“Characters get hardened in the midst of life’s storms“, Johann Goethe.
Character is a system of stable, permanent mental properties that determine a person’s attitudes and behavior. Character traits show the most significant, essential properties of mental structure depending on the surrounding conditions. The branch of psychology that deals with the study of differences between characters is called differential psychology.
Character in the structure of personality
“Create problems for yourself if it is in your character, but do not create them for those around you,” Rudyard Kipling.
Temperament and character have a common physiological basis depending on the type of higher nervous activity. Unlike temperament, which is a set of innate traits, character is the result of the impact of family, social factors. Character formation depends on the properties of temperament and social prerequisites, resulting in a unique portrait of personality, which is called the phenotype.
The main types of temperament: choleric-melancholic, sanguine-phlegmatic, which can manifest a variety of traits. Both choleric and phlegmatic can be curious, sympathetic, or demure, reserved.
Personal characteristics of character are manifested in different directions: in the attitude of the person to the people around him, to the environment, to his own or other people’s things. Depending on the category of attitudes can be separate traits:
On the cognitive, Intellectual – thoughtfulness, resourcefulness, rationality, consistency, curiosity or indifference, absent-mindedness;
On the behavioral-willful– Accuracy, activity, initiative, persistence, persistence, sociability, courage, responsibility, determination or passivity, inertness, obedience, modesty;
on an emotional, moral and ethical level– Many characteristics that easily coexist within a single personality, such as, pride, altruism, selfishness, capriciousness, sincerity, impulsiveness, fairness, responsiveness, greed, arrogance, moodiness, secrecy, cruelty.
“The slowest person going toward his or her own goal is still faster than the one who wanders aimlessly“, Gottold Lessing.
Of course, character traits are also interconnected with the system of motivation, which provides the needs of the person and determines how to achieve the goals in the process of making managerial decisions. Intrinsic motivation is the mental process that governs human behavior, the impetus for action that sets one’s activity, organization, direction, and stability. A calm and well-balanced person has some motives and ways of acting, while a more impulsive person has quite a different one.
There are many typologies of character, the most famous of which belongs to Carl Gustav Jung, who distinguishes two types of character depending on the direction of mental processes
Introverts– Live “on their own wave”, focused on their own world-view, regardless of the real environment. They are withdrawn, mistrustful, as they say, antisocial personalities.
Extroverts– People who are outwardly-oriented, proactive, sociable, direct, and have no problem communicating with others and do not dwell on internal problems.
Stages of growing up
“If you want to remake someone else’s character, start with your own; it’s healthier and safer“, Dale Carnegie.
It is not without reason that they say that the character must be nurtured while the child is lying across the bench, psychologists confirm that the dominant traits of character develop before the age of 6-7 years. Then they change, they adjust, but in general brain, neural, reactive connections are already set up in a certain way depending on the conditions of upbringing and growing up.
Then until adolescence at the age of 12-13 years there is a formation of behavioral reactions, specific algorithms of behavior, the child begins to comprehend the boundaries of the permitted, learns to manipulate, to achieve the desired. During this period, the foundations are laid for self-control, self-esteem, and all the mechanisms of interaction with others, whom the child differentiates as “their own” and “others’. He tries to pretend, to disguise, to hide “disadvantageous” character traits.
“The easiest way to understand a person’s character is when he is angry or offended“, Georg Lichtenberg.
In adolescence to 18 years there is a sharp diversification of character, which the young person is actively demonstrating and trying to earn public recognition. The adolescent is sure that only in opposition to generally accepted norms and rules, he or she can show what he or she is capable of, how far he or she can go in trying to establish “his or her territory.
The eternal problem of “fathers and children” shows the conservatism of the older generation and the rebelliousness of the younger, but, as they say, the only drawback of youth is that it passes quickly. And yesterday’s rebels and troublemakers become law-abiding citizens and responsible parents.
“A person’s character is like the roots of a tree, and reputation is its fruit. We are more concerned with the fruit, when in fact we should think about the root and the origin“, Abraham Lincoln.
After vocational training, many people come to work at the age of 25 as mature, independent individuals, quite independent of the opinions of relatives and others. During this period, there is often a reassessment of one’s position in life, which is reflected in one’s character and behavior; yesterday’s rebels and improvisers become more predictable. They are engaged in self-development, trying to rethink their situation, trying to create serious relationships in family life. After 30 years, the nature of the person changes little, it should contribute to significant circumstances.
The conditions of character formation
“Many are able to withstand the blows of fate, but if you want to really test a man’s character, give him power,” Abraham Lincoln.
The basic prerequisites and conditions of character formation:
Psychophysiological Background, Peculiarities of cerebral functioning, excitation and inhibition processes, resistance and reactivity levels define differences in the speed of human thinking and acting, in ways of reacting to external stimuli.
Family relations– the child unconsciously copies the family model of behavior, perceiving it as the only available and “correct” one. It is impossible to indoctrinate a child with some rules of behavior and act differently; he or she will be guided by actions, not words. The ability to imitate, to repeat certain actions is an evolutionary mechanism of survival and recognition as “one’s own.
Social relations and standards– in preschool, during school, with friends or relatives, in various communal activities and organizations. The teenager comprehends cultural and historical, moral and moral norms and values, “tries on” them for himself, chooses the most preferable. Each person meets many people, overcomes many problematic situations which imprint on his or her way of thinking and acting. This is especially true of authoritative, respected personalities, in whom the individual trusts undividedly. The fact is that we generally perceive the meaning and content of other people’s words and deeds, if we are used to trusting a person, it is difficult for us to assume that he may be mistaken or deliberately deceive us. It is convenient and helps to save time so that every time we don’t have to analyze and control another person’s opinion.
Social ideological precepts and requirementsrelate to individuals with a high level of cultural development. This includes categories such as humanism, charity, patience, pacifism, patriotism, justice, sense of duty and responsibility.
Professional environment– Is a special branch of psychology that studies professional-labor qualities and attitudes. Of course, the field of communication and application of professional skills forms certain traits and qualities of character. Athletes and scientists have very different ways and methods of communicating, advancing, and interacting with those around them.
Creative sphere– Any personal or professional hobbies that involve creative, artistic and entertainment abilities. These can be any actions, projects, individually or collectively, which are directly manifested in the character of a person’s thinking and actions.
Character is destiny
“Sow a deed and you reap a habit, sow a habit and you reap a character, sow a character and you reap a destiny“William Thackeray.
Day by day, each of us creates the most comfortable, practical system of relations with others. And to change one “brick”, sometimes you have to break down the whole wall. Therefore, do not try to force relations or sharply manifest the so-called “character”, give others the opportunity to get used to or adjust, so as not to destroy in an instant what has been created for years.
Sharp, inconsistent character traits can ruin personal and professional relationships, there is no merit or cause for pride. “Learn to control yourself, not everyone, as I will understand you, inexperience leads to trouble” (A.s. Pushkin).
Of course, a patient, benevolent character is not a guarantee of well-being or marital happiness. Nevertheless, can bring its owner an undoubted benefit, at least in the process of overcoming conflict, stressful situations.
It was not up to you what living conditions and hereditary traits you got from your parents, but it is up to you to pass on to your offspring. You can’t justify your reckless actions with a “difficult childhood” or mental trauma. A mature character is characterized precisely by the ability to react adequately and “digest” what is happening, including the consequences of previous lives.
