Chapter 1: Personality Theory in Context Flashcards
What are dispositional traits called?
Personality
What are mental abilities called?
Intelligence
Personality is a multifaceted concept, comprised of:
- I
- T
- M
- A
- R
- O
- U
Personality is a multifaceted concept, comprised of:
- Inner qualities.
- Traits.
- Mechanisms/behaviours.
- Adaptive ways.
- Relatively stable over time.
- Organised.
- Unique to the individual.
What are ‘inner qualities’?
Essential features of a person that are least partly latent and hidden.
What are ‘traits’?
Particular dispositions.
What are ‘mechanisms’?
Particular mental operations.
How does personality affect behaviour?
Personality impacts what we do, and can provide causal explanation of manifest behaviour.
How is personality adaptive?
Some traits help us or others, whereas, others hurt or hinder us.
What do we mean when we say personality is relatively stable?
Traits imply consistency, as personality evolves slowly.
What do we mean when we say personality is ‘organised’?
Personality is a constellation of traits and mechanisms, meaning it is a non-random pattern.
In what way is personality unique to the individual?
Every constellation of traits and mechanisms is different, but we can find some standard traits and mechanisms.
What are the three levels of personality analysis?
1.
2.
3.
Hint: UNI
What are the three levels of personality analysis?
- Universal
- Nomothetic
- Idiographic
What does the universal level of personality analysis refer to?
Overall claims about someone.
What does the nomothetic level of personality analysis refer to?
Lawful claims about someone.
What does the idiographic level of personality analysis refer to?
Description of one.
How is the universal level of personality analysis used to describe someone’s personality?
By characterising people in terms of always true, or generally true facts.
How is the nomothetic level of personality analysis used to describe someone’s personality?
By characterising variations between people along shared dimensions.
How is the idiographic level of personality analysis used to describe someone’s personality?
By characterising variations between people using unique dimensions.
“Every human being has an oedipus complex.”
This claim would be considered what level of personality analysis?
Universal
“Aiden is more attached to his mother than Sylwia was to hers.”
This claim would be considered what level of personality analysis?
Nomothetic.
“Sylwia is uniquely X.”
This claim would be considered what level of personality analysis?
Idiographic.
Variations between people in personality and intelligence are analysed:
Nomothetically.
Variations between people in personality and intelligence is believed to be caused by:
1.
2.
Variations between people in personality and intelligence is believed to be caused by:
- Genes
- Environment
What are the three systematic frameworks theories use to understand personality?
1.
2.
3.
Hint: SDD
What are the three systematic frameworks theories use to understand personality?
- Structure
- Dynamics
- Development
What does the framework of ‘structure’ refer to in theories understanding of personality?
Components and organisation.
What does the framework of ‘dynamics’ refer to in theories understanding of personality?
Impacts on behaviour.
What does the framework of ‘development’ refer to in theories understanding of personality?
Origins of structure and dynamic frameworks.
What are the 4 types of theories used to understand personality?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Hint: GPIF
What are the 4 types of theories used to understand personality?
- Grand theories
- Piecemeal theories.
- Informal theories.
- Formal theories.
Grand theories are considered to be:
classic.
Piecemeal theories are considered to be:
contemporary.
What is the general aim of grand personality theories?
To give complete and internally consistent account of human nature.
What is the general aim of piecemeal personality theories?
To give a partial and externally consistent account of human nature.
What is the main approach to grand (classic) personality theories?
More theory, less evidence.
What is the main approach to piecemeal (contemporary) personality theories?
More evidence, less theory.
Informal theories are considered to be:
pop psychology.
Formal theories are considered to be:
scientific psychology.
What are the main qualities of informal theories?
1.
2.
3.
What are the main qualities of informal theories?
- More intuitively digestible.
- More subjective.
- More simplistic.
What are the main qualities of formal theories?
1.
2.
3.
What are the main qualities of formal theories?
- More intellectually challenging.
- More objective.
- More sophisticated.
What are the 4 features of a good personality theory?
1.
2.
3.
4.
What are the 4 features of a good personality theory?
- Makes organised sense of what is already known to be true.
- Makes interesting new predictions about what should be true.
- Be parsimonious, explaining a lot in few words.
- Be testable, answerable to evidence.
Traits and types refers to:
dispositions.
Unconscious drives falls under the perspective of:
psychodynamics.
Nature vs. nurture falls under the perspective of:
Behavioural genetics.
Personality in the organism falls under the perspective of:
Brain and physiology.
Heredity and adaptation falls under the perspective of:
Evolution
Outer contingencies that shape us falls under the perspective of:
Learning
Inner beliefs that shape us falls under the perspective of:
Cognition
The whole person falls under the perspective of:
humanism.
