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What are characteristic personality traits? What are good character traits? What character traits are there - a list of basic character traits. What are the positive character traits?

Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to praise themselves correctly. Therefore, the need to list a person’s positive qualities in a resume becomes a problem for many. When writing your positive character traits, remember that they should resonate with your chosen profession.

Classification of qualities

Choosing which positive qualities to include in your resume can be difficult. After all, it is advisable to limit yourself to 5-7 characteristics that will most clearly show your character. Please note that during the interview, the recruiter may ask you to elaborate on this point and give examples.

In your resume, you can indicate your positive qualities that affect relationships:

  • sociability, non-conflict, ability to find a common language in a team;
  • collectivism, love of teamwork;
  • willingness to always come to the rescue and lend a shoulder in difficult times;
  • tolerance, respect for the opinions of other people;
  • responsiveness, sensitivity;
  • individualism, the ability to work independently and be responsible for the results obtained.

In relation to work, the following positive character traits can be identified:

  • hard work, responsible approach to all assignments;
  • initiative, interest in developing new projects;
  • perseverance, perseverance, focus on achieving results;
  • creative approach to work, creativity, resourcefulness;
  • conscientiousness, diligence, reliability.

You can characterize your attitude to things and work organization as follows:

  • accuracy, pedantry, scrupulousness;
  • organizational skills;
  • careful handling of things.

The attitude towards oneself can be shown using the following constructions:

  • self-criticism, modesty;
  • self-confidence, stress resistance;
  • ability to adapt;
  • decency, honesty, integrity;
  • punctuality, discipline;
  • politeness, flexibility, friendliness.

Universal designs

Each applicant can choose the most suitable option for him when writing a resume. In this document you can outline your positive features as follows:

  • activity, tolerance, accuracy, sociability, initiative;
  • scrupulousness, accuracy, honesty, ability to pay attention to details, hard work;
  • politeness, punctuality, resourcefulness, conscientiousness, discipline;
  • ambition, creativity, communication skills, organizational skills, increased efficiency;
  • love of creativity, quick learner, attention to detail, creativity.

Any of the options presented can be written on a resume. But do not forget that there is no single correct design; you must focus on your own characteristics.

Characteristics for various professions

Often employers write in the advertisement what kind of person they would like to see in the proposed position. For example, you can specify the following qualities for future managers:

  • organizational skills, communication skills, multitasking, result orientation;
  • entrepreneurship, creativity, stress resistance, optimism;
  • willingness to take responsibility for results, competent speech, assertiveness, organization, self-confidence.

It is preferable for an accountant, analyst or economist to provide a list of the following positive personal qualities:

  • accuracy, scrupulousness, attention to detail, perseverance;
  • increased efficiency, pedantry, responsibility, self-criticism;
  • hard work, pedantry, attentiveness, dedication, honesty.

Sales managers and people whose work involves active communication can fill out this column as follows:

  • activity, initiative, determination, communication skills, self-control;
  • ability to establish contact, resistance to stress, friendliness, decency, responsiveness;
  • discipline, cheerfulness, desire to work for results, multitasking, optimism;
  • communication skills, tolerance, public speaking skills, loyalty, attentiveness;
  • positive attitude, sociability, organization, independence, politeness.

It is better for teachers to emphasize the following human qualities:

  • sociability, loyalty, conscientiousness, love of children, flexibility;
  • high efficiency, communication skills, stress resistance;
  • optimism, non-conflict, accuracy, organizational skills, attentiveness;
  • discipline, politeness, reliability, resourcefulness, decency;
  • responsiveness, creativity, ability to be creative, public speaking skills, integrity.

Be prepared to tell during the interview how certain of your character traits manifest themselves at work. For example, you can confirm your initiative by saying that you have developed and implemented a new document flow scheme or developed a different, more effective sales strategy. Do not forget that excessive sociability for an analyst or pedantry for a salesperson will turn out to be rather negative qualities.

Character(Greek - sign, distinctive property, distinctive feature, trait, sign or seal) - a structure of persistent, relatively permanent mental properties that determine the characteristics of relationships and behavior of an individual.

When they talk about character, they usually mean just such a set of properties and qualities of a person that leave a certain stamp on all its manifestations and actions. Character traits constitute those essential properties of a person that determine a particular way of behavior or way of life. The statics of character are determined by the type of nervous activity, and its dynamics are determined by the environment.

Character is also understood as:

  • a system of stable motives and modes of behavior that form a behavioral type of personality;
  • a measure of balance between the internal and external worlds, the characteristics of an individual’s adaptation to the reality around him;
  • a clear definition of the typical behavior of each person.

In the system of personality relationships, there are four groups of character traits that form symptom complexes:

  • a person’s attitude towards other people, the team, society (sociability, sensitivity and responsiveness, respect for others - people, collectivism and the opposite traits - isolation, callousness, callousness, rudeness, contempt for people, individualism);
  • traits that show a person’s attitude to work, his business (hard work, a penchant for creativity, conscientiousness in work, a responsible attitude to work, initiative, perseverance and the opposite traits - laziness, a tendency to routine work, dishonesty, irresponsible attitude to work, passivity) ;
  • traits that show how a person relates to himself (self-esteem, correctly understood pride and the self-criticism associated with it, modesty and its opposite traits - conceit, sometimes turning into arrogance, vanity, arrogance, resentment, shyness, egocentrism as a tendency to consider center of events
  • yourself and your experiences, egoism - the tendency to care primarily about your personal good);
  • traits that characterize a person’s attitude towards things (neatness or sloppiness, careful or careless handling of things).

