Personality Personality Persona Personality The dynamic and organized
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Personality
Personality • Persona
Personality • The dynamic and organized set of characteristics possessed by a person that uniquely influences his or her cognitions, motivations, and behaviors in various situations
Personality Psychology • The field within psychology which studies individuals and how they are: – Like every other human – Like no other human
Historical Ideas • • • Hippocrates (460 – 380 BC) Plato (427 – 347 BC) Aristotle (384 – 322 BC) Galen (130 – 200 BC) Machiavelli (1469 – 1527) Descartes (1596 -1650)
4 Humors Character Irritable Depressed Humor Choleric: Angry Melancholic: Depressed Fluid Corresponding Trait in the Big 5 yellow bile Agreeableness black bile Neuroticism blood Openness to experience phlegm Neuroticism Sanguine: Optimistic Content & Cheerful Phlegmatic: Calm Slow moving & Impassive
Issues Around Personality Theory • Dynamic Issues: – – Individual Disposition • How are we the same or different • Determinism vs. Free Will • Locus of Control Adaptation and Adjustment • How do people adapt to life’s demands? Cognitive Processes • Do our thoughts affect our personality? • Unconscious vs. Conscious Culture/Society • How does culture/society influence our functioning? • Does our culture’s/society’s expectations for men and women have affect? • Cultural Determinism vs. Cultural Transcendence
Cultural Influences • Personal Ads from US Newspaper: – 28 SWM, 6’ 1”, 160 lbs. Handsome, artistic, ambitious, seeks attractive WF, 2429, for friendship, romance, and permanent partnership. – Very attractive, independent, SWF, 29, 5’ 6”, 110 lbs. , loves fine dining, theater, gardening and quiet evenings at home. In search of handsome SWM 2834 with similar interests • Personal Ads from the India Tribune, an American newspaper for immigrant families from India – Gujarati Vaishnav parents invite correspondence from never married Gujarati well settled, preferably green card holder from respectable family for green card holder daughter 29 years, 5’ 4”, good looking, doing CPA. – Gujarati Brahmin family invites correspondence from a well cultured, beautiful Gujarati girl for 29 years, 5’ 8”, 145 lobs. handsome looking, well settled boy
Issues Around Personality Theory • Developmental Influences – Biological Influences • Is personality inherited? – Child Development • Does childhood experience effect personality? – Adult Development • What experiences in adulthood influence personality?
