Foundation of Education

Key Unit Competence:

Justify how knowledge of and respect for different personalities make teachers more effective.

Introductory activity

MUGENZI always quarrels with her wife and most of the time when he reaches at the job he could not answer properly to his friends. His son MANZI who is in P4 is emotionally angry and he is not happy when he is with classmates.

1. List down other characteristics that MANZI may copy from his father

2. Where does the behaviour of MANZI come from?

5.1. Key concepts of personality

Activity 5.1

Which among the following lists of characteristics are related to personality?

Individual, character, temperament, home environment, emotion, sensitive, teacher’s code of conduct, imagination, self-concept.

• Personality

Personality is a set of traits or characteristics that make all people individual. It is also an integration of traits that can be investigated and described in order to render an account of the unique quality of the individual. It is made up by many concepts most of which are going to be detailed in this topic.

• The character

It is usual and constant manner of being, feeling, acting and reacting particular to everybody in his environment. We can see easily character in social relationship. The character can be innate or acquired. It can be modified by the environment (education, life circumstances, success or failure, climate).

• Behavioural patterns

Behaviour Pattern, as referred to in psychology, refers to a set of dominant behaviours and emotional reactions that include a high emphasis of competition, impatience, hostility and aggression. These are people who are extremely intense and driven to succeed. Behaviour pattern can also be defined as a recurrent way of acting by an individual or group toward a given object or in a given situation.

• Temperament

It is the way of being, feeling, acting or reacting of everybody on his/her morphology and physiology. The temperament is fixed or permanent. Temperament is a set of in-born traits that organize the child’s approach to the world. They are instrumental in the development of the child’s distinct personality. These traits also determine how the child goes about learning the world surrounding him/her. These traits appear to be relatively stable from birth. They are enduring characteristics that are actually never “good” or “bad.” How they are received determines whether they are perceived by the child as being a bad or good thing. When parents understand the temperament of their children, they can avoid blaming themselves for issues that are normal for their children’s temperament. Some children are noisier than other. Some are cuddlier than others. Some have more regular sleep patterns than others.

• Temperament Traits

Psychologists studying individual differences in people have identified the following nine traits as parts of temperament (Thomas et al, 1970).

• Temperament Types

i. Easy or flexible (about 40% of most groups of children)

Typically, the easy child is regular in biological rhythms, adaptable, approachable, and generally positive in mood of mild to medium intensity. Such a child is easy for caregivers. S/he is easily toilet trained, learns to sleep through the night, has regular feeding and nap routines, takes to most new situations and people pleasantly, usually adapts to change quickly, is generally cheerful and expresses her/his distress or frustration mildly. In fact, children with easy temperaments may show very deep feelings with only a single tear rolling down a check.

ii. Difficult or Feisty (about 10% of children)

The feisty child is the opposite of the easy child. The child may be hard to get to sleep through the night, her or his feeding and nap schedules may change from day to day, and the child may be difficult to toilet train because of irregular bowel movements. The feisty child typically fusses or even cries loudly at anything new and usually adapts slowly. All too often, this type of child expresses an unpleasant or disagreeable mood and, if frustrated, may even have a temper tantrum. In contrast to the easy child’s reaction, an intense, noisy reaction by the feisty child may not signify a depth of feeling. Often the best way to handle such outbursts is just to wait them out.

Caregivers who do not understand this type of temperament as normal sometimes feel resentment at the child for being so difficult to manage. They may scold pressure or appease the child, which only reinforces her or his difficult temperament. Understanding, patience and consistency, on the other hand, will lead to a “goodness of fit,” with a final positive adjustment to life demands.

iii. The slow to warm up or Fearful child (about 15% of children)

Finally, there is a group of children who are often called shy. The child in this group also has discomfort with the new and adapts slowly, but unlike the feisty child, this child’s negative mood is often expressed slowly and the child may or may not be irregular in sleep, feeling and bowel elimination. This is the child who typically stands at the edge of the group and clings quietly to her or his parent when taken to a store, a birthday party or a child care program for the first time. If the child is pressured or pushed to join the group, the child’s shyness immediately becomes worse. But if allowed to become accustomed to the new environment at her/his own pace, this child can gradually become an active, happy member of the group.

• Traits: When it comes to personality development, people have traits that represent the type of person they are. Traits are distinguishing qualities in one›s character. They are inherited characteristics that one has.

