Individual Differences PDF

**INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES** **What is individual differences?** Individual differences are the more-or-less enduring psychological characteristics that distinguish one person from another and thus help to define each person\'s individuality. Among the most important kinds of individual differences...

**INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES** **What is individual differences?** Individual differences are the more-or-less enduring psychological characteristics that distinguish one person from another and thus help to define each person\'s individuality. Among the most important kinds of individual differences are intelligence, personality traits, and values. \"Individual differences are found in all psychological characteristics physical mental abilities, knowledge, habit, personality and character traits.(\"Woodworth, R.S. and Marquis, D.G) Skinner, C.E.: "Today we think of individual differences as including any measurable aspect of the total personality." **TYPES OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES:** 1\. Physical differences: Shortness or tallness of stature, darkness or fairness of complexion, fatness, thinness, or weakness are various physical individual differences. 2\. Differences in intelligence: There are differences in intelligence level among different individuals. We can classify the individuals from super-normal (above 120 I.Q.) to idiots (from 0 to 50 I.Q.) on the basis of their intelligence level. 3\. Differences in attitudes: Individuals differ in their attitudes towards different people, objects, institutions and authority. 4\. Differences in achievement: It has been found through achievement tests that individuals differ in their achievement abilities. These differences are very much visible in reading, writing and in learning mathematics. These differences in achievement are even visible among the children who are at the same level of intelligence. These differences are on account of the differences in the various factors of intelligence and the differences in the various experiences, interests and educational background. 5\. Differences in motor ability: There are differences in motor ability. These differences are visible at different ages. Some people can perform mechanical tasks easily, while others, even though they are at the same level, feel much difficulty in performing these tasks. 6\. Differences on account of sex: McNemar and Terman discovered the following differences between men and women, on the basis of some studies: \(i) Women have greater skill in memory while men have greater motor ability. \(ii) Handwriting of women is superior while men excel in mathematics and logic. \(iii) Women show greater skill in making sensory distinctions of taste, touch and smell etc., while men show greater reaction and conscious of size- weight illusion. \(iv) Women are superior to men in languages, while men are superior in physics and chemistry. \(v) Women are better than men in mirror drawing. Faults of speech etc. in men were found to be three times of such faults in women. \(vi) Women are more susceptible to suggestion while there are three times as many colour blind men as there are women. \(vii) Young girls take interest in stories of love, fairy tales, stories of the school and home and day-dreaming and show various levels in their play. On the other hand boys take interest in stories of bravery, science, war, scouting, stories of games and sports, stories and games of occupation and skill. 7\. Racial differences: There are different kinds of racial differences. Differences of environment is a normal factor in causing these differences. Karl Brigham has composed a list on the basis of differences in levels of intelligence among people who have migrated to United States from other countries. On the basis of these average differences between the races, the mental age of a particular individual cannot be calculated since this difference is based on environment. 8\. Differences due to nationality: Individuals of different nations differ in respect of physical and mental differences, interests and personality etc. 'Russians are tall and stout'; 'Ceylonese are short and slim'; 'Germans have no sense of humour'; 'Yellow races are cruel and revengeful'; 'Americans are hearty and frank'; Indians are timid and peace-loving' and the like observations enter into our common talk. 9\. Differences due to economic status: Differences in children's interests, tendencies and character are caused by economic differences. 10\. Differences in interests: Factors such as sex, family background level of development, differences of race and nationality etc., cause differences in interests. 11\. Emotional differences: Individuals differ in their emotional reactions to a particular situation. Some are irritable and aggressive and they get angry very soon. There are others who are of peaceful nature and do not get angry easily. At a particular thing an individual may be so much enraged that he may be prepared for the worst crime like murder, while another person may only laugh at it. 12\. Personality differences: There are differences in respect of personality. On the basis of differences in personality, individuals have been classified into many groups. Spranger, for example, has classified personalities into six types: \(a) Theoretical, \(b) Economic \(c) Aesthetic, \(d) Social, \(e) Political, and \(f) Religious. Jung classified people into three groups: \(a) Introverts, \(b) Extroverts, and \(c) Ambiverts. Trottor divided individuals into: \(a) Stable minded, and \(b) Unstable minded. Jordon thinks of personalities into: \(a) Active, and \(b) Reflective type. Thorndike has classified people into four categories on the basis of thinking: \(a) Abstract thinkers, \(b) Ideational thinkers, \(c) Object thinkers, and \(d) Thinkers in whom sensory experience is predominant. Terman has classified people into nine classes according to their level of intelligence: \(a) Genius, \(b) Near genius \(c) Very superior, \(d) Superior, \(e) Average, \(f) Backward, \(g) Feebleminded, \(h) Dull, and \(i) Idiot. It is an admitted fact that some people are honest, others are dishonest, some are aggressive, others are humble, some are social, others like to be alone, some are critical and others are sympathetic. Thus we see that the differences in personality are dependent on personality traits. Teacher should keep in mind these differences while imparting education to the pupils. **CAUSES OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES:** 1\. Heredity: One of the most significant and chief causes of individual differences is heredity. Individuals inherit various physical traits like face with its features, colour of eyes and hair, type of skin, shape of skull and size of hands, colour blindness, baldness, stub-finger and tendency to certain diseases like cancer and tuberculosis, mental traits like intelligence, abstract thinking, aptitudes and prejudices. Now it is an admitted fact that heredity differences result in the quantity and rate of physical as well as mental development being different and different individuals. 