I.

Introduction

Personality, deeply ingrained and relatively enduring patterns of thought, feeling, and behaviour. Personality usually refers to that which is unique about individuals—the characteristics that distinguish each person from other people. Thought, emotion, and behaviour as such do not constitute a personality; it does, however, underlie these elements. Personality implies predictability about how a person will act or react under different circumstances.

Theorists emphasize different aspects of personality and disagree about its organization, development, and manifestation in behaviour. One of the most influential theoretical systems is the psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud and other practitioners of psychoanalysis. Freud believed that unconscious processes direct a great part of a person's behaviour. Although a person is unaware of these impulses and drives, they strive to assert themselves. Another influential theory of personality is derived from behaviourism. This view, represented by thinkers such as the American psychologist B. F. Skinner, places primary emphasis on learning. Skinner sees human behaviour as determined largely by its consequences. If rewarded, behaviour recurs; if punished, it is less likely to recur.