What is personality? The concept of “personality” in psychology

People often talk about the abilities of a person, implying his inclination towards a certain type of activity. At the same time, few people think that this concept is scientific and implies the level of development of this quality, as well as the possibility of its improvement. Not everyone knows what levels of development of abilities exist, how to work to improve them and learn to make the most of them. Meanwhile, it is not enough to have any ability; this quality must be constantly developed if you want to truly achieve success in a certain area.

What are abilities, level of development of abilities

According to the scientific definition, ability is an individual and psychological characteristic of a particular person that determines his ability to carry out a specific activity. Innate prerequisites for the emergence of certain abilities are inclinations that, unlike the first ones, are laid in the individual from birth. It should be taken into account that abilities are a dynamic concept, which means their constant formation, development and manifestation in various fields of activity. Levels of ability development depend on many factors that must be taken into account for continuous self-improvement.

According to Rubinstein, their development occurs in a spiral, which means the need to realize the opportunities provided by one level of abilities in order for a further transition to a higher one to occur.

Stages of personality socialization

The process of socialization of the human personality in its development goes through three main phases:

• mastering social norms and values ​​and norms;
• the individual’s desire for personalization and self-actualization, as well as for a certain impact on other members of society;
• integration of a person into a certain social group in which he can reveal his properties and capabilities.

Only a consistent course of the socialization process can lead to its successful completion. The process of socialization includes certain stages of socialization of the individual.

The following stages are considered the main ones:

1. Primary socialization, which occurs from birth to the full formation of personality;
2. Secondary socialization, implying the restructuring of a mature personality during the period of stay in society.
3. Integration stage. It is associated with the development of the desire and need to become part of society, to fit into it safely. This stage can be successful if society accepts the characteristics of the individual and his individuality. If society is not able to accept a person with all his characteristics, then there are such variations in the development of events:
   • Preservation of one’s individuality, despite public opinion and manifestations of aggression towards society, or self-confidence and one’s strengths and integration into the public environment, no matter what;

   Adaptation to the requirements of society, the desire to become a member of it like others, radically changing oneself;

4. Conformism. In this case, only the individual’s external agreement with social norms and adaptation to them occurs. However, internally the individual does not agree with them and does not want to be like everyone else.
5. Labor stage. The process of socialization of the individual begins at an early age, namely from the beginning of a person’s elementary work activity and continues throughout his entire work activity. it is assumed that the individual not only assimilates social norms and requirements, but also performs actions for the benefit of society, working in its environment.
6. Retirement stage. A person no longer takes part in work, but still goes through the process of socialization, as he passes on his social experience to a new generation.

It is logical to consider the process of socialization depending on the age of the person.

Childhood . The socialization of a person begins from the earliest stage of his development. In childhood, almost 70% of a person’s personality is formed. If this process is delayed, irreversible consequences are observed. Until the age of seven, understanding one’s own “I” occurs more naturally than at an older age.

Adolescence . This social stage in the overall life cycle of each individual is very important. It is at this stage that the main physiological changes and personality formation occur. From the age of thirteen, children begin to take on significantly more responsibilities.

Period of youth . The age of sixteen is the most stressful and dangerous. This is due to the fact that from this age the individual consciously and independently decides which society to choose for his future life.

Period from 18 to 30 years . At this age, basic instincts and the formation of socialization are reoriented towards work and personal relationships. Incorrect mastery or perception of these areas can lead to irreversible serious consequences, as a result of which a person will unconsciously live until the crisis that occurs at the age of thirty.

Period of maturity . At this stage, which lasts until about 60 years of age, influence from other people and confirmation of one’s need are especially perceived. During this period, a person invests his resources in work, caring for children, and satisfying his own and social needs.

The period of old age . It is characterized by the completion of the creation of a form of self-identity; a person rethinks his life, tries to realize his “I” in the process of spiritual reflection about the years he has lived.

Types of abilities

The level of development of individual abilities is divided into two types:

- reproductive, when a person demonstrates the ability to successfully master various skills, assimilate and apply knowledge, as well as implement activities according to an already proposed model or idea;

- creative, when a person has the ability to create something new and original.

In the course of successful acquisition of knowledge and skills, a person moves from one level of development to another.

