Character(Greek - sign, distinctive property, distinctive feature, feature, sign or seal) - the structure of persistent, relatively constant mental properties that determine the characteristics of the relationship and behavior of the individual.

When they talk about character, they usually mean by this just such a set of properties and qualities of a personality that impose a certain imprint on all its manifestations and deeds. Character traits are those essential properties of a person that determine a particular way of behavior, way of life. The static character is determined by the type of nervous activity, and its dynamics is determined by the environment.

Character is understood as:

• a system of stable motives and ways of behavior that form a behavioral type of personality;
• a measure of the balance of internal and outer worlds, features of the individual's adaptation to the reality surrounding him;
• distinctly expressed certainty of the typical behavior of each person.

In the system of personality relations, four groups of character traits are distinguished, forming symptom complexes:

• the attitude of a person towards other people, a team, society (sociability, sensitivity and responsiveness, respect for others - people, collectivism and opposite traits - isolation, callousness, callousness, rudeness, contempt for people, individualism);
• traits that show a person’s attitude to work, their work (hard work, a penchant for creativity, conscientiousness in work, a responsible attitude to business, initiative, perseverance and their opposite traits - laziness, a tendency to routine work, dishonesty, irresponsible attitude to work, passivity) ;
• traits showing how a person relates to himself (feeling dignity, correctly understood pride and self-criticism associated with it, modesty and its opposite features - self-conceit, sometimes turning into arrogance, vanity, arrogance, touchiness, shyness, egocentrism as a tendency to consider in the center of events
• oneself and one's experiences, selfishness - the tendency to care primarily about one's own personal welfare);
• traits that characterize a person's attitude to things (neatness or carelessness, careful or careless handling of things).

One of the most famous character theories is the theory proposed by the German psychologist E. Kretschmer. According to this theory, character depends on physique.

Kretschmer described three body types and their corresponding three types of character:

Asthenics(from Greek - weak) - people are thin, with an elongated face. long arms and legs, flat (ore cell and weak muscles. Corresponding type character - schizothymic- people are closed, serious, stubborn, difficult to adapt to new conditions. With mental disorders, they are prone to schizophrenia;

Athletics(from Greek - peculiar to wrestlers) - people are tall, broad-shouldered, with a powerful chest, a strong skeleton and well-developed muscles. Corresponding character type − xotimics- people are calm, unimpressive, practical, domineering, restrained in gestures and facial expressions; They do not like change and do not adapt well to it. With mental disorders, they are prone to epilepsy;

Picnics(from Greek - dense. thick) - people of medium height, overweight or prone to obesity, with a short neck, a large head and a broad face with small features. Corresponding character type - cyclothymics - people are sociable, contact, emotional, easily adapting to new conditions. With mental disorders, they are prone to manic-depressive psychosis.

General concept of character and its manifestations

In concept character(from the Greek character - “seal”, “chasing”), means a set of stable individual features, which are formed and manifested in activity and communication, causing typical for her ways of behavior.

When they determine the character of a person, they do not say that such and such a person showed courage, truthfulness, frankness, that this person is courageous, truthful, frank, i.e. the named qualities are the properties of a given person, traits of his character, which can manifest themselves under appropriate circumstances. Knowledge of a person's character allows you to predict with a significant degree of probability and thereby correct the expected actions and deeds. It is not uncommon to say of a man of character: "He had to do it this way, he could not have done otherwise - that's his character."

However, not all human features can be considered characteristic, but only essential and stable ones. If a person, for example, is not polite enough in a stressful situation, then this does not mean that rudeness and incontinence are a property of his character. Sometimes, even very cheerful people can experience a feeling of sadness, but this does not make them whiners and pessimists.

Speaking like a lifetime human, character is determined and formed throughout a person's life. The way of life includes the way of thoughts, feelings, impulses, actions in their unity. Therefore, as a certain way of life of a person is formed, the person himself is formed. An important role is played here by social conditions and specific life circumstances in which life path man, on the basis of his natural properties and as a result of his deeds and deeds. However, the direct formation of character occurs in groups of different levels of development (, a friendly company, a class, a sports team, etc.). Depending on which group is the reference group for the individual and what values ​​it supports and cultivates in its environment, the corresponding character traits will develop among its members. Character traits will also depend on the position of the individual in the group, on how he integrates in it. In a team as a group high level development creates the most favorable opportunities for the formation of the best character traits. This process is mutual, and thanks to the development of the individual, the team itself develops.

Character content, reflecting social influences, influences, constitutes the life orientation of the individual, i.e. her material and spiritual needs, interests, beliefs, ideals, etc. The orientation of the personality determines the goals, the life plan of a person, the degree of his life activity. The character of a person implies the presence of something significant for him in the world, in life, something on which the motives of his actions depend, the goals of his actions, the tasks that he sets himself.

