Concept of human behaviour
Ø Human beings are biological creatures.
Ø Every person is different but much the same.
Ø Culture, ethnic identity, gender identity helps to understand people.
Ø Human lives are continuous process.
Ø Behaviour can be adaptive or mal-adaptive.
Ø Behaviour is motivated.
Ø People play an active part in creating their experience.
Individual differences
Ø All individuals are not equal.
Ø They all differ from each other not only in physical characteristics but also in behavioural characteristics.
Ø Individual differ from each other in qualitative as quantitative ways.
Ø The science that studies these qualitative and quantitative differences among people is known as the study of individual differences (also called as differential psychology).
Ø The differences among people are not sharp but there is continuity.
Ø Meaning: Individual differences means differences between individuals which makes one a unique individual.
Significance of individual difference
Ø Democratically, all individuals are equal but physically and psychologically, all individuals are unequal and in other words, each individual is different from the other.
Ø Equal opportunity must be provided to every individual for drawing up the best that an individual has so that an individual achieves optimum development.
Ø It has been stated by Benjamin S. Bloom, an American educator, “A society which places such great value of education and schooling that it requires the individual to attend school for a long period of time must find the means to make education attractive and meaningful to the individual learner”.
Ø In the words of Charles E. Skinner, “Today, we think of individual differences as including any measurable aspect of the total personality.”
Ø No two learners are alike. Individuals differ in their physical characteristics, emotional characteristics, personality traits, interest, achievement etc.
Ø Mass procedures, no matter how well intentioned, fail to accomplish the objective unless they are supplemented by certain forms of guidance, guidance which must treat the individuals as individuals.
Ø Difference among individuals may be slight, moderate or extreme.
Ø It has also been observed that differences are not only found among different,but can be noticed with the same individuals too.