This article is more of an introduction to what personality and psychology are, and how to conduct research regarding those two things. Boerce talks about how personality is something that is very hard to conduct experiments on because everyone is so different. He questions whether or not it is possible to measure someone's personality traits, such as shyness, by a test on paper. Boerce also talks about the many different ways research can be conducted to measure these traits, but admits that each has its own flaw. When it really comes down to it, personality is measured relative to other people's personalities. There are always extremes of a certain type of trait, and so in order to measure it, you must have a wide range of subjects to test on.
Because personality is difficult to conduct experiments on, many talk about personality theories rather than "facts." Boerce also makes sure to differentiate between what people normally define personality to be, which is usually the likes and dislikes a person has, and what personality really is, which is "the broader issue of 'what it is to be a person.'" This is precisely the answer I need in order to discuss more about Dollhouse in my essay. Though there are many many definitions of "what it is to be a person," I do believe that there are a special few that are important to cover. One, what your life experiences are, such as where you grow up, who you are influenced by such as your parents and people you encounter, and what kind of setting you are in when you grow up. Two, your cultural background, which can influence your way of thinking. Three, your genes.
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/personalityintroduction.html
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