This is the third article in a series I intend to write regarding Human Personality.
In every species there is variation between individuals. According to Darwin those individuals with the most characteristics, that suit their environment, will have a greater chance of progression and enhancing reproductive processes that will advance their progeny in coming generations.
Such thinking seems to be held for human physical characteristics. For example, large parents tend to produce large offspring; dark skinned parents generally do not produce fair skinned children. Thus, many Psychologists have been prompted to study biological and genetic foundations for human personality.
In the study of aggression, boys have been shown to be more aggressive than girls. Does the sex of an individual determine personality?
Another question regarding personality asks, regarding a connection between body type and personality, can the old adage that fat people are jolly and thin ones reserved, hold true? Predictions such as these would seem to suggest that biological roots, that dictate many physical qualities in human offspring, may well determine the personality of the individual.
This argumentation has a commonsense tone to it, and sometimes initiates searches for biological determinants of personality in the human.
Other powerful research, that points to the idea that the wiring in the brain exerts a great deal of influence over personality, is prevalent in the Psychological literature.
Hans Eysenck has suggested that humans are separated on an introverted/extroverted dimension. Those that are introverted need far less brain stimulation than those who are extroverted. As this dimensional difference in the human is a result of brain wiring then, according to Eysenck, personality differences are a biological result.
More research, such as that regarding internal/external locus of control, (which states that the individual tends to be motivated by differing levels of internal or external stimuli), seems also to support a biological basis for Human personality. Some of these and other findings about genetically based personality will be discussed in future articles.
Most research in recent times, however, suggests that there is more to human personality than biological roots.
The thought that, the experiences of the individual play a significant role in the determination of the Human personality, is paramount in many experiments.
Just how much does biology contribute to personality? Which is the most important factor governing Human personality, biology or psychology?
Psychological theorists differ, in the extreme, to the weight either biology or psychology has on personality determinants. Some reseachers state, that biology plays almost no part at all, while others believe that, it is crucial to the formation of the Human Personality.
In reality, such questions cannot be fully answered. Biological and psychological determinants cannot be considered separately. These two elements act in concert and their relationship is a most complex interaction.
In my next article I will look at some of the different schools of Psychological thought on this topic and will begin to form conclusions about the basis of human personality.

Dr. Maher has spent the last 10 years working with programs in Internet marketing. His center of interest is in developing techniques and skills necessary to make an online business successful. See further information at: http://www.DrDonMaher.info

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This is the second article in a series I intend to write about the importance of the study of human personality. Understanding another's personality, to some extent, points us to the understanding of why someone behaves one way rather than another. Thus a chance to modify behaviour and control a piece of the world that otherwise would be stressful to our existence.
Definition of Personality
There are many ways to define personality and a precise meaning is difficult to state. However, it is totally accepted that personality exists. Because personality has so many facets, and that people are so complex it is necessary to approach personality from a number of viewpoints to gain a clear perspective. Most agree however, that we all have a personality.
For simplicity, I believe that personality is the way in which a person does such things as talking, remembering, thinking, loving and acting. Further, I think that each of us have a unique personality just as we have unique fingerprints and that no two people are EXACTLY alike in the manner we think, feel, or act.
The Stability of Personality
Is personality stable or consistent across all situations? If people are unique then they should react in similar ways over time and differing variable situations. Of course this does not mean that each of us act perfectly consistent to all circumstances, however, there must be a certain level of stability and constant behaviour so as we may recognise same actions and attitudes in people in differing situations.
So we can say that a generally happy individual, will take to most situations faced, a different behavioural disposition than that of the generally sorrowful person. Thus we can often say about someone, "there goes Ben, no matter what problem he faces it seems that he is able to keep a smile on his face".
Keep in mind this aspect, however, that the makeup of aggression, dependency, sexuality and other personality determinants will ensure that each individual will have measurably different reactions to every situation because of the composite of their personality makeup.
In the Psychological literature there is a consistent block of feeling that the specific nature, of the situations in which people find themselves is a very potent determinant of behaviour. Further that a situation may have more effect on resulting behaviour than the personality components that go to make up an individual's reactions. For me however, it is hard to see how it is possible to have a psychology of personality without some stability and consistency in thinking, feeling or acting.
Personality Elements
While it is not too difficult to accept the above arguments that personality can be defined by consistency and endurance, it is a huge jump to make an agreeable argument as to which elements within a personality are consistent.
Personality components such as, aggression, affection, dependency, and happiness etc., certainly play a part in the individual's behaviour patterns. However, which of the components, that go to make up an individual's personality, are treated for cause and endurance very differently by alternate Psychological paradigms. There is no one way in which personality can be viewed.
Individual differences within personality are accounted for in many theories in many different ways.
In some following articles I will consider some of the main differences of opinion between the most prominent Psychological research results concerning human personality theory.
Psychological Views of Personality
Over time and through the differing schools of Psychological thought personality theory has vastly altered, each school of thought adding and/or subtracting theory in an evolutionary process lasting over 150 years.
Theorists who have proposed a habit or trait approach to personality have been forced to ratify, or at least rectify, their definitions and findings by those coming after them with new and more critical results (such as the social learning theorist's perspective). Each new set of findings regarding personality has expanded the knowledge base and forced a further viewpoint regarding the definitions of, and the makeup of, individual differences in the human personality.

