Personality: Definition and Its Components
Personality may be defined as the sum total of the qualities and characteristics of a
person shown in her manner of walking, talking, dressing, and her ways of reacting to other
people.
It refers to all factors within the person that influence his characteristic ways of
behaving, thinking, and feeling. It is your image on others.
Once others have decided on the nature of our personalities, they tend to treat us accordingly.
Often the judgment is based on a first impression and does not change even though
interpretation was erroneous and our behavior has changed dramatically. This unchanging
opinion of others based only on first general impression is known as the “halo effect.”
For example, during the first meeting with a applicant, he makes an inappropriate
remark to the interviewer, the interviewer labels the applicant as “wise guy” for the rest of the
screening process even though the applicant could have been an ideal worker.
People often fall in love and marry because they believe that their personalities match
well. They enjoy the same activities and their opinions, interests, and values are similar.
Personalities change, however, hence we all see unhappily married couples who,
unfortunately, have not “grown’ or changed together.
Components of Personality
1. Physical
This includes the mode of dressing, manner of walking, posture, body build, health, complexion, and
facial expression.
2. Intellectual
How a person talks and what she talks about is what matters in the intellectual component of
personality, he must develop his intellect or “brain.”
3. Social
Good manners, correct manners are included in this aspect of personality.
To do the right thing at the right time, to act in the proper manner, to get along well with others –
these are all parts of the social sphere of personality.
4. Emotional
This component includes a person’s likes or dislikes, whether he/she is outgoing or shy, whether
he/she is clam or nervous, and whether he/she loses his/her temper easily or “keeps her cool.”
Personality problems such as how to stay mentally healthy or how to avoid mental disorders are
some problems that are emotional in nature.
5. Value System
This includes a person’s attitudes, values, beliefs, and philosophy in life.
This aspect is referred to as CHARACTER.
It is shown in the way we judge whether out actions and the actions of others are right or wrong.
How Personality is revealed?
Personality is not revealed in one meeting. It unmasks itself, so to speak, in various
ways. Sometimes, crisis, situations reveal the real personality.
In a boy-meets-girl situation, the first impression is usually based on appearance –
physical stature, grooming, facial features, poise, etc. A favorable impression is usually created
by a beautiful face, a regal walk, and is always a pleasant and lasting one. Appropriate clothes
and good grooming add to that first favorable impression.
When the two began to exchange ideas the boy reacts to her voice, her words, her
interests, and her manner of expressing herself. Her intelligence starts revealing itself. If she has
nothing to say, the impression created by the lovely face and regal bearing is erased. She might
impress him as “beautiful but dumb.” If what she says, however, makes sense and is interesting
and informative, she may create the impression of being the “beauty and brains” type.
The acquaintance ripens into friendship. Each will observe how the other reacts to
problem situations. Is she nervous? Is she calm? Does she raise her voice often? Is she easily
rattled? If so, she is nervous and emotionally unstable. On the other hand, if she keeps her
composure under stress and is not easily upset in times of crises, she possesses a high degree of
emotional stability. Social situations will bring other impressions.
One who acts like a “Victorian lady” may fittingly suit a woman who has excellent
manners when she is with company. “She is a lady in every way”, is a comment given to a girl
with fine manners and finesse. Manners may be based on traditions and conventions of the time
and people tend to follow certain established patterns of behavior.
As friendship deepens into a more stable and meaningful one and the real self-shows
itself, other aspects of personality reveal themselves. Her set of values, her beliefs, and her
attitudes which determine her philosophy of life affect the way she solves her problems and
reacts to situations. As a Filipina, her religion usually influences her way of thinking in many
ways.
This sequence of impression should not lead one to believe, however, that personality
unfolds itself exactly in this order. The totality of an individual’s behavior is evaluated as a whole
and not in separate pieces, although one or two aspects of one’s personality may create a
stronger impression than the others.
Why is the study of personality important?
The study of the human personality could very well be one of the most significant
studies for you not only now but in the future as well. For it is through understanding of your
own personality and the personalities of your fellowmen that will spell the difference between
success and failure in your dealings with them.
