topic 7 - personality stability, development, and change Flashcards
what is rank-order consistency?
people tend to maintain the ways in which they are different from other people of the same age (traits stable relative to others)
what are the causes of personality stability?
- temperament
- physical and environmental factors
- birth order effects
- early experiences
- person-environment transactions
- cumulative continuity principle
- psychological maturity principle
what is heterotypic continuity?
effects of temperamental tendencies change with age, but temperament and personality stay the same
what is the cumulative continuity principle?
personality traits are largely stable across the lifespan and become increasingly stable with age
what is the psychological maturity principle?
enhanced behavioural consistency for traits that help one successfully fulfill adult roles (self-control, interpersonal-sensitivity, emotional stability)
what are cohort effects?
people of different ages may differ because they grew up in different social (and perhaps physical) environments
what is the La Dolce Vita effect?
some socially desirable traits decrease again in later life (50 - 60 and beyond)
what are the causes of personality development?
- physical development/changes
- increases in intelligence and linguistic abilities
- hormone level changes
- changes in social roles, responsibilities, and goals
what are some potential methods to intentionally change personality?
- psychotherapy
- targeted interventions aimed at specific traits
- life experiences
what are some of the obstacles to personality change?
- not seeing a reason for change
- takes effort
- blaming negative experiences and failures on external forces rather than own personality
- people like consistency and predictability - change in uncomfortable
