Personality

Meaning of personality

The word personality has been derived from the Latin word “persona”, which was used for the “mask” utilized by the actors to change their appearance, but in Roman times it was taken as a particular itself. Since that time it is used for distinctive characteristics, thought, behavior and attitudes for an individual.

The term “personality” is very commonly used in the day to day conversation, but for social psychologists and sociologists the concept of personality has different meaning.

For social psychologists and sociologists, personality is not just the out word physical characteristics of a person but personality are the combination of individual’s thoughts, characteristics, behavior, attitudes, ideas and habits. Personality is the product of social interaction in-group life. It is the result of socialization.

Personality

Sociologically speaking that everyone has personality, irrespective of the fact that it is good or impressive or unimpressive etc. thus from beggar to the president and from criminal to the chief justice of the country, everybody has personality. It is difficult to attribute, the personality of an individual as good or bad, because a person may be good to his children and his wife, but may not behave nicely with his subordinates. Further the meaning of good or bad, right or wrong, brave or coward varies from culture to culture i.e. these are all relative terms. So we are unable to determine as to what type of personality is desired or undesired universally.

For instance, a killer In peace time is considered criminal, while during war a person killing the enemy is decorated, garlanded, awarded and becomes national hero.

Personality is the product of social interaction in-group life. The feelings and actions of a person in the society is attributed the personality, covers all the roles of a person, which he/she plays.

A sum of our habits, behavior and feelings is called our personality. In short, personality refers to the “total behavior of the individual”.

Definitions of Personality

• Personality is the totality of sentiments, attitudes, ideas, habits skill and behavior of the individual.
• Personality is the sum total of the observed and observable characteristics of a person.