The main character traits of a person. Rules for writing a resume. What is character and what is it formed from?

Trait - This is a stable form of behavior in connection with specific situations typical for a given type of behavior. A trait can be spoken of as a stable characteristic of a person if the probability of its manifestation in a certain situation is quite high. However, probability means that this trait does not always appear, otherwise it would simply be a matter of mechanical behavior. A character trait includes a certain way of thinking and understanding. In the most general form, 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 ones.

Strong-willed human character traits. The group of volitional traits includes those character traits that are associated with manifestations of a person’s will. On the one hand, this includes such character traits as determination, perseverance, determination, confidence, perseverance, the desire to solve assigned problems and overcome obstacles - all these qualities relate to the character of a person with a strong will. On the other hand, character traits that correspond to people with a weak will are also included here. This is spinelessness, compliance, lack of life goals, lack of will, unpredictability, inconsistency, etc.

Business character traits of a person. Business character traits are manifested in the area where human activity is carried out. This could be an attitude towards work, towards one’s responsibilities, towards business or any other type of activity. These character traits can also be attributed to two poles: positive and negative. The positive pole of business traits will correspond to hard work, responsibility, conscientiousness, accuracy, dedication, etc. The negative pole includes: laziness, negligence, irresponsibility, dishonesty, sloppiness, etc.

Communicative character traits of a person. Communicative character traits are those human characteristics that manifest themselves in relationships with other people. The range of this type of human character traits is extremely wide. These are all those properties that are revealed when people communicate with each other. These are honesty and integrity, kindness and unselfishness, responsiveness and gentleness, sociability and attentiveness, modesty and restraint, calmness and rationality. At the same time, these are deceit and anger, callousness and selfishness, isolation and resentment, aggression and neglect, impulsiveness and cunning, rancor and contempt. All this manifests itself through the expression of emotions, through communication with others.

E. Kretschmer identified and described the three most common types of human body structure or constitution, each of which he associated with character types:

1. Asthenic type characterized by a small body thickness in profile with average or above average height. An asthenic person is usually a thin and thin person, who, because of his thinness, seems somewhat taller than he actually is. An asthenic person has thin skin of the face and body, narrow shoulders, thin arms, an elongated and flat chest with underdeveloped muscles and weak fat accumulations. This is basically the characteristic of asthenic men. Women of this type, in addition, are often short.

2. Athletic type characterized by a highly developed skeleton and muscles. Such a person is usually of medium or tall height, with broad shoulders and a powerful chest. He has a dense, high head.

3. Picnic type characterized by highly developed internal body cavities (head, chest, abdomen), a tendency to obesity with underdeveloped muscles and the musculoskeletal system. Such a person is of average height with a short neck sitting between the shoulders.

Asthenic and athletic types are distinguished by aristocracy, subtlety of feelings, aloofness, coldness, selfishness, authority, dryness, and lack of emotions.

The picnic type is characterized by cheerfulness, talkativeness, carelessness, sincerity, energy, and an easy perception of life.

Character types. As shown above, there are a large number of character traits, each of which, to one degree or another, may be present or absent in a person. Due to such diversity, it is clear that it is quite difficult to identify character types, since they are completely different for different people. Nevertheless, in psychology there are various typologies of characters, which are based on one fact: the set of traits that is included in the structure of a person’s character is not random. All human character traits form very specific combinations, which make it possible to distinguish the types of people’s characters.

One example of classifying characters by type is their division into extroverts and introverts. The basis for this classification of character types is the predominance of external or internal interests in a person’s life. Extraversion and introversion how character types are manifested through a person’s openness or closedness in relation to the world around him and the people around him.

Personality type: extrovert. The extrovert character type corresponds to sociable people who clearly show interest in the outside world, in everything that happens around them. Usually these people are active, energetic, and inquisitive. They live by what surrounds them, their world is connected with what is around them. The life of people with this type of character is determined by their external interests, by the events that occur in the outside world. For an extrovert, the external world is higher than his internal subjective state.

Personality type: introvert. The introvert character type is characteristic of closed people whose attention is directed to themselves, to their own internal mental experiences. Such a person usually sooner or later becomes the sole center of his own interests. People with an introverted personality type put their individual inner world above what is happening in the world around them. They often exhibit character traits such as aloofness, detachment, and anxiety. At the same time, these are usually independent and practical individuals, whose lives are based on the dynamics of their own internal mental state.

As mentioned above, there are many other options for distinguishing different types of characters. There is no single strict classification here - the variety of character traits, the formation of which begins in early childhood, is too great.

The second typology, the founder of which is C. Jung, connects characters with the orientation of the individual and identifies a number of psychosociotypes. A psychosociotype, from the point of view of K. Jung, is an innate mental structure that determines a specific type of information exchange between a person and the environment.

K. Jung identifies four types of character:

1. Extrovert - introvert;

2. Rationalistic - irrationalistic;

3. Thinking (logical) - emotional;

4. Sensing (sensory) - intuitive.

Each of these four types can be combined with any other, forming new character types.

Recently, a typology of character has become widespread, linking its characteristics with accentuation - the excessive expression of individual character traits and aggregates. (K. Leongard, A. E. Lichko, etc.)