An understanding of your personality and of others’ can make the difference between
satisfactory and unsatisfactory adjustment. Most of us see only some small aspects of the true
personalities of those around us. We only see the image that is seen on the surface, which may
not really represent the entire personality of the individual. Mistakes in evaluating and judging
personalities are often one of the major causes for the interpersonal problems involved in
marriage, dating, business associations or relations between friends.
The study of personality should, therefore, result in our attempts to improve our own
personality as well as to understand others so that we can adjust to them and have harmonious
relations with them.
Personality Differences
We are all different because of three factors: (1) heredity, (2) environment, and (3) experiences.
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Our Heredity
We are born with a set of genes and chromosomes which we inherit from our forefathers and
our parents. These set the limits to our potential. This potential is achieved to the fullest by the
proper use of environment – our experiences over the years, especially our interactions with other
people.
There have been many attempts to estimate the relative importance of heredity and
environment on personality development. There is evidence that children reared in poor
environments generally suffer deficient language and intellectual development and develop general
personality defects, such as lack of emotional responsiveness and inadequacy in relating to other
persons. However, not all children reared in impoverished environments are equally defective.
Twins who are reared in separate environments show greater equality of scores on intelligence
tests than unrelated children reared in separate environments. The greater similarity of intelligence
between twins is explained on the basis of greater similarity in genetic endowments. Yet, there is
ample evidence that intelligence scores of children are influenced by environmental circumstances.
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The Environment
This consists of your family, school, church, social groups, and other groups with whom we
interact from the very beginning.
Each group puts pressure on us and we behave in certain ways as a result of being with these
groups. Our behavior changes with each situation and with the people we are with. We behave
differently when we are with our parents, teachers, and others older than us.

Our Experiences
These consist of everything that we do or get in touch with, everywhere we got in short,
everything that we are exposed to in our lifetime, whether physical, emotional, or social
experiences.
Improving Personality
Even though much of our personality is set early in life, experiences in later life do have an
influence on our behavior. Sometimes an event such as an experience of success or failure may
bring about drastic changes in personality patters.
Fortunately, personality can be improved. Charm, popularity, glamour – these are only a part of
personality. There is much more to our personality than the impression we make on others.
Personality shows itself when there are no people around us to impress.
All of us are constantly evaluating and modifying our behavior in the light of our experiences of
success or failure. We all have ideas about ourselves. What may bother us is the accuracy of our selfappraisal. Are we realistic? Have we underestimated or overestimated our abilities? The important
thing is that our self-appraisal will help us develop our personalities so that we can better interact
with other people.
Remember that you are the architect of your own personality. The building blocks of your
personality structure contain diversities of experiences. The more you accept its challenges, the
greater will the opportunities to test out what you believe to be true about yourself and to build
your personality.
Techniques in Improving Personality
In improving anything, there are usually four steps to follow:
1. Realize that improvement is needed.
2. Have a strong motive or desire to improve.
3. Take an inventory or make a checklist of the strong and weak points, or what is to be
improved, and
4. Have a step-by-step plan for improvement.
Creating Your Visual Statement
Through an extensive study of line, shape, and color, you create your very own Visual
Statement.
Every moment of our lives, we communicate with other people. Even before a word is spoken,
most perceptions and judgments are made. Are you warms and friendly or cold and aloof, a success
or a failure? These are only some of the traits which can be and often are transmitted visually.
The purpose of a Visual Statement is:
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To visually create a message which communicates what you want others to know about you
through your appearance.
To convey outwardly your level of inner confidence.
Your Visual Statement will give you the power to achieve results. People will recognize your
chosen qualities and treat you with respect. This can help you achieve your personal and
professional goals and develop more effective relationships. You can easily have more than one
Visual Statement in a lifetime. You may also want to change your look, depending upon a given
situation, such as a social occasion versus a business situation. Quite often, creating/developing a
Visual Statement according to your immediate goals will make the major difference in achieving
them.
