L011 - Personality Flashcards

1
Q

What is Personality ?

A

Isn’t anything concrete, it is what you think it is.
Stable way of thinking, feeling and acting

Ex. Stable cognitions, emotions and behaviors
Stable = across time, place and situations
Ex. Extroversion or introversion

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2
Q

What is Reification ?

A

Occurs when abstract constructs [someone having depression, someone being extrovert] are treated as if they are real or tangible
They are not

Extraversion is not likely like your liver or your occipital cortex
It is not located in one place in the brain/body
Cannot be directly measured
Is not objectively defined

We can disagree on the shape of the extroversion
What it is, if it counts or not, how to measure it

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3
Q

What is Phrenology?

A

Judging a person’s character by reading the “bumps” on one’s head

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4
Q

What is the Gall?

A

Argued that skull bumps were a sign of specific brain enlargements

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5
Q

What is a Psychograph?

A

A machine meant to measure the bumps on your head and give a rating for each of the 35 personality categories from the brain map

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6
Q

What are blot tests?

A

In contrast to objective traits, which are obvious about what is being studied, projective tests were used to uncover hidden thought processes

Examples
Rorschach’s ink blot
Draw a person, person-house-tree - is it has a big head it means xxx, if he has a wide neck it means xxx…
Thematic apperception test

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7
Q

What are the bodily type theories?

A

Fluid types and Body somatotypes

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8
Q

What is the fluid bodily types theory?

A

Galen; temperament related to four bodily fluids

Sanguine – excess of blood =vigor and athleticism

Choleric – excess of urine = easily angered

Melancholic – excess of feces = depressed or sad

Phlegmatic – excess of mucus = tired or lazy

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9
Q

What is the body somatotypes bodily type theory?

A

Endomorph – overweight = jolly, extraverted, slow

Mesomorph – muscular = athletic, aggressive

Ectomorph – skinny = thinking, withdrawn, fearful

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10
Q

What is the psychoanalytic theory?

A

Freud’s theory

The conscious mind is what you are presently aware of, what you are thinking about right now

The preconscious mind is stored in your memory that you are not presently aware of but can gain access to
Contains:
Ego
Develops in the first year of life
OPERATES ON THE REALITY PRINCIPLE
“Adult” - middle ground

Super ego
Represents one’s conscience and idealized standards
MORALITY PRINCIPLE
“Parent”

The unconscious mind is the part of the mind that we cannot become aware
It contains however, the primary motivations doe all of our actions and feelings – our biological, instinctual drive (like food and sex)and repressed unacceptable thoughts, memories and feelings, especially unresolved conflicts from our early childhood experiences
Contains the Id – the original personality (only part present at birth)
Unconscious
Biological instinctual drives
OPERATES ON THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE
“Child”

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11
Q

What are unhealthy personalities?

A

Develop when we become too dependent on defense mechanisms

When the id or the supego are too strong (overly hedonic or moralistic)

When the ego is too weak – bad mediator

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12
Q

What are Freud’s psychosexual stages?

A

The erogenous zone and fixation

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13
Q

What is the erogenous zone stage in Freud’s psychosexual stages?

A

Area if the body where the Id’s pleasure-seeking psychic energy is focused during a particular stage of psychosexual development

a change in erogenous zones designates the beginning of a new stage - fixation

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14
Q

What is the fixation stage in Freud’s psychosexual stages?

A

Occurs when a portion of the Id’s pleasure-seeking energy remains in a stage because of excessive gratification or frustration

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15
Q

What are Freud’s psychosocial states of personality development? Hint - sensory input is larger from these areas at specific ages.

A

Birth-1 and a half years – ORAL = mouth, lips, tongue
Sucking and biting and chewing

1 and a half years-3 years – ANUS
Bowel retention and elimination

3-6 years – GENITALS
Identifying with same sex parent to learn gender roles and sense of morality

6 years-puberty – NO EROGENOUS ZONE
Cognitive and social development

Puberty-adulthood – GENITALS
Development of sexual relationships, moving towards intimate adult relationship

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16
Q

What are the Phallic Stage Conflict types?