Decisive for understanding character is the relationship between socially and personally significant for a person. Every society has its own major and essential tasks. It is on them that the character of people is formed and tested. Therefore, the concept of "character" refers more to the relationship of these objectively existing tasks. Therefore, character is not just any manifestation of firmness, perseverance, etc. (formal persistence can be just stubbornness), but focus on socially significant activities. It is the orientation of the personality that underlies the unity, integrity, strength of character. The possession of life goals is the main condition for the formation of character. A spineless person is characterized by the absence or dispersion of goals. However, the nature and orientation of the personality are not the same thing. Good-natured and cheerful can be both a decent, highly moral person, and a person with low, unscrupulous thoughts. The orientation of the individual leaves an imprint on all human behavior. And although behavior is determined not by one impulse, but by complete system relations, in this system something always comes to the fore, dominating it, giving the character of a person a peculiar flavor.

In the formed character, the leading component is the persuasion system. Conviction determines the long-term direction of a person's behavior, his inflexibility in achieving his goals, confidence in the justice and importance of the work he performs. Character traits are closely related to the interests of a person, provided that these interests are stable and deep. The superficiality and instability of interests are often associated with great imitation, with a lack of independence and integrity of a person's personality. And, conversely, the depth and content of interests testify to the purposefulness and perseverance of the individual. The similarity of interests does not imply similar features of character. So, among rationalizers one can find people cheerful and sad, modest and obsessive, egoists and altruists.

Indicative for the understanding of character can also be the affections and interests of a person related to his leisure. They reveal new features, facets of character: for example, L. N. Tolstoy was fond of playing chess, I. P. Pavlov - towns, D. I. Mendeleev - reading adventure novels. Whether a person's spiritual and material needs and interests dominate is determined not only by the thoughts and feelings of the individual, but also by the direction of his activity. No less important is the correspondence of a person's actions to the set goals, since a person is characterized not only by what she does, but also by how she does it. Character can only be understood as a certain unity of direction and mode of action.

People with a similar orientation can go completely different ways to achieve goals and use their own, special, techniques and methods for this. This dissimilarity also determines the specific character of the individual. Character traits, having a certain motivating force, are clearly manifested in a situation of choosing actions or ways of behaving. From this point of view, as a character trait, one can consider the degree of expression of an individual's achievement motivation - his need to achieve success. Depending on this, some people are characterized by the choice of actions that ensure success (showing initiative, competitive activity, striving for risk, etc.), while others are more likely to simply avoid failures (deviation from risk and responsibility, avoiding manifestations of activity, initiative, etc.).

Teaching about character characterology has a long history of development. The most important problems of characterology for centuries have been the establishment of types of character and their definition by its manifestations in order to predict human behavior in different situations. Since character is a lifetime formation of a personality, most of its existing classifications proceed from grounds that are external, mediated factors in the development of a personality.

One of the most ancient attempts to predict human behavior is the explanation of his character by the date of birth. A variety of ways to predict the fate and character of a person are called horoscopes.

No less popular are attempts to connect the character of a person with his name.

Significant influence on the development of characterology had physiognomy(from the Greek. Physis - "nature", gnomon - "knowing") - the doctrine of the relationship between appearance of a person and his belonging to a certain type of personality, due to which the psychological characteristics of this type can be established by external signs.

No less famous and rich history than the physiognomic direction in characterology, palmistry has. Palmistry(from the Greek Cheir - "hand" and manteia - "fortune telling", "prophecy") - a system for predicting a person's character traits and his fate according to the skin relief of the palms.

Until recently, scientific psychology has consistently rejected palmistry, but the study of the embryonic development of finger patterns in connection with heredity gave impetus to the emergence of a new branch of knowledge - dermatoglyphics.

More valuable in diagnostic terms than, say, physiognomy can be considered graphology - a science that considers handwriting as a kind of expressive movements that reflect the psychological properties of the writer.

At the same time, the unity, versatility of character do not exclude the fact that in different situations the same person manifests different and even opposite properties. A person can be both very gentle and very demanding, soft and compliant and at the same time firm to the point of inflexibility. And the unity of his character can not only be preserved in spite of this, but it is precisely in this that it manifests itself.

The relationship of character and temperament

Character often compared with, and in some cases, they replace these concepts with each other.

In science, among the dominant views on the relationship between character and temperament, four main ones can be distinguished:

• identification of character and temperament (E. Kretschmer, A. Ruzhitsky);
• opposition of character and temperament, emphasizing the antagonism between them (P. Viktorv, V. Virenius);
• recognition of temperament as an element of character, its core, an invariable part (S. L. Rubinshtein, S. Gorodetsky);
• recognition of temperament as the natural basis of character (L. S. Vygotsky, B. G. Ananiev).