Throughout his life, each person exhibits his own individual characteristics, which are reflected not only in his behavior or the specifics of communication, but also determine his attitude towards activities, himself and other people. All these features that manifest themselves in life, both in scientific use and in everyday life, are called character.

Definition of "character"

In psychology, character is understood as a certain set of human traits that are clearly expressed and relatively stable. Character traits always leave an imprint on a person’s behavior and also influence his actions.

In psychological dictionaries you can find a fairly large number of definitions of character, but they all boil down to the fact that character is the totality of the most persistent individual psychological characteristics of a person, which always manifest themselves in their activities and social behavior, as well as in the system of relationships:

• to the team;
• to other people;
• to work;
• to the surrounding reality (to the world);
• to myself.

The term itself character» ( in the lane from Greek character – coinage or seal) was introduced by the ancient Greek philosopher and naturalist, student Plato and Aristotle's closest friend Theophrastus. And here it is worth paying special attention to the translation of the word – minting or printing. Indeed, character appears as a kind of pattern on a person’s personality, thereby creating a unique seal that distinguishes its owner from other individuals. Such a design, just like the coat of arms or emblem on the personal seal of the medieval nobility, is drawn on a certain basis using specific signs and letters. The basis for engraving an individual personality is temperament, and a unique design is based on bright and individual character traits .

Character traits as a tool for psychological assessment and understanding of a person

In psychology, character traits are understood as individual, rather complex characteristics that are the most indicative for a person and make it possible with a high degree of probability to predict his behavior in a specific situation. That is, knowing that a particular person has certain traits, one can predict his subsequent actions and possible actions in a given case. For example, if a person has a pronounced trait of responsiveness, then there is a high probability that at a difficult moment in life he will come to the rescue.

A trait is one of the most important and essential parts of a person, his stable quality and established way of interacting with the surrounding reality. A character trait crystallizes a personality and reflects its integrity. A person’s character trait is a real way to solve many life situations (both active and communicative) and therefore they need to be considered from the point of view of the future. So, character traits are a forecast of a person’s actions and deeds, since they are persistent and make a person’s behavior predictable and more obvious. Because every personality is unique, there is a huge variety of unique character traits.

Each person acquires special character traits throughout his life in society, and all individual signs (traits) cannot be considered characterological. These will only be those who, regardless of life situation and circumstances, will always manifest themselves in an identical way of behavior and the same attitude in the surrounding reality.

Thus, in order to evaluate a personality psychologist (characterize it) as an individual, it is necessary to determine not the entire sum of a person’s individual qualities, but to highlight those traits and qualities of character that are distinctive from other people. Despite the fact that these features are individual and different, they must constitute a structural integrity.

A person’s character traits are a priority when studying his personality, as well as for understanding and predicting his actions, actions and behavior. Indeed, we perceive and understand any type of human activity as a manifestation of certain traits of his character. But, characterizing a person as a social being, it becomes important not so much the manifestation of traits in activity, but what exactly this activity is aimed at (as well as what the human will serves). In this case, one should pay attention to the content side of character, and more specifically, to those character traits of a person that make up the general structure of his mental make-up. They are expressed in: integrity-contradiction, unity-fragmentation, static-dynamism, breadth-narrowness, strength-weakness.

List of human character traits

Human character- this is not only a certain set of certain traits (or a random set of them), but a very complex mental formation that represents a certain system. This system consists of many of the most stable qualities of a person, as well as its properties, manifested in various systems of human relations (to work, to one’s business, to the world around us, to things, to oneself and to other people). In these relationships, the structure of character, its content and individuality of originality find its expression. Below, in the table, the main character traits (groups of them) are described, which find their manifestation in various systems of human relations.

Persistent character traits (symptom complexes) manifested in personal relationships

In addition to the traits that manifest themselves in the system of relationships, psychologists have identified human character traits that can be attributed to the cognitive and emotional-volitional sphere. So character traits are divided into:

• cognitive (or intellectual) - curiosity, theoreticality, criticality, resourcefulness, analyticalness, thoughtfulness, practicality, flexibility, frivolity;
• emotional (impressionability, passion, emotionality, cheerfulness, sentimentality, etc.);
• strong-willed traits (persistence, determination, independence, etc.);
• moral traits (kindness, honesty, justice, humanity, cruelty, responsiveness, patriotism, etc.).

Representative of the humanistic trend in psychology Gordon Allport character traits were combined into three main categories:

• dominant (those that most determine all forms of human behavior, his actions and deeds, such as selfishness or kindness);
• ordinary (which manifest themselves equally in all spheres of life, for example parity and humanity);
• secondary (they do not have the same influences as dominant or ordinary ones, for example it could be diligence or a love of music).

So, the main character traits are manifested in various spheres of mental activity and the system of relationships of the individual. All these relationships are fixed in different methods of action and forms of human behavior that are most familiar to him. Certain natural relationships are always established between existing traits, which make it possible to create a structured character. It, in turn, helps to predict, based on a person’s character trait already known to us, others who are hidden from us, which makes it possible to predict his subsequent actions and actions.

