Personality Flashcards
Personality
> consistent pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting
Perspectives:
Trait, Psychoanalytic, Biological, Learning
Trait Perspective
> consists of number of distinguishable characteristics
identification and measurement (personality tests)
use traits to predict behavior (probabilities)
Allport and Odbert
> identified 18,000 words representing traits (too many)
>factor analysis (looked for groupings caused by same characteristic)
*Five Factor Theory of Personality
> dimensions (not categories) from low to high
factors stable in adults over time, across situations
universal, provides insight into behavior
most widely accepted approach
*The Big Five Factors
>conscientiousness >agreeableness >neuroticism >openness >extraversion
Conscientiousness
> high: cautious, disciplined, organized
>low: unreliable, impulsive, disorganized
Agreeableness
> high: compassionate, trusting, cooperative
low: rude, uncooperative, unsympathetic
earn higher salaries bc reject low starting salaries
Neuroticism
> high: anxious, insecure, emotional
>low: calm, secure, unemotional
Openness
> high: curious, creative, adventurous
low: conventional, closed minded, resistant to change
higher scores on educational/standards tests
Extraversion
> high: talkative, optimistic, sociable
>low: reserved, quiet, conventional
Assessing Traits
> personality inventories designed to gauge several traits at once
often use T/F or agree/disagree
no wrong answer
Objective Tests
> ex. inventories, standardized tests
MMPI
> Minnesota Multiphase Personalty Inventory
originally developed to identify emotional disorders
discriminated between diagnostic groups
standardized objective test
MMPI Reading Results
> 10 diff scores
district pattern in people w/certain disorders
shows scores can change with therapy
Premuzu and Furnham
> correlated Big Five personality traits w/academic performance
conscientious, stable, and introverted more likely to succeed in school
Projective Tests
> test taker presented w/ambiguous stimuli and asked to explain
lack objective string criteria
interpretation by clinician (subjective)
older personality tests (ex. TAT, Rorschach)
Rorschach Inkblot Test
> 10 inkblots
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
> Murray invented
>people express feelings through stories tell about ambiguous scenes
Projective Test Criticisms
> lacks reliability (consistency) and validity (predicting)
>diff interpretation of results and misdiagnose
Evaluation of Trait Approach
> personality can be measured
traits are stable/predictable
does not explain origin of traits
Anna O. and Freud
> hysteria, pain/paralysis in arm, anorexic, speech problems
>temp alleviate symptoms w/hypnosis (psych not phys problem)
Freud’s Model of Mind Theory
> mind is like iceberg
conscious mind above water
unconscious mind below water (drives behavior)
*Personality Structure
> childhood experience develops personality
based off many “disturbed patients”
includes id, ego, and super ego
*The Id
> biological causes (present at birth)
unconscious
animalistic
Pleasure Principle
*The Ego
> conscious
deals w/reality
mediates between ID and Superego
Freud: chariot rider vs. horse
*Superego
> Guilt Principle (creates ideal self)
>tries to suppress Id
Psychoanalytic Perspective
>1st comprehensive theory of personality >pioneer work on mental disorders >identified/described Defense Mechanisms ex. denial, projection (put problems on others) >tries to explain origin of personality
Evaluating Psychoanalytic Perspective Part I
> lack of operational definitions (too subjective)
explains past events rather than making testable predictions
not enough emphasis on present
overemphasis on sex/aggression, ignores cultural influences
Oral Fixation
Example of Poor Psychoanalytic Perspective
> pleasure through mouth (in kids, neg)
leads to smoking, drinking, sarcasm
not good predictor
Evaluating Psychoanalytic Perspective Part II
>based on disturbed people >personality not fixed in childhood >underemphasized peer influence >much is untestable >most modern psych not guided by Freudian ideas
Twin Studies Terms
> monozygotic - identical- 100% shared genes
dizygotic - fraternal - 50% shared genes
(no more alike than siblings)
Concordance Rate
> percent of twins sharing a trait
Ruston Research
> reviewed 40 published studies of MZ and DZ twins (3,000 pairs)
result: inherit traits that put person at risk of certain behaviors
(environment matters)
genetic predisposition- likely hood, not destiny
The Big Five Traits
> 50% inherited from parents
>50% environmental influences
Change in Environment Study 1
> more time in therapy = more change in Big Five Traits
Change in Environment Study 2
> Token Economy- comply w/therapy to receive tokens for rewards
Police Officers and MMPI Results
> as scores worsen:
increase in neuroticism, anxiety, psych complaints, alcohol abuse (critical)
Personality Overview
>The Big Five are stable/predictable >childhood experiences influence >genetics influence >environment shapes personality >learning/observation
The Learning Approach
Behaviorism
>reinforcement >observational learning >environment/experience >personality change ex. little girl (shy - praise = reinforcement - stop reinforcement = not shy)
Delay of Gratification
>work toward long-term goal >college students high on DOG >ex. candy now vs. massive candy in week kids observed adults make decision result: reflected what adults did
Berman Experiment
>The Marshmallow Test >tracked 4 yr olds progress as aged >result (high self control) teens- high test scores, not druggies adults- low BMI, more $, less divorced
