Personality

Nature Vs. Nurture

The nature approach to shows that peoples personalities are inherited and passed down from their parents; it also says that the environment in which that person is surrounded by does not effect their personality. On the other hand, the nurture approach shows that someones personality depends on their surrounding environment. It says that the environment has a big impact on the persons personality; much more than is inherited from their parents. (Mullins, 2010)

The nature approach believes that peoples personalities are given to them by their parents. This ties in with the nomothetic approach which believes that personalities are fixed and can't be changed. The nomothetic approach is based on a persons characteristics that can be measured. The nomothetic approach believes that an individuals personality can be measured by measuring 'common characteristics' that relate to a persons personality. This approach believes that once peoples characteristics have been measured, the individual can then be put into a group of people with similar characteristics. (Martin, 2005)

In contrast to the nature and nomothetic approaches to personality, the nurture approach believes that a persons personality is identified mainly by the surrounding environment which has a massive effect on the persons personality. The nurture approach ties in with the idiographic approach to personalities. The idiographic approach opposes the nomothetic approach and believes that tests can't effectively measure someones personality and believes that each individuals personality is unique and can be adapted to the persons surroundings. This approach shows that peoples personalities are also open to change depending on social and cultural influences. This makes peoples personalities very difficult to measure as there are too many factors that could influence a persons personality. (Martin, 2005)

I believe that nature is a strong influence on someones personality, but nurture is the most dominant influence. I believe that the base of someones personality is handed down to them by their parents which forms the base of their personality. The rest of an individuals personality is then formed by the nurture aspects. The environment from which they live in then continually affects and alters their personality. Ive illustrated my view of nature and nurture in the form of a plant.

Personality Test

I completed an online personality test at www.shldirect.com. This online personality test asks you around 172 questions about yourself. These questions are specifically designed to work out your personality; the results from the questionnaire then go on to tell you a list of jobs that are suited to you and a list of jobs that are not suited for you.

After completing the questionnaire, the results were as follows;

SHL Great 8 Competency areas
	1	2	3	4	5
Leading and Deciding
Supporting and Cooperating
Interacting and Presenting
Analysing and Interpreting
Creating and Conceptualising
Organising and Executing
Adapting and Coping
Enterprising and Performing

The questionnaire results show that I'm competent in most of the 8 areas, but am lacking in 'Supporting and Cooperating' and 'Organising and Executing'. The Jobs that the questionnaire results suggest would be good for me are the following:

Example Roles where these behaviours are important:
- Managers/Supervisors - Judges - Company Directors	- Surgeons - Politicians - Military Officers

Personality Test Findings

The personality test has shown that I have quite a rounded set of strengths including enterprising and performing with only a couple of areas that aren't as strong; interacting, presenting, organising and executing. I believe that the personality test is accurate as the strengths and weaknesses that it has outlined match the strengths and weaknesses that I believe I have.


Conclusion

I believe that the arguement with nature vs. nurture will never be resolved. Everyones personality gets effected by different things and I believe that everyones personality is different. Personality is a balance between aspects from the nature; passed down from their parents, and nurture; the way they were brought up and the environment they were brought up in. The argument nature vs. nurture will never be resolved becuase peoples perceptions are always different based on their own personality.


Bibliography

Martin, J. (2005) Organisational behaviour and management. 3rd ed.

Mullins, L.J. (2010) Management & Organisational Behaviour. 9th ed.