INTRODUCTION IN THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Flashcards
Originated from the Latin word persona
Personality
A pattern of a relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics
Personality
It contribute to individual differences in behavior overtime and stability of behavior across the situations
Traits
A unique qualities of an individual that includes such attributes as temperament, physique and intelligence
Characteristics
A set of assumptions that allows scientists to use logical deductive reasoning to formulate testable hypothesis
Theory
What is theory?
A set of assumptions that allows scientists to use logical deductive reasoning to formulate testable hypothesis
A single assumptions can never fill all the requirements of an adequate theory
theory is a SET OF ASSUMPTIONS
Isolated assumptions can neither be generated meaningful hypotheses nor posses internal consistency
theory is a SET OF RELATED ASSUMPTIONS
The components of a theory are not proven facts in the sense that their validity has been established
DEFINITION IS ASSUMTIONS
used by researchers to formulate hypotheses
Logical deductive reasoning
theory must be stated with sufficient precision and logical consistency
tenets
the hypotheses need to be tested immediately, but it must suggest the possibility that scientist in the future might develop the necessary means to test it
qualifier testable
means love of wisdom, deals with what ought to be or what should be
philosophy
the people who pursue wisdom through thinking and reasoning
philosophers
The nature of knowledge.
Epistemology
they are closely tied to empirically gathered data and to science
speculations
A branch of study concerned with the observation and classification of data and with the verification of general laws through testing of hypotheses.
Science
an educated guess or prediction specific enough for its validity
hypothesis
A single comprehensive theory is capable of generating thousands of hypotheses.
hypothesis
a classification of things according to their natural relationships
taxonomy
are essential to the development of science because without the classification of data science could not grow
taxonomy
can evolve into theories when they begin to generate testable hypotheses and to explain research findings
taxonomy
Robert McCrae and Paul Costa “Big Five” factors of personality”
-Stability
-Extraversion
-Openness
-Agreeableness
-Conscientiousness
SIX CRITERIA DETERMINE THE USEFULNESS OF A SCIENTIFIC THEORY:
- Does the theory generate research?
- Is it falsifiable?
- Does it organize and explain knowledge?
- Does it suggest practical solutions to everyday problems?
- Is it internally consistent?
- Is it simple or parsimonious?
The most important criterion (principle/standard/basis) of a useful theory is its ability to stimulate and guide further research
Does the theory generate research?
Two different kinds of research:
-Descriptive Research
-Hypothesis Testing
The more useful the theory, the more research generated by it; greater the the amount of descriptive research, the more complete the theory.
Example:
For instance, a development psychologist who watches children on a playground and describes what they say to each other while they play is conducting
Descriptive Research
- Leads to an indirect verification of the usefulness of the theory.
- A useful theory will generate many hypotheses that, when tested, add to a database that may reshape and enlarge theory.
Example:
Formal procedure from investigating our ideas about the world using statistics.
e.g. Null Hypothesis and alternate hypothesis collect data, statistical test, findings in results and discussion.
Hypothesis Testing
- A theory is evaluated on its ability to be confirmed or disconfirmed.
- A theory must be precise enough to suggest research that may either support or fail to support its main tenets.
Is it falsifiable? (able to be altered or presented falsely)
When a theory is vague (unclear or not certain) or nebulous (haze/ unclear/indistinct) that both positive and negative research results can be interpreted as support, the theory is not falsifiable and ceases to be useful.
Is it falsifiable? (able to be altered or presented falsely)
A useful theory should al also be able to organize those research data that are not incompatible with each other.
Does it organize and explain knowledge?
A fourth criterion (principle or standard) of a useful theory is its ability to guide the practitioner over the course of day today problems
e.g. parents, teachers, business, manager and psychotherapists are confronted continually with an avalanche of questions for which they try to find workable answers.
Does it suggest practical solutions to everyday problems?
Good theory provide a good structure for finding many questions.
Does it suggest practical solutions to everyday problems?
A useful theory of personality must be capable of integrating what is currently known about human behavior and personality development.
Does it organize and explain knowledge?
A useful theory need not be consistent with other theories, but it must be consistent with itself.
Is it internally consistent?
In an internally consistent theory, the components are logically compatible.
Is it internally consistent?
Limitation of scope is carefully defined
Is it internally consistent?
Consistent theory consistently uses language or words.
Is it internally consistent?
A good theory will use concepts and terms that have been clearly and operationally defined.
Is it internally consistent?
An Operational definition- defines a unit in terms of observable events or behaviors that can be measured
Is it internally consistent?
When two theories are equal in their ability to generate research, be falsified, give meaning data, guide the practitioner, and be self-consistent, the simpler one is preferred.
Is it simple or parsimonious?
two theories are never exactly equal in these other abilities, but in general, simple, straightforward theories are more useful than ones that bog down under the weight of complicated concepts and esoteric language.
The law of parsimony
Why Different Theories?
Alternate theories exist because the very nature of the theory allows the theorist to _____ from a particular point of view.
make speculations
Why Different Theories?
Theories must be _____ when gathering data. Their decisions as to what the data are collected and how these data are interpreted are personal ones.
objective
Why Different Theories?
Not Immutable laws, they are built not on proven facts, but on __________.
assumptions that are subject to individual interpretation.
Why Different Theories?
All theories are a _____ of their authors’ personal backgrounds, childhood experiences, philosophy of life, interpersonal relationships, and unique manner of looking at the world.
reflection
Why Different Theories?
_____ are colored by an individual observer’s frame reference.
Observations
Why Different Theories?
_____ theories
Diverse
Why Different Theories?
The usefulness of a theory does not depend on its common sense value or its agreement with other theories. Rather, it depends on its ability to __________.
generate research and explain research data and other observations.
Psychologists attempt to explain how human thoughts, emotions, motives, and behaviors work.
Perspective s in Theories of Personality
Yet human personality is so complex that many different perspectives have developed on how to best explain them.
Perspective s in Theories of Personality
These perspectives make different assumptions and focus on different aspects of behavior.
Perspective s in Theories of Personality
Needs organization or classification for research findings would not remain isolated and meaningless.
Does it organize and explain knowledge?
Can expand an existing theory, concerned with the measurement, labeling, and categorization of the units employed in theory building.
Descriptive Research
is one that defines units in terms of observable events or behaviors that can be measured.
operational definition
the position theorists take on
this issue shapes their way of looking at people and colors their concept of
humanity.
determinism versus free choice.
personality theorists who believe in determinism tend to be pes-
simistic (Skinner was a notable exception), whereas those who believe in free
choice are usually optimistic.
pessimism versus optimism
Briefly, causality holds that behavior is a function of
past experiences, whereas teleology is an explanation of behavior in terms
of future goals or purposes.
causality versus teleology
Are
people ordinarily aware of what they are doing and why they are doing it, or
do unconscious forces impinge on them and drive them to act without aware-
ness of these underlying forces?
conscious versus unconscious determinants of behavior
Are people mostly creatures of biology, or are their personalities shaped
largely by their social relationships? A more specific element of this issue is
heredity versus environment; that is, are personal characteristics more the
result of heredity, or are they environmentally determined?
biological versus social influences on personality
Is the salient feature
of people their individuality, or is it their common characteristics? Should the
study of personality concentrate on those traits that make people alike, or
should it look at those traits that make people different?
uniqueness versus similarities
can expand an existing
theory, is concerned with the measurement, labeling, and categorization of the units
employed in theory building.
descriptive research
