In psychology, what is an individual? The concept of an individual in psychology

The term "individual" is translated from Latin as "indivisible." He is given the following definition. The individual is a concrete individual, combining a complex of qualities, data from birth, and properties acquired during life. In sociology he is a separate representative of the human species.

The individual is a human being that carries a set of genetically inherent qualities, as well as individual characteristics acquired in society. It shows the person's belonging to a particular species.

Everyone is born an individual. Over time, people acquire experience and move to a new level, become a person.

The concept of "individual" in psychology

When studying personality, various methods are used. To begin with, consider the individual. In this case, a person is studied not simply as a representative of the human race, but as a member of a particular group of society.

The concept of "individual" in psychology is used in a broad sense. It is based on the existence of the integrity and unity of the subject and the features peculiar to him. In psychology, the individual is the result of the development of life, the product of interaction with the environment. As a carrier of the biological in every person, it is a complex of conditioned properties, given to it by nature, in the course of development of which people become mature. This means that each of us is the bearer of certain qualities inherent in birth, changing, becoming more complicated during life.

Characteristics of the individual

Each concept has certain features. The individual in psychology is characterized by certain properties. It, first, sex, age, features of a constitution, nervous system and functioning of brain activity. Secondly, the temperament and inclinations of a person are related to the properties of an individual.

Age qualities determine all the characteristics of a person , identifying its formation in the process of ontogenesis. Sexual - those properties in which the distinctive features of sex are reflected.

Individual-typical parameters are represented by general-somatic or constitutional qualities, neurodynamic and bilateral traits. The first include endocrine and biochemical properties, a single type of metabolism, morphological textures of the organism in general. Neurodynamic characteristics determine the distinctive moments of the psyche, and bilateral - the highly functional body geometry, the repeated form of symmetry or the asymmetry of structural and dynamic features of the organism and individual motor and sensory systems.

Psychological characteristics of the individual

The individual is considered the exact carrier of all these common features of people. The properties of the individual in psychology are characterized by the integrity of the body's psychophysical organization, resistance to reality and activity.

In another way, this concept can be explained as a concrete person, living as an individual from birth to the end of life. This is the initial state of the inhabitant of our planet in its ontogenetic development and phylogenetic formation. It is a concrete product of creating life, interacting with surrounding criteria, rather than conditions taken from nowhere.

It is impossible to depict a person without considering his individual characteristics. They are the foundation of human content. The conditions for the development of a particular representative of Homo sapiens depend on them, for example, on the makings that were genetically invested in it.

It is worth noting that the individual has two main functions. One of them can be qualified as conservation, because it directly characterizes the spectrum of dynamic and energy attributes, resource capabilities. The other, the function of change, is the plasticity of behavior.

Man as an individual

Every generation of people asks about the genetically embedded information in it. After all, man is a phenomenon, which has various properties, given to him since his birth. He is a child of nature, a creature that has an organism and interacts with the surrounding world, although it is different from other living beings. Man obeys from birth not only the laws of the universe, but also the rules of society.

The functioning of the individual is the continuation of evolution. With each new generation, human qualities and properties become more complex. The characteristic of the individual includes all these changes. A person is treated with all of his natural foundations and his characteristic psychology, temperament and makings.

Man as a person

Calling ourselves people, we just separate ourselves from other living beings. Not everyone can call himself a person. Since, to become it, you need to reach a certain stage of development.

First of all, a person as a person must be meaningful and active in society, that is, he must successfully interact with him. After all, it is part of the social environment and can not exist without it.

Each person goes through certain stages of development. He is taught everything that people around him can convey. Through this interaction, the personality is formed. All his thoughts and actions are generated by the influences of society, although they are of an individual character. This means that a person does not separate from society, his behavior depends on the conditions of the social environment in which he develops.

Identification of personality

A person is a member of society. Personality is the result of interaction with the social environment. But it consists not only of the qualities of society, but also of certain biological properties given to it from birth. In psychology, social and genetic are always interrelated. But, nevertheless, the concepts of "man" and "personality" are not synonymous. The latter is always associated with development in the social environment. The concept of "man" is more simplified in psychology. The individual is a more synonymous definition for him.

Personality interacts with other people, develops psychologically, has its own individual manifestations, which depend on who they are oriented to. For example, a family, friends or colleagues.

