1 / 52

Personality Psychology

Personality Psychology. Unit 6. Personality. A hotly debated topic! Back to Nature vs Nurture Debate again . Psychoanalytic Theories. Psychoanalytic Theories study development in terms of drives and urges.

abarner
Download Presentation

Personality Psychology

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Personality Psychology Unit 6

  2. Personality • A hotly debated topic! • Back to Nature vs Nurture Debate again 

  3. Psychoanalytic Theories • Psychoanalytic Theories study development in terms of drives and urges. • At each stage in life we have different urges and are driven toward different goals. • These changing urges lead to development.

  4. Psychoanalytic Theories • Sigmund Freud: The founder/father of psychoanalytic therapy. • Believed development occurred as a result of psychosexual changes. • Based his theory of personality on inhibited sexual drives. • Humans are motivated by eros (the instinct of life) and thanatos (the instinct of death).

  5. Psychoanalytic Theories • Freud’s Theory of Consciousness: • Conscious: We are aware of these thoughts at any time.

  6. Psychoanalytic Theories • Freud’s Theory of Consciousness: • Preconscious: Things that we can recall at will, but are not continually thought of.

  7. Psychoanalytic Theories • Freud’s Theory of Consciousness: • Unconscious: Thoughts and feelings that cannot be intentionally remembered.

  8. Psychoanalytic Theories • Freud’s Theory of Personality: • Id: Unconscious portion of the mind that contains biological drives.

  9. Psychoanalytic Theories • Freud’s Theory of Personality: • Superego: The preconscious area of the mind that contributes to feelings of extreme guilt for fr wrong-doing. This is the area where MORALS are stored!

  10. Psychoanalytic Theories • Freud’s Theory of Personality: • Ego: The conscious area of the mind that is aware of reality and helps to express sexual and aggressive urges in socially acceptable ways. • The Ego is the balance between the Id and the Superego.

  11. Psychoanalytic Theories • Freud’s Theory of Psychosexual Development: Personality develops based on changes in the libido (sexual energy) and fixation on erogenous zones. • 5 stages of Psychosexual Development • Personality is determined by the first 3 stages and is fixed by the age of 5

  12. Stages of Psychosexual Development

  13. Psychoanalytic Theories • Oedipal Complex: The belief that little boys resent the relationship that their fathers have with their mothers, and as a result, harbor a latent desire to murder their fathers and marry/engage in sexual relations with their mothers. • Electra Complex: The belief that little girls resent the relationship that their mothers have with their fathers, and as a result, harbor a latent desire to rebel against their mothers and marry their fathers (or someone eerily similar!)

  14. Psychoanalytic Theories • Defense Mechanisms: Strategies the psyche uses to protect itself from situations or events that may be traumatic.

  15. Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Repression • Unconscious • Motivated • Forgetting The process of preventing unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or urges from reaching conscious awareness

  16. Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Denial • Unconscious • Motivated • Not Perceiving Perceptual Defense Research

  17. Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Rationalization • Unconscious • Motivated • Not Perceiving Perceptual Defense Research

  18. Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Other Defense Mechanisms • Reaction Formation • Act opposite of impulse • Projection • Make impulse external

  19. Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Other Defense Mechanisms Displacement Channel impulse to non-threatening target Sublimation Channel impulse into socially desired activity

  20. Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Defense Mechanisms in Everyday Life • Useful in coping with unexpected or disappointing events • Can also make circumstances worse

  21. Psychoanalytic Theories

  22. Psychoanalytic Theories • Freud is widely accepted as a noted theorist, even today. However… • Criticisms: • Lack of scientific research • Subjects Freud observed were often greatly disturbed • First 2 stages of psychosexual development theory still unsupported using studies of children with normal development

  23. Neo-Freudians • Consider parts of Freud's theory valid • Modified other aspects • Karen Horney: Postulated that Freud exaggerated the role of sex drive in human behavior • Misunderstood sexual motivation of women • Conflict between parents and child due to parental hostility and intimidation instead of sexual desires manifested

  24. Carl Jung • Swiss Physician • More emphasis on search for life and spiritual meaning continuity of past and present human experiences • Conscious Mind • A Personal Unconscious- Freud's unconscious • Collective Unconscious - Present at birth • Represents cumulative experience of previous generations • Archetypes- Images inherited from the experience of ancestors is contained in collective unconscious

  25. Alfred Adler • Austrian Physician • Founded school of thought known as individual psychology • Individual Psychology- Indivisible Psychology • Psychology of the whole person- not id, ego, super ego • Conscious goal-directed behavior I • Inferiority Complex- exaggerated feeling of failure and helplessness • Striving for Superiority- Personal Excellence and fulfillment • Social Concern and interest for others

  26. Learning Approach • Personality is a result of learning in various situations • Specific Behaviors • Specific Experiences • Some Experiences are a person’s own and some are imitated

  27. Humanistic Psychology • 1950’s • Protest against Behaviorism and Psychoanalysis • Not based on determinism or reductionism like behaviorism and Psychoanalysis • Deals with consciousness, values, and abstract beliefs that include spiritual experiences • Personality depends how individual perceive the world and on what they believe

  28. Carl Rogers and Self-Actualization • American • Most influential Psychologists • Human Nature –Basically Good • Natural Drive toward self-actualization • Self concept and image of what they are • Ideal Self • Unconditional Positive Regard: Unqualified acceptance for another person just as they are

