Personality

Personality

HBO – Chapter 4

Objectives
 To know the consequences of man’s behaviour as
influenced by his hereditary make-up and his
interaction with the society and culture in which
he lives.
 To understand the factors that help shape the
individual’s personality; and
 To use man’s knowledge in producing a more
responsive personality that will interact and
become useful to our goals.

What is Personality?
 The term personality was taken from the two
Latin words “per” and “sonare” which means “to
sound through”. The two words were later coined
to “persona” meaning “an actor’s mask through
which the sound of his voice was projected.
Traditionally, in Greek plays, the actors wore
mask while performing in the theatre. Persona
was, therefore, referred to the actor who was role
playing.

What is Personality?
 Personality is the total person. It includes the
human being’s inborn traits and habits acquired
through interaction with others beginning with the
members of his family (psychological
characteristics), his body
structure, movements, and mannerisms
everything that comprises a person as a whole
whether psychological or physiological that
makes him so distinct from every other individual
in addition to his unique relation to others in his
environment.

THE SELF CONCEPTS
 Self and Personality – “Self” is the core of
personality, the totality of a person’s
reactions, outwardly or inwardly, in the conditions
in his environment and the unique manner in
which he adjusts to such situations. This self
comes out when interacting with other gradually
and normally. It can be modified depending as the
environment changes.

THE SELF CONCEPTS
 A child’s first experience of obtaining integration
starts from his family members. As he gets the
feel of people and things around him, he learns to
distinguish what are his own and those which are
not. Whatever description is given by the
members of his family and playmates about
him, he accepts it as description of himself. If the
parents often criticize and rejects him, he will
think of himself as undesirable and unwanted. On
the other hand, doting parents who always praise
the child even if his performance is poor will have
an exaggerated impressions of his abilities and
achievements. The unwanted or always praised
experience of the child is carried with him
throughout his life.

THE SELF CONCEPTS
 Self image and projected Self – self image is
what a person thinks he is that distinguishes him
from another person. How a person behaves as
seen and observed by other people is the
projected self of an individual. It is not often true
that what one perceives about himself may be the
same as the perception of others about him. Our
behaviour is strongly influenced by how
favourable we look to other people. The
development of personality, therefore, revolves
around the concept of the self in its relation to
other selves in the human group to which a
person belongs.

THE SELF CONCEPTS
 Self-esteem – is a person’s reaction to other
people’s opinions about him or his projected self.
This greatly affects the personality of that person.
If people look down on him, he may develop an
anti-social behaviour. If his own society has a
very high regard for him, always praising him for
his performances, he may become self centred or
conceited.
 Building up an individual’s healthy self must begin
during early childhood so that it will not be in
serious conflict with reality. A healthy self-concept
essentially agrees with the projected self. A
healthy person, therefore, is someone who

THE SELF CONCEPTS
 Personality versus Overt Behaviour –
Personality is not overt behaviour but the
preparations of an individual in coping up with his
environment. These preparations include
habits, traits, attributes, values, sentiments and
motivations. Since these are not directly
observed, they are assumed as overt behaviour.
Behaviour, on the other hand, is the result of the
interaction of personality with different situations
and groups identifications.
 How a person behaves is partly determined by
what is expected by people in his social
group, like when he is working in his
office, attending party, or when he is together with
the members of his family.

THE SELF CONCEPTS
 Personality Stereotypes – Through overt
behaviour, we are able to make differences about
man’s personality. However, it would be unfair to
label a person the “happy-go-lucky type” or
“conservative type” simply because of what you
hear from the opinions of others. Observations
are usually biased. Anyone can just create the
impression that a person’s ways are favourable or
unfavourable, thereby twisting his personality
profile.

Factors in personality
development
 Behavioural scientists state that heredity or
environment play an equally important role in
shaping one’s personality. Both heredity and
environment are determinants as to what kind of
a person will emerge and what his
intelligence, abilities, capacity for
learning, aptitude, and psychological
characteristics will be. In the study of personality
development, the individual’s behaviour must be
analyzed in its organized totality in which these
two factors – heredity and environment – play
equally important roles.

Factors in personality
development
 Heredity includes all that a person possesses as
transmitted from parents to offspring by means of
the germ plasm. From their ancestors, individuals
inherit certain mental and physical attributes.
However, genetic factors are not determines of an
individual’s personality characteristics but, in a
way, influence the development of a dynamic
whole beyond the control of environmental forces.
If what one inherits cannot be changed, he should
concentrate on the characteristics that can be
altered or modified to improve his position in life.

