Personality vs. Character — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 26, 2024
Personality encompasses observable traits and behaviors, while character involves moral and ethical values, shaping one's integrity.
Difference Between Personality and Character
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Personality is the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character, evident through their behaviors, thoughts, and emotions. It's what we see from the outside, the traits that make someone unique. On the other hand, character delves deeper into an individual's moral and ethical qualities. It's about the values and principles that an individual stands by, even when no one is watching.
While personality can be influenced by external factors such as environment, culture, and experiences, character is more about internal choices and decisions based on moral values. Personality might change over time and can be somewhat manipulated through external influences. Whereas, character tends to be stable and consistent, shaped by internal beliefs and convictions.
Personality often dictates how a person presents themselves to the world, influencing social interactions and relationships. It's the first impression one makes. Character, however, is revealed over time, through consistent actions that reflect an individual's core values and ethics.
Both personality and character play crucial roles in shaping an individual's identity. However, personality is what might open doors and create initial opportunities, while character is what keeps those doors open and sustains relationships and trust in the long term.
Personality traits can include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, aspects that can be somewhat measured and observed. Character, on the other hand, encompasses virtues like integrity, honesty, courage, loyalty, and respect, qualities that are admired and respected over time.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The combination of characteristics that form an individual's distinctive traits.
The set of moral and ethical qualities of an individual.
Nature
Observable, often changeable.
Deep-rooted, stable.
Influenced by
External factors like environment and experiences.
Internal beliefs and moral values.
Manifestation
Through behaviors, thoughts, and emotions.
Through decisions and actions based on values.
Role in relationships
Initiates social interactions and relationships.
Sustains and deepens relationships.
Compare with Definitions
Personality
Subject to Change.
After the workshop, David's personality seemed more open to new experiences.
Character
Internal Beliefs.
Sara's decisions are guided by her character, prioritizing kindness and fairness.
Personality
External Presentation.
Alex's charismatic personality often leaves a memorable impression on others.
Character
Moral and Ethical Qualities.
Naomi's character is defined by her unwavering honesty and integrity.
Personality
Influenced by Environment.
Moving to a new city brought out a more adventurous side of Emma's personality.
Character
Deep-rooted Values.
His character, enriched with loyalty and respect, makes him a trusted leader.
Personality
Observable Traits.
John's outgoing and friendly personality makes him the life of the party.
Character
Stable and Consistent.
Despite pressure, Miguel's character showed through his refusal to compromise on his values.
Personality
Affects Social Interactions.
Lisa's introverted personality makes her prefer small gatherings over large parties.
Character
Reflects True Self.
Her character, demonstrating continuous generosity, speaks volumes about her true self.
Personality
Personality is defined as the characteristic sets of behaviors, cognitions, and emotional patterns that evolve from biological and environmental factors. While there is no generally agreed upon definition of personality, most theories focus on motivation and psychological interactions with one's environment.
Character
The combination of mental characteristics and behavior that distinguishes a person or group.
Personality
The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character
She had a sunny personality that was very engaging
She has triumphed by sheer force of personality
Character
The distinguishing nature of something.
Personality
A celebrity or famous person
An official opening by a famous personality
Character
Moral strength; integrity
An educational program designed to develop character.
Personality
The quality or fact of being a person as distinct from a thing or animal.
Character
Public estimation of someone; reputation
Personal attacks that damaged her character.
Personality
Disparaging remarks about an individual.
Character
(Biology) A structure, function, or attribute of an organism, influenced by genetic, environmental, and developmental factors.
Personality
The totality of qualities and traits, as of character or behavior, that are peculiar to a specific person.
Character
A person considered as having a specific quality or attribute
"Being a man of the world and a public character, [he] took everything as a matter of course" (George Eliot).
Personality
The totality of behavioral traits that are peculiar to a specific nonhuman animal
A hyena with an assertive personality.
Character
A person considered funny or eccentric
Catcalls from some character in the back row.
Personality
The totality of qualities that distinguish a group, organization, or place
The personality of the business changed dramatically over the years.
Character
A person portrayed in an artistic piece, such as a drama or novel.
Personality
The collection of distinctive qualities of a person, especially those distinguishing personal characteristics that make one socially appealing
Won the election more on personality than on capability.
Character
A person or animal portrayed with a personality in comics or animation
A cartoon character.
Personality
The quality or condition of being a person.
Character
Characterization in fiction or drama
A script that is weak in plot but strong in character.
Personality
A person as the embodiment of distinctive traits of mind and behavior.
Character
Status or role; capacity
In his character as the father.
Personality
A person of prominence or notoriety
Television personalities.
Character
A description of a person's attributes, traits, or abilities.
Personality
The distinctive characteristics of a place or situation
Furnishings that give a room personality.
Character
A formal written statement as to competency and dependability, given by an employer to a former employee; a recommendation.
Personality
Personalities An offensive or disparaging personal remark
Let's not engage in personalities.
Character
A mark or symbol used in a writing system.
Personality
(of people) A set of non-physical psychological and social qualities that make one person distinct from another.
The president has a unique personality.
Character
A Chinese character.
Personality
(of inanimate or abstract things) A set of qualities that make something distinctive or interesting.
His writing has a lot of personality.
This functional concrete building lacks personality.
Character
One of a set of symbols, such as letters or numbers, that are arranged to express information.
Personality
An assumed role or manner of behavior.
In his final act, the comedian takes on a child's personality.
Character
The numerical code representing such a character.
Personality
A celebrity, especially one with a strong media presence.
Johnny Carson was a respected television personality.
Character
(Mathematics) The trace function of a representation.
Personality
Charisma, or qualities that make a person stand out from the crowd.
The best contestant shows most personality.
Character
A style of printing or writing
"Here is the hand and seal of the Duke.
You know the character" (Shakespeare).
Personality
Something said or written which refers to the person, conduct, etc., of some individual, especially something of a disparaging or offensive nature; personal remarks.
Indulgence in personalities
Character
A cipher or code for secret writing.
Personality
(legal) That quality of a law which concerns the condition, state, and capacity of persons
Character
Of or relating to one's character.
Personality
That which constitutes distinction of person; the externally evident aspects of the character or behavior of a person; individuality.
Personality is individuality existing in itself, but with a nature as a ground.
Character
Specializing in the interpretation of often minor roles that emphasize fixed personality traits or specific physical characteristics
A character actor.
Personality
Something said or written which refers to the person, conduct, etc., of some individual, especially something of a disparaging or offensive nature; personal remarks; as, indulgence in personalities.
Sharp personalities were exchanged.
Character
Of or relating to the interpretation of such roles by an actor
The character part of the hero's devoted mother.
Personality
That quality of a law which concerns the condition, state, and capacity of persons.
Character
Dedicated to the portrayal of a person with regard to distinguishing psychological or physical features
A character sketch.
Personality
A person who is famous or notable; a celebrity.
Character
To write, print, engrave, or inscribe.
Personality
The complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual;
Their different reactions reflected their very different personalities
It is his nature to help others
Character
To portray or describe; characterize.
Personality
A person of considerable prominence;
She is a Hollywood personality
Character
(countable) A being involved in the action of a story.
Character
(countable) A distinguishing feature; characteristic; trait; phene.
A single locus governing the petal colour character was detected on the linkage group A2.
Character
A complex of traits marking a person, group, breed, or type.
A study of the suspect's character and his cast iron alibi ruled him out.
Character
(uncountable) Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; moral strength.
He has a great deal of character.
"You may not like to eat liver," said Calvin's father, "but it builds character."
Character
(countable) A unique or extraordinary individual; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits, especially charisma.
Julius Caesar is a great historical character.
That bloke is such a character.
Character
(countable) A written or printed symbol, or letter.
Character
Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the particular form of letters used by a person or people.
An inscription in the Runic character
Character
A secret cipher; a way of writing in code.
Character
One of the basic elements making up a text file or string: a code representing a printing character or a control character.
Character
A person or individual, especially one who is unknown.
