PSY313 UNIT 3 LEC 3 Flashcards
What is personality, and why is it hard to define?
Personality refers to the patterns in how people think, feel, and behave over time and across situations — but there’s no single agreed-upon definition. Even though personality has been studied for over a century, psychologists still debate what exactly counts as ‘personality,’ how stable it is, and how to measure it.
Why is personality research compared to intelligence research?
Both began in the late 1800s and became foundational in psychology. Just like intelligence testing tried to capture mental abilities, early personality research — especially Freud’s theories — tried to capture the inner forces driving behavior.
Do psychologists agree on how to measure personality?
No. There’s no universally accepted tool for measuring personality. The most common method in research today is the psychometric approach, which tries to make personality testing more scientific and standardized.
What is the psychometric approach to personality?
The psychometric approach believes that personality is made up of traits — consistent patterns in how people think, feel, and behave.
It assumes:
Traits are measurable using questionnaires and statistical tools
Traits are relatively stable over time
People differ in these traits, and those differences can help predict behavior
Traits can be grouped into larger dimensions (like the Big Five: OCEAN)
How did Freud influence personality research?
Freud was one of the first to seriously study personality, and his theories became the foundation for the psychodynamic approach. He believed personality is shaped by unconscious forces and early life experiences.
What are the three parts of Freud’s theory of personality?
- ID: Your basic, biological urges (e.g., hunger, sex, aggression). It wants immediate pleasure.
- Superego: Your internalized sense of morality and societal rules — what you should do.
- Ego: The part of you that deals with reality, balancing the ID’s desires and the superego’s rules.
What role do unconscious processes play in Freud’s theory?
Freud believed that most of our behavior is influenced by unconscious drives from the ID (desires) and the superego (rules), shaping how we behave without us even realizing it.
How did Freud think personality develops?
Freud believed that early life experiences, especially in childhood, were critical in shaping the ID and superego, which then shape your ego and personality. He argued that by adulthood (age 30–35), personality is basically set in stone.
Which parts of Freud’s theory are still accepted today?
Two ideas remain important: 1. Unconscious processes influence behavior. 2. Both biology and society affect how we behave.
What is the psychodynamic approach to personality?
the psychodynamic approach says that your personality is shaped by things happening deep inside your mind — things you might not even be aware of.
it focuses on:
your past, especially childhood
your unconscious mind (thoughts and feelings you don’t realize you have)
and your inner struggles — like wanting to do something vs. knowing you shouldn’t
for example:
you might act confident, but deep down (without realizing it) you’re reacting to stuff from your past or trying to impress others because of old insecurities.
this approach believes that understanding these hidden parts of yourself helps explain why you act the way you do.
What is the sociocognitive approach to personality?
the sociocognitive approach to personality is all about the idea that who you are isn’t just something you’re born with — it’s something that develops based on your life experiences.
it says your personality comes from:
how you think about things (your thoughts, beliefs, and goals)
and how you interact with the world around you (your relationships, culture, and social situations)
so instead of saying “you’re just born that way,” it says:
🧠 your mindset + 👥 your environment = your personality
and that personality can change as you go through new situations and learn new things.
Who was Carl Jung and how did he differ from Freud?
Carl Jung was an early colleague of Freud and shared some ideas about the unconscious and the ego. However, Jung believed that personality continues to develop across the lifespan, unlike Freud who thought it was fixed by adulthood. Jung saw personality as a lifelong journey toward balance.
What kinds of balances did Jung believe personality should achieve with age?
Jung believed that as we get older, our personality should become more balanced in two ways:
Extraversion vs. Introversion
When we’re young, we’re usually more outgoing and social (extraverted).
As we age, we tend to become more reflective and focused inward (introverted).
A healthy personality balances both — being social and thoughtful.
Masculine vs. Feminine
When we’re young, we often try to match how our gender is “supposed” to act.
As we grow older, we start to accept and use traits from both sides (like being strong and nurturing, no matter your gender).
basically, Jung thought that growing up = learning to balance different parts of yourself
Why are Jung’s theories difficult to test?
Jung’s theories are abstract and based more in philosophy than experimental psychology. They don’t lend themselves well to scientific testing or comparison between individuals.
What modern personality test is based on Jung’s ideas?
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is heavily influenced by Jung’s work, but academic psychologists do not view it as reliable or scientifically valid.
Who was Erik Erikson and how did he contribute to personality theory?
Erik Erikson believed that personality develops across your whole life, not just in childhood.