One of the most famous theories of character is the theory proposed by the German psychologist E. Kretschmer. According to this theory, character depends on physique.

Kretschmer described three body types and three corresponding character types:

Asthenics(from Greek - weak) - people are thin, with long faces. long arms and legs, flat (ore cell and weak muscles. The corresponding type of character is schizothymics- people are closed, serious, stubborn, difficult to adapt to new conditions. In case of mental disorders, they are prone to schizophrenia;

Athletics(from Greek - characteristic of wrestlers) - people are tall, broad-shouldered, with a powerful chest, strong skeleton and well-developed muscles. Corresponding character type - ixothymics- people are calm, unimpressive, practical, domineering, restrained in gestures and facial expressions; They do not like change and do not adapt well to it. In case of mental disorders, they are prone to epilepsy;

Picnics(from Greek - dense. thick) - people of average height, overweight or prone to obesity, with a short neck, large head and a wide face with small features. The corresponding type of character is cyclothymics - people are sociable, sociable, emotional, easily adapting to new conditions. With mental disorders, they are prone to manic-depressive psychosis.

General concept of character and its manifestations

In concept character(from the Greek character - “seal”, “minting”), means a set of stable individual characteristics that develop and manifest themselves in activity and communication, determining typical modes of behavior for it.

When determining the character of a person, they do not say that such and such a person showed courage, truthfulness, frankness, that this person is courageous, truthful, frank, i.e. the named qualities are the properties of a given person, his character traits that can manifest themselves under appropriate circumstances. Knowing a Person's Character allows you to predict with a significant degree of probability and thereby correct expected actions and actions. It is often said about a person with character: “He had to do exactly this, he could not have done otherwise - that’s his character.”

However, not all human features can be considered characteristic, but only significant and stable ones. If a person, for example, is not polite enough in a stressful situation, this does not mean that rudeness and intemperance are a property of his character. Sometimes, even very cheerful people can feel sad, but this will not make them whiners and pessimists.

Speaking as a lifetime person, character is determined and formed throughout a person’s life. The way of life includes the way of thoughts, feelings, motives, actions in their unity. Therefore, as a certain way of life of a person is formed, the person himself is formed. A big role here is played by social conditions and specific life circumstances in which a person’s life path takes place, based on his natural properties and as a result of his actions and actions. However, the actual formation of character occurs in groups of different levels of development (groups of friends, class, sports team, etc.). Depending on which group is the reference group for the individual and what values ​​it supports and cultivates in its environment, the corresponding character traits will develop in its members. Character traits will also depend on the individual’s position in the group, on how he integrates into it. In a team as a group of a high level of development, the most favorable opportunities are created for the development of the best character traits. This process is mutual, and thanks to the development of the individual, the team itself develops.

Character content, reflecting social influences, influences, constitutes the life orientation of the individual, i.e. her material and spiritual needs, interests, beliefs, ideals, etc. The orientation of the individual determines the goals, life plan of a person, and the degree of his life activity. The character of a person presupposes the presence of something significant for him in the world, in life, something on which the motives of his actions, the goals of his actions, the tasks that he sets for himself depend.

Crucial for understanding character is the relationship between what is socially and personally significant for a person. Every society has its own most important and essential tasks. It is on them that the character of people is formed and tested. Therefore, the concept of “character” refers to a greater extent to the relationship of these objectively existing tasks. Therefore, character is not just any manifestation of firmness, perseverance, etc. (formal persistence may simply be stubbornness), but a focus on socially significant activities. It is the orientation of the individual that underlies unity, integrity, and strength of character. Possessing goals in life is the main condition for the formation of character. A spineless person is characterized by the absence or scattering of goals. However, the character and direction of a person are not the same thing. Both a decent, highly moral person and a person with low, unscrupulous thoughts can be good-natured and cheerful. The orientation of the individual leaves an imprint on all human behavior. And although behavior is determined not by one motivation, but by an integral system of relationships, in this system something always comes to the fore, dominating it, giving a person’s character a unique flavor.

In a formed character, the leading component is a belief system. Conviction determines the long-term direction of a person’s behavior, his inflexibility in achieving his goals, confidence in the justice and importance of the work he is doing. Character traits are closely related to a person’s interests, provided that these interests are stable and deep. Superficiality and instability of interests are often associated with great imitation, with a lack of independence and integrity of a person’s personality. And, conversely, the depth and content of interests indicate the purposefulness and perseverance of the individual. Similarity of interests does not imply similar character traits. Thus, among rationalizers one can find cheerful and sad people, modest and obsessive people, egoists and altruists.

A person’s attachments and interests related to his leisure time can also be indicative of understanding character. They reveal new features, facets of character: for example, L. N. Tolstoy was fond of playing chess, I. P. Pavlov - small towns, D. I. Mendeleev - reading adventure novels. Whether a person’s spiritual and material needs and interests dominate is determined not only by the thoughts and feelings of the individual, but also by the direction of his activities. No less important is the correspondence of a person’s actions to the goals set, since a person is characterized not only by what he does, but also by how he does it. Character can perhaps be understood only as a certain unity of direction and course of action.

