Introduction
March 14, 2011 Posted by Olivia
Character vs Personality
Character and personality are both related to how a person behaves. Most of the time, these two words are used interchangeably, but they have distinct differences.
Character
Character is a particular system of traits that are permanent to each person. It is how a person acts and reacts to others, as well as how they deal with everything happening around them. Character is molded by one’s environment, such as growing up in a peaceful family-oriented atmosphere.
Personality
The word personality comes from the Latin word “persona,” meaning mask. Personality is the set of characteristics that each person possesses. It influences how a person behaves and their motivations. Personality is the image a person presents to others, but it can sometimes be seen as “plastic” or untrue.
Difference between Character and Personality
Character is objective and always present, such as morals. It is something within a person. On the other hand, personality can change at some point in life. For example, someone can have a good character but have a loner and shy personality. Another person can be everyone’s best friend but later turn out to be a traitor.
In summary, character is one’s soul, the real self, while personality is like a mask. Character is objective, while personality is subjective.
Highlights
1. Character is defined as a particular system of traits that are permanent to each person and is molded depending on one’s environment.
2. Personality is the set of characteristics that each person possesses and influences how one behaves and reacts in various situations.
3. The difference between character and personality is that character is objective and always present, while personality can and may change at some point in life and is subjective. Character is seen as one’s soul, the real self, while personality is seen as a mask.