Dr. Maher has spent the last10 years working with programs in Internet marketing. His center of interest is in developing techniques and skills necessary to make an online business successful. See further information at: http://www.DrDonMaher.info

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It is my intention on these pages to air some thoughts regarding understanding the importance of differences between human personalities. The theory of Personality remains one of the most written about and discussed constructs in the Psychological literature. A problem however arises, because of the difficulty of interpretation of Psychological "jargon", for the average reader. Consequently, it is very frustrating for most to gain access to the findings and revelations that Psychology has to offer on this important subject.
As with all professions and most disciplines, Psychology has a language all its own, and it takes a number of years of study and everyday usage before a true understanding of psychological words, phrases and tenets can be readily interpreted. My purpose here is to simplify the Psychological "mumbo jumbo."
When couched in simple terms Personality theory is easy to understand and a valuable and usable tool of which all in society should have a thorough understanding. For the last 150 years Psychologists have studied observations and recorded findings regarding personality interactions, motivations, and behaviours between humans. These evolutionary records should be made understandable to all.
Why Study Personality.
It is my belief that there is no more important field of study in Psychology than that of Personality. The study of human personality is the study of the differences that occur between individuals. Through the study of personalities in differing environments and social situations we get to understand, and be able to predict, the behavioural complexities that exist between us all.
Living in close society demands that we fully, as possible, understand and are able to predict, the behaviours of those (as well as ourselves) to a high degree of accuracy. We need to KNOW how others will behave in differing situations and how people will respond, given the same problems, and the same incentives. Further, understanding developed personality in others gives us the tools to modify the behaviour of both ourselves and others, and to understand how and why such changes can occur.
On an individual basis, it is perfectly natural for the human species to want to know about itself. To know what we are, how we became this way, what are the common threads that run between us, and what makes us different from each other, is indispensable knowledge needed for the human race to survive. Understanding Personality theory helps supply answers to some of these questions. Personal insight for us and the ability to predict behaviour patterns in others eases the stress of close social living. By understanding personality we gain a control of anxiety-provoking circumstances. We also gain control of our environment, and our interpersonal interactions.
We are bound to others in virtually everything we do. How we think, how we feel and how we act demands attention to the behaviour of others. We must come to terms with the people with whom we mix and with those that enter our daily lives. So we must understand to a high degree the motivations, desires and actions of our fellow humans. Personality disclosures help us to decipher and predict what will happen should things go wrong in awry situations.
We need to be able to describe ourselves in terms that others will understand. We also need to understand others in terms we know well and to which we can easily relate. Personality theory highlights the answers to these understanding needs and indicates how we should change things for the future to produce more successful social interactions.
In short then, knowing how individuals differ in their personality characteristics reveals how each individual may respond differently in the same situation.
Learning about personality is also important for us to discover how personality characteristics are formed and acquired. Such knowledge then offers us the chance to modify and change characteristics that are undesirable in ourselves and others.
Consequently, by understanding another's personality, to some extent, points us to the understanding of why someone behaves one way rather than another. Thus a chance to modify behaviour and control a piece of the world that otherwise would be stressful to our existence.
It is my hope that this article will illustrate the importance for understanding the differences in human personality and why we must continue to explore the human mindset.

Dr. Maher has spent the last 10 years working with programs in Internet marketing. His center of interest is in developing techniques and skills necessary to make an online business successful. See further information at: http://www.DrDonMaher.info

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