What is personality? Specifically how people differ in behavior, feelings, reactions to the environment and to other people.

What is personality?Specifically how people differ in behavior,

feelings, reactions to the environment and to other people

Basic questions about personality How does one measure and describe

personality differences For example– what kind of person do you want to

date? Can personality be measured objectively?

Trait Perspective Take a piece of paper and write down a list of

adjectives that describes the personality of someone you know well

Contemporary Research-- The Trait Perspective Trait

a characteristic pattern of behavior a disposition to feel and act, as assessed by self-

report inventories and peer reports Personality Inventory

a questionnaire (often with true-false or agree-disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors

used to assess selected personality traits

The Trait PerspectiveThe “Big Five” Personality FactorsTrait Dimension DescriptionEmotional Stability Calm versus anxious

Secure versus insecure Self-satisfied versus self-pitying

Extraversion Sociable versus retiring Fun-loving versus sober Affectionate versus reserved

Openness Imaginative versus practical Preference for variety versus

preference for routine Independent versus conforming

Warmth Soft-hearted versus ruthless Trusting versus suspicious Helpful versus uncooperative

Conscientiousness Organized versus disorganized Careful versus careless Disciplined versus impulsive

The Trait Perspective: Clinical Perspective

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

all personality tests originally developed to identify emotional

disorders (still considered its most appropriate use)

now used for many other screening purposes

Example MMPI Questions I like mechanics magazines. I have a good appetite. I wake up fresh & rested most mornings. I think I would like the work of a librarian. I am easily awakened by noise. I like to read newspaper articles on crime. My hands & feet are usually warm enough. My daily life is full of things that keep me interested. I am about as able to work as I ever was. There seems to be a lump in my throat most of the time.

The Trait Perspective

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) test profile

Hysteria(uses symptoms to solve problems)

Masculinity/femininity(interests like those of other sex)

T-score

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

100 30 40 50 60 70 80

Hypochondriasis(concern with body symptoms)

Depression(pessimism, hopelessness)

Psychopathic deviancy(disregard for social standards)

Paranoia(delusions, suspiciousness)

Psychasthenia(anxious, guilt feelings)

Schizophrenia(withdrawn, bizarre thoughts)

Hypomania(overactive, excited, impulsive)

Social introversion(shy, inhibited)

Clinicallysignificant

range

After treatment(no scores

in the clinicallysignificant range)

Beforetreatment(anxious,

depressed,and

displayingdeviant

behaviors)

Core Theories Trait Perspective Is a practical approach but

it doesn’t explain Personality There are classic theories about personality

Tend to be older Not discussed much in current Psychology But, can be used for both understanding

individual and as a basis for therapy

Your Theory of Personality 1. Human behavior results primarily from

heredity, what has been genetically transmitted by parents, or from environment, the external circumstances and experiences that shape a person after conception has occurred.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 heredity environment

Your Theory of Personality 2. Personality is relatively

unchanging, with each person showing the same behavior throughout a lifetime, or personality is relatively changing, with each person showing different behavior throughout a lifetime.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

unchanging changing

Your Theory of Personality 3. The most important influences on

behavior are past events, what has previously occurred to a person, or in contrast, future events, what a person seeks to bring about by striving to meet certain goals.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

past future

Your Theory of Personality 4. People are motivated to cooperate

with others mainly because they are self-centered, expecting to receive some personal gain, or mainly because they are altruistic, seeking to work with others only for the benefit of doing things with and for others.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

self-centered altruistic

What is Personality?

Basic perspectives Psychoanalytic—Sigmund Freud Humanistic– Carl Rogers

Sigmund Freud Lived 1856 – 1939 Was a Physician Theory based on

clinical population Theory influenced

by “Victorian Times”

Sigmund and Anna

Freud (on right) with

friends

The Psychoanalytic Perspective

Freud’s theory proposed that childhood sexuality and unconscious motivations influence personality

The Psychoanalytic Perspective

Psychoanalysis Freud’s theory of personality that attributes

our thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts

techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to expose and interpret unconscious tensions

