Personality is the characteristics that explains why individuals behave the way they do. Mullins (2007). The characteristics include being dependant, having self control and conscientiousness. There are two different types of approaches and theory’s that were discovered that make individuals personality. These are:
- Nature
- Nurture
Nature and nurture approach shows the contributions of genetic inheritance and environmental factors to human development.
Nature:
Nature is behaviour that is a result of your genes. It passes on characteristics from one generation to another which is known as heredity. Individuals inherit physical characteristics such as eye colour and nose shape. This approach believes that most individual’s characteristics, appearance, intelligence and sexual orientation are also in the individuals DNA.
Nurture:
Most sociologists say that society shapes up an individual’s behaviour and personality. Nurture is the effect the people in you life had on you growing up. An example would be the values your parents taught you. Nature is the genetics you received, like eye colour. According to most social determinist perspective, an individual’s genes will have little effect but the environment, and the media will help an individual become the person you are and this process is known as socialisation.
Many theorists have debated over the years whether personality and characteristics are adopted from our genes or the social environment.
Another two approaches that explains individual’s personalities and whether all traits exist in all people are:
- Idiographic approach
- Nomothetic approach
Idiographic approach:
The idiographic approach is when individuals have unique personality therefore some qualities, also knows as cardinal traits, and is more important than others. Mullins, L.J (2007). Managers of an organisation need to take into account a whole understanding of an individual at work. This includes their characteristics and behaviour and what motivates their employees, their career development and their relationship towards the team. Managers are required to understand their employee’s uniqueness and the employee’s development in self concept. Mullins, L.J (2007). Idiographic approach regards personality development to be a process that is open to change and to allow the individual to respond and behave according to the situation they are in.
Nomothetic approach:
This approach identifies people's unique personalities that can be understood as them having relatively greater or lesser amounts of traits. These characteristics can describe and identify the individual as a person therefore they can get put through to observation. Mullins, L.J (2007). This approach is important for managers to identify whether the individuals chosen have the right personality and characteristics in order to get put through training and selection. This approach says personality is inherited and individuals and adapt to different environment and changes. Mullins (2007) says that individual’s behaviour changes due to the situation and their personality to each situation will be different.
To conclude the two approaches, nomothetic approach is more related to individuals behaviour which is inherited from their family that makes them the person that they are whereas idiographic approach is more to do with the managers of the organisation that need to understand their employees personality’s.
“Do you feel nature or nurture is the dominant influence?”
I believe both nature and nurture is the dominant influence to individual’s personality. This debate is tries to figure out whether nature or nurture influences how individual’s differences begin. I believe nature plays a big part on an individual’s personality as it is inherited in the genes and is a part of an individual when they are born. For example, if a parent is really intellectual, the child may also be really intellectual as it is genetic. However, I also believe nurture is the biggest influence for the characteristics of an individual’s personality. I believe this because if a person is brought up in a bad area where they dress inappropriately and speak bad language, the individual will pick up and become like everyone around them as they will believe it’s a norm. However, nature can also stop this from occurring as if the individual’s parents are calm and polite and they live in a polluted area, the child may learn from their parents and be like them. Therefore it is hard to debate against whether nature or nurture is the dominant influence for an individual’s personality.
BBC Personality:
I took part in the BBC personality test and below is what my results show about me.
For openness, I scored low 3.2 out of 5. This trait is sometimes known as ‘Openness to experience’. This showed that I have less broad range of interest and I usually stick to my usual stuff rather than trying out something overly different. I believe this is true as I’m not always comfortable with trying new things. This also says that generating lots of imaginative ideas is not my biggest strength, which I believe is also true.
For conscientiousness I scored a meduim 3.6 out of 5. Conscientiousness describes how dependable, organised and hard-working a person is likely to be. This may be the reason why conscientiousness is the most consistent indicator of job success out of all the personality traits. This score shows that im not a workaholic but I go like to achieve a good work life which is balanced. It has also said that I enjoy planning aspects of my life and may indulge in occasional list-making, but am I unlikely to be hesitant to behaving spontaneously.
I have scored 3.4 out of 5 for extroversion. Extroversion is characterised by positive emotions and the tendency to seek out pleasure-stimulating or risk-taking activities. This means that I am comfortable meeting new people and do enjoy social occasions, which is true as I love meeting new people. This also says that I have a generally positive outlook on life and display a greater gift for leadership.
The highest score I got on this personality test if on agreeableness which was 4.1 out of 5. Agreeableness measures how sympathetic and considerate a person is likely to be and I do believe that’s the kind of person that I am. It says I am likely to find it very easy to get along with other people, which is true and believe that I am sensitive to the feelings of others and people do find it easy to warm to me. It says “As a 'people person' you will probably be very comfortable in situations that require teamwork”. I completely agree to this quote as I am a good team member.
For the final trait, neuroticism, I scored a medium 3.1 out of 5. Neuroticism is how people respond and react to threatening or stressful situations. It says I am likely to be comparatively level-headed about perceived threats, but I find myself worrying when faced with uncertainty or unfamiliar situations. I completely agree as I’m not really a strong person who can handle treats and difficult situations.
To conclude this topic, I believe that it is really important for organisations to evaluate and analyse an individual’s personality and behaviour and see whether they will settle in and are suitable. Also, to conclude the nature and nurture debate, no-one can tell whether nature or nurture has the biggest influence on an individual’s personality. It all depends on the individual its self and how they were taught things as they have been growing up.
Reference:
- Mullins, L J. ( 2007) Management And Organisational Behaviour. 8th Ed. Pearsons Education Limited: Essex
- Wilson, P & Kidd, A (1998) Sociology, London: Harper Collins. Publish LTD