Based on the materialistic understanding of human phenomena, it should be noted that the common character and temperament is dependence on physiological features person, and above all from the type nervous system. The formation of character essentially depends on the properties of temperament, more closely related to the properties of the nervous system. In addition, character traits arise when the temperament is already sufficiently developed. Character develops on the basis, on the basis of temperament. Temperament determines in the character such traits as the balance or imbalance of behavior, the ease or difficulty of entering a new situation, the mobility or inertness of the reaction, etc. However, temperament does not predetermine character. People with the same temperament properties can have a completely different character. Features of temperament can contribute to or counteract the formation of certain character traits. Thus, it is more difficult for a melancholic to form courage and determination in himself than for a choleric. It is more difficult for a choleric person to develop self-restraint, phlegmatic; a phlegmatic person needs to spend more energy to become sociable than a sanguine person, etc.

However, as B. G. Ananiev believed, if education consisted only in improving and strengthening natural properties, this would lead to a monstrous uniformity of development. The properties of temperament can, to some extent, even come into conflict with the character. In P. I. Tchaikovsky, the tendency to melancholy experiences was overcome by one of the main features of his character - his ability to work. “You always need to work,” he said, “and every honest artist cannot sit idly by, under the pretext that he is not located .. If you wait for an arrangement and do not try to meet him, then you can easily fall into laziness and apathy . Disagreements very rarely happen to me. I attribute this to my being endowed with patience, and train myself never to give in to reluctance. I've learned to conquer myself."

In a person with a formed character, temperament ceases to be an independent form of personality manifestation, but becomes its dynamic side, consisting in a certain flow rate. mental processes and manifestations of the personality, a certain characteristic of the expressive movements and actions of the personality. Here we should also note the influence exerted on the formation of character by a dynamic stereotype, i.e. a system of conditioned reflexes that form in response to a steadily repeating system of stimuli. The formation of dynamic stereotypes in a person in various repetitive situations is influenced by his attitude to the situation, as a result of which excitation, inhibition, mobility can change. nervous processes and, consequently, the general functional state of the nervous system. It is also necessary to note the decisive role in the formation of dynamic stereotypes of the second signal system, through which social influences are carried out.

Ultimately, the traits of temperament and character are organically linked and interact with each other in a single, holistic image of a person, forming an inseparable alloy - an integral characteristic of his personality.

Character has long been identified with the will of a person, the expression "a person with character" was considered as a synonym for the expression " strong-willed person". The will is associated primarily with the strength of character, its firmness, determination, perseverance. When they say that a person has a strong character, they thereby seem to want to emphasize his purposefulness, his strong-willed qualities. In this sense, the character of a person is best manifested in overcoming difficulties, in the struggle, i.e. in those conditions where the will of man is manifested to the greatest extent. But character is not exhausted by force, it has content, determining how the will will function under various conditions. On the one hand, in volitional deeds, character develops and manifests itself in them: volitional deeds in situations that are significant for the individual pass into the character of a person, fixing themselves in it as relatively stable properties of it; these properties, in turn, determine the behavior of a person, his volitional actions. Volitional character is distinguished by certainty, constancy and independence, firmness in the implementation of the intended goal. On the other hand, it is not uncommon for a weak-willed person to be called “spineless”. From the point of view of psychology, this is not entirely true - and a weak-willed person has certain character traits, such as fearfulness, indecision, etc. The use of the term “characterless” means the unpredictability of a person’s behavior, indicates that he does not have his own direction, an internal core that would determine his behavior. His actions are caused external influences and do not depend on him.

The peculiarity of character is also reflected in the peculiarities of the flow of human feelings. This was pointed out by K. D. Ushinsky: “nothing, neither words, nor thoughts, nor even our actions express ourselves and our attitude to the world so clearly and truly, as our feelings: they hear the character of not a separate thought, not a separate decision, but the entire content of our soul and its structure. The connection between feelings and properties of a person's character is also mutual. On the one hand, the level of development of moral, aesthetic, intellectual feelings depends on the nature of a person's activity and communication and on the character traits formed on this basis. On the other hand, these feelings themselves become characteristic, stable features of the personality, thus constituting the character of a person. The level of development of a sense of duty, a sense of humor and other complex feelings is a fairly indicative characteristic of a person.

Especially great importance for characterological manifestations has the relationship of intellectual personality traits. The depth and sharpness of thought, the unusual posing of the question and its solution, intellectual initiative, confidence and independence of thinking - all this makes up the originality of the mind as one of the sides of character. However, how a person uses his mental faculties will depend significantly on character. Often there are people who have high intellectual data, but do not give anything of value precisely because of their characterological features. This is exemplified by numerous literary images extra people (Pechorin, Rudin, Beltov, etc.). As I. S. Turgenev well said through the mouth of one of actors novel about Rudin: “There is perhaps a genius in him, but no nature.” Thus, the real achievements of a person do not depend on some abstractly taken mental capabilities, but on a specific combination of his features and characterological properties.

character structure

In general form, all character traits can be divided into basic, leading, setting the general direction for the development of the whole complex of its manifestations, and secondary, determined by the main. So, if we consider such traits as indecisiveness, timidity and altruism, then with the predominance of the first, a person, first of all, constantly fears “no matter how something happens” and all attempts to help one’s neighbor usually end in inner feelings and the search for justification. If the leading feature is the second trait - altruism, then the person outwardly shows no hesitation, immediately goes to the rescue, controlling his behavior with the intellect, but at the same time he may sometimes have doubts about the correctness of the actions taken.

Knowledge of leading traits allows you to reflect the main essence of the character, to show its main manifestations. Writers, artists, wanting an idea of ​​the character of the hero, first of all describe his leading, pivotal features. So, A. S. Pushkin put into the mouth of Vorotynsky (in the tragedy “Boris Godunov”) an exhaustive description of Shuisky - “a crafty courtier”. Some heroes of literary works so deeply and truly reflect certain typical character traits that their names become common nouns (Khlestakov, Oblomov, Manilov, etc.).

Although every character trait reflects one of the manifestations of a person's attitude to reality, this does not mean that any attitude will be a character trait. Only some relationships, depending on the conditions, become features. From the totality of the relationship of the individual to the surrounding reality, it is necessary to single out the character-forming forms of relations. The most important distinguishing feature of such relations is the decisive, paramount and general vital importance of those objects to which a person belongs. These relationships simultaneously serve as the basis for the classification of the most important character traits.

The character of a person is manifested in the system of relations:

• In relation to other people (at the same time, such character traits as sociability - isolation, truthfulness - deceit, tact - rudeness, etc. can be distinguished).
• In relation to the case (responsibility - dishonesty, diligence - laziness, etc.).
• In relation to oneself (modesty - narcissism, self-criticism - self-confidence, pride - humiliation, etc.).
• In relation to property (generosity - greed, frugality - extravagance, accuracy - slovenliness, etc.). It should be noted a certain conventionality of this classification and a close relationship, the interpenetration of these aspects of relations. So, for example, if a person shows rudeness, then this concerns his relationship to people; but if at the same time he works as a teacher, then here it is already necessary to talk about his attitude to the matter (bad faith), about his attitude towards himself (narcissism).

Despite the fact that these relationships are the most important from the point of view of character formation, they do not simultaneously and immediately become character traits. There is a certain sequence in the transition of these relations to the properties of character, and in this sense it is impossible to put in one row, say, the attitude towards other people and the attitude towards property, since their very content plays a different role in the real existence of a person. A decisive role in the formation of character is played by the attitude of a person to society, to people. The character of a person cannot be revealed and understood outside the team, without taking into account his attachments in the form of camaraderie, friendship, love.

In the structure of character, one can distinguish traits that are common to a certain group of people. Even the most original person can find some trait (for example, unusual, unpredictable behavior), the possession of which allows him to be attributed to a group of people with similar behavior. In this case, we should talk about typical in character traits. N. D. Levitov believes that the type of character is a specific expression in the individual character of traits common to a certain group of people. Indeed, as noted, the character is not innate, - it is formed in the life and work of a person as a representative of a certain group, certain society. Therefore, the character of a person is always a product of society, which explains the similarities and differences in the characters of people belonging to different groups.

Diverse typical features are reflected in the individual character: national, professional, age. Thus, people of the same nationality are in the conditions of life that have developed over many generations, they experience the specific features of national life; develop under the influence of the existing national structure, language. Therefore, people of one nationality differ in their way of life, habits, rights, and character from people of another. These typical features are often fixed by everyday consciousness in various attitudes and stereotypes. Most people have a formed image of a representative of a particular country: an American, a Scot, an Italian, a Chinese, etc.

Psychologists call character a combination of personality traits that determine its behavior. You can make many lists with traits of human characters. If two people are given the task of characterizing a third, their lists will differ from each other. People don't think about how character affects their success or failure. But, considering the individual qualities that make up the character, it is easy to understand how they affect the personality as a whole. Character traits of a person develop depending on the type of nervous activity, heredity, and the environment of education. They form throughout life. The predominance of certain traits determines a person's lifestyle.

Human character traits: list

Many psychologists divide all character traits into 4 main groups:

• Attitude towards others;
• attitude towards oneself;
• Attitude to material values;
• Attitude towards work.

Within each group, many qualities can be distinguished.

For example, the list of traits of the "attitude towards others" group:

• compassion;

• respect;
• reliability;
• flexibility;
• politeness;
• the ability to forgive;
• generosity;
• Gratitude;
• hospitality;
• justice;
• meekness;
• obedience;
• loyalty;

• sincerity;
• tolerance;
• truthfulness.

