What is the nature of personality and how can it be assessed? Personality typologies From “Types” to “Traits” Assessing individual differences Personality tests –Unstructured (projective) –Structured (objective)

Personality: “…the unique pattern......of enduring psychological characteristics... …by which individuals can be compared…” “The same fire that melts the butter hardens the egg.” (Allport, 1965) Temperament: “…characteristic level of reactivity and energy.”

Reactive interactions Evocative interactions Proactive interactions Why doesn’t the same environment produce the same personality?

Categorical (Type) approach: Dimensional (Trait) approach: Distributional approach: “introverted”“extroverted” “introverted”“extroverted” “introverted”“extroverted”

Hippocrates’ type theory (5th cent. BC) Blood. Sanguine temperament: –cheerful and active Phlegm. Phlegmatic temperament: –apathetic and sluggish Black bile. Melancholy temperament: – sad and brooding Yellow bile. Choleric temperament: –irritable and excitable

William Sheldon’s somatotypes relating physique to temperament: Endomorphic type (fat, soft, round): –Viscerotonia Mesomorphic type (muscular, angular): –Somatotonia Ectomorphic type (thin, long, fragile): –Cerebrotonia

ABC EndomorphicMesomorphicEctomorphic

1. Self-assertive 2. Overly fast in reacting 3. Insensitive to other’s feelings 4. Always wants affection and approval 5. Prefers to be alone 6. Slow to react 7. Self-conscious 8. Loves comfort 9. Takes risks Traits and Sheldon’s Predictions TraitSheldon’s prediction (B) (C) (B) (A) (C) (A) (C) (A) (B)

From “Types” to “Traits” Traits vs. States

An example of one of Herman Rorschach’s inkblots:

An illustration by Pruett Carter appearing in the September 1931 issue of Woman's Home Companion to illustrate a story by Margaret Deland (1931). Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) (Sample picture)