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Psyc 332 > Textbook Chapter 1 > Flashcards

Textbook Chapter 1 Flashcards

1
Q

two parts of the definition of personality

A
  1. consistent patterns of behaviour
    - individual differences
  2. intrapersonal processes
  • emotional, motivational, cognitive processes
  • affect how we act and feel
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2
Q

basic question asked by personality researchers

A

“what are the sources of consistent behaviour patterns and intrapersonal processes?”

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3
Q

6 approaches to personality

A
  1. psychoanalytic
  2. trait
  3. biological
  4. behavioural/social learning
  5. humanistic
  6. cognitive
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4
Q

psychoanalytic approach

A

argue people’s unconscious minds are largely responsible for important differences in their behaviour

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5
Q

trait approach

A

identify where a person lies along a continuum of various personality characteristics

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6
Q

biological approach

A

point to inherited predispositions and physiological processes to explain diffs in personality

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7
Q

humanistic approach

A

identify personal responsibility and feelings of self-acceptance as key causes for diffs in personality

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8
Q

behavioural/social learning approach

A

explain consistent behaviour patterns as result of conditioning and expectations

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9
Q

cognitive approach

A

look at differences in the way that people process information to explain diffs in behaviour

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10
Q

aggression: psychoanalytic perspective

A

aggression points to UNCONSCIOUS DEATH INSTINCT

we all possess unconscious desire to self destruct

but people with healthy personalities don’t want to hurt themselves

self-destructive impulses may be turned outward and expressed against others in form of aggression

OR aggression emerges when we’re blocked from reaching goals

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11
Q

aggression: trait perspective

A

focus on individual differences and stability of aggressive behaviour

ie. longitudinal study of kids and adults on their levels of aggression found that kids who were aggressive at 8 were also likely to be aggressive adults

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12
Q

aggression: biological perspective

A

interested in stable patterns of aggressive behaviour

point to genetic predisposition to act aggressively as a reason for stability

some evidence that some inherit more proclivity towards aggression than others

some born with aggressive dispositions that (depending on upbringing) lead to them becoming aggressive adults

hormones and neurotransmitter roles in aggression

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13
Q

aggression: humanistic perspective

A

deny that some individuals are BORN aggressive

argues people are basically good

believe all people can become happy, nonviolent adults if allowed to grow in an enriching and encouraging environment

problems occur when something interferes with this natural growth process

ie. basic needs aren’t adequately met

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14
Q

aggression: behavioural/social learning perspective

A

contrasts in many ways with humanistic view

contend that people learn to be aggressive the same way they learn other behaviours

ie. playground bullies find aggressive behaviour rewarding, so they repeat it

people also learn from watching role models

ie. aggressive TV, parents

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15
Q

aggression: cognitive perspective

A

main focus is on the way aggressive people process information

certain environmental cues (images of guns/fighting) trigger networks of aggressive thoughts and emotions

when aggressive thoughts are highly accessible, people are more likely to interpret situations as threatening and respond to those perceived threats with violence

individuals with highly accessible aggressive thoughts are likely to respond with threats of violence and angry shoves

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16
Q

aggression: evolutionary theory

A

this falls under the biological perspective

males tend to be more aggressive than females because of their inherited need to exercise control over rivals

17
Q

depression: psychoanalytic perspective

A

depression is anger turned inward

hold unconscious feelings of anger and hostility

may want to strike out at family members, but a healthy personality doesn’t express such feelings overtly because they’ve internalized the standards/values of society

so angry feelings are turned inwards, people take it out on themselves

18
Q

depression: trait perspective

A

concerned with identifying depression-prone individuals

one’s general emotional level today is a good indicator of one’s emotions in the future

impressive correlations found between middle aged men depression scores and their scores 30 years later

