The term interest already etymologically indicates the concepts of participation and self-involvement in a given situation. Interests correspond, in effect, to the subject’s orientation towards precise objects and the activation of feelings of involvement and attentional dependence. Then conscious interests are distinguished, that is, perceived by the subject, and unconscious interests, which are deduced by an external observer from the subject’s behavior.
With this Psychology-Online article, we propose to discover the characteristics of interested people and how to identify them.
What does it mean to be an interested person?
Interest acquires fundamental importance in the definition of an individual, particularly from a social point of view, within the framework of school and work options. Interest should be considered as the result of subjective predisposing factors and social reference situations.
The different definitions of an interested person are, literally, the following:
- Has interest in anything: “it is a device that I like, but I am not interested in purchasing”;
- Has a specific interest in a certain thing: “I am directly interested in this matter”;
- Has active participation in a company: with or without profit sharing: “he is interested in some big industries”;
- Only think about your own interest and benefit: an interested man or an interested woman.
Characteristics of interested people
How do you know if you are an interested person? We prove to be interested people when we participate with a practical and active attitude of spirit in any reality, fact, event, application. Specifically, the characteristics of the interested persons are:
- Have desire to know or achieve a specific objective.
- Have curiosity and pay attention to what you see, hear, read, etc.
- Ask for favors openly.
- They put the other person in a commitment.
- Use victimhood to get the one you want.
For example, we are interested when there is a request for a person, which causes them to participate affectionately in everything that concerns them, wishing them well and also working for them. It can give off a feeling of sympathy or even a beginning of .
How to identify interested people
Holland (1959) maintained that the inclination of interested people towards certain interests depends on their evaluation of themselves, that is, on their personal history, their socioeconomic origin, the cultural level of their parents, and their educational level. To identify an interested person, the psychologist proposed that affected individuals can be described by six types:
- Realistic: people who tend to be direct, natural, with physical-motor skills, who prefer to deal with concrete rather than abstract topics, who avoid situations in which verbal contact is essential, who like to use tools and who describe themselves as spontaneous, technical and practical.
- Investigator: those who have a strong interest in science and are anyway intrigued by research activities, who prefer to work independently, who do not love repetitive activities and have a strong sense of duty. They are described as curious, analytical and reserved.
- Artistic: Prefers unstructured situations where free self-expression is possible. He is creative, especially in the figurative and musical field, and tends to value aesthetic qualities. He considers himself anti-conformist, independent and intuitive.
- Social: loves to take responsibility for someone. He finds pleasure in working in a group rather than alone, has communication skills and has no difficulty communicating his feelings. He is perceived as friendly, generous, responsible and understanding.
- Entrepreneur: has verbal skills adapted to the conviction of others. He is oriented towards activities that involve risk, has a strong motivation to reach a position of power, or generally a well-paid one, and has a high practical sense. He is considered aggressive, friendly, popular and shows an aversion to scientific activities.
- Conventional: prefers well-organized environments. You are efficient at well-structured tasks and tend to prefer unambiguous human relationships. It identifies with the power and valorization of material possessions. He defines himself as efficient, ordinary and helpful.
Difference between an interested and interesting person
The main difference between an interested person and an interesting person is the following:
- Interested person: is involved, has or shows interest in someone or something.
- Interesting person: It can be attractive and fascinating because it arouses interest and seduces naturally without a specific reason for interest.
Too often people don’t listen because they worry too much about being interesting, rather than being truly interested in the person they are listening to. The best way to establish a fruitful relationship with a person, however, is to really take an interest in what they say and listen with the intention of really learning something about them. In this article, we tell you more about .
To do this, instead of focusing on ourselves, we have to start focusing on others when we have a conversation. Therefore, we must develop an attitude of curiosity, trying to understand what others feel, what they think and what they see in the world. When we are interested, people respond to our interestlooking for us and expressing the will to be with us as long as possible.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Laudadio, A., Mancuso, S. (2015). Manual of Positive Psychology. Milan: Franco Angeli.