Character traits: list of the group "attitude towards oneself":

• Caution;
• Contentment (understanding that true happiness does not depend on material conditions);
• Creation;
• Determination;

• Courage;
• Attentiveness;
• Endurance;
• Faith;
• Honor;
• Initiative;
• Self control.

“Attitude towards material values” can be characterized by the following qualities:

• Thrift;
• organization;
• Generosity;
• Wisdom.

"Attitude towards work" demonstrates the qualities of character:

• industriousness;
• Enthusiasm;
• Initiative;
• Punctuality;

Psychologists also have a classification of character traits according to volitional, emotional and intellectual characteristics. Personality properties appear in combinations. For example, benevolence, generosity and hospitality, as a rule, are characteristic of the same person. Characterizing a person, others highlight the leading features or a set of features. Saying, “He is a kind and sincere guy” or “She is lazy and disorganized,” people emphasize the main thing. This does not mean that a lazy girl cannot be kind and honest. It's just that these traits do not dominate her behavior.

Positive and negative character traits

For harmonious interaction in all four areas (with society, material values, work and oneself), a person must demonstrate his best qualities and minimize the worst. Traditionally, it is customary to single out “pluses” and “minuses” in characterizing a person. Every positive trait has its opposite. Even children easily name antonyms: “kind - evil”, “hard-working - lazy”, etc. It is difficult to define unambiguously positive character traits. For example, for the professions of a teacher, seller, doctor, waiter, such traits as benevolence, politeness, tolerance are important. These qualities are not essential for the work of a programmer, accountant, draftsman, who need organization, punctuality, and responsibility more.

There is a special concept of "professional character traits". A pronounced quality, suitable for a particular job, helps a person achieve great professional success. At the same time, character is formed throughout life. The profession leaves its mark on the personality. Therefore, when they say “he is an exemplary policeman”, everyone understands that we are talking about a disciplined, courageous, fair person. The expression "teacher from God" means a kind, wise, tolerant person. A person who dreams of a good career should develop in himself the best qualities of his profession.

Good character traits are controversial in the ordinary sense. Being generous is good, but if a person distributes necessary property because of generosity, his family and himself suffer. Obedience, for which a child is praised at home and in kindergarten, can harm him and form a weak-willed, passive personality.

Much easier people understand negative character traits. We can say that these qualities are universal. Anger, envy, deceit, laziness, greed are included in the list of deadly sins of Christians. But such properties are negatively perceived by people of all faiths. Muslims consider hypocrisy to be the worst sin. Equally dislike hypocrites in all countries, among all peoples. The negative character traits of a person, if they appear in a complex, make the person very unattractive to others. Negative characters - quarrelsome neighbors, quarrelsome colleagues, evil relatives. These are people who have brought the negative aspects of their nature to the extreme.

Each person is to a certain extent deceitful, envious, quick-tempered, but reasonable people try not to show their negative qualities to others. Negative aspects of character can be corrected. If others often say: “You are too rude”, “It is difficult to communicate with you because of your arrogance”, you need to draw conclusions and start working on yourself. Psychologists advise you to write down the negative qualities of your character on a piece of paper and work with each one individually. For example, you can remember among your acquaintances a person who behaves exactly the opposite of you - not rude, but correct, not quick-tempered, but patient. You need to imagine yourself in a certain situation in the place of this person. At the same time, it is important to conjure up a real picture and real emotions. Such psycho-emotional training helps to reconfigure behavior and develop the desired quality in oneself.

Adaptation of character to society

Any culture, people and civilizations have certain limits of behavior. Man cannot exist outside of society. From childhood, the child has to adapt to the requirements of the environment - the family, kindergarten, schools. An adult is influenced by many social forces, from spouses to politics, religion, social stratum. The character of a person involuntarily adapts to the requirements of society. At the same time, many of the natural inclinations of the individual are subjected to pressure.

History knows many examples when brilliantly gifted people came into conflict with the environment because of the impossibility of leading the lifestyle that their nature demanded. At the same time, social norms allow a person to lead a safe life in the society around him. Such social traits as loyalty, tolerance, politeness allow painless contact with others. The rejection of social norms, above all, laws and morality, creates an asocial personality.

IN modern psychology there is the term "national character traits". Each nation forms some common, typical features of behavior among its representatives. For example:

• The peoples of Northern Europe and the Americans are self-confident, honest, practical, stubborn, freedom-loving. The conservatism and subtle humor of the British, the punctuality of the Germans, and the taciturnity of the Scandinavians are well known.
• Southern Europeans and Latin America energetic, temperamental, emotional, cheerful, sensual. A romantic Italian, a passionate Spaniard, a charming Frenchwoman, restless Brazilians - there is a lot of reality in these stereotypes;

• Representatives of Eastern Europe (Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles, Czechs) love constancy, are generous, generous, selfless, responsive, prone to repentance and forgiveness. A common stereotype - the "mysterious Russian soul" has many reasons.
• The peoples of the East are much more respectful of their parents and, in general, elders than Europeans. For Eastern societies, much more than for European ones, hospitality, family honor, dignity, modesty, benevolence, tolerance are characteristic.

