Introduction
Human character is regarded as a set of stable personality traits that determine the relations of man to people. The character is manifested in the activities and temperament, and includes the factors that make human behavior of a specific characteristic nature. The character can be found in the peculiarities of the activities that people prefer to do. Some people prefer the most complex and difficult activities, they seek pleasure in overcoming obstacles; others choose the most simple and easy way. In dealing with people human character manifests itself in the manner of behavior, ways of responding to people's actions and behavior. The manner of communication can be more or less sensitive, tactful, or arrogant, polite or rude. The character depends much upon various social factors that reflect human nature.
Summary of Gordon Allport’s Personality Theory
Gordon Allport is the founder of the dispositional theory of personality. He explains that people have a wide range of dispositions, or personality traits, necessary to react to various circumstances in different situations. And these traits are unique for everyone, so there are no two people with similar dispositions. Each person has specific personality traits that distinguish individuals from one another.
According to Allport, personality is a dynamic organization within the individual psychophysical system which determines characteristic behavior and thinking, and dictates unique adaptation to the environment. Dynamic personality organization emphasizes that a person is constantly improving. The psychophysical system emphasizes that it is neither exclusively mental, nor the nerve formation. The organization suggests that the actions of the body and mind are connected in an indissoluble unity of the person (Allport, 1927).
Allport considers the person is an organized and self-regulating entity. In terms of Allport's theory, personality is exposed to both psychological and biological influences. Allport counted congenital physique, intellect, and temperament, to the three main varieties of raw material which form the personality. He agreed that temperament is a natural biological foundation of personality. Representing one of the aspects of genetic givens, it limits the development of personality temperament (Allport, 1927).
Allport, does not believe that a person is only a set of connected to each other dispositions. The concept of identity includes unity, structure and integration of all aspects of the personality, giving it originality. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that there is a principle of organizing evaluation, motivation, feelings and inclinations in one unity. According to Allport, such constructions as self and lifestyle are necessary to solve the problems of the nature of the person. Allport employs a new term describing all mentioned above processes of human nature. According to Allport, proprium is a positive, creative and striving process of growth and development of a person. Allport believes that proprium covers all aspects of the personality that contribute to a sense of inner unity. Proprium is inseparable from the person as a whole.
The central idea of Allport’s theory is that the individual is a dynamic system. In fact, he believed that the knowledge of past helps to understand the course of lives today, though these historical facts are useless if they are not dynamically active in the present. In terms of Allport, the necessary foundation for motivation theory provides the concept of functional autonomy that satisfies the characteristic features of human nature. In many ways, it is the core of his theory of personality traits. The concept of functional autonomy means that a mature personality motives are not determined by the past influences. According to Allport, the person is free from the past and no past events can presuppose the human behavior and the development of character traits.
How the theory addresses differences in gender and culture
It is necessary to note that Allport’s theory describes not only the characteristic features of individuals, but also states that common traits presuppose the behavior of certain groups of people. For example, some people are more persistent and stubborn than others, or that some people are more polite than others. The logic of the existence of common features is as follows: members of a certain culture are experienced by similar evolutionary and social impacts, and so they have developed to identify comparable models of adaptation. For instance, this principle can be observed in the ability to use languages, political and/or social attitudes, values, alarm and conformism. Most people within one culture are compared to each other on these common parameters, and so the psychologists determine the typical social features of various groups of people and cultures (Allport, 1927).
Judging from the central ideas of the cultural differences presupposed by Allport’s theory, it is necessary to mention that human is formed as a product of culture is a conscious social being. Unlike animals, the person enters the world of culture with personal norms and values, where own personality formation occurs in the process of intercultural communication and socialization. An essential element in this process is to master human speech, representing the universal means of communication. Thanks to it, people develop their assimilation to common cultural behavior and norms. This creates a cultural-speech environment, speech community of people and is used in assimilating to customs, traditions, norms and beliefs (Heffner, 2014).
The differences between genders are more sharply determined. Men and women differ in character and behavior in the society. The style of communication reflects the dominant position of men in the society. As leaders, they show a tendency to order, while women tend to behave democratically. Men tend to authoritarian leadership and focusing on the tasks at hand, women also manifest themselves as social leaders, to build a team and supporting the team spirit. Men give more weight to victory, superiority and domination over others and are more inclined to take risks. In those cases, when men adhere to a democratic style of leadership, women leaders are evaluated no lower than they; if men show an authoritarian style, women leaders are evaluated below. People are easier to put up with a strong and decisive male power than a persistent aggressive female superiority. As a result, certain traits of character help to single out typical features of genders and their belonging to certain culture.
