Personality Theory, Research and Assessment Chapter 11 Personality Theory, Research and Assessment

Personality Personality: An individual’s consistent patterns of feeling, thinking, and behavior traits Personality Traits: How people behave in a particular way in a variety of situations

Five Factor (Big Five) Model * Traits -- Relatively enduring characteristics that influence our behavior across many situations. Big Five - 5 Underlying Trait dimensions OCEAN: Open to Experience Conscientiousness Agreeableness Neuroticism Extraversion

Openness to Experience* Agreeableness Conscientiousness (Constraint) Extraversion (Positive Emotionality) Neuroticism (Negative Emotionality) curiosity Openness to Experience flexibility artistic sensitivity imaginativeness Openness to Experience Openness to experience is associated with curiosity, flexibility, vivid fantasy, imaginativeness, artistic sensitivity, and unconventional attitudes. vivid fantasy unconventional attitudes

Conscientiousness* diligent punctual disciplined dependable Extraversion (Positive Emotionality) Neuroticism (Negative Emotionality) Openness to Experience Agreeableness diligent punctual Conscientiousness (Constraint) Conscientiousness (Constraint) disciplined dependable Conscientious people are diligent, disciplined, well organized, punctual, and dependable. Some models refer to this trait as constraint, related to high productivity in a variety of occupational areas. well-organized

Extraversion* outgoing assertive upbeat friendly gregarious sociable Agreeableness Conscientiousness (Constraint) Openness to Experience Neuroticism (Negative Emotionality) outgoing assertive Extraversion (Positive Emotionality) upbeat friendly Extraversion (Positive Emotionality) More recently, McCrae and Costa have used factor analysis to arrive at an even simpler, five-factor model of personality: the big five. High Extraversion scores signify that a person is outgoing, sociable, upbeat, friendly, assertive, and gregarious. Some trait models refer to this as positive emotionality. gregarious sociable

Agreeableness* sympathetic trusting modest cooperative Conscientiousness (Constraint) Extraversion (Positive Emotionality) Neuroticism (Negative Emotionality) Openness to Experience modest cooperative Agreeableness is associated with people who are sympathetic, trusting, cooperative, modest, and straightforward. It may have its roots in temperament. straight forward

Neuroticism* anxious vulnerable insecure self-conscious hostile Agreeableness Conscientiousness (Constraint) Openness to Experience Extraversion (Positive Emotionality) anxious vulnerable Neuroticism (Negative Emotionality) Neuroticism (Negative Emotionality) insecure High Neuroticism scores signify that a person is anxious, hostile, self-conscious, insecure, and vulnerable - some models call this negative emotionality. self-conscious hostile

Five Factor (Big Five) Model * Take the test! Email me the results BY MONDAY 5PM on for 5 point bonus on Assessment #4

Personality Tests * Self-Report Inventories* Personality Inventories: questionnaires, e.g. MMPI True/False or Multiple Choice; answers associated with trait or diagnosis OBJECTIVE! Projective Tests * Ask for meaning of ambiguous stimuli Rorschach – ask to explain image in Inkblots Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) ask to tell stories about ambiguous pictures SUBJECTIVE!

Freud and the Psychodynamic Approach * Unconscious mind * Memories outside awareness/not accessible Repressed memories and emotions Preconscious mind * Thoughts just beneath surface Voluntary access Conscious mind * Thoughts you are aware of Currently processing

Components of Personality Sigmund Freud Id* Primitive impulses, unconscious pleasure principle*: immediate gratification Ego * Conscious, decision maker Reality Principle*: delay gratification Superego * Unconscious; conscience Sense of morality; constraints of society

Defense Mechanisms Sigmund Freud Definition: unconscious reactions that protect a person from unpleasant emotions such as anxiety and guilt Self-protective “distortions” of the truth

Freud’s Psychosexual Stages Oral (0-18mo) Dependency; oral gratification Anal (18mo-3y) Control issues; toilet training Phallic (3-6y) Attraction to opposite sex; identification with same sex Latency (6-puberty) Associate with same sex in normal activities like sports, school Genital (Adult) Mature Sexuality

Humanistic Psychology * Carl Rogers: Self Concept: – our beliefs about who we are Key Concepts: Free Will and Self Concept Self Esteem – Positive feelings about the self Abraham Maslow: Hierarchy of Needs Self-Actualization – motive to reach our full potential Esteem Needs Love, Belonging Safety Physiological Needs

Is Personality Inherited?* The Great Debate: Nature vs. Nuture Environment: parents influence over their children (Ex: Authoritarian vs. Permissive parenting styles) Biological: theories stress the genetic origins of personality (Ex: twins raised apart were still similar) Evolutionary: natural selection has favored certain traits Conclusion: Environment & Genes interact to influence personality and behavior = birth of BioPsychoSocial!

Social Cognitive Theory Albert Bandura Personality is shaped through learning Observational learning: ‘monkey see—monkey do’ Model: a person who’s behavior is observed by other person Self-efficacy: “I think I can, I think I can ...”

Person-Situation Theory Walter Mischel Person AND Situation determines behavior Work hard = get paid, promotions and bonuses No promotions, no bonus = show up to work People that are honest in one situation are not always honest in another