Personality and Human Conduct

  • Emiliana Mangone
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the SpringerBriefs in Psychology book series (BRIEFSPSYCHOL)

Abstract

The three components of the personality (body, mind, and soul)—that in Sorokin’s theorizations represent the three means for knowledge (empirical-sensity, reason, and intuition)—constitute the very essence of personality itself (the subject of individual or collective interaction). In this dialectical process, there is a direct relation between the dominant social mentality and the conduct of the subject within it. However, this relation does not result in a one-to-one correspondence. It is very variable in some societies and more explicit in others, a condition erasing any doubts that individual development is connected with sociocultural organization. This has been largely documented by many sociological and psychological studies, which have drawn attention to some core features of personality (first part of the chapter). In the second part of the chapter, we suggest a more actual reading of the concepts used by Sorokin until the 1950s to address the theme of personality. Reflecting on contemporary society broadens our perspective, allowing us to sketch an overview of how the elements (personality, society, and culture) interconnect, how they are involved in the various processes, and their influence on the changes of a highly uncertain society.

Keywords

Conduct Individual Meaning Personality Uncertainty 
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Copyright information

© The Author(s) 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  • Emiliana Mangone
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Human, Philosophic and Education Sciences (DISUFF)University of SalernoSalernoItaly

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