Understanding Your Personality

What comes to mind when you are asked to describe yourself? Most of us would mention a trait we are commonly associated with such as being outgoing or ambitious or draw attention to some of our interests. These descriptions we believe reflect our true and authentic personality.

Personality: Definition and History of Research 

The Cambridge Dictionary defines personality as the ‘the type of person you are, shown by the way you behave, feel, and think’. According to the American Psychological Association, ‘personality’ refers to ‘individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. The study of personality focuses on two broad areas: one is understanding individual differences in particular personality characteristics, such as sociability or irritability. The other is understanding how the various parts of a person come together as a whole.’

Each person has a distinctive manner in the way they interact with other individuals and the world around them. The word ‘personality’ originates from the Latin word, ‘persona’ which means ‘mask’. In ancient times, a persona was a mask worn by an actor to project a specific personality trait of a character. 

The concept of personality has been studied for at least 2,000 years, with many philosophers and scientists having different theories about it. Hippocrates was the first to study personality in 370 BCE. Hippocrates’ temperament theory suggests that four bodily fluids (called ‘humours’) namely black bile, yellow bile, phlegm and blood – directly affect an individual’s personality, behaviour and health (Johansson & Lynoe, 2008). His theory paved the way for many researchers after him who came up with their own theories and academic models of personality. 

The importance of knowing your personality

There are several advantages to gaining a deeper knowledge and understanding of your personality than what you have now. Firstly, you will be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses more accurately. This awareness not only…

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