People with similar orientations can take completely different paths to achieving goals, using their own special techniques and methods to achieve this. This dissimilarity also determines the specific character of the individual. Character traits, having a certain motivating force, are clearly manifested in the situation of choosing actions or methods of behavior. From this point of view, the degree of expression of an individual’s achievement motivation—his need to achieve success—can be considered as a character trait. Depending on this, some people are characterized by a choice of actions that ensure success (showing initiative, competitive activity, risk-taking, etc.), while others are more likely to simply avoid failures (deviation from risk and responsibility, avoidance manifestations of activity, initiative, etc.).

Teaching about character - characterology has a long history of development. The most important problems of characterology for centuries have been the establishment of character types and their definition by their manifestations in order to predict human behavior in various situations. Since character is the lifetime formation of a personality, most of its existing classifications are based on grounds that are external, indirect factors in personality development.

One of the most ancient attempts to predict human behavior is to explain his character by his date of birth. Various ways of predicting the fate and character of a person are called horoscopes.

No less popular are attempts to connect a person’s character with his name.

A significant influence on the development of characterology was exerted by physiognomy(from the Greek Physis - “nature”, gnomon - “knowing”) - the doctrine of the connection between the external appearance of a person and his belonging to a certain type of personality, thanks to which the psychological characteristics of this type can be established by external signs.

Palmistry has a no less famous and rich history than the physiognomic direction in characterology. Palmistry(from the Greek Cheir - “hand” and manteia - “fortune-telling”, “prophecy”) - a system for predicting a person’s character traits and his fate based on the skin texture of the palms.

Until recently, scientific psychology invariably rejected palmistry, but the study of the embryonic development of finger patterns in connection with heredity gave impetus to the emergence of a new branch of knowledge - dermatoglyphics.

Graphology, a science that considers handwriting as a type of expressive movements that reflect the psychological properties of the writer, can be considered more valuable in diagnostic terms compared to, say, physiognomy.

At the same time, unity and versatility of character do not exclude the fact that in different situations the same person exhibits different and even opposite properties. A person can be both very gentle and very demanding, soft and compliant and at the same time firm to the point of inflexibility. And the unity of his character can not only be preserved, despite this, but it is precisely in this that it manifests itself.

The relationship between character and temperament

Character often compared with, and in some cases, these concepts are replaced with each other.

In science, among the dominant views on the relationship between character and temperament, four main ones can be distinguished:

  • identification of character and temperament (E. Kretschmer, A. Ruzhitsky);
  • contrasting character and temperament, emphasizing the antagonism between them (P. Viktorv, V. Virenius);
  • recognition of temperament as an element of character, its core, an unchangeable part (S. L. Rubinstein, S. Gorodetsky);
  • recognition of temperament as the natural basis of character (L. S. Vygotsky, B. G. Ananyev).

Based on the materialistic understanding of human phenomena, it should be noted that what character and temperament have in common is dependence on the physiological characteristics of a person, and above all on the type of nervous system. The formation of character significantly depends on the properties of temperament, which is more closely related to the properties of the nervous system. In addition, character traits arise when temperament is already sufficiently developed. Character develops on the basis of temperament. Temperament determines character traits such as balanced or unbalanced behavior, ease or difficulty of entering a new situation, mobility or inertness of reaction, etc. However, temperament does not determine character. People with the same temperamental properties can have completely different characters. Features of temperament can promote or counteract the formation of certain character traits. Thus, it is more difficult for a melancholic person to develop courage and determination than for a choleric person. It is more difficult for a choleric person to develop restraint and phlegmatic behavior; a phlegmatic person needs to spend more effort to become sociable than a sanguine person, etc.

However, as B. G. Ananyev believed, if education consisted only of improving and strengthening natural properties, this would lead to a monstrous uniformity of development. The properties of temperament may, to some extent, even come into conflict with character. In P. I. Tchaikovsky, the tendency to melancholic experiences was overcome by one of the main features of his character - his ability to work. “You always need to work,” he said, “and every honest artist cannot sit with his hands folded, under the pretext that he is not in the mood... If you wait for favor and do not try to meet him, then you can easily fall into laziness and apathy . Dislikes very rarely happen to me. I attribute this to the fact that I am gifted with patience, and I train myself never to give in to reluctance. I learned to conquer myself.”

In a person with a formed character, temperament ceases to be an independent form of personality manifestation, but becomes its dynamic side, consisting in a certain speed of mental processes and personality manifestations, a certain characteristic of expressive movements and actions of the individual. Here it should be noted the influence exerted on the formation of character by a dynamic stereotype, i.e. a system of conditioned reflexes that form in response to a steadily repeating system of stimuli. The formation of dynamic stereotypes in a person in various repeated situations is influenced by his attitude to the situation, as a result of which excitation, inhibition, mobility of nervous processes, and, consequently, the general functional state of the nervous system can change. It is also necessary to note the decisive role in the formation of dynamic stereotypes of the second signaling system, through which social influences are carried out.

Ultimately, the traits of temperament and character are organically connected and interact with each other in a single, holistic appearance of a person, forming an inseparable alloy - an integral characteristic of his individuality.