Any structure, including character, has its own hierarchy. Thus, character traits also have a certain hierarchy, so there are main (leading) and secondary traits that are subordinate to the leading ones. It is possible to predict a person’s actions and behavior based not only on the main features, but also on secondary ones (despite the fact that they are less significant and do not appear so clearly).

Typical and individual in character

The bearer of character is always a person, and his traits are manifested in activities, relationships, actions, behavior, methods of action in the family, in a team, at work, among friends, etc. This manifestation always reflects the typical and individual in character, because they exist in organic unity (thus, the typical is always the basis for the individual manifestation of character).

What is meant by typical character? A character is said to be typical when it has a set of essential traits that are common to a particular group of people. This set of traits reflects the general living conditions of a particular group. In addition, these traits must be manifested (to a greater or lesser extent) in each representative of this group. The set of distinctive typical features is a condition for the emergence of a certain one.

What is typical and individual in character is most clearly expressed in a person’s relationships with other people, because interpersonal contacts are always determined by certain social conditions of life, the corresponding level of cultural and historical development of society and the formed spiritual world of the person himself. The attitude towards other people is always evaluative and manifests itself in different ways (approval-condemnation, support-misunderstanding) depending on the existing circumstances. This manifestation is expressed depending on a person’s assessment of the actions and behavior of others, or rather their positive and negative character traits.

Typical human character traits, in terms of their level of intensity, manifest themselves individually in each person. For example, individual traits can reveal themselves so strongly and clearly that they become unique in their own way. It is in this case that the typical in character turns into the individual.

Positive character traits and their manifestation

Both typical and individual in character find their manifestation in systems of personality relationships. This happens due to the presence of certain traits (both positive and negative) in a person’s character. So, for example, in relation to work or one’s business, such positive character traits as hard work, discipline and organization are manifested.

As for interpersonal communication and attitude towards other people, the good character traits are the following: honesty, openness, fairness, integrity, humanity, etc. All these traits allow you to build constructive communication and quickly establish contacts with people around you.

It should be noted that there are a huge variety of individual character traits. But among them, it is necessary to highlight first of all those that have the greatest influence on the formation of a person’s spirituality (it is in this context that the best character trait of a person – humanity) finds its manifestation. These traits are even more important in the process of educating and developing the younger generation, because the same traits are formed differently depending on situations, the presence of other character traits and the orientation of the individual himself.

While highlighting good character traits, one should not forget about their possible distortion, or the presence of obvious negative traits that a person needs to fight. Only in this case will the harmonious and holistic development of the personality be observed.

Negative character traits and their manifestation

In relation to the behavior, actions and activities of other people, a person always forms traits of a certain character - positive and negative. This occurs on the principle of analogy (that is, identification occurs with what is acceptable) and opposition (with what is included in the list of unacceptable and incorrect). The attitude towards oneself can be positive or negative, which primarily depends on the level of development and the ability to adequately evaluate oneself ( that is, from the formed level). A high level of self-awareness is evidenced by the presence of the following positive traits: high demands on oneself, and self-esteem, as well as responsibility. And, conversely, an insufficient level of development of self-awareness is indicated by such negative character traits as self-confidence, selfishness, immodesty, etc.

Negative character traits (in principle, just like positive ones manifest themselves) in the four main systems of human relationships. For example, in the “attitude to work” system, among the negative traits are irresponsibility, carelessness and formality. And among the negative traits that manifest themselves in interpersonal communication, it is worth highlighting isolation, stinginess, boastfulness and disrespect.

It should be noted that negative character traits, which find their manifestation in the system of a person’s relationships with other people, almost always contribute to the emergence of conflicts, misunderstandings and aggression, which subsequently leads to the emergence of destructive forms of communication. That is why every person who wants to live in harmony with others and with himself should think about cultivating positive traits in his character and getting rid of destructive, negative traits.

Every person is endowed with a unique, personal character from birth. A child can inherit certain traits from his parents, some show them to a greater extent, while others are completely different from any of the family members. But character is not the behavior of parents projected onto the child; it is a more complex mental phenomenon. The list of positive ones is very long. In this article we will try to highlight the main character traits.

person?

Translated from Greek, the word “character” means “distinctive feature, sign.” Depending on the type of their psychological organization, people find their soul mates, establish relationships, and build their entire lives. Human character is a unique set of mental characteristics, personality traits that play a decisive role in various aspects of a person’s life and are manifested through his activities.

To understand the character of an individual, it is necessary to analyze his actions en masse. Judgments about morality can be very subjective, because not every person acts as his heart tells him. However, it is possible to identify individual stable character traits by studying behavior for a long time. If a person makes the same decision in different situations, draws similar conclusions and demonstrates a similar reaction, then this indicates that he has one or another trait. For example, if someone is responsible, then his behavior both at work and at home will meet this criterion. If a person is cheerful by nature, a one-time manifestation of sadness against the background of general positive behavior will not become a separate character trait.

