Personality Flashcards
Define repression (defence mechanism)
forget things that cause anxiety
Define regression (defence mechanism)
revert to immature patterns of behaviour
Define denial (defence mechanism)
refuse to accept the true nature of the situation
Define displacement (defence mechanism)
transfer ideas and feelings from their original source to a less threatening object
Define sublimation (defence mechanism)
channeling of impluses into behaviour that benefits society
Define reaction formation (defence mechanism)
behave in a way that is the exact opposite to one’s true feeling
Define rationalisation (defence mechanism)
create false but plausible excuses to justify unacceptable behaviour
Define projection (defence mechanism)
attribute thoughts that makes us feel guilty on to others, as if the action comes from them
Define fixation (defence mechanism)
get stuck at an immature stage
Define identification (defence mechanism)
identify with more powerful people to boost self-esteem
2 aspects of early personality theories
- personality is inherited in our genes
- personality types
Hippocrates - 4 personality types
- Choleric
- Sanguine
- Phlegmatic
- Melancholic
Choleric personality type (Hippocrates)
- Quick tempered
- excess yellow bile (Galen)
Sanguine personality type (Hippocrates)
- warm, cheerful, confident
- excess blood (Galen)
Phlegmatic personality type (Hippocrates)
- sluggish, calm, cool
- excess phlegm (Galen)
Melancholic personality type (Hippocrates)
- gloomy, pensive
- excess black bile (Galen)
Who explained Hippocrates personality theory using humors (bodily fluids)
Galen
Describe Kretchsmer 3 main body types
-Aesthenic-fragile, narrowly built
-Athletic-muscular type
-Pyknic-plump physique
(Dysplastic-doesn’t fit into any of the groups)
Personality of Aesthenic body type (Kretchsmer)
-Schizophrenia
Personality of Athletic body types (Kretchsmer)
-less severe thought disorders
Personality of Pyknic body types (Kretchsmer)
-manic depression/bipolar
Describe Sheldon’s 3 body types to personality
- Endomorphy
- Mesomorphy
- Ectomorphy
Personality of Endomorph body type (Sheldon)
Relaxed, easy going (Visceratonia)
Personality of Mesomorph body type (Sheldon)
Courageous, bold, energetic (Somatonia)
Personality of Ectomorph body type (Sheldon)
Apprehensive, secretive, restrained
Evaluate Sheldon’s study into body types and normal behaviour
Sheldon assigned the body types and persoailty types so he ay have been biased
Describe what Gluek and Gleuk found about delinquent boys and their body types
Delinquent boys were more likely to be mesomorphs (muscular) maybe because they could illicit fear on less muscular
What is psychoanalysis?
- a theory of personality
- procedures relating to personality change or treatment
Describe the concious level of the mind (Freud)
what we are aware of
Describe the preconcious level of the mind (Freud)
what we aren’t currently aware of but can be concious if we focus on them
Describe the unconcious level of the mind (Freud)
- unaware of these thought and can’t be brought into the concious
- contains sexual and aggressive urges
- has a strong influence on behaviour
- dreams imerge from here
What are dreams? (Freud)
-Show a person’s inner thoughts or intentions
-Part1:Manifest Content (what we remeber)
-Part2:Latent Content(the hidden meaning)
Nightmares occur when a repressed wish breaks through
What is psychic energy? (Freud)
- source of human motivation used for psychological functioning
- Cathexis: investment of psychic energy
- Flows through 3 personality structures
Describe the ID
- Pleasure principle
- present from birth
- ignores laws and social conventions
- fully unconcious
Describe the EGO
- Reality principle
- develops in the first year of life
- tries to delay gratification of ID
Describe the SUPEREGO
- Morality principle
- 3-5 years old
- high standards of behaviour
Describe Freud’s theory to behaviour based on conflicts
It is based on internal conflicts of the the ID, EGO and SUPEREGO
Name the psychosexual stages of development Freud
-Oral
-Anal
-Phallic
(Latency Period)
-Genital
Name the drives that affect behaviour (Freud)
EROS-life instinct fuelled with libido
THANATOS-death instinct, basic aggressive drive
Describe the ORAL stage (Freud)
- birth-first year
- pleasure from sucking and biting
- Sucking=oral eroticism
- Biting=oral sadism
- Conflict is weaning
Describe fixations at the ORAL Stage (Freud)
