Well now, let’s talk about this “personality” thing, the way them smart folks in psychology see it. You know, what makes folks tick the way they do. It ain’t just about bein’ happy or sad, it’s a whole lot more, like how you act and think and feel, all mixed together.
Them Big Five fellers
Some of them brainy types, they came up with somethin’ called the “Big Five” personality factors. It’s like a way to put folks in boxes, but not really boxes, you know? More like… ways to describe ‘em.
- Openness: This one’s about how much you like new stuff, new ideas, thinkin’ outside the box, you know? Some folks are just curious and like tryin’ new things, others, well, they like things just the way they are.
- Conscientiousness: This is about bein’ organized and responsible. Like, do you pay your bills on time? Do you keep your house tidy? Some folks do, some folks… don’t.
- Extraversion: This is about how much you like bein’ around other people. You know, them chatty folks who always gotta be in the middle of things? That’s extraversion. Then you got them quiet types who like bein’ alone.
- Agreeableness: This one’s about how nice you are, how easy you are to get along with. Some folks are just plain friendly and helpful, others… well, let’s just say they ain’t.
- Neuroticism: This is about how much you worry and get upset. Some folks, they fret over every little thing, others are pretty calm and cool.
Now, this Big Five thing, it’s got its good points. It’s kind of a simple way to understand folks, see where they fit in. But, it ain’t perfect, you know? Folks are complicated, more than just five little things.
That Freud feller and his ideas
Then you got this feller, Sigmund Freud. He was a real head-scratcher, that one. He thought our personalities were all about stuff happenin’ way back when we were little kids, stuff we don’t even remember. And he talked a lot about things deep down inside us, drivin’ us without us even knowin’ it. Some folks swear by him, others think he was just plain wacky. Me? I ain’t so sure. Seemed like a lot of hocus pocus to me. Always talkin’ ‘bout this and that, never plain speakin’.
Nature versus Nurture, the same ol’ story
And there’s this whole fight about whether it’s how you’re born or how you’re raised that makes you who you are. You know, nature versus nurture. Are you grumpy ‘cause your mama was grumpy? Or ‘cause life just made you that way? Probably a bit of both, I reckon. Like, some folks are just born with a temper, others learn it along the way.
The “person-situation” thingamajig
Another thing them smart folks talk about is this “person-situation” thing. See, they say it ain’t just about who you are inside, it’s also about where you are and what’s happenin’ around you. Like, you might be a real sweet person, but if someone cuts you off in traffic, you might get a little… spicy. It ain’t yer personality changin’ it just depends on what’s happening around you. Like if you have to choose between two good things, or between two bad things, well, that changes how you act.
Type A and Type B folks
And then there’s this talk about Type A and Type B personalities. Type A folks, they’re always in a hurry, gotta get things done, always competin’. They might get a lot done, but they’re also wound up tight as a drum. Type B folks are more laid back, easy goin’. They take things as they come. Neither one’s better than the other, just different ways of bein’. Now, this kinda makes sense. I knew this fella, always rushin’ around, never stoppin’ for nothin’. Heart attack got him in the end. Maybe shoulda slowed down, been more like a Type B.
Evolution and all that
Some folks even say our personalities got somethin’ to do with how our brains evolved way back when. Sayin’ that how we act is ‘bout what we need to survive and get what we want, like food and a safe place. Sounds kinda fancy to me, but maybe there’s somethin’ to it.
So, what’s it all mean?
So, what’s the deal with personality then? Well, I reckon it’s a whole bunch of stuff all mixed together. It’s how you’re born, how you’re raised, what’s happenin’ around you, and maybe even stuff way back in your past that you don’t even remember. It’s complicated, like life itself. And that’s all there is to it, far as I can see.
Tags: [Personality, Psychology, Big Five, Freud, Nature vs Nurture, Person-Situation, Type A, Type B, Evolutionary Psychology, AP Psychology]
