Myers’ EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY (5th Ed) Chapter 12 Personality

What is Personality? Characteristics of behavior Four basic perspectives: psychoanalytic humanistic trait social-cognitive

The Psychoanalytic Perspective Freud’s theory Personality influenced by: childhood sexuality unconscious motivations

The Psychoanalytic Perspective Unconscious Freud: Mostly unacceptable thoughts & wishes OR Now (non-Freudian): information processing of which we are unaware Preconscious info that is not conscious but is retrievable into conscious awareness

Personality Structure (Freud)

Personality Structure Id Location: unconscious Role: to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. Motto: “Pleasure Principle”

Personality Structure Ego Location: conscious Role: “executive”; Mediates id & superego Motto: “Reality Principle”

Personality Structure Superego Location: spans unconscious & conscious Role: our ideals, conscience, judgment, guilt Motto: “Perfection”

Personality Structure Id Superego Ego Conscious mind Unconscious mind Freud’s idea of the mind’s structure

Psychosexual Stages (Freud)

Personality Development Identification Children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos. Fixation: Arrested Development (see previous slide)

Defense Mechanisms Protect the Ego Operate Unconsciously Distort Reality

Defense Mechanisms Repression Reaction Formation anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories are kept out of consciousness Reaction Formation unconscious switching of unacceptable impulses into their opposites

Defense Mechanisms Projection Rationalization their own threatening impulses are attributed to others Rationalization self-justifying explanations in place of the real reasons

Defense Mechanisms Displacement Regression aggressive impulses directed toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person Regression Reverting to older more immature behavior to express feelings

Assessing the Unconscious Projective Test Rorschach or TAT, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Assessing the Unconscious--TAT

Assessing the Unconscious Rorschach Inkblot Test Projective test. a set of 10 inkblots designed by Hermann Rorschach

Assessing the Unconscious--Rorschach

The Trait Perspective Trait Personality Inventory a characteristic pattern of behavior A pre-disposition to feel and act assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports Personality Inventory used to assess selected personality traits

The Trait Perspective The “Big Five” Personality Factors Trait Dimension Description Emotional Stability Calm versus anxious Secure versus insecure Self-satisfied versus self-pitying Extraversion Sociable versus retiring Fun-loving versus sober Affectionate versus reserved Openness Imaginative versus practical Preference for variety versus preference for routine Independent versus conforming Agreeableness Soft-hearted versus ruthless Trusting versus suspicious Helpful versus uncooperative Conscientiousness Organized versus disorganized Careful versus careless Disciplined versus impulsive

The Trait Perspective “Big Five” Personality Test online: http://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/ Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) the most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests

Humanistic Perspective Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) Self-Actualization the motivation to fulfill one’s potential

Humanistic Perspective Carl Rogers (1902-1987) focused on growth and fulfillment of individuals. Self-Concept all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in an answer to the question “Who am I?” Ideal vs. Real Self

Humanistic Perspective Carl Rogers Unconditional Positive Regard Ideal vs. Real self an attitude of total acceptance toward another person IDEAL VS REAL GREATER DIFFERENCE -- LOWER

Humanistic Perspective Individualism Collectivism

Humanistic Perspective Morality Defined by individuals Defined by social networks (self-based) (duty-based) Attributing Behavior reflects one’s personality Behavior reflects social behaviors and attitudes and roles Value Contrasts Between Individualism and Collectivism Concept Individualism Collectivism Self Independent Interdependent (identity from individual traits) (identity from belonging) Life task Discover and express one’s Maintain connections, fit in uniqueness What matters Me--personal achievement and We--group goals and solidarity; fulfillment; rights and liberties social responsibilities and relationships Coping method Change reality Accommodate to reality Relationships Many, often temporary or casual; Few, close and enduring; confrontation acceptable harmony valued

Social-Cognitive Perspective Personal Control External Locus of Control chance or outside forces beyond one’s personal control determine one’s fate Internal Locus of Control one controls one’s own fate

Social-Cognitive Perspective Learned Helplessness (Seligman) hopelessness and resignation occurs when we are unable to avoid or control repeated negative events

Social-Cognitive Perspective- Learned Helplessness Uncontrollable bad events Perceived lack of control Generalized helpless behavior

Social-Cognitive Perspective Positive Psychology Martin Seligman the scientific study of optimal human functioning http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx

Personality- Summary The Four Perspectives on Personality Perspective Behavior Springs From Assessment Techniques Evaluation Psychoanalytic Unconscious conflicts Projective tests aimed at A speculative, hard-to-test between pleasure-seeking revealing unconscious theory with enormous cul- impulses and social restraints motivations tural impact Trait Expressing biologically (a)Personality inventories A descriptive approach crit- influenced dispositions, such that assess the strengths icized as sometimes under- as extraversion or introversion of different traits estimating the variability (b)Peer ratings of behavior of behavior from situation patterns to situation Humanistic Processing conscious feelings (a)Questionnaire A humane theory that about oneself in the light of assessments reinvigorated contemporary one’s experiences (b)Empathic interviews interest in the self; criticized as subjective and sometimes naively self-centered and optimistic Social-cognitive Reciprocal influences between (a)Questionnaire assessments Art interactive theory that in- people and their situation, of people’s feelings of control tegrates research on learning, colored by perceptions of (b) Observations of people’s cognition, and social behavior, control behavior in particular criticized as underestimating situations the importance of emotions and enduring traits