General Phsycology SEM -II PERSONALITY TYPES OR THEORIES K.Aparna Devi Dept. of Home Science.

PERSONALITY TYPES OR THEORIES THEORIES ADOPTING TYPE APPROACH Hippocrates Kretschmer Sheldon Jung THEORIES ADOPTING TRAIT APPROACH Allport Cattell’s c. THEORIES ADOPTING TYPE CUM TRAIT APPROACH Eysenck’s theory

D. THEORIES ADOPTING DEVELOPMENT APPROACH 1. Freud’s psycho-analytic approach 2. Adler’s individual psychology theory 3. Carl Roger’s self theory TYPE APPROACH: Hippocrates classification: The human body consists of four types of humours of fluids. The predominance of one of these 4 types of fluids in one’s body gives him unique temperamental characteristic leading to a particular type of personality summarized as below:

Dominance of fluid Personality type Temperamental characteristics Blood Sanguine Light hearted, optimistic, happy, hopeful and accomodating Yellow bile Choleric Irritable, angry but passionate and strong with active imagination Phlegm Phlegmatic Cold, calm, slow or sluggish, indifferent Black bile Melancholic Bad tempered, dejected, sad, depressed, pessimistic, deplorable and self-involved.

Kretschmer’s classification: Personality types Personality characteristics Pyknic (fat bodies) Sociable, jolly, easy going and good natured Athletic (balanced bodies) Energetic, optimistic and adjustable Leptosomatic (lean and thin) Unsociable, reserved, shy, sensitive and pessimistic

Sheldon’s classification: Personality types Body structure Personality characteristics Endomorphic Highly developed viscera but weak somatic structure Easy going, sociable and affectionate Mesomorphic Balanced development of viscera and somatic structure Craving for muscular activity, self-assertive, loves risk and adventure Ectomorphic Weak viscera and somatic structure Pessimistic, unsociable and reserved

Jung’s classification: Concept Introvert Extrovert Thinking More theoretical Afraid of external realities Absorbing in his own intellectual pursuits Realistic and practical Support theory and facts Sensation Cool and alloof Better in writing than speaking Interested in books, magazines etc Good taste and enjoyment seeker Demand constant emotional sensation Fluent in speech Interested in athletics Intuition concerned with probabilities then actual Not interested in external facts Moody and temperamental Optimistic Risk taker and change seeker Feeling Day dreamer Strong feelings, likes, dislikes Go on suffering but do not express their feelings to others Helpful nature Feel for others and admire others More social

TRAIT APPROACH: Traits are defined as relatively permanent and relatively consistent general behaviour patterns that an individual exhibits in many situations. eg., honest, lazy, aggressive, shy, dull, dependent etc. G.B. Allport was the first personality theorist who adopted trait approach. According to him an individual develops an unique set of organized tendencies or traits. These traits are organised around a few cardinal traits. Cattell’s theory of Personality: Raymond Cattell (1950) provided the key to understand and predict person’s behaviour. He identified two types: 1. surface traits 2. source traits Surface traits: observable qualities of personality. Eg., honest, kind, helpful etc source traits: traits which underlie surface traits and make up the most basic personality structure. Eg., intelligence. Eg., cattell’s 16 personality factor questionnaire.

16 personality factors by cattell 1. Reserved vs outgoing 2. less intelligent vs more intelligent 3. affected by feelings vs emotionally stable 4. submissive vs dominant 5. serious vs happy-go-lucky 6. expedient vs conscientious 7. timid vs venturesome 8. tough-minded vs sensitive 9. trusting vs suspicious 10. practical vs imaginative 11. forthright vs shrewd 12. self-assured vs apprehensive 13. conservative vs experimenting 14. Group-dependent vs self-sufficient 15. Uncontrolled vs controlled 16. Relaxed vs tense

Type cum trait approach Eysenck’s theory of personality: British psychologist Hans Eysenck (1990) believed that personality is largely determined by the genes and the environment. 1. to capture the essence of personality he puts emphasis on two dimensions. 1. extraversion vs introversion 2. neuroticism vs emotional stability