Describing Personality Flashcards
personality=individual differences such as
physical enduring: habits psychological: intellect broad personality non-intellectual: moods
what is individual differences
the ways in which people vary in personality and mental abilities
what is personality
ways in which people differ from others in their ways of behaving, thinking+feeling
these differences reflect core features of who we are as persons and are central to our self concepts
what is our temperament
our emotional expression which is presumed to have biological basis
what is our character
the result of socialisation experiences
good and poor character
e.g. integrity VS deceitful
what is a personality trait?
an enduring characteristic of a person
a consistent pattern of behaviour, thinking or feeling
stable over time
how we vary from others
how are traits organised
4 type theory
hard outside and inside
soft inside and outside
how are traits organised
lexical approach
the personality traits+differences that are the most important +relevant to people eventually become part of their language
developing of personality traits
allport+odbert 1936
searched dictionary for words that could describe differences between people
4500 words found
developing of personality traits
cattell 1943
cattells 16 factors
sorted trait words into 16 factors using factor analysis
e.g. stable-neurotic
trusting-suspicious
developing of personality traits
fiske+john the big 5
openness conscientiousness extraversion agreeableness neuroticism
developing of personality traits
eysenck 1947
developed a 2 factor model; extraversion+neuroticism
and then proposed a third model; psychoticism
controversies in trait personality
are individual differences consistent
is the structure of traits universal
traits or types?
controversies in trait personality
traits or types
are there traits or types? type a-competitive, hostile, impatient type b-relaxed+unhurried type d-distressed personality traits vary by degrees
controversies in trait personality
are individual differences consistent
is behaviour consistent in the same way traits are?
behaviour expressing a trait in different situations often correlates weakly
situation is main determinant or behaviour
traits are weak predictors of behaviours
controversies in trait personality
are individual differences consistent
hartshore+may 1928
there is little relationship between what people believe is right+wrong+ what they do
behaviours determined by situational demands
controversies in trait personality
is the structure of traits universal
the big 5 falsely claims to be about human nature
translate other countries into English-strong consistency but there is evidence for differences
what are values
schwartz+bilsky 1987
concepts or beliefs about desirable end states or behaviours that transcend specific situations and guide selections or evaluation of behaviours+events
schwartz developed a mode of 10 value types- what were the 4 over arching themes
openness to change
self transcendence
self enhancement
conservation
how else can personality be described
6
motives needs goals schemas personal constructs life narratives
personality process
personality and affect
what is affect
most basic consciously-accessible feeling states
positive-enthusiastic
negative-nervous
mixed-bittersweet
personality process
personality and affect
how does personality connect to affect
neuroticism with tendency to experience negative affects
extraversion with the tendency to experience positive affects
personality process
personality and behaviour
personality traits are summarises of behaviours+acts
personality process
personality and cognition
various mental processes e.g. perception
