1. The Modern Study of Personality CP Psychology Mrs. Bradley

2. Objective personality scales Answer a series of questions about self “I am easily embarrassed”True or False “I like to go to parties”True or False Assumes that you can accurately report No right or wrong answers From responses, develop picture of you called a personality profile

3. Big Five Openness vs resistance Conscientiousness vs impulsiveness Extroversion vs introversion Agreeableness vs antagonism Neuroticism vs emotional stability

4. Heredity and temperament Temperaments Physiological dispositions to respond to the environment in certain ways Present in infancy, assumed to be innate Relatively stable over time Includes Reactivity Soothability Positive and negative emotionality

5. Heredity and traits Heritability A statistical estimate of the proportion of the total variance in some trait that is attributable to genetic differences among individuals within a group Capable of being inherited

6. Heredity and traits Heritability of personality traits is about 50% Within a group of people, about 50% of the variation associated with a given trait is attributable to genetic differences among individuals in the group. Genetic predisposition is not genetic inevitability

7. Environmental Influences on Personality The situation you’re in Parental influence Peer influence The situation you’re in Parental influence Peer influence

8. Social Cognitive Learning Theory Personality traits are from your learning history plus your resulting expectations and beliefs. Situations affect different people differently – two children in the same family can be very different.

9. Reciprocal determinism Two-way interaction between aspects of the environment and aspects of the individual in the shaping of personality traits

10. Non-shared environment Unique aspects of a person’s environment and aspects of the individual in the shaping of personality traits The part of your life NOT experience by your family.

11. The power of parents The shared environment of the home has little influence on personality. The non-shared environment is a more important influence. This is not what most people think.

12. Something to talk about… Are you a different person when you’re alone when you’re with your friends when you’re in class when you’re at a party Consider the “Big Five” personality traits as you answer these questions.

13. The power of parents Few parents have a single child- rearing style that is consistent over time and that they use with all children. Even when parents try to be consistent, there may be little relation between what they do and how their children turn out.

14. The power of peers Adolescent culture includes different peer groups organized by different interests. Peer acceptance is so important to children and adolescents that being bullied, victimized, or rejected by peers is far more traumatic than punitive treatment by parents.

15. Culture, values, and traits Culture A program of shared rules that govern the behavior of members of a community or society A set of values, beliefs, and attitudes shared by most members of that community

16. Answer the following: I am ……

17. Culture, values, and traits Individualist cultures Cultures in which the self is regarded as autonomous, and individual goals and wishes are prized above duty and relations with others

18. Culture, values, and traits Collectivist cultures Cultures in which the self is regarded as embedded in relationships, and harmony with one’s group is prized above individual goals and wishes

19. Differences between Individualist Self as autonomous Priority to individual goals Values independence, leadership, achievement, self-fulfillment Stresses individual’s attitudes and preferences Relationships maintained IF individual benefits Collectivist Self as part of group Priority to groups needs and goals Values group harmony, duty, obligation, security Stresses group norms Attend to needs of group members even if individual is hurt

20. Customs in context When culture is not appropriately considered, people attribute unusual behavior to personality. Timeliness Monochronic cultures: time is ordered sequentially, schedules and deadlines valued over people Polychronic cultures: time is ordered horizontally, people valued over schedules and deadlines