There are so many ways of describing who we are. The first studies of people were recorded in religious writings. Who people are, who they should be and how to behave was often considered by priests, bishops, rabbis, the clergy.

It is also written about in books on philosophy. Socrates, Dewey, Kant, James, Buber, Maslow, ...... each posited ideas about human nature and human beings.

More recently, the study of human nature has become scientific, and sociology, anthropology and psychology have evolved theories to understand who we are and why we act as we do. This is a table showing some of the major psychological theorists and the factors they studied. Of course there are many ways to distribute the actions and motives people exhibit. This is just one of many. It helps to see the collection of ideas and recognize the ways we have studied ourselves.

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