The social learning theorists make the most sense to me when understanding personality.

The social learning theorists make the most sense to me when understanding personality. I believe that personality, at least mine, is mainly comprised of my cognitive experiences, environment, and behavior. Additionally I think that genetics play a small role in personality for a couple reasons. As for my cognitive experiences I learned qualities such as being trusting or forgiving; what I’ve observed has contributed to my personality. The way that I was brought up in my environment also molded my thought process and action. Being on sports’ teams and being in an art school has developed my personality. The athletic environment perpetuated my motivation  and art school has progressed my creativity. It’s also the people I surround myself with which can change over time; just like neuroplasticity, I think personality can have plasticity. Genetics also are a component since I tend to similar behaviors with all my family members even if they aren’t in my everyday environment. I catch myself saying that I’m just like my mother, father,  aunt, or cousin.  Mental illness has also run in my family and I myself was diagnosed years ago. My condition does have an impact on my personality and other family members have similar thinking and behavior.

    My sister can be very high-strung, a charming extrovert, passionate, attentive, and approachable person if I were to base her off of the Big 5 theory. Her personality can be described by this theory because of her choices and behaviors as a swim coach. As a coach she develops a personal relationship with her team which contributes to her passion, high-strung, and conscientious attitude. I think that these qualities could easily apply to coaches, teachers, or leaders. With her friendships she always gives good insight and is relatable which dispenses to her extroverted and agreeable nature. She is motivated by her career as well as her personal relationships with others.

    The humanistic self-actualization theory also corresponds to her behavioral and cognitive tendencies. Being in the peace corps gave her many peak experiences. Her education and career path is of most importance which was evident in career choices. There times where she needs to assert herself just to bring good deed to everyones conscious which contributes to her optimistic ideations. The advantage to the humanistic theory, compared to the Big 5, here is that more is explained with less and also it sounds more optimistic. I think the disadvantages of both theories are that there are chances for inconsistencies in patters of behavior. The term “fake it until you make it” is widely used and because of this perceptions of personality can be skewed and the fact that personality can change. Like we read in our text peer pressure and greatly skew of perceptions of personality traits.

References

Tok, S., Binboğa, E., Guven, S., Çatıkkas, F., & Dane, S. (2013). Trait emotional intelligence, the Big Five personality traits and isometric maximal voluntary contraction level under stress in athletes. Neurology, Psychiatry And Brain Research, 19133-138. doi:10.1016/j.npbr.2013.04.005

Winston, C. N. (2016). An existential-humanistic-positive theory of human motivation. The Humanistic Psychologist, 44(2), 142-163. doi:10.1037/hum0000028