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the sense that there have been shifts in the traits, though there is no evidence that the shifts reflect a change in the core of the personality pattern the self-concept.
In quantitative changes, an already-present trait, usually an undesirable one is replaced by another trait, usually a desirable one. People who are always
careful of his money become more or less careful when he discovers the social reaction to stinginess and generosity. Hurlock 1974 adds if he is normal, he will
probably be somewhat more generous, hoping to win greater social favour. If he is not normal, he may change into spendthrift or extreme generosity or miserliness
p. 121.
3 Slow versus Rapid Change
Hurlock 1974 says that changes are regarded as slow if they are barely perceptible, while rapid changes are readily apparent to all p.122. Normally,
personality changes are slow and gradual. Rapid changes at any age are danger signals. Changes of short duration are usually due to some artificial stimulation,
which temporarily causes the person to forget this real self-concept and see himself as he would like to be. Hurlock adds that rapid personality changes which
are persistent, are due not to artificial stimulants but to an endocrine or neurological upset. Brain injuries, tumours, and disturbances due to
arteriosclerosis, cancer or some other diseases are normally accompanied by such readily apparent personality changes that other people wonder what is the matter
with the person is p.122.
b. Conditions Responsible for Personality Change
1 Physical Changes
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Hurlock 1974 says that physical changes may come from maturation, decline, illness, injuries or some other condition resulting from person‟s life
pattern but unrelated to the normal changes in the body structure p.124. Physical change can be an aspect which can trigger a good self-
concept in a person‟s mind. When the physical change enables him to approximate his concept of his ideal
self, the effect on his real self-concept will be favourable.
2 Changes in Environment
Hurlock explains that changes in either the physical or social environment may produce changes in the person‟s self concept and in his characteristic
behaviour p. 124. A change in environment will not guarantee an improvement in personality. In fact, the change may cause the opposite effect. Moving to a new
environment will not automatically improve personality. It depends on how well one is accepted in the new environment and how well the new environment meets
one‟s needs.
3 Changes in Significant People
Hurlock 1974 states that w hen the significant people in an individual‟s
life change and when he tries to adapt his pattern of behaviour and his attitudes, beliefs, values, and aspiration to theirs, changes in his personality pattern cannot
be avoided p. 126. The person, in order to be similar with these significant people, changes himself. He will change himself into a greater level, if he sees it
is necessary.
4 Changes in Social Pressure
Hurlock 1974 says that as childhood progresses, the child becomes
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increasingly aware that some personality traits are admired while some are disliked. Since everyone normally has a strong desire to be accepted by those who
are significant to him, he tries to change any personality trait that will militate against his being accepted p. 126. Strong social pressure to conform to a socially
approved personality pattern thus encourages changes in certain aspects of the personality. She adds that traits which are likely to lead to social rejection, such as
shyness, bossiness, aggressiveness and greed are more subject to change than those, which are usually admired, such as affection, ambition, cooperativeness and
generosity p. 126.
5 Changes in Role
Role changes caused the st atus changes within the group. One‟s role may
change because of a change in age. Hurlock 1974 explains that a child changes from being a dependent to being an economically independent person when he is
old enough to become a wage earner p. 126. The changed role will have a favourable or unfavourable effect depends how well it fits to the person‟s needs
and whether it has greater prestige in the eyes of the social group than the old role.
6 Strong Motivation
Hurlock 1974 explains that when the motivation to improve the personality pattern is strong enough, changes can be effected p. 127. A person,
who has a character that makes him different from the rest of the community, will try as hard as possible to remove that character because he has a strong motivation
to be accepted in that community. Ordinarily, people are most strongly motivated to change those traits, which they believe will improve their social relationships
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and earn them greater social acceptance p. 127.
7 Changes in Self-Concept
A change in self-concept may cause the change in the entire personality pattern. This change is increasingly difficult, as people grow older. Hurlock
1974 says that c hanging one‟s self-concept requires tremendous self-insight.
This means that a person must be able and willing to see himself as he actually is, not as he would like to be or as others perceive him p. 128.
8 The Use of Psychotherapy
Hurlock 1974 assumes that psychotherapy helps a person to understand his self-concept. It is because in some condition, a certain person needs to be
helped in order to change his self-concept, learning to think of himself in a new way, and breaking destructive habit. The use of psychotherapy is based on the
assumption that a person who is poorly adjusted can make a better adjustment if he is being helped to develop a more favourable self-concept p. 128.
The theory of character development is also strengthened by Pikunas in his book Human Development: An Emergent Science. Pikunas 1976 says that
parents family play the major role at the outset and during the early periods of development p. 385. The psychic birth of most people occurs within the
setting and atmosphere of the family. Beginning and continuing life without both parents often results in serious deprivation of proper human models for self-
identification. When the child is highly influenced by the father and the mother, he or she
usually develops the qualities and traits pertinent to both sexes. The deepest needs
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of the child affection, acceptance, and security are gratified through dynamic interaction with the parents. Other influences are largely modifying factors, but a
strong relationship with someone outside the family can substitute for either father or mother and in some cases for both.
Supporting the theory proposed by Pikunas, Husband in his book, General Psychology
, states the influences of family toward character development. Husband 1947 says that family is the basic social group which in it, the
biological, psychological and sociological forces meet in giving the individual his start in life p. 249. The earliest major determining influence is the mother. The
children absorb more of mother‟s personality characteristics, likes and dislikes, attitudes, modes of behaviour than the father‟s. The mother, through her own
behaviour and by deliberate teaching, can include desirable habits: self-reliance, conciliation with others, acceptance of responsibility, and neatness.
B. Theoretical Framework
This section summarizes the contribution of the theories mentioned in the analysis of this study. There are five theories which have been explained namely,
theory of critical approach, theory of character, theory of characterization, theory of homosexuality, and theory of character development. Those theories will
support and strengthen the analysis. Each theory will be used to answer the questions that have been formulated in the previous chapter.
As stated by Rohrberger and Woods, the theory of critical approach is classified into five approaches. In this study, the writer applies the psychological
