Fundamentals of Personality

The study of personality is a very important part of psychology, maybe even the most important. In this chapter, we will adopt the essential introductory elements for the study of personality. First, we will define and describe the notion of personality and related concepts. Then, we will explain the methods, which are used for the assessment of personality characteristics and research methods applied in the scientific investigations of personality. Next, we will discuss the determinants of personality, evolutionary, biological and sociocultural, as well as the general sources that influence our behavior, the persons, the situations, and their interactions, focusing on the role of personality as such sources. Finally, we will introduce the units of personality including traits, styles and dimensions, types and prototypes, states, moods, and roles.