Overview Lecture 8 Personality Defining Personality Psychodynamic Perspective

Overview- Lecture 8 Personality • Defining Personality • Psychodynamic Perspective • Trait Perspective – Midlife Crisis • Cognitive Perspective • Myth Busting: Facts on Aging Revisited

What is Personality? • Personality: – unobservable quality present within the individual – thought to be responsible for that individual’s observable behavior • Does personality change or remain stable across adulthood?

Psychodynamic Perspective • Freud • Jung

The Psychodynamic Perspective Review: Freud’s Theory • “Discovery” of the unconscious • First comprehensive approach to personality • Paid little attention to adult development- thought change not possible after 50

The Psychodynamic Perspective Review: Structure of personality: Conscious Unconscious Conscience and ego ideal Ego S u p e r e g o DEFENSE MECHANISMS protect conscious mind from knowing unconscious urges Rational, executive functions Id Irrational urges

The Psychodynamic Perspective: Ego Psychology Jungian Theory • Maturity is possible only in midlife and beyond • Four functions to the psyche- maturity involves achieving balance through individuation Individual with strong “sensing” function Individuation Sensing Feeling Thinking Intuiting

The Psychodynamic Perspective: Ego Psychology Jungian Theory • Maturity is possible only in midlife and beyond • Four functions to the psyche- maturity involves achieving balance through individuation Individuation Sensing Becomes more Feeling balanced Thinking Intuiting

Jung- Age trends • Predominance of one function to balance • Greater acknowledgement of unconscious aspects of personality » therefore development of personality in adulthood

Ego Psychology- Personality Development in Adulthood • Erikson • Loevinger • Vaillant

The Psychodynamic Perspective: Ego Psychology Review: Erikson’s Ego Development Theory: • Eight “crisis” stages in growth of the ego • Epigenetic principle sets the ground plan for unfolding of stages • However, issues are not limited to specific ages

The Psychodynamic Perspective: Ego Psychology Loevinger’s Ego Development Theory: • Development of “character” • Ego incorporates cognition and morality • Stages in development from adolescence to adulthood

The Psychodynamic Perspective: Ego Psychology (see text page 214) Stages of Ego Development Conformist Obeys rules to avoid disapproval. Concerned about appearances and reputation. Simple ideas about emotions and inner life. Y T I Increased self-awareness and inner Conscientious. R TS O J L conformist (level) life. Considers exceptions to rules. MA ADU F Internalized conscience, personal goals, O Conscientious complex inner emotional life and ability to understand others. Individualistic (level) Greater sense of individuality and ability to be emotionally dependent on others. Tolerance for ambiguity. Autonomous Ability to think about and cope with inner conflict. Complex view of reality. Broad, abstract social ideals. Integrated Strong sense of identity and self-realization.

The Psychodynamic Perspective: Ego Psychology Vaillant’s Ego Development Theory • Focuses on defense mechanisms and how they change in adulthood • Ego integrates inner and outer reality • Ego passes through stages slightly different from those proposed by Erikson

The Psychodynamic Perspective: Ego Psychology (see text pg 216) Categories of defense mechanisms in Vaillant’s theory Psychotic Involve distortion of reality Immature Maladaptive reactions to conflict Delusional projection Denial Distortion Projection Hypochondriasis Acting out Neurotic Attempts to change ideas and feelings Displacement Repression Reaction formation Adaptive reactions to conflict Altruism Sublimation Humor Mature

The Psychodynamic Perspective: Ego Psychology Additional Stages in Vaillant’s Theory: 6 A Career consolidation VS. Self-absorption 7 A Keeper of the meaning VS. Rigidity

Studies Based on Ego Psychology: The Rochester Study Design of study • College to age 42 (54 in 2000) • Based on Erikson’s theory- Inventory of Psychosocial Development (IPD) • Used sequential design (e. g. below) 1966 Cohort 1 Cohort 2 Cohort 3 1977 1988 Longitudinal sequences

Studies Based on Ego Psychology: The Rochester Study Identity vs. Identity Diffusion Increase from 20 -31 for Cohorts 1 & and 2 2

Studies Based on Ego Psychology: The Rochester Study Intimacy vs. Isolation Increase from 20 -31 for Cohorts 1 & and 2 2

Summary of selected findings • Identity vs. Identity Diffusion • Intimacy vs. Isolation – scores increase – fits theory

Studies Based on Ego Psychology: The Mills and Radcliffe Studies Design of studies • Women at exclusive women’s colleges first studied in 1950 s to 1960 s • Retested at age 43 and 52 • Personality scales, many of which were rescored using newer theories

Studies Based on Ego Psychology: The Mills and Radcliffe Studies Overall changes in ego development: Increases in: Decreases in: • Assurance • Independence • Self-Control • Femininity • Increased personality integration Changes occurred against backdrop of stability

Studies Based on Ego Psychology: Defense Mechanisms and Coping Results: Age differences Defense mechanisms Older adults • More mature defense mechanisms • Controlling negative emotions • Put situation in perspective Younger adults • Acting out, projection, or regression

Studies Based on Ego Psychology: Defense Mechanisms and Coping Results: Age differences Coping strategies Older adults • Problem-focused coping and suppressing or channeling negative emotions Younger adults • More likely to cope through self-destructive or emotional ways However, verbal ability and ego level also influenced as did gender

