Can some body explain in simple words what "Personality" is and what the function of it is in humans growth?

Personality is built up from the moment on when an individual appears on this earthen plan, this might be valid for every being, even plants and animals. Life experience is stored in the individuals existence and then shows up in the appearance, behavior and reactions.

Plants and animals have not developed so much awareness that they are conscious about themselves, that's what only humans are capable for. They are identified with their senses and experience their existence through them. But they are also identified with their thoughts and feelings, so whatever there is stored in their memory from influences the individual had received during ones life, this is used to be identified with it and that is what builds up *personality*. Dominating in ones personality are all those concepts that are part of the common knowledge in society, this is the heritage built up from beginning of human kind and gives a frame in which humans feel supported and secure.

The evolution of human kind is still in a state where survival needs are dominating and giving motivation for most actions and form people's behavior and attitude. Once personality is build up and established, so it must be defended and also all properties that are part of ones personality. The individual is not open for influences, only to those that make the existing stronger, by adding information of the same kind or by confirming what is there. With the result, that in this world of personalities, they have created their own reality, that consist in all those concepts that are part of the common image world. Apart of this nothing else exist, - or if there is something, then it has its place in a concept...

Humans, in this specific state of evolution, having developed a personality, - are turning around themselves. They are enriching their personality with all abilities and properties that are available: Knowledge, money, power, appearance, beauty, success, ... constantly looking for confirmation for the established. Out of this ones *self image* is formed and gives identity and personality. With this one participates in the big game with other people. Presenting oneself in daily encounters and expecting an echo. This mostly doesn't come by itself and so humans have developed their individual way to provoke others, so that they react and then, - that is the trick -, one can react on this, at least strong enough to feel ones existence. This we can observe around us and - within ourselves and understand how personality works!

The survival need gives enough motivation to move in ones life, but then there might come the moment, when one gets tired of it and starts to ask questions about the sense of all this. The rat race in this society, the games around the money, all the suffering and pain...

Society is a close system and there is an answer for every thing, stored in the common data base. And if there are no concrete answers, then there are belief systems offered one can follow and so stay within society. If one still is not satisfied and has doubts and is questioning the whole system, then this tells, that one is growing out of ones personality as a step in ones growing process and has the urge to go beyond this worn out shell, that had serve as a step.

So personality can be seen as a cocoon that protects and gives a frame. Within this growing happens until the moment, when the cocoon is felt as a cage and then there comes the urge to get out and the form will fall apart and gives space to new horizons and a being that can fly off to ...

What one can do to overcome the resistance of ones own personality, to be able to step into unknown fields, that is another good question...

BeiYin

1

I think the question fits equally well in both categories

although I suspect that you will get different responses

in psychology from those you will get in philosophy.

I'm going to tell you a little story about personality.

Once upon a time, a little girl was born. Her parents

named her Rahmona. In her head, she had a little

room with a nameplate on the door and it read

"Personality". The room was dark and empty. Little

Rahmona did not know of this room because she was

a new human and she had had, as yet, no experiences

in life. She was laying somewhere and all of a sudden

something really remarkable happened. Something began

to stroke her little forehead and felt her little fingers and

toes and it made sounds which Rahmona found very

soothing and strangely familiar. The something began

to lift her up and, while continuing to make the soothing

sounds, placed something in Rahmona's mouth and

Rahmona, without really thinking about it, began to suckle

the thing. A wondrous thing then occurred. Rahmona

felt a warmth on her little tongue and a very nice tasting

something began to ooze out of the thing in her mouth.

She swallowed it and it tasted very good and she continued

the process until she sensed that she didn't need anymore

of the stuff. Her little tummy felt full and very content.

In the meantime, the light had come on in the "Personality"

room and strangely the room was no longer empty. In it,

laying on something soft and warm was little Rahmona.

She sensed that this room would be her room forever.

She was very content and felt so warm and safe.

In the meantime, back in the place where she had tasted

the wondrous stuff, the same something that had

given her the ooze, was continuing to make soothing

sounds when out of nowhere a little mouse appeared and

frightened little Rahmona's mom. Mom let out a loud,

piercing and fearful scream and jumped away from little

Rahmona. Little Rahmona suddenly sensed within her

a "very not right" feeling and so she let out a scream of

her own and water started leaking out of her eyes.

She desperately wanted the something to make soothing

sounds and to gently rub her forehead and fingers and toes

again so that the "very not right" feeling would go away.

In the room in Ramona's head, another strange and

wondrous event had occurred. Another little Rahmona had

suddenly entered the "personality" room and was very sad

and disturbed. The content and happy little Rahmona in

the room with her, began to make soothing sounds and

gently rubbed the new little Rahmona's fingers and toes.

Almost instantly, the new little Rahmona was very comforted

and began to feel very content. She too sensed that this

would be her room forever.

So, at the end of day one in the life of little Rahmona, Two

very important aspects of Rahmona's personality had come to

live in the "personality: room. A contentment with the sense

of being soothed and fed and cuddled by her mom. A sense

of fear when something "very not right" occurred with Rahmona.

