WHAT IS CHARACTER FORMATION?

Character formation as defined by Donald (2006), is the process by which the

individual, through interaction of biologically transmitted predispositions with the
environment, develops stable pattern of functioning, thinking and feeling. It is
also known as, Character Building. It is that deeply internalized patterns of values
and attitudes and the consequent actions that are often established in
precognitive times of life through the natural and normal educational patterns
that are appropriate for young children. Nursing, weaning, toilet training, birth of
siblings and the early relationship to the parents (especially to the mother) are
some of the examples of character formation. Character traits are usually formed
through the identification with parents and other important adults in the child's
environment.

Everyone is partly responsible for one's character. Aristotle noted that character
develops over time as one acquires habits from parents and the environment
either through reward and punishment. Developing a good character is much
learning to play a musical instrument. Initially, an individual may be under some
pressure to practice, but eventually, enjoys playing with skill and understanding
(Hartman, 2013).

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR CHARACTER FORMATION

1. Parental Influence

Parental influence is the most important of all the factors responsible for
personality development. The way parents behave with the child, how much he is
allowed to socialize, the kind of culture he is subjected to by them, and the
emotional make-up of his parents, all these have a great bearing on the child's
mental growth. In early stage of their human existence, children adapt their
parent's mannerisms. Thus, parents should be careful in their ways for they
establish a great influence to their children's character.
2. Home Environment

Home as cradle of human character and personality largely contribute to the

character formation of a child. It is said that the parents are the first educators of
the children. It is their parental guidance and discipline that creates the kind of
character, personality and attitude the child has.

Parents should make sure that the child incorporates the positive emotions in his
personality and stays away from the negative ones. A child needs both his
parents, to develop his personality. An absentee father can be a negative
influence on the child. To make a child a confident, positive person, parents
should avoid being too authoritative, trying to discipline excessively, criticizing the
child, discouraging him, comparing him with others, and being partial.

3. School Environment

To perfect the total development of a child's character and attitude, besides the
home environment, a child's school environment too plays a major role in shaping
a child's personality. Once a child starts going to school, he learns how to interact
and deal with his peers. He comes to know how to engage in "playing" according
to the rules and regulations. He gets educated, learns how to read, write and
communicate effectively. A child's personality is greatly influenced by the way he
is treated at school, both by his teachers as well as his peers. The school reinforce
the education that the child needs that home fails to provide.

4. Culture
Everyone has different character and values because of the different cultures
where everyone is exposed. Sociologists found out that different cultures have
different values and a child grows up with them, sub-consciously absorbing the
same. Influence of culture in personality and social development cannot be
ignored. Those who were born and grown up in western countries are influenced
to be individualistic and competitive, while those children brought up in Asian,
African and South American countries are taught to be cooperative.

Infancy, toddler-hood, preschool and school age are the various phases that a
child passes through and each of these stages has its own share of problems and
challenges, which a child has to overcome, with his parent's assistance, to turn
out to be a well-developed personality.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE FILIPINO CHARACTER FORMATION by: Sen. Leticia

Ramos Shahani
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE FILIPINO CHARACTER FORMATION
1. Home environment

2. Social environment

3. Culture and language

4. History

5. Educational system

6. Religion

7. Economic environment

8. Political environment

9. Mass media

10. Leadership and role model

DETERMINING CHARACTER OR PERSONALITY TYPES

Five (5) Factors that Determine Character or Personality Traits.

1. Openness: appreciation for a variety of experiences.

2. Conscientiousness: planning ahead rather than being spontaneous.
3. Extraversion: being sociable, energetic and talkative.
4. Agreeableness: being kind, sympathetic and happy to help.
5. Neuroticism: inclined to worry or be vulnerable or temperamental.
GENERAL TYPES OF CHARACTERS

1. Positive Character / Good Character / Positive Trait - These are attributes such
as integrity, honesty, courage, loyalty, fortitude, and other important virtues that
promote good behaviour and habits. Further, it is said that:
a. Being honest and taking responsibility for your actions are admirable qualities.
b. Adaptability and compatibility are great traits that can help you get along with
others.
c. Drive and determination will help you keep going no matter what.

d. Compassion and understanding mean you relate well to others.

e. Patience is a virtue and also a good personality trait.

f. Courage will help you do what's right in tough situations.

g. Loyalty is a good quality to possess, making others trust you.