Character Formation

The process of character formation begins in early childhood, in the child’s first social contacts with his parents. For example, excessive love and care can later become the key to a stable characteristic of a person’s psyche and make him dependent or spoiled. That is why many parents are especially attentive to instilling positive character traits in their children. They get pets so that the baby can feel what responsibility is, assign him to do small chores around the house, teach him to put away his toys and explain that not all desires and whims can be fulfilled.

The next stage is kindergarten and school. The child already has the basic character traits, but at this stage they can still be corrected: you can wean the little personality off greed and help get rid of excessive shyness. In the future, as a rule, the formation and change of character traits are possible only when working with a psychologist.

Character or temperament?

Very often these two concepts are confused with each other. Indeed, both character and temperament shape human behavior. But they have a fundamentally different nature. Character is a list of acquired mental properties, while temperament is of biological origin. Possessing the same temperament, people can have completely different characters.

There are 4 types of temperament: impetuous and unbalanced choleric, unhurried and imperturbable phlegmatic, easy and optimistic sanguine and emotionally vulnerable melancholic. At the same time, temperament can restrain certain character traits, and vice versa, character can compensate for temperament.

For example, a phlegmatic person with a good sense of humor will still be stingy in showing emotions, but this will not prevent him from demonstrating a sense of humor, laughing and having fun in the appropriate society.

List of positive human qualities

The list of positive and negative qualities of a person is huge. Initially, all definitions regarding the nature and essence of a person, his behavior are subjective. Society has established certain norms that allow us to determine how positive or negative a particular personality trait or action is. However, there are the highest qualities of a person that demonstrate his virtue and good intentions. Their list looks like this:

• altruism;
• reverence for elders;
• kindness;
• fulfillment of promises;
• moral;
• responsibility;
• loyalty;
• perseverance;
• moderation;
• responsiveness;
• honesty;
• sincerity;
• selflessness and others.

These qualities, along with their derivatives, constitute the nature of the true beauty of a person's character. They are laid down in the family; in the process of upbringing, children copy the behavior of their parents, and therefore a well-educated person will have all these highest qualities.

List of negative human qualities

The list of positive and negative qualities of a person can take a long time to form, since there are a lot of them. Attributing to a person the presence of a negative character quality based solely on his action or behavior will be completely wrong. You can't put labels on anyone, even the most well-mannered may actually believe that they are endowed with, say, greed or arrogance. However, if this behavior is a pattern, then the conclusion will be obvious.

The list of negative traits, as well as positive ones, is huge. The most basic and common ones look like this:

• lack of will;
• irresponsibility;
• harmfulness;
• greed;
• malice;
• deceit;
• hypocrisy;
• hatred;
• selfishness;
• intolerance;
• greed and others.

The presence of such character traits in a person is not a diagnosis; they can and should be dealt with even in adult, conscious age, and correct behavior.

Character traits that manifest themselves in relation to other people

We have compiled a list of positive and negative human qualities. Now we will talk about character traits that manifest themselves in relation to other people. The fact is that depending on in relation to whom or what a person performs an action or deed, a specific individual feature of him is revealed. In society, he can demonstrate the following qualities:

• communication skills;
• responsiveness;
• sensitivity to other people's moods;
• respect;
• arrogance;
• egocentrism;
• coarseness;
• isolation and others.

Of course, a lot depends on the conditions in which a person finds himself: even the most open and sociable person can experience problems communicating with a strict, closed and heartless person. But, as a rule, polite people endowed with positive qualities easily adapt to society and suppress their negative traits.

Character traits manifested in work

Building a person’s career directly depends on the qualities of his character. Even the most talented and gifted people can fail because they are not responsible enough for their work and their talent. By doing so, they only harm themselves and do not give themselves the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Or, on the contrary, there are cases where the lack of talent was more than compensated for by special diligence in work. A responsible and careful person will always achieve success. Here is a list of the main character traits:

• hard work;
• responsibility;
• initiative;
• accuracy;
• sloppiness;
• laziness;
• negligence;
• passivity and others.

These two groups of character traits actively overlap with each other, since work activity and communication between people are inseparably linked.

Character traits manifested in relation to oneself

These are the traits that characterize his self-perception in relation to himself. They look like this:

• feelings of self-worth or superiority;
• honor;
• arrogance;
• self-criticism;
• egocentrism;
• self-adoration and others.

Character traits manifested in relation to things

Attitude to things does not affect the building of a person’s social connections, but demonstrates and reveals the best or unsightly qualities of his nature. These are traits such as:

• accuracy;
• thrift;
• scrupulousness;
• sloppiness and others.

Mentality, qualities of a Russian person

Mentality is a very subjective concept, and it is based on stereotypical thinking. However, it cannot be denied that certain traits are inherent in one or another nationality. Russian people are famous for their cordiality and hospitality, and cheerful disposition. The Russian soul throughout the world is considered mysterious and incomprehensible, since Russians are not distinguished by the rationality and logic of their actions, and are often influenced by mood.

Another feature of the Russian people is sentimentality. A Russian person instantly adopts the feelings of another and is always ready to share emotions with him and lend a helping hand. One cannot help but mention another trait - compassion. Historically, Russia has helped its neighbors at all borders of the country, and today only a heartless person will ignore the misfortune of another.