Weaned early=frustration so will smoke, talk excessively and is greedy
Weaned late=overindulged so will be optimistic and dependent on interpersonal relationships
Describe fixations at the ANAL stage (Freud)
Anally retentive=child didn’t want to make a mess so will be a perfectionist
Anally expulsive=child always ‘let it out’ so will be careless
Describe the ANAL stage (Freud)
- 2-3 years
- pleasure from contraction and relaxation of muscles that control bowels
- Anal Eroticism=pleasure from retaining faeces
- Anal Sadism=pleasure from explusion of faeces
Describe the PHALLIC stage (Freud)
- 4-5 years
- pleasure from stimulation of privates
- conflict over masturbation and possessing the opposite sex parent
Describe the Oedipus complex
- boy’s attachment to his mother
- resentful of father
- fears father will castrate him
Describe the Electra Complex
- girl’s attachment to her to her father
- have penis envy
- resents her mother for not having a penis
Describe the result of fixations at the phallic stage
-reckless, vain, fear of intimacy and self-assured
Describe the LATENCY period
Libido is dormant and person is occupied by schooling and same-sex making friends
Describe the GENITAL stage
-Libido is focused on heterosexual sex
Describe the result of fixations at the GENITAL stage
-Pregenital Fixation=incomplete sexual development
Describe the case study of Little Hans
- 5 year old boy with a fear of horses
- Fear of horses associated with his father and fear of castration
Criticisms of Freud
- Overemphasis on sexuality
- Lack of testability
- Inadequate evidence
- Sexism
aim of the dispositional theory of personality
-aims to identify the different components of personality that influences behaviours through TESTS, STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES
what are traits?
- descriptive statements about personality
- stable and enduring through time and situations
- different individuals have different amounts and strength of trait
- since we can’t observe traits, we make inferences
goals of dispositional strategy
- identify underlying dimensions of personality
- discover how people differ (measuring)
- influence and predict behaviour
difference between type and trait
- type of personality=puts person in a box
- trait theory=explains personality on a continuum
how many traits did Allport identify?
18,000 human traits which became 160 after removing words that meant the same things and physical words
what are the common traits?
shared by members of a culture
what are individual traits
unique qualities which may take 3 forms: cardinal trait, central traits and secondary traits
what are Cardinal traits?
dominant powerful trait that influences everything in life (not everyone has one)
what are Central traits?
‘core’ tendencies that are highly characteristic of an individual. don’t dominate behaviour but are influential (we all have 5-10)
what are secondary traits?
show up in some situations but not others, all other traits in a person
what is factor analysis?
correlations/relationships of what personalities go well
what is orthogonal method?
small number of factors completely unrelated to each other
what is the oblique method?
gives number of factors that are linked (overlap) used by Cattell
describe Cattell’s work into trait theory of personality
- reduced 4.500 words to 35
- created a personality questionnaire (16PF)
- SURFACE traits=visible aspects of personality
- SOURCE traits=underlying personality traits derived from surface traits
LQT factors that need to be known to calculate someone’s personality trait
LIFE events i.e school/work
QUESTIONNAIRES or interviews
TESTING that is objective
what is Esyenck’s theory into personality
only 3 traits are needed to determine personality: Extraversion/Inversion
Stable/Unstable (neuroticism)
Psychoticism (self-control)
What is Esyenck’s method of measuring Extraversion, Stability and Psychoticism?
the EPQ which measures Extraversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism
which three theorists were involved in developing the 5 factor model of personality
Norman 1963 ->Goldberg 1981 ->Costa and McCrae 1985
who developed the most commonly used terms for the 5 factor model of personality
Costa and McCrae 1985
what are the five traits of the five factor scale
- OPENNESS
- CONSCIOUSNESS
- EXTRAVERSION
- AGREEABLENESS
- NEUROTICISM
Who developed the Fundamental Lexical Hypothesis?
