2.2.1. Personality Flashcards
What is the definition of personality?
The sum of an individual’s characteristics which makes them unique.
Who was personality types proposed by?
Eysenck
Characteristics of an introvert
- doesn’t seek social situations
- shy
- prefer individual activities
Example of an introvert
a netballer avoiding communication with the team
Characteristics of an extrovert
- likes social situations
- outgoing
- prefers team sports
Example of an extrovert
net baller socialising/ communicating with team
characteristics of stable personality
behaviour is predictable and consistent
example of stable personality
net baller reacting in same calm manner to decisions
characteristics of unstable personality
behaviour is unpredictable and changeable
also known as neurotic
example of unstable personality
netball player reacting in a different way to decisions
an individual might be emotionally aggressive but the amount of aggression varies from time to time
Who proposed the narrow band theory?
Girdano
characteristics of type a personality
- prone to personal anxiety and stress
- highly competitive
- likes to be in control
- desire to succeed
- works fast
example of type a personality
football player volunteering to take penalties
characteristics of type b personality
- not prone to personal anxiety and stress
- not competitive
- doesn’t like to be in control
- lacking desire to succeed
- works slow
example of type b personality
football player not volunteering to take penalties
Description of trait theory
Proposes that personality is:
- innate/ inherited
- stable and enduring
- consistent across situations
sporting example of trait theory
a boxer inherits traits of aggression and demonstrates it both inside and out of the ring
Positives of trait theory
- There is some evidence to show personality is innate e.g. aggression
- If correct, behaviour can be predicted e.g. by coaches
Negatives of trait theory
- unlikely to just be innate input that determines personality
- doesn’t take into account learnt behaviour
- identical twins brought up in different environments don’t demonstrates the same personality, suggesting it’s not just traits that determine personality
Description of social learning theory
Proposes that personality is learnt as a result of:
- the environment
- imitation of significant other/ role model
- learning requires reinforcement
- theory presented by Bandura
- most likely if same gender, race or person of authority
- suggests that personality changes with the situation and the environment influences behaviours
Sporting example of SLT
a young player imitating a captain kicking the ball out of play when an opposition player is injured and clapped by the crowd
Positives of SLT
+ evidence that some aspects of personality learned by watching and copying significant role models/ environment
+ Bobo doll experiment supports this idea
Negatives of SLT
- children/ siblings/ twins brought up in the same way don’t always display the same personality
- doesn’t take into account innate traits
- if the theory was true we would all have the same personality/copy our role models
Description of the interactionist theory
Proposes that:
- personality formation is a combination of the trait and social learning approach
- innate traits are triggered by environmental change
sporting example of interactionist theory
the trait of aggression is triggered following a high tackle in rugby or the trait of competitive anxiety is only triggered in a cup final
Positives of interactionist theory
+ more realistic than the trait theory as it explains how the environment can trigger inherited traits
+ it explains why our behaviour is often unpredictable/ why an individual might act differently in different situations
+ explains why people in the same environment behave differently
Negatives of the interactionist theory
- theory still proposes that innate traits must be present to be triggered by the environment
