PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT (REVIEWER)
What is Personality?
● a Latin word which comes from the word ``persona´´ which means ``a mask´´.
- ``persona´´ are theatrical masks worn by the Romans in Greek and Latin drama.
- ``per´´ and ``sonare´´ literally means ``to sound through´´.
- Jung´s component of ``persona´´ means ``public image´´ which refers to the role expected by
social or cultural convention.
● the pattern of enduring characteristics that produce consistency and individuality in a given person
- the set of emotional qualities, ways of behaving, etc. that makes a person different from other
people.
● ``The dynamic organization within the individual of the psychological systems that determine
his/her unique adjustment to his/her environment.
Growth vs. Development
● GROWTH is improvement in quantity (mostly physical attributes i.e., height, weight, length of hair,
body)
● DEVELOPMENT is improvement in quality (mostly in value, worth, attributes, i.e., skills, emotions,
actions, personality)
● DEVELOPMENT is steps or changes in growth, advancement, or improvement.
TYPES OF PERSONALITY
1. The extrovert : bold, daring, fun loving, always communicating first, and attempting to be a ``can
do´´ person.
2. The introvert : reserved, shy, respond to communication with some persuasion, also a ``can do´´
person but within closed doors.
3. The ambivert : a middle ground leader, checks and acts depending on the situation.
4. The positive : plus, charged, willing to take chances, succeeds more often than fails and treats
failure as a stop towards success.
5. The negative : negative, minus, rarely smiles, blames others instead of taking charge.
FACTORS IMPORTANT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ONE`S PERSONALITY
1. Perception : is an intellectual process where an individual organizes and interprets his/her
sensory impressions to give meaning to the environment.
2. Rationality : is the characteristic of any action, belief, or desires that make their choice a necessity.
3. Empathy : putting oneself into another person´s shoes and think accordingly.
4. Attitude : is a person´s standpoints or viewpoints which leads to responses to different stimuli.
5. Motivation : a psychological feature that induces an organism to act towards a desires goal and
elicits control, and sustains certain goal-directed behavior.
6. Leadership : a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of
others in the accomplishment of a common task.
7. Time Management : the act or process of planning and exercising conscious control over the
amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency, or
productivity.
FACTORS AFFECTING PERSONALITY
HEREDITY ENVIRONMENT
We are born with a set of genes and ● Social characteristics of an individual
chromosomes which we inherit from our ● Social economical status
forefathers and our parents. These set the limits ● Education gained
to our potential. This potential is achieved to the ● Observation perceived
fullest by the proper use of environment - our ● Experimentation made
experiences over the years, especially our ● Provision of healthy food
interaction with other people. ● Privileges made available
● Good parental care
● Body build up of an individual ● Worth, love, and acceptance
● Intelligence inherited from ancestors ● Living in good areas versus slums
● Hormones/fluids produced by the body of an ● Societal demands
individual ● Work environments
● Home environment
● Company of friends chosen to be associated
● Career chosen
● Geographic region to which an individual
belongs
ORIGIN OF CONSISTENT BEHAVIOR PATTERNS
1. Genetic : definitely influences personality, but to what degree and in what manner are still
interesting questions to explore further. There are constitutional or biological properties transmitted
by genes such as physical and mental diseases.
2. Sociocultural : many psychologists agree that culture strongly influences the behavior of people
(ex. socio-economic level, birth order, race). Interpersonal relationship with parents and other
significant individuals also affect adult personality characteristics.
3. Learning : the implication of this viewpoint is that one can control personality development by
controlling the circumstances under which rewards are dispensed of withheld.
4. Existential Humanistic Consideration : minimize the importance of knowing the origins of
personality or who acquire what personality completely, how you find meaning to your existence.
This emphasizes ``What does it mean to you?´´ rather than ``Why are you the way you are?´´.
5. Unconscious Mechanism or ``depth´´ theorist : the primary concern of ``depth´´ theorists is to
discover the underlying causes of behaviour. The
ultimate cause of behaviour is unconscious and
originates in childhood. One must get to the unconscious
mind utilizing complex tools, such as dream and symbols
analysis, free association, hypnosis, etc. to understand personality.
