Personality

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorUniversity, Bachelor's February 2008

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An essay about personalities and discussion about personality theorists.

Personality ?Each person has a unique pattern of thinking, behaving, and expressing his or her feelings? (Coon, 2004, p. 509). Each day we come into contact with so many different and unique people that each possesses distinctive qualities and traits that form their personality. Personality is a wonderful thing as it lets you be as creative and wacky as you want. It is a difference and uniqueness of personality that creates such special bonds between people, and allows for great love, friendship and families to form. This paper will discuss what personality is and the types of temperament personalities that exist. It will also discuss major personality theories such as trait theories, psychodynamic theories, behaviorist and social theories, and humanistic theories. Along with each of the theories will be the discussion and closer look at a particular theorist and how they contributed to the study of that theory.

Personality refers to the constancy in who each individual is, has been, or who he/she will become. It also refers to other special considerations such as talents, values, hopes, loves, hates, interests, and habits that make each person unique (Coon, 2004). The term personality comes from the Latin word Persona which means mask (Hergenhahn, 1974). When viewing personality as a mask, it represents the public self that people display to the world. We all know that each person is unique in their own way, and presents themselves to others with varying styles and manners. It is individuality that makes a difference in this world, since each and everyday you come into contact with a new person. Knowing how people perceive themselves, and identify with their personality is just as important as knowing your behaviors. Personality is said to be greatly guided and initiated...