In addition, abilities are also divided into general and special, according to Teplov’s theory. General ones include those that are demonstrated in any field of activity, while special ones are manifested in a specific area.

Giftedness is the second level of ability development

Giftedness implies a combination of various abilities that are developed at a sufficiently high level and provide an individual with the opportunity to successfully master any type of activity. In this case, the possibility of mastery is specifically implied, since a person, among other things, is required to directly master the necessary skills and abilities for the successful implementation of an idea.

Giftedness can be of the following types:

- artistic, implying great achievements in artistic activity;

- general - intellectual or academic, when the levels of development of a person’s abilities are manifested in good results in learning, mastering various knowledge in various scientific fields;

- creative, which involves the ability to generate new ideas and demonstrate a penchant for invention;

- social, providing high social intelligence, identification of leadership qualities, as well as the ability to build constructive relationships with people and possession of organizational skills;

- practical, manifested in the individual’s ability to use his own intelligence to achieve his goals, knowledge of a person’s strengths and weaknesses and the ability to use this knowledge.

In addition, there are types of giftedness in various narrow areas, for example, mathematical giftedness, literary giftedness, etc.

Talent – ​​a high level of development of creative abilities

If a person who has pronounced abilities in a certain field of activity constantly improves them, they say that he has a talent for it. It is worth considering that this quality is also not innate, despite the fact that many are accustomed to thinking so. When we talk about the levels of development of creative abilities, talent is a fairly high indicator of a person’s ability to engage in a certain field of activity. However, we should not forget that these are nothing more than pronounced abilities that must be constantly developed, striving for self-improvement. No natural inclinations will lead to recognition of talent without hard work on oneself. In this case, talent is formed from a certain combination of abilities.

Not a single, even the highest level of development of the ability to do something can be called talent, since to achieve a result it is necessary to have such factors as a flexible mind, strong will, great ability to work and rich imagination.

Mistakes you can avoid

Sometimes the desire of parents to develop the abilities of their baby is so strong that it leads to dangerous extremes. To prevent this and preserve your child’s mental health on the path to developing his personality, avoid the following mistakes:

1. Imposing your own interests and desires on the child. Often, parents have an unconscious desire to realize themselves through their baby. Therefore, it is very important to learn to separate your own hobbies from the interests of the baby.
2. Perception of a child as a business project. Of course, for a child to achieve high results requires parents to invest both a large amount of moral effort and material resources. Don't scold your child if he doesn't live up to your expectations. In any case, the experience gained will be useful to him.
3. The desire to have a “comfortable” child. Sometimes parents do not notice or deliberately ignore their child’s abilities because they create “interference” for adults. Imagine that a child took apart a computer keyboard or painted paint on the walls in the living room. Most likely, this will only cause negative emotions in parents, but at the same time the technical and artistic abilities of the children will go unnoticed.
4. Development of only the baby’s strengths. If a child does only what he is good at, there will most likely be large “gaps” in other areas of activity. Development must be harmonious and diverse.
5. Unnecessary criticism. Parents often criticize their children with the best intentions. But children are very vulnerable creatures, so comments addressed to them should be treated with great caution. Criticism can permanently discourage a child from doing even his favorite activity.

Genius is the highest level of development of abilities

A person is called a genius if his activities have left a tangible mark on the development of society. Genius is the highest level of development of abilities that only a few possess. This quality is inextricably linked with the originality of the individual. A distinctive quality of genius, in contrast to other levels of development of abilities, is that it, as a rule, shows its own “profile”. Some aspect of a genius personality inevitably dominates, which leads to the vivid manifestation of certain abilities.

Diagnostics of abilities

Identifying abilities is still one of the most difficult tasks in psychology. At different times, many scientists put forward their own methods for studying this quality. However, at present there is no technique that allows one to identify a person’s ability with absolute accuracy, as well as determine its level.

The main problem was that abilities were measured quantitatively, and the level of development of general abilities was derived. However, in fact, they are a qualitative indicator that must be considered in dynamics. Various psychologists have put forward their own methods for measuring this quality. For example, L. S. Vygotsky proposed assessing a child’s abilities through the zone of proximal development. This involved dual diagnosis, where the child solved the problem first with an adult and then independently.