Features that have a social character are inextricably linked with religious norms. Norms Christian morality include the following qualities:

• Lack of envy;
• Chastity;
• Meekness;
• Generosity;
• Sociability;
• Compassion.

The influence of religious culture in the history of society is very strong. Even modern atheists of European countries consider the main Christian value - love for people - to be the best personality trait.

Islamic society forms the following features in people:

• Respect for elders;
• Hospitality;
• Modesty;
• Courage;
• Humility.

Features of the character of men and women

A huge role in the formation of character is played by the gender of a person. Not only the characteristics of sex develop certain qualities, but also public opinion. Standard character traits of a man:

• Leadership;
• The ability to protect;
• inner strength;
• Reliability;
• Loyalty;

Women are guided more by intuition and feelings than by reason, they are more talkative, soft in communication, cunning. Of course, in most cases, women and men correspond to their gender characteristics. But it has not yet been studied in detail, which has more influence on the formation of gender traits - nature or upbringing. Often men and women have to fulfill the role that society imposes on them. For example, medieval society ordered a woman to be modest, obedient to her parents and husband. Modernity demands more independence from a woman.

The world is full of men and women who do not fit the accepted characteristics. Many girls have leadership and organizational skills. And, on the contrary, a large number of men are delicate, not aggressive and emotional.

At what age is character formed

Any mother who has raised several children will tell you that all her babies were completely different from infancy. Even infants react differently to food, bathing, and play. There are temperamental, noisy babies, there are quiet and inactive ones. Here heredity affects, as well as natural temperament, which depends on the physique, health and conditions of education.

The character traits of the child develop under the influence, first of all, of the family. Responsible loving parents already at the age of three or four years see what type of temperament the baby has inherited from nature: choleric, sanguine phlegmatic or melancholic. Depending on innate qualities, it is possible to form a positive, socially acceptable character. If there is no love and attention to children in the family, they are less likely to grow up to be friendly and hardworking. On the other hand, the examples of many prominent politicians, writers, artists who grew up in disadvantaged conditions confirm the importance of innate character traits and self-education.

Was last modified: April 20th, 2019 by Elena Pogodaeva

Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to properly praise themselves. Therefore, the need to make a list of the positive qualities of a person in a resume becomes a problem for many. When writing your positive traits character, remember that they should overlap with the chosen profession.

Classification of qualities

It is not so easy to choose which positive qualities should be indicated in the resume. After all, it is desirable to limit yourself to 5-7 characteristics that will most clearly show your character. Please note that during the interview, the recruiter may ask you to dwell on this point in more detail and give examples.

In your resume, you can indicate your positive qualities that affect relationships:

• sociability, non-conflict, the ability to find a common language in a team;
• collectivism, love of team work;
• readiness to always come to the rescue and lend a shoulder at a difficult moment;
• tolerance, respect for the opinions of other people;
• responsiveness, sensitivity;
• individualism, the ability to work independently and be responsible for the results obtained.

In relation to work, the following positive character traits can be distinguished:

• diligence, responsible approach to all assignments;
• initiative, interest in the development of new projects;
• perseverance, perseverance, focus on achieving results;
• creative approach to work, creativity, resourcefulness;
• conscientiousness, diligence, reliability.

You can characterize your attitude to things and the organization of work as follows:

• accuracy, pedantry, scrupulousness;
• organizational skills;
• careful handling of things.

The attitude towards oneself can be shown using the constructions:

• self-criticism, modesty;
• self-confidence, stress resistance;
• the ability to adapt;
• decency, honesty, conscientiousness;
• punctuality, discipline;
• politeness, flexibility, friendliness.

Universal designs

Each applicant can, when writing a resume, choose the most suitable option for him. In this document, you can identify your positive features as follows:

• activity, tolerance, accuracy, sociability, initiative;
• scrupulousness, accuracy, honesty, ability to pay attention to details, diligence;
• politeness, punctuality, resourcefulness, conscientiousness, discipline;
• ambition, creativity, communication skills, organizational skills, increased efficiency;
• love for creativity, fast learner, attention to detail, creativity.

Any of the options presented can be written in a resume. But do not forget that there is no single correct design, you must focus on your own characteristics.

Characteristics for various professions

Often, employers also write in the ad what kind of person they would like to see in the proposed place. For example, future leaders can specify the following qualities:

• organizational skills, communication skills, multitasking, result orientation;
• entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, resistance to stress, optimism;
• willingness to take responsibility for the results, competent speech, perseverance, organization, self-confidence.

It is preferable for an accountant, analyst or economist to indicate a list of the following positive personal qualities:

• accuracy, scrupulousness, attention to detail, perseverance;
• increased efficiency, pedantry, responsibility, self-criticism;
• diligence, pedantry, attentiveness, purposefulness, honesty.

