1- 1 Discussion: Creating Your Own Theory of Personality
Hello all, my name is Brynne Nicholas. I am 33 years old and from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I am
on track to complete my bachelor’s degree in General Studies with a concentration in Psychology this
April. I am currently employed as a special education paraprofessional and plan to complete an
alternative special education teacher certification program offered through my school district once I
obtain my bachelor’s degree.
Although some individuals can have similar personality traits as others, it is not my belief that
any two individuals have the exact same personality. Personality can be observed by watching an
individual's body language as well as his or her interactions with others including family members,
friends, co-workers, and strangers. How an individual treats, acts towards, and communicates – both
verbally and nonverbally, can provide insight into what that person’s personality is like. One can also
gain much insight regarding another's personality by observing how an individual behaves, reacts, and
responds to various types of situations, especially those that may be unexpected or challenging. In
addition, personality can be inferred from how a person takes care of themselves such as in personal
grooming and hygiene.
Both nature and nurture play essential roles in personality development as human experiences,
development, and behaviors are affected by both social and biological factors (Shiraev, E., 2016).
Although nature and nurture both affect the way personality is developed, it is my belief that nurture
plays a greater role. Both parents pass down traits that are naturally inherited by the child. These traits
that are inherited are crucial to the personality development of the child, but do not exclusively
determine how that personality develops. “Nature (genetic makeup) and nurture (environment) both
impact personality as the result of their complex interplay. Nurture, however, tends to have a larger
impact on personality” (Narsaria, A., 2022). According to Albert Bandura's "Social Learning Theory,"
traits of personality such as aggression can be acquired through imitation. This was demonstrated in
Bandura's "Bobo Doll" experiment, in which preschoolers were shown a movie in which an actor kicked
a doll. When the same doll was brought back into the room and presented to the children, they began to
kick the doll too. The children were imitating the behaviors that they had observed in the movie. Studies
have also shown that the place in which an individual lives has an impact on gene expression (Narsaria,
A., 2022). Although nurture has a greater impact on the development of personality, personality
development depends on the interplay of influences involving both nature and nurture. An individual
can be genetically predisposed to something such as depression or smoking, for instance, however, if
said person has never gone through any stressful experiences or have never encountered a smoker
throughout their life, the probability that their genetic disposition would prevail in their life dramatically
diminishes (Narsaria, A., 2022).
The value of studying personality in myself and others is in that it provides the opportunity for
understanding how a person's personality developed in addition to how it has impacted and affected
our thoughts and behaviors. Reflecting on the reactions of myself as well as others provides the
potential to understand the impact a situation has and how to deal with it, regardless of how
substantial, minuscule, pleasant, or unpleasant the situation may be. Additionally, studying personality
in myself as well as in others provides the opportunity to understand what types of personality we may
be compatible with as well as what types to avoid.
Stability plays a key part in the life of an individual. According to research, a variety of
interrelated factors are at the basis for stability and change. Additionally, many of an individual’s
personality traits or characteristics remain stable throughout that person’s lifespan. Central features, “tend
to be somewhat wide-ranging and present-to various degrees-in most people most of the time” (Shiraev, E., 2016)
and tend to change slowly when compared to peripheral features which “tend to be more specific and also tend to
appear in specific individual or cultural circumstances, such as being polite and cooperative in some contexts but not
in others” (Shiraev, E., 2016). Research has also suggested that changes in relation to personality are
susceptible to time. The majority of personality-related changes occur throughout childhood. In middle age, our
personalities become more or less stable, and after around the age fifty, are less likely to change (Shiraev, E.,