He created a stage theory, where each stage of life brings a challenge between two opposite forces (like “feeling useful” vs. “feeling stuck”).
These challenges are shaped by your body, mind, and life experiences.
If you handle the challenge well, you gain a new strength that becomes part of your personality.
If not, that part of your personality doesn’t grow properly.
💡 Example:
In adulthood, the challenge is generativity vs. stagnation — do you give back and help others, or feel stuck and unmotivated?
If you succeed, you develop care.
In old age, it’s integrity vs. despair — do you feel proud of your life or regretful?
Success gives you wisdom.
What is Erikson’s epigenetic principle?
This principle states that personality develops in a predetermined sequence of stages, but that development is also shaped by psychological and social forces.
What happens if you resolve or don’t resolve a stage conflict in Erikson’s theory?
Resolving the conflict results in a positive personality trait or ‘ego strength.’ Failing to resolve the conflict may result in missed developmental growth.
What is the main personality struggle in adulthood, according to Erikson?
Generativity vs. Stagnation. - Generativity is the desire to leave something meaningful for future generations (e.g., parenting, teaching). - Stagnation is a lack of growth or contribution. Successfully resolving this stage leads to the ego strength of ‘care.’
What is the main struggle in older adulthood in Erikson’s theory?
Integrity vs. Despair. - Integrity is feeling satisfied with the life you’ve lived. - Despair is regret or disappointment about your life. Resolving this leads to the ego strength of ‘wisdom.’
What is generativity in psychodynamic theory?
It’s the desire to contribute to future generations. While parenting is a classic example, it also includes teaching, mentoring, volunteering, or creating something meaningful.
What did McAdams find about generativity?
McAdams said that generativity isn’t just wanting to help others or make a difference — you have to actually do something about it (like parenting, mentoring, or volunteering). That’s what he called a generative act.
What is the psychometric approach to personality?
The psychometric approach assumes that personality is made up of enduring traits—dispositions that differ between individuals and remain relatively stable over time. This approach uses statistical tools like factor analysis to identify traits based on test data.
How is the psychometric approach different from the psychodynamic approach?
Unlike the psychodynamic approach, which is theory-driven and focused on unconscious processes, the psychometric approach is data-driven (atheoretical) and focuses on measurable traits.
What is the Big Five Model of personality?
The Big Five Model identifies five broad personality traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN). These were derived through factor analysis and are considered reliable across many cultures.
What are facets in the Big Five model?
Each of the five personality traits has six facets—sub-traits that are statistically related to the main factor. This is similar to how intelligence tests include subtests under a broader ability.
What does ‘atheoretical’ mean in the context of psychometric personality tests?
It means the test came before the theory. Researchers didn’t start with a theory of personality. Instead, they used test data to find patterns and then named the traits based on the statistical results.
Explain the trait of ‘Openness to Experience’ in the Big Five model.
Openness refers to being open to new experiences, ideas, perspectives, and emotions. It’s broader than just trying new things—it includes intellectual curiosity and willingness to explore unfamiliar concepts.
How reliable is factor naming in personality research?
Factor analysis doesn’t tell you what a factor is—just that a pattern exists. Naming and interpreting the factor is up to the researcher, which introduces some subjectivity.
What is the HEXACO model?
The HEXACO model is a newer personality model based on cross-cultural research. It adds a sixth trait—Honesty-Humility—to account for cultural differences in personality expression.
Are extreme traits considered bad?
No single trait is inherently bad, but extremes in any one trait can lead to problems. Balance across traits is generally considered ideal.
What is meant by ‘personality stability is moderate’?
It means that while personality can change, people generally maintain their relative standing on traits. For example, someone high in conscientiousness at age 20 is likely still high at age 60.
What is the psychometric approach to personality?
The psychometric approach assumes that personality is made up of enduring traits—dispositions that differ between individuals and remain relatively stable over time. This approach uses statistical tools like factor analysis to identify traits based on test data.
How is the psychometric approach different from the psychodynamic approach?
Unlike the psychodynamic approach, which is theory-driven and focused on unconscious processes, the psychometric approach is data-driven (atheoretical) and focuses on measurable traits.
What is the Big Five Model of personality?
The Big Five Model identifies five broad personality traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN). These were derived through factor analysis and are considered reliable across many cultures.
What are facets in the Big Five model?
Each of the five personality traits has six facets—sub-traits that are statistically related to the main factor. This is similar to how intelligence tests include subtests under a broader ability.