2. Negative Character / Negative Character / Negative Trait - A person's

predisposition to commit evil acts.

a. A propensity for lying, in order to avoid responsibility for our actions, is a

deplorable quality.

b. Being rigid and selfish, unyielding to the needs of others are not endearing
qualities.

c. Being full of laziness and excuses is sure to drive others away, too.

d. A hot temper and an inability to empathize with others will also alienate us
from others.

e. Being quick to anger will turn people away.

f. Being disloyal, quick to talk about others behind their backs or, worse, stab
them in the back for personal gain also falls high on the scale of negative
personality traits.
3. Neutral Character / Neutral Trait

used to describe a person who doesn't pick sides in disputes; neutral also pegs
anything that refuses to be bold. Commonly

a. Judges, for example, must remain totally neutral when hearing a case.

b. Manners mavens say that it's best to remain neutral when topics like politics
and religion come up during a party.
c. Boxers can look to the neutral corners in the ring to escape a punch.

TYPES OF CHARACTERS

1. Self-realized Character. A person with this type of character is ever enthusiastic

for he knows his potentialities and limitations. This sort of a character is an asset
not only to the family but also the society in which person lives.

2. Covetous Character. This refers to a jealous or acquisitive character. It is held

that, persons with greed will endeavour to go all out in collecting worldly
possessions and fulfilling his personal petty ambitions by adopting any means
open to him even crossing all the limits of moral and ethical limits.

In effect the person will become most arrogant, repulsive, slanderer and fully
bereft of any moral feelings for the humans. He is the burden not only on the
family but also the society in which he lives.

3. Superstitious Character. In a way all are superstitious but when we're over
superstitious then problem starts. It is not merely bad for the individual
concerned but also for those who come in contact with this unpredictable person,
who may change his tag any moment thus leaving everybody around in the lurch.
Too much reliance on superstitions also robs us of scientific temper and forward
looking approach in our life. But we should not compare superstitious and
traditionalists.

4. Egoistic/Overbearing / Bossy / Tall-Talker. The person who thinks that world

runs due to him and everything and everybody should respect him as such. His
overbearing and bossy disposition puts him in the category of hard-to-please
(fastidious). This person learns his lesson after sometimes. This fellow with I-
DAMN-CARE-ATTITUDE' hardly cares for others. This sort of egocentric character
is the bane of any society, irrespective of their status in the society.

5. Anti-social Character. A person who neither cares for the norms set by the
society nor cares for the moral or ethical values is an anti-social character. This
character is both a sinner and a criminal. He could also be termed as an offensive
character. This like character resorts to offense besides being abusive on even a
pettiest pretext. This anti-social behaviour cuts him off from the community in
which he is living and has to fend for himself ultimately for his acts of omissions
and commissions.

6. Insincere Character. When a person does something good for us, we express
our sincere thanks and go extra mile in being sincere to that person in whatever
way it is possible for us. Contrarily, a person who thinks others is there for serving
him and is without any warmth in the feeling for others. This like person is not
only a insincere to his own family, society and even to the Creator who had
created him!

7. Complacent Character. We all should have confidence on ourselves. It is good

for day to day functioning of our society. But when we cross the threshold of
confidence and step into the realm of complacency then problem starts. A person
who imbibes this trait finally faces ignoble defeat for being so and learns a lesson.

THE SIX (6) PILLARS OF GOOD CHARACTER

(Source: Josephson Institute -charactercounts.org)

1. TRUSTWORTHINESS

This is the pillar of good character that is considered the most complicated of the
six core ethical values and concerns a variety of qualities like honesty, integrity,
reliability and loyalty.

When a person is trusted he is given a greater leeway and no need to be

monitored just to assure Te that they meet their obligations. When they are
trusted, we develop in them higher esteem which may be satisfying to them. They
must constantly live up to the expectations of others and refrain from even small
lies or self-serving behaviour that can quickly destroy relationship.

a. Honesty

There is no more fundamental ethical value than honesty. Honesty is associated

with honor. Thus, a person of honesty is a person of honor and he is admired and
trusted because of his being straightforward.