Another method of measuring abilities using testing was proposed by the founder of differential psychology, the English scientist F. Galton. The purpose of the technique was to identify not only the presence of ability, but also the level of its development. First of all, the levels of development of intellectual abilities were studied using tests for general intelligence, then the subject answered a block of questions that revealed the presence of special abilities, as well as their level.

The following diagnostic method belongs to the French scientists A. Binet and Simon. Here, too, the level of intellectual abilities was first determined using 30 tasks, arranged in ascending order of difficulty. The main emphasis was on the ability to understand the task and be able to reason logically about how it could be solved. Scientists assumed that this skill underlies intelligence. They own the concept of mental age, which is determined by the level of solving intellectual problems. Each completed task was a criterion for determining this indicator. After the death of the scientists, the tests were translated into English and presented in the United States. Later, in 1916, the American scientist Lewis Terman modified the test, and the new version, which was given the name “Standward-Binet scale,” began to be considered a universal method for identifying abilities.

There are many methods for identifying specific abilities, but they are all based on determining intellectual indicators in the first place. This is due to the opinion of scientists that in order to develop creative and other abilities, the level of intellectual development must be above average.

Focus and motivation

The orientation of the individual should highlight goals and motives. A goal is what a person strives for, and a motive is the reason why he strives for this goal. A person can set the same goal for different reasons - therefore, the motives will be different.

For example, someone wants to become a doctor, but does not understand what exactly attracts him to this profession. Another also wants to become a doctor, but at the same time he realizes that he wants to treat people. The third wants to make a good career and achieve material well-being with the help of the medical profession. As we see, everyone has the same goal, but the motives are different, as is the degree of their awareness.

At the same time, you need to realize that human behavior is rarely dictated by any one motive. A specific action is most often the result of a whole complex of motives and motivations. Thus, a person can go to work at the same time because he needs money, because he likes this activity, and because it allows him to make new friends. If any of these motives ceases to operate, then the person’s behavior changes - for example, he may move to another organization or try to get a new profession.

A “test” of personality and its direction can occur at the moment of confrontation with any difficult situation. Indeed, all our goals and motives exist in our minds, therefore, they may differ from the actual picture of the world. A problematic situation arises when the real world has noticeable inconsistencies with our inner world. Facing a problem can sometimes change the entire personality structure. Some people call this situation “enlightenment” or “revelation.”

There are three options for the consequences of a difficult event on the psyche

:

• If a person’s beliefs, attitudes and values ​​assumed such a scenario, then they are consolidated: the person understands that “he was right.”
• When an event partially confirms attitudes and values, then their further development occurs, they become richer and more diverse. A person seems to be telling himself that “life, it turns out, is much better (worse, scarier, more fun) than he thought.”
• The third option is the complete destruction of all value guidelines and attitudes. A person recognizes previous personal development as in vain; he becomes disappointed in life.

The devastating impact of a difficult event can even lead to pathology, as well as suicide. However, this is only the most extreme version of the outcome of the matter; Often a person makes enormous volitional efforts, striving to find himself again. A significant role here is played by the strong-willed qualities of the individual, her sincere desire to live and take her place in the world. It was about such situations that Nietzsche said: “Everything that does not kill us makes us stronger.”

Often the problem arises that a person is not prepared for the variability of the world around him. Clearly set goals would have been feasible in the original situation, but circumstances have changed, and the goal can no longer be achieved by the same means. Of course, the opposite situation also happens: a person suddenly has the opportunity to do something that was previously only a dream.

Diagnosis of intellectual abilities

A person's level of intellectual development presupposes his ability to use his mind for thinking, understanding, listening, making decisions, observing, perceiving relationships and other mental operations. One of the most widely used methods for determining the degree of development of this quality is IQ tests, in which a certain set of tasks is proposed, and a fixed amount of time is allocated for their completion. The scale of points that can be scored when passing this test ranges from 0 to 160 and represents the range from retardation to genius. IQ tests are intended for people of any age.

Another popular technique - SHTURE - also reveals abilities. The level of development of intellectual abilities in schoolchildren is the goal of diagnosing this method. Includes 6 subtests, each of which contains from 15 to 25 tasks of the same type. The first two subtests are aimed at identifying the general awareness of schoolchildren, and the rest reveal:

- ability to find analogies;

- logical classifications;

- logical generalizations;

— finding the rule for constructing a number series.

