Challenging personality traits are those traits in someone which may make them difficult to get along with. If you’re working with someone who exhibits these characteristics, take some time to get to know them better and discover how best to collaborate with them.
Psychologists have long sought to define personality by looking at a variety of traits, but the Big 5 (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism) have become the most widely used.
Aggression
Aggression is the tendency to express hostility or injury during social interaction. While this can be a normal response in certain circumstances, if left unresolved it may indicate an underlying issue that needs addressing or managing.
Certain forms of aggression can be more damaging than others, depending on its intended outcome. For instance, throwing a book across the room might be seen as aggressive by some while being perceived as harmless by others.
Furthermore, certain factors can make someone more aggressive than they otherwise are. These include genetics, hormones and neurotransmitters.
Environment can also have an effect on whether someone becomes aggressive. Examples include poverty, living in violent neighborhoods or with deviant peers, exposure to media violence and poor parenting.
Another factor that can influence aggression is learning. Children who observe other people engaging in aggressive behavior often copy those actions for themselves; as evidenced by the renowned Bobo doll experiment, children who watched video footage of an adult model behaving aggressively towards a Bobo doll were more likely to copy those same behaviors themselves.
Infants and toddlers tend to display this type of aggression due to their impulsivity and limited language abilities. When these kids become aggressive, it’s often because they want control over an object or territory which may lead them to inflict harm upon others.
Aggression can be a sign that someone needs to learn better coping mechanisms. This is essential, as it helps them avoid having their anger escalate into more serious matters. They need to learn not to take things personally, not to yell or snap at others and not to use physical aggression.
Grandiosity
Grandiosity is a personality trait that can cause serious problems in relationships and may indicate the presence of mental health issues like bipolar disorder. If you have been diagnosed with grandiosity, it is essential to seek assistance from a therapist or other qualified professional for further assistance.
People with this personality trait tend to think they are superior to others and may expect special treatment from friends or family members. This can lead to problems in both personal relationships and professional settings.
Many times, this type of personality is the result of childhood traumas. They might have been hurt by their parents and use grandiosity as a way to cope with feelings of shame and rejection.
Fortunately, the symptoms of grandiosity can usually be treated by a psychiatrist or psychologist. These professionals will offer you psychotherapy and medication to manage your condition.
They may suggest taking medication to regulate mood swings and manage grandiosity. However, it’s best to speak with your doctor first about any potential risks of taking these drugs if you have a history of depression.
Delusions of grandeur are a frequent symptom of bipolar disorder and they’re usually linked with manic states. They may also be indicative of schizophrenia or other mental illnesses.
Delusions of grandeur can lead a person to believe they are an influential leader, smarter than everyone else, or possess some sort of superior ethical value. They may even believe these things to be true and resist attempts at persuasion.
Disagreement
Disagreement is an inherent part of scientific communication, with debates and conflicts over fundamental principles forming part of popular science culture (Biglan 1973; Kitcher 1995). Conflicts also play a vital role in many fields like physics where disagreements over plate tectonics theory or the value of the Hubble constant persist; environmental sciences like social science continue to have heated conversations about links between cigarette smoke and lung cancer or greenhouse gas levels and climate change impacts on public conversations.
Disagreements can be divided into two categories: belief-disagreement and action-disagreement. Belief disagreements occur when one believes something to be true while the other disagrees; action disagreements take place when one chooses an action and their choice of words causes disagreement.
Jop and Dop may disagree about which classes are harder for top grades – economics or philosophy – or whether or not they should move in together this summer. Belief-disagreements involve suspending judgment on a claim, which requires confidence, trust, as well as other factors.
Action-disagreements, however, require less thought and require little to no suspension of judgment. Therefore, if you’re dating someone with this kind of personality, they may prove challenging to get along with.
To operationalize disagreement, we created a model that encompasses all epistemic characteristics associated with disagreement. We applied this framework to analyze the number of disagreement citations in five fields: Biomedical and Health Sciences, Life and Earth Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering, Social Sciences and Humanities, Math and Computer Science. Surprisingly enough, there was more disagreement overall among social sciences and humanities researchers despite their use of Kuhnian paradigms that tend to produce disagreement than other disciplines.
Manipulation
Manipulation is a personality trait often displayed by challenging personalities that involves manipulating others to gain advantage. This may involve deceit, projecting an inaccurate reality or placing someone on the defensive.
It is an effective strategy that can lead to serious issues in an interpersonal relationship. Additionally, it causes people to doubt their own perceptions of what is really taking place.
For instance, a boss might try to instill doubt in their subordinate by making them appear incompetent. On the other hand, an experienced manipulator might use passive-aggressive strategies in an effort to make their target feel insecure and guilty about something.
Manipulating others with knowledge of one’s shortcomings can be particularly hazardous, as psychopaths are highly skilled at this technique. They will often lead their victims into doing things that they know are not in their best interests.
Other examples of manipulation involve the use of pity or sympathy to gain cooperation from another individual. They may pretend to be victims of tragedy or pathetic individuals in order to elicit compassion.
These types of manipulative behaviors are not only detrimental, but they can also do serious damage to an individual’s health and safety. That is why it is crucial to monitor someone with this personality trait.
Theories about manipulation can be divided into three primary categories: those which describe it as an influence that bypasses reason; those which treat it as a form of trickery; and those which treat it as pressure. Depending on which theory one subscribes to, these accounts might account for more or less of the variety of tactics considered manipulation.
Dominance
Dominance, or the ability to control others, is a trait found across many species. Whether it’s a lion dominating his pack of dogs or an educator securing control of an unruly classroom, dominance is an invaluable trait that can help an individual excel in their role.
Dominant individuals typically possess excellent communication abilities, which allow them to build effective working relationships with their team members. They can motivate everyone around them to participate and contribute their ideas without intimidating or overshadowing anyone.
However, they can be too blunt with their communication, so if you work closely with dominant individuals on your team it’s essential to make sure their style doesn’t come across as domineering or controlling. Instead, give them an opportunity to present their ideas and receive feedback before moving forward.
Additionally, if you’re working with someone prone to overly optimistic ideas, it’s essential that they acknowledge the downsides of their decisions. For instance, if they propose an ambitious project that won’t be scaleable or cost-effective, be sure to give them a more precise plan on how it will be implemented.
Alternatively, if you know that the project will take a lot of time and require manual labor, make sure they know they can take breaks as needed. Doing this will allow them to recharge their batteries which in turn improve focus and productivity levels.
Dominance is a personality trait that can be found in people of all types, but it’s especially prevalent among challenging personalities. Although this trait has its benefits, dominance can also present difficulties at times.
