Gordon Allport

Biography Born in Montezuma, Indiana in 1897 Youngest of four boys. Mother was a teacher Father was a salesman turned doctor

Biography Mother was very religious and her beliefs and practices dominated the household Described himself as skillful with words but not as an athlete or at sports or games Somewhat isolated as a result Attempted to be center of attention of the few friends he had

Biography General feelings of inferiority Attempted to emulate accomplishments of his brother Floyd Went to Harvard and eventually got his PhD in psychology there

Biography Worked in Turkey for a year. Stopped in Vienna on way home and met Freud Completed PhD in 1922 Conducted first research on personality traits in the US Taught and did research at Harvard for almost 40 years. Died of lung cancer in 1967.

Theory Personality “ the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to the environment” (later changed to “that determine his characteristic behavior and thougt”

Theory “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to the environment” “Dynamic organization” Personality is always an organized whole that is constantly changing and growing (dynamic) Healthy people are integrated Unhealthy people fail to integrate Personality is never something that is, but is something that it is becoming

Theory “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to the environment” “Within the individual” Personality is something real, not an abstract It is something that resides within the skin.

Theory “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to the environment” “Psychophysical system” Composed of mind and body functioning together as a unit Personality is neither exclusively mental or neural (biological) It is influenced by both heredity and the environment

Theory “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to the environment” “Determine” All facets of personality activate or direct specific behaviors and thoughts

Theory “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to the environment” “Unique adjustments to his environment” Each person is unique Personality traits are highly individualized Personality is adaptable

Theory Methods of inferring traits (morphogenic procedures): Language Dictionary study Behavior Expressive traits Documents Diaries of Marion Taylor Letters from Jenny Personality measurement

Theory Traits Primary units of study of personality Predispositions to respond in the same or similar manner to different stimuli.

Theory Two main types of traits: 1.Common traits Possessed by many people (including cultures) to a varying extent How we compare to others (nomethetic research) Explains unique variations among people

Theory 2. Personal dispositions (individual traits) Unique to or possessed by only one person “peculiar to the individual” Unique variations within an individual (ideographic research) 3 kinds Cardinal traits The most significant and dominant feature of an individuals personality So pervasive it touches most aspects of a person’s life Not many people have these

Theory Central Traits Typify our normal functions Usually involves 5 to 10 adjectives -type of words we might use to describe someone Secondary traits Somewhat consistent but less influence as central traits

Personality Development Proprium His term for the “self” The core of our personality Those characteristics which we consider to be “peculiarly mine” “the totality of the person as process, an entity that is becoming” Contains the vital physical, psychological, and social aspects help define our sense of self Propriate Striving

Proprium Development 1. Bodily sense (birth to age 1) What is me and what is not The sense of one’s body, its separateness from other bodies, and its basic parts 2. Self Identity (age 1 to 2) Names self The sense of inner sameness, of continuity to the self, and having a distinct name Depends on capacity for language

Proprium Development 3. Self Esteem (age 2 to 3) Pride through achievement The sense of competence and to feel some self control over ones environment Test the limits of our environment and often refuse to take orders from others 4. Self Extension (age 3-4) Identifies “ego extensions” The sense of possessing external objects and/or people Eventually helps produce loyalties

Proprium Development 5. Self Image (age 4 to 6) Good and bad me Begin to evaluate present abilities and future possibilities Compare what we do with others expectations of us Awareness of satisfying or not satisfying parents expectations Saw this as foundation of adult conscience 6. Self as Rational Coper (age 6 to 12) Learn problem solving skills, how to think rationally, and deal with reality

Proprium Development 7. Propriate Striving (Age 12 to 20s) Motivational period of who a person wants to be and wants to become (greater influence than past) Involves long range goal planning, etc. Functional autonomy begins 8. Self as knower (adulthood) Awareness of self Merging of all the other stages

Theory A motive of behavior may begin as a result of something that has happened in a child’s life or other need It will eventually start to function independently of its origin Functional autonomy

Theory Two types of functional autonomy : Perseverative functional autonomy Repetitive and habitual, daily tasks / behavior Would include psychological addictions here Continue w/o any external reward No longer serves original purpose but continues

Theory Propriate functional autonomy Continues even though the motivation has changed More important than perseverative functional autonomy Unique to the individual More self directive Values and personal motives that enhances a person’s self esteem and image (proprium)

The Healthy Adult Capacity for Self Extension Broad interests Acceptance of self and others, ability for warm human interaction Intimacy w/o possession or jealousy Emotional Security, Self Acceptance, and Realistic perceptions Positive self image Tolerance to accept conflicts and frustrations of life See events as they are (and ourselves), not as we hope them to be Unrealistic optimism and pessimism avoided

The Healthy Adult Ability to plan and delay gratification Discipline and self control Self Objectification and Insight Seeing oneself objectively with insight and humor Demonstrate a Uniform Philosophy of Life Movement toward some unifying orientation in life