Man, individual, personality - common features and main differences

Updated July 24, 2021 918 Author: Dmitry Petrov
Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. Throughout the existence of the human species, people have been trying to answer the questions: “who is a person,” “where did he come from and why.”

In this regard, many theories were born both in scientific and esoteric contexts. Which one is true, everyone decides for himself.

Concept of biological being

The term “human” is used in society as a general concept that characterizes a biological being. This is the highest stage of evolutionary development, which is the result of socio-historical processes, activity and communication. The definition is used to display and characterize the universal qualities and characteristics inherent in all people without exception.

The concept of “human being” used in psychology combines the characteristics of both a biological and a social being that is capable of influencing the environment in the course of its life activities. Belonging to the class of mammals and the species Homo sapiens determines the presence of certain characteristics:

• special physiological structure;
• ability to engage in various activities;
• the presence of consciousness and understanding of ongoing processes in the surrounding world;
• the ability to create the fruits of one’s own labor or the tools to obtain them.

Proponents of philosophy call a person a single organism, an integral system, the main elements of which are the physical and mental principles, the genetically inherent and subsequently formed unity of natural, spiritual, and social qualities.

It is common for a person to be aware of the structure of his own activities. This is called the goals and motives of work. Each subject in society has his own personal motives, reasons and intentions. Any human activity is assessed by the degree of motivation and specific focus. In addition, a creature representing the highest stage of evolution is characterized by all muscular movements and conscious use of the speech apparatus.

Unlike other representatives of the class of mammals, humans tend to acquire the ability to perform certain movements, and not use only innate ones. In addition, human movements and actions are performed using means of communication: facial expressions, gestures, speech.

Due to the development of abilities different from those given at birth, a person becomes an individual and a personality, and therefore ceases to be a primitive creature identified with primates. At the same time, one should distinguish the concept of “individual”, which characterizes outstanding people who demonstrate a high degree of socialization (the desire to stand out and be out of the crowd).

Individual and personality

Individual
This is a person as a separate representative of one or another social community (as opposed to a team, family, team, social group).

“Individual” means a specific person, a single representative of the human race. “Personality” serves to characterize the social in a person. The term individuality includes those features, the specific, the unique, that distinguishes the individual as a specific person from others (like him).

A person (person) is a person who is the embodiment of specific historical social relations, influencing them to the best of his strength and abilities, depending on the position that the person occupies in society.

In other words, the face shows how each person individually reflects its socially significant features and turns out to be its essence as the totality of all social relations existing in society. Personality, unlike man, is a product not only of nature, but also of society, a subject of social processes. Personality is an established set of human qualities acquired under the influence of the corresponding culture of society, specific social groups and communities to which it belongs and in whose life it is involved. The concept of “personality” is used in relation to each person, since he is the bearer of important features of a particular society. The main thing in personality is not the abstract physical nature, but its social quality.

Individual characteristics

Having enormous potential for self-development and development as an individual, every person, after birth, manifests himself in certain properties. This is called individual development.

In social science, the concept of “individual” is used to denote the specific characteristics of an individual person. Firstly, each subject has unique external characteristics, eye color and bodily constitution, that is, he acts as a single representative of the species homo sapiens. Secondly, psychological differences can be identified between individuals: emotionality, temperament, character. Thirdly, everyone has a set of specific abilities.

From the point of view of some experts, the fetus in the womb already develops a peripheral and central nervous system in the second month. At five months, the embryo acquires the ability to hear and distinguish sounds, and in the third trimester it can already experience emotions (get scared, react to affection, conversations). Scientists insist that it is in the last months of gestation that the child’s intellectual abilities and psycho-emotional background are formed.

Therefore, there is an opinion that the formation of an individual begins not after birth, but immediately at the birth of a new life. We can briefly highlight its characteristics:

• high level of social activity;
• environmental sustainability;
• psychophysical unity of the organism.

The concept of “individual” in psychology is distinguished from the term “individuality”. It means a set of properties and features that determine the uniqueness of the subject. It manifests itself not only in behavior, but also in the specifics of preferences and interests. Individuality is formed in the environment in which the subject grows and develops, his associations acquired at an early age, and the characteristics of his upbringing. Psychologists say that one is born as an individual, one becomes an individual, and individuality must be defended.

The result of the development of an individual is a personality that is considered as an exclusively social entity.

Definition of a person - who is he?

So, we belong to the genus “Homo Sapiens”, which means “reasonable man”. There are various definitions of a person, of which the most common is the following:

Man is a robot of a biological type, which is the crown of historical evolution. A social being, endowed with reason, speech and psychic capabilities, standing in its development above all living things on earth.

But it is not the only one. The fact is that each field of knowledge has its own definition (in philosophy, in social science, in sociology, in biology, in anthropology).

Here are a few more definitions that, in general terms, allow us to form an understanding of who such a person is:

The following video contains a very informative dialogue that clearly demonstrates the depth (complexity) of the concept of “person”:

My personal opinion is this: by definition, we are not given to know ourselves (a holistic system cannot understand itself). But you can study this issue and learn more about how we differ from animals, where we came from, why we behave this way, and so on.

Personal qualities

The definition of “personality” is understood as a specific subject who is distinguished by the ability of cognition, self-awareness, emotional experiences, as well as the ability to influence the world around him and build relationships with other individuals. Psychologists believe that this term refers to anyone who occupies a position in society and is capable of fulfilling a certain role.

