CHAPTER 14: THEORIES OF PERSONALITY

The thing that makes us think, feel, and act differently

PERSONALITY Def: the consistent,

enduring, and unique characteristics of a person

PURPOSES OF PERSONALITY THEORY 1) a way to organize characteristics 2) explains differences among

individuals 3) explores how people conduct their

lives 4) improves people’s lives

MAJOR SCHOOLS OF PERSONALITY THEORY

Sigmund Freud: emphasized unconscious motives

B.F. Skinner: how rewards and punishments shape us

Social learning theories: observational learning impact

Trait theories: emphasized understanding personality characteristics

Humanistic: potential for human growth

Cognitive: thoughts, perceptions, feelings

Slip of the tongue? Did you mean it? Freud thought so. Sick, sick Freud.

SECTION 2: PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY

THE UNCONSCIOUS Def: the part of the

mind that contains material of which we are unaware but that strongly influences conscious processes and behaviors

ID Def: needs, drives,

instincts, and repressed material

Operates in terms of the pleasure principle

EGO Def: part that is in

touch with reality; wants to meet the demands of the id and superego in socially acceptable ways

Operates in terms of the reality principle

Mostly conscious

SUPEREGO Def: source of

conscience; counteracts socially undesirable impulses of the id

Operates in terms of the moral principle

Source of guilt

DEFENSE MECHANISMS Def: specific means

by which the ego unconsciously protects itself against unpleasant impulses or circumstances

RATIONALIZATION Making up

acceptable excuses for behaviors that cause us to feel anxious

REPRESSION Pushing painful

memories out of awareness

May show up in slips of the tongue or dreams

DENIAL Refusing to accept

the reality of something that makes you anxious

PROJECTION Inner feelings are

projected outside the self and assigned to others

REACTION FORMATION Replacing an

unacceptable feeling or urge with an opposite one

REGRESSION Going back to an

earlier and less mature pattern of behavior

DISPLACEMENT Redirecting

thoughts, feelings, and impulses directed at one person/object, but taken out on another

SUBLIMATION Redirecting a

forbidden desire into a socially acceptable desire

CARL JUNG Differed from Freud in 2

ways: 1) had a more positive

outlook on human nature 2) distinguished btwn

personal conscious and COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS: contains inherited instincts, urges, and memories common to all people

ARCHETYPES (JUNG) Def: an inherited

idea, based on the experiences of one’s ancestors, which shape one’s perception of the world

Jung---they influence our thoughts and feelings

ALFRED ADLER Believed our driving

force is a desire to overcome feelings of inferiority

INFERIORITY COMPLEX: pattern of avoiding feelings of inadequacy rather than trying to overcome their source

Behaviorists look to the environment to see what is reinforcing behavior

SECTION 3: LEARNING THEORIES

B.F. SKINNER BEHAVIORISM: Def:

belief that the subject matter of psychology ought to be observable behavior

CONTINGENCIES OF REINFORCEMENT: the occurrences of a reward or punishment following a particular behavior

ALBERT BANDURA: SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY

Idea that personality is acquired through everyday models

RECIPROCAL DETERMINISM: btwn the individual, the behavior of the individual, and the environment

SELF-EFFICACY: our view of our ability to succeed

Stress the positive aspects of human nature…hippies

SECTION 4: HUMANISTIC AND COGNITIVE THEORIES

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY Def: an approach

that stresses the uniqueness of an individual

Believe we strive for…

SELF-ACTUALIZATION: realizing one’s unique potential

ABRAHAM MASLOW: GROWTH AND SELF-ACTUALIZATION

Maslow studied self-actualized people

Traits of self-actualized: Perceive reality

accurately Accept themselves and

others Spontaneous Autonomous Appreciate simple

things

CARL ROGERS: SELF THEORY Rogers was

concerned with the path to self-actualization

Believed there was a conflict btwn what we value in ourselves and what others value in us

SELF THEORY SELF: one’s image of oneself, developed

through interaction with others POSITIVE REGARD: viewing oneself in a

positive light due to positive feedback from others (Unconditional positive regard)

CONDITIONS OF WORTH: conditions a person must meet in order to regard him/herself positively

FULLY FUNCTIONING: an individual whose person and self coincide

COGNITIVE THEORY Based on analysis of

our own perceptions, thoughts, and feelings

George Kelly’s Personal Construct Theory: our ideas of ourselves, of others, and of our world shape our behavior and our personalities

Schemas

Nice, smart, arrogant, funny. Some psychs believe studying these traits in detail is the best approach to solving human

behavior

SECTION 5: TRAIT THEORIES

TRAIT Def: a tendency to

react to a situation in a way that remains stable over time

TRAIT THEORIES OF PERSONALITY 2 assumptions: 1) Every trait

applies to all people 2) Descriptions can

be quantified Most believe a few

basic traits are central for all

Traits measured on a continuum

GORDON ALLPORT: IDENTIFYING TRAITS

3 kinds of individual traits:

1) Cardinal trait: characteristic or feature that is so pervasive the person is almost identified with it

2) Central trait: makes us predictable

3) Secondary trait: preferences in food, music; least important

RAYMOND CATTELL: 16 TRAIT THEORY Used factor analysis,

stat technique used to identify the underlying reasons variables are correlated

Used Allport’s list of traits

Came up with 46 Surface traits: stable characteristics that can be observed in certain situations

16 TRAIT THEORY CONTINUED The 46 came from 16

Source traits: traits considered at the core of personality

By measuring these, we can predict behavior in certain situations

HANS EYSENCK: DIMENSIONS OF PERSONALITY

2 basic dimensions to personality:

1) Stability vs. Instability: how much control you have over your feelings

2) Extraversion vs. Introversion

3rd added later: psychoticism

THE ROBUST FIVE 5 traits that appear

repeatedly in different studies

1) Openness to experience

2) Conscientiousness: organized, responsible

3) Extraversion 4) Agreeableness 5) Neuroticism: emotional

stability OCEAN Each trait is on a continuum