Ch Personality

What are the perspectives on personality? Psychoanalytic Psychoanalytic Humanistic Humanistic Trait Trait Social cognitive Social cognitive The self The self

Psychoanalytic perspective Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud The mind is like an iceberg The mind is like an iceberg Conscious Conscious (Above the water) (Above the water) Unconscious Unconscious Larger Larger (Below the water) (Below the water) Thoughts Thoughts Feelings Feelings Memories Memories

Freud’s personality theory Id = Pleasure principle Id = Pleasure principle Sex & violence Sex & violence Hedonistic Hedonistic Ego = Reality principle Ego = Reality principle Mediates between Id and Superego Mediates between Id and Superego Superego = conscious Superego = conscious Pride and guilt Pride and guilt

Freud’s personality iceberg

Ego defense mechanisms Repression Repression Underlies all other defense mechanisms Underlies all other defense mechanisms Keeps repressed urges (e.g. incest) from becoming conscious Keeps repressed urges (e.g. incest) from becoming conscious Regression Regression Retreating to an earlier, more infantile stage of development Retreating to an earlier, more infantile stage of development Reaction formation Reaction formation Doing the opposite of what you actually feel Doing the opposite of what you actually feel Inadequate feelings become bravado Inadequate feelings become bravado “I hate him” becomes ” I love him” “I hate him” becomes ” I love him” Makes unacceptable impulses more acceptable Makes unacceptable impulses more acceptable

Ego defense mechanisms (Cont.) Projection Projection Projecting your unacceptable impulses to others Projecting your unacceptable impulses to others E.g. “He is lying like everyone else.” E.g. “He is lying like everyone else.” Rationalization Rationalization Thinking up socially acceptable reasons for your negative behavior. Thinking up socially acceptable reasons for your negative behavior. E.g. “I only steal from rich people” E.g. “I only steal from rich people” Displacement Displacement Diverts sexual or aggressive energies toward a more acceptable target. Diverts sexual or aggressive energies toward a more acceptable target. E.g. Mad child kicks the pet. E.g. Mad child kicks the pet.

How do we evaluate the unconscious? Projective tests Projective tests Ambiguous stimuli that people “project” information onto Ambiguous stimuli that people “project” information onto E.g. describe or tell a story E.g. describe or tell a story Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) Patient makes up a story based on ambiguous pictures Patient makes up a story based on ambiguous pictures Rorschach Test Rorschach Test 10 inkblots - people discuss what they see in the inkblots 10 inkblots - people discuss what they see in the inkblots Designed to identify people’s inner unconscious feelings Designed to identify people’s inner unconscious feelings Not successful in predicting behavior or diagnosis Not successful in predicting behavior or diagnosis

What is the Humanistic Perspective? The self concept - “Who am I” The self concept - “Who am I” A basic focus of the Humanistic perspective A basic focus of the Humanistic perspective Maslow’s Self-actualization Maslow’s Self-actualization People strive for self-actualization People strive for self-actualization To be the best you can be To be the best you can be After other needs are met for physiological, safety, love, and self-esteem After other needs are met for physiological, safety, love, and self-esteem

Humanistic Perspective (cont.) Carl Rogers - Person Centered Perspective Carl Rogers - Person Centered Perspective Unconditional positive regard Unconditional positive regard If we feel accepted, we will be more open and expressive. If we feel accepted, we will be more open and expressive.

What is the Trait Perspective? Traits = Characteristic behaviors or disposition Traits = Characteristic behaviors or disposition E.g. shy, outgoing, friendly, aggressive E.g. shy, outgoing, friendly, aggressive Myers-Briggs type indicator Myers-Briggs type indicator Describes personalities in complimentary terms Describes personalities in complimentary terms

Trait Perspective (cont.) MMPI = Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory MMPI = Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Most widely used personality inventory Most widely used personality inventory Used to identify emotional disorders Used to identify emotional disorders

MMPI = Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

What is the Social Cognitive Perspective? How does learning & thinking & society influence each other? How does learning & thinking & society influence each other? Reciprocal Determinism Reciprocal Determinism Albert Bandura Albert Bandura Behavior, internal personal factors, and the environment all operate to determine each other. Behavior, internal personal factors, and the environment all operate to determine each other.

Reciprocal Determinism

Locus of control Internal locus of control Internal locus of control “I personally control my destiny.” “I personally control my destiny.” External locus of control External locus of control “Outside forces which I can not control determine my destiny.” “Outside forces which I can not control determine my destiny.”

What is Learned Helplessness? Repeatedly faced with traumatic events over which people have no control, people feel helpless, hopeless, and depressed. Repeatedly faced with traumatic events over which people have no control, people feel helpless, hopeless, and depressed.

Exploring your “self concept” Benefits of positive self esteem: Benefits of positive self esteem: More persistent at tasks More persistent at tasks Less likely to use drugs and conform to group pressure Less likely to use drugs and conform to group pressure Happier Happier Self serving bias Self serving bias We like to perceive ourselves favorably We like to perceive ourselves favorably We contribute successes to our own effort and failure to factors beyond our control. We contribute successes to our own effort and failure to factors beyond our control.