We saw a shady character slinking out of the office with some papers.
That old guy is a real character.
Character
A complex number representing an element of a finite Abelian group.
Character
(countable) Quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty.
In the miserable character of a slave
In his character as a magistrate
Character
The estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation.
A man's character for truth and veracity
Her actions give her a bad character.
Character
A reference given to a servant, attesting to their behaviour, competence, etc.
Character
Personal appearance.
Character
(obsolete) To write (using characters); to describe.
Character
A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol.
It were much to be wished that there were throughout the world but one sort of character for each letter to express it to the eye.
Character
Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the peculiar form of letters used by a particular person or people; as, an inscription in the Runic character.
You know the character to be your brother's?
Character
The peculiar quality, or the sum of qualities, by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others; the stamp impressed by nature, education, or habit; that which a person or thing really is; nature; disposition.
The character or that dominion.
Know well each Ancient's proper character;His fable, subject, scope in every page;Religion, Country, genius of his Age.
A man of . . . thoroughly subservient character.
Character
Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; as, he has a great deal of character.
Character
Moral quality; the principles and motives that control the life; as, a man of character; his character saves him from suspicion.
Character
Quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty; as, in the miserable character of a slave; in his character as a magistrate; her character as a daughter.
Character
The estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation; as, a man's character for truth and veracity; to give one a bad character.
This subterraneous passage is much mended since Seneca gave so bad a character of it.
Character
A written statement as to behavior, competency, etc., given to a servant.
Character
A unique or extraordinary individuality; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits; a person who illustrates certain phases of character; as, Randolph was a character; Cæsar is a great historical character.
Character
One of the persons of a drama or novel.
Character
To engrave; to inscribe.
These trees shall be my books.And in their barks my thoughts I 'll character.
Character
To distinguish by particular marks or traits; to describe; to characterize.
Character
An imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story);
She is the main character in the novel
Character
A characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something;
Each town has a quality all its own
The radical character of our demands
Character
The inherent complex of attributes that determine a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions;
Education has for its object the formation of character
Character
An actor's portrayal of someone in a play;
She played the part of Desdemona
Character
A person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities);
A real character
A strange character
A friendly eccentric
The capable type
A mental case
Character
Good repute;
He is a man of character
Character
A formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability;
Requests for character references are all to often answered evasively
Character
A written symbol that is used to represent speech;
The Greek alphabet has 24 characters
Character
Engrave or inscribe characters on
Common Curiosities
What is personality?
Personality is the array of emotional, attitudinal, and behavioral response patterns of an individual.
What defines character?
Character is defined by an individual's set of moral values and ethical standards.
Do personality and character influence each other?
Yes, they can influence each other, as personal values may affect behaviors, and experiences can refine moral values.
How does personality affect relationships?
Personality affects the initiation and surface level of relationships through social interactions and first impressions.
How is personality assessed?
Personality is often assessed through observations, tests, and questionnaires measuring traits and behaviors.
What role does character play in relationships?
Character plays a crucial role in the depth, trustworthiness, and longevity of relationships.
Can personality change over time?
Yes, personality can evolve with new experiences, environments, and stages of life.
What is the difference between being extroverted and having integrity?
Being extroverted is a personality trait indicating sociability, while integrity is a character trait involving honesty and moral uprightness.
Why is character important?
Character is important as it underlies ethical actions, integrity, and the ability to maintain principled stands.
Can external events alter a person's character?
External events can challenge and strengthen a person's character, but core values typically remain consistent.
Is character constant?
Character is generally stable, reflecting deep-rooted values, though it can be refined through personal growth.
Can someone have a good personality but poor character?
Yes, it's possible for someone to be charming or agreeable (personality) but lack ethical principles (character).
What reflects a person’s character?
A person's actions and decisions, especially in challenging situations, reflect their character.
How are personality and character related to leadership?
Effective leadership often requires a compelling personality to inspire and a strong character to earn trust and respect.
How do cultures affect personality and character?
Cultures can shape personality through social norms and expectations, and influence character by setting moral values.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