Character has long been identified with a person’s will; the expression “a person of character” was considered as a synonym for the expression “a strong-willed person.” Will is associated primarily with strength of character, its firmness, determination, and perseverance. When they say that a person has a strong character, they seem to want to emphasize his determination, his strong-willed qualities. In this sense, a person’s character is best demonstrated in overcoming difficulties, in struggle, i.e. in those conditions where human will is most manifested. But character is not limited to strength; it has content, determining how the will will function under various conditions. On the one hand, character is formed in volitional actions and is manifested in them: volitional actions in situations that are significant for the individual pass into a person’s character, becoming fixed in him as his relatively stable properties; these properties, in turn, determine human behavior and his volitional actions. The strong-willed character is distinguished by certainty, constancy and independence, firmness in achieving the intended goal. On the other hand, there are often cases when a weak-willed person was called “spineless.” From a psychological point of view, this is not entirely true - and a weak-willed person has certain character traits, such as, for example, timidity, indecisiveness, etc. The use of the concept “characterless” means the unpredictability of a person’s behavior, indicates that he lacks his own direction, an internal core that would determine his behavior. His actions are caused by external influences and do not depend on himself.

The originality of character is also reflected in the peculiarities of the flow of a person’s feelings. K. D. Ushinsky pointed out this: “nothing, neither words, nor thoughts, nor even our actions express ourselves and our attitude to the world as clearly and truly as our feelings: in them one can hear the character of not a separate thought, not a separate decision, but the entire content of our soul and its structure.” The connection between feelings and character traits of a person is also reciprocal. On the one hand, the level of development of moral, aesthetic, and intellectual feelings depends on the nature of a person’s activity and communication and on the character traits formed on this basis. On the other hand, these feelings themselves become characteristic, stable personality traits, thus constituting a person’s character. The level of development of a sense of duty, a sense of humor and other complex feelings is a rather indicative characteristic of a person.

The relationship between intellectual personality traits is especially important for characterological manifestations. Depth and sharpness of thought, unusualness in posing a question and its solution, intellectual initiative, confidence and independence of thinking - all this constitutes the originality of the mind as one of the aspects of character. However, how a person uses his mental abilities will depend significantly on character. It is not uncommon to encounter people who have high intellectual abilities, but who do not provide anything valuable precisely because of their characterological characteristics. An example of this is the numerous literary images of superfluous people (Pechorin, Rudin, Beltov, etc.). As I. S. Turgenev said well through the mouth of one of the characters in the novel about Rudin: “Perhaps there is genius in him, but there is no nature.” Thus, a person’s real achievements depend not on abstract mental capabilities alone, but on a specific combination of his characteristics and characterological properties.

Character Structure

In general All character traits can be divided into basic, leading, setting the general direction for the development of the entire complex of its manifestations, and secondary, determined by the main. So, if we consider such traits as indecisiveness, timidity and altruism, then with the predominance of the former, a person, first of all, is constantly afraid that “something might not work out” and all attempts to help his neighbor usually end in internal experiences and searches for justification. If the leading trait is the second one - altruism, then the person does not outwardly show any hesitation, immediately goes to help, controlling his behavior with his intellect, but at the same time he may sometimes have doubts about the correctness of the actions taken.

Knowledge of leading features allows you to reflect the main essence of character, show its main manifestations. Writers and artists, wanting an idea of ​​the character of the hero, first of all describe his leading, core features. Thus, A.S. Pushkin put into the mouth of Vorotynsky (in the tragedy “Boris Godunov”) an exhaustive description of Shuisky - “a crafty courtier.” Some heroes of literary works reflect certain typical character traits so deeply and correctly that their names become household names (Khlestakov, Oblomov, Manilov, etc.).

Although every character trait reflects one of the manifestations of a person’s attitude to reality, this does not mean that every attitude will be a character trait. Only some relationships become traits depending on the conditions. From the entire set of relationships of the individual to the surrounding reality, character-forming forms of relationships should be distinguished. The most important distinguishing feature of such relationships is the decisive, primary and general vital significance of those objects to which a person belongs. These relationships simultaneously serve as the basis for the classification of the most important character traits.

A person’s character is manifested in a system of relationships:

  • In relation to other people (in this case, one can distinguish such character traits as sociability - isolation, truthfulness - deceit, tactfulness - rudeness, etc.).
  • In relation to business (responsibility - dishonesty, hard work - laziness, etc.).
  • In relation to oneself (modesty - narcissism, self-criticism - self-confidence, pride - humiliation, etc.).
  • In relation to property (generosity - greed, frugality - wastefulness, neatness - sloppiness, etc.). It should be noted that this classification is somewhat conventional and there is a close relationship and interpenetration of these aspects of the relationship. So, for example, if a person is rude, then this concerns his relationship with people; but if at the same time he works as a teacher, then here it is already necessary to talk about his attitude to the matter (dishonesty), about his attitude towards himself (narcissism).

Despite the fact that these relationships are the most important from the point of view of character formation, they do not simultaneously and immediately become character traits. There is a certain sequence in the transition of these relationships into character properties, and in this sense it is impossible to put, for example, the attitude towards other people and the attitude towards property, since their very content plays a different role in the real existence of a person. A person’s attitude towards society and people plays a decisive role in the formation of character. The character of a person cannot be revealed and understood outside the team, without taking into account his attachments in the form of camaraderie, friendship, and love.

In the character structure, one can identify traits common to a certain group of people. Even in the most original person you can find some trait (for example, unusualness, unpredictability of behavior), the possession of which allows you to classify him into a group of people with similar behavior. In this case, we should talk about typical character traits. N.D. Levitov believes that a character type is a specific expression in the individual character of traits common to a certain group of people. Indeed, as noted, character is not innate - it is formed in the life and activity of a person as a representative of a certain group, a certain society. Therefore, a person’s character is always a product of society, which explains the similarities and differences in the characters of people belonging to different groups.