What does the psychometric theory say about personality change over time?
Traits are considered stable, so the theory predicts personality doesn’t change much. However, real-world research shows that some change does happen, especially as people age.
What does longitudinal research say about personality change?
It shows that personality can change over time. People tend to become more agreeable, conscientious, and emotionally stable (less neurotic) as they age. This pattern is known as the Maturation Principle.
What does cross-sectional research say about personality change?
Cross-sectional research often finds fewer changes over time, but this may be due to comparing different age groups at one point in time rather than tracking individuals over years.
What is meant by ‘personality stability is moderate’?
It means that while personality can change, people generally maintain their relative standing on traits. For example, someone high in conscientiousness at age 20 is likely still high at age 60.
What was the original idea behind Type A personality and health?
Type A individuals were described as competitive and achievement-oriented, and early research suggested a link to cardiovascular disease. However, later studies did not find strong evidence for this, but it opened the door for further research into personality and health.
What personality traits are associated with BMI extremes?
People with very low BMI often score high in neuroticism and conscientiousness (linked to eating disorders). People with very high BMI score high in neuroticism and low in conscientiousness. These are correlational findings.
What personality traits are linked to drug use and smoking?
Lower conscientiousness, higher neuroticism, and higher openness to experience are associated with higher rates of drug use and smoking.
What traits are associated with cognitive decline and dementia?
Higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness are linked to greater risk of cognitive decline and dementia. These traits may influence lifestyle behaviors that affect brain health.
How is conscientiousness related to mortality?
Higher conscientiousness is associated with lower all-cause mortality. Conscientious individuals tend to live longer, possibly due to healthier behaviors and decision-making.
What is the sociocognitive approach to personality?
This approach focuses on how social and cognitive processes shape personality. It’s more descriptive and less focused on comparing individuals. It incorporates how we interpret and respond to life experiences.
What is McAdams’ Life Story Model of personality?
McAdams proposed that personality consists of multiple layers: 1. Traits (like Big Five) 2. Characteristic adaptations (our goals, motivations, coping strategies) 3. Life narratives — the stories we construct about who we are.
How do life narratives influence personality in McAdams’ model?
Our life stories shape how we view ourselves and influence our behavior. These narratives begin in adolescence and change throughout life, adapting to new experiences and social context.
What role does autobiographical memory play in personality?
Autobiographical memory is constructive — we reshape it constantly. As our memories shift, so does our life story and our personality. This shows how memory and personality are closely tied.
How does storytelling influence memory and personality?
Every time we retell a story, it becomes more fragile and can change. The audience, cultural expectations, and context all influence how we remember and interpret past events, shaping our personality narrative.
Why is memory bias important in understanding personality?
We alter memories to align with our current perspective or cultural norms. This editing process helps maintain a coherent self-image but also changes how we understand ourselves and our personality over time.
What is Identity Process Theory?
Proposed by Whitbourne, Identity Process Theory suggests that personality continues to develop throughout life, similar to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. Whitbourne believed personality is made up of schemas—mental representations based on our knowledge and memories about ourselves.
What happens when experiences conflict with our self-schemas?
When an experience doesn’t fit with our existing self-view, we either:
- Assimilate: Interpret the experience to fit into our current self-schema (maintains self-esteem).
- Accommodate: Change our self-schema to better align with reality (may lower self-esteem but increases accuracy).
What is the goal in Identity Process Theory?
To maintain a balance between self-esteem and realistic self-concept. Too much assimilation may distort reality, while too much accommodation may harm self-esteem.
How do these processes change with age?
As we age, we experience more events that challenge our self-concept. To maintain self-esteem, older adults tend to rely more on assimilation and less on accommodation. This may lead to a gap between how we see ourselves and how others see us.
What is the Midlife Crisis theory?
It proposes that midlife (typically around the 40s) is a time of major transition. People reflect on their lives and achievements. If they feel unfulfilled or disappointed, they may experience a crisis.
What are the key features of Levinson’s theory?
- Life consists of stable periods and transitions.
- Transitions are challenging and can trigger crises.
- Major transitions include entering adulthood, midlife, and older age.
What are the criticisms of Levinson’s Midlife Crisis theory?
- Used a small, non-representative sample (only men in select professions).
- Lacked transparency (interview data and methods were not published).
- Theory assumes universal age-based transitions, which is unrealistic across cultures and generations.
- Likely influenced by Levinson’s own life experiences.
