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The following points highlight the nine main types of differences seen in individuals. The types are: 1. Physical Differences 2. Mental Differences 3. Differences in Motor Ability 4. Differences in Achievement 5. Emotional Differences 6. Differences in Interests and Aptitudes 7. Difference in Attitudes, Beliefs and Opinions 8. Difference in Hearing 9. Differences in Social and Moral Development.
Type # 1. Physical Differences:
Individuals differ in height, weight, colour of skin, colour of eyes and hair, size of hands and heads, arms, feet, mouth and more length of waist, structure and functioning of internal organs and facial expressions, mannerisms, speech and walk, hair style and other such native or acquired physical characteristics.
Type # 2. Mental Differences:
People differ in intellectual abilities and capacities like reasoning and thinking, power of imagination, creative expression, concentration, etc. In the field of general intelligence also are found tremendous differences between individuals. On the basis of these differences they are usually classified as border line, normal, bright, very superior and genius.
Type # 3. Differences in Motor Ability:
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There exists a wide difference in motor abilities such as reaction time, speed of action, steadiness, manual dexterity and resistance to fatigue.
Type # 4. Differences in Achievement:
Differences exist in achievement and in knowledge even among the individuals who have almost the same amount of intelligence and have been subjected to equal amount of schooling and experience.
Type # 5. Emotional Differences:
In some individuals positive emotions like love, affection and amusement and the like are prominent whereas in some, negative emotions are more powerful. Individuals also differ in the manner they express their emotions, some are stable and mature while others are unstable and immature. In this way, there exist wide emotional differences among individuals.
Type # 6. Differences in Interests and Aptitudes:
Variation occurs among the individuals in relation to the specific skills and interests. Some take interest in meeting people, attending social functions and are very fond of picnic and group excursion, others feel happy in solitude, avoid social gatherings and are interested in or enjoy company of books. Similarly, people have different aptitudes like mechanical, scholastics, musical or artistic aptitudes.
Type # 7. Difference in Attitudes, Beliefs and Opinions:
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Individuals tend to have different attitudes toward different people, groups, objects and ideas. Their attitudes may be positive, negative or neutral similarly they differ in respect of beliefs, opinions and ideas. Some are conservative and rigid while the others are progressive, liberal and dynamic.
Type # 8. Difference in Hearing:
Individual differences are found in the field of learning also some learn more easily and are able to make use of their learning more comfortably than others. For few one method of learning or memorization is more suitable, while for others a different method suits.
Type # 9. Differences in Social and Moral Development:
Individuals differ in respect of their social and moral developments. Some are found to be adjusted properly in the social situations and lead a happy social life, while others are socially handicapped, unsocial or antisocial. Similarly, people are found to differ in respect of ethical and moral sense.
Thus with respect to all the above factors of individual differences, it is concluded that the whole personality of an individual is unique. In itself in all the dimensions and aspects of behaviour and personality traits the individuals differ from each other and then no one can be said to be exactly similar to another.
Further, the elements like both the hereditary and environmental forces are said to be the sole determinants of the wide individual differences found in human beings.
At the time of conception we differ in respect to the possession of chromosomes, general and their respective classical constituents. As a result we find gender differences with varying physiological differences with respect to eyes, skin colour, height, etc. and also some suffer from inborn hereditary diseases and not others.
After conception what goes on inside and outside a mother’s womb (about 9 months) and after birth, our interaction with the environmental forces, physical, social, cultural and educational opportunities available to us for our growth and development.
All these create individual differences. Therefore, what exists among us in terms of our individual differences is the joint responsibility of both the hereditary and environmental forces.