The process of self-development: 5 factors of character formation

Often, when giving a personal characteristic to a person, we hear: he has a terrible character, or he is calm in character, or he is spineless. A certain impression about a person is immediately created. So what is character and what factors influence its formation, what place does it occupy in the overall structure of a person’s personality? Is it stable or does it change from situation to situation? How does character influence human behavior? Let's start to figure it out.

Let us turn to the psychological dictionary, edited by I. V. Dubrovina.

Character (Greek charakter - trait, feature) is an individual combination of personality traits that express a person’s attitude to reality and are manifested in his behavior and actions. Lack of character is also a manifestation of character.

It should be added that character is a set of stable personality traits. A person’s character is manifested in everything: in relationships, in activities, in communication. It is character (one cannot exclude temperament) that makes a person’s behavior specific, distinguishing him from others. For example, some prefer calm and consistent activities, others choose complex ones, sometimes associated with risks and problems.

In communication, character is manifested in the ways of reacting to the actions of other people, in the manner of behavior (polite and delicate or rude and unceremonious). Character does not change from situation to situation, it is more stable and less changeable. A person with a complex character usually has a lot of problems, and it is difficult for those around him. Character is closely related to temperament, if temperament is unchanged, because it is inherent in us by nature, then character is formed by the environment and can be corrected if a person wants it himself.

How character develops and is formed

Problems of the formation and development of human character aroused the interest of philosophers of Antiquity and scientists from the Middle Ages. This topic remains relevant today for modern psychoanalysts and psychologists. Each time they try to find the answer to the question of what personal self-development is, what factors it depends on, what influences the development of a person’s character to a greater extent.

To understand what influences personal self-development, it is necessary to find out what shapes and develops character. The process of self-development of personal qualities is directly related to certain changes in qualitative and quantitative relationships. This process is complex in structure. Various changes occur in the person himself, including in his behavior, personality, and activities. The intellectual and emotional-volitional sphere is changing. Sometimes such changes are progressive, sometimes they regress.

The development of a person's character is associated with a process of change. Some of them have irreversible properties, and some are natural and directed. It is important that such development lead to qualitative, structural and quantitative transformation.

Character is the basis of personality. A core is built on it, it reacts in a certain way to various areas of life. Self-development of personality and factors of character formation have been studied from a scientific point of view for decades.

The discovery of what individual human characteristics are belongs to Julius Bahnsen. He viewed character as a specific set of personality traits. Then Freud, Jung and Adler joined in their research. They believed that a person's character was formed as a separate process. He was out of consciousness, his individuality was influenced by sexual and other impulses. The question of character formation is within the purview of anthropologists. They consider the character of the individual as an object.

Conclusion

So, we have found out that character is a lifetime formation and occupies a central place in the structure of personality. Its origins are in childhood, and therefore, responsibility for its formation and formation lies with parents and loved ones, and subsequently with educators and teachers (no matter how trite it may sound). Temperament and the environment also do not remain aside. One cannot assume that character is fatally predetermined. No, a person himself is the designer of his own character already in adulthood. He is able to change the traits in himself that create a lot of problems for him or develop new ones, but at the same time he needs to try very hard and approach it consciously, i.e. engage in self-education.

Character development: main stages

The formation of human character begins from the first day of his life. It changes over time. In infancy and early childhood, the individual imitates the behavior and actions of adults. Being in preschool and younger age, the personality is influenced by the heredity and upbringing of the child. Upon reaching adolescence, a person engages in self-education.

Purposefully and consciously, a person’s character can change and improve in an independent form

First of all, it is adjusted due to the social behavior of the individual; it is influenced by social activities and interpersonal interaction. It doesn’t matter what stage of life a person is at, what matters is how he perceives the situation.

The main stages of human character development were first identified by the Austrian psychologist and psychiatrist Sigmund Freud. He counted 5 stages during which personality is formed. According to Freud, the oral stage refers to the age period 0 to 1 year. During this period of time, such traits as manipulativeness, infantility, envy and dependence are formed. Further, during the anal period, which lasts from 1 to 3 years, the basis of personality is laid down by such traits as frugality, stubbornness, accuracy, cruelty and pedantry. During the next period, which occurs between the ages of 3 and 5 years, self-doubt, shyness and reticence, timidity and silence are formed. During the genital period from 11 to 12 years and until the end of life, socialization or social maladjustment occurs. This is where efficiency or passivity in activity is manifested.

In the field of psychology, character is often divided into age periods. Each of them has leading factors and conditions under which the formation of certain traits occurs. The formation of a person’s personality begins from the first years of his life. At this age, a child communicates with his parents through emotions, and his mental processes develop. He strives to understand the world and exhibits emotional properties. It is necessary to provide the baby not so much care as to show love and affection. Personal self-development begins precisely from this stage of life.

