Module 4.5 Flashcards
Social-Cognitive and Trait Theories of Personality
Social-cognitive theory
an extension of social learning theory to include the effects of cognitive processes, such as conceptions, judgment, and motivation, on an individual’s behavior and on the environment that influences them.
Reciprocal determinism
a concept that opposes exclusive emphasis on environmental determination of responses and asserts that a reciprocal relationship exists among environment, behavior, and the individual
Self-concept
one’s description and evaluation of oneself, including psychological and physical characteristics, qualities, skills, roles and so forth. Self-concepts contribute to the individual’s sense of identity over time
Self-efficacy
an individual’s subjective perception of their capability to perform in a given setting or to attain desired results
Self esteem
the degree to which the qualities and characteristics contained in one’s self-concept are perceived to be positive. It reflects a person’s physical self-image, view of their accomplishments and capabilities, and values and perceived success in living up to them, as well as the ways in which others view and respond to that person. The more positive the cumulative perception of these qualities and characteristics, the higher one’s self-esteem.
Trait theories of personality
approaches that explain personality in terms of internal characteristics that are presumed to determine behavior
Big Five theory of personality
a model of the primary dimensions of individual differences in personality. The dimensions are usually labeled extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience, though the labels vary somewhat among researchers
Agreeableness
the tendency to act in a cooperative, unselfish manner, construed as one end of a dimension of individual differences (agreeableness vs. disagreeableness) in the Big Five personality model
Openness to experience
a dimension of the Big Five personality model and the five-factor personality model that refers to individual differences in the tendency to be open to new aesthetic, cultural, or intellectual experiences
Extraversion
one of the elements of the Big Five and five-factor personality models, characterized by an orientation of one’s interests and energies toward the outer world of people and things rather than the inner world of subjective experience
Conscientiousness
the tendency to be organized, responsible, and hardworking, construed as one end of a dimension of individual differences (conscientiousness vs. lack of direction) in the Big Five personality model
Personality inventories
a personality assessment device that usually consists of a series of statements covering various characteristics and behavioral patterns to which the participant responds by choosing among fixed answers, such as true, false, always, often, seldom, or never, as applied to themself. The scoring of such tests is objective, and the results are interpreted according to standardized norms
Factor analysis
a statistical method for identifying clusters of items that tend to be answered the same way. This method, like the empirical method, begins with a large set of items that are administered to a group of respondents
