Chapter 10: Personality

Chapter Outline The Nature of Personality The Psychoanalytic Perspective The Humanistic Perspective The Trait Perspective The Social Cognitive Perspective Measuring Personality Neurological and Genetic Determinants of Personality

Learning Objectives Understand how culture and evolutionary processes shape personality. Understand how the unconscious controls behavior. Understand the concept of self- actualization and its role in Humanistic theory. Understand the basic personality dimensions. Understand how personality is shaped by interaction.

Personality Personality is the consistent and distinctive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in which an individual engages. Personality research looks at how people are consistent across situations and how they differ. Culture can shape personality. Individualism Collectivism

Freud and the Unconsciousness Conscious mind: the small part of our mind that we are aware of at the moment Preconscious mind: the mental processes that are not currently conscious but could become so at any moment Unconscious mind: the thoughts, desires, feelings and memories that are not consciously available to us but shape our everyday behavior

Figure 10-2: Freud’s Model of Personality Structure

Structural Model of Mind (Slide 1 of 2) Id: the unconscious part of the mind that contains our sexual and aggressive drives The id operates on the pleasure principle—meaning the id seeks immediate gratification for whatever it currently desires. Ego: includes consciousness and balances the demands of the id, superego and reality The ego is guided by the reality principle—meaning the ego seeks to delay the desires of the id until appropriate outlets and situations can be found

Structural Model of Mind (Slide 2 of 2) Superego: includes our conscience and counterbalances the demands of the id It develops later in childhood. It makes us feel guilty. It oversees the ego and makes sure we act morally.

Psychosexual Stages (1) Psychosexual stages: five developmental stages where the id seeks sexual pleasure Fixation: tendency to persist in pleasure-seeking behaviors associated with an earlier stage where there are unresolved conflicts

Table 10-1: Freud’s Stages of Psychosexual Development

Psychosexual Stages (2) Oral stage: First stage; the child derives pleasure from oral activities. Anal stage: The child derives pleasure from defecation. Phallic stage: The child derives pleasure from masturbation. Latency stage : Ages 6 to 11 years of age; the child is relatively free from sexual desire and conflict. Genital stage: mature sexual feelings toward others begin

Freud’s Defense Mechanisms Defense mechanisms: the ego’s way of keeping threatening and unacceptable material out of consciousness and reducing anxiety In psychoanalytic theory, defense mechanisms explain why humans can become civilized.

Table 10-2: Major Ego Defense Mechanisms

Psychoanalytic Theory Psychodynamic perspective: a group of theories descended from Freud’s work that asserts behavior is controlled by unconscious forces Three of Freud’s coworkers disagreed about about the role of sexual drives in determining personality. Alfred Adler Carl Jung Karen Horney

Adler’s Individual Psychology Adler’s view of personality stressed social factors. Individual psychology downplays the importance of sexual motivation and states that people strive for superiority. Compensation Over compensation

Jung’s Analytical Psychology Analytical psychology states that people are motivated by a desire for psychological growth and wholeness. Collective unconscious is part of the unconscious mind containing inherited memories shared by all humans. Archetypes are inherited images passed down from ancestors and are reveled as symbols in dream, religions, and art.

Horney’s Neo-Freudian Perspective Horney believed problems in relationships during childhood create anxiety, causing personality problems. She argued that gender differences in behavior are due to social and cultural factors. She believed women envy the social power and privilege that men enjoy.

Causes of Sexual Orientation Unclear What causes sexual orientation? Brain development Genes Gender nonconformity

Overall Evaluation of Freud A limitation of Freud’s theory is that it is not based on controlled scientific research. It is a theory is based on self-analysis and cases from Freud’s clinical practice. Many of the psychological processes he discussed cannot be observed or measured. Psychoanalysis still generates interest among scientists.

Humanistic Perspective Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow contributed to humanistic psychology. Maslow was interested in people’s ability to reach their full potential—self-actualization. Peak experiences Rogers believed we are all basically good and working towards becoming better. Unconditional positive regard Conditional positive regard

Trait Perspective Trait perspective identifies stable characteristics that people display over time and across situations. Trait: relatively stable tendency to behave in a particular way across a variety of situations Gordon Allport Raymond Cattell Five-factor model (OCEAN)

Table 10-3: Cattell’s 16 Basic Personality Traits

Table 10-4: The Five-Factor Model and Its Facets

Social-Cognitive Perspective Social-cognitive perspective examines how people interact with their social environment. Reciprocal determinism is when the personality emerges from an ongoing mutual interaction among people’s cognitions, actions, and environment. Self-efficacy is a person’s belief about his or her ability to perform behaviors that should bring about a desired outcome. Locus of control is the degree to which we expect that outcomes in our lives depend on our own actions.

Measuring Personality Objective tests ask direct questions about thoughts, feelings and behavior. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Projective tests ask people to respond to ambiguous stimuli or situations in ways that will reveal their unconscious motives and desires. Rorschach Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Biological Basis of Personality Personality differences may be caused by differences in people’s nervous systems. Twin studies support a genetic influence on personality. Environmental factors also play a role in determining personality.