What is Personality ?

Persona literally means "mask ", although it does not usually refer to a literal mask but to the "social masks" all humans supposedly wear.

Definition

The English term personality is derived from the Greek word persona, which refers to the masks worn by the actors in ancient Greek dramas.

In psychology, the persona is the personality that we project to the world (i.e., the self we want other people to see). As a public self, the persona is a means of facilitating social interaction and should not be viewed negatively as a "false" self.

One of the most influential formulations of the notion of persona was put forward by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. In Jung's personality theory, the persona is one among several selves: the ego represents what we might call the self-image (the self we imagine ourselves to be); the shadow (which is a kind of alter-ego) embodies the traits that have been rejected as "not-self"; the anima or animus is the subconscious counter-self composed of the characteristics our particular culture identifies as belonging to the opposite sex; and the self is an archetype from the collective unconscious that provides the subconscious pattern for the ego (for the sense of selfhood).

Each of these aspects of the self can appear in dreams in various forms. In the case of the persona, dream images include everything from clothing that we put on or take off in dreams to the roles we assume. In Jungian therapy, the persona is viewed as a means whereby new characteristics can be integrated into the patient's ego structure. In other words, the subject can draw on previously rejected personality traits from the shadow and the anima or animus by acting them out in certain social situations and later identifying with them as part of a new ego concept.


Components of Personality

While there are many different theories of personality, the first step is to understand exactly what is meant by the term personality. A brief definition would be that personality is made up of the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make a person unique. In addition to this, personality arises from within the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life.

Some of the fundamental characteristics of personality include:

1. Consistency - There is generally a recognizable order and regularity to behaviors. Essentially, people act in the same ways or similar ways in a variety of situations.
2. Psychological and physiological - Personality is a psychological construct, but research suggests that it is also influenced by biological processes and needs.
3. Impact behaviors and actions - Personality does not just influence how we move and respond in our environment; it also causes us to act in certain ways.
4. Multiple expressions - Personality is displayed in more than just behavior. It can also be seen in out thoughts, feelings, close relationships, and other social interactions.

Theories of Personality

There are a number of different theories about how personality develops. Different schools of thought in psychology influence many of these theories. Some of these major perspectives on personality include:

1. Type theories are the early perspectives on personality. These theories suggested that there are a limited number of "personality types" which are related to biological influences.
2. Trait theories viewed personality as the result of internal characteristics that are genetically based.
3. Psychodynamic theories of personality are heavily influenced by the work of Sigmund Freud, and emphasize the influence of the unconscious on personality. Psychodynamic theories include Sigmund Freud’s psychosexual stage theory and Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development.
4. Behavioral theories suggest that personality is a result of interaction between the individual and the environment. Behavioral theorists study observable and measurable behaviors, rejecting theories that take internal thoughts and feelings into account. Behavioral theorists include B. F. Skinner and John Watson.
5. Humanist theories emphasize the importance of free will and individual experience in the development of personality. Humanist theorists include Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.
   

 
source:
http://psychology.about.com/od/overviewofpersonality/a/persondef.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/persona#In_psychology