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Theories of Personality:Four Approaches

Brian T. Yates, Ph.D .

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Introduction to Theories ofPersonality

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The concept of personality

Consistency? Across situations Across time

Between family members Within genders Within borders

Evolution? Within an individuals life Within a country or society, over time

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Theory versus Fact

Charcot to Freud the student:

Theory is all very well, but thatdoes not prevent facts fromexisting

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4 Types of Personality Theories

Trait theories Dynamic theories Learning theories Holistic theories

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Which is right?

Most scientific ? Makes most sense ? Most ethical ? Most fashionable? Most adaptable? Most practical (useful) ? Most universally accepted? Best for you ?

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Goals of most Theories ofPersonality:

Describe Explain Predict Control and Improve (or evolve)

your personality

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Trait theories: Basic assumptions

determinism (genetic, perhapsenvironmental)

biological determinants constancy quantifiability multiple layers of personality people cant change much

And when they do change, they'll oftenchange back to what they were before

drugs can change personality

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Metaphors for theTrait approach

Personality is anonion

With multiplelayers !

Personality is anartichoke

With a surfacethats quite

different inappearance ! andfunction

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Another metaphor for the Traitapproach

Personality is a pea plant Mendel-ly speaking !

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A final metaphor for the Traitapproach

Personality is a molecule Traits as the basic elements of

personality

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Trait theorists

founders: Chinese Emperor Huangdi (2,637 BC) Hippocrates (circa 460-377 BC)

advanced and diversified the approach: Sheldon Cattell Allport Eysenck

Sandra Bem Costa & McCrae Judith Rodin

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Dynamic theories:Basic Assumptions

Determinism primarily in the childhood environment

Multiple layers of personality conflict between and within layers is natural

Personality is dynamic, ideally a balanceof opposing forces

Medical model People are naturally bad, evil animals People can change

Society is the positive agent of change

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Metaphors for the Dynamicmodel of personality

Earthquake/Volcano (SanFrancisco/Mt. St. Helen's)

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Dynamic theorists

founders: Plato Freud

advanced and diversified the approach: Jung Adler Horney Erikson

Fromm Anna Freud Sullivan

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Learning theories: Basicassumptions

determinism (unidirectional,reciprocal)

people are as bad or good as their

environment society is responsible for theenvironment

people can learn and can change people are responsible for changing

society

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Original: pigeon (orrat) inside a "blackbox "

Contemporary:computer:

Metaphors for the Learningmodel of personality

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Learning theorists

founders: Pavlov J. B. Watson

advanced and diversified the approach: Skinner Bandura Mahoney

Meichenbaum Beck

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Holistic approach: Basicassumptions

free will outside of the context ofdeterminism

people are naturally good

society can corrupt the individual if they are bad, people can becomegood again

people are responsible for helpingthemselves, and others, become orstay good

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Metaphors for the Holisticmodel of personality

Mother Earth and (Gaia Principle)

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Pyramid metaphor for theHolistic model of personality

Pyramid of the sun at Teotihuacn,50-200 AD

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Final Holistic metaphor: TheSixties?

Woodstock !

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Holistic theorists

founders: Bodhidharma

520 AD: South Indian monk founds the Zen (Chan)school of Buddhism in China

advanced and diversified the approach: Kohler Boss Lewin Kelly Rogers Maslow

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Should Families of Theories ofPersonality Fight?

Are they alternative theories? If so, "Who wins?"

Might these theories operatesimultaneously in differentdomains?

"All theories win...something"

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! most ABSTRACT, GENERAL knowledge " Religion PhilosophyDomain of theories of personality

Holistic theories Dynamic theories Learning theories Trait theoriesDomain of theories of personality

Biology Chemistry Physics

! most CONCRETE & SPECIFIC knowledge "

A Theory of Simultaneity

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Nuts and Bolts of theCourse: the Syllabus

Syllabus available always, onBlackboard

Download & print if you wish Save paper, ink, $, and time, andalways be up-to-date: check itout on Blackboard!

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Next time

Trait theories of personality