PersonalityPersonality

Chapter 12Chapter 12

PersonalityPersonality

An individual’s unique, long-term pattern An individual’s unique, long-term pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Each dwarf has a distinct personality.Each dwarf has a distinct personality.

Psychodynamic PerspectivePsychodynamic Perspective

In his clinical In his clinical practice, Freud practice, Freud

encountered patients encountered patients suffering from suffering from

nervous disorders. nervous disorders.

Their complaints Their complaints could not be could not be

explained in terms of explained in terms of purely physical purely physical

causes.causes.

Freud: Freud: Exploring the UnconsciousExploring the Unconscious

A reservoir (A reservoir (unconscious mindunconscious mind) of bodily-born drives generate ) of bodily-born drives generate mental energy meant to guide our behavior. However, these mental energy meant to guide our behavior. However, these

drives are filled with mostly “unacceptable” thoughts, wishes, drives are filled with mostly “unacceptable” thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories. feelings, and memories.

To assess this unconcious, Freud asked patients to say whatever To assess this unconcious, Freud asked patients to say whatever came to their minds (came to their minds (free associationfree association).).

Model of MindModel of Mind

The mind is like an iceberg. It is mostly The mind is like an iceberg. It is mostly hidden, and below the surface lies the hidden, and below the surface lies the unconscious mind. The preconscious unconscious mind. The preconscious

stores temporary memories.stores temporary memories.

Id, Ego and SuperegoId, Ego and Superego

The The IdId unconsciously strives to satisfy unconsciously strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives, basic sexual and aggressive drives, operating on the pleasure principle, operating on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification.demanding immediate gratification.

The The egoego functions as the “executive” and functions as the “executive” and mediates the demands of the id and mediates the demands of the id and

superego.superego.

TheThe superego superego provides standards for judgment provides standards for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations.(the conscience) and for future aspirations.

Personality StructurePersonality Structure

Personality develops as a result of our efforts to Personality develops as a result of our efforts to resolve conflicts between our biological resolve conflicts between our biological

impulses (id) and social restraints (superego).impulses (id) and social restraints (superego).

IdentificationIdentification

Children cope with Children cope with threatening feelings by threatening feelings by repressing them and by repressing them and by

identifying with the identifying with the rival parent. rival parent.

Through this process of Through this process of identificationidentification, their , their

superego gains superego gains strength by strength by

incorporating their incorporating their parents’ values.parents’ values.

Defense MechanismsDefense Mechanisms

The ego’s protective methods of reducing The ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality.anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality.

1.1. RepressionRepression banishes anxiety-arousing banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness.consciousness.

2.2. RegressionRegression leads an individual faced leads an individual faced with anxiety to retreat to a more with anxiety to retreat to a more infantile psychosexual stage.infantile psychosexual stage.

The Neo-FreudiansThe Neo-Freudians

Jung believed in the Jung believed in the collective unconscious,collective unconscious,

which contained a which contained a common reservoir of common reservoir of images derived from images derived from

our species’ past. This our species’ past. This is why many cultures is why many cultures share certain myths and and archetypesarchetypes such such

as the mother being a as the mother being a symbol of nurturance.symbol of nurturance.

The Neo-FreudiansThe Neo-Freudians

Like Freud, Adler Like Freud, Adler believed in childhood believed in childhood tensions. However, to tensions. However, to Adler, these tensions Adler, these tensions were social in nature were social in nature

and not sexual. A and not sexual. A child struggles with child struggles with

an an inferiority complexinferiority complex during growth and during growth and

strives for superiority strives for superiority and power.and power.

The Neo-FreudiansThe Neo-Freudians

Like Adler, Horney Like Adler, Horney believed in the believed in the

social aspects of social aspects of childhood growth childhood growth and development. and development.

She countered She countered Freud’s assumption Freud’s assumption

that women have that women have weak superegos and weak superegos and suffer from “penis suffer from “penis

envy.”envy.”

Evaluating the Psychoanalytic Evaluating the Psychoanalytic PerspectivePerspective

Freud's psychoanalytic theory rests on Freud's psychoanalytic theory rests on the the repressionrepression of painful experiences into of painful experiences into

the unconscious mind. the unconscious mind. The majority of children, death camp survivors, and The majority of children, death camp survivors, and battle-scarred veterans are unable to repress painful battle-scarred veterans are unable to repress painful

experiences into their unconscious mind.experiences into their unconscious mind.

This is not to say that there is NO repression, but it is This is not to say that there is NO repression, but it is not as prevalent as Freud suspected.not as prevalent as Freud suspected.

Evaluating the Psychoanalytic Evaluating the Psychoanalytic PerspectivePerspective

The scientific merits of Freud’s theory have been The scientific merits of Freud’s theory have been criticized. Psychoanalysis is meagerly testable. Most criticized. Psychoanalysis is meagerly testable. Most

of its concepts arise out of clinical practice, which are of its concepts arise out of clinical practice, which are the after-the-fact explanation.the after-the-fact explanation.

That is not to say that his theory on the unconscious That is not to say that his theory on the unconscious mind did not have some merit.mind did not have some merit.

Evaluating the Psychoanalytic Evaluating the Psychoanalytic PerspectivePerspective

Freud was right about the unconscious mind. Freud was right about the unconscious mind. Modern research shows the existence of Modern research shows the existence of

nonconscious information processing.nonconscious information processing.

1.1. Schemas that automatically control Schemas that automatically control perceptions and interpretationsperceptions and interpretations

2.2. Parallel processing during vision and thinkingParallel processing during vision and thinking

3.3. Implicit memoriesImplicit memories

4.4. Emotions that activate instantly without Emotions that activate instantly without consciousnessconsciousness

Evaluating the Psychoanalytic Evaluating the Psychoanalytic PerspectivePerspective

Thematic Apperception Tests Thematic Apperception Tests are a form of are a form of projectiveprojective test; they present an ambiguous image, test; they present an ambiguous image, which the individual observing it interprets.which the individual observing it interprets.