In addition, little Rahmona's contented self found the means

by which to take care of the frightened Rahmona and to sooth

her and allay her fear by repeating the things that mom had

done to make her feel loved and safe.

Over the course of the next few years, this process of

adding new Rahmonas to the "personality" room continued

and now the room has many Rahmonas representing the

impressions she has received through the many and varied

experiences of her life.

This little story, an allegorical description of the

development of personality, represents the concepts of

one school of thought concering this development. There

are others but this particular one represents the most

logical definition of personality I have learned in my

lifetime. For more detailed information, search for your

little Rahmonas in your life and how each one plays

out in the conduct of your daily affairs.

Personality is the overall organized set of characteristics possesed by a person, it does not define them, but uniquely influences ones actions, cognition, motivations, and behaviors overall and in various situations...

in other words, personality is a group of traits that shows what a person is like, nobody has personality but A personality and no more or less than anyone else, just more defining traits that make them unique...

what the majority of people notice with personality is traits, theres more to personality but these are what people notice more than other forms of personality...

its far more complicated than people truly understand

there are many different theories of personality, but the basis of Psychology teaches us that personality is a very complicated tree of fundementals, all of which show a little bit more what kind of person somebody is, how they think, and what they would do...

an example how it works

there are three kinds of traits

CARDINAL TRAITS: Triats that completely infuence and dominate every aspect of ones life, often to the point that the person becomes known specifically for this trait, few examples exhist because this is very rare

CENTRAL TRAITS: The general characteristics that form the basic foundations of personality. These central traits, while not as dominating as cardinal traits, are the major characteristics you might use to describe another person. Terms such as intelligent, honest, shy and anxious are considered central traits.

SECONDARY TRAITS: Traits that are sometimes related to attitudes or preferences and often appear only in certain situations or under specific circumstances. Some examples would be getting anxious when speaking to a group or impatient while waiting in line.

ego doesnt belong anywhere in personality because ego is someones image, its what other people think about said person and what said person thinks about themselves, it too is more complicated then I let on...narcisism is a personality trait in which a person focuses primarily on their own image, or self love...this can possibly turn into a cardinal trait...

to further understand you should read into Psychology or even enroll yourself into a Psychology class...

A personality is a person's behaviour.

For example, say you have a friend called Jane and an enemy called Maria. Think about this. Why is Jane your friend? What is it about this person that makes you want to call her your "friend"? And why is it that Maria is your enemy? What about her repulses you? What is that you dislike about her?

The answer is simply because of the personality. You find that Jane has a nice personality, or one that is matchable to yours. A characteristic in her that you feel makes you happy, or makes you smile. And Maria is your enemy, someone you really dislike and don't think you would be mixing around with very often. Maria has something about her that you dislike. And what is that something? Its her personalty. It could be the way she talks, the things she talks about, the way she treats you and things like that. Also, while you dislike Maria, she would have feelings no better about you.

As Jane has a personality, a behaviour that resides in her that you find interesting and you like, when asked, you would say she has a nice personality and would say that Maria has a horrible personality.

The thing is, when asked, Maria's parents would reply without doubt that they think that her personality is wonderful.

To a human, now I'm going to say this in layman terms, as to explain the choerography of the brain will take a long time. To a human, how much they like someone is because of how they percieve the personality.

Meaning And Definition Of Personality

think of yourself as a piece of software as a baby. your parents, teachers, friends etc is the software developers. You are 'programmed' by your parents about right and wrong etc. You see your parents do something and you copy it because thats how you learn. Same thing with people you look up to and aspire to be. Thats how personnality is formed, a mix of all the people, and you taking what you like best into your programming. I hope this is enough food for thought :)

Our personality is what makes us... Us. Our personalities are characteristics/traits we've acquired throughout our lives from our upbringing, the people we surround ourselves with, etc.

Personality itself isn't a trait, so one can't be a personality. Usually when someone says they have personality, it means they aren't dull/boring... They have certain characteristics that make them fun or enjoyable.

Ego is self-esteem or pride. Ego and personalities aren't the same thing. If someone has a huge ego, it's a part of their personality. Just like if someone is snobby or calm natured, it's a part of their personality.

Im not sure, I would think it is the person we are, like how we talk, react, interact, introvert or extrovert, bubbly or soppy-sock, he has a good or bad personality.

Or if a person is a film star or well known some one may be referred to as a legend, they can be called a personality figure.

If a person who likes to be noticed is considered a personality, I would imagine the attention would boost their confidence or give them a big head, one or the other depending on their personality.

Personality is that which defines us as a person.

Those that are good communicators will be considered as having more personality - because it is visually so to many other people.

She is a social butterfly.

He is gregarious.

Those that are less than good communicators are considered to have less personality - because it is visually so to other people.

She is shy.

He is unsure of himself.

The truth is one group of people do not have more personality than the others. It is just that some are more developed than others.