Unique People, Unique Personalities
All people are fundamentally different. Each of us wants different things in life, and we differ in motives, purposes, goals, values, needs, desires, and impulses. Because we differ in what we believe and how we think, understand, and comprehend, our actions and behaviors are also different. These differences make us truly unique individuals, but they also are a major source of conflict or misunderstanding when dealing with others.
When conflict or misunderstandings arise, attempting to force yourself or someone else to alter personality characteristics is not possible. Personality is fundamental and deeply ingrained in each individual. While we may be partially successful in bringing about limited changes in a person close to us, the result is more likely to be harmful than helpful. It is important to realize that we can harm people for whom we care when we assume differences are personality flaws.
We must learn to accept those close to us—our parents, sisters, brothers, friends, and others. This is not to imply that we must agree with them or adopt their values as our own. As we begin to understand someone, we can also begin to appreciate that person's uniqueness. We must accept that there are different types of people in the world, and we must learn to live with them. To begin the complex task of understanding people in our lives, we must first begin to study and understand ourselves better.
Figure 1.1 and Figure 1.2. We cannot change the people around us. Accepting our loved ones as they are is an important step toward building healthy relationships.
Television shows and movies often include stereotypical or exaggerated characters that illustrate various personality types. "Reality" television shows include a diverse collection of personalities in order to create entertainment and conflict. Whether real or simply put-on, the dynamics of the personalities often take center-stage in these programs because the collision of distinct personalities adds to the drama. Simon Cowell, who gained fame as a judge on the American Idol singing competition, was often blunt, arrogant, and abrasive when critiquing contestants. Cowell sometimes became frustrated with Paula Abdul, his ever-optimistic fellow judge who heaped kindness and praise on contestants, even those with modest singing talent.
In competition-based reality shows, gifted teams and individuals often fail due to an inability to work with people who have different personalities. Below are some personality types often seen in television shows and movies.
· Villains are aggressive, dishonest, or rude.
· Victims are weak, vulnerable, or whiny.
· Drama queens are emotional, outspoken, or self-absorbed.
· Heroes are honest, mature, or self-disciplined.
· Peacemakers are open, flexible, or tactful.
An Internet search of "personality" or "personality traits" yields more lists, references, theories, and assessments than you can count. These efforts to classify human personality extend from Ancient Greece up to the present time; see this list (compiled by Bruce Maxwell, Morehead State University) for examples of personality typing systems that have been used through the centuries.
One personality assessment is based on the characters in A. A. Milne's popular Winnie-the-Pooh stories. If you are familiar with the main characters—Pooh, Rabbit, Tigger, and Eeyore—do you know people who share the characters' personality traits?
· Pooh is friendly, laid-back, and cheerful.
· Rabbit is quick, organized, and busy.
· Tigger is optimistic, funny, and social.
· Eeyore is pessimistic, glum, and logical.
Personality and Career Direction
John Holland was a professor at Johns Hopkins University and an expert in the field of human personality. He found that personality influences career interests and job satisfaction. Specific personalities are better suited to certain work environments, so he developed a model that identifies personality types and matches them with occupations and careers. Although this is only one theory in personality assessment and career exploration, it merits attention.
Holland identified six personality types that he believed were determined by a combination of factors affecting each person. These included heredity, family, peers, social class, and environment. By no means are Holland's personality types defined by strict boundaries. Each one of us has some characteristics of all six types, which are listed below. By exploring the personality type with which we have the most in common, we can gain a greater insight into ourselves and potential occupations.
1. Realistic: practical, physical, hands-on, tool-oriented
2. Investigative: analytical, intellectual, scientific, explorative
3. Artistic: creative, original, independent, chaotic
4. Social: cooperative, supporting, helping, healing/nurturing
5. Enterprising: competitive, practices strong leadership, persuasive
6. Conventional: detail-oriented, organized, clerical
Holland believed that people of the same personality type gathered in the same kinds of environments. For example, he said people who are extroverted, or outgoing, seek social and work environments in which they can meet and talk to other people. Similarly, artistic people tend to find environments in which their talents are appreciated. Generally, we all look for the environment in which we feel most comfortable. When you identify your personality type, you are better able to make wise choices. The following activity will give you a more detailed exploration of these six personality types.