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Individual Differences > Chapter 1: Personality Theory in Context > Flashcards

Chapter 1: Personality Theory in Context Flashcards

1
Q

What are dispositional traits called?

A

Personality

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2
Q

What are mental abilities called?

A

Intelligence

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3
Q

Personality is a multifaceted concept, comprised of:

  1. I
  2. T
  3. M
  4. A
  5. R
  6. O
  7. U
A

Personality is a multifaceted concept, comprised of:

  1. Inner qualities.
  2. Traits.
  3. Mechanisms/behaviours.
  4. Adaptive ways.
  5. Relatively stable over time.
  6. Organised.
  7. Unique to the individual.
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4
Q

What are ‘inner qualities’?

A

Essential features of a person that are least partly latent and hidden.

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5
Q

What are ‘traits’?

A

Particular dispositions.

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6
Q

What are ‘mechanisms’?

A

Particular mental operations.

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7
Q

How does personality affect behaviour?

A

Personality impacts what we do, and can provide causal explanation of manifest behaviour.

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8
Q

How is personality adaptive?

A

Some traits help us or others, whereas, others hurt or hinder us.

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9
Q

What do we mean when we say personality is relatively stable?

A

Traits imply consistency, as personality evolves slowly.

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10
Q

What do we mean when we say personality is ‘organised’?

A

Personality is a constellation of traits and mechanisms, meaning it is a non-random pattern.

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11
Q

In what way is personality unique to the individual?

A

Every constellation of traits and mechanisms is different, but we can find some standard traits and mechanisms.

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12
Q

What are the three levels of personality analysis?

1.
2.
3.

Hint: UNI

A

What are the three levels of personality analysis?

  1. Universal
  2. Nomothetic
  3. Idiographic
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13
Q

What does the universal level of personality analysis refer to?

A

Overall claims about someone.

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14
Q

What does the nomothetic level of personality analysis refer to?

A

Lawful claims about someone.

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15
Q

What does the idiographic level of personality analysis refer to?

A

Description of one.

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16
Q

How is the universal level of personality analysis used to describe someone’s personality?

A

By characterising people in terms of always true, or generally true facts.

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17
Q

How is the nomothetic level of personality analysis used to describe someone’s personality?

A

By characterising variations between people along shared dimensions.

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18
Q

How is the idiographic level of personality analysis used to describe someone’s personality?

A

By characterising variations between people using unique dimensions.

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19
Q

“Every human being has an oedipus complex.”

This claim would be considered what level of personality analysis?

A

Universal

20
Q

“Aiden is more attached to his mother than Sylwia was to hers.”

This claim would be considered what level of personality analysis?

A

Nomothetic.

21
Q

“Sylwia is uniquely X.”

This claim would be considered what level of personality analysis?

A

Idiographic.

22
Q

Variations between people in personality and intelligence are analysed:

A

Nomothetically.

23
Q

Variations between people in personality and intelligence is believed to be caused by:

1.
2.

A

Variations between people in personality and intelligence is believed to be caused by:

  1. Genes
  2. Environment
24
Q

What are the three systematic frameworks theories use to understand personality?

1.
2.
3.

Hint: SDD

A

What are the three systematic frameworks theories use to understand personality?

  1. Structure
  2. Dynamics
  3. Development
25
Q

What does the framework of ‘structure’ refer to in theories understanding of personality?

A

Components and organisation.

26
Q

What does the framework of ‘dynamics’ refer to in theories understanding of personality?

A

Impacts on behaviour.

27
Q

What does the framework of ‘development’ refer to in theories understanding of personality?

A

Origins of structure and dynamic frameworks.

28
Q

What are the 4 types of theories used to understand personality?

1.
2.
3.
4.

Hint: GPIF

A

What are the 4 types of theories used to understand personality?

  1. Grand theories
  2. Piecemeal theories.
  3. Informal theories.
  4. Formal theories.
29
Q

Grand theories are considered to be:

A

classic.

30
Q

Piecemeal theories are considered to be:

A

contemporary.

31
Q

What is the general aim of grand personality theories?

A

To give complete and internally consistent account of human nature.

32
Q

What is the general aim of piecemeal personality theories?

A

To give a partial and externally consistent account of human nature.

33
Q

What is the main approach to grand (classic) personality theories?

A

More theory, less evidence.

34
Q

What is the main approach to piecemeal (contemporary) personality theories?

A

More evidence, less theory.

35
Q

Informal theories are considered to be:

A

pop psychology.

36
Q

Formal theories are considered to be:

A

scientific psychology.

37
Q

What are the main qualities of informal theories?

1.
2.
3.

A

What are the main qualities of informal theories?

  1. More intuitively digestible.
  2. More subjective.
  3. More simplistic.
38
Q

What are the main qualities of formal theories?

1.
2.
3.

A

What are the main qualities of formal theories?

  1. More intellectually challenging.
  2. More objective.
  3. More sophisticated.
39
Q

What are the 4 features of a good personality theory?

1.
2.
3.
4.

A

What are the 4 features of a good personality theory?

  1. Makes organised sense of what is already known to be true.
  2. Makes interesting new predictions about what should be true.
  3. Be parsimonious, explaining a lot in few words.
  4. Be testable, answerable to evidence.
40
Q

Traits and types refers to:

A

dispositions.

41
Q

Unconscious drives falls under the perspective of:

A

psychodynamics.

42
Q

Nature vs. nurture falls under the perspective of:

A

Behavioural genetics.

43
Q

Personality in the organism falls under the perspective of:

A

Brain and physiology.

44
Q

Heredity and adaptation falls under the perspective of:

A

Evolution

45
Q

Outer contingencies that shape us falls under the perspective of:

A

Learning

46
Q

Inner beliefs that shape us falls under the perspective of:

A

Cognition

47
Q

The whole person falls under the perspective of:

A

humanism.

Individual Differences (25 decks)

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