In the behavior and activity of a person, all of his individual characteristics and qualities find their manifestation, which in their totality determine the character of the individual. In psychology, character is understood as a mental property of a person, which finds its manifestation in his subjective relationships to society, activities, himself, his life, and other people. This system of properties is constantly realized in a person’s actions, his lifestyle, and is also not only a prerequisite, but also a result of his real behavior in certain life situations.

Despite the fact that in all systems of a person’s relationships his character finds its individual manifestation, the presence and combination of certain traits makes it possible to predict his reaction in a certain situation or to a specific stimulus. This can be done most easily thanks to the so-called typical characters identified in psychological science, which make it possible to predict the behavior of people belonging to a specific type. For example, people who have internal character traits ( according to K.G. Jung) in many life situations will behave very similarly (typically) - balanced, silent, thoughtful, since they are very restrained in their emotional expression.

Character types - difficult to define

All existing character types are formed through the combination and subsequent synthesis of distinctive (but at the same time typical) characters. It should be noted that a character type is a formation that is much more complex than typical traits. In order to be able to determine a specific type of character, it is necessary to identify its typical and most significant features, namely:

• typical orientation of a person (interests, needs, attitudes, ideals, beliefs, etc.);
• typical manifestation of activity in various spheres of life (social, labor, cognitive, etc.);
• typical emotional-dynamic manifestation.

All of the listed features clearly cannot accurately determine a person’s character types. This is possible only in the complex relationship of all these features. Here it is also necessary to clarify that, despite all the stability of the character type as a complex formation, it is also quite dynamic and plastic. This is explained by the fact that under the influence of various life circumstances, upbringing, living conditions, the cultural and historical level of development of a given society, as well as the presence of demands on oneself, all existing personality types develop and undergo some changes.

Classification of character types

The study of various character types led psychology to the creation of its classification, that is, science faced the need to systematize existing types. The classification of character types became possible thanks to the search and establishment of natural connections in their formation and manifestation. Scientists-psychologists from various countries have made many similar attempts, and often they have had to face quite difficult obstacles along the way. It is precisely because representatives of many psychological schools and directions tried to create their own classification of character types that today there are a huge number of them. But we must remember that it is impossible to find a universal classification that could unite all existing types of characters (from different countries, times and peoples).

The first attempts to identify and describe the main types of character were made by ancient Greek philosophers. Thus, Plato proposed to distinguish types of character according to ethical principles, and Aristotle believed that a person’s character is determined by the structure and shape of a person’s face. The philosopher established the following pattern: people with a rude character have a nose shape that resembles an onion, a hot-tempered person has a pointed nose, and noble and powerful individuals have a hooked nose. Aristotle also paid special attention to the similarity of character between a person and an animal (this similarity was determined by appearance), for example, a person with a thick nose like a bull showed laziness, and if the nose resembled a pig’s snout (wide, flared nostrils) - stupidity. But, of course, Aristotle’s theory never found a scientific basis.

Constitutional theories of character

The most significant influence on the emergence of many character classifications was exerted by constitutional theory, the most prominent representatives of which are W. Sheldon and E. Kretschmer. Their typology was based on the relationship between the type of physical constitution of a person’s body and the characteristics of the manifestation of his character (the table shows the relationship between the constitution of the body and the types of character according to the constitutional theory).

Character types according to W. Sheldon and E. Kretschmer

Determining the type of character, referring to the constitution of the body, the shape of the face or the state of the endocrine glands, could not find support from other psychological directions. Therefore, the constitutional theory was subjected to significant criticism, which in turn led to the emergence of new ideas and, accordingly, new types of character.

Typology of character by F. Polan

Among other attempts to create a new typology of character, it is worth highlighting the work of Frederic Polhan. He proposed a typology based on the laws of human mental activity, as well as on the study of certain personality tendencies (forms and content). Polan identified two typological lines, the first of which was based on the laws of combination of trends and their features. In this line, the scientist distinguished two sections. The first includes character types with predominance:

• systematic association (intact, balanced individuals);
• systematic delay (people are reasonable and capable of self-control);
• associations of the opposite (nervous, quite restless, contradictory people);
• associations by similarity and contiguity (a person acts depending on the situation).

The second section of Polan’s first typological line was based on the formal features of human tendencies, which were based on:

• latitude (small, wide/narrow);
• purity (clean, calm/restless);
• strength (emotive, passionate, enterprising, courageous/cowardly);
• stability (stubborn, wayward, weak, constant/changeable);
• flexibility (flexible, harsh, soft/hard);
• sensitivity (active, impressionable, soft-bodied, cold).

The second line of Polan's typology was based on the predominance of certain trends, namely:

• which relate to life (organic, spiritual);
• relating to individuals;
• public;
• synthetic (combine both social and individual);
• superpersonal (religious, philosophical and aesthetic tendencies);
• impersonal (focus on obtaining pleasure, fulfilling duties and achieving certain advantages in a particular society).

There were enough shortcomings in Polan’s typology, but he tried to fight against functionalism and schematism, which were flourishing at that time (this was in the 19th century), pointing out the complexity and inconsistency of human character.

