Lecture 5 - Personality Flashcards
Barnum Effect
Our tendency to accept as valid any descriptions of our personality that are generally true of everyone
Enneagram
Very flawed way to quiz personality traits but people follow it regardless because it is relatable.
- Not supported by scientific research
Personality
The unique characteristics that account for enduring patterns of inner experience and outward behaviour.
- Personality is a construct - just like IQ needs to be operationalized
Operationalize
Operationalize means defining a concept or construct in specific, measurable terms so that it can be observed, quantified, and studied empirically.
Phrenology (Franz Gall, 1780)
Theory that claimed the shape and size of various areas of the skull could determine a person’s personality traits, intellectual capabilities, and even moral character.
Debunked: It was found that there is no connection between skull shape and personality or intelligence
5 Main Perspectives That Emerged
- Psychodynamic (Freud, Jung)
- Humanistic
- Trait
- Biological
- Interactionist
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory
Key Ideas:
* Behaviour is driven by the unconscious
* Events in childhood shape adult personality
Defense Mechanisms: Largely Unconscious Reactions that protect a person from unpleasant emotions (e.g. anxiety, guilt)
Ex. Repression, Denial, Excuse, Projection, Displacement, Sublimation, Regression (LEARN THESE MORE)
Criticisms:
* Inadequate Evidence
* Poor Scientific Methods
* Lack of predictive capacity
* Unclear Developmental Trajectory
* Creepy focus on sexuality and gender identity
Repression
Keeping Unpleasant Memories or thoughts buried in the unconscious
Ex. Forgetting details of traumatic events
Denial
Refusing to accept Unpleasant Reality
Ex. refusing to admit addiction
Rationalization
Creating socially acceptable excuse to justify unacceptable behaviour
Ex. Justifying cheating on taxes because “everyone does it”
Reaction Formation
Not acknowledging unacceptable impulses and over-emphasizing their opposite
Ex. Overpraising sibling’s accomplishment even though you resent their success
Projection
Transferring one’s unacceptable qualities or impulses to others
Ex. Lieing to others, but accusing them of lying and spreading rumours
Displacement
Diverting one’s impulses to a more acceptable target
Ex. Yelling at family members after bad day at work
Sublimation
Channeling Socially Unacceptable Impulses into acceptable activities
Ex. Redirecting aggressive behaviour by becoming professional fighter
Regression
Reverting to immature ways of responding
Ex. Throwing tantrum when frustrated
Humanistic Theory: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
People are basically good and have an urge to grow
* personality comes from striving to meet needs
- Psychological Needs
- Safety & Security Needs
- Belongingness & Love Needs
- Esteem Needs
- Cognitive Needs
- Aesthetic Needs
- Need for Self-Actualization
- Realization of Potential
Carl Rogers: Humanistic Theories
Believed Humans are fundamentally Positive and strive for self-actualization
* Emphasized importance of self-concept: A pattern of self-perception that remains consistent over time and can be used to characterize an individual
Carl Rogers Created Person-Centred Therapy: emphasization of the client’s capacity for self-healing and personal growth.
Summary of Humanistic Theories
- Freud’s Psychoanalytic
- Carl Roger’s Humanistic
Strengths:
* Developed “self-concept”
* Optimistic Growth
* Influenced Counselling, Education, Child-Raising, etc.
Criticisms:
* Vague and Subjective concepts (difficult to operationalize)
* Unrealistic view of human nature (too optimistic)
* Reinforces individualism and self-centred values
Trait Theories
Personality is composed of a limited amount of fundamental traits
* Traits Influence Behaviour
New Approach to Measuring Personality Empirically
Personality Inventory: A questionnaire designed to assess various aspects of personality
Gordon Allport: Lexical Hypothesis - Idea that our language contains the important ways in which people can differ
Hans Eysenck: Trait model of personality structure using factor analysis: Statistical Procedure that is conducted to identify groups of related items (factors) on a test
With Factor analysis found: “super factors” (order traits determined by genes)
- Extraversion (sociable)
- Neuroticism (worried)
- Psychoticism (nasty)
Costa & McRae - Craeted 5-factor model:
- Conscientiousness
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
- Openness
- Extraversion
Interactionist
suggests that human behavior and development are shaped by both biological factors (nature) and environmental influences (nurture) through a dynamic interplay. This theory emphasizes that neither genetics nor environment alone fully determines behavior; instead, they interact with each other.
Ocean 5 Traits Explained: Video
Trait Psychology:
Ocean 5 traits - present in every person in some degree
O.C.E.A.N
Openness - to experience - curious and like exploring new things (get out of their comfort zone)
Conscientiousness - pay more attention to detail (OCD). They rethink everything
Extroversion - more likely to respond positively to the stimuli in the outside world
Agreeableness - more willing to take action to make peace for others. Sacrifice desires for others.
Neuroticism (Emotionality) - More likely to feel heightened feelings of anxiety, depression, aggression.
6th trait - Honesty In Humility - more honest and humble. Less likely to be narcissistic, psychopathic
Summary of Trait Theory
Strengths:
* Traits are relatively stable across situations and cultures
* Traits Predict Other Attributes and Behaviours
* Genetic Links have been demonstrated
Criticisms:
* Oversimplifies Personality
* Portrays Personality as Fixed rather than flexible/evolving
Person-Situation Debate
Situationsim - A view of personality, which notes that in many social situations people respond in similar ways
I.e. The situation drives responses, not personality
B.F. Skinner (Behaviourism) - We recall actions because of past rewards
Interactionism - Emphasizes the relationship between a person’s underlying personality traits and the reinforcing aspects of situations in which people choose to put themselves
Reciprocal Determinism - Reciprocal Relationship exists among environment, behaviour, and internal mental events (Albert Bandura)
Factors:
* Behaviour
* Environmental
* Personal (Cognitive, Biological)
Introduction to Personality Psychology: Video
Introduction to Personality Psychology
Personality Psychology: scientific study of those things about a person that are a consistent pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that characterize a person throughout their lives.
Looks at the things that are stable in people’s lives and things that change.
Personality Psychology vs. Social Psychology:
Social psychologists look for causes of behaviour in a situation.
Personality Psychologists look for the causes of behaviour in a person
