PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY

Question 1

Big 5: OCEAN

Answer 1

Openness to Experience: This trait reflects a person’s imagination, feelings, actions, and ideas. People high in openness are curious, creative, and unconventional, while those low in openness are practical, conventional, and prefer routine.

Conscientiousness: This trait describes a person’s level of organization, persistence, and motivation. High conscientiousness individuals are organized, responsible, and dependable, while those low in conscientiousness tend to be impulsive, careless, and unreliable.

Extraversion: This refers to a person’s sociability, assertiveness, and emotional expression. High extraversion individuals are outgoing, sociable, and assertive, whereas those low in extraversion (introverts) are reserved, quiet, and prefer solitude.

Agreeableness: This trait measures a person’s cooperativeness, trustworthiness, and compassion. High agreeableness individuals are kind, empathetic, and cooperative, while those low in agreeableness are critical, uncooperative, and suspicious.

Neuroticism (or Emotional Stability): This trait describes a person’s emotional stability and tendency to experience negative emotions. High neuroticism individuals are prone to anxiety, worry, and emotional instability, while those low in neuroticism are calm, even-tempered, and emotionally stable.

Question 2

Approaches to Personality

Answer 2

1. Psychodynamic approach
   – Intrapsychic conflict, defense mechanisms
   -we are not in control

-ID (pleasure) Eg. I want Pizza
, ego(reality), E.g Middle
Superego(moral concious) idealized self

2. Humanistic-Existential approach
   – Self-actualization, life choices, & real-world constraints
3. Social-Cognitive approach
   – Behaviors in situation
4. Trait approach
   – Measuring everything

Question 3

1. Psychodynamic approach

Answer 3

1. Psychodynamic approach
   – Intrapsychic conflict, defense mechanisms
   -we are not in control

-ID (pleasure) Eg. I want Pizza
, ego(reality), E.g Middle
Superego(moral concious) idealized self

Defense Mechanism:
-Rationalization
-repression
-regression
-projection
-Sublimation: Turning Id’s urges into productive activity
– Displacement: Turning Id’s urges into unproductive, often
socially unacceptable activity
– Identification: Pretend to be someone who doesn’t show anxiety
– Reaction formation: Turning Id’s urges into their opposite

Question 4

2. Humanistic-Existential approach

Answer 4

-personality emerges from our choices and enviroment

*Self-actualization
-be good
-be present
-find meaning

Question 5

3. Social-Cognitive Approach

Answer 5

-persoanlity is behaviour within situations
-not fixed but adaptive

-milgram example “good people”
-who obeys who doesn’‘t

Question 6

4. Trait Approach

Answer 6

Personality is stability in behavior across time
and situation
* Personality is adaptable, but still very stable
* We already know a lot about personality

• Start with 18,000 trait words, then simplify:
  – Eliminate overlapping traits
  – Determine which traits predict behaviour
  –*Factor Analysis approach

Measure:
-self report