dynamic Organization’.

• It is important to know the types of personalities for knowing the diversities related to personality. Different Psychologists have classified the personality on the basis of different attitudes. Generally from the following points of view the kinds of personality have been divided. 1. Constitution Viewpoint, 2. Sociological Viewpoint, 3. Psychological Viewpoint.