That interpretation is subject to their unconscious thoughts.That interpretation is subject to their unconscious thoughts.

Humanistic PerspectiveHumanistic Perspective

By the 1960s, psychologists became By the 1960s, psychologists became discontent with Freud’s negativity and the discontent with Freud’s negativity and the mechanistic psychology of the behaviorists.mechanistic psychology of the behaviorists.

Abraham Maslow(1908-1970)

Carl Rogers(1902-1987)

Humanistic PerspectiveHumanistic Perspective

Humanists theorized that emotional distress and psychological disorders arose from Humanists theorized that emotional distress and psychological disorders arose from conflicting conflicting self-conceptsself-concepts—a summation of our ideas, goals, and competencies.—a summation of our ideas, goals, and competencies.

Mainly, it was considered that we have an Mainly, it was considered that we have an actual self actual self and an and an idealized selfidealized self..

We are said to have “good”We are said to have “good”self-esteem self-esteem when these two selveswhen these two selvesare very similar, or when they areare very similar, or when they arenot “not “incongruentincongruent”.”.

Self-Actualizing PersonSelf-Actualizing Person

Maslow proposed that we as individuals Maslow proposed that we as individuals are motivated by a hierarchy of needs. are motivated by a hierarchy of needs. Beginning with physiological needs, we Beginning with physiological needs, we

try to reach the state of try to reach the state of self-actualizationself-actualization—fulfilling our potential.—fulfilling our potential.

Growth and FulfillmentGrowth and Fulfillment

Rogers argued that all individuals tended towards self-Rogers argued that all individuals tended towards self-actualization. However, their pursuits could be derailed actualization. However, their pursuits could be derailed by poor by poor conditions of worthconditions of worth. To compensate, he argued . To compensate, he argued for therapists to use for therapists to use Unconditional Positive RegardUnconditional Positive Regard, an , an attitude of acceptance of others despite their failings.attitude of acceptance of others despite their failings.

Evaluating the Humanistic Evaluating the Humanistic PerspectivePerspective

1.1. Humanistic psychology has a pervasive Humanistic psychology has a pervasive impact on counseling, education, child-impact on counseling, education, child-rearing, and management.rearing, and management.

2.2. However, concepts in humanistic psychology However, concepts in humanistic psychology are vague, subjective, and lack scientific are vague, subjective, and lack scientific basis.basis.

The Trait PerspectiveThe Trait Perspective

An individual’s unique constellation of durable An individual’s unique constellation of durable dispositions and consistent ways of behaving dispositions and consistent ways of behaving

((traitstraits) constitutes his or her personality.) constitutes his or her personality.

Examples of TraitsExamples of Traits

HonestHonest

DependableDependable

MoodyMoody

ImpulsiveImpulsive

Allport & Odbert (1936), identified 18,000 Allport & Odbert (1936), identified 18,000 words representing traits.words representing traits.

Personality DimensionsPersonality Dimensions

Hans and Sybil Eysenck suggested that Hans and Sybil Eysenck suggested that personality could be reduced down to two personality could be reduced down to two

polar dimensions, polar dimensions, extraversion-introversionextraversion-introversion and and emotional stability-instabilityemotional stability-instability..

The Big Five FactorsThe Big Five Factors

Today’s trait researchers believe that Eysencks’ Today’s trait researchers believe that Eysencks’ personality dimensions are too narrow and personality dimensions are too narrow and Cattell’s 16PF too large. So, a middle range Cattell’s 16PF too large. So, a middle range

(five factors) of traits was developed.(five factors) of traits was developed.

ConscientiousnessConscientiousness

AgreeablenessAgreeableness

NeuroticismNeuroticism

OpennessOpenness

ExtraversionExtraversion

Questions about the Big FiveQuestions about the Big Five

Yes. Conscientious people are Yes. Conscientious people are morning type and morning type and extraverted are evening type.extraverted are evening type.

4. Can they predict other 4. Can they predict other personal attributes?personal attributes?

These traits are equally These traits are equally effective at identifying unique effective at identifying unique individuals across cultures.individuals across cultures.

3. How about other 3. How about other cultures?cultures?

Fifty percent or so for each Fifty percent or so for each trait.trait.

2. How heritable are they?2. How heritable are they?

Quite stable in adulthood. Quite stable in adulthood. However, they change over However, they change over development.development.

1. How stable are these 1. How stable are these traits?traits?

Behavioral (Learning) Behavioral (Learning) PerspectivePerspective

According to behavioral theorists, According to behavioral theorists, “personality” is constructed via a “personality” is constructed via a

person’s history: what they’ve been person’s history: what they’ve been rewarded/punished for thinking or rewarded/punished for thinking or

doing.doing.

As such, an individual’s behavior is As such, an individual’s behavior is largely determined by the similarity largely determined by the similarity

of their current situation, to a of their current situation, to a previous situation; their personality previous situation; their personality

is determined by is determined by situational situational determinants.determinants.

Behavioral (Learning) Behavioral (Learning) PerspectivePerspective

Each person has a unique Each person has a unique psychological psychological situationsituation, a metric by which they assess , a metric by which they assess their current choices.their current choices.

Each choice has a potential reward or Each choice has a potential reward or punishment, and the individual learns punishment, and the individual learns to predict these outcomes over time; to predict these outcomes over time; they learn they learn expectancies.expectancies.

Over time, we develop a Over time, we develop a self-efficacyself-efficacy; a ; a knowledge of our ability to predict knowledge of our ability to predict outcomes (rewards or punishments).outcomes (rewards or punishments).