THE EGO STATE (OR PARENT-ADULT-CHILD) MODEL
1. Parent Ego : a state in which people behave, feel and think in response to an unconscious
mimicking of how their parents (or other parental figures) acted, or how they interpreted their
parents’ actions.
2. Adult Ego : a state of the ego which is most like a computer processing information and making
predictions absent of major emotions that could affect its operation.
3. Child Ego : a state in which people behave, feel and think similarly to how they did in childhood.
The Child is the source of emotions, creation, recreation, spontaneity and intimacy.
THE EARLIEST THEORY OF PERSONALITY
Hippocrates - Greek philosopher who believed that there were four natural elements － air, water,
fire and earth － and the four bodily fluids or humors － blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile －that
affect human behavior.
Galen - Roman physician who elaborated the theory of Hippocrates.
According to Galen:
high ratio of blood → sanguine or cheerful
a lot of phlegm → slow or unemotional
oversupply of yellow bile → melancholic or sad and lonely
THE FOUR PERSONALITY TYPES (according to Hippocrates)
1. Sanguine (Super Salesman)
Strengths: warm, friendly, outgoing, witty, optimistic, fun to be around with － the life of the
party. Good at communications, public relations, entertainment, and short bursts of energy.
Basically, a people person.
Weaknesses: can be superficial, quickly discourages, and easily hurt by rejection. Often covers
up deep feelings of inferiority and inadequacy with a happy go lucky facade.
2. Melancholic (Super Philosopher)
Strengths: imaginative, creative, sensitive, and artistic － a real lover of beauty, solitude, and
perfection. Usually quiet, gentle and philosophical. Able to concentrate, feel deeply, go to the
heart of things, stay at something for a long time, and remain calm in adversity. Basically, an
ideal person.
Weaknesses: can be moody, touchy, withdrawn and extremely shy. Easily hurt by broken
relationships and capable of extreme depression. Tendency to escape from reality and the
relationship into themselves.
3. Choleric (Super Leader)
Strengths: strong, self-confident, disciplined, determined, and dedicated, usually successful in
whatever is undertaken. Good at organizing, taking risks, planning great endeavors and
following through with zeal. Basically, a born leader.
Weaknesses: can be cruel, sarcastic, hot-tempered, and intolerant. Sometimes ruthless,
unscrupulous, insensitive, and often ´´burned out´´ before life is over.
4. Phlegmatic (Super Friend)
Strengths: easy-going, likable, dependable, loyal, ever cautious, conservative, and practical. A
good follower, friend and partner for a strong-willed person. One who is inclined towards
unselfish service, peace making, and the simple life. Basically, a support person.
Weaknesses: can be lazy, half-hearted, easily stepped on and abused by other personalities.
Open, has deep feelings of low self-esteem and self-worth.
Franz Gall - a phrenologist, attempted to connect personality with the bumps and shapes of
the skull during the 19th century.
Cesare Lombroso - influenced by Charles Darwin´s Theory of Evolution, argued that physical features
of criminals marked them as evolutionary ´´throwbacks´´. Criminals have features such as prominent
jaws and eyebrows and asymmetric skulls, which make them insensitive to pain and prone to
impulsive behaviour.
Ernst Kretschmer -a German psychiatrist in the early part of the 20 th century who presented －－
personality classification based on body built:
1. Asthenic － thin, fragile, narrowly built and looks very weak
2. Athletic － muscular and energetic
3. Pyknic － round and robust or plump
4. Dysplastic － malproportioned body, a combination of any of the above body builds
Kretschmer, through his long psychiatric practice, was convinced that there are significant
relationships between body built and two major forms of mental disorders.
Pyknic body built were more likely to be manic-depressive.
Asthenic body built were associated with schizophrenia.