Biological Heritage of Man
 The musculator, glandular and nervous
system are the three biological heritage
physiological factors that play an important role in
the personality development of human being.
 Adequate adjustive behaviour is dependent upon
the maturation of the
muscular, skeletal, glandular, and nervous
structures of the individual. As a person grows
older, his height and weight increase, his entire
nervous system becomes more complex, his
muscles develop in strength, and his glandular
system undergoes important changes. These
maturation processes are closely associated with
the behavioural development of an individual.

 Musculature – Muscles do play an important role in
the whole setup of human behaviour and they
maintain stability when relaxed. When there is a
tension due to fear or anxiety, there is an increased
muscle activity. The smooth muscles of the stomach
and the intestines are also greatly affected when
there is tension and his digestive process in
disturbed.
 Physical growth during childhood and adolescence
also brings about changes in personality. For
instance, by the time the individual has reached
physical maturity, the proportionate size of the head is
much smaller than during infancy, whereas the trunk
and limbs are proportionally longer. These changes
greatly increase the grace and efficiency of the
individual’s body movements.

 A child whose muscular development during early
childhood is slow, fails to perform some actions
because he lacks sufficient muscle maturity.
Muscular development, however, rapidly picks up
during the onset of adolescence when the
individual begins to “fill out” and approach adult
height and proportions.

 Glandular – The glands yield an influence on the
mental, emotional, physical traits of men. They
produce certain chemical substances that
influence changes in personality. Differences in
traits of character “disposition” are often attributed
to their influence.
 There are two classes of glands. The first, and
more easily understood, are those that have
tubes or ducts connected to some other surface
of the body like tear glands, or the Gail bladder.
The other kind of glands are those that pour their
products directly into the blood stream without the
aid of ducts. The latter is call glands or endocrine

 The endocrine glands influence the course of
development by their secretion of chemical
substances known as hormones. Hormones
control the rates of certain bodily process
associated with the maturation. They speed up
and slow down, start and stop various
physiological activities. For example, the change
of voice in the adolescent boy is associated with
the activity of certain glands which become active
during this period. Whether an individual;
depends on the combined action of several
glands in the endocrine system.

 The thyroid glands, for instance influence
physical and mental development. The behaviour
that is manifested in the under secretion of the
thyroid gland frequently results in cretinism or
mental backwardness and in lack of size and
physical development, obesity and laziness. Over
secretion results in a great stimulation of the
nervous system which brings about
restlessness, over excitement, irritability, and in
extreme cases, the eyeballs are protruding.

 The pituitary gland is associated directly with
physical development. A small structure attached
to the underside of the brain and located right in
the centre of the head, the pituitary secrets
hormones that are concerned with the growth
hormones may result in such abnormal conditions
as dwarfism, giantism, or acromegaly (long jaws
and enlarged hands).

 The adrenal glands produce the adrenal
endrogens hormones that regulate the
development of certain adult sexual
characteristics, particularly those associated with
the masculinity. The adrenal hormones which
work in conjunction with other endrogens
produced by the sex glands are partly responsible
for adult hair distribution and lowering of the
voice. Thus, over activity can lead to a condition
known as virilism which may occur in either sex.

 The nervous system is a means of receiving
impulses. It is the system which gives man his
every contact with his experience with others. It
furnishes every satisfaction and
dissatisfaction, every pain and delight, and every
association made to his group around him.
 The nervous system has two parts – the cerebro-
spinal or central nervous system and the
automatic or sympathetic nervous system. It is
the central nervous system which is the seat of
consciousness and learning, of the will and of the
coordination of all responses and movements due
to sensations.

 The central nervous system is composed of the
brain and the spinal cord. It is through the brain
that man’s mind is developed. All sense
impressions and all activities of the mind take
place somewhere in the cells of the brain. Due to
its intricately interwoven neurons which are inter
connected endlessly, the central nervous system
controls such important functions as
memory, imagination, thinking, and will power.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
 The environmental factors that influence
personality development are:
 Home and family
 Culture
 Roles
 Social agents

 Home and Family – The home is where a child’s
first experience in social interaction takes place.
He first becomes aware that he lives in a society
of people and that his attitudes and actions are
influenced by people’s reactions. Children learn
by role perception. A son learns how to act like a
man by the image identification he has with his
father. Similarly, a daughter learns to assume the
role of a wife and a mother by watching her
mother. The assimilate many of the personality
characteristics and behaviour patterns of their
parents.

