PERSONALITY A LOOK AT PERSONALITY THEORIES AND ASSESSMENTS

PERSONALITY A LOOK AT PERSONALITY THEORIES AND ASSESSMENTS

� What is Personality? � People differ from each other in meaningful ways � People seem to show some consistency in behavior � Personality is defined as distinctive and relatively enduring ways of thinking, feeling, and acting PERSONALITY

�Personality refers to a person’s unique and relatively stable pattern of thoughts, feelings, and actions � Personality is an interaction between biology and environment �Genetic studies suggest heritability of personality �Other studies suggest learned components of personality PERSONALITY DEFINED

� � � � Traits are relatively stable and consistent personal characteristics Trait personality theories suggest that a person can be described on the basis of some number of personality traits Allport identified some 4, 500 traits Cattel used factor analysis to identify 30 -35 basic traits Eysenck argued there are 3 distinct traits in personality • Extraversion/introversion • Neuroticism • Psychotocism PERSONALITY TRAITS

Openness (original and open to new ideas vs. conventional and narrow in interests) � Conscientiousness (responsible and organized vs. irresponsible and careless) � � Extroversion (sociable and talkative vs. withdrawn and quiet) Agreeableness (trusting and good-natured vs. suspicious and ruthless) � Neuroticism (emotionally unstable and moody vs. emotionally stable and easygoing) � Trait Theorists: The Five-Factor Model

Write a story about the first thing that comes to mind while looking at this picture. TAT Personality Tests (Thematic Apperception Test)

� Psychoanalytic theory, as devised by Freud, attempts to explain personality on the basis of unconscious mental forces � Levels of consciousness: We are unaware of some aspects of our mental states � Freud argued that personality is made up of multiple structures, some of which are unconscious � Freud argued that as we have impulses that cause us anxiety; our personality develops defense mechanisms to protect against anxiety PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY

Levels of Consciousness – Conscious What we’re aware of – Preconscious Memories etc. that can be recalled – Unconscious Wishes, feelings, impulses that lie beyond awareness Structures of Personality – Id Operates according to the “pleasure principle” (crying infant) – Ego Operates according to the “reality” principle, meet the needs of the id, while considering reality – Superego Contains values and ideals, right and wrong FREUDIAN THEORY

Conscious – Ego – Some Superego Preconscious – Same available if needed Unconscious – Id – Some Superego – Some Ego PERSONALITY: FREUD

�Freud’s work lays the groundwork for all subsequent personality theories. �It is the most comprehensive theory—he tries to explain everything humans are and do. Why study Freud?

�Development is driven by biology-we inherit drives and instincts. �Early experiences engender adult psychology-the events of the first 5 -6 years determine psychological development. �Early social life is important-how mom and dad responded to our desire toward pleasure. ASSUMPTIONS IN FREUD’S WORK

�ALL PLEASURE IS ULTIMATELY SEXUAL PLEASURE!!! �From birth, infants seek sexual pleasure— Freud said breastfeeding was a sexual act. ASSUMPTIONS IN FREUD’S WORK

� Psychosexual stages: Freudian idea of five developmental periods key to personality development *Personality is mostly established by the age of five. *Early experiences play a large role in personality development and continue to influence behavior later in life. *Said that personality develops through a series of childhood stages during which the pleasureseeking energies of the ID become focused on certain erogenous areas. This energy (the libido) is the driving force behind behavior.

�If the stages are completed successfully, the result is a healthy personality. �If certain issues are not resolved at the appropriate stage, a fixation can occur. �Until this conflict is resolved, the individual will remain “stuck” in this stage. PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

�Freud said that psychosocial development is usually halted in one of the first three stages when a child becomes fixated (stuck) in one of the developmental conflicts. �We become fixated when we receive too little or too much pleasure in any given stage. �So, when fixated people encounter stress in their adult lives, they regress to that stage. Fixation

�Birth �Child to 18 months is focused on oral pleasures such as rooting and sucking. �The mouth is vital for eating and the infant derives pleasure from the oral stimulation through gratifying activities such as tasting and sucking. �Too much or too little gratification can result in an oral fixation or oral personality— preoccupied with oral activities such as smoking, drinking, eating, biting nails. THE ORAL STAGE

� 18 months to 3 years � Major focus is on eliminating and retaining feces. � Through society’s pressure, the child has to learn to control anal stimulation—toilet training! � Developing this control leads to a sense of accomplishment and pride. � *Freud says it depends on how parents teach-if too lenient and an anal-expulsive personality can develop-person is destructive and disorganized. � If too strict, person develops an anal-retentive personality and is obsessed with cleanliness and order. THE ANAL STAGE

�Ages 3 to 6 �Pleasure zone switches to the �Oedipus Complex: According genitals. to Freud, boys develop unconscious sexual desires for their mothers. �Boy then becomes a rival with fathercompetes for mother’s attention. �Wanting to possess the mother and replace the father �Child also fears that he will be punished for this-castration anxiety. THE PHALLIC STAGE

�GIRLS- later it was decided that they went thru same thing—called Electra Complex. �Freud disagreed with this and said instead that girls experience penis envy. �According to Freud, out of fear of castration and due to the strong competition of father— boy develops masculine characteristics, and represses his sexual feelings. �Fixation in this stage: could result in sexual deviancies and weak or confused sexual identity. THE PHALLIC STAGE

�Age six to puberty �Libido interests are suppressed. �Development of ego and superego contribute to this calm. �Begins around time that kids start school and become concerned with peer relationships, hobbies and other interests. �Important to development of social and communication skills and self-confidence. LATENCY STAGE

�Puberty on…. �Final stage of psychosexual development. �Individual develops a strong sexual interest in the opposite sex. �Interests in the welfare of others grows during the stage. �If the other stages have been successfully completed, person should be wellbalanced, warm, and caring. GENITAL STAGE

�Freud believed all children pass through five psychosexual stages. At each stage the id’s pleasure seeking energies focus on specific pleasure areas of the body (erogenous zones).

� Difficult to test, but the evidence that has been gathered is not favorable. � The crucial events (e. g. , how the libido is used) are unobservable, and there are no good means to measure them. � There is an awfully long time between the occurrence of the causal stimulus and its presumed effect; relationships between early events and later traits tend to be weak and inconsistent. � This theory of development was conceived without studying children; rather, it was developed from patients' recollections, dreams and free associations. EVALUATING FREUD’S THEORY

�Projective Tests – Used to assess personality (e. g. , Rorschach or TAT tests) – How? Provides ambiguous stimuli and subject projects his or her motives into the ambiguous stimuli. ASSESSING THE UNCONSCIOUS

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) -people express their inner motives through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes Assessing the Unconscious-TAT

Rorschach Inkblot Test – the most widely used projective test – a set of 10 inkblots designed by Hermann Rorschach -used to identify peoples feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the inkblots. ASSESSING THE UNCONSCIOUSRORSCHACH

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