psychology

BY

HIS FEARLESS SENDLESSNESS MUOGBO MICHAEL IZUCHUKWU; KNIGHT OF SAINT DRUNK   COMMISSIONER OF LEFT AND RIGHT

SUNSHINE

ARCH ANGEL

TERM PAPER:

THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TRAIT

Being a Term Paper submitted to the Department of Philosophy, Seminary of  Saints Peter and Paul, Bodija, Ibadan, in Affiliation with the University of Ibadan, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy (B.A. HONS.).

COURSE

PSYCHOLOGY

COURSE CODE

LECTURER

MR. UCHE ONUOHA

DATE: JUNE, 2013.

INTRODUCTION

The term psychology comes from two Greek words: psyche, which means “soul,” and logos, which means the study of. These root words were first combined in the 16th century, at a time when the human soul, spirit, or mind was seen as distinct from the body.

Psychology is defined as the scientific study of behaviors and mental processes, or the science of behavior. [1]This definition contains three elements, first is that psychology is a scientific enterprise that obtains knowledge through systematic and objective methods of observation and experimentation, Second is that psychologists study behavior, which refers to any action or reaction that can be measured or observed, third is that psychologists study the mind, which refers to both conscious and unconscious mental states. Psychology as a discipline is a science designed to study the mind and how it influences behavior in a particular area of life and it encompasses a wide scope or range of study.

Personality refers to an individual’s unique constellation of consistent behavioral traits; it consists of a number of differentiated but interacting systems. [2]Personality according to Harry Stack Sullivan (1892-1949), “is a relatively enduring patter of recurrent interpersonal situations that characterize human life”. Personality can equally be defined as a unique and enduring ways of thinking, feeling and behaving.

[3]Personality can only be studied when one relates to a person or more individuals because personality comprises interpersonal events rather than intrapsychic ones, and it is a hypothetical entity that cannot be seen apart from interpersonal situations, and interpersonal behaviours are the only thing that can be observed as personality.

This term paper is aimed at subjecting the big five personality models, discussing its relationship with an effective pastoral ministry and explaining how each of these traits or models can either enhance or impede the pastoral ministry.

CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATION

Before proceeding to the main aim of this term paper, I would like to clarify conceptually the context and meaning of the term as used in this term paper.

BIG FIVE PERSONALITY MODEL

This is a model of personality developed by psychological researchers, Robert McCrae and Paul Costa to organize the human personality into five categories, regarding their belief that the personality theory of Cattell and Eysenck left out something. This is a comprehensive research empirical data on personality. This model focuses or rather emphasizes the five major dimensions or domains of personality as seen in human beings. This model is applicable to people of different cultural backgrounds.

This model arranged and grouped the personality traits into five categories which include: Neuroticism, Extroversion, Openness to experience, Agreeableness and conscientiousness. This model is developed to examine and study the human personality psychologically in order to point out the different personality trait in each person.

EXTROVERSION: This is one of the big five personality model. An extrovert is a lively, active and confident person who enjoys being with other people. A person with this trait or rather the character of an extrovert is seen in the extroversion model which includes characteristic behaviours or qualities like being: sociable, outgoing, outspoken, assertive, bold, courageous, active, confident, gregarious, optimistic etc. People with these tendencies, focus on people in the outside world.

NEUROTICISM: This is another personality model among the big five personality models as designed by McCrae and Costa. Neurotics are characterized by their difficulty to control emotional anger. People with this trait also have other characteristics like: low self esteem, anxiousness (anxiety), self consciousness, hot temperedness, hostility, nervousness, depression, impulsiveness, vulnerability, dependency, introversion, self criticism, gloominess, pessimism, worry, feeling of inadequacy etc.

People with this tendency are always conserved because neurotics, due to worry and anxiety sometimes don’t behave reasonably.

OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE: People with this trait out of the big five are characterized by their personality actions, tendencies and behaviours like: trust, straight forwardness, altruism, compliance, modesty, creative, sophisticated, introspective, insightful, tender-mindedness, tolerance, flexibility, unconventional attitudes, curiosity, imaginativeness etc.

People with this trait are not always selfish because they put into consideration not only their own ideas but also the ideas and opinions of the others. They are not fanatics neither are they dogmatic, they cannot be indoctrinated.

