Ch. 7 Flashcards
r = 0.6-0.9
- partially determined by genetics
- birth order
- early experience (adverse/positive experiences)
- physical/environmental factors
causes for personality stability
person seeks out compatible environments and avoids incompatible ones ex. aggressive person goes to bar where fights are frequent and introvert avoids social gathering
active person-environment transaction
different people respond differently to the same situation. ex. extravert finds party enjoyable; introvert finds same party unbearable
reactive person-environment transaction
the aspect of an individual’s personality leads to behaviour that changes the situations they experience ex. a conscientious person tells group, “it’s time to work” disagreeable person starts an argument over minor matter
evocative person-environment transaction
personality tends to be more stable over time
cumulative continuity principle
people of different ages may have differences in traits because of the social environment they grew up in
cohort effects
the tendency of socially adaptive traits to increase with age
maturity principle
- physical development/changes in strength
- increases in intelligence and linguistic abilities
- hormone - level changes
- changes in social roles and responsibilities
causes for personality development
- physical development/changes in strength
- increases in intelligence and linguistic abilities
- hormone - level changes
- changes in social roles and responsibilities
causes for personality development
places pressure on people to accomplish certain things by certain ages
the social clock
(women who followed either the feminine/masculine social clock reported higher contentment and satisfaction than those who followed neither)
the story that you tell about your life and the trajectory it firs into your goals and dreams
narrative identity
Actor: traits and roles
Agent: goals and values
Author: life narratives
three aspects of narrative identity
Actor: traits and roles
Agent: goals and values
Author: life narratives
three aspects of narrative identity
can produce long-term behaviour change
often combined with psychiatric drugs
psychotherapy
reason for wanting change
make life better
psychotherapy
general interventions
targeted interventions
life experiences
four potential methods of change
desire for change in typical and usually in
the socially desirable direction
- openness to experience
- tolerance for stress and defensiveness
- neuroticism
- narcissism
- self-control
Targeted Interventions: address certain personality traits
Step 1: Identify what the person wants to change
Step 2: Do things outside of comfort zone until they become habits and automatic
Socioegenomic Trait Intervention Model
(trying to change lots of behaviours at the same time by changing a trait)
Reasons for positive personality change: exercise, starting college or a job, beginning a serious relationship, travel, military training
Reasons for negative personality change: trying drugs, onset of chronic disease, becoming unemployed, negative life events
obstacles to personality change
- not seeing a reason for the change
- takes effort
- blaming negative experiences and failures on external forces rather than their own personality
- people like consistency and predictability
is personality change good or bad?
Answer: Both
Instability and inconsistency can cause problems. Most change is adaptive but slow.
is personality change good or bad?
Answer: Both
Instability and inconsistency can cause problems. Most change is adaptive but slow.