A

Oedipus conflict and Electra conflict

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17
Q

What is the Oedipus conflict?

A

The little boy becomes sexually attracted to his mother and fears that his father (his rival) will find out and castrate him

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18
Q

What is the Electra conflict?

A

The little girl is attracted to her father because he has a penis; she wants one of her own and feels inferior without one

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19
Q

What are the three Neo-Freudian theories of personality?

A

Carl Jung’s Collective unconsciousness
Alfred Adler’s striving for superiority
Karen Horney and the need for security

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20
Q

What is Carl Jung’s theory of Collective unconsciousness?

A

The collective unconsciousness represents the universal human experiences that we all share

Manifested in archetypes which are images and symbols of all the important themes in the history of humankind (ex. explorer, mother, hero)

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21
Q

What is Alfred Adler’s theory of striving for superiority?

A

Striving for superiority to overcome the sense of inferiority that we feel as infants given our totally helpless and dependent state.

A healthy person learns to cope with these feelings, becomes competent, and develops a sense of self-esteem

Inferiority complex is the strong feeling of inferiority felt by those who never overcome this initial feeling of inferiority

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22
Q

What is Karen Horney’s theory and the need for security?

A

Focused on dealing with our need for security, rather than a sense of inferiority

The closest of the three Neo-Freudian theories to being true.

A child’s caregivers must provide a sense of security for a healthy personality to develop or else neurotic personality types will develop

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23
Q

What are archetypes?

A

Archetypes represent personality styles – each one has a primary desire (ex. To connect with others)

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24
Q

What are notions of collective unconsciousness?

A

Notions of collective unconsciousness and archetypes are more mystical than scientific and cannot be empirically tested.

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25
Q

According to Karen Horney’s theory and the need for security, what are the three neurotic personality patterns?

A

Moving toward people
Moving against people
Moving away from people

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26
Q

What is moving towards people according to the three neurotic personality patterns?

A

A compliant, submissive person

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27
Q

What is moving against people according to the three neurotic personality patterns?

A

An aggressive, domineering person

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28
Q

What is moving away from people according to the three neurotic personality patterns?

A

A detached, aloof person

29
Q

What is the Humanistic approach?

A

Developed in the 1960s in reaction to the psychoanalytic theories (too deterministic) and behavioural theories (too mechanical)

The humanistic approach emphasizes conscious free will in one’s actions, the uniqueness of the individual person and personal growth.

Developed by Maslow

30
Q

What did Maslow study?

A

Studied the lives of very healthy and very creative people to develop his theory of personality

Based his research on the strength of people’s personalities not on their weaknesses.

Came up with the pyramid of hierarchy of needs

31
Q

What are the needs in Maslow’s pyramid of hierarchy of needs? (Bottom to top - strongest to weakest))

A

Physiological needs
Need to satisfy hunger and thirst (usually need this to get therapy in the first place)

Safety needs
Need to feel safe, secure and stable (usually need this to get therapy in the first place)

Belongingness and love needs
Need to be loved and to love, to belong and to be accepted

Esteem needs
Need for self-esteem, achievement, competence and independence

Self-actualization need
Needs to live up to one’s fullest unique potential

32
Q

What is Maslow’s theory of self-actualization?

A

Characteristics of self-actualized people (who have met all their needs) include;

Accepting themselves, others and the nature for who/what they are

Being independent, democratic and very creative

Having peak experiences, which are experiences of deep insight, wonder, awe or ecstasy

33
Q

What is Unconditional positive regard in Maslow’s theory of self-actualization?

A

Acceptance and approval without conditions

Empathy from others, and having others be genuine with respect to their own feelings, is necessary if we are to feel self-actualized

34
Q

What is Roger’s self-theory?

A

‘Here’s how you are worthy or how you should be’

Our parents set up conditions of worth. Our parents set up conditions of worth, the behaviours and attitudes for which they would give us positive regard

Meeting conditions of worth continues throughout life, and people develop a self-concept of what others think they should be

35
Q

Who is Hans Eysenck and what did he argue? What did he argue it was determined by?

