As individuals, we all have something within us that sets us apart and makes us unique, our personality. Perhaps you have met someone who is not easy to get along with, and someone tells you, “Don't take it personally; they are born with a bad personality. While some believe that personality depends entirely on your parents, your friends, and simply how you were born, people overlook the science behind personality traits. Personality is defined as an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting. It is through personality that we are able to explore our deepest being and determine why we act and react to things the way we do, and what drives us to make the decisions we choose. Sigmund Freud is one of the world's most popular and credited scientists. history of psychology. When Freud was researching how to treat his patients, he discovered that some patients had no physical problems. Freud began to explore the possibility that these patients were suffering from a mental rather than a physical disorder and this led to his discovery of the unconscious. Freud determined that the unconscious was a pool of mostly unacceptable thoughts, feelings, memories, and wishes. Other psychologists believe that unconsciousness is simply information that we process and are not aware of. Part of exploring the unconscious involved analyzing patients' dreams. Patients were able to relay the deepest parts of their minds through free association. Free association is when a person completely relaxes and reacts as they wish without feeling shame or embarrassment. It was through free association and freedom of expression that Freud was able to determine a patient's personality. By...... middle of article......Freud's theories are no longer entirely valid and many are debated, many of his ideas remain in contemporary psychology. Research continues to attempt to advance the development of psychological personality and its theories. While Freud took a psychoanalytic perspective, psychologists Abraham Maslow and Carl Rodgers saw a humanistic perspective on personality. Maslow believed that the reason for personality was that human intentions formed a hierarchy of needs. This meant that when basic needs were met, people would strive to achieve a state of peace and tranquility, knowing that their basic needs were being met. Rodgers thought the same thing as Maslow. He believed that people were fundamentally good. He believed that providing a positive and open environment for another person led to unconditional positive regard, which is an attitude of total acceptance towards a person..