PSYCHOLOGY PERSONALITY. PERSONALITY How do psychologists define and use the concept of personality? How do psychologists define and use the concept of

PSYCHOLOGYPSYCHOLOGY

PERSONALITYPERSONALITY

PERSONALITYPERSONALITY

How do psychologists define and use the How do psychologists define and use the concept of personality?concept of personality?

What do the theories of freud and his What do the theories of freud and his successors tell us about the structure and successors tell us about the structure and development of personality?development of personality?

What are major aspects of trait, learning, What are major aspects of trait, learning, biological and evolutionary, and humanistic biological and evolutionary, and humanistic approaches to personality?approaches to personality?

How can we most accurately assess How can we most accurately assess personality?personality?

What are the major types of personality What are the major types of personality measures? measures?

How do psychologists define and How do psychologists define and use the concept of personalityuse the concept of personality??

Personality refers to the relatively Personality refers to the relatively enduring characteristics thatenduring characteristics that

1.1. Differentiate one person from antherDifferentiate one person from anther

2.2. Lead them to act in a consistent and Lead them to act in a consistent and predictable manner.predictable manner.

3.3. Both in different situations and over Both in different situations and over extended periods of time.extended periods of time.

The theories of the structure and The theories of the structure and development of personalitydevelopment of personality

According to psychoanalysts, much of behavior According to psychoanalysts, much of behavior is caused by parts of personality that are found is caused by parts of personality that are found in the unconscious and of which we are in the unconscious and of which we are unaware.unaware.

Freud’s theory suggest that personality is Freud’s theory suggest that personality is composed of the id, the ego, and the superego.composed of the id, the ego, and the superego.

The id is the unorganized, inborn part of The id is the unorganized, inborn part of personality whose purpose is to immediately personality whose purpose is to immediately reduce tensions relating to hunger, sex, reduce tensions relating to hunger, sex, aggression, and other primitive impulses.aggression, and other primitive impulses.

The Theories Of Structure And The Theories Of Structure And Development Of PersonalityDevelopment Of Personality

The ego restrains instinctual energy in order to The ego restrains instinctual energy in order to maintain the safety of individual and to help the maintain the safety of individual and to help the person to be a member of society.person to be a member of society.

The superego represents the rights and wrongs The superego represents the rights and wrongs of society and consists of conscience and the of society and consists of conscience and the ego-ideal.ego-ideal.

Freud’s psychoanalytic theory suggests that Freud’s psychoanalytic theory suggests that personality develops through a series of stages, personality develops through a series of stages, each of which is associated with a major each of which is associated with a major biological function.biological function.


The oral stage is the first period, occurring The oral stage is the first period, occurring during the first year of life.during the first year of life.

Next comes the anal stage, lasting from Next comes the anal stage, lasting from approximately age 1 to age 3.approximately age 1 to age 3.

The phallic stage follows, with interest The phallic stage follows, with interest focusing on the genitals.focusing on the genitals.


At age 5 or 6 near the end of the phallic At age 5 or 6 near the end of the phallic stage, children experience the Oedipal stage, children experience the Oedipal conflict, a process through which they conflict, a process through which they learn to identify with the same-sex parent learn to identify with the same-sex parent by acting as much like that parent as by acting as much like that parent as possible.possible.

Then follows a latency period lasting until Then follows a latency period lasting until puberty, after which people move into the puberty, after which people move into the genital stage.genital stage.


Defense mechanisms, used for dealing Defense mechanisms, used for dealing with anxiety relating to impulses from the with anxiety relating to impulses from the id, provide people with unconscious id, provide people with unconscious strategies to reduce anxiety .strategies to reduce anxiety .

The most common defense mechanisms The most common defense mechanisms are repression, regression, displacement, are repression, regression, displacement, rationalization, denial, projection, and rationalization, denial, projection, and sublimation.sublimation.


