PERSONALITY

Personality


Each person has their own type of personality.
Some are influenced by their surroundings, yet some are taught by their parents. No one way is the right way. Can people change their personality ? Can people use their personality to get something they require ?
Although the answer should be yes, it would depend on the type of person you are. Your personality is categorised in two ways, Nature or Nurture.

Nature
According to scientists, a person who has a nature personality, has it because of their heredity. They feel that this type of personality is in the genes. In an article in Life magazine George Howe Colt states that after new studies, it has been shown that someones personality is mostly in the genes. (about.com, 2010)

Nurture
A person who's personality comes from their environment, is most likely to be in the nurture category. Depending on their environment , and their attitude towards achievement, can help change someones personality. Studies on infants and young children have proven that they can be trained, or conditioned, so as to achieve a given task.

With the Nature Vs Nurture debate, it has been shown that whilst it is in your genes, and it helps make you behave in a certain way, it does not make someone do something they do not want to do.
Two websites that review this debate are :
http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/phsychology/nature_nurture.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/16572/the_childhood_development_nature_vs.html

Personality test
The first test taken was from http://www.initforlife.com/home/tm.asp
This involved answering a selected amount of questions, each about how you react to others, how you see yourself etc. Each answer was from 1-5 of agree to disagree, and 3 being neither agree or disagree.
The results were calculated and given in order of how you came. Each section was to do with areas of the brain and how you think.

1. Sensitivity - helps for perception
2. sociability - spontaneous action
3. Insight - creates personal meaning
4. Logic - helps draw conclusions
5. Charisma - gives inspirational action
6. Pro activity - setting goals by direct action
7. Order - stores precise information
8. Control - organized action

The scores showed that you feel emotion and are sensitive to other peoples feelings.

The second test was from http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/whatamilike/index.shtml

The big personality test involved answering questions about your life, growing up, health etc. The results were given by means of a big 5 graph, and calculated out of a total mark of 5.

1. Openness - Dislikes trying new things ( scored 3.2/5)
2. Conscientiousness - Dependable and organized ( scored 4.3/5)
3. Extroversion - Positive outlook ( scored 3.4/5)
4. Agreeableness - Sympathetic and considerate ( scored 4.2/5)
5. Neuroticism - Powerful work ethic, a will to succeed ( scored 3.1/5)

By calculating the results, against each other, it showed that the person was a prime candidate for employers. showing a great will to succeed.

Conclusion

Although the findings were calculated on a choice of given questions, they could be re-taken and give different results. The idea of personality tests can be used as a guide to someones way of thinking, or reacting to a situation. Results are easy to fabricate, by means of false answers. A person may seem to be unsuitable for a position, yet when interviewed the candidate can be seen for who they are.

Research on babies and young children have found that a persons personality is in their genes, yet other research has shown that a person can change their personality, depending on the situation. Richard Branson had dyslexia, and came from a poor upbringing. Yet he went to university and by the age of 16 succeeded in a business. By the age of 32 he had made millions of pounds. Since forming Virgin he has become one of the most successful businessmen in the world. Was that Nature or Nurture ?

References

About.com, 2010. Genealogy. [Online] Available at: http://genealogy.about.com/cs/geneticgenealogy/a/nature_nurture.htm [Accessed 3 May 2010]