Typically, character is understood as a combination of various stable personality traits that affect all aspects of an individualās behavior. It is character that is the factor that determines a personās stable attitude to the world, the uniqueness of his personality, which manifests itself in the style of activity and in the process of communication.
Factors affecting the development of character traits in the framework of various theories
In general, various factors having an internal and external nature influence the process of personality character formation ā this is heredity, personality activity, environment, and upbringing. Each of these factors contributes to the formation of personality, and at the same time, these conditions influence each other. In various theories, the concept of character is different. There are various concepts of the formation of personality traits, in each of which a leading role is assigned to one or another factor. In modern Western psychology, in relation to this problem, several different approaches can be distinguished:
- Constitutional biological. E. Kretschmer is traditionally considered its founder. According to this theory, the nature and manifestations of a personās temperament directly depend on his physical constitution. In this area, asthenic, picnic and athletic types of character are distinguished.
- Typology of E. Fromm. It is based on the relationship of a person, as well as his moral qualities. Fromm considered human needs in the context of the current political and economic situation, which has a leading influence on the formation of personality traits.
- Psychoanalytic. Its founders are Z. Freud, C. G. Jung, A. Adler. The formation of character is based on unconscious drives.
- Otto Ranka concept. In the process of formation of character traits, the leading role is played by the willpower of man. The volitional process is a kind of oppositional force that arises in response to external coercion. In addition to the will, the personality is formed under the influence of sensory experiences, emotions.
The influence of temperament
Temperament is often confused with character, while these concepts have significant differences. Character has a social nature (in other words, is formed under the influence of society), while temperament is determined biologically. If character can, albeit with difficulty, change throughout life, then temperament remains stable.
Moreover, temperament has a significant effect on the severity of character traits. There are properties of temperament that will contribute to the manifestation of certain qualities; there are those that will slow them down. For example, irritability will be much more pronounced in choleric than in sanguine. On the other hand, with the help of character traits, temperament properties can be restrained. For example, with the help of tact and restraint, choleric can restrain the manifestations of this type of temperament.
What determines the character?
The formation of character occurs throughout the course of life. A personās lifestyle affects his way of thinking, emotional experiences, feelings, motivation in all their unity. That is why, as the way of life that a person adheres to is formed, his character is formed. An essential role in human life is played by social attitudes, specific life circumstances through which a person has to go. The character is largely formed under the influence of the actions and deeds of the personality.
Moreover, character formation takes place directly in various social groups (family, work collective, classroom, sports team). Depending on which particular group will be the reference for a person, certain qualities of character will be formed in him. In many ways, they will depend on the place of the person in the team. Personal development takes place in a team; in turn, the individual influences the group.
There are different ways of character formation. This process can be compared with muscle building, the formation of a well-built figure. If a person makes efforts, regularly exercises, muscles grow. And vice versa - the lack of the necessary loads causes muscular atrophy. This is well observed when the muscles are without movement for a long time - for example, in a cast. This principle also works for the process of personality character formation. Honesty, integrity, optimism, confidence, sociability - all these are the features for the development of which persistent training is necessary. The right actions always lead to independence, the ability to make the right decisions. A person with a strong character ceases to follow the lead of society, he finds himself.
The influence of adults on the formation of the personality of the child
Sensitive period in the formation of character is considered to be the age from 2-3 to 9-10 years, when children spend a lot of time in communication with surrounding adults. During this period of time, the child is open to interaction with the world; he is willing to accept external influences, imitating adults. They, in turn, enjoy great trust on the part of the baby, and therefore can influence the children's psyche with words and actions, which creates favorable conditions for fixing the necessary forms of behavior.
In the event that the elders caring for the child communicate with him in a positive way, and the basic needs of the baby are fully satisfied, then from an early age positive character traits begin to form in him - for example, openness to other people and trust. When parents and other adult relatives do not pay enough attention to the baby, do not care for him, do not show positive emotions or do not communicate at all - this leads to the development of traits such as isolation and distrust.
The role of education
The formation of character traits occurs under the influence of social interaction, a personās possession of knowledge, skills, and ideas about the world around him. Although education is aimed at shaping the character of a person, this process can occur in the absence thereof. Parenting is not omnipotent - it cannot eliminate the effect of many factors of the formation of character, which, in principle, are not dependent on people. However, it can affect the overall physical development, as with the help of special training you can strengthen both willpower and the health of the child. And this will affect his activity, his ability to know the world.
The inclinations laid down by nature can turn into abilities only under the influence of upbringing, in the process of introducing the child to one or another type of activity. Indeed, for the development of makings, a lot of hard work, high working capacity is necessary. These qualities develop in the process of education.
When does the foundation of personality begin to be laid?
It is believed that earlier than other character traits, qualities such as kindness, sociability and responsiveness, as well as opposite negative qualities - selfishness, callousness and indifference are laid down. Scientists suggest that these qualities are laid at an early age and are determined by the ratio of mother to child in the first months of life. In the process of child development, the decisive factor is gradually becoming the system of encouragement and punishment used in the upbringing process.
