Chaper 1 : Evaluating Personality Theories

Question 0

What is a theory?

Answer 0

A set of abstract concepts that we make about a group of facts or events in order to explain them.

Question 1

Why is personality hard to define?

Answer 1

Little common agreement on the term.

Everyday speech: public image.

Question 2

Explain the two contemporary traditions

Answer 2

One stems from psychological laboratories and academic research,

2. Other stems from psychoanalysis and clinical psychology.

Question 3

What are the 5 basic philosophical issues theorists differ on?

Answer 3

1. Freedom vs determinism
2. Heredity vs environment
3. Uniqueness vs universality
4. Pro activity vs reactivity
5. Optimism vs pessimism

Question 4

Define “philosophical assumptions”

Answer 4

They suggest that things are not necessarily what they appear to be, based on a special epiphanic vision, which goes beyond us. They tend to be global, and implicit rather than explicit.

Question 5

How are philosophical assumptions evaluated?

Answer 5

1. Coherence
2. Relevance
3. Comprehensiveness
4. Compellingness

Question 6

Why does science have its base in philosophy?

Answer 6

Because the ordinary observation on which science relies depends on a certain paradigm that is established philosophically.

Question 7

What are the simplest kinds of scientific statements?

Answer 7

Empirical, based directly on observation.

Question 8

What does a scientific statement need to be open to?

Answer 8

Falsification: a scientist must indicate the conditions under which a statement might be proven false.

Question 9

Should scientific statements be judged by their usefulness or by their truth?

Answer 9

Usefulness.

Question 10

If scientists end up with more than one hypothesis, what criteria should they use?

Answer 10

They decide between the rival hypotheses if they have:

1) compatibility
2) predictive power
3) simplicity

Question 11

What are the two major approaches to assessing personality?

Answer 11

Psychometric and projective techniques

Question 12

What are the three major research approaches?

Answer 12

1) clinical approach
2) psychometric approach
3) experimental approach

Question 13

What are the three major goals of psychotherapy?

Answer 13

1) scholarly
2) ethical
3) curative motives

Question 14

How do we evaluate scholarly therapies?

Answer 14

On the basis of their contributions to the understanding of the self and human nature.

Question 15

How do we evaluate ethical therapies?

Answer 15

In terms of the suitability of the climate they create for fostering change and life improvement.

Question 16

Curative therapies should be evaluated:

Answer 16

On the basis of symptom remission and number of cures.

Question 17

Why is it important to distinguish among different orientations of personality theories?

Answer 17

So that we can recognize each viewpoint and use appropriate methods to evaluate each theory.

Question 18

What’s another word for introspective observation and who sought to reveal the basic elements and structure of the conscious mind?

Answer 18

Self examination. Wilhelm Wundt 1880.

Question 19

Who enforced extrospective observation and what is it?

Answer 19

B.F Skinner emphasized not the study of the person but rather behavior. He looked outward instead of inward.

Question 20

What’s the focus of Academic Psychology?

Answer 20

1) study of personality usually focused on uncovering general principles of personality through research methods such as correlations and experiments.
2) typically conducted in an academic setting
3) precursor: Wilhelm Wundt

Question 21

What’s the emphasis of Clinical Practice?

Answer 21

1) study of personality primarily through research on individuals by way of methods such as case histories
2) typically conducted in a psychotherapeutic, or clinical, environment
3) precursor: Sigmund Freud

Question 22

Explain Freedom vs Determinism

Answer 22

Individuals have control over their behaviors and understand the motives behind them. Others believe human behavior is determined by external forces.

Question 23

How much does Josef like Monica?

Answer 23

A crazy amount.

Question 24

Explain Heredity vs Environment

Answer 24

Have we inherited and inborn characteristics or does environment influence our behavior more?

Question 25

Uniqueness vs universality

Answer 25

Are individuals unique and incomparable with others or are people basically very similar?

Question 26

Pro activity vs reactivity

Answer 26

Proactive theorists view human beings as acting on their initiative rather than simply reacting.

Question 27

Optimism vs pessimism

Answer 27

If an individual is motivated, can genuine changes be affected in personality? Some are more optimistic than others

Question 28

Explain objective data

Answer 28

“I see a Person”, the position is I-it: the self is looking outward on the world as object.

Question 29

Explain subjective data

Answer 29

“I see a person”

The position is I-me: the self is looking inward on its own experience as the object. Still empirical data, though, just as objective data.

Question 30

What do Psychometric tests measure?

Answer 30

Measures personality characteristics by means of carefully designed questionnaires developed with theoretical and statistical techniques.

Question 31

What is psychotherapy?

Answer 31

The effort to apply the findings of personality theory in ways that will assist individuals and meet human goals. Interested in healing people and understanding “normal” people and helping them to function more creatively.

Question 32

What are the different hats personality theorists are wearing?

Answer 32

1) philosophy (making assumptions)
2) science (forming testable hypotheses)
3) art (application of what is known. Assessment, research, psychotherapy)