Start intelligent conversations about the theories of personality to be with the teachings of ancient Greece (for such a young discipline like psychology, is always amazing that you can go back to centuries ago and the discovery of ancient use as a trump card). While physician Galen (130-200 AD) has suggested that the character is determined by four types of bodily "juice" (humor). Despite the fact that modern psychologists are skeptical of the theory of "juice", the names of these four types, they always use. All you need to memorize them, it's a superficial acquaintance with a book about Winnie the Pooh, because every character in this product fit the description of a certain type of personality. The first type - the blood (sanguine, confident and resilient - Christopher Robin), the second - phlegm (phlegmatic, calm, unflappable - Owl), the third - black bile (melancholic, anxious and sad - NA), and the latter type - yellow bile (choleric , a lively and unpredictable - Tiger). Of psychology - is the same as children's games to play.

Traits: inexpressive characters

It is considered that during the 1960's psychologists have advanced the study of personality types when compared to their ancient Greek counterparts. Although this is a moot point. British psychologist HJ. Ayzenkvydelil just two qualities that define the character: a "neuroticism" and "introversion - extroversion. People get points for each quality, and the result can be visualized as a single point on the graph paper. Thus here, the personality! Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic Raymond Kettle (which, like Eysenck, were interested in personality and intelligence) reasonably argued that people staged a bit more complicated than thought Eysenck.

He took up the ambitious project to identify 16 factors of personality on which developed the 16-factor personality questionnaire. To this end, Kettle used lexical method, ie selected and classified all English words relating to nature (crusty, blustery, self-conscious, inert ...). Unfortunately, none failed to detect all 16 factors, so for some time, psychologists were of the opinion Eysenck that human nature is as simple as a point on the plane. You will be pleased to know that at present a compromise on this matter: and again this is the golden mean (psychologist's time to organize his own political party). Today are five traits:

-Openness to new ideas and experiences;

-Integrity;

, Extraversion;

-Friendliness, altruism;

-Neuroticism.

Acronyms are widely distributed in psychology, so use them at times during the debate, and others the impression that you are deeply aware of the subject. Research in the United States and Italy showed that people classify politicians, only two of the five character traits, and this explains a lot. If you believe that your pet has the character, maybe you're right. In the behavior of dogs and horses can be traced the same line. What can be said about the cats, probably because they feel unworthy to pass tests of their employment.

Psychometric studies

 How to understand the other person? The easiest way to understand the character of another person - to ask him about himself. Always call it a psychometric study, so you will add to its occupation raid scientific precision, as if it was the measurement of height, weight or cholesterol levels. Perhaps, you had a bad experience with psychometric testing, if you've ever applied for a job and came to the interview. "Do you find the usual common language with people?" - A perfect example of the issue from the study. Your inner voice would say that this question is not entirely correct. You do not answer to this question: "No! And suddenly, they are obsessed by the demon? "And probably would have given an affirmative answer, even if it was, God forgive me, a lie. But as an experienced psychologist, you never call it a lie. 'There must be more grandiose title - effect of social desirability, ie, tendency to ignore their weak traits and represent themselves in a positive light.

Become an expert in this area will help one important lesson. If the speech you make a mistake, do not get lost. With the air of an expert to say that this is not a mistake at all, and the effects of another important psychological process, which you fully informed. You have already started to study it. Here comes into play your imagination. Think of a phrase that will serve as the symbol of this process and begins with the word "effect". Further depends on you, but remember: the more boring and more mysterious the better. "The indirect effect Makkollou" - a real example, and "inversely proportional to the effect Buniona" - no. But who knows about this?

Projective tests: get your mind

One way to understand the character of another person without becoming hostage to lie - it is to understand its nature secret. Now you meet famous ink test. To note that the test was developed by Swiss psychiatrist in the 1940's. He was also named for the creator - the Rorschach test. This is one example of a projective study. People reveal some of the qualities of his character by describing what they see. True, to interpret these ink blots is incredibly difficult, it is better to leave this busy professionals. But your audience will be convinced that you know much more, than they have, especially if you either run on a serious look when thinking about their answers, will mumble something about "forms of expression of the depth and dignity to its verdict:" You are moderately modest man , good-hearted, striving for greater understanding of other people. " Most would agree with such a perceptive analysis of their internal world and decide that you looked him right in the heart.

Objective tests: the ultimate goal

Of course, relying on the results of projective tests should even be lower than the method the story about himself. Psychologists have tried to be honest (they're always very honest) to find a truly scientific way of understanding the personality - an objective test. Achievements of scientists in this direction have been minor, but some juicy details you enough to join in any conversation at a party. For example, studies have shown that extroverts spend much time chatting with people and neurotics on the interview prefer to sit farther away. Perhaps that is why neurotic extraverts heightened voice. Even more interesting is the fact that introverts easily excited. Although the study upon which the opinion is sufficiently commonplace: introverts secrete more saliva at the sight of a lemon. No one has yet tested this theory on the example pictures Halle Berry.

Language

Much of the language of psychology, or psycholinguistics, damn difficult to study, so the best left unexplored. Then you need to know one important name - Noam Chomsky . Prior to do much more exciting career in international relations and he developed a theory of language. About him talking after the idea of universal grammar. Most people, especially the British, do not understand what they say foreigners. But Chomsky has suggested that all languages are basically have the same grammar. This unified structure for different cultures. However, if you want to get help at the nearest information desk in the center of Mombasa, this theory is unlikely to help you.

It is necessary to touch on another controversial topic in the psychology of language called "linguistic relativity hypothesis." She argues that language affects the perception of the world by man. Most often as the proof of this idea is the presence of the Eskimos of Greenland more than 400 words for snow. It is complete nonsense, who also heaped tirelessly for years. They are only a dozen. You can benefit from it, stressing that in English they are not much smaller (blizzards, hail, snow, sleet, slush, etc.).