• Nature and nurture: Nature refers to traits and characteristics that are inherited or genetic in origin, while nurture refers to traits and qualities that are learned by organisms as they grow. The terms «nature» and «nurture» consist of many different subcategories in the field of psychology. These categories fall under several different approaches and theories, which work together to describe the complex characteristics of humans and animals.

Application activity 5.1

1. Choose the correct answer

Temperament refers to:

a. Inborn traits

b. Genetically based

c. Personality differences

d. Traits

2. Brianna is 18 months old. She cries frequently, she is hard to soothe and wakes frequently during the night. According to Thomas and Chess, she would be considered as: (choose the correct answer)

a. Easy

b. Difficult

c. Slow to warm up

3. Domina has a 18 months old baby. The baby does not easily sleep during night, he/she cries at anything new and usually adapts slowly, she/he is hard to soothe. Domina think that it is a sickness and she needs to take her baby at the hospital.

a. As a student teacher who has studied temperament, help Domina to understand the baby’s behaviour. What advice can you give Domina?

b. Which type of temperament does the baby have?

4. Differentiate character from temperament

5.2. Characteristics of personality

Activity 5.2

Though we are born with other siblings in our families, we do not resemble a 100%. There is a certain portion that makes us different from our brothers and sisters in addition to many characteristics we share that make us look alike. The behaviours we have also are influenced by many situations. An example might be talkative and outgoing girl when she is conversing with her boyfriend; she makes all effort to convince him that she is the only one in the school who deserves his love. This may be opposite when she is at home or with her colleagues. This explains much the characteristics of our personalities in different situations but there is what we cannot change and what changes when we interact with others and other behaviours that look to be common among individuals.

1. Think of the behavioural characteristics that you share with others,

2. List down the behavioural characteristics that seem to be changing with situations and others that seem to be stable in all situations

3. What are the behaviours that make you different from others and make you to be who you are?

4. According to the story, can the boy say that he knows the personality of her girlfriend? Why?

While there are many theories of personality, the first step is to understand exactly the meaning of the term personality. The word personality itself stems from the Latin word persona, which referred to a theatrical mask worn by performers in order to either project different roles or disguise their identities. Personality is also the distinctive and relatively enduring ways of thinking, feeling and acting that characterize a person’s responses to life situations. It is the total sum of the ways in which we, as individuals characteristically react to ourselves, to our experiences and others (Ngaroga, 2006). Personality is determined by the interaction of character and temperament traits with the environment. Each person (including your child) comes with a factory installed wiring. How your child is wired can determine whether they will be easy or difficult to nurture. How well their temperament fits with the environment and how well they are received by the people in the environment will determine how a child sees himself and others.

The personality of each person is characterized by:

- Uniqueness: nobody can behave completely as the same manner as another.

- Identity: individual reacts in conformity with his/her memories, experiences, relationships and values that create the one’s sense of self.

- Unity: individual does not react as the sum total of elements (intelligence, morphology, affectivity, etc) placed side by side, but as a whole which is unified where elements are interdependent.

In general, personality is viewed as those relatively stable and enduring aspects of an individual which distinguish him/her from other people, making them unique, but which at the same time permits a comparison between individuals.

The personality of someone is made of his/her character and temperament. It can be represented as follows:

T: Temperament

P: Personality

C: Character

So what exactly makes up a personality? As described in the definitions above, you would expect that traits and patterns of thought and emotions play important roles.

Some of the other fundamental characteristics of personality include:

• Consistency

There is generally a recognizable order and regularity to behaviours. Essentially, people act in the almost similar ways in a variety of situations.

• Psychological and physiological

Personality is a psychological construct, but research suggests that it is also influenced by biological processes and needs.

• Impacts behaviours and actions

Personality does not just influence how we move and respond in our environment; it also causes us to act in certain ways.

• Multiple expressions

Personality is displayed in more than just behaviour. It can also be seen in our thoughts, feelings, close relationships, and other social interactions.

Application activity 5.2

1. What does the term personality mean?

2. In a group of five (5) members, you have to list down your behaviour that matches with unity, uniqueness and identity.

5.3. Factors that influence personality

Activity 5.3

Murenzi was an aggressive person. He used to steal his neighbours and fight with his friends. Later, he was baptized and become a Pastor. Most of his behaviours have changed and he is now a role model in his village.

Compare the difference between Murenzi’s behaviours before being baptized and after; and discuss what makes him to change.

