personality

1. University of Babylon, faculty of Nursing
Psychology for Nurses
Lecture: Personality
Personality defined as the unique set of traits and characteristics relatively stable over a period of
time.
The types of personality
1. Type A
The theory describes Type A individuals as outgoing, ambitious, rigidly organized, highly
status-conscious, sensitive, impatient, anxious, proactive, and concerned with time
management. People with Type A personalities are often high-achieving "workaholics." They
push themselves with deadlines, and hate both delays and ambivalence.
2. Type B
The theory describes Type B individuals as a contrast to those of Type A. Type B individuals are
sometimes attracted to careers of creativity: writer, counsellor, therapist, actor or actress.
However, network and computer systems managers, professors, and judges are more likely to be
Type B individuals as well. Their personal character may enjoy exploring ideas and concepts.
They are often reflective, and think of the "outer and inner world".
Background of personality:
1. Hippocrates through the middle Ages:
Hippocrates recorded the first known personality model, postulating that one’s persona is based
upon four separate temperaments. Another Greek physician, Galen, extended Hippocrates’ theory
by applying a body fluid to each temperament: blood, mucus, black and yellow, respectively.
Different diseases and behaviours had roots in the four humors and the fluid that was dominant
was said to be the person’s “humor.”
2. Eighteenth Century Medicine:
By the 18th century, medicine was advancing rapidly. The discoveries of the functions of the
circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems served to discount the four humors theory as a
realistic practice of medicine. However, it remained important in terms of designating personality.
3. Nineteenth Century:
Late 19th/early 20th century physiologist Wilhelm Wundt expounded on the four humors theory
in 1879 and he is noted to be the first person to make clear distinction between human body and
personality. Wundt realized that temperaments could not be limited to the body fluids. He
believed that all four temperaments were basic dimensions of the human personality and that the
temperaments fell along axes of “changeability” and “emotionality”.

2. 4. Twentieth Century:
The rapid growth of the field of psychology beginning in the early 20th century led to increased
interest regarding individual personality. The following represent philosophers originating theories
at the turn of the century:
a. Sigmund Freud posited a structural model of the mind in which id, ego, and superego
(the three components of the human mind) interacted and wrestled with each other for dominance.
The result of this constant struggle is the whole of each human’s behaviour.
b. Carl Jung, a younger colleague of Freud’s, categorized mental functioning again into four
principle categories: sensing, intuition, thinking, and feeling. Jung believed that although we
could develop all functions, his experience working with clients was that sustainable mental health
was the result of using and leading with our natural “lead function.” According to Jung’s
suggestion that there are four fundamental ways we deal with the world: sensing, intuition,
thinking, and feeling, we each have a preferred way—usually the way we are most comfortable
with and best at doing.
c. Abraham Maslow believed humans are driven to achieve their maximum potential and
will always do so unless obstacles are placed in our way. Maslow developed a pyramid called the
Hierarchy of Needs that explains his theory best. Humans have specific needs that must be met. If
lower level needs go unmet, we cannot move up to meet the next level needs. At the lower level
we must focus on basic needs such as food, sleep, and safety. If we don’t get food or if we go
without sleep, it is impossible to focus on the higher level needs such as self-esteem or to reach the
level of self-actualization.
Structures of personality (Freud’s Model of Personality):
Freud divided personality into three separate but interacting structures:
1. Id: is the inner most core of the personality the only structure present at birth, and the
source of all psychic energy. It seeks immediate instinctual gratification on the basis of the
pleasure principle.
2. Ego: has direct contact with reality and functions primarily at a conscious level. It operates
on the reality principle, which requires it to test reality and to mediate between the
demands of the id, the superego, and the reality. It is the part of personality that provides a
buffer between the id and the outside world.
3. Superego: the moral arm of the personality. It contains the traditional values and ideals of
family and society.

3. Factors influencing personality development:
1. Social or environmental factors:
a. Heredity.
b. Influence of home.
c. Order of birth- the first born child may be dominating.
d. Only child- may become a problem child.
e. School and peer group.
f. Community and social roles.
g. TV, cinema, radio and newspaper.
2. Biological factors:
a. Endocrine glands (thyroid, adrenal and sex gland)
b. Blood glucose level.
c. Externally imposed biological conditions (drugs and alcoholism, diseases, diet).
3.Mental and psychological factors (attitudes, motives, interest, intelligence, attention...etc.).
Methods of personality assessment:
1. Interview: are one of the oldest methods of assessment and most popular observation by asking
questions about attitudes and interests. Appearance, bearing and speech can be noticed.
2. Behavioural assessment: observe the behaviours rather than asking people about them.
3. Objective personality scales: they include standard sets of questions, usually in a true-false or
rating scale format.
4. Projective tests: present subjects with ambiguous stimuli and ask for some interpretation.
Personality traits:
Personality trait is a broad behavioural element that defines person’s personality. Traits are
relatively stable cognitive, emotional, and behavioural characteristics of people that help establish
their individual identities and distinguish them from others.
Types of traits:
1. Common traits, widely distributed in general population.
2. Unique traits, unique for a person e.g. emotional traits.
3. Surface traits able to be recognized as a manifestation of behaviour like curiosity, dependability,
and tactfulness.
4. Source traits underline sources or structure that determine ones behaviour such as domains,
submission and emotionally.

4. Personality traits of a nurse:
1. Responsibility
2. Patience
3. Commitment
4. Hard work
5. Good physical stamina
6. Alertness of mind
7. Ability to think in crisis to take a quick decision
8. Calm, pleasant, understanding
9. Ability to help and serve needy people without getting sentimentally attached.
Lecturer
Burhan Hadi Alsultany