Chapter 12 - Personality

Question 1

Define personality (2)

Answer 1

A person’s unique general style of dealing with the world and people, and in understanding themselves
An individual’s unique constellation of consistent behavioral traits

Question 2

What are personality traits? (2)

Answer 2

A durable disposition to behave in a particular way in a variety of situations
Dispositions and dimensions

Question 3

What is factor analysis?

Answer 3

A statistical method that helps identify clusters of things that connect together (5 main traits that combine to make several more specific pictures)

Question 4

What are the pros and cons of psychanalytic theories of personality? (1 v 3)

Answer 4

Pros
-Insights regarding the unconscious, internal conflict, importance of early childhood experiences
Cons
- Poor testability (cannot be proven right now wrong)
- Inadequate empirical base (too vague with problem of falsifiability)
- Sexist views (women morally immature?)

Question 5

What do behavioral perspectives on personality do? (2)

Answer 5

Studying only observable behavior, with large focus on learning
Not much difference between humans and animals

Question 6

How do humanistic perspectives view personality? (2)

Answer 6

Humans have unique qualities that differentiate them from animals (main objects of study in behaviorism)
They have freedom and potential for growth, humans are rational beings above animalistic tendencies

Question 7

What are the pros and cons of humanistic theories of personality? (2 v 2)

Answer 7

• Pros:
- Values human potential
- Proposed the framework of what it means to have a healthy personality
• Cons: 
- Not a lot of research base
- Not easily tested

Question 8

What is the neuroscience of personality?

Answer 8

Scientists have started to study the relationships between certain traits and brain structure and function

Question 9

What do twin studies aim to accomplish? (3)

Answer 9

Seeks similarities between twins in identical versus fraternal twins, showing what is genetic and what is environmental
Certain genes proved to be linked to novelty seeking (genetic mapping)
Can lend proof to biological perspectives of personality