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS: This is also one of the most unique traits among the big five personality traits. People with this trait are known for their characteristic behavior or rather have the tendencies like: dedication (devotion), commitment, competence, order, dutiful, self discipline, deliberation, responsible, achievement, ethical, consistency, organized, diligent, dependable etc.

People with this trait are always careful, they are not use to anxiety and worry, and they are not always in a hurry (rush). They are highly productive in a variety of occupational areas.

AGREEABLENESS: This personality trait is associated with people with behavioural characters like: sympathy, modesty, trust, co-cooperativeness, courteous, accommodating, generous, considerate etc. a person with this trait has a tendency of being of being compassionate and cooperative towards others. This trait is also a measure for one’s helping and trusting tendency or nature.

PASTORAL MINISTRY: This refers to all those activities by which the ordained ministers of the church or of any religious institute provide for the spiritual well being of the faithful, their flocks. It is the essential service of any religious organization to the people of God, undertaken by people with special jurisdiction.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY MODEL AND THE PASTORAL MINISTRY.

Relationship in the context of this term paper refers to how the big five personality models or traits interfere with the pastoral ministry; the link between the two of them. The big five personality models are developed to organize human personalities into five categories: extroversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness. The pastors in different pastoral ministry are human beings who are also identifiable with some of these personality models or traits

These personalities are related to effective pastoral ministry and the (nature of the) relationship is this: the positive personalities of this big five personality model, if possessed by a priest in a specific pastoral ministry will help the priest to stand better chances of attaining an effective pastoral ministry and it provides him with the most suitable personality on how to handle pastoral matters.

HOW THE BIG FIVE ENHANCES OR IMPEDES PASTORAL MINISTRY.

The big five personality models can either enhance or impede pastoral ministry, it can either be negative or positive to the pastoral ministry. These five traits as I have examined their characteristics above, can enhance or impede pastoral ministry, depending on the way, situation and context the priest or pastor uses it in his pastoral ministry.

The big five personality traits are popularly known with some acronyms like OCEAN, CANOE, or NEOAC. Now let me examine how each of these personality traits can either enhance or impede the pastoral ministry.

·            EXTROVERSION: the qualities as characterized by this personality trait can enhance the pastoral ministry of a priest in the areas of administration, management and organization in his parish or ministry if he has this personality trait, in the sense that with the characteristics of this trait examined earlier above, the priest will over excel in vocation to the priesthood.

One of the characteristics of this trait is confidence and this character will help the priest first to believe in himself that he is capable of doing the works concerned with a pastoral ministry, the priest needs courage and optimism to do his work as a good shepherd. Also another characteristic feature of this personality trait is sociability. This character will help the priest not to be conserved or rather limited only to his own ideas and opinions in handling matters or the parish affair because when the priest is sociable, then he would be able to associate with his parishioners and by so doing, he will as well get their opinions and ideas about issues concerning the parish welfare. The priest also needs to exhibit some positive emotions in order not to scare his parishioners away.

Yet another character is that a priest needs to be assertive in the sense that he needs to find a suitable better way of communicating the word of God to the people without hurting their emotions, contradicting his priesthood, or being misunderstood. The tendency of an extrovert is highly needed in the pastoral ministry because the nature of the pastoral work does not require shyness, but boldness, courage and optimism in other to keep moving the ministry forward. The pastoral ministry requires characters with assertiveness, sociability, positive emotions etc and all these are characterized under the extroversion trait of personality.

Contrary to my former views about this extroversion personality trait, it can equally impede the pastoral ministry depending on how the characters of extroversion are managed by a priest in the pastoral ministry.

In the course of being sociable with the parishioners, if a priest exceeds his boundary of the relationship especially with female parishioners, it would be a very dangerous and will not be a conducive situation for the effectiveness of his pastoral ministry. The priest may necessarily loss his respect and dignity as a priest.

For the fact that the priest is expected to be confident and have positive attitudes towards his pastoral ministry does not account for him being overconfident because that may not be a positive move towards the enhancement of his pastoral ministry.