The method is intended for group research and is limited in time. High statistical indicators of the SHTUR technique allow one to judge the reliability of the results being revealed.

Diagnosis of creative abilities

A universal technique for measuring the level of creative abilities is the Guilford technique, which exists in various modifications. Qualities of creativity that can be identified using this method:

— originality in drawing up associations;

— semantic and semantic flexibility;

— ability to create new ideas;

— level of development of imaginative thinking.

In this study, the subject is offered various situations, a way out of which is possible only with a non-standard approach, which presupposes the presence of creative abilities.

Qualities that a respondent must have to successfully pass the test:

- perception and correct understanding of the proposed tasks;

- working memory;

- divergence - the ability to discover the original in the ordinary;

— convergence — the ability to recognize an object based on qualitatively different characteristics.

High development of creative abilities, as a rule, presupposes intellectual development at an appropriate level, as well as the presence of self-confidence, a sense of humor, fluent speech and impulsiveness in an individual.

The main difference between tests for identifying creative abilities and similar tools designed to determine intellectual abilities is the absence of a time limit on solving tasks, a complex structure that suggests the possibility of several solutions, as well as the indirect construction of sentences. Each successfully completed task in the test indicates the presence of ability in one or another area of ​​creative activity.

Professional orientation by personality type

Psychologist J. Holland identified several types of professional orientation of an individual.

They depend on what type of person the person is.

:

• Realistic type
  . Such people prefer to work with real objects. They are practical-oriented and want to achieve quick results. They have well-developed practical thinking; however, they prefer professions based on manual work. These are drivers, beekeepers, signalmen, radio installers, etc. As a rule, communication skills are not required here.
• Intellectual type
  . Such people are observant, intelligent, and at the same time they are independent and have original thinking. People of this type prefer scientific professions.
• Social type
  . Its representatives are active, sensitive, emotional, and need constant communication with other people. The content of the professions of such people is interaction with people. Preferred professions are teaching, service, information activities.
• Conventional type
  . Such people have high perseverance, they are disciplined and careful. They can do their job well when they have clear and precise instructions. They are best at performing typical tasks, but difficulties may arise with non-standard ones. The preferred professions for such people are clerical ones: accountant, notary, economist, etc.
• Entrepreneurial type
  . Its representatives are active, mobile, have unconventional thinking, and are prone to risk. They strive to take initiative and take leadership. People of this type prefer tasks where they need to make quick decisions, and do not like work that requires perseverance and attentiveness. Loves and knows how to interact with other people. The professions of such individuals are politicians, entrepreneurs, journalists, etc.
• Artistic type
  . Such people have imaginative thinking and creative imagination, they are very sensitive and emotional. They build communication with people on the basis of their intuition and personal feelings. Representatives of this personality type are artists, musicians, designers, actors, translators, etc.

This classification can be used in tests to determine professional suitability, choice of profession, and educational institution.

What else does understanding the mechanisms of personality orientation give us? Through their study, it becomes clear to us that the foundations of all our civilized life are rooted in innate qualities and attitudes formed in the early years of life. In the future, they can be changed and adjusted many times, but they do not appear “out of nowhere.”

Other methods for diagnosing the level of development of abilities

A person's abilities can manifest themselves at any age. However, the earlier they are identified, the greater the likelihood of their successful development. That is why now in educational institutions, from a very young age, work is required to identify the levels of development of abilities in children. Based on the results of work with schoolchildren, classes are conducted to develop identified aptitudes in a particular area. Such work cannot be limited only to the school; parents should also take an active part in work in this direction.

The methods most widely used for diagnosing abilities, both general and special:

- “Everyer's problem”, designed to assess the focus of thinking, that is, the extent to which a person can concentrate on the task at hand.

— “Study of memory using the ten-word memorization technique,” ​​aimed at identifying memory processes.

— “Verbal fantasy” — determining the level of development of creative abilities, primarily imagination.

— “Remember and dot the points” — diagnostics of attention span.

— “Compasses” — study of the features of spatial thinking.

— “Anagrams”—definition of combinatorial abilities.

— “Analytical mathematical abilities” - identifying similar inclinations.

— “Abilities” — identifying the success of performing activities in a particular area.

— “Your creative age”, aimed at diagnosing the correspondence of your passport age with your psychological age.

— “Your creative potential” — diagnostics of creative capabilities.

