1. Introduction Flashcards
Personality
A pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give consistency and individuality to a person’s behaviour
Theory
A set of related assumptions that allow scientists to use deductive reasoning to formulate testable hypotheses
Five perspectives on personality theory
(i) Psychodynamic
(ii) Humanistic-positive
(iii) Dispositional
(iv) Biological-evolutionary
(v) Learning/social-cognitive
Traits
Relatively permanent dispositions of an individual, which are inferred from behaviour
Characteristics
Unique qualities/attributes of an individual (e.g. temperament, physique, intelligence, other aptitudes)
Science is a branch of study concerned with:
(i) the observation and classification of data
(ii) the verification of general laws through the testing of hypotheses
Relationship between science and theories
(i) theories give meaning and organization to scientific observations
(ii) theories generate hypotheses which can be tested using science
Hypothesis
An educated guess or prediction specific enough for its validity to be tested through the use of the scientific method
Deductive reasoning
From general theory to specific hypothesis
Inductive reasoning
From specific hypothesis to general theory
Six qualities of a useful theory
(i) generates research
(ii) is falsifiable
(iii) organizes data
(iv) guides action
(v) is internally consistent
(vi) is parsimonious
Six dimensions for a concept of humanity
(i) determinism vs free choice
(ii) pessimism vs optimism
(iii) causality vs teleology
(iv) conscious vs unconscious
(v) biological vs social
(vi) uniqueness vs similarities
Freud
Psychoanalysis
Adler
Individual Psychology
Jung
Analytical Psychology
