Chapter 7 - Allport

Question 1

Traits

Answer 1

To Allport, distinguishing characteristics that guide behaviour. Traits are measured on a continuum and are subject to social, environmental, and cultural influences.

Question 2

Personal dispositions

Answer 2

Traits that are peculiar to an individual, as opposed to traits shared by a number of people

Question 3

Cardinal traits

Answer 3

The most pervasive and powerful human traits

Question 4

Central traits

Answer 4

The handful of outstanding traits that describes a person’s behaviour

Question 5

Secondary traits

Answer 5

The least important traits, which a person may display inconspicuously and inconsistently

Question 6

Functional autonomy of motives

Answer 6

The idea that motives in the normal, mature adult are independent of the childhood experience in which they originally appeared

Question 7

Perseveration functional autonomy

Answer 7

The level of functional autonomy that relates to low-level and routine behaviours

Question 8

Propriate functional autonomy

Answer 8

The level of functional autonomy that relates to our value, self-image, and lifestyle

Question 9

Proprium

Answer 9

Allport’s term for the ego or self

Question 10

Personal-document technique

Answer 10

The personal-document technique involves the study of a person’s written or spoken record

Question 11

Expressive behaviour

Answer 11

Spontaneous and seemingly purposeless behaviour, unusually displayed without our conscious awareness

Question 12

Coping behaviour

Answer 12

Consciously planned behaviour determined by the needs of a given situation and designed for a specific purpose, usually to bring about a change in one’s environment

Question 13

Development of the proprium

Answer 13

1) bodily self -
2) self-identity -
3) self-esteem -
4) extension of self -
5) self-image -
6) self as a rational coper -
7) propriate striving -

*Adulthood

Question 14

Description of the healthy adult personality

Answer 14

1) extend their sense of self to people and activities beyond themselves
2) relate warmly to other people, exhibiting intimacy, compassion, and tolerance
3) high degree of self-acceptance helps them to achieve emotional security
4) realistic perception of life, develop personal skills, and make a commitment to some type of work
5) have sense of humour and self-objectification
6) unifying philosophy of life, which is responsible for directing the personality toward future goals .

Question 15

Allport’s definition of personality

Answer 15

Dynamic organization with in individual of those psychological systems (determines characteristic behaviour and thought)

Question 16

Study of values (categories of values and motivating factors within that)

Answer 16

1) Theoretical - seeking truth
2) economic - seeking what is useful and practical
3) aesthetic - seeking harmony
4) Social - seeks out love and affections
5) political - seeks dominance and power
6) religious - seeks unity

Question 17

The development of the proprium

Answer 17

1) bodily self - no sense of self or consciousness
2) self-identity - learning how they are distinct from others (names, differences, etc)
3) self-esteem - developing skills and recognition that they can accomplish things on their own

First three stages occur from age 1-3

4) extension of self - identifying what belongs to you (my family/friends)
5) self image - idealized self image - this is who I am

These two stages occurs between the ages of 4-6

6) self as rational coper - applying reason and logical to situation (age 6-12)
7) propriate striving - formulation of long term goals, etc. (Adolescence)

*adulthood - functional autonomously without any connection or influence from childhood