William Sheldon - examined the relationship between body type and personality during the first half
of the 20th century (Constitutional Theory of Personality, 1944). He divided the human physique into
two types:
1. Morphogenotype － the hypothetical biological structures.
2. Phenotype － the external observable physique.
WILLIAM SHELDON´S PRIMARY COMPONENT OF BODY BUILT
I. Endomorphy － (plump with fatty tissues) round, soft bodies with large abdomen.
II. Mesomorphy － (lots of muscles) hard, sturdy with strong bones and muscles.
III. Ectomorphy － (bony) thin, small boned, fragile with flat chest.
Sheldon further identified three components of temperament:
Endomorphy was associated with viscerotonia:
● sociable
● fond of food and people
● even-tempered
● affectionate
Key word: SEFA or SFEA
Mesomorphy with somototonia:
● love of physical adventure
● enjoyment of exercise and vigorous activity
● competitive aggressiveness
● assertiveness of behavior
Key word: LECA
Ectomorphy with cerebrotonia:
● inhibited in movement
● love of privacy
● secretive
● self-conscious
Key word: ILSS or LISS
SECONDARY COMPONENTS OF BODY BUILT
1. Dysplasia - malproportioned or inconsistent mixture of the three primary components in
various parts of the body. (similar to the Dysplastic body build by Ernst Kretschmer)
2. Gynandromorphy (g index) - characteristics associated with the opposite sex ; male with
high g index has a soft body. Long eyelashes with effeminate features and is fragile.
Primary g index - body built is seen at a distance or can be inferred even from
photographs.
Secondary g index - needs direct observation of the person.
3. Textural index (t index) - refers to smoothness and fineness of physical texture.
Primary t index - can be inferred even from
photographs.
Secondary t index - needs direct contact with
the person.
METHODS OF ASSESSING PERSONALITY
PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT
－ the set of processes used for developing impressions and images, making decisions and
checking hypothesis about a person´s pattern of behavior in relation with the environment.
ERRONEOUS METHODS OF ASSESSING PERSONALITY
1. First Impression
- gives some people a clue to the pattern of the observed individual. Individuals
are then branded as a certain ``personality type´´ and ascribe to him/her the
supposed characteristics of that type.
- determines what others will expect of an individual and the expectations, in
turn influences his/her behavior.
- may be used based on physical appearance, facial features or expressions,
mannerisms, style of dressing, name, nationality, race, what a person says and
how it is said, what one does and how it is done, or some other physical or
physiological characteristics which is identified in the mind of the observer with
a certain kind of personality type or stereotype.
2. Pseudo-Scientific Methods
A. Physiognomy → a method of judging personality through the measurement
and study of a person´s physical features,
most especially facial features.
B. Phrenology → personality is judged by the size and shape of the skull.
C. Graphology → using a person´s handwriting to know his/her personality.
SCIENTIFIC METHODS OF ASSESSING PERSONALITY
Sundberg and Tyler (1962) summarized the issue of disagreement and fake responses as ``It is
not the question of whether one should assessment, but how best to do it.´´
Common Methods of Assessing Personality
1. Objective Test - written self-rating tests or the Inventory Test variety. Usually
questionnaires answered with yes or no, true or false.
2. Behavioral Method
2.1 Interview - face to face interaction for a specific purpose.
Limitation: highly dependent on the skills of the interviewer, untrained
interviewers tend to be influenced by first impressions and irrelevant
issues.
2.2 Life History Method - makes use of the biographical and autobiographical
techniques, diary or anecdotal reports.
3. Projective Techniques - employs ambiguous test stimuli to which the subject is to
respond. The responses manifest the innermost feelings, motives, and conflicts of the
subject.
3.1 Word Association - the oldest method in which the subject is asked to
respond to some stimuli with the first
word that comes to mind. This method
was used by Galton in 1879 and was later
employed by Wundt as a laboratory
device for studying human sensory
processes. In 1910, Jung reportedly used
this method to provide insight into a
patient´s ``emotional complexes´´.
3.2 Sack Sentence Completion - consists of 60 incomplete sentences. The
instruction is to complete the sentences with the first thing that comes to the
subject´s mind. It measures four areas: family, sex, interpersonal relationships
and self-concept.
3.3 Thematic Perception Test - consists of a set of 20 pictures. The instruction
is to narrate the past, present and projection of the future of the subject.