The number of techniques and their exact list are determined based on the purposes of the diagnostic examination. At the same time, the end result of the work is not the identification of a person’s ability. Levels of development of abilities must constantly increase, which is why, after diagnosis, work must be carried out to improve certain qualities.

Personality Traits

But still, more often nature shows us gradual transitions. Therefore, personality researchers generally prefer quantitative measures.

As a result of such measurements, each person can be assigned to a certain level - from very low or average to very high. Personality traits are characteristics that distinguish one person from another and determine more or less constant behavior. We can say that some trait is inherent to a greater or lesser extent in a person. One may be ahead of others in something, be extremely self-confident and not very strong physically, while the second has different personality traits. Traits are widely used in conventional descriptions of personality, and reference to them has been found useful by many psychologists (e.g., Allport, A.H. Buss). In contrast to types, personality traits cover a narrower area of ​​behavior. They describe personality more accurately than types because each trait refers to a narrow set of characteristics. The fact that personality traits can be attributed to a person to varying degrees also makes this concept more precise than the concept of types.

Traits are more important than types to describe personality. In fact, the number of traits can be surprising. One classic study counted them at approximately 18,000 among the words listed in the dictionary (Allport & Odbert). Are there really that many of them? A simpler system would be more useful to researchers, especially those who still recognize quantitative measurement as opposed to simple generic categories. To eliminate unnecessary gradation (for example, between shyness and withdrawal, which are difficult to represent as two separate personality traits), some researchers have statistically tested which traits tend to correlate and, on this basis, have proposed general personality factors. They differ from traits in being more general. Like personality traits, they are quantifiable; thus, a person receives a simpler basis for being assigned to one category or another. Raymond Cattell proposed a set of 16 basic personality factors. Other researchers have found that 5 (John) or even 3 (Eysenck) factors are sufficient to describe the basic dimensions of personality. In many studies, factors are derived from underlying biological changes that we can, in fact, define more precisely. However, general factors are less accurate than personality traits when predicting certain types of behavior (Paunonen).

Personality types, traits, and factors are relevant to personality theory and research. The terms are sometimes used imprecisely, but knowing the difference between them (summarized in Table 1.1) helps us understand the variety of ways in which personality can be described and measured. Researchers often find quantitative measurement of personality traits and factors most useful because scores on each personality trait or factor of interest can be obtained for all subjects in a study, and the scores can be ranked and compared.

Table 1.1

Comparing people or studying people: nomothetic and idiographic approaches

Personality traits and types allow us to compare one person to another. This is a common approach in personality research, the nomothetic approach. Groups of individuals are studied, and people are compared with each other on the same concepts (usually personality traits). Often groups of subjects are given a personal test and their scores are then compared. For each person, a score is calculated indicating the extent to which he or she possesses a given personality trait; Mary scored 10 on extraversion, making her “out of line,” while quiet David only scored 3, making him less of an extrovert. ,These measures measure individual differences (differences ,between people).

On the other hand, some psychologists study personality without focusing on individual differences. The idiographic approach studies only one individual, without comparing him with others. But in practice, an idiographic approach in the full sense is impossible, since any description of a person (for example, Mary “beyond the bounds”) implies a comparison with other people, even if it is present only in the memory of the one who did the analysis. Although implicit comparison with other people is inevitable, we call research idiographic if it focuses on the characteristics of each individual case. The idiographic approach places more emphasis on verbal description rather than quantitative measurement. The case study and psychobiographical analysis, which we will discuss later, is an idiographic approach.

The meaning of these two approaches—idiographic and nomothetic—has been debated by personality psychologists since Gordon Allport first coined the terms. Critics of the idiographic approach claim that idiographic studies cannot be replicated and therefore cannot be scientifically verified. Critics of the nomothetic approach ask how the individual can be studied if the work is always carried out in groups. Although some idiographic case studies seem more like stories than science, advocates of the idiographic approach do propose scientific strategies for studying personality (e.g., I. E. Alexander; DJ Bern; Bern & Funder). However, when studying personality, it is better to use a nomothetic approach.