The Psychoanalytic Perspective

First Came up use of hypnosis – influenced by work of Dr. Mesmer

Free Association in psychoanalysis, a method of

exploring the unconscious person relaxes and says whatever

comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing

The Psychoanalytic Perspective

Unconscious according to Freud, a reservoir of mostly

unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings and memories

contemporary viewpoint- information processing of which we are unaware

Personality Structure

Freud’s idea of the mind’s structure

Id

Superego

Ego Conscious mind

Unconscious mind

Personality Structure Id

contains a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy

strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives

operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification

Personality Structure

Superego the part of personality that presents

internalized ideals Represents “rules” of society provides standards for judgment (the

conscience) and for future aspirations

Id and Superego Id and Superego are in constant conflict This cause guilt and anxiety People need to learn how to cope with this

conflict– some do it successfully and others don’t

Conflicts most be resolved by ego

Personality Structure Ego

the largely conscious, “executive” part of personality

mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality

operates on the reality principle, satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain

Personality Structure

Freud’s idea of the mind’s structure

Id

Superego

Ego Conscious mind

Unconscious mind

Defense Mechanisms Defense Mechanisms

the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality (can be a normal process, but can also lead to disordered behavior)

Repression the basic defense mechanism that banishes

anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness (e.g., memories of childhood or past marriage)

Defense Mechanisms

Regression defense mechanism in which an

individual faced with anxiety retreats to a more infantile psychosexual stage, where some psychic energy remains fixated

Example– party behavior?

Defense Mechanisms

Reaction Formation defense mechanism by which the ego unconsciously

switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites people may express feelings that are the opposite of their

anxiety-arousing unconscious feelings (e.g., express a disdain for pornography but really enjoy it)

For example, someone who can’t cope with anxiety becomes very religious, become celibate, etc.

Or opposite, person from strict background becomes promiscuous

Defense Mechanisms Projection

defense mechanism by which people disguise their own threatening impulses by attributing them to others

Prejudice against other ethnic groups or ages groups such as teens

Rationalization defense mechanism that offers self-justifying

explanations in place of the real, more threatening, unconscious reasons for one’s actions

I “hit” because she “deserved” it

Defense Mechanisms

Displacement defense mechanism that shifts sexual or

aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person

as when redirecting anger toward a safer outlet., e.g., football for aggression; art for sexual desire

Assessing the Unconscious Projective Test

a personality test, such as the Rorschach or TAT, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one’s inner dynamics

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) a projective test in which people express their

inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes

Assessing the Unconscious--TAT

Assessing the Unconscious

Rorschach Inkblot Test the most widely used projective test a set of 10 inkblots designed by Hermann

Rorschach seeks to identify people’s inner feelings by

analyzing their interpretations of the blots

Assessing the Unconscious--Rorschach

Personality Development Psychosexual Stages

the childhood stages of development during which the id’s pleasure-seeking energies focus on distinct erogenous zones

Personality Development

Freud’s Psychosexual Stages

Stage Focus

Oral Pleasure centers on the mouth--(0-18 months) sucking, biting, chewing

Anal Pleasure focuses on bowel and bladder (18-36 months) elimination; coping with demands for

control

Phallic Pleasure zone is the genitals; coping with (3-6 years) incestuous sexual feelings

Latency Dormant sexual feelings(6 to puberty)

Genital Maturation of sexual interests(puberty on)

Personality Development Identification

the process by which children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos

The reason our culture placed so much emphasis on traditional families

Fixation a lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at

an earlier psychosexual stage, where conflicts were unresolved

Humanistic Perspective

Self-Actualization the ultimate psychological need that arises

after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved

the motivation to fulfill one’s potential

Humanistic Perspective– Self Actualization Theories

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) studied self-

actualization processes of productive and healthy people (e.g., Lincoln)

Carl Rogers Everyone has a self concept and an ideal

self Goal is to actualize or become ideal self Requires realistic idea of self Requires realistic ideal self Requires Positive Self Regard

HeredityNature Nurture

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Freud Rogers, Skinner

Personality ChangeConstant

Changing

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Freud Skinner Rogers

Influence of PastPast is Critical Focus on Future

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Freud Skinner Rogers

SelfishnessSelfish Altruistic

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Freud Skinner Rogers