How to overcome the habit of laziness?

It is not for nothing that laziness is considered a sin in religion. After all, movement is life, and its absence is stagnation and regression.

Take the path of fighting with yourself. Helping yourself or a loved one change is important so as not to lose your own self.

About the harm

Being lazy and relaxing are different concepts, but most people confuse them, passing them off as one another . Lazy people in 99% of cases do not admit to this shortcoming and justify it with various excuses. The consequences of this behavior may be:

ignoring life around;
loss of interest in what is happening;
alienation of friends and loved ones;
change in reputation and image among others;
the occurrence of health and appearance problems;
narrowing of horizons, intellectual retardation;
problems in the family, at work, in the team;
stress arising from the inability to change anything in life.

Suffering from harmful manifestations of laziness, such a person cannot admit that he needs help. Independently or from strangers. It is important to wage a thorough struggle so that laziness does not turn into the meaning of life.

Character at different periods of life

Character formation factors are present in early and preschool age. At this moment, the child actively studies the way adults behave and tries to imitate their model. The formation of character occurs not so much due to the characteristics of children from birth, but rather through direct training with emotional reinforcement. It is important to convey information in a playful way, while praising, approving and supporting the person. The development of character is influenced by the social environment. This includes the family, educational institution, contacts between an adult and a child, and the child’s interactions with other peers.

The very first traits are formed precisely before school. It is important to show trust, kindness and openness when communicating with children.

Here the following character traits are formed:

kindness and selfishness.
hard work and laziness.
neatness and sloppiness.
responsiveness and indifference.
sociability and isolation.

Next comes the stage of primary school age. The formation of character traits continues. Some of them that were previously acquired may be adjustable.

It is important how a teenager evaluates his own actions, as well as how adults treat them. This is how the self-esteem of the future individual is formed. The consolidation of already formed traits or their destruction will depend on the process and conditions of the child’s learning.

Upon reaching adolescence, the moral and moral development of the child appears. This factor influences the development and formation of character. During this same period, a person’s strong-willed traits develop. In adolescence, the moral and ethical foundations of the future personality are laid.

The following factors influence character:

A person's attitude towards himself and other people.
Self-confidence and level of self-esteem.
Information from the media and the Internet.

The process of self-development of personal qualities continues throughout a person’s life. After coming of age, individual self-development begins. It is important to be aware of your acquired character traits and correct them.

What is character?

Character is a set of characteristics that distinguish a person. It is an integral part of the human personality.

In a broader context, it is a set of psychological attitudes that determine the norms and rules of human behavior. This is closely related to the emotional sphere of human nature.

Character Components:

will
the way a person reacts to various external and internal stimuli

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A correctly formed human personality has its own evolutionary meaning. It allows you to live in a group. Adapt to its rules. And it makes it possible to build long-term relationships with other people.

Positive character traits:

keeping your own rules
resistance to negative influences
defending and developing one's own views
acting in accordance with inner conscience

Human self-development

At each stage of life, a person is capable of improving. He can change his character thanks to the information field. Personal self-development occurs in the following way:

Through the opinions and judgments of other people.
Thanks to personal example from significant people and their actions.
Based on the books you read.
Development of culture and ideology in society and state.

The formation of character traits does not end in adulthood. At the new stage, everything becomes more meaningful. Rational traits are fixed; if a person needs to achieve success in his career and family, then he develops such qualities as endurance, responsibility, perseverance, determination and perseverance.

Life situation

Under certain conditions, we exhibit certain character traits. If the necessary conditions are not created, we lose the opportunity to express ourselves.

For example, if you have a lot of problems and you deal with them courageously, you show perseverance, courage, determination, etc. If you don’t have any problems, then you simply don’t have the opportunity to discover courage and perseverance within yourself.

In this sense, character is to some extent determined by life situations, but other factors cannot be excluded.

What influences the formation of a person

Personal self-development is a long process. It happens most of life. Some personality traits are present from birth, while others are passed on through genetics. Every year a person develops new features and qualities. They are formed through the influence of the social environment and where it develops and grows. The structure of the state and society in which it is located plays a role in the formation of human character.