19
Q

depression: biological perspective

A

evidence that some may inherit genetic susceptibility to depression

those born vulnerable face greater likelihood than average person of reacting to stressful life events with depression

inherited tendency = bouts of depression across lifespan

20
Q

depression: behavioural/social learning perspective

A

examine type of learning history that leads to depression

argue depression results from LACK OF PERSONAL REINFORCERS in person’s life

ie. feel down and unmotivated because you SEE FEW activities in life WORTH doing

ie. exposure to UNCONTROLLABLE events creates PERCEPTION OF HELPLESSNESS that manifests eventually as depression

21
Q

depression: humanistic perspective

A

explains depression in terms of SELF-ESTEEM

people who frequently suffer depression have failed to develop a good sense of self worth

ability to accept oneself, even faults and weaknesses = important goal for humanistic therapists when dealing with clients suffering from depression

22
Q

depression: cognitive perspective

A

argue that whether people become depressed depends on how they INTERPRET THEIR INABILITY TO CONTROL EVENTS

ie. people who attribute their inability to get promoted to a temporary economic recession won’t become as depressed as those who believe it’s the result of personal inadequacies

DEPRESSIVE FILTER used to interpret and process info - meaning depressed people are prepared to see world in most depressing terms possible

because of this, they EASILY RECALL depressing experiences

23
Q

personality and culture: many assumptions that people in Western developed countries make…

A

when describing and studying personality

may not apply to diff cultures

people and their personalities exist within a cultural context

24
Q

individualistic versus collectivist cultures

A

individualistic:

  • greater emphasis on individual needs and accomplishments
  • think of themselves as independent and unique

collectivist:

  • more concerned about belonging to a larger group (family, tribe, nation)
  • more interested in cooperation than competition
  • obtain satisfaction when group does well
25
Q

kinds of behaviour examined in personality may have diff meanings depending on…

A

culture

ie. thinking about achievement behaviour as a tenet of personality psych

but achievement and success is defined differently in individualistic versus collectivist cultures

26
Q

4 parts of personality study

A
  1. theory
    - comprehensive model for how human personality is structured/operates
  2. applications
    - psychotherapy, education, behaviour in workplace
  3. assessment
    - personality assessment/measures
  4. research
27
Q

personality perspectives: on continuum of GENETIC to ENVIRONMENTAL

A

genetic:

  • biological
  • trait
  • psychoanalytic
  • humanistic & cognitive & behavioural/social learning

environmental:

28
Q

personality perspectives: on continuum of UNAWARE OF DETERMINANTS to CONSCIOUS OF DETERMINANTS

A

unaware of determinants:

  • psychoanalytic
  • biological & behavioural/social learning
  • humanistic & trait & cognitive

conscious of determinants:

29
Q

personality perspectives: on continuum of DETERMINISM to FREE WILL

A

determinism:

  • behavioural/social learning
  • psychoanalytic
  • trait & cognitive & biological
  • humanistic

free will:

30
Q

BF Skinner and free will

A

Skinner argued that free will is a myth

behaviour isn’t freely chosen but rather is result of environmental forces and accumulated history of experiences

31
Q

applications

A

most obvious = psychotherapy

each of the 6 approaches uses different methods

32
Q

personality assessments

A

lots of self report inventories

but psychoanalysts = more interested in what you can’t describe

ie. get people to respond to ambiguous stimuli which a trained psychologists then interprets

behavioural psychologists focus instead on observing behaviours

33
Q

assessment: psychoanalysts versus behavioural psychologists

A

psychoanalysts:
- interested in showing people ambiguous stimuli and then interpreting their responses

behavioural psychologists:
- observe behaviour

34
Q

psychotherapy application: psychoanalysis

A

attend to unconscious causes of human behaviour

35
Q

psychotherapy application: humanistic

A

more likely to work in a non-directive manner to provide the proper atmosphere in which clients can explore their own feelings

36
Q

psychotherapy application: cognitive

A

try to change the way their clients process information

ie. CBT - cognitive behavioural therapy

37
Q

psychotherapy application: behaviourists

A

might structure the environment so that desired behaviours increase in frequency and undesired behaviours decrease

Psyc 332 (19 decks)

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