Dispositional Traits Flashcards
List McAdams and Pals (2006) - 5 principles for a new integrative science of personality
- Evolution and human nature
- The dispositional signature
- Characteristic adaptions
- Life narratives and identity
- Differential role of culture
Evolution and Human Nature
- Human nature is best expressed in terms of evolution
- Need to understand how and why species typical characteristics evolved
- Psychological needs development (autonomy, competence, relatedness)
The dispositional signature
- Broad dimensions of individual differences between people
- inter-individual consistency and continuity in behaviour
- overall style of a person’s behaviour in the social world
- the ‘big 5’ and hardiness
Integrative science of personality
- Species-typical characteristics of human nature
- Individual differences in common characteristics
- Unique pattern of individual life
Life Narrative and Identity
- How people make sense of the past, present and future self
- Ongoing life story
- Story of unity, purpose and meaning
- Unique and culturally anchored meanings
- Important for psychological growth, coping and well-being
Differential role of culture
- different effects on different levels of personality
- person-situation interactions
- effect on behavioral expression of traits
- effect on different patterns of characteristic adaptations
McAdams and Pals (2006) Three levels or layers of psychological individuality
- Dispositional traits
- Characteristic adaptations
- Life Narratives
Characteristic Adaptations
More specific motivational, social-cognitive, and developmental variables that are contextualized in time situations and social roles. These may change over time.
The lexical hypothesis
The personality traits and differences that are most important and relevant to people eventually become apart of their language
List the big 5
Openness Conscientiousness Extroversion Agreeableness Neuroticism
Openness
Creativeness and openness to new experiences and ideas. Imaginative, many interests, insightful.
Conscientiousness
How a person controls, regulates, and directs their impulses. High: Reliable and prompt, organized, methodical and thorough.
Extroversion
How outgoing and social a person is. High: loud, highly social, outgoing, high energy. Introversion: less involved in social activities, and tend to be quiet and keep to themselves.
Agreeableness
High: Friendly, cooperative, compassionate, kind, helpful.
Low: distant and closed off, unfriendly.
Neuroticism
Emotional Stability.
High: emotionally unstable and negative emotions, nervous, anxious.
Low: Calm, emotionally stable, content
