Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
In psychology, individuals refer to single human beings considered as distinct entities with their own unique characteristics. Each individual has their own thoughts, emotions, experiences, and behaviors.
Individual differences refer to variations or distinctions between individuals in terms of their characteristics such as abilities, attitudes, temperament, or behavior.
Self-concept is an individual's perception or understanding of themselves including beliefs about their personal attributes such as skills, values, roles they play in society.
Nature vs Nurture: Nature vs nurture is a long-standing debate in psychology regarding whether an individual's characteristics are primarily influenced by genetic factors (nature) or environmental factors (nurture).