 The parents bring to their child the influences of
the community. Parents exemplify human
relationships. He observes how people deal with
each other, their relationship sets a pattern for all
inter personal relationships in the family.
 The child acquires his parents characteristics and
patterns of adjustment. He acquires their values
and ideals, their attitudes and beliefs. The
example that the parents show has a far greater
impact on the child that the words they say, or
advices that they may give.

 The Filipino family is a basic economic unit.
Family life ordinarily involves the practice of
pooling money resources. The extent to which
incomes are pooled varies from family to family.
The poorer the family, the more likely that its
pooled earnings are derived from the work of
several members. This is not a matter deliberate
choice, but of stern necessity. The older children
generally contribute to the support of the family.

 Culture – Culture must not be interpreted as the
refinement of an individual in terms of breeding or
education. Neither should it be associated with
aesthetics such as art
galleries, symphonies, poetry, drama and the like.
Every man is born into a society refined by
culture. Society is defined as a group of people
who interact with each other, whose activities
become centred around a set of goals, and who
tend to share common beliefs, attitudes and
modes of action. Culture refers to a way of life
reflected in the
customs, traditions, folkways, mores and

 An anthropologist uses culture to refer to a much
broader range of phenomena. A “culture” includes
all of the expectation, understanding, belief, or
agreements which influence the behaviour of
member of some human groups. Children’s
acquired culture is referred to by social
psychologists as enculturation, a process by
which man’s social behaviour and his thoughts
become conditioned by his cultural heritage.
When we adopt cultural traits of others, then we
refer to this as acculturation.

 Every culture or sub culture has its owns particular set
of norms and values to which every member of the
society must conform. Norms are the standards of
behaviour prescribed by the society of its members.
They determine how people should behave in
accordance with their sex, age, socio-economic
status, occupation. Norms regulate the relationship of
people towards one another. For instance, the
children in typical Filipino family keep quiet when they
are scolded; they obey without question what their
parent want them to do, even in the choice of a career
and marriage partner. Americans criticize Filipinos
for this behaviour pattern but the norms in the
Philippines differ from those in the United States.

 The norms of society are influenced by the values
that prevail. When a society values
honesty, industry and patience, the individual is
trained and taught to be honest, hardworking and
patient. The family, the school, the community
and the other social agents are the channels or
conveyors of values and ideals which an
individual learns to accept through cultural
conditioning. Values are transmitted through
teaching, training and example of one’s conduct.

 Culture is the matrix of personality. Every culture
develops a personality structure of its own. The
idea fits in with the concept of “national character”
whereby Filipinos have distinct characteristics
and differentiate them from the Americans or
Japanese.

 ROLES – roles are anticipated behaviour
patterns attached to a certain position or status.
Status, on the other hand, refers to the position
occupied by an individual in the society. All of us
occupy a series of statuses. Each one is
accompanied by a corresponding roles with the
expected behaviour pattern.

 An individual can have as many statuses, in
accordance with the (a) age – sex , (b) family and
kinship, (c) socio-economic class, (d)
occupation, and (e) friendship and interest. Thus, a
young girl ( age, sex, status ) is a daughter and the
eldest child in a middle class family. She is also a
student in the evening and secretary of sorority in
school and a member of the Student Catholic Action.
One has many roles as he has multiple statuses. In
the process of growing, the individual learns to
behave in ways acceptable to others and to avoid
actions that will bring punishment or disapproval.
Influenced by various social groups (
family, school, peer groups, etc ) he conforms to a set

 In every society, the social roles of the sexes are
somewhat distinct. A male learns to behave in
particular ways appropriate for males. Each age level
is also accompanied by certain social expectations so
that there is, in effect, a society of small boys, small
girls, young boys, young girls, young man, young
women, mature men, mature women, old men and old
women. Each learn to behave in a manner designed
specifically for his role.
 The social role, is enforced in much the same way as
the role of a character in a play is enforced upon the
player. The other members of the cast of the play or of
real-life situations expect the individual to behave in
accordance with the role age and other factors that

 As a man who now belongs to an occupational
group, he assumes another role depending upon
his profession or the nature of his work. For
example, if he is a teacher, he is expected to be
idealistic and concerned over the
students, dedicated in sharing and
communicating his knowledge. If he is a
businessman, his
behaviour, attitudes, motivations and values tend
to differ. The businessman is expected to be
calculating, aggressive, and greatly motivated by
economic factors.

 Marriage and parenthood are also roles that
exact demands upon the individual. In
marriage, both the husband and wife give up
certain liberties and privileges they previously are
engaged. A husband protects and provides for his
wife and children. A mother is dedicated to her
home, loves and cares for her husband and
children. In our society, there is a tendency for
traditional elders to frown upon and criticize the
mother who bottle-feeds her baby instead of
personally nursing him unless there is a valid
reason.