The Trait Perspective Trait: • Stable enduring attribute • One element of individual’s personality • Organization of traits guides behavior May have a genetic basis • Constitutional basis for personality • Endures throughout life

The Trait Perspective: The Five Factor Model Costa & Mc. Crae’s Theory Five major dimensions to personality in adulthood: Openness to experience Conscientiousness Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism

The Trait Perspective: The Five Factor Model (text pg. 229) Five Factor Model Traits: Measured by the NEO-PI-R Neuroticism Tendency to experience psychological distress, overreactiveness, and instability Extraversion Preference for social interaction and lively activity Openness to experience Receptiveness to new ideas, approaches, and experiences Agreeableness Selfless concern for others, trust, and generosity Conscientiousness Organization, ambitiousness, and selfdiscipline

The Trait Perspective: The Five Factor Model Research on the Five Factor Model: Stability of trait 12 yr. 10 yr. 6 yr. 3 yr. Neuroticism . 68 -. 74. 69. 75 -. 80. 84 Extraversion . 83. 82. 83 Openness . 71 Agreeableness . 77 . 63 Conscientiousness . 71 . 79

The Trait Perspective: The Five Factor Model Mean scores over adulthood • No observable changes • Data support stability scores

The Trait Perspective: The Five Factor Model Conclusions: • High stability coefficients in Costa & Mc. Crae studies as well as others • Cross-cultural data support U. S. studies • Original studies suggested NO CHANGE after 30 but more recent data show continued maturation

Midlife Crisis Theories and Findings: Theory of the Midlife Crisis Levinson’s stages Changes in the life structure Late Adult Transition: Age 60 -65 Culminating life structure Era of of late adulthood 60 -? for middle adulthood: 55 -60 Age 50 transition: 50 -55 Entry life structure for middle adulthood 45 -50 Mid-Life Transition: Age 40 -45 Culminating life structure for early adulthood 33 -40 Age 30 transition 26 -23 Entry life structure for early adulthood 22 -28 Early Adult Transition: Age 17 -22 Era of early adulthood 17 -45 Culminating life structure for early adulthood 33 -40 Age 30 transition 26 -23 Entry life structure for early adulthood 22 -28

Midlife Crisis Theories and Findings: Theory of the Midlife Crisis Themes of the Midlife Crisis Overcoming disillusionment Making life structure decisions Resolving polarities of personality Regarded as universal patterns, applying to men AND women

Midlife Crisis Theories and Findings: Critiques and Research on the Midlife Crisis Critique of Levinson study • Heavy reliance on age • Problems in Levinson sample • Bias in ratings procedure Empirical challenges: Mc. Crae & Costa • NEO scores for “midlife crisis” ages • Midlife crisis higher for men with high Neuroticism scores

Midlife Crisis Theories and Findings: Critiques and Research on the Mid-Life Crisis Other critical studies: • Whitbourne identity interview study- no significant changes in mid-40 s • Mills study of supposed crisis “triggers” showed no midlife crisis

Overview- Lecture 8 Personality • Defining Personality • Psychodynamic Perspective • Trait Perspective – Midlife Crisis • Cognitive Perspective • Myth Busting: Facts on Aging Revisited

The Cognitive Perspective: Kelly’s Personal Construct Theory Personality= thoughts about self and others • Personal construct- organizing framework to predict and control experiences • Constructive alternativism- people can change thoughts and therefore personality

The Cognitive Perspective: Cognitive self theories View life experiences in terms of self • Baumeister: See self in positive light • Whitbourne: Life span construct • Markus: Possible selves • Cantor: Life tasks model • Emmons: Philosophy of life

The Cognitive Perspective: Control theories Primary and Secondary Control (Heckhausen & Schulz) Primary control • control environment Secondary control • change goals Based on principle of selective optimization with compensation

The Cognitive Perspective: Control theories Primary and Secondary Control: Selective and Compensatory • Selective choose narrower goals Primary control • Compensatory change environment Secondary control • Selective choose new approach • Compensatory minimize failure

The Cognitive Perspective: Control theories Cognitive Control- Branstädter Assimilative coping • maintain goals (tenacious goal pursuit) Accommodative • change goals (flexible coping goal adjustment)

Overview- Lecture 8 Personality • Defining Personality • Psychodynamic Perspective • Trait Perspective – Midlife Crisis • Cognitive Perspective • Myth Busting: Facts on Aging Revisited

Myth Busting Myth: There is a dramatic change in personality with age. Reality: No easy answer. Stability for the most part. Change is not dramatic and when there is change, the change tends to be “positive”.

Myth Busting Myth: People experience a mid-life crisis. Reality: Apparently not. There is no strong data to support the existence of a mid-life crisis.

Myth Busting: Facts on Aging Revisited #5. The majority of old people feel miserable most of the time. False

Myth Busting: Facts on Aging Revisited #11. The majority of old people are unable to adapt to change. False

Myth Busting: Facts on Aging Revisited #23. Old people tend to become more religious as they age. False

Myth Busting: Facts on Aging Revisited #24. The majority of old people say they are seldom irritated or angry. True