3.4 Rorschach Inkblot Test - consists of 10 inkblot pictures describe what the
blot looks like and what it might be. The responses are recorded on three
basis: location, determinant and content.
3.5 Expressive Technique - a type of projective test that assess personality
through self-expression. Examples of this technique are the drawing and toy
test.
A. Drawing - ex. Machover Draw A Person Test (DAP). The
instruction is to draw a person. Upon completion, the subject is
asked to draw a house, a tree and another person. The drawing test
is culminated by an oral inquiry and qualitative analysis.
B. Toy Test - dolls and puppets are used to assess the child´s
attitude towards his/her family, fears, aggression and aspirations.
COMPONENTS OF PERSONALITY
The components of personality are: habits, attitudes, interests, values, principles and
intellectual capacities.
HABITS are actions so often repeated at regular intervals until they become fixed
characteristic. Going to church every Sunday, brushing one´s teeth after every meal, bathing
every day are all examples of habits. After several repetitions of the same actions, they become
automatic, requiring the least efforts necessary in the execution of the action. But before an
action can become a habit, a person should first know and assess if the action is worthwhile
keeping.
Once habits are formed, they are difficult to unlearn. The habits of smoking, taking
drugs, gambling, and drinking are difficult to unlearn. Behavior modification is the
technique most feasible and recommendable in correcting negative habits.
ATTITUDES are certain ways of viewing things as ingrained, acquired, and developed through
the years of exposure to mans´s family, school, and community. Immediate older members of
the family who pattern their behavior after their father and mother greatly influence the
attitude of young children, whose early acquisition of attitudes becomes deep, thus these
impressions leave an indelible mark in the subconscious.
Children whose penchant for curiosity is always thwarted and whose initiative is
curtailed will grow without self-confidence. Repressing them can make them timid.
INTEREST is that natural inclination to focus one´s concern towards a specific area of work.
The inherent aspect is predisposed, but it is greatly influenced through environmental
stimulation. Exposures at an early age are carried through the years in a family setting, school,
and community, gradually shaping the interests of the adult. A child who grew up in the field
where farming is the main source of livelihood will develop love for farming. A family of
teachers inevitably influence the interests of the child towards teaching. The developed
interest makes the job lighter for him.
VALUES are ways of upholding certain priorities in accordance with the Hierarchy of Needs by
Abraham Maslow. When high esteem is attributed to certain things after making well-
deliberated choices from the alternatives, then it is what we call values. Values are best learned
and reinforced through actual practice, actions and application in one´s everyday life,
One´s value system can be assessed by making one choose his priorities among money,
love, religion, education, or family.
PRINCIPLES are guides to a person in making judgements. The individual is consistent in his
application of these principles which are in consonance with his norms of morality.
The child during his growing years is not a passive reactor to events. He is full of action
and energy to make things happen. He always has fresh and new ways of looking at
things. The changes in behavior occur when the child interacts and learns from people
who are important to him. Children are adaptable and vulnerable to changes.
The following are some of the principles commonly adopted by some people and used
as guides in their endeavors in life.
``Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.´´
- Helen Keller
``What you can do tomorrow will depend largely on your thinking today.´´
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
``You cannot change the world of man without changing his mind, and you
cannot change his mind without changing his heart.´´
- Anonymous
``Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.´´
- Confucius
``Work spares us from the three great evils: boredom, vice and need.´´
- Voltaire
``If you like your work, you work no more. For work, when you like it is work no
longer but sheer enjoyment.´´
- H.L. Neri
(Hospicio Luminarias Neri)
The MENTAL CAPACITY or intelligence of the person is an innate faculty of the mind
which gives him the power to discern, to recognize, and to comprehend. It is through
the intellect that knowledge is acquired. A longer span of concentration, accuracy of
perception, absorption of ideas, and assimilation are gauges of one´s intellect. The
intelligence quotient of a man is the combination of what he has inherited as they are
processed and developed through interaction with his environment. In a class with the
same subject, teacher, period of time allotted for the subject, same classrooms, books
and references, students usually get different grades, thus signifying that people are
born with different capacities for learning.