2\. Environment: Environment significantly influences individual differences. Changes in child's environment are reflected in the changes in his personality. Psychologically speaking, a person's environment consists of sum total of stimulation which he receives from conception until his death.Environment consists of physical, intellectual, social, moral, political, economic and cultural forces. All these forces cause individual differences. Modern psychologists believe that individual differences are caused by both heredity and environment. Personality is the outcome of mutual interaction between heredity and environment. 3\. Influence of caste, race and nation: Individuals of different castes and races exhibit very marked differences. It is generally seen that son of a Kshatriya has a more of courage in him while the son of a trader has the traits of business. Similarly individuals of different nations show differences in respect of their personality, character and mental abilities. These are the outcome of their geographical, social and cultural environment. Many studies have shown the existence of differences between Americans and Negroes, Chineese and Japaneese, English and Indian individuals. 4\. Sex differences: Development of boys and girls exhibits differences due to difference in sex. The physical development of the girl takes place a year or two earlier than the boys. Between the age of 11 and 14, girls are taller and heavier than the boys. After 15, boys start winning the race. Girls are kind, affectionate, sympathetic and tender while the boys are brave, hard, choleric, efficient and competent. 5\. Age and intelligence: Physical, intellectual and emotional development is caused by the growth in age. Many individuals differ because of the differences in intelligence. Individuals who are below the average in intelligence and mental age find much difficulty in learning and the average intelligent persons can learn quickly. 6\. Temperament and emotional stability: Some people are by temperament active and quick, while others are passive and slow, some humorous and others short tempered. Emotional stability of the individual is differently affected by physical, mental and environmental factors. Differences in emotional stability cause individual differences. 7\. Other Causes: Interests, aptitudes, achievements, sentiments, character, educational and home background lead to individual differences. 8\. Economic condition and education: Individual differences are caused by economic condition of the parents and the education of the children. It is not possible for the children of two economic classes to have a similarity and equality. **ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN EDUCATION:** One of the important objectives of modern education is the complete development of the individual. Individuals have different goals, different interests, different emotional problems and different abilities. We cannot afford to ignore these individual differences in imparting education to children. Since school work is planned on group basis it presents a formidable challenge to all teachers Hence some practical procedures for adapting school work to individual differences are suggested: 1\. Limited size of the class: Generally there are 50 or more than 50 students in a class. In such a large class, it is not possible for the teacher to pay individual attention to the students. The size of the class should be small. It should be divided into various units so that after class-room work their various difficulties may be found out. 2\. Proper division of the class: Now there are separate classes for the students, who have different intelligence. While bringing about this classification, the teacher should keep in mind the difference in age, interests, emotional and social qualities. 3\. Home task: The teacher should assign home task to the students while keeping in view the individual differences. 4\. Factor of sex: Boys and girls are to play different roles in society. Hence the factor of sex should be kept in mind. 5\. Curriculum: The curriculum should be modified to suit the needs of all types of children. A large number of subjects should be included in the curriculum so that education can be provided to each child according to his interests, needs and abilities. Curriculum should not be rigid but it should be flexible. 6\. Methods of Teaching: Methods of teaching should be chosen on the basis of individual differences. It is not advisable to use the same method of education in the case of all children-gifted or backward. 7\. Educational Guidance: Teacher should impart educational guidance to the students while keeping in view their individual differences. He can assist them in the selection of educational career, selection of subjects, selection of books, selection of hobbies and co-curricular activities and in many other areas connected with education. 8\. Vocational Guidance: While keeping in view the individual differences the teacher can guide the students in the vocation that they should adopt. 9\. Individual Training: Many plans and techniques for individualizing instructions have been advocated. **THEORIES OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES:** 1\. Faculty theory It is the oldest theory regarding the nature of intelligence and flourished during 18th and 19th century. According to this theory, mind is made up of different faculties like reasoning, memory, discrimination, imagination, etc. These faculties are independent of each other and can be developed by vigorous training.Theories of Intelligence, Rohini V. S., St. Mary\'s College 2\. One factor/UNI factor theory It reduces all abilities to a single capacity of general intelligence or \'common sense\'. This would imply that they are all perfectly correlated, and would make no allowance for the unevenness of people i.e. abilities along different lines. 3\. Spearman\'s two-factor theory Developed in 1904 by an English Psychologist, Charles Spearman. He proposed that intellectual abilites were comprised of two factors: one general ability or common ability known as \'G\' factor and the other a group of specific abilities known as \'S\' factor. \'G\' factor is universal inborn ability. Greater \'G\' in an individual leads to greater success in life. \'S\' factor is acquired from the environment. It varies from activity to activity in the same individual. 4\. Thorndike\'s multifactor theory Thorndike did not believe in General Ability. Each mental activity requires an aggregate of different set of abilities. He distinguished the following four attributes of intelligence: a\) Level-refers to the level of difficulty of a task that can be solved. b\) Range refers to a number of tasks at any given degree of difficulty. c\) Area-means the total number of situations at each level to which the individual is able to respond. d\) Speed is the rapidity with which we can respond to the items. 5\. Thurstone\'s Primary mental abilities/Group factor theory Certain mental operations have in common a \'primary\' factor that gives them psychological and functional unity and that differentiates them from other mental operations. These mental operations then constitute a group. There are a number of groups of mental abilities, each of which has its own primary factor, giving the group a functional unity and cohesiveness. Each of these primary factors is said to be relatively independent of the others.