Chapter 1 Flashcards
Key Questions About Personality:
Why do people behave as they do?
Do people have control over their personality?
What causes similarities/differences in people?
Are unconscious forces driving behavior?
Is human behavior more influenced by heredity or environment?
Freud’s Contribution:
Freud combined philosophical ideas with scientific methods.
Developed a “Grand Theory” based on clinical observations to explain all personality.
Influenced the development of modern personality theories.
Personality and Variability:
All species, including humans, exhibit individual differences (personality).
Human variability is more pronounced than in other species.
Humans differ in introversion, social needs, emotional stability, etc.
Derived from Latin persona (a theatrical mask) but refers to more than just a role.
Psychologists don’t agree on a single definition.
is a pattern of stable traits and unique characteristics that define behavior.
Personality
Different theorists, influenced by culture, experience, and training, offer diverse perspectives.
Some construct comprehensive theories, others focus on specific aspects of personality.
Personality theorists
Traits contribute to:
Individual differences (how people differ).
Consistency over time (behavior stability).
Stability across situations (behavior consistency in different contexts).
influenced by common or unique qualities like temperament, intelligence, and physique.
What Is a Theory?
Misunderstood term: Theory is often confused with truth or fact.
Definition: A theory is a set of related assumptions that:
Generate testable hypotheses using logical reasoning.
Help organize research and observations.
Assumptions are accepted as true for practical use but aren’t proven facts.
Theory Characteristics
Assumptions: Multiple, related, not proven facts.
Logical Deductive Reasoning: Theory helps formulate hypotheses.
Testability: Hypotheses must be testable (not necessarily immediately).
Theory vs. Related Concepts
Philosophy: Theories don’t deal with values or morality.
Speculation: Theories are based on empirical data, not just ideas.
Hypothesis: A hypothesis is a specific prediction from a broader theory.
Taxonomy: Taxonomy is classification; when it generates hypotheses, it becomes a theory.
Why Different Theories?
Theories reflect personal perspectives and interpretations.
Usefulness depends on research generation and explanation, not agreement with other theories.
- Psychodynamic Theories
Key Idea: Personality shaped by early experiences, unconscious forces, and parent-child relationships.
Key Figures: Freud, Adler, Jung. - Humanistic-Existential Theories
Key Idea: People strive for growth, happiness, and meaning in life.
Key Figures: Maslow, Rogers. - Dispositional Theories
Key Idea: Personality is defined by stable traits (e.g., extraversion).
Key Figures: Allport, McCrae, Costa. - Biological-Evolutionary Theories
Key Idea: Personality influenced by genetics and evolution (brain, genes).
Key Figures: Eysenck, Buss. - Learning-(Social) Cognitive Theories
Key Idea: Behavior is learned through rewards, punishments, and observation.
Key Figures: Skinner, Bandura, Rotter.
Theorists’ Personalities and Theories
Key Idea: A theorist’s personality influences their theory.
Focus: Evaluate theories based on scientific criteria, not personal biases.
A useful theory should:
Generate Research: It sparks new research and testing.
Be Falsifiable: It must be testable and able to be proven wrong.
Organize Data: It should structure and make sense of research findings.
Guide Action: It provides practical solutions for real-world problems.
Be Internally Consistent: Its ideas must be logically coherent.
Be Parsimonious: Simpler theories are preferred if they explain things equally well.
Dimensions for a Concept of Humanity:
Determinism vs. Free Choice: Are behaviors controlled or freely chosen?
Pessimism vs. Optimism: Are people doomed or can they grow?
Causality vs. Teleology: Does behavior stem from past events or future goals?
Conscious vs. Unconscious: Are behaviors driven by awareness or unconscious forces?
Biological vs. Social: Is personality shaped by biology or social factors?
Uniqueness vs. Similarities: Do people differ or share common traits?
Research in Personality Theory:
Theory-Data Link: Theories generate research that reshapes theories.
Personality Inventories: Must be reliable (consistent) and valid (measure what they intend).
Construct Validity: Measures the right trait.
Predictive Validity: Predicts future behavior.
