W1 Chapter 2.1 - Gathering Information Flashcards
What are the two main sources of information about personality
- Introspection - Your personal experience of the world
- Observing other people and how they react to the world
What is the problem with introspection?
You cannot be sure your special relationship to your experience is not distorting what you see
What is the problem with observing others?
You cannot know what is inside their heads
What is the definition of personology?
Study of the entire person
What is a case study?
An in-depth study of one individual
What are the three typical characteristics of a case study?
- Long period of observation
- Unstructured interviews
- Repeated observations
What is the advantage of case studies?
Case studies see the person in their normal life
What is experience sampling?
A method in which people repeatedly report on their current experiences when prompted
What is an advantage of experience sampling?
The person is not requires to think back very far when self reporting
What is the definition of idiographic
An approach that focuses on an individual’s uniqueness
What is the definition of generalisability?
How widely a conclusion can be applied