Despite the scientific advantages, the nomothetic method also has disadvantages. It examines many people and compares them on only a few numerical dimensions, making it difficult to understand any individual as a whole. It focuses on measuring personality traits rather than understanding the person as a whole. It is easier for researchers to focus on describing variables rather than people; it takes special effort to find out what an individual is experiencing. A classic example of criticism of the nomothetic approach is the point of view of Ray Carlson, who criticizes the study of personality, built on only one variable or a very small number of them in each study; this is not enough to provide insight into the individual, since personality style combines many aspects. Ray Carlson also notes that personality research was conducted on a limited sample of people (71% college students), a flaw that was not corrected in subsequent years (Sears). Although college students share some personality characteristics with the general population of working adults, they are still different (Ward); therefore, a study based primarily on people who have not completed education is of questionable relevance to the general population.

We need to know an individual as well as we can compare him or her with others. William MacKinley Runyan recalls the classic statement of personality psychologists Kluckholn & Murray: “Every man is in some respects a) like all other men, b) like some other men, c) unlike to no one." Today we could expand this statement to include women as well as men, and the basic point would remain the same. Personality psychologists have three goals: to discover what is true for all people, what is true for specific groups (of different genders, races, cultures, etc.), and what is true for individuals (Runyan) (Figure 1.1).

Proponents of both nomothetic and idiographic approaches make certain contributions to personality psychology. Studying individuals allows us to more fully describe personality and the reasons for behavior. Studying groups is necessary to find out whether a person's individual explanation applies to other people. Only by combining both types of research can we understand an individual and find out whether this understanding can be generalized, that is, applicable to other people. Sometimes the relationship between variables in the idiographic approach is different from the nomothetic one. For example, nomothetic research shows a positive relationship between self-attention and negative mood. However, idiographic research does not support this relationship. Focusing on oneself should not, in general, put a person in a bad mood. That is, a person does not have a tendency to associate changes that occur when focusing on oneself with changes in mood. In summary, we consider both idiographic and nomothetic information to be useful but not interchangeable.

Constancy of personality

From the personality, as the main cause of individual behavior, one would expect the same actions in changing situations. Why else would we try to describe a friend as trustworthy or a patient as depressed? This would be too simplistic, although it can be assumed that situations do not influence us. Walter Mischel was interested in the generalizations that doctors made when predicting behavior from personality tests. He proved that the assumption of constancy of behavior in different situations is not confirmed by research. Indeed, he came to the conclusion that situations are more significant than personality as determinants of behavior. Much research and debate has focused on the issue of the relative importance of personality traits and situations in determining behavior, but the resulting evidence does not provide clear support for cross-situational consistency of behavior. The greater significance of one or the other is determined by the specific situation and the personality traits in question. Dispute, however, produces “truth” and reminds us that personality operates in the context of situations and that both situations and personality traits must be considered (Hyland; Sechrest).

Personal dynamics

It's not easy to describe a personality. The relationship between personality and observed behavior is often subtle and not obvious. Personality dynamics refers to the mechanisms through which personality manifests itself, so it often refers to drives rather than directly to behavior. A theory should not only explain personality dynamics and development, but also provide visual concepts such as personality traits. Without such a detailed theory, personality traits lose their meaning (Rotter).

Motivation gives energy and direction to behavior. If you see a person running energetically toward a door, you might ask, “Why is that person running?” What is his motivation? Theorists consider many motives. Some people assume that all people's basic motivations and goals are similar. Sigmund Freud (Freudian Psychoanalytic Theory) believed that personality is based on sexual motivation; Carl Rogers - the desire to move towards higher levels of development. Other theorists who believe that motives or goals differentiate one person from another measure these differences as personality traits. For example, Henry Murray listed dozens of motives, the significance of which varies from person to person. One person may be motivated by achievement, another by power. The term motivation implies that a person strives for a particular goal. The term dynamics is more general; it refers to processes that may or may not involve goal orientation.

The concept of personality dynamics includes individual adaptation, or fitness, to the demands of life, because it matters for mental health. Modern personality theory considers cognitive processes as the main aspect of personality dynamics. The way we think is an important factor in determining our choices and adaptations. In addition, culture is also a significant factor influencing our expectations and capabilities.

