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What is Personality?

What is Personality?

Personality - an individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting

Historical PerspectivesPsychoanalytic and HumanisticModern PerspectivesTrait, Social-Cognitive, Introspective, Behaviorist

Personality: Sigmund

Freud

Personality: Sigmund

FreudTo recognize the influence of Sigmund

Freud, we need to understand his ideas concerning the unconscious,

psychosexual stages, and mechanisms for defending against anxiety.

The Psychoanalytic Perspective

The Psychoanalytic Perspective

Psychoanalysis emerged from Freud’s theory which proposes that unconscious motives (fear, impulses and desires often rooted in childhood sexuality) influence personality development and are the root cause of many anxieties;

Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis A psychoanalyst therefore assists patients in

recognizing those unconscious impulses, fears, and desires that are causing those anxieties; to achieve INSIGHT (the understanding of their unconscious motives)

Psychoanalysis A psychoanalyst therefore assists patients in

recognizing those unconscious impulses, fears, and desires that are causing those anxieties; to achieve INSIGHT (the understanding of their unconscious motives)

unconscious - a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings and memories (contemporary viewpoint- the information processing of which we are unaware)

Methods of Psychoanalysis

Methods of Psychoanalysis psychoanalysis was used to explore

the unconscious to analyze and dissolve defense mechanisms, phobias, undesirable character traits, etc.

Methods of Psychoanalysis psychoanalysis was used to explore

the unconscious to analyze and dissolve defense mechanisms, phobias, undesirable character traits, etc.

“ couch-talk”

Methods of Psychoanalysis psychoanalysis was used to explore

the unconscious to analyze and dissolve defense mechanisms, phobias, undesirable character traits, etc.

“ couch-talk” free association - person relaxes and says

whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing

Methods of Psychoanalysis psychoanalysis was used to explore

the unconscious to analyze and dissolve defense mechanisms, phobias, undesirable character traits, etc.

“ couch-talk” free association - person relaxes and says

whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing

dream analysis (The Interpretation of Dreams, 1900)

Freudian Personality Structure

Freudian Personality Structure

Personality Development

Personality Development

Identification - the process by which children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos

Personality Development

Identification - the process by which children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos

Fixation - a lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, where conflicts were unresolved

Defense Mechanisms

Defense Mechanisms

Defense Mechanisms – tool to control our sexual and aggressive impulses; the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality

Defense Mechanisms

Defense Mechanisms – tool to control our sexual and aggressive impulses; the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality

Repression - the basic defense mechanism that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness

Defense Mechanisms

Defense Mechanisms – tool to control our sexual and aggressive impulses; the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality

Repression - the basic defense mechanism that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness

Regression - defense mechanism in which an individual faced with anxiety retreats to a more infantile psychosexual stage, where some psychic energy remains fixated

Defense Mechanisms

Defense Mechanisms Reaction Formation - defense mechanism by

which the ego unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites; people may express feelings that are the opposite of their anxiety-arousing unconscious feelings

Defense Mechanisms Reaction Formation - defense mechanism by

which the ego unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites; people may express feelings that are the opposite of their anxiety-arousing unconscious feelings

Defense Mechanisms Reaction Formation - defense mechanism by

which the ego unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites; people may express feelings that are the opposite of their anxiety-arousing unconscious feelings

Projection - defense mechanism by which people disguise their own threatening impulses by attributing them to others

Defense Mechanisms Reaction Formation - defense mechanism by

which the ego unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites; people may express feelings that are the opposite of their anxiety-arousing unconscious feelings

Projection - defense mechanism by which people disguise their own threatening impulses by attributing them to others

Defense Mechanisms

Rationalization - defense mechanism that offers self-justifying explanations in place of the real, more threatening, unconscious reasons for one’s actions

Displacement - defense mechanism that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person; as when redirecting anger toward a safer outlet

What is PersonalityNeo-Freudians

Psychodynamic Approach

Neo-Freudians

Neo-Freudians

Alfred Adler – highlighted the importance of childhood social tension rather than sexual tension; inferiority complex

Neo-Freudians

Alfred Adler – highlighted the importance of childhood social tension rather than sexual tension; inferiority complex

Karen Horney - sought to balance Freud’s masculine biases; counter to Freud’s “penis envy’

Neo-Freudians

Alfred Adler – highlighted the importance of childhood social tension rather than sexual tension; inferiority complex

Karen Horney - sought to balance Freud’s masculine biases; counter to Freud’s “penis envy’

Carl Jung - emphasized the collective unconscious - concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history

Assessing the Unconscious

Assessing the Unconscious

Projective Tests - are designed to uncover thoughts, emotions, and desires (unconscious impulses that may be driving current behaviors) that may not be known to the test taker (Rorschach Inkblot Test, The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), the Incomplete Sentences Blank)

Assessing Personality

Assessing Personality

Objective Tests – utilize research to determine results; the results are given in the form of statistics and probabilities (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI-2), the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and any of the major tests of intelligence)

What is Personality?

What is Personality?

Humanistic Perspective

What is Personality?

Humanistic PerspectiveAbraham Maslow

What is Personality?

