Inclass

Question 1

INTRO

Answer 1

• PERSONALITY is defined by psychologists as an individuals unique and relatively unchanging psychological characteristics and behaviour patterns.
• It refers to who you are over a period time, remaining stable and how you express yourself in situations. Individual’s attitudes, values, morals, habits and talents are all aspects of their personality.
• Theory’s on personality include; TRAIT, HUMANISITC, BEHAVIOUR, PSYCHODYNAMIC
• TRAIT theorists classify, analyze and interrelate traits, and discover their origins to understand and explain personality.
• Gordon Allport, a trait theorist developed a model of personality, showing cardinal, central and secondary traits. - - HUMANISTIC focus on human experience, problems, potentials and ideals in the development of personality.
• It puts emphasis on self-actualization, which is seen as innate for personal growth. Abraham Maslow developed the Hierarchy of Needs, a model that tiers needs of humanity, from the fundamental needs to the top; self-actualization.

Question 2

GORDON ALLPORT

Answer 2

• Gordon Allport developed a list of 4500 trait-like words, which he then classified and grouped these traits accordingly.
• Allport model organised the traits into three levels; cardinal, central and secondary traits.
• A cardinal trait is a personality trait so powerful that all activities are a consequence and determined by the trait; therefore rare.
• Central traits are the core qualities, or fundamental basis that characterize an individual’s personality.
• Secondary traits are inconsistent, and may be superficial to how a person’s acts within specific environments, and not true to one’s core.

Question 3

ALLPORT SCENARIO

Answer 3

• Kate’s cardinal trait would be caring.
• This is seen in every activity she does, from her career choice; psychologist and help those with disabilities, her volunteer work and relationship with friends and family.
• Kate’s central traits that make up the foundation of her personality would be how she is described by friends ‘kind, caring, loyal’ as well as hard working and sincere that’s seen in her education and volunteer work.
• Kate’s secondary traits would be based off her hobbies, and likes and dislikes; such as going out to dinner over partying, that she enjoys reading and watching movies.
• Kate would be more introverted, enjoys more intimate settings with friends and therefore is reserved and quiet in bigger group settings.

Question 4

MASLOW

Answer 4

• Abraham Maslow, humanist theorist outlined the Hierarchy of Needs.
• 1943, Maslow states that people are motivated to achieve certain needs, and when an individual need is fulfilled, they then seek to fulfill the next one.
• This created the Five Stage Model, categorized by the levels of needs.
• The levels (from top to bottom) are;
• Biological and Physiological needs (air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep),
• Safety needs (protection from elements, security, order, law, stability, freedom from fear),
• Love and Belongingness needs (friendship, love, affection, intimacy – from friends, family, romantic relationships),
• Esteem needs (achievement, mastery, independence, dominance, self respect, respect for others, status) and
• Self-Actualization needs (realizing personal potential, self fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences).
• Progression through the tiers may be slowed or stopped by failure to fulfill needs of lower levels.

Question 5

MASLOW SCENARIO

Answer 5

• demonstrated that Kate is in the 4th stage of the Hierarchy of Needs; Esteem needs.
• She has achieved the lower stages, having access to food, water, shelter and other basic needs.
• Kate as also fulfilled stage two, having a part time job and an education; creating a secure future.
• Kate’s ‘loving relationship with her parents and younger sisters’ and being described as ‘kind, caring and loyal’ suggests she has fulfilled the 3rd stage with stable relationships; being loved and having a sense of belonging.
• This fulfillment of 3 stages concludes that Kate is fulfilling the 4th stage; Esteem needs as she is focusing on achieving – getting a university degree, and volunteering but hasn’t reached full independence as she still lives at home and relies on her family to live.

Question 6

DIS AND AD OF ALLPORT

Answer 6

• Allport’s theory strengths
• based on objective and statistical data, which eradicated bias.
• it describes every trait providing easy and understandable information of a person’s personality.
• theory still has weaknesses;
  being a poor predictor of the future,
• doesn’t explain the development of the traits; only the present events for the trait,
  doesn’t provide a way to change bad traits, only measures them and
  the trait theory requires personal observation or self-report to measure, therefore it requires individuals to be introspective.

Question 7

DIS AND AD OF MASLOW

Answer 7

• advantages include; the theory interprets human behaviour and motivation well,
• has relevance in present day and is application to business (advertisement, efficient working spaces).
• The theory is widely criticized for its inability to be tested empirically,
• the model is too simplistic; lacks empirical support for the ranking of needs,
• is culture bound,
• with the assumptions of the hierarchy restricted to western culture,
• lacks validity and
• cannot be generalized for the entirely of the human population as Maslow only studied a select sample.