!!!! 4D BLOG !!!!
“PERSISTENCE AND CHANGE: SELF DEVELOPMENT”
BY:
Prof. Asho K. Sinha
Prof. Nisha Singh
Traditional beliefs about personality development persistence are based on the assumption that personality is inherited and, therefore, like other inherited traits, such physique and intelligence, is subject to only minor change. Traditional beliefs about change are based on the assumption that physical and personality changes go hand in hand, with physical changes bringing about personality changes. Persistence-which means enduring or constantly recurring does not mean that the personality pattern is fixed, but rather than certain traits land to remain in a relatively unchanged form. Change which means to alter or to vary is not synonymous with improvement because change can be either for the better or for the worse.
Quantitative changes or changes of degree in different traits, area more common than qualitative changes, or the replacements of one trait with another. What appears to be a change in personality may merely be a front in the sense that the person cloaks socially undesirable traits to create a more favourable impression in the minds of other. Because of practical as well as scientific interest in knowing whether the personality pattern is persisting or subject to change, many attempts have been made to determine with scientific accuracy just how persistent the personality pattern is. These attempts have been handicapped by the problem of methodology.
Only when the longitudinal method, which measure changes in the same group of people over a span of years, can be used is their reliable evidence of the degree of persistence that exist. Major instances to the use of this method include the difficulty of following the same subject over a long period, keeping accurate records of any changes that occur and the possible reason for them, and the assessment of the meaning of recorded evidence by different experimenters. Because of these methodology difficulties, most of the studies of persistence and change have covered relatively short periods. Studies of short term persistence are usually concentrated on years that are relatively easy to study, Owing to the availability of the subjects from the pre-school years to junior high school, from junior high school, from junior through senior high school, or from high school through college. Many studies have concentrated or patterns of maladjustive behavior because of the availability of accurate clinical records.
Few studies of long-term persistence that have been made to date, like those of term persistence, show that relatively minor changes occur in either self concepts or the person’s characteristic method of adjusting to life. Persistence develops during early years of the life and is facilitated by the strength of the hereditary foundation, by the consistency of the child training method used, by the stability of attitudes of user of the child training method by the stability of social environment, and by the repetition of experiences, especially in the roles played by the person in the environment. Persistence varies with in the personality pattern, with the self concept more persistence than the traits and with the traits based on hereditary foundations more persistence than those due to primarily to learning. Long before childhood is over, most children want to change their personalities because they recognize what a handicapped to favourable social judgments and to social acceptance unfavourable personality traits can be. This provides the necessary motivation to try to change the personality pattern. Some changes are for the better, and other are for the worse; some are quantitative and some are qualitative; and some occur slowly while other occur rapidly. Very rapid changes are usually regarded as danger signals of personality disorder.
Changes in personality are more frequent and more pronounced in the early years of life, in outer-directed as compared with inner directed people, in members of the male sex, in first born, in different traits as compared with the self concept; and in changing as compared with a stable environment. Many conditions have been reported to be responsible for personality changes. They include physical changes, environmental changes, changes in significant people in the person’s life, changes in social pressures, change sin role, Strong motivation, changes in the self concepts, and the use of psychotherapy. Longitudinal studies suggest that once a changes that have been made in the personality pattern it is likely to be persistence varies, depending on whether the person wanted to make the change or resisted it. Resisted changes tend to be transitory; the person reverts to his former self-concepts and characteristic methods of the adjusting to life.
The most important practical implication of knowing whether personality is persistence or subject to change are;
(a) The need to establish good foundation.
(b) The usefulness is being able to predict later adjustments on the basis of past adjustments. The desirability of correcting maladjustments early before they develop into habitual patterns of reaction.
(c) The need to understand that changes must be inner control and can’t be imposed from without.
(d) The need to recognize that, so long as the social environment and the roles played by the person persist, there will be persistence in the personality pattern .
(e) The necessity of understanding the dangers involved in trying to make radical changes in the personality pattern at any age, but especially after the early years of childhood.Self development by molding: A person who admired the sculpture of Michelangelo approached him in the fashion: “How can you make such exquisite sculpture?” Michelangelo replied, “It is not difficult I just chisel away whatever is excess. The figures are already there.”Likewise, if we get rid of heavy and gross layers which conceal our real nature, we will become more suitable and free. It does not mean that we have to acquire any new qualities. We just have to remove the covering and let our natural self to the fore itself. The mind’s habitual tendency is outwards. So if we do not change its orientation, then its natural inclination will continue to pull us away from ourselves.