Goldberg 1990
what is the meaning of OPENNESS in the five factor model?
- to experience
- a tendency to ENJOY NEW EXPERIENCES i.e art
what is the meaning of the CONCIENTIOUSNESS in the five factor model?
- to be responsible
- being hardworking, reliable, self disciplined
what is the meaning of EXTRAVERSION in the five factor model?
- tendency to seek new experiences associated with assertiveness and excitement seeking
- having a stable mood under most circumstances
what is AGREEABLENESS in the five factor model?
- conformity, likeability
- being good-natured, compassionate
what is NEUROTICISM in the five factor model?
- experiencing negative emotions
- worrying, anxious, insecure
how do we measure the five factor model?
NEO-PI-R
NEO Personality Inventory (Revised in 1992)
what is a strength of the NEO-PI-R for measuring personality
- practical way to describe VARIATION in personality in a small number of terms
2good for measuring personality ACROSS SOCIETIES
what is a disadvantage of the NEO-PI-R for measuring personality?
- doesn’t explain WHY these traits are the best
2. self report technique
describe Eysenck’s biological theory of personality
- traits are due to the CNS
- balance between excitation and inhibition processes in the ARAS (Ascending Reticular Activating System)
what is the function of the ARAS? Ascending Reticular Activating System (5 POINTS)
- CORTICAL AROUSAL THEORY OF PERSONALITY
- maintain optimum level of alertness
- ENHANCES or DAMPENS incoming stimuli
- EXTRAVERTS:ARAS inhibits impulses so they SEEK STIMIULATION
- INTROVERTS:ARAS enhances impulses so they KEEP AWAY FROM STIMULATION
What is the supporting evidence for the CORTISOL AROUSAL THEORY OF PERSONALITY by Eysenck
- vigilance tasks:-boring tasks that introverts enjoy but extraverts find boring
- in life, extraverts constantly SEEK EXCITMENT but introverts enjoy less exciting activities
- introverts and extroverts require different levels of stimulation to reach the same optimum level of arousal
what is link between personality and conditionality?
- INTROVERTS should be easily conditioned as they need LESS STIMULI (however not replicated)
- NEUROTICSM: high neurotics have reactivity in the AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM and react QUICKLY AND STRONGLY to stimuli and TAKE LONGER TO RECOVER
- PSYCHOTICISM: HIGH LEVELS OF MALE HORMONE (ANDROGEN)=HIGH PSYCHOTICSM
What is the link between heredity and personality?
STRENGTHS OF EYSENCK
56%-72% of personality is inherited
- Twin studies: MZ twins raised apart are similar to MZ twins raised together
- parents had closer personalities to their biological children than adopted children
- siblings have similar personalities than other children in the same family
what is a disadvantage of Eysenck’s theory of bio basis of personality?
- not much evidence for psychoticism
- environmental influences have an effect on personality (40%)
who introduced the behavioural approach?
JB Watson
what is the theory behind the behavioural approach?
- Psychology should only study observable behaviour
- Environment influences behaviour
what is Skinner’s theory of behaviourism
- we are all born as a BLANK SLATE and we LEARN to become who we are
- OPERANT CONDITIONING
What is a PREDICTOR of behaviour according to the behaviourist approach?
likelihood of rewards or punishments
what is the MOTIVATION of personality according to the behaviourist approach?
desire to be rewarded
what is the DEVELOPMENT of personality according to the behaviourist approach?
as we face NEW EXPERIENCES our personality changes
why may people act differently in the same situation (according to the Skinner’s behaviourist approach)?
UNIQUE histories of operant conditioning
what is stability due to in individual behaviours (according to the Skinner’s behaviourist approach)?
STABLE RESPONSE TENDENCIES
what may be the result of changes in environment (according to the Skinner’s behaviourist approach)?
big changes in personality
what is the Social Learning Theory?
personality is learned through the ENVIRONMENT but also emphasises the role of COGNITIVE ACTIVITY (thoughts and feelings)
what is Bandura’s theory of personality?
- OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING develops personality (modelling)
- RECIPROCAL DETERMINISM: BEHAVIOUR, -ENVIRONMENT AND PERSONAL FACTORS all interact with each other
- LEARN BY OBSERVING consequence
what were the results of the BOBO DOLL study?
- adult attacked BOBO doll and children witnessed in person and on TV vs the CONTROL (adults were nice to BOBO doll)
- children modelled what they saw the adults did after they saw if they were PUNISHED or REWARDED
what are the results fro GRUSEC’S study? 1979
children played with toys after being told NOT to when they saw an adult do the same and wasn’t PUNISHED
further research into behavioural approach by BANDURA and MISCHEL (1965) into changing ideas
children changed their ideas after an adult said the opposite of what they first thought (wait for a bigger sweet, or eat small sweet immediately)
what is the Person-Situation Controversy? Mischel
there isn’t always a link between the situation and the personality of the person
what were the results of Greene and Saxe’s study into
when asked, students stated they were HONEST but when asking for an extension on their assignments the LIED and STATED OTHER REASONS to get the best of the situation
what is the CROSS SITUATIONAL CONSISTENTLY of personality?
the idea that personality remains the same OVER SITUATIONS
what is the CROSS TEMPORAL CONSISTENCY of personality?
the idea that personality remains the same over time
WHAT WAS THE CONSLUSION OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SITUATIONS AND TRAITS?
when a SITUATION is STRONG and TRAIT IS WEAK, then personality is CHANGED to fit.
when TRAIT IS STRONG, personality may not change depending on the situation
what is the HUMANISTIC approach to personality?
- focuses on the POSITIVE drive towards SELF-FULFILMENT by
- PERFECTING OUR SKILLS and finding PEACH AND HAPPINESS
what is EXISTENTIALISM?
- PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY and FREE WILL
- we make out own choices
- focus on the present (conscious) NOT PAST
phenomenology
to understand the personality of other, we need to be in their shoes
what is MASLOW’s theory of personality?
- he examined people who were living ‘UNUSUALLY AFFECTIVE LIVES’ (making full use of their lives)
- personality is developed through motivation to reach self-actualisation
what is the Hierarchy of Needs
Physiological needs Safety Needs Love and Belongingness Esteem Needs *Cognitive Needs* *Aesthetic Needs* Self-actualisation
4 points of determining self-actualisation
- can you accept uncertainty
- enjoy own company
- creativity
- humility
what is Carl Rogers’ theory in the humanistic approach?
theory of self concept
- Actual self
- Real self
- Ideal self
what is congruence in Rogers’ theory of self concept?
CONGRUENCE: match between actual self and real self
A HEALTHY PERSONALITY
what is incongruence in Rogers’ theory of self concept?
INCONGRUENCE: mismatch between actual self and real self
MAY CAUSE ANXIETY
how does the humanistic approach suggest we develop the self?
-by having a high positive regard from others
we are LOVED and TRUSTED
-CONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD=incongruence
-UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD=congruence
how to remove incongruence
- Client Centred Therapy
- regardless of what clients say, therapist should give UNCONTIONAL POSITIVE RESPONSE
- Q SORT TEST: how to find out if you are incongruent
what is the cognitive approach to personality?
a person’s thoughts, observations and knowledge influences personality and behaviour
what is the PERSONAL CONSTRUCT THEORY by George Kelly
- behaviour depends on how we process and understand information
- we can predict and control events that happen
Constructive Alternativism
- there are multiple ways to view the world.
- we are all scientists
what are the steps of Constructive Aleternativism
in every situation we:
- construct a THEORY
- make a PREDICTION(HYPOTHESIS)
- put the theory TO THE TEST
- find the RESULT
WHAT ARE CONSTRUCTS?
- words we use to describe people
- we add more info every time find out more
- put order in our lives
- constructs have 2 ends (good and bad)
- our different behaviours come from having different constructs to others
how do we learn from our mistake using constructs?
CORE CONSTRUCTS: most basic to a person’s functioning (barely changes, only if needs major changing)
PERIPHERAL CONSTRUCTS: less basic and can be altered
how do we examine a person’s construct?
