Condition Responsible for Personality Change
16 Changes
in Social
Pressure happened as childhood progresses, the child becomes increasingly aware that some personality traits are admired and 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 traits that will militate
against his being accepted. Strong social pressures to conform to a socially approved personality pattern thus encourage changes in certain aspects of the
personality. 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. Pressures to conform to the approved pattern are provided by the people who are
significant in the person’s life at the time. When a child is young, he tries to conform to parental standards 126-127.
Changes in role means that one’s role may change because of a change in age, in economic conditions, or a change in the society. One will experience
changes for the better in his self-concept, if the results are in a more favorable status. A child changes from being a dependent into economically independent
when he is old enough to be a wage earner. Ordinary people are strongly motivated to change their personality to become popular because they believe that
it will improve their social relationship and broaden their social acceptance. When the motivation is strong enough, the changes of personality will happen 127.
In strong motivation, Hurlock states that, “When motivation to improve the personality pattern is strong enough changes can be affected. Ordinarily,
17 people are most strongly motivated to change those traits, which they believe will
improve their social relationship, and earn the greater social acceptance” 127. Self-concept is the core of personality. It determines the kind of
adjustment a person will make. Changes in self-concept will change the entire personality pattern. Changes in self-concept are slow and difficult to change as
people grow older, and any change must be made slowly and gradually to avoid upsetting the entire personality pattern. The most important is people strongly
resist any attempts by others to change their self-concepts and employ defense mechanism to enable them to maintain their self-concepts intact. It requires
tremendous self-insight. This means that an individual must be able and willing to see himself as he actually is, not as others perceive him. There are also some
conditions related to the changes of self-concept. Self-concept can change by using the introspection to see oneself as one actually is and an analysis of why one
thinks of oneself in a particular way. Self-concept can also change because of a critical examination of one’s behavior to see if it is creating an unfavorable
impression on others, an objective comparison of oneself with others to see if one is inferior, superior, or equal and self-disclosure to those for whom one has
respect and confidence as a way of gaining new self-insight. Reading books that emphasize the factors of success in life, avoiding trying to model one’s
personality after the personality of an ideal, and changing one’s aspirations when they are unrealistically high for one’s potentials can influence one’s self-concept
to change. If an individual has the intention to change his self-concept, he will change from an environment that fosters an unfavorable self-concept or, if this is
18 impossible, ignoring the unfavorable aspects of the environment. Another way to
change self-concept is patient practice in trying to see oneself according to the new self-concept until one becomes accustomed to it, likes it, and accepts it 128-
129. Use of psychotherapy helps a person to gain a better insight into the
reasons for his unrealistically favorable or unfavorable self-concept. It helps him to realize how his self-concept affects the quality of his behavior, to achieve both
the motivation and know how to change his self-concept, or secure the guidance necessary to make his change without upsetting the entire personality pattern, and
to change the condition in the environment, which contributes to an unfavorable self-concept 129.