Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Week One: Personality Research

Personality research is exactly what it sounds like: the study of an individual's personality. The "research" aspect can include anything from creating an intricate, detailed outline of someone's psychological make-up to discovering what generally makes each person the same as the rest of the population (or, in certain cases, different). The question that plays an enormous role in every branch of personality research, however, is why. Why does this specific personality factor appear in so many people? Or, Why does it statistically appear in those who descend from a certain lineage? Each personality-related question answered is another step towards giving more precise explanations, and therefore better help, to those who need or want the aid, such as advertisement companies that wish to create the most effective television commercials possible, or the woman who wonders whether her tendency to pace under stress is somehow ingrained in her personality. Although its connections may not seem apparent at first, personality research can, and does, play a major role in environmental studies. For example, the right amount and type of research can explain to some extent why Republicans are less likely to support certain environmental proposals than Democrats, perhaps by having members of both parties complete a survey of carefully chosen questions that delve deeper into each member's personality than he or she realizes. Another example could be proposing the future location of a wind farm based on the outcome of a certain area's personality questionnaires. The uses that personality research could provide for the continued development of environmental studies are endless.

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