Character types according to K.G. Jung

Modern psychology widely welcomes the typology of character proposed by the famous neo-Freudian Carl Gustav Jung. He suggested that all people can be divided into certain types, depending on their orientation: internally oriented (introverts) and externally oriented (extroverts). This is how extroverted and introverted personality types appeared (the table provides a brief description of these types).

Types of human character according to C. Jung

Each of the types presented in the table can be rational or irrational (depending on the role of the orientation of the mind). In turn, all irrational and irrational extra- and introverted types, depending on the predominance of a certain mental function, K. Jung divided into the following types:

• thinking;
• emotional;
• sensory;
• intuitive.

Thus, Jung proposed only eight types: extroverted (thinking, feeling, sensing and intuitive) and introverted (thinking, feeling, sensing and intuitive character types).

Character types in Russian psychology

The typologies of character proposed by P.F. have won the greatest popularity in Russian psychological science. Lesgaft and A.F. Lazursky. Quite an interesting classification of child character types by Lesgaft, who said that the manifestation of a certain type depends primarily on the influence of the family environment on the developing personality. The scientist identified two categories of character types, which are presented in the table.

Character typology of P.F. Lesgafta

As for the typology of A.F. Lazursky, the basis of his theory was the principle of active adaptation of the individual to the environment. The very same classification of character types, scientist, which includes three groups, was based on the differences between the endopsyche (basic mental and psychophysiological functions) and exopsyche (the relationship of the individual to the objects of the surrounding reality), and their subsequent interaction. The Lazurskys were offered three groups of characters.

Character typology of A.F. Lazursky

Lazursky's character typology was built on his use of “floating” criteria (they changed when moving to another level). Thus, as the level increased, the greatest importance was attached to the formation of a certain type of spiritual and worldview characteristics and, accordingly, the role of the biological foundation of the personality decreased.

Types of social characters by E. Fromm

The very concept of “social character” in psychology appeared thanks to the teachings of Erich Fromm, the founder of humanistic psychoanalysis. By character, Fromm understood human energy (or rather, its specific form), which appears in the process of dynamic adaptation of the individual’s various needs to a specific way of life in society. As for the social character itself, it, according to the scientist, includes a certain set of those traits that are manifested in the majority of representatives of a certain social group and that appeared as a result of their common experiences and a similar way of life.

E. Fomm believed that the interaction of people with the environment occurs in two directions:

• through assimilation (the acquisition of various things and their subsequent use, and this is an unproductive path);
• through socialization (an individual’s knowledge of himself and other people, which is a productive way).

The types of social characters were identified by From specifically among non-productive orientations (their characteristics are presented in the table below).

Types of social characters according to E. Fromm

As opposed to unproductive strategies, Frome identified only one productive one - conventionally called “adequate self-realization”, which has three dimensions (or hypostases): work, love and thought. Thus, a productive (or) fruitful orientation is an indicator of a mature and healthy personality, which is capable of self-realization and full understanding (and acceptance) of oneself.

Basic character types in modern psychoanalysis

The first psychoanalytic typology of characters was proposed by S. Freud, who identified the following types: oral, anal, phallic and genital (their characteristics are presented in the table).

Types of human character according to S. Freud

The classification of character types proposed by the modern American psychoanalyst Alexander Lowen is most famous in the world in psychological circles. The psychotherapist identified the following personality types:

• oral character type (high dependence on others, mood swings, feelings of emptiness, need for support, fear of rejection, increased sensitivity, tendency to depression, etc.);
• masochistic character type (constant need for suffering, increased sensitivity, insight, passivity, uncertainty and constraint);
• hysterical character type (ambitiousness, realism, high control over one’s own behavior, arrogance, high emotionality with simultaneous restraint);
• schizoid character type (weak connection between thoughts and feelings, difficulty in spontaneous actions, low self-esteem, individualization, presence of affective disorders, that is, inadequacy of emotional reactions);
• psychopathic character type (dominance, increased anxiety, concern for image, concern for control over the situation);
• phallic-narcissistic character type (self-confidence, ambition, arrogance, energy, expressiveness, flexibility and perseverance).

Character types and temperament

The formation of a person’s character is significantly influenced by temperament, which plays the role of the basis on which an individual personality pattern emerges - his character. Depending on the predominant type of temperament, four types of character are respectively distinguished: sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, melancholic.

The first and most striking type of character - a sanguine person - has the following traits: sociability, activity, openness, energy, optimism, positive attitude, high performance and good lability. The phlegmatic type of character manifests such traits as restraint, rationality, diligence, diligence, poise, calmness, reliability, and peacefulness.

The choleric character type has predominantly the following traits: hot temper, touchiness, aggressiveness, impulsiveness, activity, excitability, harshness and activity. The most characteristic features of the melancholic type are: passivity, anxiety, isolation, imbalance, sentimentality and sensitivity.

In conclusion, it should be noted that among the variety of character typologies, each of them should primarily serve not for their schematization or typification, but for a deeper understanding of the characteristics of various character types and the study of their individual manifestations.

