Personality Personality Defined l l Individuals characteristic manner

Personality

Personality Defined l l Individual’s characteristic manner of interacting with the world, and other people in particular Person’s unique pattern of thoughts, feelings, behaviors, that persist over time and across situations

Trait Theories l l l TRAIT: relatively stable disposition to behave a certain way Characteristics or factors on which individuals differ State vs. Traits triggered by environmental cues which elicit behavior Traits are dimensional, not categorical

Trait Theories • • Trait theories: specify a manageable set of distinct personality dimensions that summarize fundamental differences between people Focus on describing personality

Hippocrates’ Humors 1. 2. 3. 4. Black Bile: sad (melancholic) personality Yellow Bile: excitable (choleric) personality Phlegm: slow, sluggish (phlegmatic) personality Blood: relaxed, playful (sanguine) personality

Constitutional Theory • 1. 2. 3. William Sheldon: body type related to personality type Ectomorphic: thin and frail Mesomorphic: strong and muscular Endomorphic: soft and round

Constitutional Theory • 1. 2. 3. 3 Personality Types Cerebrotonic: quiet, scholarly, timid Somatotonic: bold and adventurous Visceratonic: cheerful, calm, relaxed

Constitutional Theory • • • Ectomorphic Cerebrotonic Mesomorphic Somatotonic Endomorphic Viscerotonic

Raymond Cattell (1950) l l l Chemist Molecules to atoms Traits to personality 18, 000 adjectives reduced to 170 Self report surveys & factor analysis Identified 16 central traits

Cattell’s 16 Central Traits 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Sociable – Unsociable Intelligent – Unintelligent Emotionally stable – Unstable Dominant – Submissive Cheerful – Brooding Conscientious – Undependable Bold – Timid Sensitive - Insensitive 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Suspicious – Trusting Imaginative – Practical Shrewd – Naïve Guilt proclivity – Guilt rejection Radicalism – Conservatism Self-sufficiency – Group adherence Disciplined – Uncontrolled Tense - Relaxed

Hans Eysenck (1952) l 1. • • • 2. • 2 basic personality traits Introversion – Extroversion Tendency to avoid or seek excitement Extroverts = sociable, adventurous Introverts = unsociable, introspective Neuroticism – Stability Emotional stability, tendency to be upset

Hans Eysenck (1952) 3. • Psychoticism – Nonpsychoticism Proclivity for aggression, lack of concern for others vs. cooperative, empathetic

The Big Five 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Neuroticism – Stability Extroversion – Introversion Openness to experience – Non-openness Agreeableness – Antagonism Conscientiousness - Undirectedness

1. Neuroticism (Emotional Stability) • • High Scorers: unexcitable, unemotional, autonomous, individualistic Low Scorers: insecure, anxious, touchy, emotional, anxious

2. Extroversion • • High scorers: enthusiastic, gregarious, playful, happy-go-lucky, energetic, talkative, confident, optimistic Low scorers: unsociable, nonverbal, detached, unadventurous, moody

3. Openness l l High scorers: introspective, deep, insightful, intelligent, creative, curious Low scorers: shallow, unimaginative, unobservant, ignorant

4. Agreeableness l l High scorers: accomodating, genial, understanding, leniant, courteous, flexible, affectionate Low scorers: antagonistic, unsympathetic, demanding, irritable, distrustful, stubborn

5. Conscientiousness l l High scorers: organized, efficient, reliable, persistent, cautious, punctual Low scorers: disorganized, careless, inconsistent, forgetful, aimless, lazy, impractical

Stability of traits l l Stable throughout adulthood Especially after age 30 r’s: . 50 -. 70 over 30 -40 yrs Personality may change somewhat in response to life changes (career, marital status, critical events)

Predictive value l l l Reliability vs. Validity Do personality tests predict actual behavior? YES Extroverts: less startled by loud noise, live/work with more people, sexually open minded Conscientiousness: better job performance, marital fidelity

Predictive value l Openness: job changes

Situationists l l People behave in a certain way not because of their traits, but because of the situations we find ourselves in Interactionism: compromise position – Acknowledges both traits and situations

Physiological Theory of Extraversion • • Eysenck – arousability hypothesis Extroverts: brains less easily aroused, sensation seeking Introverts: hypersensitive to arousal, sensation avoidant Learning in presence of loud noise, startle response, salivation response, tolerance for shock

Physiological impact of genetics • • Relationship between Neuroticism and gene related to increased serotonin Novelty seeking (impulsivity, excitability) and gene related to decreased dopamine

Heritability of Traits l l Nature vs. Nurture Heritability estimate for monozygotic twins =. 50 (50% of variability) Dyzygotic twins no more similar than unrelated individuals University of Minnesota studies

Heritability of Traits l l l Traditionalism – measure of conservative values (. 60) Opposition to the death penalty (. 50) Genetic predispositions influence attitudes individual attends to and adopts

Environmental Influences l l l Not unimportant, but less important than assumed 2 kids raised in same environment will experience that environment very differently Scarr (1981) – compared non-twin adopted kids with (a) bio sibs and (b) adoptive sibs Bio siblings more similar than adopted No more similar to adoptive sibs than strangers

Personality as mental processes 1 2 3 Psychodynamic Social cognitive Humanistic

Psychodynamic Theories l a b l Emphasize the interplay of mental forces people are often unconscious of their motives processes called defense mechanisms work to keep unacceptable drives/urges out of consciousness Personality differences lie in unconscious motives & how they are ultimately manifested