A person of good character must be a person of honesty in both communications

and conduct.. Honesty in communications is expressing the truth as best we know
it and not conveying it in a way likely to mislead or deceive.

Character education and SEL curriculum resources, activities, lessons, and more! -
Character Counts

THREE DIMENSIONS OF HONESTY

1. Truthfulness. Presenting the facts to the best of our knowledge. Take note that,
intent is the crucial distinction between truthfulness and truth itself. Being wrong
is not the same thing as lying, although honest mistakes can still damage trust
insofar as they may show sloppy judgment.

2. Sincerity. One must observe genuineness, being without trickery or duplicity for
it precludes all acts, including half-truths, out-of-context statements, and even
silence, that are intended to create beliefs or leave impressions that are untrue or
misleading.

3. Candor. In relationships involving legitimate expectations of trust, honesty may

also require candour, forthrightness and frankness, lib imposing the obligation to
volunteer information hook that another person needs to know.

4. Integrity. Persons of integrity are those who acts according to his beliefs, not
according to expediency. He is also consistent. There is no difference in the way
he makes decisions from situation to situation; his principles don't vary at work or
at home, in public or alone.
The person of integrity takes time for self-reflection, so that the events, crises and
seeming necessities of the day do not determine the course of his moral life. He
stays in control. He may be courteous, even charming, but he is never duplicitous
or unfaithful. He never demeans himself with obsequious behaviour toward those
he thinks might do him some good. He is trusted because you know who he is:
What You See Is What You Get. People without integrity are called "hypocrites" or
"two-faced."
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5. Reliability (Promise-Keeping).

Reliable persons are those who keep their promises for he believe that doing so
create legitimate basis for another person to rely on him, and that he undertake
special moral duties. They accept the responsibility of making all reasonable
efforts to fulfil their commitments. Because promise-keeping is such an important
aspect of trustworthiness.

CONSIDERATIONS TO MAINTAIN RELIABILITY

1. Avoid Bad-Faith Excuses

Interpret your promises fairly and honestly. Don't try to rationalize non-
compliance.

2. Avoid Unwise Commitments

Before making a promise consider carefully whether you are willing and likely to
keep it. Think about unknown or future events that could make it difficult,
undesirable or impossible. Sometimes, all we can promise is to do our best.

3. Avoid Unclear Commitments

Be sure that when you make a promise, the other person understands what you
are committing to do.

b. Loyalty
To be trusted one must be loyal to his or husband or wife, friends, employer,
employee, organization, citizen, and country.

Our relationships with other people creates an expectation of allegiance, fidelity

and devotion. Hence, loyalty is a responsibility that each one should develop and
maintain to promote the interests of certain people, organizations or affiliations.
This duty goes
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beyond the normal obligation we all share to

care for others.

However, one should not sacrifice ethical principles when giving allegiance,
fidelity and devotion to the other people to preserve his or her integrity. He
should prefer not to be loyal than lose his credibility, integrity, and dignity. We
are only demanded to go with what is right and legal. We should rather choose to
lose our relationship with others than our legitimacy.

So many individuals and groups make loyalty claims on us that we must rank our
loyalty obligations in some rational fashion. For example, it's perfectly reasonable,
and ethical, to look out for the interests of our children, parents and spouses even
if we have to subordinate our obligations to other children, neighbours or co-
workers in doing so. To be loyal we must develop the ability of safeguarding
confidential information. However, when keeping a secret breaks the law,
threatens or jeopardize others, it is more important to "blow the whistle."
Employees and public servants have a duty to make all professional decisions on
merit, unimpeded by conflicting personal interests. They owe ultimate loyalty to
the public.

2. RESPECT

The Golden Rule in Human Relation, "Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you," perfectly illustrates "respect." When respect is observed we would
prevent and pre-empt violence, humiliation, manipulation and exploitation. It
reflects notions such as civility, courtesy, decency, dignity, autonomy, tolerance
and acceptance.
Everyone has a right to be treated with dignity. We certainly have no ethical duty
to hold
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all people in high esteern, but we should treat everyone with respect, regardless
of who they are and what they have done. We have a responsibility to be the best
we can be in all situations, even when dealing with unpleasant people.

QUALITIES OF A RESPECTFUL PERSON

1. Ability to Listen When somebody is talking he is attentively listening.

2. Treats Others With

Consideration - Respectful person doesn't resort to intimidation, coercion or

violence except in extraordinary and limited situations to defend others, teach
discipline, maintain order or achieve social justice. They allow all individuals,
including maturing children. to have a say in the decisions that affect them.

3. Capable of Accepting Individual differences and Beliefs - Respectful individuals

without prejudice openly accepts principles and ideologies of others. They judge
others only on their negative character, abilities and conduct.

3. RESPONSIBILITY

It is understood that life is full of choices and everyone has its own judgement and
decisions to take in life. However, we are expected to be responsible for our
actions and behaviours as rational being. Being responsible means to take charge
and be accountable of the consequences of what we think and do. Our capacity to
reason and our freedom to choose make us morally autonomous and, therefore,
answerable for whether we honor or degrade the ethical principles that give life
meaning and purpose. Thus, an individual must be responsible and accountable,
pursue excellence and exercise self-restraint. They exhibit the ability to respond
to expectations.
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QUALITIES OF A RESPONSIBLE PERSON a. Sense of Accountability
An accountable person leads by example and doesn't shift blame or claim credit
for the work of others. He considers the likely consequences of his behaviour and
associations. He recognizes the common complicity in the triumph of evil when
nothing is done to stop it.

b. Pursuit of Excellence

Responsible person shows diligence what he is doing, careful in his actions,

prepared and informed. They finish what they started, overcoming rather than
surrendering to obstacles. They avoid excuses such as, "That's just the way I am,"
or "It's not my job," or "It was legal," and always look for ways to do their work
better.

c. Self-Restraint

Responsible people exercise self-control, restraining passions and appetites (such

as lust, hatred, gluttony, greed and fear) for the sake of longer-term vision and
better judgment. They delay gratification if necessary and never feel it's necessary
to "win at any cost." They realize they are as they choose to be, every day.

4. FAIRNESS

This pillar of good character involves issues of equality, impartiality,

proportionality, openness and due process. It is unfair to handle similar matters
inconsistently, and to impose punishment that is not commensurate with the
offense.

The basic concept seems simple, even intuitive, yet applying it in daily life can be
surprisingly difficult. Fairness is another tricky concept, probably more subject to
legitimate
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debate and interpretation than any other ethical value. Disagreeing parties tend
to maintain that there is only one fair position (their own, naturally). But
essentially fairness implies adherence to a balanced standard of justice without
relevance to one's own feelings or inclinations.
Unfair person do not scrupulously employ open and impartial processes for
gathering and evaluating information necessary to make decisions. In contrast,
fair people do not wait for the truth to come to them; they seek out relevant
information and conflicting perspectives before making important judgments.
They make decisions objectively without favouritism or prejudice. They don't take
advantage of the weakness or ignorance of others.

5. CARING

Caring is the heart of ethics, and ethical decision-making. It is scarcely possible to

be truly ethical and yet unconcerned with the welfare of others. That is because
ethics is ultimately about good relations with other people.

It is easier to love "humanity" than to love people. People who consider

themselves ethical and yet lack a caring attitude toward individuals tend to treat
others as instruments of their will. They rarely feel an obligation to be honest,
loyal, fair or respectful except insofar as it is prudent for them to do so, a
disposition which itself hints at duplicity and a lack of integrity. A person who
really cares feels an emotional response to both the pain and pleasure of others.

The highest form of caring is the honest expression of benevolence, or altruism.

This is not to be confused with strategic charity. Gifts to charities to advance
personal interests are a fraud. That is, they aren't gifts at all. They're investments
or tax write-offs.

6. CITIZENSHIP

This pillar of good character includes civic virtues and duties that prescribe how
we ought to behave as part of a community. The good citizen knows the laws and
obeys them. He volunteers and stays informed on the issues of the day, the better
to execute his duties and privileges as a member of a self-governing democratic
society.