ICSP 254 Theories of Personality Mahidol University International

ICSP 254 Theories of Personality Mahidol University International College

Lecture • Students have to present 80 percent of the class by university regulation. • Attendance for the full class period is required. • Please do not be late. If you arrive more than 30 minutes after the class starts, you will be asked to complete extra work to receive full attendance • Laptops are permitted during lecture for note-taking purposes only. I prefer that you take notes by hand because I want to see your faces

Course Website http: //www. deardramy. com/for-students. html

Text Book • Schultz, D. P. & Schultz, S. E. (2012). Theories of Personality. 10 th Ed. Cengage.

Topics we will cover this trimester Psychoanalytic Neo. Freudian Object Relations Individual Trait Social Humanistic Biological

Grading Week Percent In-class Participation 1 -11 10 Quizzes TBA 20 Individual Assignment 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 20 Group Presentation 12 20 Final 13 30 • Everyone can get A’s if you do the work • I will announce quiz one week in advance • All assignments etc. will not exceed 2 pages

Group Paper + Presentation • Group of 2 -3 • Presentations all on week 12 • You will watch a movie in class and analyze one character in the movie based on personality theories that you learned about • Paper due by week 13 • Pick at least 3 theories and apply to the chosen character • Paper length 5 -10 pages

Grading • D = 60 -64 • D+ = 65 -69 • C = 70 -74 • C+ = 75 -79 • B = 80 -84 • B+ = 85 -89 • A = 90+

The study of Personality • Everyone has one! • You already know how important personality is. Everything you have achieved so far are influenced by your personality and the personalities of the people with whom you interact

History of Personality in Psychology The Study of Consciousness • Wilhelm Wundt and colleagues • Focus on conscious experience • Experimental study with only variables that can be manipulated and controlled • Criticism: Not compatible with complex facet of personality

History of Personality in Psychology The Study of Behavior • John Watson at John Hopkins University • Behaviorism – focus on tangible aspects that can be seen, heard, recorded, and measured (vs. consciousness) • Vending machine: Stimulus Behavioral responses (based on past learning) • Criticism: ignore other aspects such as feelings and behaviors that are beyond our conscious control

History of Personality in Psychology The Study of Unconscious • Sigmund Freud • Psychoanalysis ≠ Psychology • Develop his theory based on observation of his patients, did NOT use experimental method • Conscious and unconscious in play

Definition of Personality • “Personality” derived from Latin word persona (mask used by actors) • The public face we display to people around us; our external and visible characteristics that people can see

Let’s ask questions • So, what defines personality? Is it what you think you are? Or what others think about you? • When did your personality develop? • What influences your personality development? Is it nature (genetic) or nurture (how you were raised and your experiences)? • Can you change your personality? Or is it something permanent?

Personality is: Enduring and Stable • Personality is relatively enduring, stable, and predictable • Can vary with situation yet it is generally resistant to sudden change Unique Characteristics • Each of us possess special properties that distinguish us from all others Personality is the unique, relatively enduring internal and external aspects of a person’s character that influence behaviors in different situations

How do you measure Personality? • As a clinical psychologist, if I can’t understand your personality, I cannot correctly diagnose you and ultimately, I cannot be effective therapist. • When you apply for a job at most big companies, they will assess your personality

How do you measure Personality? What 2 properties must all personality tests have? Reliability – consistency of responses to the test Methods to assess reliability: • Test-Retest – give the test twice • Equivalent Forms – take two equivalent forms • Split-halves – split the test in half, compare the halves

How do you measure Personality? What 2 properties must all personality tests have? Validity – extent to which the test is measuring what it is intended to measure Types of Validity: • Predictive – how well the test predict future behavior • Content – is test individual questions measure what it’s supposed to • Construct – is the test measuring the concept it’s supposed to

Lets try some questions 1. If you take a personality test last week and get the score of 80. Today, you come back to test and score roughly the same. Is this scenario proving the test validity OR reliability? reliability 2. A patient with Anxiety Disorder diagnosis took an Anxiety test and scored very low (meaning very low level of anxiety). This scenario prove that the test does NOT have validity OR reliability? reliability

Types of Assessment Self-Report Projective Techniques Behavioral Assessment Clinical Interviews Thought- and Experience. Sampling

Self-Report Inventory • Asking people to report on themselves by answering questions about their behaviors and feelings in various situations Widely used self-report tests are: • Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) • California Psychological Inventory (CPI)

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) • High validity to differentiate between emotionally disturbed vs emotionally healthy person • Disadvantages: length of test (475+) highly personal questions

Self-Report Inventory Advantages: Problems: • Objectively scored • Give answer that is socially desirable (make them look good), especially during job application • Do not depend on scorer’s biases • Computer administration (very easy to test and score) Not appropriate for: • Low intelligence • Limited reading skills

Projective Techniques • Projective Test – a personality test in which subjects are presumed to “project” personal needs, fears, and values onto their description of an ambiguous stimulus Weakness • Interpretation is subjective Popular projective tests • Rorschach Inkblot Test • Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) • Word Association and Sentence Completion “What worries me…”

Thematic Apperception Test 19 ambiguous pictures and 1 blank card. Construct a story based on the picture. The test proven valid for specific aspects of personality such as need for achievement, affiliation, and power

Clinical Interviews • Advantages: observation of additional factors such as general appearance, attitude, preoccupations, etc. Behavioral Assessment • Observer evaluate a person’s behavior Thought and Experience Sampling • Recorded systematically at intervals of time • Advantages: high validity, uncover materials that was difficult to obtain by other methods

Theory in the Study of Personality • Theories are set of principles used to explain a particular class of phenomena (in our case, behaviors and experiences relating to personality) • Theory provides framework for simplifying and describing data in a meaningful way • Formal Theory vs. Personal Theory Large # small # of subjects Objective/unbiased subjective/may be biased Extensive test to ensure accuracy only want evidence that confirms

Topics we will cover this trimester Psychoanalytic Neo. Freudian Object Relations Individual Trait Social Humanistic Biological

Questions about Human Nature Past Free Will Present Determinism • Past or Present? Early experience vs. right now/future goals Historical determinism – personally fixed in early years of life and subject to little change thereafter • Free Will or Determinism? Nature Nurture How much control do we really have • Nature or Nurture?

Questions about Human Nature Uniqueness Universality • Unique or Universal? Unique personality or universal behaviors? • Equilibrium or Growth? Equilibrium Growth Maintain balance or strive for growth? • Optimism or Pessimism? Optimism Pessimism Good vs evil, kind vs. cruel

Here’s your individual assignment #1 http: //www. humanmetrics. com/ And select “Jung Typology Test”

Here’s what I want you to turn in