  29. Abraham Maslow • Hierarchy of needs must be met before proceeding top next level • Final Stage –Self Actualization • Accurate perceptions of reality • Showed independence • Creativity and spontaneity • Accepted themselves and others • Enjoyed Life • Good sense of humor

  30. Personality Traits and States • Individual Personalities differ in two ways • 1. Nomothetic: Researchers seek generalities • Personalities affect behavior • Based on statistical comparisons of large groups • 2. Idiographic: Focus on intensive studies of individuals • Life goals affect moods and their reactions to various events • Conclusions that apply to more than one person • Not meant to generalize the whole population

  31. Personality Traits and States • Trait: Long lasting behavioral tendency • Shyness is trait • State: Temporary expression of behavior • Stage fright is a state • Traits and States are behavioral descriptions • They don’t provide explanations of behavior

  32. Personality Traits and States • The Trait Approach • Consistent Personality Characteristics • Honesty, Friendliness, and Nervousness • Studied and measured • Internal Locus of Control: Internal forces credited for success • External Locus of Control: External forces blamed for failure

  33. Personality Traits and States • Gordon Alport: ”Trait Psychologist” • Said there are 4,500 trait-like words • 3 Central Trait Components: • Cardinal Trait: Dominates and shapes a person’s behavior • Central Trait: General Characteristic found in some degree in every person • Basic Building blocks that shape most of our behavior –not as overwhelming as cardinal traits ex: honesty • Secondary Trait: Particular likes or dislikes that a very close friend may know

  34. Personality Traits and States • Raymond B Cattell • 35 personality traits • The Big Five • 1. Neuroticism: Tendency to experience unpleasant emotions • 2. Extraversion: Seeks simulation and enjoys company of others people • 3.Agreeableness: Compassionate toward others • 4.Conscientiousness: Shows self discipline • 5.Openess: Tendency to enjoy new intellectual experiences: open to new ideas, people and exploring new ideas • Hardest to observe!

  35. Personality Traits and States • Raymond B Cattell’s The Big 5 Personality Traits

  36. Criticism of the Big Five • The Big Five cite 9 overlooked personality traits that don’t emerge as clusters • 1.Religiousness • 2. Manipulativeness • 3. Honesty • 4. Sexiness • 5. Thriftiness • 6. Conservatives • 7. Masculinity and Femininity • 8. snobbishness • 9. Sense of Humor

  37. Criticism of the Big Five • Hans Eysenck: • German Behaviorist • Personality differences grow out of our genetic inheritance • Primarily interested in “temperament” Suggested three biologically based categories of temperament • 1. Neuroticism or it’s opposite, stability • 2. Extraversion or introversion • 3. Agreeableness, or opposite—hostility

  38. Origins of Personality • Studies of twins and adopted children • Heredity does contribute to some observable differences in personality • Family environment contributes a little • Special Experiences could contribute to a variation in personalities from one person to another even in a family

  39. Assessing Traits: An Example • Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) • The most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests • Developed to identify emotional disorders

  40. MMPI: Examples • “Nothing in the newspaper interests me except the comics.” • “I get angry sometimes.”

  41. Personaility Assesment • MMPI-1940’s • Series of true and false questions • Measure personality dimensions • Depression • Paranoia and Schizophrenia • MMPI-550 items • MMPI-2 567 items • Both exams contain certain test questions identify dishonest answers • Both tests are widely used to measure personality don’t provide as much accuracy as one might expect • Very useful in correlating personality traits with others traits, in testing theories of personality development, and in assessing a client before beginning therapy

  42. Personaility Assesment • 16PF-Test • Standardized test • Personality Factors: Schizophrenia,, Depression, Alcoholism • Measured 16 factors or personality traits various aspects of normal personality • Ego • Strength • Dominance • Trust • Intelligence • Self-sufficency • Printed out as a personality profile • Should be cautiously used with people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds

  43. Personaility Assesment • MMPI and 16-PF • Easy to score • Calculate • Objective nature limits the test takers responses • Projective techniques • Helps people reveal themselves more fully than they would to a stranger or even to themselves

  44. Personaility Assesment • Rorschach Inkblot Test • Projective test • Herman Rorschach: Swiss Psychiatrists • Interpretations of Ambiguous Inkblot • Everything revealed in a poorly defined situation gives clues to your personality • Valuable personal information

  45. Personaility Assesment • Rorschach Inkblot Test

  46. Personaility Assesment • Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) • Test Taker makes up a story for each picture, describe what is occurring, what events led up to the scene, what will occur in the future • TAT-Clinical setting, induce clients to discuss their problems and for research purposes • More accurate in assessing what a person has done rather than what he or she will do in the future

  47. Personaility Assesment • Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

  48. Uses and Misuses of Personality Tests • Aid in assessing personality • Results interpreted cautiously • Job selection • Results valid for employment screening

  49. Personality Tests Review Test MMPI Purpose: T or F questions intended to measure different personality dimensions: depression, paranoia, and schizophrenia Usefulness: Helps correlate personality traits with other traits. Helps to test theories of personality development. Helps to assess a client before beginning therapy Weaknesses: Not very accurate

  50. Personality Tests Review Test 16-PF Test Purpose: Measures various aspects of normal personality. Test measures 16 factors or personality traits Usefulness: Helps clinicians ID abnormalities such as schizophrenia, alcoholism and depression Weaknesses: Has to be used with caution on people of different cultural backgrounds

More Related