Heredity is the basis of character formation
Heredity is the repetition of similar types of features of a living organism over several generations. With the help of heredity, the survival of man as a biological species is ensured. Genes play an important role in the process of personality formation, its character. Character traits, character formation - all this is largely due to the "baggage" that a person receives from his parents.
A predisposition to a certain type of activity is also inherited. It is believed that a child by nature has three types of inclinations - intellectual, artistic, as well as social. Makings are the foundation on which the childās abilities subsequently develop. Separately, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of the intellectual inclinations of the child. Each person from nature receives great opportunities for the development of his intellectual abilities. Scientists believe that the differences between children in the characteristics of the course of higher nervous activity can affect the flow of thought processes, but do not change the quality of mental activity itself. However, teachers and psychologists note that an environment unfavorable for the development of thinking can still be created - for example, sluggish neurons in children of alcohol-dependent parents, broken connections between nerve cells in drug addicts, and the presence of inherited mental illnesses.
In domestic psychology, one of the most important questions was whether the moral qualities of a person and their character are inherited. Character traits, character formation are not subject to the influence of genetics - this is what domestic educators considered. The personality is formed in the process of interaction with the environment; a person cannot initially be born evil or kind, generous or mean.
In Western psychology, on the contrary, the assertion dominates that character traits are inherited, and the child is born honest or deceitful, modest or greedy, kind or aggressive. This opinion was shared by M. Montessori, C. Lorenz, E. Fromm and other researchers.
Becoming character and crises
At different stages of the development of psychological science, the theory came to the fore according to which the formation of the character of an individual is for the most part determined by upbringing and its social activity. Also, one of the most important provisions in Russian psychology was that the decisive role in growing up a person, the formation of his character is played by obstacles in life. In science, they are called crises. As a result of passing through these obstacles, a person receives a certain psychological neoplasm, as well as the ability to move to a new stage of his personal development.
The outstanding domestic psychologist L. S. Vygotsky adhered to such a theory. It was he who introduced the concept of the āzone of proximal developmentā to science, substantiated the significance of age-related crises for the formation of the character of an individual. For this process to happen harmoniously, the people around must know the features of each age period, and also be able to track deviations in the childās development on time. Indeed, often the psychological age does not coincide with the calendar.
Game and character development
In preschool age, one of the most important factors affecting character formation is the game. At first, the baby needs the help of an adult. During this period, one of the most important mechanisms of the growing process is manifested - imitation. The child in everything tends to copy the behavior of others, both positive and negative actions. Unnoticed by their daily actions, parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts have a direct impact on the development and formation of the character of the child.
Personality Development at School Age
At primary school age, children are more independent. They can distinguish between bad and good, note negative manifestations in the behavior of an adult. Also at this stage of development, an important role is played by the formation of the childās ability to think critically.
In adolescence, the most important condition for the formation of character is cognitive activity. It reaches maximum performance along with the progressive development of thinking. At this stage, it is important that the child has a large number of positive examples of development. Indeed, otherwise an impressive negative experience can be a decisive factor in the formation of the character of a teenager.
At the stage of youth, friendships have a great influence on the personality. At this age, a young man is characterized by persistent strong-willed qualities. He seeks to master the profession, to meet a life partner.
Activity and character development
An important role in the process of character formation is played by labor - and it can be both intellectual and physical. Character development begins already in the process of mastering by a child various instruments of activity. The knowledge that a person gains as a result of professional development has a significant impact on his worldview.
The success of work in this case depends on several indicators. The main ones are the involvement of the personality in the work, as well as its ability to social interaction. Equally important is the presence of a mentor who will lead the young man along the path of personal development.
In Russian psychology, character formation is directly associated with labor activity. The involvement of a person in the work process contributes to a change in his worldview. A person begins to see himself in a new image, and the whole world around him begins to acquire a new meaning for it.
The role of communication in the process of activity
The formation of a social character is largely due to the communicative component of labor activity. It affects the emotional-sensual sphere of personality. In a work collective, a person can manifest himself differently than in a school class or student group, use unusual patterns of behavior for him. Gradually expanding the circle of communication at the expense of new activities, the individual goes through new stages of his socialization.
Society influence
One of the main features of character formation in a child is that personality traits in him are formed as a result of the approval or disapproval of an adult. The desire to hear praise from a significant adult - first of all, from a parent - leads to the fact that the child begins to commit acts previously unusual for him. Thus, starting from a very early age, the childās social environment has a direct impact on the development of the character traits of the baby.
By the end of primary school age, this desire is transferred to peers - now the student needs to hear approval from his comrades. During schooling, the child has more rights and obligations, he actively interacts with society. The opinion of the teacher also plays a large role, and the desire to obtain approval from the mother and father is no longer so pronounced.
In adolescence, the character is largely formed under the influence of the group. One of the most important aspirations of a teenager is to occupy a certain niche among his own kind, to gain some authority from his comrades. Therefore, adolescents strive to meet the requirements that are established in a social group. Communication with peers leads to the fact that a teenager begins to know himself. He develops an interest in his personality, features of his character, and opportunities to correct these features.