Ch.1 Textbook Flashcards
Define the three areas of study that personality research studies.
human universals/nature, individual differences, and individual uniqueness
Define the origin of the word personality.
Latin “persona” which once referred to the masks that actors wore in Roman theater
Define the difference between trait and type.
Trait: consistent style of emotion or behavior that person displays across a variety of situations (i.e. narcissistic trait) SIMILAR TO DISPOSITION (honest, outgoing, humble in compared to others and on average)
Type: clustering of many different traits together
Define disposition.
What a person tends to do
Major ways in which people differ from one another
Personality tendencies or disposition MUST be enduring and distinctive: enduring (consistent across time, months-years), distinctive (differentiate from other individuals)
Define the psychological system of mental life.
Beliefs, emotions, and motivations
Intraindividual Functioning, Jack Block: interplay of thoughts and emotions within the mind
Interindividual Functioning: differences between individuals
Define the “Three types of persons”.
Types are distinctive categories, unlike traitsn
People who respond in an adaptive, resilient manner to psychological stress
People who respond in a manner that is socially inhibited or emotionally OVERcontrolled
People who respond in a manner that is uninhibited or UNDERcontrolled
Define the three goals of personality theorists.
(1) Scientific Observation
Study diverse groups of people to form accurate and representative conclusions
Ensuring that observations are objective and replicable (replication crisis)
(2) Scientific Theory
Must be systematic: relate all ideas to one another, and create a systematically organized theory overall (related environment, interpersonal relationships, and genetics TOGETHER as causal factors)
3) Applications for Practice
Aim to create improved therapy techniques that enable individuals to open up
Define the four topics personality studies addresses.
Personality Structure: the stability of personality/traits over time
Personality Process: the change in thinking motivation, and emotion that can occur from one moment to the next
Personality Growth and Development: how we develop into unique individuals
Psychopathology/Behaviour Change: the “bounce-back” of personality traits after experiencing psychological distress/disorder, how people change and why they sometimes resist change or are unable to change
Define personality structure.
The stability of personality/traits over time
Enduring qualities that distinguish individuals from one another
Structure involves emotion, motivation, cognition, and skills
Can be defined through numerous units of analysis (described in different ways)
Consists of traits and a type
Define personality process.
Where personality studies originally began: with the process of personality and self-concept
Psychological activity involving thoughts, feelings, or actions that may change over relatively brief periods of time
Often referred to as personality “dynamics”
Define personality growth and development.
What the individual is like now, and how they became this way
Characterizing patterns of development experienced by all persons
Understanding developmental factors that contribute to individual differences
Define the elements of environmental determinism CAEPP
Culture
Key component of what it means to be a “person”
Institutionalized/sanctioned behaviors and entities
Religious and philosophical exposure
Social/Economic Class
Socioeconomic status influences the cognitive and emotional development of the individual
Parental/Family Influence
Parents present situations that elicit certain behavior (frustration leading to aggression)
Parents serve as role models for identification
Peers
Socialize the individual into norms and accepted behaviors
May have the same, if not more, influence as family in a child’s life: may account for the differences between siblings in a family due to their exterior exposure to peers
Children who experience low-quality friendships with arguing and conflict tend to develop disagreeable/antagonistic styles of behavior
Define the basic units of analysis in Trait theories and social cognitive theories.
Trait Theories of Personality: basic units of analysis are the structures that a person inherited and produce highly generalized patterns of behavior
Social Cognitive Theories of Personality: basic units of analysis are knowledge structures and thinking processes that are acquired through interaction with the social and cultural environment
How does environment contribute to personality consistency?
Core structures of personality may be inherited and therefore remain stable
Environment plays a critical role in fostering consistency of personality: exposure to the same individuals and environment may contribute to consistency over time
Define the concept of the united/consistent sense of self.
As we move from environments, we retain a stable sense of ourselves, our past and our future: unity to experience and action
Multiple components of the mind function as a system: parts are interconnected and the patterns of interconnection allow the system to function smoothly: PRODUCES THE UNITED AND CONSISTENT SENSE OF SELF