Personality is a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person’s behaviour. It is determined by various physical, psychological and environmental factors. Personality can be termed as the combination of mental, physical, and moral aspects that sets one part from others. Some characteristics or approaches are considered elements of the nature, while others include traits that are derived from a nurturing environment and all of these influence personality equally.

A. Heredity

Hereditary factors may be summed as constitutional, biological and physiological factors:

• Constitutional Factors:

The constitution of an individual is an effective factor in determining the type of his Personality. There can be 3 bodily types of personality (1) small and stout, (2) tall and thin, (3) muscular and well proportioned. We are always impressed by an individual who has a muscular and a well-proportioned body. Height, weight, physical defects, health and strength affect Personality.

• Biological and Physiological Factors

The function of the nervous system, glands and blood chemistry determines our characteristics and habitual modes of behaviour. These factors form the biological basis of our personality. Adrenal gland, thyroid gland, pituitary gland and endocrine gland affect personality.

Age

Behaviour changes with aging. Changes are the result of biological maturation based on physical (body) structure, endocrinal system and nervous system. For example the way a person behaves in childhood, puberty, adult and old age is different.

Intelligence

Intelligence is mainly hereditary. Persons who are more intelligent can make better adjustment in home, school and societal situations than those who are less intelligent.

Sex

Sex differences play a vital role in the development of personality of an individual. Boys are generally more assertive and vigorous. They prefer adventures. Girls are quieter and more affected by personal, emotional and social problems. Our sex determines our ways of reacting and behaving. We were born boys or girls, and there are biological differences between boys and girls. Those differences are determined by genetic inheritance. That biological differences influence individual’s behaviour and personality.

Nervous system and Neuro-endocrinal system:

Development of personality is influenced by the nature of nervous system. Neuroendocrinal system has a great influence on individual personality. The endocrinal glands have a great influence on growing (growth) and specific behaviour. We know that sexual differences are based on endocrinal functioning.

B. Environment

The social psychologists emphasize that the personality of an individual develops in a social environment. It is in the social environment, that an individual comes to have moral ideas, social attitudes and interests. This enables him to develop a social self, which is another term for personality. The important aspects of the environment include physical, social, family, cultural, and school environments, as well as the role of electronic and printed media.

Physical environment includes the natural features such as climate and weather, atmosphere, soil and landforms, rivers and other water bodies of a particular area or country. All these elements influence the personality formation and development of individuals.

Social Environment comprises the immediate social settings in which individuals live. The child has his birth in the society in which he/she lives and learns everything. Hence, the social environment has an important impact on the personality development of the child. The social groups in which individual lives influences him/her through the process of socialization. Those groups are: family, school, religion, social classes and society in general.

Family

The family is the first and foremost social environment where the child is born, learns to move and communicate. During early childhood, the child get firstly in contact with his parents and other family member; expresses his likes and dislikes, stereotypes about people; seeks security and care, and manifests emotional responses as well. The type of training and early childhood experiences received from the family play an important role in the development of personality. Besides this, family economic conditions and the type of relations between the parents also influence the personality of the child. The parents-child relationship exercises a potent influence upon the child’s personality.

Cultural refers to all of the beliefs, customs, ideas, behaviours, and traditions of a particular society that are passed through generations. Culture is transmitted to people through language as well as through the modelling of behaviour, and it defines which traits and behaviours are considered important, desirable, or undesirable.

There are norms and behavioural expectations within a culture. These cultural norms can dictate which personality traits are considered important. The researcher Gordon Allport considered culture as an important influence on traits and defined common traits as those that are recognized within a culture. These traits may vary from culture to culture based on differing values, needs, and beliefs; and leave a permanent impression on the child’s personality.

School plays an important role in moulding the personality of the children because a significant part of a child’s life is spent in school between the ages of 3 and 12 years. In the school, the teacher substitutes the parents. The school poses new problems to be solved, new taboos to be accepted into the superego and new models for imitation and identification, all of which contribute their share in shaping personality. On one hand, success can lead to a change in a self

concept which may in turn lead to a feeling of self respect, self confidence and on the hand, student who always fail in a certain subject may develop negative attitude towards the teacher and face indiscipline cases in school setting.