Each person is a unique individual. He has his own character, corresponding to certain tastes, activity, life goals, interpretation of events, and so on. Everyone responds differently to the circumstances around them, reacts to problems, and takes actions. Life goals, family upbringing, principles, life values ​​and priorities directly influence its formation from childhood. But, despite this difference, there are common human character traits that helped create a generalized typology to facilitate analysis. We did this based on certain criteria.

Character - from Greek means “different from others”, “not like that”, “individual lifestyle”. This is a combination of persistent, relatively unchangeable mental properties of a person, which determines the characteristics of behavioral reactions in society and alone.

In order to identify a person’s character type, psychologists can take various indicators:

• The temperament of a person (melancholic, choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic), which is very important in the formation of her individuality, because it is inherent in everyone from childhood, some actions are performed “automatically” according to temperament. But if the temperament is mixed, as most often happens, then some difficulties will arise in determining the style of behavior, which are very interesting to solve.
• Physical build. It would seem that this has nothing to do with it, but scientists - psychologists have proven that the more beautiful an individual’s physical shape is, the more comfortable he feels in society, the easier it is to establish connections, and the less slouched. But you shouldn’t paint everything with the same brush; there are exceptions.

• By date of birth. Astrologers believe that fate depends a lot on the star under which he was born. The day, month, year, and time when the person was born are taken into account. All this influences a person, shaping his unique character. If the birth was accompanied by red, harsh Mars, then it endows the person with a vital core, steadfastness, firmness, and clarity of mind.
• Handwriting. Yes, this factor is very changeable, it often depends on mood, fatigue, interest in writing, even the pen. Handwriting and a person’s character are two interrelated criteria. It is by the first that the second is most often determined, because handwriting is chosen on a subconscious level. People who are confident in themselves and their abilities often have a sweeping, beautiful, even writing style, while those who are secretive, unsociable, and insecure choose small, slanted letters.
• According to external indicators. Some doctors believe that a person's character can be determined by his face. This is understandable, because seeing a sad, thoughtful face, many recognize the person as an unsociable melancholic, and being in the company of people with happy “shining” faces, everyone will feel positive energy.

Today there is absolutely everything on the Internet if you look hard enough. The “human character” test is no exception. There are a huge variety of them, to pass them you just need to answer questions that most often relate to behavior in various situations, thinking, and tastes. Then the received data is processed according to a special scale, which determines the result of the test passed. But you should understand that such “checks” are not always compiled by experienced psychologists. Sometimes they are created by ordinary people; such tests will not give a 100% result, but will only be close to the truth.

For research, a psychologist draws up a profile of a person, taking into account many factors to determine his character. Why is this necessary? Sometimes certain mental disorders or illnesses or experiences accompany a certain style of behavior. By analyzing the cause of the disease, you can find its solution, so everyone should know who they are in order to avoid further psychological problems.

These are the most popular methods, but there are a huge variety of them, because each doctor interprets many factors in his own way, they are no less interesting if you understand them. A description of a person’s character, according to each of the above criteria, goes below. After reading this article, everyone will be able to find themselves in the characteristics, and will also understand how to recognize a person’s character from them.

Temperament is a constant combination of individual, isolated mental and physiological characteristics of a person, associated with the effective, and not with the meaningful, aspect of actions. It’s kind of difficult, isn’t it? Simply put, this is what determines not thoughts, but behavior in a particular situation.

There are four main types: choleric, phlegmatic, melancholic, sanguine.

• A choleric person is a very bright, fast, passionate person, but completely unable to control herself in critical situations. Frequent outbursts of causeless anger, sudden impulses, constant mood swings - all this is an integral part of the life of any choleric person. Such people rush into something headlong, without planning anything, and very soon they get tired of it and begin to irritate them. They are terrible brawlers, debaters, they will never allow themselves to agree with someone else’s opinion, even if it is at least three times correct, and the choleric person himself does not understand this topic.
• A melancholic person is the exact opposite of a choleric person. Melancholic people are very vulnerable, emotional, and are easily brought to tears. They are constantly in a state of anxiety or worry. It is difficult for them to control their emotions, especially in critical situations, and they worry about every action taken. Alone with themselves, they are calm, often dream about something, and analyze their actions. They are diligent, but sometimes worries or extraneous thoughts interfere with their work. It is difficult for melancholic people to make connections with others, as they are very shy and picky about themselves.
• Phlegmatic - “calm, like an ancient oak on a hot summer day” is the whole essence of this temperament. Phlegmatic people are infinitely calm, unperturbed, it is difficult to get any emotions from them, because they do not worry about any events or actions. They are unhurried and can slowly wander down the street all day, immersed in detached thoughts. Phlegmatic people are very productive at work, because they are not distracted by anything in any situation. They fully compensate for their slowness with the quality of their actions. They learn everything new well.
• A sanguine person is a truly living person. Sanguine people are mobile, impressionable, and hot-tempered. Their impressions constantly change. They have expressive facial expressions. A sanguine person is easily drawn into the whirlpool of events around him, instantly reacting to everything that happens. Very efficient people. If the activity interests them, they will immerse themselves in it, but if not, they will not pay attention. Sanguine people are considered the easiest to train people.