Defining Beauty in Men and Women
What is beauty? It is an innate quality, a way of being, a manner of acting. It is also a way of
looking. When we think of beauty, we primarily think of physical beauty, knowing fully well that
sooner or later the personality and inner self must supersede the outer beauty of the face and
figure. However, to achieve balanced beauty the inner and outer must blend together to be joined
by an ability to love and to be loved, by an awareness and curiosity about life, by intelligence,
happiness, social grace, and self-expression through all bodily movements – beauties are made, not
born.
Beauty is also very much a state of mind. Beauty is a quality that should grow with each passing
day and be developed to last a lifetime. Beauty is enhanced by absorbing the beauty that surrounds
you in your daily life. Your personal beauty will be enhanced as your awareness of beauty grows. As
an exercise to help awaken your awareness of beauty, first open your eyes to the beauty of the
elements of nature surrounding you – the stars, the moon, white clouds, blue skies, mountains,
trees, flowers, and streams. An awareness of external beauty helps you establish your own
standards for beauty and develop a philosophy by which you will wish to live.
Notice your friends. One of your friends may have great physical beauty, the kind that makes all
the boys take notice. Another has a terrific personality – she is always bubbly and fun to be with. A
third may not be so handsome or so happy but he is smart. No one is just physical appearance,
personality, or intelligence alone. You are a combination of all three facets. Think of yourself as a
diamond which must be cut with many facets in order to sparkle properly. Each facets should be
proportioned in such a way that your complete beauty shines forth.
Outer Beauty
Outer beauty is highlighted not only by personal attractiveness, but by outer behavior, poise,
and education. Your speech, diction, grammar, and sensitivity in communication reflect your true
nature. It is your total image that determines just how beautiful or handsome you really are. First,
you must survey your present habits of nutrition and exercise, and use of makeup and clothing.
From there, you must embark upon a program of personal enhancement and development that
brings out the positives and plays down the negatives.
Establishing the proper attitude has brought you to the exciting point when you are ready to cut
an important facet of your diamond – the first impression. Although it is common knowledge that
looks can deceive, there is no escaping the fact that physical appearance is the major criterion in
making a first impression, and first impressions are of the utmost importance.
When preparing for a first impression, work to improve everything possible – even the most
minute detail. What may appear insignificant when considered alone can combine with other
imperfections to project carelessness. To each new person you encounter, the way you look and
behave is a sample of yourself to others, think in terms of your “packaging.” You want the person
you meet to think, “I want to know this person better.” Remember that it is natural in our society to
rate those who come in pretty and proper packages more positively, to perceive them as more
talented, more intelligent, more adept at the social skills.
People meet the outer you before they are able to know the inner you. They respond to the
“picture” you make and to the springy and energetic, or uninteresting and uncommunicative way
you are feeling even before you exchange hellos. Therefore, it is necessary that you work to perfect
your outer “Packaging”. This consists of your physical beauty and general personal appearance
which is enhanced through your clothing, accessories, makeup, and hairstyle, as well as the shape
and condition of your body.
Inner Beauty
To think beautiful is to be beautiful. Everything begins with your perception. With your eyes
shut, think the words, “I am beautiful or handsome.” With your eyes open, write, “I am beautiful.”
With sincere smile, in the privacy of your room, say, “I am beautiful.” The seeds of beauty – an
attitude by which to live and an image to project – are the most valuable seeds of thought you can
plant and cultivate in your secret mental garden. Just now, by thinking, writing, and saying, “I am
beautiful or handsome” – you sowed the seeds. After sowing the seeds of beauty cultivation must
begin. Cultivation is comprised of the responsibility and the commitment on your part to make
beauty become a reality in your life. This takes time and work. However, you will begin to feel
beautiful as soon as you begin to work on your physical, emotional, mental, and aesthetic being.
Cultivating the thought “ I am beautiful” requires self-analysis, goal-setting, commitment, discipline,
and perseverance. You must learn to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, you good and bad
qualities, and then decide what can be done about each of them – which will play up and which will
you play down, or ignore?
Source: Personality for Today’s Young Professional, 3rd edition. 2012 By: Amparo E. Santos Ed.D.