Unit 4 Flashcards
Define “Psychological DNA”
Each person has a constellation of patterns that exist in the psyche
Like DNA, these patterns remain constant throughout life and influence choices made, activities enjoyed, and the way the person interacts with the social environment.
Describe one method of determining one’s Psychological DNA.
In-depth analysis of life experiences by examining likes and dislikes.
- Likes provide insight into the positive nature of our psychological DNA
- Dislikes demonstrate how we will respond when that potential is interrupted or when that positive nature is thwarted
Provide evidence of personality continuity
Rank-Order Stability
Provide evidence of personality change.
Mean-level change to personality
Define: Differential Continuity
The stability of individuals ‘rank order’ within a group over time.
Define: Mean-level change to personality
Refers to changes in a group’s average over time
Define: Mean-level change to personality
Refers to changes in a group’s average over time
Describe the ways personality can influence relationships
Choice of Relationship
Behaviour with Partners
Influence on Partner’s Behaviour
Define: Self-Determination Theory
Personality is based on individuals evolved inner resources for growth and integration.
3 basic needs to self-determination theory
List: The 3 Basic Needs to Self Determination Theory
Competence
Autonomy
Relatedness
Name: Two Big 5 Traits positively correlated with achievement
Conscientiousness
Openness
According to Bjorklund (2015), what percentage of variance in the Big 5 can be attributed to genetics?
20%
Define: Personality
Consists of a relatively enduring set of characteristics that define our individuality and affect our interactions with the environment and others.
Define: Traits
Individual characteristics which are relatively stable.
Can be measured along a continuum.
Define: Personality States
Short-term characteristics of a person. Do not confuse with traits.
Define: Personality Factors
Groups of traits that occurs together in individuals
If one scores high in one of the traits, high scores in specific other traits predicted
E.g., The 5-Factor Model
Define: Personality Types
Clusters of personality traits form personality types
Describe the 5-factor model
Personality theorists were able to group like traits into 5 key factors:
- Neuroticism
- Extroversion
- Openness
- Agreeableness
- Conscientiousness
Wide support.
What causes mean-level changes?
Provide 1 example of a change.
maturation,
cohort,
normative age-graded events
- Neuroticism after adolescence ↓
- Extroversion in adulthood ↓
- Openness ↓ after adolescence and adulthood
- Agreeableness ↑
- C ↑ from adolescence to young adulthood
Explain how individual personality factors can change.
How would it be measured?
Intra-Individual Variability:
-Whether the personality traits of an individual remain stable or change.
Measured by:
-Testing an individual at several different points in their life, correlating the scores.
Describe the ways personality can influence relationships
Choice of Relationship
-People prefer certain types of people
Behaviour with Partners
Influence on Partner’s Behaviour
-Personality evokes certain behaviours from partners.
2 Personality Factors that predict poor relationship outcomes:
H-Neuroticism
L-Agreeableness
Determine relationship between personality and achievement
Conscientiousness important predictors for work related achievements
o Integral to completing work on time, paying attention, inhibiting impulsive behaviour
o People choose jobs which fit their personality traits
o These behaviours tend to single people out for promotion
o People who are not conscientious leave high-achievement jobs
o H-Conscientious people tend to do a better job
o Gender differences should be noted
Openness
o More likely to be creative.
Relate personality to health experiences
• Personality can directly affect body function
-o Hostility & Heart disease
- Personality can lead directly to behaviours that either undermine or support health
- Personality may be linked with the type of coping behaviours one would select when confronted with stress
Identify ways that interactions with the environment directly influence personality
Role changes in young adulthood
Cohort variations
–Childrearing; cultural changes
Identify the term for interactions with the environment which indirectly influence personality (Genetics)
Person-environment transactions
Define: Person-environment transactions
Combination of genetic endowment and environmental factors combine to maintain personality traits over the years of adulthood.
Name & define the 3 types of ‘Person-environment transactions’
Reactive Transactions
• When we react to or interpret an experience in a way that is consistent with our self-concept
Evocative Transactions
• When we behave in a way that elicits reactions from others that confirm our own personality or self-concept
Proactive Transactions
• When we select roles and environmental that best fit our personalities and self-concept
Define: Reactive Heritability
A process whereby individuals use the qualities they have inherited as a basis to determine strategies for survival and reproduction
Relate Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development to personality changes over time.
Mean-level variation:
As we age and enter new roles, trait intensity changes.
Outline Loevinger’s Stages of Ego Development
Unlike Erikson, tasks must be completed before moving on to the next
Impulsive Stage • Occurs in small children, prior to self-awareness • Narrow emotional range • Egocentric • Preoccupation with bodily feelings
Self-Protective Stage
• Awareness of impulses
• Preoccupation with taking advantage of others
• Adults in this stage are capable of adaptive behaviour and can be successful in domains of money and power
Conformist Stage • Able to identify with reference group • Concern for rules • Preoccupied with appearances and outward behaviour • Limited emotionally
Self-Aware Stage
• Characterized by awareness that there are allowable exceptions to the simple rules of conformists
• Aware they don’t always live up to standards
• Identity separate from group
Conscientious Stage
• Formed own ideals and standards instead of seeking approval
• Inner life expressed with richness and variety
• Relationships are intense
• Long-term goals
o Overly conscientious sometimes
• Goes past adolescence and into adulthood
Individualistic Stage
• Taking a broad view of life as a whole
• Able to consider own developmental process
• Preoccupied with sense of individuality
Autonomous and Integrated Stages
• Begin to see multifaceted nature of the world, not just good & bad.
• Most situations don’t have simple answers
• Ability to see life in the context of wider social concerns
True or False:
Higher Education has been found to correlate with Loevinger’s Ego Development.
True
Differentiate between Vaillant’s defense mechanisms
I. High Adaptive Level -Altruism
II. Mental Inhibition -Repression
Level III. Minor Image-Distorting
-Omnipotence
Level IV. Disavowal Level -Denial
V. Major Image-Distorting -Autistic Fantasy
VI. Action Level
-Help-Rejecting Complaining
What stage did Vaillant add to Erikson’s model?
Career Consolidation (age 30ish)
-Young adults’ intent on establishing their own competence, mastering a craft, or acquiring higher status or a positive reputation
Analyze gender crossover for its influences
It seems gender roles become less relevant in old age. More likely due to a mix of hormones, social roles, etc.
Define: Gender Crossover
Relaxation of Gender Roles in the midlife
Summarize the approaches of positive psychology
Maslow’s Hierarchy
Self-Determination Theory
Examines the motivations of humans. Fundamentally assumes all humans are naturally trying to achieve fulfillment.
Define: Deficiency Motives (Maslow)
Drives to correct imbalances and maintain homeostasis
Not exclusive to humans
Define: Being Motives (Maslow)
Self-Actualization motives.
Not exclusive to humans
Define: Self-Determination Theory
Personality is based on individuals evolved inner resources for growth and integration.
Define: Eudaimonia
Self-Determination Theory
A sense of integrity and wellbeing
Define: Hedonia
Self-Determination Theory
Happiness involves the presence of positive feelings
Name the 3 basic needs identified in Self-Determination Theory.
Competence
• Feeling of effectiveness as one interacts with one’s environment
Autonomy
• Need to feel our actions are of our own volition
Relatedness
• Feeling connected to, cared about, and belonging with significant others in one’s life