Psychodynamic Theories l l l Freud - to understand patient’s problems/personality, must learn about content of unconscious Conscious thought a poor reflection of true wants, needs, desires unconscious “leaks” (Freudian slips, dreams, free associations)

Psychodynamic Theories l l Drives equivalent to physical forms of energy build up, must be released to function in society, must learn to direct sexual/aggressive drives in acceptable ways Defense mechanisms serve to reduce anxiety by keeping unacceptable drives out of consciousness

Defense mechanisms l l Repression: anxiety-produc 9 ing thoughts pushed and kept out of consciousness “I don’t remember much about my childhood” repression dams up mental energy “leaks” are dealt with via other defense mechanisms

Defense mechanisms l l Displacement: unconscious wish/drive that would be unacceptable to conscious mind is redirected toward acceptable alternative breast feeding --> cigarette smoking, eating Sublimation: channeling one’s energies towards behaviors valued by society E. g. , corporate killers, surgeons

Defense mechanisms l l Reaction formation: turning a frightening wish into its safer opposite Norman Bates - Hate Mom vs. Love Mom Homophobia “The lady doth protest too much”

Defense mechanisms l l Projection: person consciously experiences an unconscious drive or wish as though it were someone else’s Holden Caulfield - Catcher in the Rye Rationalization: use of conscious reasoning to explain away anxiety-provoking thoughts/feelings “I only hit you because I love you”

Neo-Freudians l Karen Horney - focused on security as inborn need – – 1 2 3 parents influence kid’s personality via ways in which they succeed/fail at alleviating kid’s anxiety 3 unhappy personality styles Moving away from people (Avoiding others) Moving towards people (Giving in to others) Moving against people (Dominating others)

Neo-Freudians l l Alfred Adler: drive for competence, striving for significance, sense of achievement we all begin with sense of inferiority (helpless, dependent) Inferiority complex: act inadequate, dependent Superiority complex: better than others, overcompensation

Social-Cognitive theories l l Personality has a lot to do with our own perceptions of ourselves and our abilities Social learning theory learned beliefs and habits become ingrained and automatic (unconscious) learned beliefs/habits in thinking increase or decrease ability to take control of own life

Julian Rotter - Locus of Control l l Locus of control: beliefs about whether outcomes are under internal vs. external control Internal: belief that one controls one’s own fate – – takes credit for successes responsibility for failures

Julian Rotter - Locus of Control l l External: belief that one’s fate is governed by luck, chance, or forces beyond one’s control Internal generally better than external preventive health care measures, resist group pressures in social situations (jury), prefer games of skill over chance promotes hard work, perseverance, success

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory l l l Personality is behavior, and behavior is dependant on our expectancies: what a person thinks will result from behaving in a certain way under certain circumstances self-efficacy - expectation that one will be successful in his/her efforts

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory l l l Reciprocal determinism: we act as a stimulus on the social environment and the environment, in turn, acts on us attractive, socially adept child is well received and valued by peers, which in turn increases self-esteem and self-efficacy, which makes him more well liked reverse also true

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory l l Self efficacy vs. locus of control Self efficacy - person’s sense of own ability Locus of control - subjective sense of whether or not that ability will produce rewards Child-rearing that emphasizes abilities/successes lead to future success

Humanistic theories l l Any personality theory that asserts the fundamental goodness of people and their striving toward higher levels of functioning Carl Rogers self-actualizing tendency: drive of all humans to fulfill their potential fully functioning person: congruence between actual and ideal self

Humanistic theories l l l Unconditional vs. Conditional positive regard the individual’s perception/experience is the only one that really matters “I am not being my real self” “I don’t want people to know the real me” Natural tendency for self-actualization stunted by demands and judgments the world places on us

Maslow’s Hierarchy l l l Self-actualization needs (self expression, creativity, connectedness with the “broader universe”) Esteem needs Belongingness and love needs Safety needs Physiological needs

Personality as adaptation l l l Personality in terms of function, ruvival value Diversification of investment - reduces potential for dramatic loss, maintains likelihood of long term gains Alternative niches

Sibling contrasts l l l Parents and individuals emphasize sibling differences sibling contrast: if sibs seen as having different abiliities, needs, etc, less likely to compete, more likely to be valued for uniqueness split parent identification: reduces competition for parental investment

Birth Order l l Earlier born are bigger, stronger, wiser, more competent First borns tend to adopt parental roles and values respect for authority and conservative attitudes Later born, higher on Openness factor

Sex Differences l l Nature vs. Nurture Agreeableness - Antagonism (females more concerned about establishing/maintaining relationships) Women higher on Conscientiousness and Neuroticism Men tend to be higher on sensation seeking (decreases with age)

Cummulative Material for Final Exam PSYCO 106

Correlation coefficients l l What are they? How to interpret them? Direction & magnitude correlation vs. causation

Classical & Operant Conditioning l l Terms (e. g. , reinforcement, punishment, conditioned & unconditioned stimulus, extinction) Process Reinforcement schedules (e. g. , fixed ratio) Little Alberta experiment (Watson)

Erik Erickson stages of social development l l What are they? What are the key conflicts at each stage?

Stress & Coping l l l Definition and types subjective nature of stress frustration-aggression hypothesis compliance with medical recommendations Constructive coping vs. defense mechanisms Selye’s G. A. S.

Social development l l l Gender differences Kohlberg’s moral development parenting styles attachment styles Piaget Vygotsky

Memory l 3 primary components (function and characteristics)