·            NEUROTICISM: This trait can help in the enhancement of the pastoral ministry. If a priest is in possession of this trait, he stands the chances of achieving an effective pastoral ministry through his efforts. Feeling of inadequacy is one of the characteristic features of this personality trait. The priest would be convinced or moved to seek for ideas and opinions from other priests or the church elder is he have the feeling that his opinion alone may not be enough to make his pastoral ministry effective just as it is popularly said that, “a tree does not make a forest”.

Anxiety and worry will also help here because when a priest is worried or anxious about particular problems that are facing his pastoral ministry, he would be moved and motivated to find solutions to them. Hot temperedness can also help to maintain some discipline and ethics in a pastoral ministry because when a priest angrily corrects a parishioner for a wrong action done, when next the person attempts doing it he or she will think twice.

The last but not the least in this personality trait is self consciousness. Self consciousness can be said to be doing things in a way that shows you are aware of the effect and consequences that may result. When a priest is characterized with this feature then he is able to identify things that would have positive consequences and effect over his pastoral ministry. excessive use of the above mentioned qualities in this trait will cause impedance to the pastoral ministry.

·            CONSCIENTIOUSNESS: if this personality trait is possessed by a priest, I will enhance his pastoral ministry in many ways and through positive means. People with this trait are always careful and desperate in whatever action or duty they perform. This involves a moment of deliberation before making any decision or drawing a final plan or conclusion.

This very quality or rather character is needed in a priest on a pastoral ministry because the nature of the works priests are entrusted to requires a careful decision making in order not to make mistakes or to regret in the long run, and the conscientiousness as a personality trait will provide a priest with these qualities.

Another quality credited to this personality trait is commitment and ethics. In this case, the priest need to be committed to his work and ministry as a priest before anything can work out positively for him and also needs to exhibit an average ethical character so that people can see him as a model that ought to be emulated, and when a priest is taken to be a model of good characteristics, it is already a sign that his ministry is moving forward. A priest also needs to be diligent and consistent in his ministry as a priest in the sense that he needs to work hard in a careful way so as to achieve success as a pastoral minister, and consistent in a way that his way of handling matters and his management strategy towards his parish should be orderly and strictly followed. This trait also helps to remind the priest of the person he is so that he doesn’t go about doing things that are contrary to his ministry.

All the qualities mentioned here that are expected of a priest can be provided to him by the conscientiousness personality trait.

·            OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE: This personality trait, if possessed by a priest will help in enhancing his pastoral ministry. My reason is this; this personality trait is more of a tutor than any other thing. Just as we popularly say, “experience is the best teacher”. A priest would be able to learn different ways of doing positive things regarding his pastoral ministry if he is open to experiences.

Qualities under this trait would help to enhance the pastoral ministry; qualities like: tender-mindedness, trust, compliance, altruism, tolerance, insightful, creative etc. just as a shepherd, a priest needs not to be harsh to his parishioners, he needs to be tender in his attitudes towards them in order to build a strong relationship with his parishioners which would eventually lead to improvements in the parish.

·            AGREEABLE: this trait has qualities that can enhance the pastoral ministry. Qualities like sympathy, trust, and generosity. A priest by the virtue of his work is expected to care first for his parishioners. Qualities under this trait can provide the priest with tendencies of sympathy and generosity towards the people, his parishioners.

Yet another quality under this trait is trust. The priest needs to be trust worthy and trusting in order to work hand in hand with his co-workers and cooperators. Trust as a quality in a priest will enhance his pastoral ministry.

CONCLUSION: The big five personality trait is a comprehensive empirical research postulation or personality formula as postulated by psychological researchers, McCrae and Costa. This trait made a grouping of all human tendencies into five categories: extroversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, openness to experience and agreeableness.

        In this work, the big five personality traits are viewed in relationship to the pastoral ministry as how it can either enhance or impede the pastoral ministry. The relationship can be in the opposite or negative side, it can either enhance of impede a pastoral ministry depending on how a priest in a pastoral ministry chooses to apply and manage the personality qualities as it is required of the personality traits.

       

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[1] Kassin, Saul. "Psychology." Microsoft® Encarta® 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.

[2] D. John Anthony, OFM. Cap. Psychotherapies in counseling. Anugraha publications, Anugraha, Tamilnadu, india. 2003. Pg.86.

[3] D. John Anthony, OFM. Cap. Psychotherapies in counseling. Anugraha publications, Anugraha, Tamilnadu, india. 2003. Pg.86.