Freud’s psychoanalytic theory has Freud’s psychoanalytic theory has provoked a number of criticisms.provoked a number of criticisms.

1.1. Lack of supportive scientific data.Lack of supportive scientific data.

2.2. The theory’s inadequacy in making The theory’s inadequacy in making predictions.predictions.

3.3. It’s reliance on a highly restricted It’s reliance on a highly restricted population.population.

Still, the theory remains a pivotal one.Still, the theory remains a pivotal one.

Major aspects of personality Major aspects of personality approachesapproaches

Approaches are:Approaches are:1.1. Trait.Trait.2.2. Learning.Learning.3.3. Biological and evolutionary.Biological and evolutionary.4.4. Humanistic.Humanistic. The major personality approaches differ The major personality approaches differ

according to unconscious v conscious, according to unconscious v conscious, nature v nurture, freedom v determinism, nature v nurture, freedom v determinism, stability v modifiability of personality.stability v modifiability of personality.


1.1. Trait approaches :Trait approaches : Have tried to identify the most basic and Have tried to identify the most basic and

relatively enduring dimensions along which relatively enduring dimensions along which people differ from one another-dimensions people differ from one another-dimensions known as traits.known as traits.

There are three kinds of traits (cardinal, There are three kinds of traits (cardinal, central, secondary).central, secondary).

Factor analysis used to identify 16 traits and Factor analysis used to identify 16 traits and three dimensions (extraversion, neuroticism, three dimensions (extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism).and psychoticism).


2.2. Learning approaches:Learning approaches: Concentrate on observable behavior.Concentrate on observable behavior. Personality is the sum of learned Personality is the sum of learned

responses to the external environment.responses to the external environment. In contrast, cognitive-social approaches In contrast, cognitive-social approaches

concentrate on the role of cognitions in concentrate on the role of cognitions in determining personality.determining personality.

Attention to self-efficacy and reciprocal Attention to self-efficacy and reciprocal determinism in determining behavior.determinism in determining behavior.


3.3. Biological and evolutionary approaches:Biological and evolutionary approaches: Focus on how personality are inherited.Focus on how personality are inherited. For example, studies of children’s For example, studies of children’s

temperament suggest that there is a temperament suggest that there is a distinction between inhibited and distinction between inhibited and uninhibited children, which is reflected in uninhibited children, which is reflected in differences both in biological reactivity differences both in biological reactivity and in shyness.and in shyness.


4.4. Humanistic approaches :Humanistic approaches : Emphasize the basic goodness of Emphasize the basic goodness of

people.people. They consider the core of personality in They consider the core of personality in

terms of a person’s ability to change and terms of a person’s ability to change and improve.improve.

Concept of the need for positive regard Concept of the need for positive regard suggests that a universal requirement to suggests that a universal requirement to be loved and respected underlies be loved and respected underlies personality.personality.

Personality assessmentPersonality assessment

Psychological tests are standard Psychological tests are standard assessment tools that objectively measure assessment tools that objectively measure behavior.behavior.

They must be They must be reliable, measuring what they are trying to reliable, measuring what they are trying to

measure consistently, andmeasure consistently, and valid, measuring what they are supposed to valid, measuring what they are supposed to

measure.measure.

Major Types Of Personality Major Types Of Personality MeasuresMeasures

Self-report measures ask people about a sample Self-report measures ask people about a sample range of their behaviors.range of their behaviors.

These reports are used to infer the presence of These reports are used to infer the presence of particular personality characteristics.particular personality characteristics.

The most commonly used self-report measure is The most commonly used self-report measure is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2(MMPI-2).2(MMPI-2).

MMPI-2 designed to differentiate people with MMPI-2 designed to differentiate people with specific sorts of psychological difficulties from specific sorts of psychological difficulties from normal individuals.normal individuals.

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PSYCHOLOGY PERSONALITY. PERSONALITY How do psychologists define and use the concept of personality? How do psychologists define and use the concept of