Electronic and mass media

Electronic and mass media lead to modelling and imitation. The observer may decide to dress and speak like the person who appears on the screen or in the media. Other most likely imitated behaviours are cases of crime shown on TV that may influence behaviour of people, particularly the youth. The electronic media can also on the other side encourage the introvert personality to enjoy himself/herself on social occasions and make friends. One can enlarge his/her friendship circle that may lead to releasing of tension, boredom, anxiety, etc. Jokes observed from electronic media can teach people to be tolerant towards criticism. Through this one can learn his/her mistakes and correct them. Finally, media such as TV and video can also lead to vicarious learning whereby observed behaviour are put into practice by the observer and this highly influence our personality development.

Other factors

Other factors may include the psychological factors whereby mental functions such as memory, perception, intelligence, affectivity, have an impact on the development of an individual personality; and the personal history of individuals where the important events and personal experiences of an individual may contribute to his personality formation.

Conclusion

Personality is what makes a person unique and it is recognizable soon after birth. A child’s personality has several components: temperament, environment, and character.

Temperament is the set of genetically determined traits that determine the child’s approach to the world and how the child learns about the world. There are no genes that specify personality traits, but some genes do control the development of the nervous system, which in turn controls behaviour. A second component of personality comes from adaptive patterns related to a child’s specific environment. Most psychologists agree that these two factors: temperament and environment influence the development of a person’s personality the most. Temperament, with its dependence on genetic factors, is sometimes referred to as “nature,” while the environmental factors are called “nurture.”

Application activity 5.3

1. How does society influence the personality development?

2. Is sharing family environment likely to lead to similarities in personality? Why or why not?

5.4. Importance of studying personality

Activity 5.4

Read the dialogue below illustrating Teacher-Students interaction during a Geography lesson and answer the questions.

Dialogue

Teacher: What is the highest mountain in Rwanda?

John: The highest mountain in Rwanda is Nyarupfubire

Teacher: Stupid, are you dreaming in classroom. You are like your father.

Who can give us a correct answer?

Teacher (continue): You big girl with square face, MUTONI

Mutoni: aaaaa, Kilimandjaro

Teacher: Nothing you can do correctly (the class puts up the hands to answer)

Teacher: point at Muhire (you stubborn boy)

Muhire: Mountain Karisimbi

Teacher: Good! It is a surprise! I didn’t expect correct answer from you!

Questions

1. Based on examples from the dialogue, explain how teacher’s criticism can affect negatively the students’ personality. Do you have similar examples from your own experience? If YES, share with your peers.

2. Write 3 ways the class is likely to react to Mutoni in the future.

It is very important for teachers to learn the topic of personality. The following are some benefits of studying personality for a teacher:

• Increasing personal integrity: The greater self-awareness that comes from self study led me to greater personal integrity by discarding what was false in me and revealing what is true. This should be the first step of any psychotherapy or spiritual path to find out who we really are in personal terms. Then we look for who we are in “transpersonal” terms.

• Increasing personal freedom: This is due to conscious control of my life resulting from release from subconscious controls and external influences.

• Objectification of self and other: With an overall personality system in mind, I can see that I and others are all pieces of a pattern. I would like to have an accurate view of the world and of other people. I don’t. My perceptions are distorted, as determined by my personality traits. When I compare my traits with other’s and with the entire personality chart, I see the ways we are different and I do not worry about it.

• Increasing tolerance and understanding of others: When I have a personality chart on someone, it helps me get to know them quicker and I can relate to them easier. It helps me understand their motives and perceptions and values. With their traits known, I can cut through the garbage and begin to see people for who they really are. I can think, feel and act more appropriately and lovingly toward them. If we become friends, knowing the chart becomes less important of course, but it is a place to start. It helps me to have a system.

• Through personality and living in group, our friends help us to know ourselves, it helps us become ourselves. It may make good men better and bad men worse. It is in the company of friends that we can most clearly experience the freedom of the self and learn who we really are. Friendship brings out different parts of our “self”.

• In classroom setting, the study of personality helps the teacher to understand the students’ individual differences, the causes of some cases of indiscipline resulting from personality differences, and become aware of possible strategies he/she can adopt while dealing with them.

• Personality study also helps the teacher to understand how his/her personality influences students and ways of positively shaping students’ personality in line with academic settings.

Application activity 5.4

Why should the teacher have knowledge about personality development?

End unit assesment

1. Explain the difference between personality and temperament?

2. What is the difference between personality and character?

3. What role does school play in shaping the development of pupils’ personality?