Individual character reflects a variety of typical traits: national, professional, age. Thus, people of the same nationality are in living conditions that have developed over many generations and experience the specific features of national life; develop under the influence of the existing national structure and language. Therefore, people of one nationality differ in their lifestyle, habits, rights, and character from people of another. These typical features are often recorded by everyday consciousness in various attitudes and stereotypes. Most people have a formed image of a representative of one country or another: an American, a Scot, an Italian, a Chinese, etc.

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In everyday life, we often mention a person’s character: “light”, “good” or, conversely, “heavy”. What is character and whether it can be changed, we will tell you in detail.

What is human character

Translated from Greek, character is translated as “seal”, “minting”, that is, on the one hand, it is a distinctive sign, and on the other, something stable and inherent in a specific subject or object.

In psychology character is a set of persistent individual personality characteristics that determines the type of behavior and the form of relationships with other people.

Character traits, as personality traits, are as follows::

  • its components have a long-term effect, stability, and do not change quickly and easily;
  • character has practical significance; it determines a person’s actions in all spheres of life.

A person can show heroism, cowardice, be anxious, aggressive or soft, weak-willed. If such manifestations occur frequently and are clearly expressed externally, then they will say about the person: “He has such a character.”

When a kind-hearted and gentle person flares up under certain conditions and shows anger, then those around him will not call it character; rather, they will attribute it to specific circumstances.

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Knowledge of a person’s character allows one to predict his behavior and actions in various situations, as well as correct them if necessary. We always know in advance who we can turn to for help, with whom we are not afraid to enter into risky ventures: “He can’t do anything differently, that’s his character.”

Character Traits: General Information

Not every feature of a person can be attributed to his stable, permanent character trait. We have already said that a good-natured person can lose his temper, and, for example, an optimist can fall into melancholy. But we will not describe the first as an aggressor, and the second as a whiner.

In psychology, there are three leading groups of character traits, which together constitute it.

1 group of traits - attitude towards oneself

This group includes both positive and negative characteristics that show the individual’s attitude towards himself, his.

Inner dignity, honor, pride, self-criticism, appropriate modesty, adequate.

Traits with a minus sign- vanity, inflated self-esteem and self-esteem, pride (not to be confused with pride), touchiness, shyness (not to be confused with modesty).

Group 2 – attitude towards others

Characteristics that show the basis of a person’s relationships with other people - in a team, in a circle of friends.

Character traits with a plus sign- responsiveness, respect, communication, sensitivity, willingness to help, ability to work in a team, decency.

Traits with a minus sign- callousness, contempt for others, snobbery, rudeness, neglect, isolation, callousness, individualism.

3rd group of traits – attitude to activity

This group combines character traits related to their business, profession, and work in general.

Character traits with a plus sign- hard work, activity, responsibility, creativity, initiative.

Traits with a minus sign- laziness, procrastination, irresponsible attitude to business, lack of initiative, passivity.

Based on a sample of these characteristics, you can create a portrait of a person.

Features of human character formation

For a long time, philosophers believed that character is an innate human trait. That is, he is born with a certain set of qualities that do not change during the formation process. Today this view is not supported. It has been proven that character is formed throughout life and depends on upbringing, environment, entry into a certain social group, professional activity, etc.

For the first time, the idea of ​​a significant influence on the character of external factors was expressed by the scientist D. Locke, who argued that psychophysical properties and upbringing influence the formation of character equally.

Modern science (last century) supports this hypothesis.

According to researchers, they are influenced by:

  • labor education;
  • personal example;
  • physical education;
  • self-development;
  • moral and ethical education;
  • correct formation of habits.

Regardless of age, the process of character formation is influenced by the information field, including the following perceived by the individual:

    cultural values, ideology cultivated in society;

    personal example of people respected for a particular person;

    public opinion and common judgments in society;

    literature, television, cinema, theater.

A mature, thinking person can also correct his character. Thus, character formation occurs throughout life.

Three main factors influence its changes:

  • physiological (gender, );
  • social (education, culture, family, school, team);
  • personal (self-development, self-education).

The first stage of character development is early infancy. At this level, it is very important to give the child love, care, and a lot of attention, since it is here that the emotional component is formed for the rest of his life.

Further personality development occurs in early preschool age. The child studies and copies the behavior patterns of adults nearby. Direct teaching with appropriate emotional reinforcement (praise) is important. It is at this age that such traits as kindness, responsiveness, and hard work are formed.

At primary school age, the main role is played by the assessment of the child’s actions and actions by adults, the concepts of “good” and “bad” are instilled. Character traits related to work appear: responsibility, punctuality.

Adolescents are actively developing moral and ethical standards and their volitional sphere. By the end of school, the character, as a rule, has already been formed; then it is only corrected.

The relationship between temperament and character

Character and temperament are often identified, but they are different concepts.

In psychology, different points of view have been expressed on this matter.:

  • both concepts are identical;
  • temperament is a part, the core of character;
  • two concepts are antagonists;
  • temperament is the natural basis of character.

Temperament is more closely related to the properties of the human nervous system and is directly determined by them. Character is greatly influenced by society and upbringing. If character is subject to correction, then temperament is an innate property that remains with the individual for life.