A person's character types are sometimes classified according to his physique. The more athletic the body shape, the more confident the person is. Although “fat people” more often feel like the life of the party than the most avid jocks, it all depends on self-esteem. This method of characterization was proposed by the famous German doctor - psychologist Kretschmer.

• Picnics are fun “fat people”. These are people who are overweight or tend to be overweight. They are sociable and often become the life of any company if they are not worried about their weight. They easily make contact, make new acquaintances, communicate with strangers. Picnics correspond to such a type of behavior style as cyclothymic. This is the style that suits all sociable, sociable people.
• Athletics are the so-called “jocks”. Athletes carefully monitor their figure, nutrition, and are always in excellent physical shape. They often have inflated self-esteem, which reflects in their characteristics pride, cold calm, and a craving for dominance. They do not support changes that are difficult to get used to. They love to command both newcomers and acquaintances in the hall. An athletic person - an ixothymic person - is a constant, unshakable person.
• Asthenics are people who have a “teenage” figure: long thin limbs, tall stature, undeveloped body muscles. They are often compared to a pole. Such people are often secretive, uncommunicative, but stubborn. They do not like noisy companies, where they feel deprived of attention and unnecessary. Like athletes, asthenics do not like changes in life; they prefer stable constancy. Asthenics are schizothymic people who are very serious in any situation, stubborn, and withdrawn.

Date of Birth

Astrologers often determine a person's character by their date of birth. To determine your style of behavior, you can turn to multiple astrological sites, which the Internet has in abundance, since there will be a lot to describe, it will go far beyond the scope of the article. Typically, the analysis asks for the date and month, since each zodiac sign is divided into three decades. The Chinese horoscope analysis only asks for the year, identifying the appropriate animal.

Handwriting

Graphology is a science that studies all the diversity of handwriting. It says that there are no absolutely identical handwritings, but all of them can be conditionally combined into certain groups according to certain criteria. As it turns out, people with similar characters have similar ways of writing signs and letters.

Absolutely everything affects the characteristics: the size of the letters, their shape, slope, distance between them, spaces between words, pressure on the paper, indentation from the margins.

1. The size of the letters speaks of the openness of nature. If the letters are large and sweeping, then you have a creative person in front of you. Such people are usually impulsive, quick to act, pay little attention to details or advice, and are more interested in the goal. By nature they are warriors, rebels, who disagree with society. But small symbols speak of a person’s secrecy, the closedness of the soul. Such natures are very stubborn, have good mental analysis skills, are friends with the exact sciences, but prefer their company to a crowd of people. Very small letters indicate scrupulousness, even greater secrecy and detachment.
2. The shape of the symbols characterizes the social character of a person. Owners of angular icons are most often stubborn people who disagree with other people's opinions. They fight for their complete independence from others, but at the same time they are very faithful in friendship. Those who prefer smooth transitions and roundness of symbols are soft, warm-hearted natures. They are always ready to lend a hand to someone in need, they know how to calm and give advice. People who combine different forms are ideal inhabitants of society, since they combine vital energy with kindness and strength of mind.
3. Pressure on paper plays an important role when analyzing characteristics. So strong pressure is typical for choleric people, who like to constantly prove something, argue, keep promises, and set goals. And dim letters on paper speak of uncertainty and anxiety of melancholic people.
4. Spaces between words, as well as margins, indicate the ability to share. Greedy people can produce handwriting with small spaces and indentations from the margins, it seems as if they feel sorry for the paper. Large indentations indicate the generosity of nature.

Everyone has their favorite shade from a huge range. Color and human character are interconnected things, because even in ancient times people assigned each shade its own meaning.

White is a symbol of pure innocence, virginal honesty. Angels in paintings are always dressed in white robes, which speaks of their spotlessness and purity.

Black – sadness, strength of character, but sometimes uncertainty. The presence of black elements speaks of a person’s rigor and courage, but its abundance is a sure sign of insecurity.

Red is associated with passionate love, jealousy, revolution and blood. People who prefer all shades of red are real rebels. They are impulsive, courageous, decisive, and disagree with other people's opinions.

Yellow – wealth, prosperity. The children of the sun glow with a bright golden light. Yellow lovers are energetic, kind, and open. Such natures can chat for hours without stopping, walk all day, love sports, active pastime, and cannot sit still.

Green – hope, purity. By giving preference to green, one reveals oneself to be a very kind person, one who believes in others, trusting, and pure. Such people will always come to the rescue, will never leave in difficult times, will sacrifice themselves, but will help out. Often they are let down by their own faith in goodness, because the world is often filled with evil betrayal.

Blue – loyalty. Does your significant other love the color blue? Then you are a real lucky one, because blue is a symbol of fidelity, constancy, and patience. The brighter its shade, the more open and warm the nature.

Purple – coldness, pride, lust for power. Purple is preferred by selfish natures who love to manage others. This color is the coldest of all existing ones, which speaks of the person’s spiritual coldness, her steadfastness in business, and clarity of mind when solving problems.

Above was a list of the most popular ways to determine a person’s character, but there are many more ways, because each specialist interprets character in his own way.

Was last modified: December 11th, 2015 by Elena Pogodaeva