People have different interests, strengths, and hobbies that make up their own personality, making each person unique, like no other. Everyone is different which makes life interesting, and sometimes more difficult. But where does personality come from and why are people different?
Over the past 25 years, psychologists have discovered that personality is made up of five basic elements: agreeableness, conscientiousness, sensitivity, extroversion, and willingness to experiment. Each person carries these characteristics to varying degrees that make them different from others.
Contrary to popular belief, people are not wrapped up in specific personality types. Usually, no one is completely extroverted or introverted, or completely orderly, weird, or rude. There are only a few people who are extremely inclined towards a certain personality type, and most people have all kinds of personalities within them.
The personality of people and animals always exists, continues from one life to another.
According to Christopher Soto – a psychologist at Colby College of the Arts, Maine, USA – research shows that people are not born with certain personality types. Similar to body size characteristics, some people are very tall, some are very short, the rest are average.
It’s not just people who have personalities. Research has found that other animals, from ants to apes, have personalities, in terms of five basic personality traits. All things have a character rooted in evolution.
Psychologist Frank Sulloway of the University of California, Berkeley, USA, said that humans and animals both have problems with survival. These common problems are concretized by the five basic factors that shape character, and these problems also explain why the character of people and animals always exists, continues from generation to generation. another life.
For example, conscientiousness is demonstrated by behaviors such as planning and consideration. These behaviors are important for primates and other mammals in caring for their offspring, choosing a mate, and living in groups. Neat and tidy personality traits are an aspect of conscientiousness and have evolutionary benefits as well: spiders that work hard to create tiny webs catch more prey; sparrows nest neatly, well camouflage attracts more mates; Bees know how to maintain good hygiene by removing dead members of the colony from the hive, reducing the risk of disease, larger body size and better reproduction.
Some of these behaviors may be very primitive, instinctive, but these are manifestations of character. Psychologist Sulloway says that in the broadest sense, personality is the expression of all the behaviors that we and other animals perform so that we can function properly in this world.
Evolution can also explain why personality changes so much. Depending on the situation, each of the 5 basic factors will become dominant and become an advantage. For example satisfaction is essential to having relationships. But if a tiger is going to attack you, it’s better to be less satisfied, less compromise, and more aggressive.
Because the world is so unpredictable, every aspect of each personality trait comes in handy at some point. Therefore, instead of developing and evolving according to a single personality type, we are given many choices by the natural world, many different personality traits. Mr. Sulloway says that there is no single solution to the personality and behavior you should exhibit (instead keep your behavior and personality appropriate to each environment you find yourself in).
The origin of personality is the inheritance of personality traits . So, whether you want to accept it or not, much of your personality is inherited from your parents. In fact, for humans, about half of your personality is determined by your genes. The rest is due to the environment, such as life experiences and how many children you are in the family. (Elder children are more confident and assertive, younger children are usually funnier; younger children often use humor to “undermine” the power of older brothers and sisters over them, psychologist Sulloway explains.)
Besides environmental factors affecting to shape your personality, you yourself can to some extent adjust your personality according to the circumstances. You can be more outgoing and outgoing when you’re at a party and more easygoing when you’re at home with your family, but when it comes to work, you can also turn inward and when it comes to sports, you should decide. paralysis. There is no single trait or behavior that is right for you to manifest 24 hours a day. After all, humans are still evolving to learn from their surroundings.
Over time, personality can change.
The same can be said that over time, personality can change. Our genes give us a starting point for character and stay with us throughout life, but the older we get, the more experiences and opportunities we have to move away from the starting point that genes provide. .
When young children become teenagers, they experience a temporary shortfall in the elements of “comfort” and “compassion”, for example at this stage they are more rebellious and lazy. But research also shows that as adults transition from adulthood to middle age, life’s responsibilities and sufferings – more responsibilities, more personal relationships, etc. . – makes them more receptive, forgiving and content, more conscientious, more emotionally stable, and less irritable.
According to a 2015 study and published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (USA), you can even change your personality to serve a purpose. So the personality can make you who you are today, but tomorrow you can still have a different personality .