There is no comprehensive understanding of the idea of personality in Soviet and Russian pedagogics. Past discussions about personality have focused on personality orientation as determined by the prevailing motives that explain the behavior and conduct of man. In soviet psychology, the nature of man is considered to be his relations to other men, to his surrounding ecological and social spheres, to his occupation, and to himself. In pedagogics, personality has a rather wide dimension. Considering the varied interpretations, it is clear that the idea of personality has many aspects, each of which needs investigation. Early Russian reference sources did not even contain the word "personality" as a separate entry, despite the fact that Russian philosophers paid a great deal of attention to human problems. As time passed, various definitions of personality emerged. The nature of personality cannot be understood outside its relations to society, however. In a sense, personality is a reflection of the historical conditions of a person's life. Yet historical context cannot account for all the specific behaviors, motives and values that make up an individual's personality. The personality is a hierarchy of relationships, those representing the major needs and interests being at the top. They form the nucleus, which influences all other relationships of an individual, their stability and other qualities. (Contains 156 references.) (KW)