A

Used factor analysis and argued for 3 trait dimensions

Extroversion – introversion

Neuroticism – emotional stability

Psychoticism – impulse control

Eysenck argued that these traits are determined by heredity

36
Q

What are traits?

A

Personality traits are individual dimensions, a continuum ranging from extremely low to extremely high

Like a volume of how (i.e.) extroverted you are – not only “I am extroverted” or “I am not extroverted”

Trait theorists use factor analysis and other statistical techniques to tell them the number and the kind of traits in a person

37
Q

According to Hans Eysenck, what causes extroversion or introversion?

A

Biological basis – level of cortical arousal (neuron activity)

Introvert have higher levels of arousal than extroverts

38
Q

According to Hans Eysenck, what causes neuroticism or emotional stability?

A

People who are high on these dimensions tend to be overly anxious, emotionally unstable and easily upset

This is because of a more reactive sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system

39
Q

According to Hans Eysenck, what causes psychoticism or impulse control?

A

Due to either a high level of testosterone or a low level of monoamine oxidase-A

40
Q

What is the Lexical hypothesis?

A

A factor analysis of all the adjectives from a dictionary, modern studies converge on the “Big Five” factors

41
Q

What are the “Big Five”?

A

OCEAN

Openness
Whether a person is open to new experiences or not

Conscientiousness
Whether a person is disciplined and responsible

Extroversion
Whether a person is sociable, outgoing and affectionate

Agreeableness
Whether a person is cooperative, trusting and helpful

Neuroticism
Whether a person is unstable and prone to negative emotions and insecurity

42
Q

What is the prevalence of personality disorders?

A

Prevalence – around 9-15% of the general population (rates much higher in psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics)

Prevalence of individual PDs is around 1-5%

43
Q

What is the prevalence of personality disorders?

A

Prevalence – around 9-15% of the general population (rates much higher in psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics)

Prevalence of individual PDs is around 1-5%

44
Q

What does comorbidity mean?

A

The simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient

45
Q

What is the prevalence of personality disorders?

A

Prevalence – around 9-15% of the general population (rates much higher in psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics)

Prevalence of individual PDs is around 1-5%

46
Q

True or false; Is comorbidity among PDs high? Explain

A

True! Comorbidity among PDs are VERY high.

People with PD have an average of 6 comorbid PDs

Comorbidity with other disorders are also high.

47
Q

Is prevalence higher in men or women?

A

Prevalence is generally higher in women although it depends on the personality disorder. Generally just more likely to report it.

48
Q

Give examples of what PDs are generally higher in men.

A

Antisocial PD and Narcissistic PD

49
Q

Give examples of what PDs are generally higher in women.

A

Dependent, Histrionic and Borderline

50
Q

What are the general criteria’s for personality disorders?

A

A pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from expectations of the individual’s culture in at least 2 of the following areas.
Cognition
Affect
Social
Impulse control

This pattern is inflexible and pervasive across different situations

It causes clinically significant distress or impairment

The pattern is stable and it has early onset (traced back to at least adolescence or early adulthood)

51
Q

Are personality disorders ego-syntonic or ego-dystonic?

A

EGO-SYNTONIC

most other disorders are ego-dystonic

52
Q

What does ego-syntonic mean?

A

People feel their PD symptoms are a part of who they are

Often have no desire to change them

However, they may want to change their consequences (ex. Paranoid PD, losing jobs etc…)

53
Q

What does ego-dystonic mean?

A

Symptoms do not feel like a part of the individual

Patients are much more eager to get rid of them.

Ex. Panic disorder

54
Q

What are the three different cluster in the 10 DSM disorders? Describe them a bit.

A

Cluster A – Odd / Eccentric (schizophrenic type)
Cluster B – Dramatic / Erratic (Dramatic / loud)
Cluster C – Anxious / Fearful (attachment based)

55
Q

What are the 10 DSM disorders?

A

Cluster A – Odd / Eccentric (schizophrenic type)
Paranoid
Schizoid
Schizotypal

Cluster B – Dramatic / Erratic (Dramatic / loud)
Antisocial
Borderline
Histrionic
Narcissistic

Cluster C – Anxious / Fearful (attachment based)
Avoidant
Dependent
Obsessive-compulsive

56
Q

Describe paranoid PD.

