Module 47 (Personality Development) Flashcards
When does personality emerge
temperament (a person’s behavioral style, or how they react to and approach the world) in early childhood, such as positive emotionality, negative emotionality, and effortful control
Positive emotionality
a state of mind characterized by positive feelings like love, gratitude, humor, and humility
Negative emotionality
a personality trait that describes the tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anxiety, fear, and stress
Effortful control
the ability to regulate behavior, emotion, and cognition
Actors, Agents, and Authors
three levels of personality that develop over a person’s life, regulates (1) action, (2) choice, (3) and life narrative, identity, and goals respectively
Actor
how a person thinks, feels, and behaves in their everyday life. It’s based on performance traits and social roles
Agent
includes a person’s goals, motivations, values, and expectations. It’s the executive function that allows a person to make choices and maintain control
Author
connects a person’s past, present, and future through their life narrative.
Nature vs Nurture
-Twins and adoption studies suggest that ~half of the variance in personality is accounted for by genetics
-Identical twins separated at birth and raised in different households tend to have similar personalities
-Personality is impacted by thousands of genetic variants
-Gene and Environment interactions
How personality changes across lifespan
-Personality traits are at least moderately stable even across long periods of time
-Personality becomes more stable with age but continues to change across the entire lifespan
-Plasticity principle and Maturity principle
Plasticity principle
personality can be influenced by the environment at any age
Maturity principle
people tend to become more conscientious, agreeable, and emotionally stable, individuals differ
Volitional change
the act of intentionally changing one’s personality traits, thoughts, feelings, or behaviors