How the theory addresses changes in personality over the lifespan
Allport suggested the idea of the mature personality. He paid attention to the issue that with the course of time the personality becomes mature, and the changes of the personality are observed in the process of personality maturation. Allport believed that the maturation of a person is an ongoing, lifelong process of becoming a fully developed personality. He saw also a qualitative difference between mature and immature personalities. Behavior of mature subjects is functionally autonomous and motivated by conscious processes. In contrast, the behavior of immature individuals is predominantly directed by unconscious motives based on childhood experiences. Allport concluded that mature person is characterized by six features.
First of all, a mature person has wide boundaries of the Self. Mature individuals can evaluate their own actions. Such people are the active participants in the family, labor and social relations, they have a hobby, interest in political and religious affairs, and in everything that they consider significant. Such activities require the participation of the Self of man and true passion. According to Allport, self-love is an indispensable factor in the life of each individual, but it does not need to be the determining factor in the human lifestyle (Heffner, 2014).
A mature person is able to show warm social relations. There are two types of warm interpersonal relations that fall under this category: a friendly intimacy and sympathy. The friendly, intimate aspect of warm relations is manifested in a person's ability to show a deep love to family and close friends, not stained with possessiveness or jealousy. Empathy is reflected in the person's ability to be tolerant and show respectful attitude toward other people of the community (Allport, 1927).
A mature person demonstrates emotional acceptance. Mature people can also deal with their own emotional states, for instance, depression, feelings of anger or guilt, in such a way that it does not interfere with the welfare of others.
A mature person demonstrates a realistic perception, experience and aspirations. Mentally healthy people see things as they are and not as they would like to see them. They have a healthy sense of reality, they do not perceive it wryly, do not distort the facts in order to please their imagination and needs. Furthermore, mature people have the appropriate skills and knowledge in their professional field. They can postpone their personal desires and impulses until they complete important work. Thus, adults perceive other people, objects and situations as they really are, they have enough experience and skills to deal with the reality (Allport, 1927).
A mature person demonstrates the ability to self-knowledge and a sense of humor. Socrates noted that there is one paramount rule to live a full life, that is, to know oneself. Thus, he meant that mature people have a clear understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses. An important component of self-knowledge is the humor, which prevents the pompous self-aggrandizement. It allows people to see and accept very absurd aspects of their own actions.
A mature person has a personal life philosophy. Mature people are able to see a complete picture thanks to the clear and systematic vision of the world. Allport believed that every person needs to form personal system of values and goals that are meaningful in life. Different people have different values around which they build their life. They can choose the pursuit of truth, social welfare, religion or anything else that corresponds to the inner world and life philosophy of a person (McLeod, 2014)
Personal opinion of the theory
Allport’s theory investigates human traits of character and how they determine social relation of every person. This theory covers almost all aspect of social interaction and communication as it helps to survive in the society. It is important to build correct relation with others, establish meaningful goals and treat other people appropriately, that is why every person needs to be aware of the essence of human traits of character and how they influence the perception of the world and the lifestyle.
The theory focuses mainly on the traits of human personality. It explains how this aspect of human nature helps to assimilate in the society. This theory touches upon one aspect of human personality that is closely connected to other psychological and social phenomena. Traits of character help to form personal attitudes and realize many social issues.
Despite the fact that Allport theory has undoubtedly creative nature, it seems that it does not possess any empirical validity that is important for long and effective existence of any scientific theory. Two factors explain the insufficient number of studies based on Allport's theory. The theory is based on fuzzy and bad-defined concepts such as personal commitment, the Self and disposition of the individual that do not make clear the sense of the theory. Secondly, Allport did not consider it necessary to determine exactly how the concept of personality trait is associated with proprium development. The theory lacks clear explanations which make this theory ineffective in modern society.
Conclusion
Many psychologists attached particular importance to the interpretation of the individual. One of the most influential supporters of dispositional direction was Gordon Allport who believed that every person is unique and that its uniqueness can be understood through the identification of specific traits. Much attention is paid to the way in which human behavior is influenced by cognitive and motivational processes. Moreover, Allport's theory is a combination of humanistic and individual approaches to the study of human behavior. That is why, the awareness of this theory is important in modern society.
References
Allport, W. G. (1927). Concepts of Trait and Personality. Web. 7 Aug. 2016. Retrieved from:
http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Allport/concepts.htm
Heffner, L. C. (2014). Chapter 7: Section 2: Gordon Allport, The Original Trait Theorist. Web. 7
Aug. 2016. Retrieved from:
http://allpsych.com/personalitysynopsis/allport/
McLeod, S. (2014). Theories of Personality. Web. 7 Aug. 2016. Retrieved from:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/personality-theories.html