Sales managers and people whose work involves active communication can fill this column like this:

• activity, initiative, purposefulness, sociability, self-control;
• the ability to establish contact, stress resistance, goodwill, decency, responsiveness;
• discipline, cheerfulness, desire to work for results, multitasking, optimism;
• sociability, tolerance, oratorical skills, loyalty, attentiveness;
• positive attitude, sociability, organization, independence, politeness.

It is better for teachers to emphasize the following qualities of a person:

• sociability, loyalty, conscientiousness, love for children, flexibility;
• high efficiency, communication skills, stress resistance;
• optimism, non-conflict, accuracy, organizational skills, attentiveness;
• discipline, politeness, reliability, resourcefulness, decency;
• responsiveness, creativity, the ability to show a creative approach, oratorical skills, adherence to principles.

Be prepared to tell at the interview how certain traits of your character manifest themselves in work. For example, you can confirm initiative by telling that you have developed and implemented a new workflow scheme or developed a different, more effective sales strategy. Do not forget that excessive sociability for an analyst or pedantry for a seller will turn out to be rather negative qualities.

Features of behavior, communication, attitudes towards people, objects, work, things show the character traits that an individual possesses. According to their totality, an opinion about a person is determined. Such clichés as "the soul of the company", "bore", "pessimist", "cynic" are the result of an assessment of a person's character traits. Understanding how character is structured helps in building relationships. And this applies to both their own qualities and others.

Human character traits: classification.

2. Other people

• Closeness-sociability. It shows the openness of a person, his looseness, how easy it is for him to make acquaintances, how he feels in a new company, team.
• truthfulness-falsity. Pathological liars lie even in trifles, hide the truth, easily betray. There are people who embellish reality, most often they do it because reality seems boring or not bright enough to them.
• Independence-conformity. This quality shows how a person. Whether he relies on his experience, knowledge, opinion, or follows someone's lead and it is easy to suppress him.
• Rudeness-politeness. bitterness inner experiences make a person rude. Such people are rude in queues, public transport, disrespectful to subordinates. Politeness, although it refers to positive character traits, can have a selfish background. It can also be an attempt to avoid confrontation.

3 things

• neatness-slovenliness. Creative mess or meticulous cleanliness in the house can show how neat a person is. It can also be characterized by appearance. Sloppy people often arouse antipathy, and there are not always those who want to see a broad soul behind external absurdity.
• thrift-negligence. You can evaluate a person by his attitude to the accumulated property, borrowed items. Although this trait of a person ended up in the material group, it can also manifest itself in relation to people.
• greed-generosity. To be called generous, it is not necessary to be a philanthropist or give the last. At the same time, excessive generosity is sometimes a sign of irresponsibility or an attempt to "buy" someone else's favor. Greed is expressed not only in relation to other people, but also to oneself, when a person, out of fear of being left without money, saves even on trifles.

4. Self

• exactingness. When this personality trait is clearly expressed, two extremes appear. A person who is demanding of himself is often just as strict with others. He lives by the principle "I could, so others can." He may not be tolerant of other people's weaknesses, not realizing that each is individual. The second extreme is built on uncertainty. A person tortures himself, considering himself insufficiently perfect. A striking example is workaholism.
• Self-criticism. A person who knows how to criticize himself has a healthy. Understanding, accepting and analyzing your achievements and defeats helps in shaping strong personality. When the balance is disturbed, either self-blame is observed.
• Modesty. It must be understood that modesty and are different concepts. The first is based on the value system instilled during education. The second is a call to development. In a normal state, modesty is manifested in moderation, calmness, knowledge of the measure in words, expression of emotions, financial spending, etc.
• Egoism and egocentrism. Similar concepts, but the feature here is egoism, but egocentrism is a way of thinking. think only of themselves, but use others for their own purposes. Egocentrics are often misanthropes and do not need others, believing that no one is worthy of them.
• Self-esteem. Shows how a person feels internally. Outwardly, it is expressed in a high assessment of their rights and social value.

Assessment of personality and types of characters.

In addition to the main character traits that are formed in the system of relations, psychologists also distinguish other areas:

• Intellectual. Resourcefulness, curiosity, frivolity, practicality.
• Emotional. Passion, sentimentality, impressionability, irascibility, cheerfulness.
• Strong-willed. Courage, perseverance, determination.
• Moral. Fairness, responsiveness, .

There are motivational traits-goals that drive a personality, determine its guidelines. As well as instrumental traits-methods, they show exactly what methods the desired will be achieved. So, for example, a girl may appear when she persistently and proactively seeks her lover.

