Determinants of Personality

We find uniqueness in every person. Some persons

are criminals and others law abiding citizens, some

alcoholics and others teetotallers, some maladjusted

and others well adjusted. There are certain principles

underlying personality development and functioning,

which enable us to understand the variation in the

pattern of behaviour. They involve the influences of

heredity and environment.

A) Biological Factors

These factors include genetic factors and hormonal

factors. Let us examine these factors in some details.

Genetic Factors: Each individual receives a genetic

endowment from his parents which provides for physical

equipment–muscle, glands, sense organs, nerves and

so on. All these parts are essential for one’s development

into an adult human being. Heredity not only provides

potentialities for development but is an important source

of individual differences, as it influences the

determination of certain traits more than other. The

physical features and various constitutional factors

such as sensitivity, vigour, susceptibility to disease,

and intelligence are most clearly influenced by

heredity. Genetic factors may influence the overall

functioning of the organism and lower the individual’s

resistance to physical disease. The most unique aspects

of man’s inheritance are reflected in the brain which

is the most highly organized apparatus in the universe.

The brain produces a fantastic communication network

with tremendous capability for integrating the overall

functioning of the human organism, for interpreting

and ‘storing’ new experiences and for reasoning,

imagining and problem solving.

Hormonal Factors: There are a number of hormonal

factors which influence the development of personality.

Some of the important ones are described below.

1) Endocrine Glands

These glands secrete directly without any tube. The

secretion of these glands is known as harmones which

affect the personality.

i) Pancreas Glands: This gland is related to a tube of

the deudenum. This gland secretes digestive

juices. Insulin is secreted in the body by these

cells, which neutralize blood sugar.

ii) Thyroid Gland: The secretion of this gland is called

thyroxin which influences the rate of physical

growth.

iii) Parathyroid Gland: The main function of this gland

is to control the quantity of calcium which makes

the development of bones and teeth smooth, if its

secretion is smooth.

iv) Adrenal Gland: The secretion from this gland is

called ‘Aderin’, which shapes personality. The

secretion stimulates the blood supply and

influences liver. As a result, fatigue is reduced

and the wastes of the body are released.

v) Pitutary Gland: The harmone secreted from the

anterior part of this gland controls the secretions

of various glands and the secretion from its

posterior part stimulates the petuterin muscle.

vi) Gonad Gland: The secretion from these glands is

called gonadal harmones (Progestin, Androgens

and Estrogens). Due to these secretions males

have masculine traits and females have feminine

qualities.

2) Physique and Health

A person’s worth increases by good physical structure.

Also, if the physical structure is defective, the chances

are high that he/she would suffer from a number of

health problems.

3) Body Chemistry

The various chemical changes taking place in different

centres of brain and body have an important effect on

a person’s personality. If the chemical changes are

not in proper order the person suffers from various

problems. Thus due to deficiency of glycogen in the

muscles a person will exhaust soon and will appear

lazy, depressed, frustrated and irritated.

4) Maturation and Personality

Maturation decides how and what a person will learn.

The development of many personality traits depends

upon learning. If the maturation is not smooth then

his learning and personality will be adversely effected.

5) Genetic and Somatic Factors

The characteristics of a child are often found to be

like their parents. It is because of heredity of the

child and the environment created by the guardians,

in which the child is brought up. There are several

studies of twins which show that personality

development is effected by heredity. It is also observed

that during pregnancy activeness of mother, her diet,

fetus, requirements, emotional status of mother affect

the personality of a new born child.

B) Environmental Factors

The psychological development of a person is constantly

shaped by the forces in his or her environment. Even

people with similar inheritance show different

characteristics. The sociocultural environment

influences the development of individuals even more

dramatically through the learning of the language he

speaks, the customs he follows, the values he believes

in, and the competencies which he develops to deal

with life’s problems. We find that groups of people

foster specific culture patterns by the systematic

teaching of the younger members of their groups.

Such practices tend to make all members of the group

somewhat alike, or as Linton (1945) has put it, to

establish, “the basic personality types.”

According to Mead (1949) people reared in societies

which do not sanction violence will settle their

differences in nonviolent ways. In New Guinea two

tribes of similar social origin, living in the same general

geographical area, were found to have developed

diametrically opposed characteristics : the Arapesh

were a kindly, peaceful, cooperative people; the

Mundugumor were warlike, suspicious, competitive and

vengeful. These differences emerge in the social

conditions.

Each individual belongs to a somewhat unique pattern

of sub groups and experiences a unique pattern of

interpersonal relationships. Participation in the sociocultural

environment may vary across individuals. It

may be said that the socio cultural environment is

the source of differences as well as commonalities in

personality development. The environmental factors

may be divided into two categories

i) Geographical Factors

ii) Social Factors

A brief description of Social factors are as follows :

1) Parental Factors

i) Importance of Mother: Certain studies conducted

in this field point out that, out of all environmental

factors, the person is affected most by his relations

with mother during early period. Harlow (1966)

conducted a study on baby monkeys and indicated

that due to lonely early development the baby

monkey fails to establish healthy social relations

with its companions. Similar results were observed

by Spitz (1949), and Yarrow (1963), in the studies

conducted on human babies. Early maternal

deprivation is found to be related to pathology in

personality development.

ii) Importance of Father: Like mother the presence

and absence of father affects the personality of a

child. Mischel (1958) saw that the child’s

socialization and development was influence by

the absence of father. In particular the fatherchild

relationship influences the nature of future

sexual relationship of the child.

iii) Other Family Members: It is observed that if the

members of the family are affectionate to the

child and help her to fulfill the requirements,

teach her good habits, then such things definitely

help the child to develop positive aspects in

personality.

iv) Size of the Family: The size of the family also

affects the development of personality. If there

are more members in the family then language

and other mental abilities of the child develop

faster. Contrary to it, in the case of an only child

in the family, due to more care, love and affection,

the child becomes obstinate and pampered.

v) Economic status of the family: The economic

condition of the family also affects the personality.

The children of a poor family may develop a feeling

of inferiority and insecurity. Similarly, due to

lack of facilities and nutritious diet, their physical

and mental development is arrested.

2) School and Peer Groups

The neighbourhood is an important factor affecting

personality development. Children learn certain habits

and behaviours from children of neighbourhood with

whom they interact. Their intellectual and emotional

development is also affected. After a few years the

child goes to school and experiences patterns of

adjustment within the school and community setting.

The child in school is affected by teacher’s behaviour

and school environment. Child’s self perception is

often found significantly related to the quality of school

experiences. Child’s social and emotional development

is shaped by the school atmosphere and peer group.

3) Cultural Factors

The culture to which one belongs is an important

factor which affects the child’s behaviour and

development. There are cultural variations in different

societies and the pattern of personality of children is

shaped by the various features of culture. The pattern

of child rearing, values, norms and incentives vary

from culture to culture. Consisting of shared meanings

and practices, different cultures help development of

different traits of personality.