The social environment in which he grew up and lives has a strong influence on his character, while his temperament remains unchanged. The content of a person’s actions depends on character, but only their manner and style depend on temperament.

Important: temperament cannot be assessed as “good” or “bad”, but character consists of those traits that can be regarded as positive or negative.

The type of temperament and character are connected and interact with each other in the single appearance of a person, forming an inseparable alloy - a characteristic of his individuality.

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What are the character types?

In psychology, there are several classifications of character types. One of the most famous is the typology proposed by the American psychoanalyst Alexander Lowen.

Character type Its characteristics
Oral A person experiences a sharp change, and dependence on others is expressed. , tendency to and, fear of rejection, low self-esteem.
Masochistic A person who loves to suffer has a very high sensitivity. There is intuition. They are not confident in themselves, they are closed.
Hysterical High level of ambition, ability to control behavior and actions. Arrogance, rational. Developed emotions with the ability to contain them.
Schizoid Very low self-esteem, lack of control over emotions and their inadequacy. Affective disorders.
Psychopathic Increased desire to dominate. The predominance of image issues over internal content. Preoccupation with control over circumstances.
Narcissistic Self-confidence, high ambitions. Aggressiveness, assertiveness, arrogance, tenacity.

Also in psychology, individuals are divided into introverts (closed) and extroverts (sociable).

One more typology of characters can be identified.

Character type Its characteristics
Hyperthymic The person is very sociable, “talkative”, with pronounced facial expressions. Lots of initiative and energy, but loses his temper easily.
Disthymic Pessimists are introverts. They have a keen sense of justice and a very limited circle of friends. They make decisions hard and are slow.
Excitable They are power-hungry and love conflict situations. Very unpleasant to communicate with. When calm, they are attentive and pedantic; when excited, they are aggressive and irritable.
Stuck An arrogant person, loves to teach others, considers himself smart. Excessive demands on both yourself and other people
Anxious The personality is extremely insecure, afraid of disputes and conflicts. Looks for support everywhere.
Demonstrative Sociable, adaptable. Schemer. They can cause irritation due to their self-confidence. Born artists, boastful, hypocritical.

Psychological character of a person

Character is one of the components of the psychological portrait of a person. But it alone is not enough to form a full-fledged opinion about a person, which is necessary, for example, for hiring a responsible job or making an informed choice in your personal life.

At the same time, you need to determine the person’s temperament.

There are four in total:

  • sanguine. A person with a stable nervous system is quite mobile and balanced. The processes of excitation and inhibition of the nervous system quickly appear and also quickly decline. Optimistic, sociable. The downside is that they are capable of irresponsibility and frivolity.
  • . A very mobile nervous system. It gets excited quickly, but cools down slowly. Extremely restless, always having to do something, energetic. Cons: conflict-ridden, aggressive, hot-tempered.
  • phlegmatic person. The nervous system is very stable and balanced, but not dynamic. Cannot switch from one topic to another, does not work at “high speeds”. But the result will be impressive - everything is thought out to the smallest detail. Reliable, responsible. Disadvantages - clumsy, rather dry in communication.
  • . The nervous system is very weak, vulnerable, impressionable. Soft, sensitive people. Disadvantages - low performance, suspiciousness, isolation.

Individual abilities are considered as the third component within the psychological portrait:

  • general, formed under the influence. This is mental flexibility, hard work, and the ability to adapt.
  • special, appealing to a certain direction: to oneself personally, to communication, to completing a task.

To compile a psychological portrait, the following are also taken into account: intelligence, emotionality, feelings, communication skills, self-esteem.

Social character of personality

The concept of social character was introduced into science by E. Fromm.

Social character of personality is a set of traits that arises in people belonging to the same social group. Moreover, these special features appeared under the influence of common experiences and an identical lifestyle.

The psychologist has developed two types of social characters: unfruitful and fruitful.

Unfruitful

These types are called unfruitful because they are “takers”, believing that they can only receive benefits from the outside.

Fruitful type

This is a kind of humanistic ideal to which we need to strive. It is characterized by: reliance on one’s own strengths and their use both to receive benefits and to give to other people. A fruitful social character gives and does not receive; it is based on love, the highest degree of which is maternal love, which does not know selfishness.

Hidden and obvious accentuation of personality

Accentuation refers to the dominant personality traits, that is, some characteristics are moderately developed in us, while others are excessively developed.

As a result of accentuation (from the word “accent”, i.e. strengthening), the personality becomes disharmonious.

Strengthening individual traits:

  • cause a person’s vulnerability, are his weak point, “Achilles’ heel”;
  • limits a person’s abilities in certain areas of activity.

For example, a personality with an accentuation of weak will can be used by people and is completely unsuitable for working in leadership positions.

Accentuation is not a psychological or mental deviation, but an extreme variant of the norm.

There are several reasons for this:

  • dominance of one trait is formed only at certain stages of development, and can be minimized with age;
  • accentuation does not always appear, but only under certain circumstances;
  • accentuation does not in any way prevent a person from adapting to society, with the exception of a number of restrictions that we mentioned above.