Personality cannot be formed outside of society and without connection with it; its main characteristics are the following potentials:

• informative;
• creative;
• communicative;
• value;
• art.

The will of a responsible subject, the ability to control one’s life and build relationships are considered the basis for personal development. These are individuals who understand that natural inclinations cannot control the mind, and a person must consciously guide his own behavior.

For example, a three-year-old child cannot be considered a mature personality. He is not yet aware of why he acted this way and not otherwise, and what consequences his action may lead to. He acts based on his upbringing and habits that he developed in childhood.

It is difficult to call a person who does not have a stable, solid “I” a personality. Many people live in a pattern, mechanically reacting to what is happening in the world around them, and follow exclusively their instincts. If there are adequate habits and their reasonable external manifestations, a decent person appears in society, but without his own “I”.

The formation and definition of a person as an individual is a long process that is associated with:

• with the choice of social roles and functions performed;
• awareness and acceptance of rules and norms of behavior;
• the ability to build relationships and be part of society;
• choose your behavior model responsibly and independently.

It should be understood that in society those who are capable of being different from everyone else always attract attention. But psychologists focus on those features that make this happen. One can always be called a person who knows how to stand out, but not everyone who stands out has the right to be considered a person. Only worthy behavior is the main social characteristic of a subject. Outstanding people have always been distinguished by their determination and willpower, and they are usually perceived as role models.

Theories of human origins

There is no definite answer to the question of the origin of man: opinions on this matter are divided, and everyone believes in their own version, convenient for understanding. Today there are three main theories of the emergence of people on planet Earth:

1. Theological or divine - this option stems from religion (Christianity).
   According to her teaching, the first people on earth were Adam and Eve, whom God created. More precisely, first he created the earth, natural elements and animals, then he got bored and God created Adam. The latter also felt lonely at some point and asked the creator to create him another person. This is how Eve appeared. Well, and then you know... They sinned and were expelled from Paradise, began to live their own lives and give birth to children. Therefore, these two are considered the parents of all humanity, and all people are considered brothers and sisters.
2. The paleovisit theory is no less fantastic.
   According to it, once upon a time the Earth was visited by creatures from other planets and somehow left their mark here. Maybe out of absent-mindedness they forgot several of their brothers, they adapted and eventually populated the entire territory. Or maybe it was a planned action to see if someone would survive here or not. There is an opinion that aliens are watching us? They watch how a person lives and develops (but has recently degraded), they wait until we fully evolve in order to admit to us that people are just an experiment.
3. And last but not least - Darwin's theory. It says that the first life randomly arose in water in the form of microorganisms that evolved, evolved, and further evolved into monkeys.
   The latter, in turn, are considered our close relatives, because, according to Darwin, homo sapiens came from them. The transformation of a monkey into an intelligent creature began the moment it picked up a stick - the first tool of labor - in order to reach a fruit hanging on a tree.

   In more scientific terms, evolution began thanks to work activities that developed mental abilities. Actions make you think, and therefore develop your brain.

Relationship between terms

Based on the definitions of “individual”, “personality” and “person”, their characteristics in society can be represented as a set of certain qualities and traits . Despite significant differences, there is a strong connection between these concepts. At birth, everyone has a set of properties that can be developed and improved, thereby becoming an outstanding personality. And vice versa, if there is an unwillingness to become part of society, the subject degrades, and therefore does not become an individual.

Taken together, all three concepts can be combined with the word “subject”. It is understood as an actively cognizing the world, a purposefully acting individual. He is able to take initiative, be independent, make and implement significant decisions and bear responsibility for this. The inextricable connection between the three concepts is due to the fact that they all relate to a specific biological being.

Basic human needs

A human need is a certain mental state that causes a feeling of discomfort. In other words, a need that pushes for certain actions that satisfy it.

Needs can be divided into conscious (hunger) and unconscious. The latter are distinguished by the fact that a person does not know what he wants, but experiences negative emotions.

There are many different classifications of needs, but the most popular of them belongs to Abraham Maslow, an American scientist. He arranged them from the lowest, biological needs to the highest, spiritual:

1. The first level is the physiological needs of a person : food, food, sleep, oxygen. Here is everything a person needs to live.
2. The need for safety - emotional and physical. A person needs order, control, calm, predictability in order to feel comfortable.
3. Social needs are for love and belonging. Any person wants to love and be loved, to belong to a certain community or individuals (mother, father, wife, children). What is a person like if he is lonely?
4. Need for respect and recognition : we want to be thought and spoken of well, we are afraid of criticism and are trying our best to get a higher education, find a good job, buy a big car, have a beautiful wife, smart children, so that every passerby knows that I am not just anyone, but a respected person who has achieved a lot. Those who have a particularly acute need fly into space and advance progress.
5. The need for self-actualization is the highest need in human psychology, but not everyone experiences it. After all, not everyone wants to develop and improve: there are many people who have not passed beyond the third level. For such people, the main thing is to eat deliciously, have sex and not be alone.

The first two needs are considered lower . We need them simply to exist as a biological species, an individual, an organism.

The last three already characterize a person who wants to grow, is aware of his uniqueness and wants to develop it. These are the highest needs.

But we must remember that higher needs will not appear in a person if the lower ones remain unsatisfied. To put it bluntly, you obviously cannot think about self-development and love on an empty stomach.

A. Maslow said that the higher the “rank” of the needs that an individual experiences (what is this?), the more active he is in society and the healthier his personality is mentally.