Hello dear readers and welcome or welcome back to my blog. Today I want to talk about Personality and Character traits, and I mean all of it... the good good, the bad and of course the ugly sides that present in all of our personalities and characters. However I am trying to educate myself and all of you how we can be aware of our negative personalities traits, and learn better coping tolls and mechanisms to help us grow into the people that we all were and are meant to be.
So with that being said, lets jump into another topic shall we?.
We could all benefit from being more aware of our characteristics and personality traits. That's because they are significant predictors of our behaviors and attitude.
The world we live in is different from what it was then, five or even one year ago. Thanks to social media, easy-to-use communication tools, and globalization, the pool of possibilities are constantly expanding. Without a clear idea of one's own preference's, making the right choice can be extremely difficult and confusing. Everyone's personality is unique, and knowing what make us, can lead to more life satisfaction, better life choices, and overall success in both personal and professional parts in one's own life.
Character and Personality Traits Defined
While character and personality are both used to describe someone's behaviors, the two examine different aspects of that individual. One's personality is more visible, while one's character is revealed over time, through varying situations.
in more concrete terms:
"Personality is easy to read, and we're all experts at it. We judge people [as] funny, extroverted, energetic, optimistic, confident - as well as overly serious, lazy, negative, and shy - if not upon first meeting them, then shortly thereafter: And though we may need more than one interaction to confirm the presence of these sorts of traits, by the time we decide they are, in fact present, we've usually amassed enough data to justify our conclusions."
"Character, on the other hand, takes far longer to puzzle out. It includes traits that reveal themselves only in specific - and often uncommon - circumstances, traits like honesty, virtue and kindness."
(Lickerman, 2011)
While personality is easier to spot, it's largely surface level and slow to evolve. Character, on the other hand, takes longer to discern but is easier to change. That's because character is shaped by beliefs, and with enough effort and motivation, changing one's perspective and view of the world can lead to a shift in one's character.
The malleability of character makes sense when you look at human evolution. In order for our ancestors, and their ancestors, and so on and so fourth to survive, they had to adapt to new environments and change with the times - and this remains true in the modern era of 2022 and will continue for generations to come.
If an individual deems a change in their surroundings to be significant, then their beliefs will transform to accommodate the change.
For instance, an individual who might have a shy personality can learn to switch their attitude toward public speaking when stepping into the role of a teacher. The new social and external demands lead to an internal shift that changes the students demeanor.
In this way, even if an individual's inborn preference is to shy away from the public, the beliefs and values that shape his behavior can evolve to reflect the values of his immediate groups and communities. Such awareness and adaptability help with survival. The bottom line is that despite the significance of our inborn personality traits, we can overcome them as required by personal or cultural demands.
Character Trait Theories
Tools for identifying personality traits have never before been more plentiful. "In the U.S. alone, there are about 2,500 personality tests" to choose from (Ash 2012). Yet, quantity does not imply quality.
Due to immense variations in personality, it is difficult to divide people neatly into different classifications. Instead, assessing individuals by the most common personality traits can empower us to deduce a person's behavior by looking at the average of their choices (Pappas 2017).
Below is two of the most widely used personality tools that can identify your personality traits. Some pros and cons of each are also highlighted.
**Also a quick note I have reviewed only scale-based personality assessments, rather than profile-based assessments. The difference is that the scale-based assessments treats personality traits as existing on a continuum, whereas profile-based assessments classify individuals according to binary categories (e.g., an introvert or an extrovert).**
Common profile-based assessment that you may be familiar with include:
- The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
- Ennagram
While these tools can be a fun way to gain some self-insight, they are often critiqued by scientists.
A key criticism is that the results of profile-based assessments pigeonhole individuals into particular categories (e.g., labeling someone as an introvert or extrovert; a thinker or a feeler) but few things in life are or ever will be so black and white. In reality, it is believed that our personality traits exist on scales with opposite poles, and all of us will fall somewhere between either end of that continuum (e.g., the introversion - extroversion scale).
Put differently, "if the MBTI measured height, you would be classified as either tall or short, even though the majority of people are within a band of medium height" (Krznaric, 2013) Hence, we've limited this review to only scale-based assessments, which are more scientifically backed.
The Big Five, or OCEAN Model
Perhaps the most comprehensive and science-backed personality test available is The Big Five.
Unlike the popular (but disputed) Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), this assessment does not divide people into personality profiles but rather analyzes an individual based on the most common traits found within the global community. The traits are easy to remember, as they spell out the acronym OCEAN.
OCEAN stands for:
1. Openness
This describes an individual's love for novelty experiences. Those with high scores tend to be more creative. Individuals with lower scores tend to be more conservative and prefer routines.
2. Conscientiousness
This shows someone's tendency for organization. Those with high scores are seen as motivated, disciplined and trustworthy. Lower scores indicate someone less responsible, and more likely to get distracted.
3. Extroversion
This factor indicates how cheerful and communicative a person can be. If someone scores highly in extroversion, they tend to be social and likely to accomplish their goals. Low scores indicate someone who is introverted and more submissive to authority.
4. Agreeableness
This trait describes how someone interacts with those around them. High scores indicate that someone is warm and friendly. Those who tend to be more egocentric and suspicious (or even shy) tend to score lower.
5. Neuroticism
Emotional stability can reveal a lot about the likelihood of someone developing moodiness and anxiety. High scores on neuroticism indicate someone who is less-assured, and low scores describes a person who is calm and confident. (Westerhoff, 2008)
These categories serve as an umbrella that influences other personality areas, such as:
* Openness : Imagination, feelings, actions, ideas, values, adventurousness, artistic interests, etc.;
* Conscientiousness : Order, self-discipline, competence, achievement- striving, etc.;
* Extroversion : Warmth, friendliness, assertiveness, high activity level, positive emotions, etc.;
* Agreeableness : Trust, compliance, modesty, altruism, sympathy, cooperation, etc.;
* Neuroticism : Hostility, depression, self-conscientiousness etc.;
Interested? Take the Test
Those wishing to know their OCEAN results you can take your free Big Five test here.
1.
https://my-personality-test.com/big-5?gclid=CjwKCAiAyPyQBhB6EiwAFUuakuB7JHfDaL348PaUb4dNCjvLq-gvtk5y1fGY5YqBMqUdStzjUxbLnBoCI80QAvD_BwE
The Message
While all or most researchers and scientists agree that personality traits are often hereditary and beyond our control, the things we value and believe in can shape our character.
Expanding self-awareness is likely the first step in gaining control over one's life. So it's no wonder that "the most successful people are the most self-aware people"
Awareness of others' personalities can also be helpful, especially in situations like hiring someone for your company. And while there are too many personality assessment tools to choose from, some are more consistent than others.
Cultivating an open, agreeable and conscientious environment, whether in the office or at home, can help create values that are more conducive and supportive of growth and success. Using visualization tools to inspire, motivate, and spark interest in change is vital when aiming to align yourself and others toward a specific goal or mission.
It's true, our personality traits are hereditary, but we still have the power to change. Our beliefs and values, which influence character, adapt to our experiences, and are heavily influenced by the different interactions and situations we engage in.
We are not static creatures, and just like nature, we are constantly changing. It is up to us to decide who we want to grow into. The best way to do that is to take note of where you currently are, and then imagine where you want to go.
If change is the only constant, then the most successful people are those who control their own transformations.
It's important to keep believing you can better yourself, because you can.
If anyone wants to let me know their Big Five feel free to comment down below or send me a message or email!
Looking forward to hearing everyone's results.
Please take care of yourselves & each other until next time.
Cheers,
A
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