Intro Flashcards
What is the dictionary definition of personality?
- state of being a person
- characteristics and qualities that form a person’s distinctive character
- sum total of a person’s physical, mental, emotional and social characteristics
What is the textbook definition of personality?
- consistent behaviour patterns and intrapersonal processes originating within the individual
- individual differences
- consistent behaviour patterns across time and situations
- external sources influence personality
What are interpersonal processes?
- take place between people
What are intrapersonal processes?
- all the emotional, motivational, and cognitive processes that go on inside of us that affect how we act and feel
What is the psychological definition of personality?
- unique and relatively enduring internal and external aspects of a person’s character
What is the APA definition of personality?
- the enduring configuration of characteristics and behaviour that comprises an individual’s unique adjustment to life, including major traits, interests, drives, values, self-concept, abilities, and emotional patterns
- personality is generally viewed as a complex, dynamic integration or totality shapes by many forces, including hereditary and constitutional tendencies; physical maturation; early training; identification with significant individuals and groups; culturally conditioned values and roles; and critical experiences and relationships
- various theories explain the structure and development of personality in different ways, but all agree that personality helps determine behaviour
What are traits?
- personality characteristics that determine a person’s behaviour or by which it can be explained
What are interests?
- something that is significant to the individual or that arouses an individual’s attention
What are drives?
- a ready state of action, motivating a person to attain a goal
What are values?
- a moral principal for what is considered good or bad
What is self-concept?
- one’s description of oneself
What is ability?
- what someone is capable of doing
What are emotional patterns?
- ways in which people react emotionally to events
What is the relationship between the person and the situation?
- both the situation and the person contribute to behaviour
- how we act depends on the situation
- how people typically respond to environmental demands, but not everyone reacts the same
- individual’s personality determines:
1) how different they are from others
2) how they behave in the different situations
Who came up with the Five Factor Model?
- McRae and Costa
What is the Five Factor Model?
- there are five big personality dimensions
- OCEAN
1) openness to experience
2) conscientiousness
3) extraversion
4) agreeableness
5) neuroticism/emotional stability
What does it mean to be high on openness?
- imaginative
- curious
- open to new ideas
What does it mean to be low on openness?
- narrow field of interests
- likes the tried and true
What does it mean to be high on conscientiousness?
- responsible
- dependable
- goal oriented
What does it mean to be low on conscientiousness?
- impulsive
- carefree
What does it mean to be high on extraversion?
- outgoing
- energetic
- gregarious
What does it mean to be low on extraversion?
- quiet
- withdrawn
- unassertive
What does it mean to be high on agreeableness?
- warm
- considerate
- good natured
What does it mean to be low on agreeableness?
- aloof
- easily irritated