Study of Personality Personality Psychologists investigate the influence of culture, learning, biological and cognitive factors in the development of personality.

So, what have we learned thus far? So, what have we learned thus far? Personality is an individual’s characteristics, emotional responses, thoughts and behaviors that are relatively stable over time and across circumstances. The unique ways in which individuals may differ in honesty, hostility or warmth.

From what you’ve read… How do each of the various trait theories that you studied in this unit describe well- adjusted vs. maladjusted personalities? Do you agree with these definitions? Why or why not?

Trait Approaches Conscious motives Conscious motives Personality based on: Typologies or discreet categories placed on people Typologies or discreet categories placed on people Traits or behavioral characteristics that endure over time and across situations Traits or behavioral characteristics that endure over time and across situations

Trait Approaches cont’ Implicit Personality Theory Defined by assuming that personality characteristics go together allowing for prediction and generalization based on minimal evidence. If Scott is assertive, he’s also a great leader. If Scott is assertive, he’s also a great leader.

Big 5 or Five Factor Model Prominent model in academic and career assessment Scientifically supported Measures (OCEAN): Openness to Experience Openness to Experience Conscientiousness Conscientiousness Extraversion Extraversion Agreeableness Agreeableness Neuroticism Neuroticism

Big 5 or Five Factor Model cont’ Openness: creative and “cultured” Conscientiousness: organized, industrial or hardworking, sometimes obsessively so Extraversion: talkative (sometimes verbose), warm and sociable Agreeableness: gentle, softhearted, may be a “people pleaser” Neuroticism: anxious, angry Incongruent reactions Incongruent reactions

Big 5 or Five Factor Model cont’ OCEAN dimensions are not correlated. A score on one dimension does not predict scores on other dimensions.

A word about Personality Inventories…. There are many schools of thought that attempt to explain personality differences. While psychometric testing best aligns with the Trait approach, it also applies Freudian, Behavioral and Humanistic concepts. Assessment results provide a glimpse of an individual's strengths and weaknesses (including the ability to select the "right" answer). Personality assessments are used as a diagnostic tool, so it's important to note that test creators examine trends in individual responses or personality patterns. Career counselors and diagnosticians typically find that using a compilation of assessments may be more valid and reliable than independently administered assessments.

Let’s take a look at an assessment OCEANhttp://

From what we’ve discussed… What are the benefits of using the trait approach to study maladjusted personalities? What are the disadvantages to using this approach?