Personality

Question 1

Personality definition

Answer 1

Personality is the patterns of thoughts and feelings and the ways in which we interact with our environment and other people that make us a unique person

Question 2

What is the narrow band approach (trait theory)?

Answer 2

• people have enduring characteristics
• Not affected by environment
• Relatively stable in all situations
• Type A: competitive, strong desire to succeed fast worked, likes control, easily stressed, impatient
• Type B: non-competitive, low need to achieve, works methodically/slowly, does not enjoy control, lower levels of stress, remains calm

Question 3

What is Eysenck’s trait theory?

Answer 3

people fall between two dimensions: (more dynamic)

• unstable = someone who is highly anxious and has unpredictable behaviour
• Stable = someone who does not swing from one emotion to another but is usually constant in emotional behaviour
• Introversion = person who does not seek social situations but likes peace and quietly and is good at concentrating
• Extroversion = person who seeks social situations and likes excitement but lacks concentration

Question 4

Social learning theory (Bandura)

Answer 4

Social learning theory (Bandura) proposes that our characteristics are present by observing others c copying/modelling their behaviour + our personality can change in different situations c environments
- Likely to replicate another person’s actions, particularly if they are a significant other
- Reinforcement is required to make sure the behaviour doesn’t happen again

Question 5

Interactionist theory

Answer 5

• combines social learning theory + trait theory by proposing that an individual’s characteristics are organically inherited + then shaped based on personal experience

Question 6

ads of trait theory

Answer 6

• (If the theory is correct) personality/behaviour can be predicted
• (There is some evidence) personality is influenced by genetics/innate e.g.
  aggressive tendencies

Question 7

disads of trait theory

Answer 7

• Trait theory may be deemed to not be accurate as not likely to just be genetic input
  that determines our personality.
• Doesn’t account for how personality seems to change in different environments if it is just based on traits/ doesn’t account for free will/ too deterministic/ doesn’t
  account for upbringing/socialisation
• Identical twins who are brought up in different environments do not demonstrate the
  same personality therefore suggesting it’s not just traits that determine personality.

Question 8

ads of SLT

Answer 8

• Bobo doll experiment supports the idea/ adds validity
• (There is evidence to suggest) some aspects of personality are learned by watching and copying (significant) others/ role models/ environment

Question 9

disads of SLT

Answer 9

• Social learning theory may be viewed as too simplistic as it is not likely to be just our environment that determines our personality/ doesn’t account for inherited personality traits.
• Children/Siblings/twins brought up in the same way don’t always display the same personality.
• If the theory was true we would all have the same personality/copy our role models