A

“The world is out to get me” mindset
Pervasive suspiciousness and distrust of others
See self as blameless
Always on guard for perceived attacks and betrayal by others
Hostile world attribution bias
Reads hidden insults in benign remarks
Holds a grudge
Recurrent suspicions about fidelity of partner

57
Q

Describe Schizoid PD.

A

“I don’t want anything to do with anyone else”
Pervasive detachment from social relationships
Low pleasure
Flat emotional expressions
Preference for solitary activities
Few friends and family
Indifferent to praise or criticism

58
Q

Describe Schizotypal PD. Hint - schizophrenia.

A

Interpersonal problems
Eccentric / odd
Strange beliefs
Unusual perception
Inappropriate effects
Lack of close friends
Extreme social anxiety
Believe they have magical powers or engage in magic rituals

59
Q

Describe Antisocial PD.

A

(chronic crime / toxic; psychopaths, chronic criminals)
Violate others’ rights
Aggressive
Impulsive
Illegal behaviors
Irritable / angry
Deceitful
Lack of remorse

60
Q

Describe Borderline PD.

A

(unstable, have problems: tend to grow out of it)
Unstable emotions, relationships, identity
Impulsive behavior
Feeling of emptiness
Flash ager
Recurrent of suicidal behaviors, gestures or threats (or self-stimulating behaviors)

61
Q

Describe Histrionic PD.

A

(need attention all the time)
Excessive attention-seeking behaviors
Excessive emotionality
Dramatic / theatrical
Center of attention
Uses physical appearance to draw attention

62
Q

Describe Narcissistic PD.

A

“I’m the only thing that matters” / “Everybody loves me” / “I don’t care about others”
Grandiosity
Preoccupied with unlimited success
Requires excessive admiration
Sense of entitlement
Exploits others
Believe others envy them
Lacks empathy

63
Q

Describe avoidant PD.

A

Extreme social avoidance, introversion, loneliness
Do not want to be alone but fears socializing (being rejected, criticized or embarrassed)
Feels socially inadequate

64
Q

Describe Obsessive-compulsive PD.

A

(NOT OCD; obsessed with perfectionism not specific things)
Perfectionism
Excessive concern for order and control
Preoccupied with rules
Rigid and stubborn
Devoted to work
Does not trust others to do work, takes control (if you want something done right…)

65
Q

What is the psychopathy checklist?

A

Scale of 0-2 (0 = NO, 2 = YES)
1-40 score, anything above 30 = psychopath!

DO NOT NEED TO REMEMBER BUT;

*Affective/interpersonal components *

Glib and Superficial Charm
Grandiose Self-worth
Pathological Lying
Conning and Manipulative
Lack of Remorse or Guilt
Shallow Affect
Callousness or Lack of Empathy
Failure to Accept Responsibility

Impulsive/antisocial components

Many Short-term Marital Relationships
Promiscuity
Parasitic Lifestyle
Poor Behavioral Controls
Early Behavioral Problems
Lack of Realistic Long-term Goals
Need for Stimulation
Impulsivity
Irresponsibility
Juvenile Delinquency
Revocation of Conditional Release
Criminal Versatility

66
Q

What are the two factors of psychopathy?

A

Factor 1 – affective/ interpersonal components
Sometimes referred to as the primary essence of psychopathy

Factor 2 – impulsive/antisocial components (ASPD)

67
Q

Psychopathy vs. ASPD in prison ratios

A

Prison prevalence of ASPD – 60-85%
Prison prevalence of psychopathy – 15-25%

68
Q

What is the Personality disorders diagnostic problems?

A

Is it ever right to say someone’s personality—who they are as a person—is disordered?

Culture and norms are extremely important (and
both are moving targets)
Extremely high comorbidity are PDs even distinct constructs?

Stigma is a big issue
PDs end up on permanent record
Not otherwise specified (NOS) is most common PD diagnosis

problems with coverage?
Polythetic criteria
e.g. 4/8 symptoms required for a PD means 2 people could have same PD but share no symptoms!