For example, people who are very open to experiences tend to approach new things with curiosity and consideration, while those at the opposite end of the spectrum are more likely to avoid the unfamiliar.
Personality traits are valuable to understand because they are relatively stable. This means that knowing something about a person’s personality traits can help predict how they will behave and interact in different situations.
Youth Personality Development
Youth and Self-Discovery
One of the profound and exciting changes during youth is the process of self-discovery, according to the site parentandteen.
Young people work to understand who they are, making identity development a central feature of their lives. Youth personality is shaped by many factors, including family, cultural, and social expectations, as well as experiences with institutions like school, media, and friendships.
Young people also take active steps and make choices that shape their identity. They select environments and people they want to be around. They adjust their beliefs and behaviors based on feedback, all while reflecting on who they are. The adolescent identity partly develops through relationships and the feedback they receive from others. As young people move from early to late adolescence and their brains continue to develop, their adolescent identity is also likely to evolve.
How Do Youth Discover Their Personality?
Teenagers aged 14 to 18:
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Begin imagining their adolescent identity and role in the larger world.
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Reflect on themselves and their beliefs in relation to broader social and cultural groups, such as gender, race, and religion.
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Take stronger stances on social or moral issues.
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Increase stability in how they see themselves across different settings and social groups.
Youth aged 18 to 24:
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Pay deeper attention to self in terms of adult roles or career goals.
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Consider their identity in the context of relationships.
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Balance idealistic views of who they might be with a realistic understanding.
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Form strong commitments to personal and social group identities, though new experiences may prompt further exploration and change.
Psychological Perspective
Emmanuelle Awad, University Professor and Psychology Expert
Emmanuelle Awad explains how youth interests reflect their personalities in an interview with Sayidaty magazine:
Each person’s personality tends to align with interests that match it, and conversely, their interests confirm their personality. The relationship between personality and interests is dynamic and reciprocal.
In psychology, many theories exist about personality. One of the most well-known and widely used is the “Big Five” personality traits: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Based on the combination of these traits, people develop certain interests.
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People high in extraversion tend to be more social, enjoying interacting with others, joining sports teams, or group activities.
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Those high in conscientiousness prefer interests requiring planning and organization, like academic activities or projects demanding attention to detail.
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People with high agreeableness favor cooperative activities that involve working with others, such as teamwork or activities promoting positive social interaction.
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Those with high neuroticism or low emotional stability often prefer activities that allow them to express their feelings, whether joy or sadness, as an outlet to manage their emotions.
Additionally, the interests we choose often express our identity and personality. Especially in late adolescence, young people try different interests to discover which ones align with the identity they are forming.
In Summary
A person’s interests reflect their personality, values, experiences, and identity. There is a meaningful relationship between personality and interests, with each influencing the other.
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