Gordon Allport put forward a theory about what character traits are. The psychologist divided them into the following types:

• dominant. They determine the behavior of the individual as a whole, regardless of the sphere, and at the same time influence other qualities or even overlap them. For example, kindness or greed.
• Ordinary. They are also expressed in all . These include, for example, humanity.
• Minor. They do not particularly affect anything, often stemming from other traits. For example, diligence.

There are typical and individual personality traits. Typical ones are easy to group, noticing one of the dominant qualities or a few minor ones, you can “draw” a personal portrait as a whole, determine the type of character. This helps to predict actions, better understand a person. So, for example, if an individual has responsiveness, then most likely he will come to the rescue in a difficult situation, support, listen.

Positive and negative character traits.

Personality is a balance of positive and negative qualities. In this regard, everything is conditional. For example, it is considered a bad property, but some psychologists argue that it can become an incentive to work on yourself or improve your life. The distortion of positive traits, on the contrary, can lead to their transformation into negative qualities. Persistence develops into obsession, initiative into self-centeredness.

It is necessary to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of character, they often have to be remembered when filling out a resume. They terrify many, because it can be difficult to evaluate oneself. Here's a little cheat sheet:

• Weak. Formality, irritability, shyness, impulsiveness, inability to remain silent or say "no".
• Strong. Perseverance, sociability, patience, punctuality, organization, determination.
• Negative., vindictiveness, cruelty, parasitism.
• Positive. Kindness, sincerity, optimism, openness, peacefulness.

Character traits are formed in childhood, but at the same time they can change, transform depending on life circumstances. It's never too late to change what you don't like about yourself.

Today we will continue to study the positive traits of a person's character, by developing which we can become a harmonious personality.

Let me remind you once again that one cannot neglect some character traits in favor of others, since in the long run this will only bring harm. In other words, it is necessary to polish all facets of character without exception, and then one or another trait will help us in every situation of life.

By developing only our “favorite” traits, we use a one-sided approach, avoiding work on ourselves and not using the entire arsenal of character traits that we have.

• Certainty

Set goals in life, no matter the difficulties. Make sure your goals are correct. Ignore distractions. Don't get frustrated if there are a lot of problems to solve.

• industriousness

Invest your time and energy to complete every task you set. Finish all your projects. Do the job right, not just to. Follow the instructions. Concentrate fully on your work. Don't be lazy.

• Vigilance

Be aware of what is happening around you so that you can have the right idea. Keep your eyes and ears open. Recognize and heed warning signals. Tell others about the danger. Stay away from dangerous places yourself.

• Caution

Think before you act. Follow the safety rules. Ask permission. Communicate at the right time.

• Endurance

Gather inner strength to withstand stress. Do your best. Don't be a "bitch". Do not waste your time, energy and talents on meaningless pursuits. Put your whole soul into what you do.

• Flexibility

Change plans or ideas if you really need to. Don't be discouraged when plans change. Respect the decisions of your superiors. Don't be stubborn. Look for the good in change. Be flexible, but don't compromise on what's right.

• Generosity

Manage your resources wisely so you can freely give to those in need. Share with others. Don't expect anything in return for your generosity. Give away your time and talents sometimes. Praise the good things you see in others.

• Tenderness

Take care of others. Show good manners. Reject violence as a solution to your problems. Look for ways to ease the pain of others. Do not get angry and not others. Be a peacemaker.

• Joy

Maintain a good attitude even when you face unpleasant conditions. Try to look for the good in everything. Smile at adversity. Don't give in to discouragement. Don't let your emotions control your mind. Take time out, laugh and sing every day.

• distinction

Understand more deeply the reasons why things happen. Ask questions. Don't judge hastily. Take lessons from your own experience. Don't repeat mistakes. Look for the cause of the problem.

• Humility

Recognize that achieving your success and results also depends on the investment of others in your life. Praise your parents, teachers, teammates and coaches. Don't think more highly of yourself than you should. Take responsibility for all your actions. Try again after every defeat. Give credit to those who made you.

• Gratitude

Let others know through your words and actions that you appreciate them. Show your parents and teachers that you appreciate them. Say and write "thank you". Take care of other people's things. Be content with what you have.

• Honor

Respect leaders and higher authorities. Don't laugh at them. Be considerate of those who lead you. Show loyalty to your superiors. Speak only the truth. Obey not with compulsion, but cheerfully. Make way for the elders. Honor your country.

• Initiative

Recognize and do what needs to be done before you are asked to do it. Do something before talking about it. Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Contribute to the success of the entire team. Be part of the solution, not the problem. Look for ways to help others.

• Hospitality

Use food, shelter and fellowship for the benefit of others. Greet guests and visitors. Make others feel important. Cook for guests. Feel free to share your stuff. Don't expect anything in return.

• Justice

Stand up for what is pure and honest. Respect the rule of law. Stand up for what is right. Never hurt others. Always stay open. Keep your conscience clear.

In the next article, we will finish looking at the positive character traits of a person. Stay with us.