questions about human nature An important aspect of any personality theory is th

Question

questions about human nature

An important aspect of any personality theory is the image of human nature formulated by the theorist. Each theorist has a conception of human nature that addresses issues at the core of what it means to be human. When reading the course material, consider how each theorist covered deals with these questions.

Uniqueness or Universality?

Is personality so individualistic that we cannot compare ourselves to others or are there similar patterns of behavior that can be seen across groups, at least within cultures?

Equilibrium or Growth?

Is our major motivation in life to maintain internal equilibrium (obtain pleasure, avoid pain, and minimize stress) or do we seek to grow, to realize our full potential, and aim higher?

Explanation / Answer

Uniqueness or Universality?

There are both universal and cultural aspects of variation in personality .Some culture-specific aspects correspond to cultural syndromes such as complexity, tightness, individualism, and collectivism. A large body of literature suggests that the Big Five personality factors emerge in various cultures. Personality is shaped by both genetic and environmental influences. Among the most important of the latter are cultural influences. Culture is transmitted through language and the modeling of behavior when conditions permit humans to communicate through shared language by living the same historic period, and when they are sufficiently proximal to influence each other. The overarching model of cultural influences on personality that we have adopted in this chapter is that though biological factors have an important role in shaping personality, they do not account for most of the variance. Historical factors and cultural diffusion also shape cultures, but limitations of space preclude their discussion. In addition to these factors, we consider other constructs that are needed for a better understanding of the way culture influences personality.

Equlibrium or growth?

Motivation is a critical dimension of capacity, defined as “the ability of people, institutions and Societies to perform functions solve problems and set and achieve objectives”. Incentives and Incentive systems are fundamental to developing capacities and to translating developed capacities into better performance. A person’s ability clearly also matters, and so do factors like the resources a person is given to do his or her job. Successful work performance can arise from a variety of motives. Two people doing similar jobs may both be successful but for very different motives. For example, one salesperson may be motivated by the commission earned on sales, while another may be more concerned about rising to the challenge of meeting sales targets, perhaps for his or her own satisfaction, or perhaps because of a desire to please the boss. In most workplaces, incentive and performance management systems reward some aspects of work behavior more than others. Also, different behaviors may be rewarded in different ways, and particular ways may suit some people better than others.

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