Individual Difference

Individual Differences:
Meaning and Causes

Definitions of Individual Differences
• 1. Drever James:
“Variations or deviations from the average of

the group, with respect to the mental or
physical characters, occurring in the
individual member of the group are
individual differences.”
Definitions of Individual Differences
• 3. Skinner, C.E.:
“Today we think of individual differences as

including any measurable aspect of the total
personality.”
• “Individual differences are found in all
psychological characteristics physical
mental abilities, knowledge, habit,
personality and character traits.”
Woodworth, R.S.
and Marquis,
D.G
Meaning of Individual Differences
Types of Individual Differences:
• 1. Physical differences:
Shortness or tallness of stature, darkness or fairness of
complexion, fatness, thinness, or weakness are various
physical individual differences.
2. Differences in intelligence:
There are differences in intelligence level among different
individuals. We can classify the individuals from super-
normal (above 120 I.Q.) to idiots (from 0 to 50 I.Q.) on the
basis of their intelligence level.
• 3. Differences in attitudes:
Individuals differ in their attitudes towards different people, objects,
institutions and authority.
4. Differences in achievement:
It has been found through achievement tests that individuals differ in their
achievement abilities. These differences are very much visible in reading,
writing and in learning mathematics.
• 5. Differences in motor ability:
There are differences in motor ability. These differences are

visible at different ages. Some people can perform
mechanical tasks easily, while others, even though they are
at the same level, feel much difficulty in performing these
tasks.
• 6. Differences on account of sex:
McNemar and Terman discovered the following differences between men

and women, on the basis of some studies:
(i)Women have greater skill in memory while men have greater
motor ability.
(ii) Handwriting of women is superior while men excel in
mathematics and logic.
(iii)Women show greater skill in making sensory distinctions of
taste, touch and smell etc., while men show greater reaction and
conscious of size- weight illusion.
(iv)Women are superior to men in languages, while men are superior
in physics and chemistry.
(v) Women are better than men in mirror drawing. Faults of speech etc.
in men were found to be three times of such faults in women.
(vi)Women are more susceptible to suggestion while there are three
times as many colour blind men as there are women.
• 7. Racial differences:
There are different kinds of racial differences. Differences of
environment is a normal factor in causing these differences.
Karl Brigham has composed a list on the basis of differences
in levels of intelligence among people who have migrated to
United States from other countries.
On the basis of these average differences between the races,
the mental age of a particular individual cannot be calculated
since this difference is based on environment.
• 9. Differences due to economic status:
Differences in children’s interests, tendencies and
character are caused by economic differences.
10. Differences in interests:
Factors such as sex, family background level of
development, differences of race and nationality
etc., cause differences in interests.
• Emotional differences:
Individuals differ in their emotional reactions to a particular

situation. Some are irritable and aggressive and they get
angry very soon. There are others who are of peaceful nature
and do not get angry easily. At a particular thing an
individual may be so much enraged that he may be prepared
for the worst crime like murder, while another person may
only laugh at it.
• 12. Personality differences:
There are differences in respect of personality. On the basis
of differences in personality, individuals have been classified
into many groups.
Spranger, for example, has classified personalities into six
types:
(a) Theoretical,
(b) Economic
(c) Aesthetic,
(d) Social,
(e) Political, and
(f) Religious.
Jung classified people into three groups:
(a) Introverts,
(b) Extroverts, and
(c) Ambiverts.
• Differences due to nationality:
Individuals of different nations differ in respect of
physical and mental differences, interests and
personality etc. ‘Russians are tall and stout’;
‘Ceylonese are short and slim’; ‘Germans have no
sense of humour’; ‘Yellow races are cruel and
revengeful’; ‘Americans are hearty and
frank’; Indians are timid and peace-loving’ and the
like observations enter into our common talk.
Causes of Individual Differences:
• Heredity:
• Some heretical traits bring a change from one
individual to other. An individual’s height, size,
shape and color of hair, shape of face, nose, hands
and legs so to say the entire structure of the body is
determined by his heretical qualities. Intellectual
differences are also to a great extent influenced by
hereditary factor.
• Environment:
• Environment brings individual differences in
behaviour, activities, attitude, and style of life
characteristics. Personality etc. Environment does
not refer only physical surroundings but also it
refers the different types of people, society, their
culture, customs, traditions, social heritage, ideas
and ideals.
• Race and Nationality:
• Race and Nationality is one cause of
individual difference. Indians are very peace
loving, Chinese are cruel; Americans are
very frank due to race and nationality.
• Sex:
• Due to sex variation one individual differs from
other. Men are strong in mental power. On the
other hand women on the average show small
superiority over men in memory, language and
aesthetic sense. Women excel the men in
shouldering social responsibilities and have a
better control over their emotions.
• Age:
• Age is another factor which is responsible in
bringing individual differences. Learning ability and
adjustment capacity naturally grow with age. When
one grows in age can acquire better control over our
emotions and better social responsibilities. When a
child grows then this maturity and development goes
side by side.
• Education:
• Education is one major factor which brings
individual differences. There is a wide gap in
the behaviors of educated and uneducated
persons. All traits of human beings like
social, emotional and intellectual are
controlled and modifies through proper
education.
Role of Individual Differences in Education
• 1. Limited size of the class:
Generally there are 50 or more than 50 students in a class.
In such a large class, it is not possible for the teacher to
pay individual attention to the students. The size of the
class should be small. It should be divided into various
units so that after class-room work their various difficulties
may be found out.
2. Proper division of the class:
Now there are separate classes for the students, who have
different intelligence. While bringing about this
classification, the teacher should keep in mind the
difference in age, interests, emotional and social qualities.
• 3. Home task:
The teacher should assign home task to the students while keeping in
view the individual differences.
4. Factor of sex:
Boys and girls are to play different roles in society. Hence the factor
of sex should be kept in mind.
5. Curriculum:
The curriculum should be modified to suit the needs of all types of

children. A large number of subjects should be included in the curriculum
so that education can be provided to each child according to his interests,
needs and abilities. Curriculum should not be rigid but it should be
flexible.
• 6. Methods of Teaching:
Methods of teaching should be chosen on the basis of individual

differences. It is not advisable to use the same method of education in the
case of all children-gifted or backward.
7. Educational Guidance:
Teacher should impart educational guidance to the students while

keeping in view their individual differences. He can assist them in the
selection of educational career, selection of subjects, selection of books,
selection of hobbies and co-curricular activities and in many other areas
connected with education.
8. Vocational Guidance:
While keeping in view the individual differences the teacher can

guide the students in the vocation that they should adopt.

Individual Difference

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Individual Differences:

Meaning and Causes

“Variations or deviations from the average of

“Today we think of individual differences as

There are differences in motor ability. These differences are

McNemar and Terman discovered the following differences between men

Individuals differ in their emotional reactions to a particular

The curriculum should be modified to suit the needs of all types of

Methods of teaching should be chosen on the basis of individual

Teacher should impart educational guidance to the students while

While keeping in view the individual differences the teacher can

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