Self is an organized cognitive structure. It can be understood in terms of subject and object or I and Me. It refers to the totality of one's conscious thoughts, and feelings which pertain to one's own self.

Indian Concept of Self

• Self is characterized by the shifting nature of the boundaries.

• The Indian view does not make rigid dichotomies.

• It is based on collectivistic Indian society.

Western Concept of Self

• The boundaries between self and the group are rigid.

• It holds clear dichotomies between self and group.

• It is based on individualistic society of the West.

(i) Learning to delay or defer from gratification of needs is called self-control. It emerges from self-regulation.

(ii) Self-regulation is behavioural component of self.

(iii) It refers to an ability to organize and monitor ones own behaviour. People who can change their behaviour according to the demands of the external environment are high on self-monitoring.

(iv) Self-regulation leads to self-control.

(v) It plays a key role in fulfilment of long-term goals.

(vi) Indian culture provides us effective mechanisms like fasting (vrata or roza) and non-attachment with worldly things to develop self-control.

(vii) It is ones ability to say 'No'.

Psychological techniques to develop self-control are:

(a) Observation of Own Behaviour it provides us with necessary information that may be used to change, modify, or strengthen certain concepts of self.

(b) Self-instruction: We often instruct ourselves to do something and behave the way we want.

(c) Self-reinforcement: It involves rewarding behaviours that have pleasant outcomes (like going to see a movie with friends if we do well in exams).

— Self-control is important for the development of mature personality. This is the reason that all cultures emphasise the self-control. It helps in the fulfilment of long-term goals. Indian cultural tradition provide us with certain effective mechanisms, e.g., fasting in varta or roja and know attachment with worldly things for developing self-control.

— Self-control is also important for effective functioning of social network.

The word 'personality' is derived from the Latin word 'persona', which means a mask or false face which Greek actors used to wear when acting on stage. According to Gordon Allport 'Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychological systems that determine his unique adjustments to his environment.'

One of the major approaches to understanding personality was to develop theories on what it was. There are many broad personality theories, which can be grouped into four categories:

(i) Dynamic approaches, which emphasize on-going interaction among motives, impulses and psychological processes.

(ii) Type and train approaches, which focus on people's characteristics, stubbornness, shyness and so forth and how these characteristics are organized into systems.

(iii) Humanistic approaches, which emphasize the self and the importance of the individual's subjective view of the world.

(iv) Learning and behavioural approaches, which emphasize the way habits are acquired through basic learning process.

Trait approach psychologists explain personality on the basis of specific psychological characteristics.

Type approach psychologists believe that personality can be classified into broad categories.

Traits are relatively stable, persistent and characteristic patterns of behaviour which makes the individual different from others.

(i) These are overlapping, i.e., inclusive in nature.

(ii) Traits are specific psychological characteristics, e.g., shy or timid.

Types are cluster of similar traits.

(i) These are broad categories.

(ii) These do not overlap, i.e., exclusive in nature, e.g., extrovert or introvert.