Unit 4: personality

Personality: 1. state of being a person; existence as an individual;

2. qualities that make up a person’s character;

3. person who is well known in a particular context;

4. impolite remarks about a person’s looks, habits, etc: Let’s avoid personalities.

Ex. 1. Read the text. The words below the text will help you to understand it.

Personality

The enduring characteristics of an individual's behavior, attitude, and feelings in everyday social situations make up personality. There are many influences on an individual's personality, including culture, genetic makeup, and early family life. Studies have shown that people with certain personality characteristics are more suitable for specific occupations or special activities. Personality studies can also reveal the relationship between specific types of personalities and the incidence of disease, divorce, and stress-related problems.

THEORIES

There are many different theories concerning the nature and development of personality and the causes of personality changes. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates believed that people behave differently because they have a predominance of one type of bodily fluid, or humor. According to this theory, people with calm or passive personalities have one dominant humor, while impulsive and temperamental people have a different dominant humor.

In the 20th century, other classification schemes were advanced. The German psychiatrist Ernst Kretschmer thought that personality was determined by the person's body type--such as plump, lean, or athletic. He suggested that short persons were more likely to be social, friendly, and lively. Both of these theories remain unproven.

Contemporary personality theory began with the work of Sigmund Freud, who developed psychoanalysis. According to Freud, personality is the result of the expression and satisfaction of psychological impulses in childhood. Freud proposed that an individual's personality is established in the first few years of life at critical periods of psychological development. He described three structures of personality: the id, which houses instincts and provides the source of psychic energy (libido) for all psychological processes; the ego, which interacts with the demands of reality in fulfilling instinctual desires; and the superego, which represents the internalization of social and parental standards and ideals of behavior. Freud said that these structures are in constant conflict and their interaction influences human behavior.

The American psychologist Gordon Allport developed a trait theory of personality. A trait is a tendency to behave in some consistent manner over time and in different situations. In his trait theory, Allport identified traits common to all persons in a given culture. He also identified traits that grow out of personal experience and are unique to individuals.

Another theory of personality is called situationism. It emphasizes characteristics of the situation in which persons are placed, rather than traits within the person. According to situationism, human behavior is determined by influences in each situation. Situationism suggests that people behave in response to changes in the situation. Factors in a given situation influence different people in different ways.

In the theory of personality known as interactionism, the significance of both trait and situational determinants of behavior are recognized. Interactionism takes into account both a person's predisposition to a type of response and the variables of the situation. It says that both factors influence performance.

There is evidence that both genetics and environment affect personality, but these influences are not completely understood. Studies have shown that the tendency to acquire some personality characteristics--including temperament, activity level, extroversion, introversion, anxiety, aggression, and independence--can be inherited.

Personality is also influenced by environment. Thus, a child with a biological predisposition toward a particular personality characteristic is more likely to show the characteristic if the home environment reinforces this characteristic. For example, harshly punishing a child who has a genetically based predisposition for aggression contributes further to the child's aggression.

predominance dominant fluid suggest unproven desire trait identify emphasize

Господство Доминирующий Жидкость Предложить Недоказанный Желание Черта Выделить, определить Подчеркнуть

response significance determinant take into account predisposition acquire extroversion introversion

Ответ Значение Детерминант Принять во внимание Предрасположение Приобрести >Открытость >Сосредоточенность на себе

Ex. 2. Answer the questions to the text. While expressing your ideas you are recommended to use the phrases below.

To my mind ... In my view ... It seems to me ... I’m convinced that ...

I think ... I believe ... I reckon ... I realise that ...

What makes a personality?

What are the most well-known theories of personality?

What is the essence of Hippocrates theory of personality?

What is Ernst Kretschemer contribution to the field?

What is the structure of personality in Mr Freud terms?

Situationism, trait theory and interactionism. How are these theories interconnected?

What theory do you think is the most true to life and why?

What theory do you think is worth criticism?

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