Personality, Self-Esteem, and Emotions Chapter 2

Personality Personality – Consists of the behaviors, attitudes, feelings, and ways of thinking that make you an individual. Example--- When you are introduced to new people, you may be shy or outgoing. Look at the Warm-Up Activity page 30. Take the quiz and give an example from your life to support the ratings you chose.

Personality Psychologist = Study how people think, feel, and behave. They have described hundreds of personality traits. Examples of personality traits are reliable, organized, forgiving, outgoing, shy, untrusting, thoughtful, etc.

5 Central Traits Researchers use 5 central traits to describe how people behave, relate to others, and react to change. These traits are: 1.Extroversion 2.Agreeableness 3.Conscientiousness 4.Emotional stability 5.Openness to experiences

1. Extroversion Describes how much you like being with other people. Extrovert –Outgoing and talkative, seek out other people. Introvert ---Shy, quiet, reserved, comfortable spending time on their own.

2. Agreeableness Tendency to relate to others in a friendly way. Characteristics of Agreeable people: Cooperate with others. Forgiving Good natured Assume others are honest and trustworthy Disagreeable People –Suspicious, hostile, assume others are unreliable or ready to take advantage of them.

3. Conscientiousness Describes how responsible and self disciplined you are. Conscientious people tend to be dependable and make good decisions. They approach tasks in an organized deliberate thorough manner. People that are not conscientious - don’t think decisions through, are careless, easily distracted.

4. Emotional Stability People who are emotionally stable tend to be relaxed, secure, and calm even in difficult times. They focus on the positive side of things. People who are not emotionally stable tend to be fearful, worried, and angry. They focus on the negative and expect the worst in most situations

5. Openness to Experiences People who are open to new experiences tend to be curious, imaginative, and creative. They are likely to have a wide range of interests and may be less predictable. People who are less open tend to be more predictable and less independent. They are likely to do what everyone else is doing.

How Personality Forms Personality Traits are influenced by: A.Heredity- Example: Infants born with distinct tendencies to behave certain ways. Cry/Content, Uncomfortable in surroundings or thrive. A.Environment Family-Modeling –Copy behavior of others Friends- Peer Group- Friends about the same age/share interests Culture-Examples: independent vs. Fitting in, show feelings vs. reserved

Stages of Personality Development Erik Erikson (Psychologist) Personality develops throughout life as people meet a series of challenges. *8 Stages of Personality Development 1.(Birth to 18 Months) Develop trust Infant: needs for food, clean diaper, attention. If needs are met, infant learns trust. If not met, may withdraw from others.

8 Stages of Personality Development 2.(18 months to 3 years) Learn to be independent. Young children start to learn to do things on their own. Gain control over their own bodies. Walk/Potty train If they fail to meet these tasks, they develop self-doubt. If they are ridiculed, they may feel ashamed.

8 Stages of Personality Development 3.Take Initiative (3 to 6 years) Start to plan their own activities Use pretend/fantasy play to develop a sense of right and wrong. If they are harshly scolded for poor initiatives, they may feel unworthy, guilty, or resentful.

8 Stages of Personality Development 4.Develop Skills (6 to 12 Years) Children learn skills they need as adults. Examples: Help around house, how to succeed in school, how to get along with others. These skills make children feel competent – Capable of achieving their goals.

8 Stages of Personality Development 5. Search for Identity (12-20 years) Identity- a sense of self. You begin to question who you are and what you want to do with your life. Some teens try new experiences and to behave in ways that differ from family teachings. Others focus on shaping their identities to go along with standards set my their family or culture.

8 Stages of Personality Development 6.Establish Intimacy (20-40 years) Establish close bonds with others. If you learn to make commitments to other people, you will have their support as you face other challenges. 7.Create and Nurture (40-65 years) During this stage, adults get satisfaction from helping younger people to learn and grow. 8.Look Back With Acceptance (65+ years) Reflect on lives –some accept choices they’ve made and others regret opportunities they’ve missed.

Self-Esteem and Your Health Refers to how much you respect and like yourself. Many psychologists think that high self- esteem has a positive effect on health, while low self-esteem has a negative effect on health.

Benefits of High Self-Esteem Characteristics of People with high self-esteem a.Tend to accept themselves for who they are (Self- acceptance) b.Have realistic views of their strengths and weaknesses c.Maintain positive attitudes even when they fail at a task d.Form close relationships with people who respect and value them because they value themselves Benefit: If you feel good about yourself, you will be more likely to eat well, exercise regularly and avoid risky behaviors. You will be more likely to set goals for yourself, ask for help

Risks of Low Self-Esteem Characteristics of people with low self-esteem e.Lack of self-respect f. Judge themselves harshly and worry too much about what others think of them. g.May put on an act in public to impress others and hide insecurities. h.Fear of failure and looking bad may prevent them from trying new things. i.Negative thoughts make it hard for them to succeed. Teens with low self-esteem are more likely to use drugs, drop out of school, become pregnant, and suffer from eating disorders. They are more likely to engage in violent or self- destructive behaviors.

How Self-Esteem Develops Self-Esteem is not constant. It increases or decreases as people interact with family, peers, and community. A.Childhood: Most children start school with high self-esteem, but often there is a decline in elementary school. Why does this happen? Start to compare themselves to others. Negative feedback from teachers, parents, or peers.

B.Adolescence: Self-Esteem tends to drop. Why? Some teens tend to be overly self-conscious and judge themselves too harshly. May compare themselves to only the best athletes or most attractive celebrities.

C.Adulthood: Self-esteem tends to rise Why? Adults tend to accomplish their goals and take control over their lives. Adults are better able to keep things in perspective. Self-esteem tends to decrease in older adult. This may be caused by health problems or limited roles in society.

Improving Your Self-Esteem Don’t base your self-esteem solely on other people’s opinions of you. Focus on your accomplishments, talents, and your contributions to your family and community. a.Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses b.Set ambitious, but realistic goals c.Do not be too hard on yourself d.Rely on your values e.Learn to accept compliments f.Look beyond your own concerns g.Do not focus too much on appearance

Air, food, water, shelter, clothing, sleep Protection: health, financial/employment, property, family, stability

Personality Traits of Self-Actualized People Realistic and accepting Independent, self-sufficient Appreciative of life Concerned about humankind Capable of loving others Fair, unprejudiced Creative and hard-working Not afraid to be different