Humanistic PerspectiveAbraham Maslow

Carl Rogers

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)

Self-Actualization - the ultimate psychological need that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved (see adjustments); the motivation to fulfill one’s potential

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)

Self-Actualization - the ultimate psychological need that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved (see adjustments); the motivation to fulfill one’s potential

Abraham Maslow

Abraham MaslowObstacles to Self-Actualization

Abraham MaslowObstacles to Self-Actualization

1. weakest and most easily impeded

Abraham MaslowObstacles to Self-Actualization

1. weakest and most easily impeded

2. Jonah Complex – self-doubt and fear of ability and potential

Abraham MaslowObstacles to Self-Actualization

1. weakest and most easily impeded

2. Jonah Complex – self-doubt and fear of ability and potential

3. cultural norms and environment

Abraham MaslowObstacles to Self-Actualization

1. weakest and most easily impeded

2. Jonah Complex – self-doubt and fear of ability and potential

3. cultural norms and environment 4. childhood experiences (excessive control and

autonomy)

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)- focus on growth and fulfillment of

individuals

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)- focus on growth and fulfillment of

individuals

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)- focus on growth and fulfillment of

individuals

Genuineness – being open to feelings, dropping facades, transparency and self-disclosure

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)- focus on growth and fulfillment of

individuals

Genuineness – being open to feelings, dropping facades, transparency and self-disclosure

Acceptance – unconditional positive regard (an attitude of total acceptance toward another person)

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)- focus on growth and fulfillment of

individuals

Genuineness – being open to feelings, dropping facades, transparency and self-disclosure

Acceptance – unconditional positive regard (an attitude of total acceptance toward another person)

Empathy – sharing and mirroring feelings and reflecting meaning

Perceived Self v. Ideal Self

Perceived Self v. Ideal SelfSelf-Concept - all our thoughts and

feelings about ourselves, in an answer to the question, “Who am I?”Perceived Self – who we think we are - how would you describe

yourself?Ideal Self – who we really want to be - who do you want to be?

What is Personality?

The Trait PerspectiveGordon Allport

Carl JungEysenck and EysenckThe Big Five Factors

Trait Perspective

Trait - a characteristic pattern of behavior; a disposition to feel and act, as assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports- Allport & Odbert (1936), identified 18,000 words representing traits

Factor Analysis: Eysenck & Eysenck

Hans and Sybil Eysenck use two primary personality factors as axes for describing personality variation (extraversion-introversion and emotional stability and instability)

Personality Inventoriespersonality inventories - questionnaires (often

with true-false or agree-disagree items) designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors assessing several traits at once

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - the most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests; originally developed to identify emotional disorders

- empirically derived test – a test (MMPI) developed by testing a pool of items and then selecting those that discriminate/differentiate between groups

The “ Big Five”

What is Personality?The Social-Cognitive Perspective

Albert BanduraLocus of Control

Social-Cognitive Perspective - views behavior as influenced by the interaction between persons and their social context

- behaviors learned through conditioning and/or modeling

- cognition/mental processes, what we think affects our behavior

- interaction between person and environment

Albert Bandura

Reciprocal Determinism - the interacting influences between personality and environmental factors

1. Environmental Factor (different people choose different environments)

2. Personal Factor (our personalities shape how we interpret and react to events)

3. Past Behavior (our personalities help create situations to which we react)

Reciprocal Determinism

Personal Control - our sense of controlling our environments rather than feeling helplessExternal Locus of Control - the

perception that chance or outside forces beyond one’s personal control determine one’s fate

Internal Locus of Control - the perception that one controls one’s own fate

Personal Control

Learned Helplessness - the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

Learned Helplessness

Positive Psychology - the scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote conditions that enable individuals and communities to thrive

“The main purpose of a positive psychology is to measure, understand and then build the human strengths and the civic virtues”

- Martin Seligman

Positive Psychology

- we are strongly motivated to make sense of our worlds

- we are always attempting to make better predictions about what will happen to us

- thus we generate and test hypotheses

George Kelly’s Personal Construct Theory

What is Personality?Exploring the Self

Self-EsteemCulture and Self

Our Possible Selves…

Possible Selves – visions of the self that an individual dreams of becoming… and visions of the self the individual fears becoming

- Dreams - Fears

The Spotlight EffectSpotlight Effect - overestimating others noticing and evaluating our appearance, performance, and blunders

Self-EsteemSelf Esteem - one’s feelings of high or

low self-worth high self esteem - fewer sleepless nights,

succumb less easily to pressure, less likely to use drugs, persistent, less shy and lonely…

low self-esteem - unhappiness and despair, depression (falling short of hopes) and anxiety (falling short of what they ought to do), highly critical of others as well as themselves

Self-Esteem

Self-Serving Bias - readiness to perceive oneself favorably

If the self-serving bias exists… why do people disparage themselves so readily?

- subtly strategic - preparation for possible failure - expressions of our “old selves”

Culture and the SelfIndividualism - giving priority to

one’s own goals over group goals and defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications

Collectivism - giving priority to the goals of one’s group (often one’s extended family or work group) and defining one’s identity accordingly