What is individuality? We understand in sociological terms

Many people can not distinguish some basic sociological concepts, close in meaning, but still different in meaning. Certainly, in order to understand and be able to explain the processes taking place in society, it is necessary to know what is individuality and what is a person, how its formation takes place, and what impact the surrounding world has on it. In the basic concepts from the section of sociology, let us examine this article.

When a person is born, he is considered an individual, that is, a representative of the species. He does not yet have those qualities that would allow him to be called his personality. Very often schoolchildren, and adult people, confuse the concepts of "personality", "individual", "individuality", although there is a significant difference between them. The difference between these terms should be known to each person in order to have an idea of what is given to him by nature, what he can become, and what he needs to prove throughout his life.

The transition from an individual to a person with a bright individuality is carried out only in the process of socialization, under the influence of which is any member of society. Each born person is an individual who is not yet a person and does not have a distinct personality. Only in the process of development can he become a person. But this right must be constantly defended, otherwise individuality can turn into mediocrity.

But why at birth a person can not be a person? Because the individual is only a biological specimen of the Homo Sapiens species. Personality is a combination of socially significant features that characterize a person as a member of society. But at birth, the individual does not yet have such characteristics, hence it can not be considered a person for the time being. Let's see now what an individuality is. It is for every person, because it is a set of unique qualities of an individual. At him it is expressed not so brightly, as at the person, therefore individuality, certainly, it is necessary to defend.

One of the brightest examples of how an individual born in a poor family can become an incredibly developed person who not only knew perfectly well what individuality is, but fully defended it, is Mikhail Lomonosov, a brilliant Russian scientist. For this man there were no barriers in the study of the sciences, because he was striving for self-improvement and reached incredible heights.

Similar examples are known in the literature. From the first pages of Tolstoy's genius novel-epic "War and Peace" readers get to know Natasha Rostova. At the beginning of the work, we have an ordinary child, an individual to whom the concept of "individuality" is not applicable. But by the end of the work it is already an adult formed personality, as Natasha has changed throughout the whole novel.

So, a person in the process of development passes exactly three stages: the birth of an individual, the formation of the personality and the proof of one's own uniqueness. In order to control these stages, everyone must distinguish between these concepts, know what is individuality, what is a person, and what is an individual.