The 5 main differences between people

Although the human species is a group of individuals very different from the rest of animal forms, it is also possible to find variations in practically all of their traits. In fact, two people being identical is the exception, not the rule, and they are never so in a pure way; even between monozygotic twins, small mutations and variations in gene expression and behavioral learning make them distinguishable.

Next we will see a classification of the types of differences between people, delving especially into those that are of a psychological nature (that is, behavioral).

• Related article: "Differential Psychology: history, objectives and methods"

Main differences between people

Since about the 19th century, the scientific community has had a strong interest in objectively measuring differences between people, in every sense. Francis Galton, for example, in addition to being one of the main contributors to the birth of psychology in Europe, he dedicated himself to measuring traits of people and to predict the possibility that their offspring would share them (something that fitted with his defense of eugenics, for TRUE).

Although the number of differences between people can be infinite, since there are an unlimited number of personal characteristics that can be isolated from each other, then we will see the main categories in which that are presented

physical differences

Physical differences can be recognized relatively easily by objective measurements, since they are found in the shape and size of the different organs of the body, or in biomarkers that can be recognized by analysis of microscopic components and that provide information about the functioning of the organism.

These differences can be divided into two types: those that indicate the degree of health of the person, and those that do not. Among the first we find those that refer to the structure of vital organs, for example, while height or eye color are part of the second category.

psychological differences

Psychological differences tell us about differentiated behavior patterns between groups or individuals. In turn, these differences between people can be classified into several main subtypes.

personality differences

This is possibly the most popular type of difference when it comes to psychology. Keep in mind, however, that there is no single way to conceptualize the differences. between people in what refers to their personality, since there are various theories and models that propose different ways of categorizing these differences in personality dimensions and that, in addition, they have associated different tests to measure these behavioral properties.

Thus, there is the model of the Five Great Personality Traits, another based on the test of the 16 personality factors, etc. All of them try to have internal coherence and be predictive, but what one calls in one way, the other calls it in another and relates it to other concepts.

• Related article: "The 4 types of personality test"

intelligence differences

Intelligence is one of the most important concepts of Differential Psychology, which is the branch of this science that investigates what individuals and groups differ from.

Specifically, intelligence is defined as the set of cognitive abilities that are directly involved in the resolution of problems in real time, regardless of our habits and the contents we have memorized before. So in theory all people can be placed on a distribution of intelligence scores from another construct called Intellectual Quotient, obtained through intelligence tests.

However, some researchers have proposed that there are several intelligences, and not just one. The most famous case is that of howard gardner, which through his Theory of multiple intelligences He presented the idea that each person could be good in one or several intelligences and bad in others. However, another author who presented a similar idea was Robert J. Sternberg, who presented his triarchic theory of intelligence: creative intelligence, practical intelligence and analytical intelligence.

Other researchers have also distinguished between conventional intelligence and emotional intelligence, which has to do with our ability to understand our own feelings and emotions and those of others, and to regulate those that appear in our minds.

differences in sexuality

Sexuality is also an area in which differences between people are expressed. In fact, the existence of homosexual, heterosexual and bisexual people is not the only respect in which we differ in relation to this aspect. There are also differences between people in regards to the level of sexual desire. Thus, while there are individuals who tend towards what has historically been called nymphomania, there are also those who are asexual, and between these two poles there is a great variety of nuances and positions differentiated from each other.

Differences by gender identity

Gender identity is a psychological dimension that, despite being sometimes confused with sexual inclinations, forms part of a differentiated category. Feeling like a man, a woman, or neither of these two categories often goes hand in hand with many other behavioral variations.