The process of personality formation is individual for everyone, but there are generally accepted norms

No one can say at what age the formation of a person begins. Some psychologists believe that this process begins with the birth of a child, others suggest that character is formed from the age of two. The baby becomes especially sensitive to the environment between the ages of 2 and 10 years. It is important for him what adults think of him, what model of behavior they offer. Physiological mechanisms play an important role in the formation of a person. Temperament affects personality.
A child's involvement in group activities and games is involved in the formation of his character in preschool age. The child must have experience interacting with other children, then such traits as neatness, self-confidence and sociability develop. Please note that joint activities with other children and adults may not always benefit the child. In some cases, the makings of certain character traits in childhood and adolescence are destroyed.
During the period of schooling, which occurs between the ages of 7 and 16, the formation of the emotional component of the future personality occurs. Certain character traits develop and a teenager’s self-esteem is formed. He pays attention to how teachers and peers treat him, what they say in the media. Closer to reaching adulthood, a person possesses a certain set of internal qualities. They will most likely remain unchanged throughout your life. Only the person himself can correct character traits; personal development helps him in this. A person can develop both positive and negative sides. In the first case, the individual will help his development in terms of family and career. In the second case, it will harm mental and physical health. For example, negative experiences include the use of alcohol, drugs, aggression towards the family and the outside world.
At the age of 25-30, there are no longer such traits as maximalism and capriciousness in the character. A rational link appears, the individual is responsible for his actions, the person is reasonable in business.
At the age of 30, in most cases, a change in character occurs. Only stress and mental illness can affect a person. At the age of 50, a person begins to live here and now, he no longer dreams or fantasizes about the possibility of development in his life. With age, a person becomes more immersed in memories.

The main influence on a person is his family and social environment. As an individual grows up, he becomes more dependent on himself, his inner world.

Repeatability

A character trait can be called a generalized way of behavior. If, for example, a person always answers honestly, then his character trait is honesty.

Therefore, another condition is the opportunity to repeat your behavior so that it develops into a character trait.

Let's say that a person was asked to help, and he agreed. Based on a single incident, we can hardly call him responsive. But if he is asked several times and he agrees again, then we can well conclude that he is responsive.

Biological factors

Personal self-development depends on internal factors. Genetic characteristics are passed on from parents from birth. Traits acquired through inheritance form the basis of personality. The perception of the surrounding world and the assessment of other people depends on the hereditary qualities of the individual, his abilities and physical characteristics. From the point of view of biological heredity, no two people are alike.

Parents pass on certain qualities to their children; they are embedded in the genetic program. Anatomical and physiological structure, various physical characteristics and physiological characteristics, as well as the structure of the nervous system are inherited from parents. Additionally, genetics contains anomalies in the development of the body, a predisposition to certain diseases that are hereditary in nature.

For example, people with a congenital cleft lip will feel different in society. During the period of preschool development, they may develop complexes and internal fears. At this moment, it is important for a person to provide support, show the possibilities of equal interaction with others, and should not show violence towards such a child or adult. Integration into society and social adaptation will help him in life.

Recommendations for Improving Character

Primary character traits in a child, primarily business ones, can be developed at a certain age if certain conditions are met.

The child, or the adult who will be primarily involved in this task (parent, educator, teacher) must have a strong desire to develop such qualities. Haste and promises to “make a man out of a child” are a waste of time.
It is necessary to develop a certain sequence of persistent and time-consuming actions aimed at demonstrating and consolidating the required character traits.
Direct you on the right path, and where necessary, suggest steps to create conditions for self-education.
Constantly emphasize and significantly reinforce positive dynamics in achieving the goal.
Involvement of sanctions mechanisms for the manifestation of opposite traits, such as irresponsibility, laziness, sloppiness.

It should not be forgotten that the development of one of the traits is impossible without affecting the others, since with age they develop into a fairly stable system of values.

Before qualitatively correcting any trait, it is important to identify the relationship with others and act in conjunction with all dependent character traits.

Social factors

Personal self-development depends on society. What matters is what environment a person is in. An individual develops depending on the country in which he was born, the school where he studied, the family in which he grew up. The social system and the system of industrial relations play an important role. A person is influenced by social processes and material living conditions.

A person has a distant and immediate environment that directly influences him. In the first stages of life, a person cannot influence his well-being; upon reaching adulthood, he has the power to change the material side of life. When favorable conditions are created, a person can achieve the highest level of development.

A woman’s self-realization in a man’s world also influences the formation of personality. For example, after an unsuccessful experience communicating with the opposite sex in adolescence, women may develop certain complexes already in adult periods of life. A person must cope with established ideas about relationships with other people and the structure of society as a whole on his own or with the help of specialists.

How to get rid of laziness?

You can cope with excessive laziness only by strictly taking control of your behavior. Monitor your thoughts regularly and do the following:

quality sleep, rest, healthy eating will allow you to be active during the day without feeling tired;
Lack of a goal and its vision deprives you of motivation. Be clear about why you are doing something. Think about the end result and don’t feel sorry for yourself;
plan and record everything you have planned, set deadlines. Set importance ratings, track progress in completing tasks;
do the most difficult things first. So that laziness doesn’t take you by surprise and your strength doesn’t run out before you get up from the couch;
you need to force yourself to take the first step towards action;
be active: any physical activity will speed up mental processes and metabolism. The strength to act will begin to appear in the body. If sports are not your thing, try hiking, hiking;
communicate with active, energetic people. Recharge yourself and draw on the experience of their lives. Constant contact with them will infect you with the habit of working and being more productive;
Don't look for an excuse for laziness. Be responsible to yourself .

