Personality Reflection Paper

Personality Reflection Paper
Lisa Rutherford
PSY 250
March 26, 2013
Harry Lowe

Personality Reflection Paper
I would define personalities as the different characteristics that make up and define every one as individuals. It is a composition of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors unique to every person. Some people have very interesting personalities, outgoing, happy go lucky, ready to get up and start their day. Then there are others which are just plain nonsocial, and do not want anything to do with others, just want to be quiet and to themselves.
I am a very outgoing, bubbly, ready to enjoy life. I enjoy talking to people and will strike up a conversation just about anywhere, the Laundromat, the grocery or the gas station. Many people have told me I would be a great waitress because I have a bubbly personality. A friend of mine is very spiritual and has told me he has seen my spirit. It is very free and I am a good person inside. Good thing because I feel that way all the time. The unconscious part of my personality, yes, I see myself doing things as my parents have done or said with my own children. Expecting high goals from them, such as grades, and how they treat others. My personality does change with the environment around me. I notice that if everyone is quiet or laid back then I tend to do the same. This drives me crazy sometimes as I am a go getter and want to always go, go, and go.
Before moving to Texas three weeks ago, I had a problem with neuroticism. I am normally an extrovert but was in a very bad relationship in Tennessee, where I let the man emotionally control me for several months. I was in constant panic mode, on medications to control the panic attacks and the mood swings. I moved back to New York for eight months, got off all medicines and found myself again. I see where I let this person take control over how I was feeling about myself. Now I am totally in control of me again, not on any medications and have not been happier in years. I am getting married in May to my best friend of two years and have total control over myself and my feelings with no panic attacks.
I see my personalities changing due to different situations. If I am not happy with something, I will quickly get myself out of that situation. Due to my unhappiness for the last several months I was in Tennessee, I will not stay in any situation that I do not feel comfortable in. I have learned from my mistakes and rectify the situation quickly rather than hope that it will change. I am not so passive anymore, I tend not to allow people to walk on me as easily as I once did. Sometimes, I am a little more aggressive than I once was. I feel that I am now a mix between both my parents. Example, my mother being passive and my daddy being a little aggressive at times. I feel this personality change has helped me greatly to become more outgoing and see the personalities that do not combine with mine much quickly than I once did.
I have taken a personality test in my PSY-211 class I believe. I think it was the Meier’s Briggs test. The results were pretty much on as far as my personality. Of course since that class a year ago, I have changed quite a bit. I would love to take another test to see if I have changed as much as I feel I have. I thought the answers although not very thorough were interesting. I can remember being a little disappointed in some of my answers. Like I said, I would love to see the difference from then till now.
To make a personality test reliable, it needs to start out with the participant being totally honest about themselves. Seeing themselves as others see them. Maybe having another person complete the test about you and then you completing the test about yourself. Discussing the answers together in the end would help to better understand one’s self. There is not really a way to conduct a personality test and have it reliable without doing something like that. You see yourself in your way, while others see you completely different. Then again, several people can see you in several different ways. So to be accurate you might have several people evaluate using the same test.
All in all each of us have our own personalities. Some of them combine and get along very well while others not so well. You learn as you grow older in life as well, the same things that used to get to you at younger ages, you just let roll off your back as you mature. So therefore your personality changes with age too. You learn more and become smarter in many ways in life.

References
Friedman, H. S., & Schustack, M. W. (2011). Personality. Classic Theories and Modern Research (5th ed.). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC.aspx?assetdataid=13d10a75-307c-4f18-8dba-2e24fcd8fe70&assetmetaid=4cbdf6a5-d203-4cc5-947e-264bed76bfb8.

References: Friedman, H. S., & Schustack, M. W. (2011). Personality. Classic Theories and Modern Research (5th ed.). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC.aspx?assetdataid=13d10a75-307c-4f18-8dba-2e24fcd8fe70&assetmetaid=4cbdf6a5-d203-4cc5-947e-264bed76bfb8.