s People differ from each other in meaningful ways s People seem to show some consistency in behavior Personality is defined as distinctive and relatively.

People differ from

each other inmeaningful ways

People seem to show some consistency in behavior

Personality is defined as distinctive and relatively enduring ways of thinking, feeling, and acting

Personality refers to a person’s unique and relatively stable pattern of thoughts, feelings, and actions

Personality is an interaction between biology and environmentGenetic studies suggest heritability of

personalityOther studies suggest learned components

of personality

1. Trait2. Psychoanalytic3. Humanistic4. Socio-Cognitive

Two Factor Trait Theory of Personality

UNSTABLE

STABLE

cholericmelancholic

phlegmatic sanguineINTROVERTED EXTRAVERTED

MoodyAnxious

RigidSober

PessimisticReservedUnsociable

Quiet

SociableOutgoing

TalkativeResponsiveEasygoingLively

CarefreeLeadership

PassiveCarefulThoughtful

Peaceful

ControlledReliableEven-tempered

Calm

TouchyRestlessAggressive

ExcitableChangeable

ImpulsiveOptimistic

Active

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 traitsAllport identified some 4,500 traitsCattel used factor analysis to identify 30-35

basic traitsEysenck argued there are 3 distinct traits in

personality Extraversion/introversion Neuroticism Psychotocism

Allport

SWITCH TO PROJECTOR

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) the most widely researched and

clinically used of all personality testsdeveloped to identify emotional

disorders

“Nothing in the newspaper interests me except the comics.”

“I get angry sometimes.”

Trait theory, especially the Big 5 model, is able to describe personality Cross-cultural human studies find good agreement

for the Big 5 model in many cultures Appear to be highly correlated not only in

adulthood, but also in childhood and even late preschoolers

Three dimensions (extraversion, neuroticism and agreeableness) have cross-species generality

Problems with trait theory include: Lack of explanation as to WHY traits develop Issue of explaining transient versus long-lasting

traits

Psychoanalytic theory, as devised by Freud, attempts to explain personality on the basis of unconscious mental forcesLevels of consciousness: We are unaware of

some aspects of our mental statesFreud 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

Levels of consciousness Conscious

What we’re aware of

Preconscious Memories etc.

that can be recalled

Unconscious Wishes, feelings,

impulses that lies beyond awareness

Structures of Personality Id

Operates according to the “pleasure principle”

Ego Operates

according to the “reality” principle

Superego Contains

values and ideals

• Children pass thru a series of age-dependent stages

• Each stage requires resolution of a particular conflict/task

• Failure to successfully navigate a stage’s particular conflict/ task is known as Fixation• Leaving some energy in a stage

• Specific problems result from Fixation, depending on which stage is involved

• Freud's stages are based on clinical observations of his patients

• The Stages are:• Oral• Anal• Phallic• Latency• Genital

• Birth to 18 months• Focus on the mouth and nursing• Fixation results in difficulties with trust,

attachment, commitment • Fixation may also manifest as eating

disorders, smoking, drinking problems

• 18months- 2yrs• Focus on the anus and potty training• Failure to defecate on schedule may make

parents sad/mad

• 18months- 2yrs• Parental disappointment, in turn, makes

baby angry and resentful towards caregivers, emotions which are defended against

• Fixation may result in either:• Anal retentiveness: perfectionism, obsessive-

compulsive tendencies • Anal expulsive: sloppy, messy, disorganized

• Ages 3-6 • Focus on the genitals • Must successfully navigate the Oedipal

Conflict

• Boys want to marry mom and kill father, aka Oedipal Complex, but fear retaliation from father (castration anxiety); ultimately resolved through identification with father

• Electra?

• Girls have penis envy, want to marry dad, aka “Electra Complex”; identify with mom to try to win dad’s love

• Penis envy-resolved thru relationship w/ dad-identity

• Ages 3-6• Resolution of the Oedipal Conflict results in

formation of the Superego aka the conscience-

• Fixation results in attraction to unattainable partners

• Ages 6-11• Sex drive is rerouted into socialization and

skills development-a form of sublimation• “Cooties” stage

• Ages 6-11• Don’t like opposite sex (has “cooties”)• Fixation results in lack of initiative, low self

esteem• Energy is transferred to “nonsexual”

activities

• Ages 13- young adulthood• Focus on adult sexual relationships• Pleasure through “whole body” not just

genitals.

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

Rorschach Inkblot Test the most widely used

projective testa set of 10 inkblots designed

by Hermann Rorschach

Rorschach

used to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots

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

Alfred AdlerHumans are motivated by social interestTakes social context into account

BIRTH ORDER AND PERSONALITY

caution: generalizations ahead.1st born-no fun, but responsible

middle-potential criminalsonly-mini adults

youngest-the greatest people u will ever meet.

Compliant Traits   People Pleasers Crave Approval Nurturers Caregivers Reliable Conscientious Cooperative Team Players "Grin and bear it" mentality

Aggressive Traits Movers and shakers Natural leaders Perfectionists Driven Conventional Always have things under control Assertive Want things their way

Common Traits Energetic Logical Ambitious Enterprising Scholarly

More than 1/2 of the U.S. Presidents were first born children

21 of the 23 first astronauts were first born children

2/3 of entrepreneurs are first born children

Middle Born type#1 Loner Quiet Shy Impatient Uptight Middle Born type

#2 Outgoing Friendly Loud Laid back Patient

Usually the opposite of the oldest child.

Common Traits Flexible Diplomatic Rebellious Attention seeking Competitive Peacemakers

Love to stand out Want to feel “special” Want to "do their own thing“ Imaginative They get “dethroned” by baby. –Age this

happens is important-stage of development?

Only one “type” of last born. Last Born Traits Risk takers Idealists Good sense of humor Hard working Immature Attention seeking Secretive Sensitive

Fun Facts Famous last born children: Howard

Stern, Jay Leno, Bill Gates, Danny DeVito, and Cameron Diaz

Tend to go against the norm Make the biggest stirs in life- Want to be noticed Know no boundaries

extreme versions of first born children. Only Traits Mature faster Get along well with older people Responsible Self-Centered Perfectionists Attention seekers Use adult language Prefer adult company Have difficulty sharing

Gender-only female or the only male is seen as “special”-doesn’t get “dethorned”

Divorce Step Brothers/Sisters Huge age gaps-resets order Adoption Family tragedy-severe illness/death.

Carl JungA collective unconscious is represented by universal archetypes

Two forms of unconscious mind Personal unconscious: unique for

each person Collective unconscious: consists of

primitive images and ideas that are universal for humans

Humanistic personality theories reject psychoanalytic notionsHumanistic theories view each person as

basically good and that people are striving for self-fulfillment

Humanistic theory argues that people carry a perception of themselves and of the world

The goal for a humanist is to develop/promote a positive self-concept

Carl RogersWe have needs for:

Self-consistency (absence of conflict between self-perceptions

Congruence (consistency between self-perceptions and experience)

Inconsistency evokes anxiety and threatPeople with low self-esteem generally

have poor congruence between their self-concepts and life experiences.

▲ Abraham Maslow emphasized the basic goodness of human nature and a natural tendency toward self-actualization.

Proposed that each person has a unique personality because of our personal histories and interpretations shape our personalities

▲ Albert Bandura’s social-cognitive approach focuses on self-efficacy and reciprocal determinism.

▲ Julian Rotter’s locus of control theory emphasizes a person’s internal or external focus as a major determinant of personality.

Internal locus of controlLife outcomes are under personal controlPositively correlated with self-esteem Internals use more problem-focused coping

External locus of controlLuck, chance, and powerful others control

behavior