Personality is a dynamic, growing thing, different in each person. Individuals are different from each other even at birth, in physical appearance, motivity or temperament. These differences become more pronounced and complex with increasing age and maturity. They acquire more characteristics as a result of their interaction with the environment which is different from person to person. Thus the process goes on, each one of us developing a personality different from the others.
What causes these variations? Why do we develop different personalities inspite of basic or fundamental similarities? The answer to these questions can be found in the following discussions of the various factors which influence the growth of personality. We can classify these factors under three heads: (i) the physiological and physical factors (it) the environmental or social factors and (iii) the psychological or mental factors.
These include the physique of the individual his size, strength, looks and constitution. They also include the physical deficiencies and the nature of glandular functioning. Physical appearance is the first thing that attracts our attention in meeting a person and our judgement of him is inheritably coloured by it. An attractive physical appearance helps to create self-confidence, poise, self-reliance and other similar personality traits in the individual.
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A large person generally enjoys a forceful and impressive personality. He may develop a tendency to bully, or to dominate or to protect. The smaller man may feel belittled in the presence of large and tall people; he may try to compensate for his physical inferiority by being strenuous and hard-working. Similarly physical attractiveness, strength and general health may determine in others certain reactions and traits.
But it must be remembered that these things, in themselves, are not the major factors in the determination of one’s personality. What is important is how others react to these characteristics, how the group evaluates the presence or absence of these characteristics.
Physical handicaps such as orthopaedic defects, a bad squint in the eye, snub nose or deafness etc. may cause shyness, reserve and unsociability in persons.
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The endocrine glands produce harmones which have the power to raise or depress the activity of the various organs. They influence emotional behaviour and hence colour our personality. They bring about changes in physical appearance, motor functioning, intelligence and emotional stability. For example an excess of insulin secreted by pancreas may take the individual fatigued, anxious or tremulous.
Hypothyroidism may cause sluggishness inertia or dullness, dewiness or stupidity, whereas hyperthyroidism may cause nervous tension, excitement and activity. The disturbances caused by glandular imbalance may become worse because of the adverse comments and remarks of the other people.
The physiological conditions of the body brought about by drugs, disease diet, toxins and bacterial infections may also influence our behaviour and personality. The changes brought by these conditions may not be always permanent. Alcohol depresses certain control functions and results in an apparent stimulating effect. Low blood-pressure results in irritability and apprehensive feelings. Chronic illnesses may induce attitudes of dependence and “fatalism”. A syphilitic infection of the brain or general paresis may change a truthful, meticulous person into one who is dishonest and completely unreliable.
Eucephalitis lethargica may cause serious behaviour problems in a child who has been a joy to both his parents and his teachers. Even localised infections such as infected teeth, tonsils or appendix have been found to play havoc not only with digestion, circulation and other physiological processes but have been found to have adverse effect on the process of feeling, thinking and general temperament.
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Man is a social animal. Psychologists call him a human plant, planted in the social soil, that grows as it spreads its roots in the soil. So society and human being become one total bio-sphere. The organism and the environment constitute the biosphere. Both are inter-dependent and interacting. The environment constitutes.
(a) The surrounding geographical and biological environment.
(b) The cultural heritage, and the social setting. The latter environment is more important in the development of personality. The existing world for a man is more than a play of atoms, charges, waves or tone. He finds some purpose in life explores ideals – ideals of truth, beauty and goodness – and imposes judgement of things accordingly. The environment influences are discussed below.