Adaptation and fitness

In life you have to overcome various situations. Each personality has its own individual way of “coping” with the world, adapting to the demands and contingencies of the environment (adaptation). This concept reflects the strong historical connection between personality theory and clinical psychology. Many theories of personality have their roots in treatments developed for clinical patients. Observations of their failure to adapt to their environment (and improvement in their ability to adapt with treatment) suggested more general ideas that could be applied to healthy populations. People adapt in a variety of ways, and so measuring personality traits can be used to determine the best way to adapt to the world around them (Bolger).

Cognitive processes

What role does thinking play? Different theories approach this issue differently. Based on clinical experience, Sigmund Freud proposed that conscious thoughts represent only a limited part of personality dynamics. In psychoanalytic theory, subconscious dynamics are more important. In recent decades, psychologists have learned a lot about cognitive abilities. Personality is influenced by thoughts about our capabilities, about ourselves and about other people. When experience or therapy changes our thoughts, it changes our personality.

Culture

Historically, theories of personality have placed the individual at the forefront, leaving culture in the shadows. This left the picture of personality incomplete and prevented adequate explanations of gender, ethnic and cultural differences. Awareness of changes in culture and the work of social psychologists forced theorists to consider the importance of culture for the individual. Much needs to be done to adequately understand the role of social influences on personality, but we can be sure that some of the motivations that guide people are shaped by their culture.

Variety of factors

Personality dynamics refers to a huge number of factors, both environmental and “internal to human”. Different situations may arise in life: some contribute to the achievement of goals, others threaten and require a quick response. Several aspects of personality can be combined in one person, influencing behavior. For example, not only ambition (the need for achievement), but also friendliness (the need for affiliation) determine the behavior of “learning with a friend.”

The very idea of ​​multiple causation (or, as is sometimes said, multiple determinism) is not disputed. However, it is extremely difficult to clearly formulate it theoretically. We know that personality traits and situations influence behavior, but what is the significance of each factor and how do they combine? Statistical analysis of the various causes is quite complex, and researchers have not agreed on how they can be combined (Carver; M. G. Evans). It is therefore tempting, of course, to describe personality dynamics in very simple terms, focusing only on a small number of motivational factors, but this can only be acceptable as long as we remember that people in real life are influenced by many more factors than ours. simplified simulated images.

Ultimately, many factors affecting personality can be explained from the perspective of different levels. How do biological factors, such as inherited shyness, combined with individual experiences, such as family support, influence personality? Intuitively, we can understand that parenting methods that are optimal for a shy child will not be the best for an active and sociable child. Numerous hypothetical explanations of this kind—through levels—remain questionable.

Conditions for increasing the level of development of abilities

One of the most important criteria for increasing this quality is the conditions. Levels of development of abilities must constantly be in dynamics, moving from one stage to another. It is important for parents to provide their child with conditions for the realization of his identified inclinations. However, success depends almost entirely on a person’s performance and focus on results.

The fact that a child initially has certain inclinations does not at all guarantee that they will be transformed into abilities. As an example, we can consider a situation where a good prerequisite for the further development of musical abilities is that a person has fine hearing. But the specific structure of the auditory and central nervous system is only a prerequisite for the possible development of these abilities. A certain structure of the brain does not affect the choice of the future profession of its owner, nor the opportunities that will be provided to him for the development of his inclinations. In addition, thanks to the development of the auditory analyzer, it is possible that abstract-logical abilities will be formed, in addition to musical ones. This is due to the fact that human logic and speech are in close connection with the work of the auditory analyzer.

Thus, if you have identified your levels of development of abilities, diagnosis, development and possible success will depend only on you. In addition to the appropriate external conditions, you must realize that only daily work will transform natural inclinations into skills that in the future can develop into real talent. And if your abilities manifest themselves unusually brightly, then perhaps the result of self-improvement will be recognition of your genius.

Individual abilities of the individual

Each of us is endowed by Mother Nature with a unique set of inclinations. These include:

• anatomical constitution;

• physiological organization;

• dynamic characteristics;

• emotional sphere;

• brain device.

This entire set already represents the individual’s individual abilities. But until a person begins to act and develop them, they are in an embryonic state.

If they are neglected, they will remain in their infancy. In other words, the presence of inclinations - even very large ones, including outstanding ones - does not guarantee their development into abilities. On the other hand, the absence of some natural talents can be compensated by the development of others - similar in manifestation.

The formation of individual abilities of a person occurs throughout life. In this process of self-creation, the uniqueness of the personality with its individual lifestyle is achieved.