For greater efficiency, you can leave explanatory notes indicating the reasons on the list of planned tasks. For which some of them were not implemented.

Be honest if it was your fault. But try not to blame yourself, but to reward yourself in cases where the task is completed correctly and on time.

Exchange of positive emotions on the article: What is character? How is it formed? I give you a blessing, and you go through the stars!

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How psychology influences character development

The formation of a person’s character, as well as personal self-development, occurs throughout a person’s life journey. It is affected by various conditions. What is important is how the individual was brought up, on what principles his work and interaction with society were structured, and how his life position was formed.

For a long time, it was generally accepted that character is influenced solely by a person’s genetic characteristics. John Locke became a pioneer in the concept of personality education. It was this period of his life that the scientist paid the most attention to. In his writings, J. Locke believed that, first of all, a person’s character is influenced by his motives. In particular, the development of a person’s character is laid by psychophysical nature and external conditions.

Over the past century, the myth that genetic characteristics are the basis of character has been dispelled. The formation of personality is influenced by external conditions and the process of a person’s upbringing.

Topic: Personal growth

Self-education

A person is the architect of his own character. He may not have absolute power, but he still exerts influence, and significant influence at that.

Having analyzed yourself and identified your character traits, you can begin to work on changing them: develop correct self-esteem, build self-confidence, learn to cope with anger, change your communication pattern, etc.

You have the power not only to strengthen your character, but also to melt it. Work on yourself and you will become what you dream of.

We wish you success!

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The role of communication in the process of activity

The formation of social character largely occurs due to the communicative component of work activity. It influences the emotional and sensory sphere of the individual. In a work community, a person may manifest himself differently than in a school class or student group, and use models of behavior that are unusual for him. Gradually expanding the circle of communication through new types of activities, the individual goes through new stages of his socialization.

Influence of temperament

Temperament is often confused with character, while these concepts have significant differences. Character has a social nature (in other words, it is formed under the influence of society), while temperament is determined biologically. If character can, although with difficulty, change throughout life, then temperament remains stable.

At the same time, temperament has a significant impact on the expression of character traits. There are properties of temperament that will contribute to the manifestation of certain qualities; there are also those that will slow them down. For example, irritability will be much stronger in a choleric person than in a sanguine person. On the other hand, with the help of character traits, temperamental properties can be restrained. For example, with the help of tact and restraint, a choleric person can restrain the manifestations of this type of temperament.

Heredity is the basis for character formation

Heredity is the repetition of similar types of characteristics 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 and its character. Character traits, character formation - all this is largely determined by 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, and social. The inclinations are the basis on which the child’s abilities subsequently develop. Separately, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of the child’s intellectual inclinations. Every person naturally receives great opportunities to develop their intellectual abilities. Scientists believe that differences in the characteristics of higher nervous activity in children can influence the course of mental 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, disrupted connections between nerve cells in drug addicts, the presence of mental illnesses transmitted by inheritance.

In Russian psychology, one of the most important questions was whether the moral qualities of a person, his character, are inherited. Character traits and character formation are not subject to the influence of genetics - this is what domestic teachers believed. Personality is formed in the process of interaction with the environment; a person cannot initially be born evil or kind, generous or stingy.

In Western psychology, on the contrary, the dominant assertion is 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, K. Lorenz, E. Fromm and other researchers.

The role of education

The formation of character traits occurs under the influence of social interaction, a person’s mastery of knowledge, skills, and ideas about the world around him. Although education is aimed at shaping a person’s character, this process can occur in the absence of it. Education is not omnipotent - it cannot eliminate the action of many factors in the development of character, which, in principle, do not depend on people. However, it can affect overall physical development, since with the help of special training you can strengthen both willpower and the child’s health. And this will affect his activity and ability to understand the world.

The inclinations inherent in 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. After all, to develop inclinations you need great hard work and high efficiency. These qualities develop in the process of education.

When does the foundation of personality begin to be laid?

It is believed that qualities such as kindness, sociability and responsiveness are formed before other character traits, as well as the opposite negative qualities - selfishness, callousness and indifference. Scientists suggest that these qualities are established at an early age and are determined by the mother’s attitude towards the child in the first months of life. In the process of child development, the system of reward and punishment used in the process of education gradually becomes a decisive factor.