Concept of Individual Difference

 

                Dissimilarity is principle of nature. No two persons are alike. All the individuals differ from each other in many a respect. Children born of the same parents and even the twins are not alike. This differential psychology is linked with the study of individual differences. Wundt, Cattel, Kraepelin, Jastrow and Ebbing Haus are the exponents of differential psychology.

                This change is seen in physical forms like in height, weight, colour, complexion strength etc., difference in intelligence, achievement, interest, attitude, aptitude, learning habits, motor abilities, skill. Each man has an intellectual capacity through which he gains experience and learning.

                Every person has the emotions of love, anger, fear and feelings of pleasure and pain. Every man has the need of independence, success and need for acceptance. Individuals that separate them from one person to another and make one as a unique individual in oneself are termed as individual differences. Osborne considers individual differences as dissimilarity between persons that distinguish them from one another.

Areas of Individual Difference

 

Difference in Attitude

                Difference in attitude is psyche related to some specific area. Few learners have positive attitude towards a specific topic, subject, and profession than other.

 

Difference in Aptitude

               Aptitudes are present patterns of traits which indicate an individual’s future potentialities. They imply fitness, suitability, and a readiness to acquire proficiency in a given field or job. Aptitudes are probably inherited, but they cannot appear unless the environment is favourable- that is unless the opportunity is provided. Very often a great deal of training is necessary before an aptitude reveals itself in performance.

 

Differences in Interest

                Interest means you observe some students like a particular subject, teacher, hobby, or profession than other. Interest may refer as a motivating force that impels us to attend to a person, a thing, or an activity.

 

Difference in Psychomotor Skills

                Psychomotor skill is related to some skill acquisition. Some students differ in this area also. Some students easily learn operating a machine and some may not. A wise teacher should diagnose students’ psychomotor skills abilities and encourage them in proper desirable directions.

 

Difference in Values

                Values be given importance by every learner. Some learners value materialist lifestyles other moral or religious lifestyle etc. So, education must mould the mind of young generation to have a balance value between materialism and spiritualism.

 

Difference in Study Habits

                Some students markedly differ from other students in study habits. Some students are studious and study all the subjects with interest but other may not. Some study in isolation and some in group.

 

Difference in Self-Concept

               Difference in self concept is the totality of attitudes, judgement, and values of an individual relating to his behaviour, abilities, and qualities. Some students have positive self-concept that boost their confidence level and perform better against those who have negative self-concept.

 

Educational Implications of the Psychology of Individual Difference

 

                The notion that individuals differ in various abilities, capacities and personality characteristics necessitates the adoption of individual tendencies in education. It compels the teachers to realise following facts:

·     Aims of education, curriculum, method of teaching should be linked with individual differences considering the different abilities and traits of individuals.

 

·     All students cannot be benefitted by one method of instruction and a uniform and rigid curriculum the teacher must adopt different types of methods of teaching considering individual difference related to interest, need etc.

 

·     Some co-curricular activities such as drama, music, literary activities (essay and debate competitions) should be assigned to children according to their interest.

·     Every teacher should try to have the desired knowledge of the abilities, capacities, interests, attitudes, aptitudes, and other personality traits of his pupils and in the light of this knowledge should render individual guidance to children for maximum utilisation of their potentialities.

 

·     Teacher uses certain specific teaching aids which will attract the children towards teaching considering their interest and need.

 

·     Various methods such as playing method, project method, Montessori method, storytelling methods are to be used considering/discovering how different children respond to a task or a problem.

 

·     Curriculum should be designed as per the interest, abilities and needs of different students.

 

·     In any group there are individuals, who deviate from the norms of the group. Along with the average, the presence of very superior and extremely dull is equally possible in his class.

 

·     The division of peoples into classes should not be based only on the mental age or chronological age of children but the physical, social, and emotional maturity should be given due consideration.

 

·     In case of vocational guidance, the counsellor is to plan the guidance technique keeping in view the needs and requirements of the students.

 

·     It is wrong to expect uniformity in gaining proficiency or success in a particular field from a group of students. On account of their subnormal intelligence, previous background, lack of proper interest, aptitude and attitude some students have to lag behind in  some or other area of achievement.