Chapter 1: Intro to Personality Theory Flashcards
What contributes to a person’s behaviour?
both the situation and the person
main debate in personality psychology
how the situation influences behaviour and how behaviour reflects the individual
goal of personality psychologists
to determine what makes one person different from another
personality textbook definition
consistent behaviour patterns and intrapersonal processes originating within the individual
Individual differences
consistent behaviour patterns
intrapersonal processes
all the emotional, motivational, and cognitive processes that go on inside of us that affect how we act and feel
six approaches to personality
- psychoanalytic approach
- trait approach
- biological approach
- humanistic approach
- behavioural/social learning approach
- cognitive approach
psychoanalytic approach
peoples’ unconscious minds are largely responsible for important differences in their behaviour styles
trait approach
identifies where a person might lie along a continuum of personality characteristics
biological approach
points to inherited predispositions and physiological processes to explain individual differences in personality
humanistic approach
identifies personal responsibility and feelings of self-acceptance as the key causes of differences in personality
behavioural/social learning approach
explains consistent behaviour patterns in terms of conditioning and expectations
cognitive approach
looks at differences in the way people process information
how should the 6 different approaches to personality be thought of?
as complementary models for understanding personality
how does psychoanalytic theory explain aggression?
points to an unconscious death instinct
how does the trait approach explain aggression?
focuses on individual differences and the stability of aggressive behaviour
aggression over time studies
- Children who were identified as aggressive in elementary school were the most likely to have become aggressive adults
- Children who pushed and shoved their classmates grew into adults who abused their spouses and engaged in crime
how does the biological approach explain aggression?
points to a genetic predisposition to act aggressively
how does the humanistic approach explain aggression?
argues that all people are good, but that aggression develops when something interferes with children’s natural growth process
how does the behavioural/social learning approach explain aggression?
claims that people learn to be aggressive in the same way they learn other behaviours. aggressive behaviour that is rewarded will be repeated.
how does the cognitive approach explain aggression?
focuses on the way aggressive people process information. certain cues in the environment trigger a network of aggressive thoughts and emotions.
how does the psychoanalytic approach explain depression?
points to unconscious feelings of anger and hostility
how does the trait approach explain depression?
concerned with identifying depression-prone individuals
depression over time studies
- A person’s general emotional level today is a good indicator of their emotions in the future
- Depression levels in 18-year-olds can be predicted by looking at their behaviour from as early as 7 years old
how does the biological approach explain depression?
points to evidence that some people may inherit a genetic susceptibility to depression
how does the humanistic approach explain depression?
explains depression in terms of low self-esteem, which is developed while growing up
how does the behavioural/social learning approach explain depression?
argues that depression occurs from a lack of positive reinforcers in one’s life
how does the cognitive approach explain depression?
argues that some people are prone to episodes of depression because of the way they process information; they use a depressive filter to interpret and process information
how do people and their personalities exist
in a cultural context
individualistic cultures
place great emphasis on individual needs and accomplishments
collectivist cultures
concerned about belonging to a larger group, such as a family, tribe or nation.
what concepts vary most across cultures?
self-esteem and achievement
dictionary definitions of personality
- State of being a person
- Characteristics and qualities that form a person’s distinctive character
- The sum of a person’s physical, mental, emotional and social characteristics
psychological definition of personality
unique and relatively enduring internal and external aspects of a person’s character
APA definition of personality
- The enduring configuration of characteristics and behaviour that comprises an individual’s unique adjustment to life, including major traits, interests, drives, values, self-concept, abilities, and emotional patterns.
- Personality is viewed as a complex, dynamic integration or totality shaped by many forces
- Personality helps determine behaviour.
what does an individual’s personality determine?
- How different they are from others
- How they behave in different situations
traits
personality characteristics determine a person’s behaviour or by which it can be explained
interest
something that is significant to the individual or arouses their attention
drive
a ready state of action, motivating a person to attain a goal
value
a moral principle for what is considered good or bad
self-concept
one’s description of oneself
ability
what someone is capable of doing
emotional patterns
ways in which people react emotionally to events
the five-factor model
Outlines the most important ways in which individuals differ in their enduring emotional, interpersonal, experiential, attitudinal
what are the big 5 traits?
Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism (Emotional Stability)
what is the most important big 5 trait for sales performance?
Conscientiousness
what big 5 traits have a positive relationship with sales?
Conscientiousness and openness
what big 5 traits have a negative relationship with sales?