ROLE CONSTRUCT REPERTORY TEST (REP TEST)
- develop a list of persons most important in their life
- compare the people that are written down (similarities and differences)
the more constructs a person has…
the more complex the person
the more complex our construct system is…
the more we can learn
how do constructs influence our behaviour?
we put our constructs to the test which motivates our behaviour
who developed the LOC theory?
Rotter
what is the LOC theory of personality?
Locus of Control
Internal LOC: outcomes of life is based on ourselves
External LOC: outcomes of life is based on environment
Internal LOC is better BUT when something bad happens External LOC is better
how to measure LOC
uses a questionnaire that measure how responsible people are in certain situations
does LOC affect how we behave?
- INTERNALS LOC learn quicker
- EXTERNAS: less effective coping skills; more likely to develop psychological disorders (belief of no control)
Tornado Warning theory
Sims and Baumann 1972
-people that didn’t evacuate their house were externals as they thought they have no impact on outcome of tornado
LOC and academic success
INTERNALS get higher grades as they know they are RESPONSIBLE for outcome
LOC and health
EXTERNALS don’t make much progress as they feel it doesn’t matter what they do, health will remain unchanged.
INTERNALS: more likely to seek out information and take preventative steps
Bandura Self Efficacy
a person’s perceived expectation of success
-our belief on our ability to perform
High Self Efficacy=high performance
High self-efficacy=more likely to give up smoking etc therefore better health
reciprocal determinism in the role of Self efficacy
our PERSONAL FACTORS influence our BEHAVIOUR and ENVIRONEMENT and vice versa
what influences self efficacy
- MASTERY EXPERIENCES: achieved in the past?
- VICARIOUS EXPERIENCES: other people’s behaviours
- VERBAL PERSUASION: encouraged by people
- EMOTIONAL AROUSAL: feelings about decisions
how does LOC develop?
- parents allow children to MAKE MISTAKES and therefore TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for their actions
- (children from disadvantaged homes are more external than middle-class children)
4 ways of applying personality
- HEALTH
- OCCUPATIONAL
- CLINICAL
- CRIMINOLOGY
who do clinical psychologist work with?
people with psychological disorders
-depression/anxiety
how do clinical psychologists carry out their assessments?
- what is the individual like
2. method of therapy that at be useful
what techniques do clinical psychologists use?
- SELF-REPORT TECHNIQUES
- PSYCHOANALYSIS (dream interpretation)
- COUNSELLING (Client Centred Therapy)
- CBT (REP test for personal construct; Kelley’s fixed role therapy; I-E scale for LOC; Bandura’s self-efficacy
what is occupational psychology?
match people based on their personality traits and how they would fit to appropriate environments (education, social and occupational)
what are personality tests used to determine in occupational psychology?
- career choice
- promotions
- job selections
- motivation leadership and employee honesty
what tests may be used for occupational assessments?
NEO-PI-R
16PF
Honesty/Aggressiveness scales
EPQ
what is the health psychology
finding out the relationship between PSYCHOLOIGCAL VARIABLES, BEHAVIOURS and HEALTH CONSEQUENCES
what is DISEASE PRONE personality in health psychology
personality that leads to unhealthy behaviours that may lead to disease
what are the variables is psychology that are linked to health?
- LOC=internal LOC=better health
- Self efficacy=high SE=better health
- Type A and Type B personalities:-Type A=aggressive, impatient, controlling
Type B=relaxed, patient
what did Friedman and Rosenmann find out about people with TYPE A personality?
they were 6 times more likely to have a heart attack than type b as they create MORE STRESS and therefore have POORER HEALTH HABITS
what is criminological psychology
finding out if criminals have different personalities
what did LEE 1997 find out about unexpected criminals and violent murderers vs non-violent criminals
- unexpected murderers were generally shy but their crime scene was violent
- violent murderers were aggressive but their crime scene wasn’t
what does LEE 1997 research suggest about what we can use psychology for?
crime scenes can help to predict the type of criminals