Psychology and personality analysis

 What is Psychology?

General psychology is defined as the science that studies human behavior as a response to stimuli. Responses vary according to different stimuli, in addition to studying the effects of genetics, internal and external environments on a person’s attitudes and interactions with oneself and society. This science examines behavioral interactions of individuals, including verbal, motor, mental, emotional, and affective behaviors, and the interrelationships among them. The goal is to understand this behavior, find appropriate ways to analyze and interpret it, predict potential problems and obstacles that may conflict with the individual in certain situations, and anticipate their reactions. Additionally, psychology helps in understanding different personality types and predicting their perceptions and varying stances. This has led to the emergence of various practical branches in modern psychology, such as industrial psychology, criminal psychology, social psychology, and many more fields that address specific areas.

Personality Psychology

Personality psychology is a branch of general psychology that focuses on studying the emotional, behavioral traits in individuals, often referred to as personality. This branch studies psychological characteristics in humans, such as temperament, mood, behavioral patterns, motivations, and abilities, as well as all the factors that affect them. It also examines the role of the subconscious in shaping behavior and the importance of experiences that influenced the formation of personality traits during childhood.

Personality Analysis Tests

One scientist who worked in the field of personality analysis was the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, who was a student and trainee under Freud. He drew from Freud’s psychoanalytic theory to study psychological aspects and personality elements to understand its depths. Various tests have become popular in personality analysis, offering numerous benefits; they help individuals understand themselves and others, learn decision-making strategies, interact with their environment, recognize personal strengths and ways to enhance them, and identify weaknesses and ways to overcome them.

Elements of Personality Formation

An individual's personality is a harmonious interaction between physical and psychological behaviors. This behavioral mechanism may be innate, like motherhood or breastfeeding, or it can be environmentally acquired through experiences at different stages of life. Innateness may represent a natural readiness within a person activated by environmental circumstances. Personality can be defined as a relatively stable and integrated system comprising inherent or acquired physical and psychological traits that distinguish an individual and determine their interaction with their physical and social environment. Key elements of personality formation include:

• Body: This is the body and psyche as a whole. Whether the body is healthy or has any condition, it affects the individual's mood and their way of interacting with themselves and their community, either positively or negatively.

• Intelligence and Abilities: Intelligence and mental capabilities undeniably influence an individual’s personality and positive adjustment to themselves and society. Responses and interactions vary based on intellectual abilities and objective perspectives on daily events.

• Temperament: Temperament is considered a primary component in personality development. Some believe it results from chemical interactions in the body that vary, thus affecting mood. Emotional energy drives behaviors based on intelligence levels, instincts, and changes in situational dynamics.

• Environment: The environment plays a crucial role in forming the foundational blocks of personality. The home environment influences all aspects, from the educational level of parents to economic and ethical aspects. Proper upbringing produces well-adjusted, stable individuals. Schools contribute to the development of ethical and behavioral patterns, creating balanced and educated generations. Society, with its customs, traditions, political systems, social norms, material, and spiritual values, also impacts personality.

Freud’s Personality Components

Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, focused on aspects of personality and its components, dividing it into three parts:

• The Ego: This part controls voluntary movements based on sensory perception and muscular interaction. It studies environmental stimuli, stores experiences, avoids unwanted experiences, and adapts to moderate experiences.

• The Superego: This is a reservoir of ideals, morals, conscience, goodness, truth, and all higher values. It acts as a psychological monitor. The superego is shaped by parental figures, caregivers, and influential personalities and can be refined by the individual’s culture and educational level.

• The Id: The source of vital psychological and biological energy, containing inherent instincts born with the individual. The id represents the initial form of personality before it is shaped by society and the environment. It is deep within the psyche, disconnected from reality, and governed by the pleasure-pain principle. The superego often regulates the activities of the id.

References : 

• "Psychology," National Office for Education and Distance Learning, pages 1, 2, 25, 26. Accessed April 26, 2017.
• Sami Khatatneh, Fatima Nwaisseh, Social Psychology, pages 46-47.
• "MBTI Personality Analysis Test – Dr. Najervan," personalityanalysistest. Accessed April 13, 2017. (adapted)
• Kamel Awadeh (1996), Personality Psychology (First Edition), Lebanon-Beirut: Arab Books Publishing, pages 37-41.
• Kamel Awadeh (1996), Personality Psychology (First Edition), Lebanon-Beirut: Arab Books Publishing, pages 86-97.
• "The Ego and Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory," Alukah. Accessed April 13, 2017. (adapted)