It is common to hear about people with character. But what is character? What defines this characteristic so valued in people? Throughout this text, we will explore what character is, the differences between good and bad character, what character is for psychology and how we use it in everyday life.
What is character?
Character is a distinctive quality of an individual, which defines his character. That is, it is from the character of a person that he will make respectful decisions and relate to the members of a community with honesty and understanding.
Therefore, it is not correct to say that a person has a bad character. In fact, either she has character or she doesn't. This means that, by definition, character is necessarily something positive, which helps us to live in society following the rules that are already established.
Furthermore, character is constructed from the social environment in which an individual lives. If he follows the rules of the place where he was born, for example, even if those rules don't fit in other places, you can still say he has character.
So you must be imagining that all people have character, as it all depends on the environment where someone grew up. But not quite. In the next topic, understand more about this subject.
Differences between good and bad character
You have already understood that character is the ability of a person to follow the rules imposed by society. But do you know what the signs are that someone has a good character? And what shows that someone is bad character or without character?
Good character
A person who has a good character is one who acts consistently most of the time. She is faithful to the values ​​she has learned, transmits confidence to others, is responsible for her own attitudes and is seen as honored by society.
Another outstanding characteristic of the person of good character is that he does not allow himself to be carried away by negative influences, nor does he give up his own values, even when he could benefit from it.
Bad character
On the other hand, a person who is bad character, or who has no character, is the opposite of a person with good character. She is dishonest, disrespects the limits of other individuals, violates society's rules and is inconsequential.
As a result, a bad-tempered individual is fickle and unreliable. At any time he can pull someone's rug for his own benefit, as he does not commit to well-defined values.
In this way, the most appropriate thing is that society is formed by people of good character, who recognize and respect the laws that have been defined by the collectivity. However, there is a but in this matter that can be evaluated by psychology. Know more!
Character for Psychology
According to psychology, character is a system that houses our virtues, telling us what is right and what is wrong. However, what defines these virtues is society, which dictates the rules that everyone must follow.
Therefore, the more an individual follows the limits that a community imposes, the better his character will be. However, a person who goes against this system or who intends to interrupt certain cycles can be seen as bad character, or without character.
From this definition, psychology says that someone's character is associated with how well that individual can adapt to the context in which he lives. Based on this adequacy, society sets some stereotypes about the character types of each one:
1) Dramatic character
The dramatic character is typical of people who tend to show emotions with intensity, mainly to reinforce their perspective on something. While this can be a manipulation strategy, it can be an indication of heightened sensitivity.
2) Cowardly character
As the name suggests, the cowardly character is associated with people who do not take action when necessary, who give up on challenges and who easily submit to the wishes of others. This may be the result of an overprotective upbringing, which prevented the person from developing autonomy.
3) Religious character
The religious character is related to the spirituality of a person or even an object. So it is something or someone that represents a symbol, that has a sacred aura and that must be protected from any harm or negative force.
4) Speculative character
In this situation, the character is classified as speculative because there is no clear idea about a person or an issue. There are still doubts about the true intentions or uses of who or what is being analyzed.
It is also important to mention that, in addition to society's perceptions of an individual, character is an important part of his personality, which indicates how that person will deal with different situations.
Through the content presented, we understand that character is the set of virtues of an individual, which helps him to act when it is necessary to decide between right and wrong. In this process, the vision of society matters a lot, being one of the bases that defines someone's character. After learning all this, reflect on your character!
Difference between character and personality
In everyday language, the terms “personality”, “temperament” and “character” are often used synonymously; however, based on psychology, clear limits were established between these three concepts, which account for different aspects of human experience.
While we are born with temperament and it is the basis of what we will be in life, character results from the work of molding that first initial trait. Thus, character is modifiable, educable, acquired and can be modeled and controlled in its various external manifestations. The foundation of character is often formed in childhood and adolescence, through relationships, education, social interaction, and experiences.
Therefore, the integration of temperament and character determines the way of acting, defined as personality, which is the way of putting into practice the way of being (for example, someone can be fearful [character] and behave bravely [personality]). It is the result of the relationship between your psychic systems and how it manifests them in the concrete: perceptions, the cognitive, emotions, motivation and action.
Personality, on the other hand, is the result of the construction of the individual given by his experience, his experiences, the family, cultural and social environment in which he grows up, the education he had and the life choices he made.
Character in everyday life
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your character was tested, willingly or unintentionally? For example, someone who gave you extra change; or a previous passenger who, in a hurry, forgot his wallet in the taxi you just took? Or those honesty tests we commonly see on TV or the web?
If yes, what was your reaction? Try to analyze if you, at some point, hesitated, weighed the pros and cons of a dubious attitude, or if you didn't think twice and did what had to be done, without thinking about retribution or being well seen, or even without advertise or flaunt it.
He just did what he thought was right, based on the principles of honesty and integrity. This is character righteousness. Doing the right thing without thinking you deserve to be praised for it.
You may also like:
- What are the differences between character and personality?
- Immerse yourself in the study of psychology
- Affective bonding and child development
- Discover what it's like to have a good character
- How is character formed?
We must always think about the consequences of our attitudes, whether for ourselves or for the people to whom we direct our actions. That money forgotten on the street may be the only thing that person has, or it is the value of the rent, the purchase of a medicine that can be essential to the maintenance of their life.
And most importantly: we must not appropriate what is not ours. We must not deceive people or take advantage of others. Character, despite any metalinguistic definition, is a matter of respect and empathy for others, and a commitment to what is right.