Depending on the dominance of one of the character traits, the following types are distinguished::

Type of accentuationCharacteristic
Demonstrative The desire to be the center of attention: “at a wedding as a groom, at a funeral as a deceased.” Deliberate behavior, boasting.
Pedantic Caution, fear of change, thoroughness, thoughtfulness.
Excitable Very impulsive behavior. Lives by impulses, instincts, drives.
Hypertemic Always cheerful, active, thirsty for life. Sociable, optimistic, easily overcomes difficulties.
Stuck Remembers insults and troubles for a long time, is vengeful, petty
Dysthymic Pessimist, always sad and despondent. Concentrated on the dark sides of life.
Cyclothymic Changes from thirst for life to pessimism occur frequently and regularly.
Exalted A violent reaction to any event, a state from delight to universal sadness.
Emotive High sensitivity, sincerity, tearfulness.
Anxious Anxiety for any reason and for no reason. Wariness, timidity, uncertainty.

Accentuation is considered obvious in cases where it accompanies a person most of the time, almost always.

If the dominance of any trait appears in stressful or critical situations, then the accentuation is called hidden.

“As many people as there are so many characters,” you can often hear. And this is actually true, there are no two absolutely identical people on earth. People have different worldview systems, principles, hobbies and values, and react differently to certain external stimuli and events. determines his personal actions, from which his whole life is composed.

Scientists and psychologists call a person’s character an individual combination of certain personality traits that determine his attitude towards the entire environment and are manifested in his actions.

Character(Greek χαρακτηρ - sign, distinctive feature, omen) is a structure of persistent, relatively permanent mental properties that determine the characteristics of a person’s behavior and relationships.

In the scientific literature on psychology, there are several criteria that determine a person’s character types. We will only consider the main ones.

The most popular character typology proposed by the famous German psychologist E. Kretschmer, therefore person's character depends on his physique. Kretschmer described the main three types of human physique and the corresponding character types:

Jung's character classification

Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist Carl Gustav Jung developed his own, which is based on dominant mental functions (sensations, intuition, feeling and thinking). He classified all people according to the predominance of the internal or external world (introverted and extroverted types).

  1. An introvert is a closed, internally focused thinker, turned inward, a person fenced off from the entire world around him, carefully analyzing all events, while suspecting everyone of contradictory actions. He has very few friends, because it is very difficult for him to make new contacts, he is closer to loneliness, and he does not change his own habits. An introvert is a very suspicious person with a high degree of anxiety; he listens to his feelings and values ​​his health.
  2. An extrovert is a direct, open person, extremely sociable, active and understandable to everyone, he has many acquaintances and friends, he cannot stand loneliness, has little interest in his own health, loves to travel, and tries to get the most out of life. He becomes the life of the party, initiates various meetings and parties, loves to tell jokes, and in everyday life is guided not by subjective opinion, but by circumstances.

The connection between human character and temperament

Peculiarities of different temperaments can help a person understand character traits if they are pronounced, however, people with pronounced certain temperaments are quite rare; most often, mixed temperament is found in varying degrees of severity. But the predominance of any type of temperament can help determine person's character type.

There is a huge amount classifications of character types a person, even better, attempts to systematize all the knowledge and psychology of his behavior, but none of them can be so deep and so effective. Because every person, going through periods of developing certain characters in his life, collects them all in himself in order to live as an individual for the rest of his life.

If you find it difficult to determine your character type, then various ones that are designed just for this can help you.

By studying the character traits of a particular person, it is possible to identify what qualities characterize the personality. Their manifestation is based on the influence of individual experience, knowledge, abilities and capabilities of people. The list of biological characteristics includes the innate characteristics of a person. Other personality qualities are acquired as a result of life activity:

  • Sociality

It means irreducibility to individual, biological characteristics of people, saturation with socio-cultural content.

  • Uniqueness

The uniqueness and originality of the inner world of an individual, his independence and inability to be attributed to one or another social or psychological type.

  • Transcendence

Willingness to go beyond one’s “limits”, constant self-improvement as a way of being, belief in the possibility of development and overcoming external and internal obstacles on the way to one’s goal and, as a consequence, incompleteness, inconsistency and problematic nature.

  • Integrity and subjectivity

Internal unity and identity (equality with oneself) in any life situations.

  • Activity and subjectivity

The ability to change oneself and the conditions of one’s existence, independence from environmental conditions, the ability to be the source of one’s own activity, the cause of actions and recognition of responsibility for the deeds committed.

  • Moral

The basis of interaction with the outside world, the willingness to treat other people as the highest value, equal to one’s own, and not as a means of achieving goals.

List of qualities

Personality structure includes temperament, volitional qualities, abilities, character, emotions, social attitudes and motivation. And also separately the following qualities:

  • Independence;
  • Intellectual self-improvement;
  • Communication skills;
  • Kindness;
  • Hard work;
  • Honesty;
  • Determination;
  • Responsibility;
  • Respect;
  • Confidence;
  • Discipline;
  • Humanity;
  • Mercy;
  • Curiosity;
  • Objectivity.

A person’s personal qualities consist of internal perception and external manifestations. External manifestation includes a list of indicators:

  • innate or acquired artistry;
  • attractive appearance and sense of style;
  • ability and clear pronunciation of speech;
  • competent and sophisticated approach to .

The main qualities of a person (her inner world) can be classified according to a number of characteristics:

  • a comprehensive assessment of the situation and the absence of conflicting perceptions of information;
  • an inherent love for people;
  • open-minded thinking;
  • positive form of perception;
  • wise judgment.

