“The variety of individual personalities is the greatest fortune in the world,” said Julian Huxley, a leading British biologist. Many researchers must think the same, since personality is a concept widely studied by science for decades.
The delimitation of the concept of personality allows us to understand why each person is and acts in one way or another, why we are different from each other. Within these studies the concept of personality trait emerged.
But is Huxley right when he says that personalities are the greatest fortune? And what about those of the people we consider bad? Keep reading this article to reflect on personality traits and their nature, and thus discover if there are bad personality traits.
Personality traits are considered to be those stable patterns over time of ways of thinking, feeling and acting, both in relation to other people and with ourselves. Traits are distributed within a dimension, in which the trait can be had at different levels or degrees.
Personality is composed of a set of multiple traits in different degrees. Being such an extensive set of characteristics, it allows people to differentiate themselves from each other, making each one unique and unrepeatable. Personality is usually completed during adolescence, as this is when traits become more stable.
Within personality, there is a part that is innate, because our genes predispose us to be, think, feel or act in a certain way. This biological part of personality is called temperament and is considered the most basic part. To this are added other layers of traits that make up what we call character. It is the non-innate part, which arises as a result of our own experiences and learning.
Generally, we have assumed that personality is something immovable, in which many people hide when making a mistake with the phrase “I am like that, I can’t help it.” However, thanks to the character, Personality can be modified based on new learning, at the cognitive and emotional level.and the change of our habits.
In this way, although personality are stable characteristics and patterns, they are also flexible. Psychological therapy is based on this: we can all change if we set our minds to it and are willing to change our way of being.
Are there good and bad personality traits?
Regarding whether there are good and bad personality traits… Like everything in psychology, the only answer I can give you is: it depends. Personality traits are not bad as such. Now, I know that you are thinking that there are traits that have negative connotations, such as being selfish, aggressive, envious…
However, these traits could only really be considered bad when they occur at a high level within the dimension. With the same examples above, being envious at a medium level can help us realize what we want and get it, in the same way that being aggressive or selfish allows us to defend what we want. It is important to set limits for others and look out for yourself.
The problem then comes when these traits are extreme, which is when they are most noticeable (we do not usually describe someone as aggressive if they are not aggressive to a large extent or very frequently). In fact, Traits that we commonly consider good also pose a problem if they occur at very high levels..
For example, an overly generous person may have the complication of being too focused on others and neglecting their own needs and desires. A person who is especially optimistic can also be a drawback, since they can downplay everything bad that happens and not face it because they do not see it as a problem.
Therefore, only those traits that are at one extreme of a dimension are bad, or are so close to it that they are maladaptive, that is, they do not allow one to adjust to situations because they are inflexible. When a series of extremist traits coincide in the same person, what is known as a personality disorder can occur.
What are personality disorders?
Personality disorders (PD) are stable, inflexible, extreme and maladaptive patterns of ways of thinking, feeling and acting, which can be a problem both in relation to others and for the person who has it themselves. They generally cause significant discomfort or impair a person’s life.
They often cause serious problems in relationships, or even lead the person to endanger their physical integrity or get into legal problems. However, personality disorders are egosyntonic, that is, These people may suffer discomfort caused by their own personality, but not perceive that their personality is a problem. and that is the cause of your discomfort.
According to the diagnostic manual in psychology par excellence, the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), there are ten personality disorders, grouped into three groups.
1. Weird and eccentric (Group A)
They have in common a pattern of thoughts and actions that do not adapt to the environment, which are characterized by difficulties in having social relationships. These problems include having unfounded suspicions about the intentions of others, expressing themselves in strange ways, and preferring to isolate themselves rather than interact with people. Disorders within this group are:
2. Dramatic and emotional (Group B)
These people are characterized by being impulsive, highly emotional and unpredictable. Due to their intense behavior and emotionality, they may also have social problems, and their relationships are often unbalanced, either towards themselves or towards other people. These are:
3. Fearful and distressed (Group C)
They are people who are highly anxious and constantly perceive dangers and problems. Their constant fears lead them to have social problems and a need for constant control. This group is made up of:
