Personality Flashcards
Personality
Set of distinct characteristics and behaviours that make a person unique
Humanism theorises
Emphasises the importance of free will and individual experience
We are born with the potential for good and will try to reach our full potential given the right conditions
Carl rogers self theory
An organised consistent set of beliefs and perceptions about ourselves which develop in response to our life experience s
- how we see ourselves = self image/real self
How we think we should be = ideal self
Self esteem = how much we value ourselves
Ideal self vs real self
Ideal Self vs. Real Self: The ideal self is the person that you would like to be; the real self/self image is the person you actually are
Incongruence, the difference between our real self/self image, and ideal self
Self Actualisation occurs when there is congruence
Results in an individual becoming a fully functioning person
Unconditional positive regard
Unconditional Positive Regard: Showing complete support and acceptance of a person no matter what that person says or does
Congruence requires unconditional positive regard, particularly from close family members
Acceptance with no strings attached
Genuineness, empathy and openness in relationship
What do you need to achieve in order to self actualise
*Physiological needs - air, food, drink, shelter,
Abraham Maslow said we fulfill the most basic needs First.
Unhealthy personality is one where people are continually frustrated at their inability to satisfy their need to self actualise
warmth, sleep, etc.
*Safety needs - protection from elements, security, order, law, stability, etc.
*Love and belongingness needs - friendship, intimacy, trust, and acceptance, receiving and giving affection and love., being part of a group (family, friends, work).
*Esteem needs - which Maslow classified into two categories:
▫ esteem for oneself (dignity, achievement, mastery, independence)
▫the desire for reputation or respect from others (e.g., status, prestige).
Self-Actualization: All people strive to become self-actualizing, fulfilling their natural desire to achieve their full potential
Maslow viewed self-actualization as an ongoing process and becoming fully self-actualized as a rare event
Too optimistic
Difficult to measure
Non-scientific
Strength
- used for therapy
-based on healthy individuals
- tells us how personality is formed
Social cognitive theory
Social Cognitive Approach/Theory: Suggests that cognitive processes play a role equal to the situations role to determine the individual’s behavior patterns and personality
Focus on how we and our environment interact (instead of our environment controlling us)
Walter mischel
Walter Mischel
Argued that personality is not a consistent set of traits and that our behaviour is a result of:
Our situation
Strategies we use to ensure the best outcomes for ourselves in that situation
Trait vs situation
Walter Mischel
Trait vs situation
Studied conscientiousness in college students.
Found that students who came to class on time, didn’t always hand in assignments on time.
Concluded that personality traits aren’t consistent across different situations.
Personality signatures
Walter Mischel
Personality Signatures
Consistency in personality would be found in distinctive but stable patterns of “if-then” situation-behaviour reactions.
Personality Signatures are an individual’s pattern of situation-behaviour reactions.
if x situation occurs, then y behaviour might result.
Reciprocal determinism
Reciprocal Determinism: Albert Bandura proposed that the person, environment, and behavior interact to determine patterns of behavior and thus personality
Personalities shape how we interpret and react to events
Personalities help create situation to which we react
Different people choose different environments
Cognitive/personal factors
Cognitive/Personal factors:
Our previous experiences, beliefs and personality characteristics
Self Efficacy: The belief that you can do a particular task greatly increases the chances that you actually can do it
High self efficacy usually results in more success
Sources of self efficacy include mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and emotional state.
Factors
Environmental Factors
The situation, including any reinforcing or punishing stimuli
Behaviour Factors:
Any action we do that can be reinforced or punished
Trait
Trait/Type Theories: The trait approach to personality is focused on differences between individuals, focused on identifying and measuring individual personality characteristics
Trait, relatively permanent characteristic of our personality
Theorised to be genetic
Ocean
Paul Costa & Robert McCrae developed a list of five personality dimensions.
The Big Five Personality Factors: Personality consists of 5 dimensions and everyone is somewhere on a spectrum for all of them.
Openness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism
