personality etymology

Etymology:

  • Late Latin: personalitas, from Latin persōna "mask, actor's role, character"
  • Greek: προσωπον (prōsopon) "face, countenance, guise, role"

Meaning:

  • Combination of traits, beliefs, and behaviors that make a person unique
  • Distinct psychological makeup of an individual, including their thoughts, feelings, and motivations

Origin:

The concept of personality has its roots in ancient Greece:

  • Aristotle (4th century BCE): Used the term "ethos" to describe the moral character of individuals.
  • Hippocrates (4th century BCE): Proposed a theory of four temperaments (humors) that determined personality (e.g., choleric, sanguine, melancholic, phlegmatic).
  • Theophrastus (3rd century BCE): Wrote a book called "Characters" that described different personality types based on observable behaviors.

During the Renaissance, the term "persona" was adopted to describe the different roles individuals played in society. In the 19th century, psychology began to explore personality as an object of study.

Modern Theories of Personality:

Contemporary theories of personality have evolved over time and include:

  • Psychoanalytic theory (Freud): Focuses on the unconscious mind and childhood experiences.
  • Behaviorism (Watson, Skinner): Emphasizes the role of learning and environmental influences.
  • Humanistic theory (Maslow, Rogers): Stresses the innate potential and growth of individuals.
  • Trait theory (Allport, Cattell): Identifies stable personality traits that determine behavior.
  • Cognitive theory (Bandura, Mischel): Examines the role of thoughts and perceptions in shaping personality.

personality relate terms

  • personal

    Etymology The term personal etymology is not a standard linguistic term However it ca

  • person

    Etymology Latin persona meaning mask or character in a play Meaning An indiv

  • personalty

    Etymology French personnalité Meaning The sum of a person s traits characterist

  • personality

    Etymology Late Latin personalitas from Latin persōna mask actor s role character

  • specialty

    Etymology The word specialty derives from the Latin word specialis which means par

  • persona

    Etymology The word persona is derived from Latin where it originally referred to a th

  • self conscious

    Etymology Self from Old English self meaning one s own being or person Conscious fr

  • columnist

    Etymology The word columnist comes from the Latin word columna meaning pillar or

  • empathy

    Etymology Greek empatheia Latin empatia Middle French empatie English empath

  • animus

    Etymology Latin animus meaning mind spirit soul courage Meaning Psychology

  • nationality

    Etymology The word nationality is derived from the Latin word nationalitas which mea

  • celebrity

    Etymology The word celebrity derives from the Latin word celebritas which means fam

  • individual

    Etymology from Latin individuum an individual thing or being from in not

  • attribute

    Etymology The word attribute comes from the Latin word attribuere which means to a