 Parents are expected to provide for their
children, nurture them, and equip them with the
necessary education and moral training – all in
preparation for the time when these children will
assume their positions as responsible adult
citizens and members of a society. Children, on
the other hand, are expected to show obedience
and respect for their elders. In most social
systems like the Philippines the elders are given
more rights. The oldest son and daughter who are
traditionally called “kuya” and “ate” by their
younger brothers and sisters, assume certain
rights and prerogatives not accorded to the

 Roles differ for each of the three basic socio-
economic classes of society; the upper class, the
middle class, and the lower class. For
instance, the wealthy upper class families are
expected to send their children to exclusive
schools, shop in exclusive stores, engage in
“genteel” occupations by becoming a
proprietor, or a doctor. There are different social
expectancies for lower classes. One who belongs
to the lower class is expected to confine his
purchase to the items that are within his means
until such time when he is able to afford
expensive items.

 If the role on one status conflicts with that of
another, there is said to be a role conflict, and the
individual experiences are a great deal of anxiety
and tension. Status discrepancy refers to any
difference between the rank of an individual in
one status system and his rank in another status
system. Thus, a labor leader may have a high
rank in the power status system but low rank in
the social class status systems.

 SOCIAL AGENTS – The school, the church, and
other social institutions are also instrumental in
molding the individual into a
wholesome, dynamic, and assertive personality.
The school is often thought of as an institution to
which parents send their children for intellectual
training. The school helps in the development of
the intellectual, physical, social, emotional, and
moral components of personality. By giving
worthwhile training and experience, the school
encourages students to mature with the right
sense of values.

 The school surroundings and the teachers play
vital roles in the teaching and experiencing of
values in children. Clean surroundings, no matter
how small the schoolhouse, add to the
experience of the value of cleanliness. The
teacher is considered important because he
“stands between the immature learner and the
vast culture of the race as guide and interpreter.”
Thus, it becomes the responsibility of the teacher
to be sensitive to the needs and innate
potentialities of the school child, and to fill the gap
left by the home.

 The church has its own unique contribution to the
formation of the individual’s personality. Unique in a
sense that it has a mission, a commitment in helping
both the home and the community to develop high
sense of values in the young. The church is a social
unit of society which influences the development of
right values. The church is composed of a group of
people who share a common belief with an affirmation
of their faith and who follow the teachings and
precepts of the church doctrines. People constitute
the church, which cannot exist without people. Moral
values, beliefs and percept's of the church take their
first root in the home. The life of a man is identified
with the church and is related to the established
religious culture that men want to live a good, happy
life.

 The environmental factors, as well as the
hereditary characteristics, have their own distinct
contribution to the personality growth of the
individual. As a whole it is desired to develop men
of good
health, intelligence, integrity, dependability, indust
ry, high sense of values and moral character. Our
society need disciplined men who can give their
best, in the interest of sharing in the building of
our nation’s economy.

Personality and Social Interaction
 Personality constantly adjusts to its environment.
Individuals undergo an endless process of
exchange of reactions and responses. Social
interaction is a process stated that the three basic
factors towards which Filipino react strongly and
which they value highly are social
acceptance, economic security, and social
mobility. These are considered the motivating
forces that drive the Filipinos towards the need to
be identified as having the biggest house within
the vicinity, a piano, a radio, a piece of land he
calls his own, a barn to store grain, a car, a
television, a stereo phone, and other status

 Filipinos also take pride in have studied in
exclusive private schools or having gone to
foreign countries. As he strives to gain recognition
and acceptance, the Filipino parent works hard
and sacrifices much to the extent that he is willing
to sell his possessions so that he can send an
older child to school. He is hopeful that when his
son or daughter eventually graduates and
receives a college diploma, to school for an
education and thus establish the family’s status
within the community.

 Father Bulatao’s study on Filipino values was
more or less confined to that of the Manileno’s.
Making use of a self devised projective test which
is called the Philippine Thematic Appreciation
Test (PTAT), adopted from Henry Murray’s
TAT, he studied 50 men and 40 women whose
age levels ranged from 18 to 35 years. Father
Bulatao classified Philippine values into four
categories.
1. Economic and emotional closeness and security
in the family
2. Authority
3. Economic and social betterment

 The results point to the importance of the family
as the starting point in the acquisition of the
above values. All other values studied seem to
centre on the “authority value in general. All other
characteristics observed among Filipinos such as
traditionalism, “hiya” and “amor propio” find their
roots in family training. Father Bulatao, in another
study, categorized the values of Filipino consumer
into what he called
personalism, authoritarianism, and small group
centeredness.

