Chapter 1: The Study of the Person

Question 1

Personality

Answer 1

Individual’s characteristic patterns of thought, emotion and behavior together with psychological mechanisms–hidden or not–behind those patterns

• unique and relatively consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving

Question 2

What is the mission/goal of psychology of personality?

Answer 2

Explain the whole person in his or her daily environment (impossible all at once, must use basic approach)

Question 3

Basic approach

Answer 3

System of self-limitations
(Focus on specific patterns leading to certain observations, patterns, and ways of thinking)
(ie trait, biological, psychoanalytical, phenomenological, learning & cognitive)

Question 4

Trait approach focuses on

Answer 4

Differences

Ways people differ psychologically and how these differences are conceptualized, measured, and followed
(most dominant & all-encompassing, organizes all others built off of certain traits)

Question 5

Biological approach focuses on

Answer 5

body/biological mechanisms (anatomy, physiology, genetics, evolution)
- understand the mind in terms of the body
(hormone, in utero)

Question 6

Psychoanalytical approach focuses on

Answer 6

unconscious mind and nature/resolution internal mental conflict
(Freudian, parents, digging for angst X know exist)

Question 7

Phenomenological approach focuses on

Answer 7

conscious experience of world (as he thinks so is he)
A. Humanistic psychology: conscious awareness leading to uniquely human experiences (existential anxiety, creativity, happiness, & free will) (God-likeness)
B. human existence differs depending on culture

Question 8

Learning and cognitive approach (and aspects)

Answer 8

Changes in behavior because of rewards, punishments, experiences
- Classic behaviorism: overt behavior (bribe)
- Social learning: learning through observation & self-evaluation (siblings)
- Cognitive personality: cognitive process including perception, memory, and thought

Question 9

What is the use of psychology of personality?

Answer 9

Informs relationships & businesses, clinical (disorders/psychological health), & physical health (longevity)

Question 10

What is the relationship between different approaches?

Answer 10

Proponents consider them competitors (their method is all you need to know)
Really completions: addressing different questions
- each ignores many key concerns
One comprehensive approach likely wont do better

Question 11

Funder’s First Law

Answer 11

Great strengths are usually great weaknesses & opposite is often true
(strength of psych of personality is its mission to understand the whole person and this is fun and interesting, weakness because it can be too broad and sloppy)
(Basic approaches: advantage - good at addressing certain topics, disadvantage - poor at addressing other topics or ignores them)

Question 12

What is the emphasis of psychology of personality? Negative? Positive?

Answer 12

How individuals are different from each other.
Negative: pigeonholing
Positive: sensitivity and respect for individual differences
- It is worth it because lean about yourself and learn about God

Question 13

What is heroism?

Answer 13

Concern for others knowing there is risk
- most effective in network

Question 14

What is the psychological triangle?

Answer 14

Affect (emotions)
Behavior (actions)
Cognition (thoughts)

Question 15

How does psychology of personality relate with clinical psychology?

Answer 15

They overlap
- normal verses extreme personality patterns
- personality disorders
- both attempt to explain the whole person

Question 16

What is the whole person with respect to psychology?

Answer 16

How all the other areas of psychology come together to