The level of these indicators determines the individual characteristics of the person being studied.

Structure of individual qualities

To more accurately determine the quality of a person’s personality, one should highlight its biological structure. It consists of 4 levels:

  1. Temperament, which includes characteristics of genetic predisposition (nervous system).
  2. The degree of unique mental processes that allows one to determine a person's personal qualities. The level of individual perception, imagination, manifestation of volitional signs, feelings and attention influences the achievement of results.
  3. The experiences of people, characterized by knowledge, abilities, capabilities and habits.
  4. Indicators of social orientation, including the subject’s attitude to the external environment. The development of personal qualities acts as a guiding and regulating factor of behavior - interests and views, beliefs and attitudes (state of consciousness based on previous experience, regulatory attitude and), moral norms.

Traits of people that characterize their temperament

The innate qualities of a person shape him as a social being. Behavioral factors, type of activity and social circle are taken into account. The category is divided into 4 concepts: sanguine, melancholic, choleric and phlegmatic.

  • Sanguine - easily adapts to a new environment and overcomes obstacles. Sociability, responsiveness, openness, cheerfulness and leadership are the main personality traits.
  • Melancholic – weak and sedentary. Under the influence of strong stimuli, behavioral disturbances occur, manifested by a passive attitude towards any activity. Isolation, pessimism, anxiety, tendency to reason and resentment are characteristic features of melancholic people.
  • Cholerics are strong, unbalanced, energetic personality traits. They are quick-tempered and unrestrained. Touchiness, impulsiveness, emotionality and instability are clear indicators of a restless temperament.
  • A phlegmatic person is a balanced, inert and slow person, not prone to change. Personal indicators show how to easily overcome negative factors. Reliability, goodwill, peacefulness and prudence are the hallmarks of calm people.

Individual character traits

Character is a set of individual traits that manifest themselves in different types of activity, communication and relationships with people. The development of personal qualities is formed against the background of life processes and the type of activity of people. To more accurately assess the character of people, behavioral factors in specific circumstances should be studied in detail.

Types of character:

  • cycloid – mood swings;
  • hyperthymic accentuation consists of high activity and failure to complete tasks;
  • asthenic – capricious and depressive personal qualities;
  • sensitive – timid personality;
  • hysterical - the makings of leadership and vanity;
  • dysthymic – focused on the negative side of current events.

Individual abilities of people

Individual psychological qualities of a person contribute to the achievement of success and excellence in a certain activity. They are determined by the social and historical practice of the individual, the results of the interactions of biological and mental indicators.

There are different levels of ability:

  1. giftedness;
  2. talent;
  3. genius.

The development of the algorithm of personal qualities and abilities of people is characterized by the ability to learn new things in the mental sphere. Special features are manifested in a specific type of activity (musical, artistic, pedagogical, etc.).

Strong-willed traits of people

Adjusting behavioral factors associated with overcoming internal and external discomfort makes it possible to determine personal qualities: the level of effort and plans for taking actions, concentration in a given direction. Will manifests itself in the following properties:

  • – level of effort to achieve the desired result;
  • perseverance – the ability to mobilize to overcome troubles;
  • endurance - the ability to limit feelings, thinking and actions.

Courage, self-control, commitment are the personal qualities of strong-willed people. They are classified into simple and complex acts. In a simple case, incentives to action flow into execution automatically. Complex acts are carried out on the basis of drawing up a plan and taking into account the consequences.

Human feelings

People's persistent attitudes towards real or imaginary objects arise and are formed on the basis of the cultural and historical level. Only the ways of their manifestation change, based on historical eras. individual.

Personal motivation

Motives and incentives that contribute to the activation of actions are formed from. Stimulating personality traits can be conscious or unconscious.

They appear as:

  • desire for success;
  • avoiding troubles;
  • gaining power, etc.

How do personality traits manifest themselves and how to recognize them?

The personal qualities of an individual are determined by analyzing behavioral factors:

  • self-esteem. manifest themselves in relation to themselves: modest or confident, arrogant and self-critical, decisive and brave, people with a high level of self-control or lack of will;
  • assessment of the individual's attitude to society. There are different degrees of relationships between the subject and representatives of society: honest and fair, sociable and polite, tactful, rude, etc.;
  • a unique personality is determined by the level of interests in the labor, educational, sports or creative spheres;
  • clarification of a person’s position in society occurs in close connection with opinions about him;
  • when studying psychological factors, special attention is paid to memory, thinking and attention, which characterize the development of personal qualities;
  • Observing the emotional perception of situations allows us to assess the individual’s reaction when solving problems or its absence;
  • measuring the level of responsibility. The main qualities of a serious person are manifested in work activity in the form of a creative approach, enterprise, initiative and getting things done to the desired result.

A review of the individual properties of people helps to create an overall picture of behavior in the professional and social spheres. The concept of “personality” is a person with individual properties determined by the social environment. These include personal characteristics: intelligence, emotions and will.

Grouping of features that contribute to personality recognition:

  • subjects who are aware of the presence of their inherent social traits;
  • people taking part in the social and cultural life of society;
  • personal qualities and character of a person are easy to determine in social relationships through communication and the work sphere;
  • individuals who are clearly aware of their uniqueness and importance in the public.

A person’s personal and professional qualities are manifested in the formation of their worldview and internal perception. An individual always asks philosophical questions about life and his significance in society. He has his own ideas, views and life positions that influence