Theories of Personality Allport: Psychology of the Individual Chapter 13

Outline Overview of the Psychology of the Individual Biography of Gordon Allport Allport’s Approach to Personality Theory Structure of Personality Motivation

Outline The Study of the Individual Related Research Critique of Allport Concept of Humanity

Overview of the Psychology of the Individual Emphasized Uniqueness of the Individual Traits Do Not Capture Individuality Studied the Individual (Morphogenic Science) in contrast to Nomothetic Methods Broad, Comprehensive Theory Preferable to Narrow Theory

Biography of Allport Born in Montezuma, Indiana in 1897 Youngest son of a country doctor and a former schoolteacher Earned undergraduate degrees in philosophy and economics from Harvard in 1919 After fortuitous meeting with Freud, decided to complete a PhD in psychology at Harvard in 1922 President of American Psychological Association in 1939 Died in 1967 of lung cancer

Allport’s Approach to Personality Theory Sought to Answer Three Questions: What Is Personality? Personality is both physical and psychological Includes both overt and covert thoughts Not only is but does Product and process Structure and Growth

Allport’s Approach to Personality Theory What Is the Role of Conscious Motivation? Healthy adults aware of what and why they are acting Accepted self-report at face value Some motivation is driven by hidden impulses Most compulsive behaviors originate in childhood

Allport’s Approach to Personality Theory What Are the Characteristics of a Healthy Person? Six criteria for maturity: Extension of the sense of self Warm relating of self to others Emotional security or self-acceptance Realistic perception of their environment Insight and humor Unifying philosophy of life

Structure of Personality Refers to Basic Units Common traits Held by many people Personal Dispositions Levels of Personal Dispositions Cardinal dispositions Central dispositions Secondary dispositions

Structure of Personality Motivational Dispositions Motivation from basic needs and drives Initiate actions Stylistic Dispositions Guide actions Exp: How to dress? Proprium Behaviors that are regarded as warm, central, and important to their lives Values, beliefs, styles…

Motivation A Theory of Motivation Functional Autonomy Theory Must Include Both Reactive and Proactive Behaviors Functional Autonomy Perseverative Functional Autonomy Neurological principles Exp:a rat in a maze? Alcohol and other dependences Propriate Functional Autonomy Occupations, hobbies, interests…

Related Research The Religious Orientation Scale (ROS) Extrinsic orientation Intrinsic orientation Religion, Prayer, and Health Powell et al. (2003) Attending church regularly is associated with feeling better and living longer Masters et al. (2005) Religion and cardiovascular health Intrinsic religious orientation serves as a buffer against everyday life stressors Smith et al. (2003) Religion and depression Intrinsic religious orientation is negatively related, and extrinsic orientation positively related, to depression How to Reduce Prejudice: Optimal Contact Pettigrew & Tropp (2005, 2009) Optimal contact reduces prejudice, not only toward races, but also toward the elderly and the mentally ill

Critique of Allport Allport’s Theory Is: High on Parsimony and Internal Consistency Moderate on Generating Research and Guiding Action Low on Falsifiability and Organizing Knowledge

Concept of Humanity Free Choice over Determinism Optimism over Pessimism Teleology over Causality Conscious over Unconscious Social Influence over Biology Uniqueness over Similarity