 One of the studies of the anthropologist Mary R.
Hollnsteiner indicate that Filipino place is emphasis
on the value of social acceptance and approval. She
described “pakikisama” as a characteristics unique to
the Filipino and explain this as the need of the
individual to seek his groups acceptance and
approval by unquestioningly following the norms
setup for him at times, to the extent of sacrificing the
welfare of his family. When one considers the
undesirable statuses ascribed to deviants, it becomes
easily to understand why Filipinos have a strong
desire to by which two or more persons are engaged
in an exchange of goods, material or non
material, whereby the behaviour of one is changed by
behaviour of the other. The change may be for good
or for worst. This interpersonal relationship affects the
personality of the individual. Social
interaction, therefore becomes the very essence of

 Social interaction always involves a sense of
mutual obligation or interdependence. Social
interaction is significant not only in the adjustment
of the individual with his social group but also in
maintaining stability of the organization where he
works. The personality of an individual is
determined by the group he socially interacts
with, the way they behave and the way they
evaluate him. The groups
evaluation, expectations, and behaviours patterns
greatly affect the person. These factors become
determinant in the personality dynamics of the
individual. He may changed by the group or he

 Individual Differences and Social interaction –
Individual differences, in the context of their personal
needs and values, play an important role in social
interaction. This is one reason why people generally
seek to socially interact with groups whose condition
and standards suit their personal needs and values.
Social interaction in an organization will have laborers
who associate and interact with fellow laborers and
not with foreman; supervisors interact with other
supervisors and not with vice-presidents. Their
standards of identifying with their peer group in their
work area. When both are of the same level of work
area they tend to have a more effective social
interaction as one enhances the other. Social
interaction tends to bind people together thus
strengthening their performances and cooperation.

Filipino values and Personality
 Behavioural scientist in the Philippines are much
interested in the study of Filipino values in order
to understand the traits and behaviour patterns of
Filipinos. Frank Lynch, S.J., Jaime Bulatao, S.J.
Mary R. Hollnsteiner, John
Carrol, S.J., Beinvinido Lumbrera, Vitalino F.
Gorosper, S.J. and George M. Guthrie are among
those whose studies have shed light on the
Filipino personality.
 Lynch, in his study of lowland Philippine
values, conform to group standards.

 Guthrie’s study of the Filipino personality
structure was based on national character types.
He describes the favourable and unfavourable
cultural traits observable among Filipinos and
enumerated some unfavourable national
characteristics such as “amor propio”, “bahala
na”, “ningas cogon”, the mañana”
habit, inferiority, extravagance, persistence of old
beliefs, non interference and competitiveness'.
On the other hand, he also listed a number of
favourable traits like
modesty, politeness, gentleness, loyalty, hospitalit
y, and love for music.

 Today, more and more behavioural scientist in the
country are moving forward by making intensive
studies of the value system so as to shed greater
light on the behavioural patterns of the Filipinos.
Current values will then be replaced by one that
are more responsive to our modern society.
Although change is difficult, change is inevitable.
The Filipino must change these old established
patterns and values which are no longer
functional in our present times.

How Personality may be
improved?
 Improvement of every individual’s personality may
be achieved by following the given suggestions:
 Lead a well balanced healthy life. Develop good
eating habits and don’t neglect exercise.
 Believe in yourself. Think that you can succeed if
you work hard and determine to learn and
discipline yourself.
 Know what you want for yourself. Determine your
likes and dislikes, your abilities, needs resources
and plans. Know what you can do and what you
are capable of doing.
 Maintain an even disposition no matter how
difficult is the situation. Direct your basic emotions
into worthwhile constructive activities.

improved?
 Accept your own shortcomings. Do not change
what cannot be changed but try to change and
improved what can be changed
 Make friend with the right people. One of the most
important and useful personal traits is the ability to
cultivate and maintain good friends.
 Develop a “ you” attitude in all dealings with
people. Most people think only of themselves.
Focus on the other person’s interests rather than
yours.
 Be an achiever in the business of life. Investment
in time and energy will bring you great dividends
in terms of happy and healthy life.

improved?
 If you are considerate with welfare of others your
life will become more fruitful and happy.
 Know what you want from life, where you want to
go, and what you want to do. Set definite goals in
the right direction in life. Success is made up of
little things we share with others.

Personality

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