Perspectives in Theories of Personality Flashcards
personality emphasizes the importance of early childhood experiences and the unconscious mind
psychodynamic theories
this perspective on personality was created by Sigmund Freud who believed that things hidden in the unconscious could be revealed in a number of different ways, including through dreams, free association, and slips of tongue
psychodynamic theories
neo-freudian theorists, including erik erikson, carl jung, alfred adler, and karen horney, believed in the importance of the unconscious but disagreed with other aspects of freud’s theories
psychodynamic theories
sees unconscious mind and motives as much more powerful than the conscious awareness
psychodynamic theories
used dream interpretation to uncover the unconscious thoughts and feelings
psychodynamic theories
these theorists moved away from the importance of sexuality and more toward social and cultural forces
psychodynamic theories
the trait perspective of personality is centered on identifying, describing and measuring the specific traits that make up human personality
dispositional theories
by understanding these traits, researchers believe they can better comprehend the differences between individuals
dispositional theories
argue that the unique and long term tendencies to behave in particular ways are the essence of our personality ( extraversion, anxierty)
trait perspective / dispositional theories
behavior, thought, feelings, and personality are influenced by differences in basic genetic, epigenetic, and neurological systems between individuals.
biological - evolutionary
the reason some people have different traits, dispositions, and ways of thinking stems from differences in their genotype and central nervous system ( brain structures and neurochemistry)
biological - evolutionary
because they are based on evolved brain systems, human thought, behavior, and personality have been shaped by forces of evolution (natural and sexual selection) over millions of years
biological - evolutionary
the body, brain, and environment co-exist and coevolve, and so more than any other psychological perspective, this one emphasizes that what we think, feel, and do is always an interaction between nature (biological) and nurture (environment)
biological - evolutionary
the primary assumption of the humanistic (positive psychology) approach is that people strive toward meaning, growth, well-being, happiness, and psychological health.
humanistic - existential theories
existential theorists assume that not only are we driven by a search for meaning, but also that negative experiences such as failure, awareness of death, death of a loved one, and anxiety, are part of the human condition and can foster psychological growth
humanistic - existential theories
focuses on psychological growth, free will, and personal awareness
humanistic - existential theories
it takes more positive outlook on human nature and is centered on how each person can achieve their individual potential
humanistic - existential theories
what personality we have is shaped by how we thinks and perceive the world (cognitive perspective)
learning (social) cognitive theories
all behaviors are learned through association and / or its consequences (whether it is reinforced or punished)
learning (social) cognitive theories
to shape desire behavior we have to understand and then establish the conditions that bring about those particular behaviors
learning (social) cognitive theories
if you want to understand behavior, then focus only on behavior, not on hypothetical and unobservable internal states such as thoughts, feelings, drives, or motives
learning (social) cognitive theories
Primary assumptions: * first 5 years of life most shape personality * unconscious forces are most important * neurosis results from unhealthy moving toward, against, or away from others
psychodynamic
focus/ key terms : unconscious, early recollections, collective unconscious, archetypes, object-relations, identity crises, relatedness
psychodynamic
key figures: freud, adler, carl jung, klien, horney, erikson, fromm,
psychodynamic
primary assumptions: * people strive to live meaningful, happy lives* people are motivated by growth and psychological health * personality is shaped by freedom of choice, response to anxiety, and awareness of death
humanistic- existential
focus/ key terms: meaningful life, psychological well-being and growth
humanistic- existential
key figures: maslow, rogers, may
humanistic- existential
people are predisposed to behave in unique and consistent ways; they have unique traits
dispositional
there are five trait dimensions in human personality
dispositional
focus/ key terms: traits, motives
dispositional
allport, mccrae and costa
dispositional
the foundation for thought and behavior is biological and genetic forces
biological-evolutionary
human thought and behavior have been shaped by evolutionary forces (natural and sexual selection)
biological-evolutionary
focus/ key terms: brain structures, neurochemicals, and genes adaptive mechanisms
biological-evolutionary
key figures: eysenck, buss
biological-evolutionary
primary assumptions: only explanation for behavior is the conditions that create behavior
learning-(social) cognitive
primary assumptions: learning occurs through association and consequences of our behavior
learning-(social) cognitive
primary assumptions: learning also occurs through succeeding or failing and watching other people succeed or fails at tasks
learning-(social) cognitive
primary assumptions: personality develops as an interaction between internal and external characteristics of the person
learning-(social) cognitive
primary assumptions: the cognitive constructs we develop to perceive the world and others mold our personalities
learning-(social) cognitive
focus key terms: conditioned responses, shaping, reinforcement, observational learning, modeling, self-efficacy, cognitive-effective units, constructs
learning-(social) cognitive
key figures: skinner, bandura, rotter, mischel, kelly
learning-(social) cognitive
