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.

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