How do a Personality Becomes?
When we think of the term "personality," one useful association to make is that of "pulling it all together." Personality concerns each of us directly and intimately as we have indicated previously. We see our own personality in terms of not only what we are but what we would like to be. An individual's personality is evaluated by observing his or her normal ways of adjusting to various situations.
Individual differences are revealed in so many situations, and are repeated so often in those people that we get to know well, that we are almost constantly observing personality differences. In a smallgroup situation, for example, we see one person who is aggressive and wants to run things. Another straddles every issue cautiously. A third may be oversensitive and feel a personal attack if anyone criticizes or questions his or her opinions. One person may be able to evaluate different points of view objectively; another will color them with his own prejudices. Important in the concept of personality is consistency of behavior. This consistency allows us not only to recognize an individual by behavior but also to help predict what he or she will do in a given situation, We see personality as external appearance and behavior, as inner awareness of self, and as unique patterns of measurable, fairly permanent traits; in short personality is something that involves the whole person.