FILIPINO PERSONALITY AND CULTURE
1. Smooth Interpersonal Relations (SIR) – the ability to get along with others in such a way that
any signs of conflicts are avoided. SIR is acquired by:
a) Pakikisama – derived from the the Filipino word “sama”, meaning to go along. It refers to
the yielding of a person to the will of the leader or majority so as to make the group’s decision
unanimous. It is the “we” identification to the group.
Pakikisama is a positive Filipino value. It encourages mutual assistance intimes of need or
sympathy in times of sorrow. Helpfulness is extended to outsiders as hospitality or
congeniality.
b) Go-between – the need for a mediator or facilitator. A third party is used to avoid the
feeling of inadequacy in a face-to-face encounter, or to act as an intermediary when asking for
a favor.
c) Euphemism – Stating an unpleasant truth, opinion, or request with beautiful language and
a fine manner. Harsh and insulting speech is frowned upon and regarded as a sign of ill
breeding.
2. Hiya – In 1965, Fr. Jaime Bulatao defined hiya as the painful emotion arising from a relationship
with an authority figure or with a society which inhibits self assertion even if one is in a situation
which is perceived as dangerous to one’s ego. Egan (1970) equated hiya with self-esteem, pride and
personal dignity. Lynch (1970) considered hiya as shame. Such sentiment is associated with the
unpleasant experience of embarrassment that prevents one from wrongdoing.
3. Bahala Na – an expression derived from the Filipino word ``Bathala´´ or God. It is the “come what
may” or “que sera sera” attitude and at times rests on the line of least resistance that one need not
exert any effort because God will take care of everything. It is a fatalistic resignation which is
manifested with the withdrawal or running away from personal
responsibilities; the tendency to leave initiative and action to superiors; the religious belief that
humankind is governed by forces beyond hi/her control. Lagmay (1977) and Jocano (1978) pointed
out that bahala na is utilized to maintain mental balance in times of stress and gives courage and
determination.
4. Ningas Kugon – “ningas” literally means to catch fire and “kugon” is a fast burning kind of grass. It
is defined as the enthusiasm which is intense only at the start but gradually fades away. It could be a
hindrance towards initiative and productivity. This
attitude reflects the low achievement motive among Filipinos that could be attributed to child-rearing
practices. In our culture, child rearing practices do
not put emphasis on self-reliance and independence training. One of the consequences of this
practice is the curtailment of the initiative to plan, organize and execute. The child’s life is often
dominated by overindulgent adults, leaving very little room for creativity. Ideally, the child should
be trained to be self- reliant and to have a sense of responsibility and integrity.
5. Utang na Loob – Reciprocity or debt of gratitude is of primary importance in the Filipino value
system. This value permeates and influences all facets of the Filipino way of life, business, education,
politics, morality and religion. Since utang na loob stems from a service rendered, though sometimes
a material gift may be involved, qualification is impossible. Children owe their parents respect,
gratitude and obedience because parents raise, feed and spend for their education and other needs;
therefore, children are expected to care for their parents in their old age.
Utang na loob could have some negative effects like when used with the “lagay system”,
which means bribery and extortion. However, utang na loob can also be a modern virtue
provided it is modified to apply not only to one person but to many persons. Utang na
loob to the community can mean loyalty to a community interest, a commitment in
return for a debt that can never be repaid.
6. Hospitality – welcoming others to one’s home and offering the best to visitors while denying the
same to members of the family (Samson, 1965).
7. Amoral Familism – the tendency to become individualistic and inward directed; hence, the
inability to look beyond the family circle (Sendan 1974; Ramirez, 1966; Lapuz, 1967; Guthrie, 1966).
Philippine society has now become segmented,
group centered, possessed by the “tayo-tayo” attitude which are the marks of social individualism.
Corollary to these are family expectations, such as the sharing of the gains one member gets with the
entire family, which can tend to discourage one to be more creative and productive (Pal, 1967);
holding on to children by making them feel guilty if they leave their “helpless” parents, which could
be a hindrance to success.