Personality is always organized, highly developed and responsible. It is these features that separate it from the concept of "individual" and raise it to a higher level.

What is the difference between an individual and personality?

As mentioned above, the concept of "man" only distinguishes people from the rest of the animal kingdom. To better understand it, you need to know its characteristics. Who he is. Calling a person simply an individual, we mean that he carries in him certain traits of people who have been transferred to him since birth, that is, he is the bearer of genetic information. Personality is a more complex structure. It differs from the individual by its highly developed and capable of successfully interacting with other people.

Not every individual can become a person. To become a member of society you need to improve your psychological traits, independently acquire new skills and use them. This means that in psychology the individual is just a living being belonging to the human race. A person - a concept associated with interaction in society and the fulfillment of its role in it.

Learning personality

In psychology, there are various methods for studying a person. The personality is examined using the following approaches.

The first of these is called biogenetic. The basis of this direction is the study of the biological maturation of an individual.

The next approach is sociogenetic. He considers the appearance of a person to the light with certain properties embedded in it and the acquisition of other qualities by interaction with the social environment in which it is located.

The third approach to the study of personality is psychogenetic. He also considers biological data, invested since birth, and social conditions. However, in the first place in the study is the development of mental processes, intelligence.

When researching a person, one can see the processes of becoming an individual by personality and even vice versa.

The concept of "individuality"

Each person is unique and different from others. To define the uniqueness of a person, the term "individuality" is used.
It means uniqueness, difference. In this case, individuality can be expressed from the biological point of view, psychological development, and also in interaction with society.

It is worth noting that not every individual can be unique. This is again associated with development. In psychology, an individual is, above all, just a person endowed with the qualities and characteristics that are given to him genetically. Individuality implies not only biological data, but also acquired properties, which differ from all other representatives of mankind.

The properties of the individual in psychology are not considered as a wide range of qualities. Individuality also implies a variety of unique characteristics of a person.

Individuality and personality

Man, as a rule, develops during life, acquires various qualities that distinguish him from others, that is, he departs from the definition of "individual". Individuality, personality in psychology - these concepts and reflect this transition. They mean that a person is endowed with those properties that distinguish him from other people.

The individual does not have an individuality, but the personality is characterized by it. As stated earlier, all this is related to human development. Anyone who does not develop possesses only the genetic information transferred to him, is designated by the term "individual". This is the definition of human growth in psychology. Thus, we see how the individual comes out of the personality. But it is worth remembering that not everyone is a person. Individual, individuality are not identical concepts. For a person to become an individual, he must become a person. This concept is synonymous with the definition of "individuality". That is, these two terms mean a highly developed person who is able to successfully interact with the social environment.

The correlation of the concepts "individual", "individuality", "personality"

From all living beings, a person is noticeably different. Personality, individuality, individuality - these concepts can divide people into several categories, which makes them more complex in relation to other representatives of the animal world.

Any being that belongs to the human race can be called one term - an individual. But not every being can be called a person. As it was said earlier, in order to become a person, it is necessary to possess a highly developed one. Also, to lead an active and successful life in society. That is, the concepts of "individual" and "personality" are not related. They are in some ways opposite. The same can be said about the relation between the terms "individual" and "individuality". The latter concept characterizes the personality. Individuality is an indicator of a person's high level of development.

The correlation of the concepts "individual", "individuality", "personality" should be regarded as some kind of human evolution. At birth, he is at the first stage of development. After a while, he gets new properties that are mixed with his genetic information. It becomes unique, that is, it acquires an individuality. Later, it develops psychologically, becomes conscious, active, responsible, capable of successful interaction with the social environment. He can already be called a person.

Thus, it is possible to divide people into two large categories. Not developing, using only basic properties, data from nature, an uneducated person who does not play a special role in society refers to the first group. This is an individual. Individuality, personality - in psychology these concepts characterize socially active people, form a second category.

Instead of concluding

Everyone is trying to find a place in society. He tries to become a person. To do this, it needs to play a role, perform meaningful functions. The one who is constantly developing, comes to a new level. Such a person is a person. "Individual", "individuality" - these concepts are already behind. After all, the highest degree of development of each person is becoming a person.