Subject Of Diffferential Psychology Flashcards
What is the subjectofdifferential psychology?
In psychology, personality, individual differences, intelligence are all topics that examine - how people are similar and how they differ in their behaviour, the way they think and how they feel -
What do you know about Implicit Theories of Personality?
▷ Intuition-based theories of human behaviour - help us understand others and ourselves
▷ Automatic response – not aware we are doing this and how we make the judgements
▷ Based on observations we infer cause and effect (behaviour-personality)
▷ They appear to work quite well but they are flawed in several ways:
- Often we cannot check them properly
- They are based on casual and non-systematic observations
- We are biased (our own personality and experiences)
▷ Implicit theories are NOT scientific theories of personality.
Implicit Theories of Personality- Halo Effect- explain
Implicit Theories of Personality- Halo Effect:
Cognitive bias whereby the perception of a particular trait is influenced by the perception of the former traits in a sequence of interpretations.
= when we’re judging someone or something, our opinion can be influenced by what we’ve already observed or experienced. For example, if we’ve seen several positive traits in someone, we might be more likely to interpret their next action positively, even if it’s not objectively positive. It’s like our previous experiences color how we see things in the present.
The first traits we recognize in other people then influence the interpretation and perception of latter ones (because of our expectations).
Attractive people are often judged as having a more desirable personality and more skills than someone of average appearance.
Celebrities are used to endorse products that they have no expertise in evaluating.
definitions - non-professional: which features involve relative value judgements in terms of social attractiveness?
Involve relative value judgements in terms of social attractiveness:
+ physical appearance
+ social style, behaviour
+ personality attributes
+ folklore and cultural elements
+ Such judgements are made exclusively in social context - limited, leads often to misjudgements.
Is our personality apparent only in social context?
How is - personality - defined?
Psychological Definition- personality
- The word ‘personality’ derives from the Latin persona, meaning ‘mask’.
- The term was popularized in 1937 from Allport, before that ‘character’ and ‘temperament’ were used.
- Define personality in terms of characteristics and qualities, typical for the individual (individual differences).
Personality theorists make the distinction between:
1. observable and unobservable aspects of behaviour
2. private and public persona
Allport’s definition-personality-
Personality
,,A dynamic organization, inside a person, of psychophysical systems that create the person’s characteristic patterns of behaviour, thoughts and feelings.”
(Allport, 1961)
Process that is continually adjusting, adapting to the experiences we have, changes in our lives (active, responsive system).
The psychological elements in the mind interact with the body in complex ways to produce behaviour
Something relatively stable is being produced that becomes typical for the individual.
Personality is a central component influencing, and being discernible in, a wide range of human experiences and activities
What is personality?
Cattel
Eysenck
What is personality?
+ Cattel (1965): the characteristics of the individual that allow prediction of how they will behave in a given situation.
+ Eysenck (1970): the way that an individual’s character, temperament, intelligence, physique and nervous system are organised.
Personality is a psychological construct (a mental concept) that influences behaviour via the mind-body interaction. It is perceived to be relatively stable, enduring, important aspect of the self.
Examples of profound questions about human species and basic nature?
. What is the motivational basis of behaviour?
. Why do individuals behave as they do?
. What get us up every morning?
. Do we behave in certain ways because we have little choice?
.As a species, are we innately aggressive and self-destructive?
. What are the basic human drives?
We can not directly observe personality, we observe behaviours.
What do theories of personality attemptto?
Theories of personality attempt:
+ Explain the motivational basis of behaviour
+ Ascertain the nature of human beings
+ Describe and categorize behaviour
+ Undertand how personality develops
+ Facilitate behavioural change
What are people like?
Why people behave as they do?
How they become that way?
Is change possible?
History of personality
History of personality:
Ancient Greece
- Hippocrates (460-370 BC) - physical illness as dis-balance of fluids
- Galen (130-200 AD), who documented and developed the theory of Hippocrates
- The Hippocrates/Galen theory was based on a classification of the major types of TEMPERAMENT as a function of both psychological and biological differences.
All early writers described types of personality (discrete categories) rather than personality traits (continuous dimensions)!
Foundation of modern psychology
Foundation of modern psychology
+ Assumed that BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES (in physiological complexion) would CAUSE BEHAVIOURAL DIFFERENCES (in psychological complexion)
+ In the late 19th century, William James (1842-1910), one of the founders of modern psychology, referred to this physio-psychological interaction as one of the major principles of psychology.
+ The four different types of temperament in Hippocrates/ Galen’s theory described biological differences in the level of specific fluids of the human body, or “humors,” which would, in turn, determine individual differences in everyday behavior.
Ancient Greek classification of ‘humors’ and temperament types
Ancient Greek classification of ‘humors’ and temperament types (after Hippocrates and Galen)
- Black bile:
= Melancholic (depressed)
Sad, depressed, reflective, asocial, pessimistic
2.Mucus:
= Phlegmatic (calm)
Dull, lazy, apathetic, slow, controlled,careful
- Yellow Bile:
= Choleric (angry)
volatile, tense, impulsive, Aggressive, restless - High blood levels
= Sanguine (happy)
Enthusiastic, positive, cheerful, satisfied
From temperament types to personality types Immanuel Kant (1724-1804):
- Black bile - melancholic (depressed)
- weak feelings - Yellow bile - choleric (angry)
- higher level of activity - Mucus- phlegmatic(calm)
- lower level of activity - High blood levels- sanguine (happy)
- strong feelings
Phrenology: Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828)
Phrenology: Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828)
Attempt to link physical and psychological traits
▷ Very popular in early 19th century in UK & US
▷ Theory was found being incorrect.
Legacy:
▷ Idea that various brain regions have particular functions
▷ Predecessor of today’s brain imaging
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920),
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920):
- the father of modern psychology,
- reclassified the description of Galen and Kant into two dimensions based on mood stability and strength of emotion.
— weak emotions (phlegmatic, sanguine)
— strong emotions(melancholic, choleric)
— changeable temperament (choleric, sanguine)
— unchangeable temperament (phlegmatic, melancholic)
What is - trait - ?
Trait is a partially inherited internal psychological disposition that remains largely unchanged throughout the lifespan and determines differences between individuals (e.g., extraversion, neuroticism, and agreeableness).