Agreeableness
Adjectives associated with extraversion
- active
- assertive
- energetic
- enthusiastic
- outgoing
- talkative
adjectives associated with agreeableness
- appreciative
- forgiving
- generous
- kind
- sympathetic
- trusting
adjectives associated with conscientiousness
- efficient
- organized
- planful
- reliable
- responsible
- through
adjectives associated with neuroticism
- anxious
- self-pitying
- tense
- touchy
- unstable
- worrying
adjectives associated with openness to experience
- artistic
- curious
- imaginative
- insightful
- original
- wide interests
accuracy of personality on social media
People generally present themselves as they are (at least as accurate as face-to-face). However, they show themselves as more emotionally stable
what people find it easier to express themselves on social media?
Introverted, neurotic, lonely, and socially awkward people may find it easier to express their true selves
what is social media associated with?
- Anxiety
- Perceived isolation
- Low self-esteem
- Less healthy activity
- Disrupted concentration
- Sleep deprivation
- Linked to depression for those high in neuroticism, but not for those high in agreeableness
what types of people use social media?
Those who use social media are more extraverted, open to new experiences, less conscientious,
what types of people use social media excessively?
Those who use social media excessively have lower emotional stability, lower self-esteem, and socialization skills
Eysenck
argued that introverts had high cortical arousal, leading them to avoid stimulation and extroverts had lower cortical arousal, causing them to seek out stimulating experiences
Maslow
argued for the hierarchy of needs
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
- physiological needs (air, water, food, shelter)
- safety needs (security, employment, health)
- love and belonging (friendship, intimacy)
- esteem (respect, status, recognition)
- self-actualization (the desire to beocme the most one can be)
Reward deficiency syndrome (Blum)
sensation seekers, because of their low number of inherited D2 receptors, are constantly motivated by the search for more intense sources of reward
behaviour of high sensation-seekers
are more prone to having problems with self-control, drug abuse, risky sexual behaviour, and aggressive behaviour
extraversion and Maslow’s needs
most strongly correlated with esteem
agreeableness and Maslow’s needs
most strongly correlated with belonging
conscientiousness and Maslow’s needs
most strongly correlated with self-actualization
openness and Maslow’s needs
- most strongly correlated with self-actualization
- not correlated with safety and security
neuroticism and Maslow’s needs
- strongly and negatively correlated with all of Maslow’s needs
- the strongest association was found for the esteem score
Likert scale
ranking things from low to high importance
how do we interpret an individual’s behaviour?
in a cultural context
Evaluation of personality
used for diagnosis, education, counselling, and research
two principles of measurement
reliability & validity
reliability
consistency of responses to a psychological assessment device
validity
the extent to which an assessment device measures what it is intended to measure
self-report inventories
Subjects answers about their behaviours and feelings
example of an objective measure
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
advantages of the MMPI and objective measures
- Objective scoring
- Quick assessment
disadvantages of the MMPI and objective measures
- Not suited for people who possess limited reading skills
- Tendency to provide socially desirable answers
The Dark Triad
A set of three inter-related personality traits that are disavantageous
objective measures
measures where the person giving the test is bound by the results (there’s no room for interpretation)
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
Uses a Likert scale to test for various personality types and components of psychopathology
three traits of the dark triad
- machiavellianism
- psychopathy
- narcissism
Machiavellianism
those who will manipulate and exploit others for their own gain
Psychopathy
marked by a lack of remorse and empathy
Narcissism
an inflated sense of self-worth
Dirty Dozen
a scale to measure the Dark Triad
International Personality Item Pool
Subjects answer questions regarding the Big-Five personality traits
how is the International Personality Item Pool scored?
Items are scored from 0-4
- 0= not at all accurate
- 1= a little accurate
- 2= moderately accurate
- 3= quite a bit accurate
- 4= extremely accurate
advantages of online test administration
- Less time-consuming and expensive
- Objective scoring
- Accepted by younger employees
- Prevents test-takers from looking ahead at questions and changing their answers
MBTI
A personality inventory that is often used for vocational purposes (to help someone determine what type of profession to pursue)
first letter of the MBTI
Extraversion: outwardly focused
Introversion: inwardly focused
second letter of the MBTI
Sensing: focuses on the reality of now
Intuition: more imaginative of possibilities
third letter of the MBTI
Thinking: bases decisions on logical reasoning
Feeling: bases decisions on personal feelings
fourth letter of the MBTI
Judging: prefers to have matters settled
Perceiving: prefers to leave options open
