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Personality

A person’s general style of interacting with the world

People differ from one another in ways that are relatively consistent over time and place

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Psychoanalytic Approach: Freudian Psychoanalysis and Post-Freudian Theories

Personality

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Psychoanalytic Approach

Developed by Sigmund FreudPsychoanalysis is both an approach

to therapy and a theory of personality

Emphasizes unconscious motivation - the main causes of behavior lie buried in the unconscious mind

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Psychoanalytic Approach

Conscious

Unconscious

Superego Preconscious

Id

Ego

Informationwhich can

easily bemade

conscious

Thoughts,feelings,

urges, and otherinformation

that is difficultto bring toconsciousawareness

Informationin your

immediateawareness

Rational, planful,mediating dimensionof personality

Moralistic,judgmental, perfectionistdimension of personality

Irrational, illogical,impulsivedimension ofpersonality

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Psychoanalytic Approach

Conscious - all things we are aware of at any given moment

Conscious

Unconscious

Superego Preconscious

Id

Ego

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Psychoanalytic Approach

Preconscious - everything that can, with a little effort, be brought into consciousness

Conscious

Unconscious

Superego Preconscious

Id

Ego

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Psychoanalytic Approach

Unconscious - inaccessible warehouse of anxiety-producing thoughts and drives

Conscious

Unconscious

Superego Preconscious

Id

Ego

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Psychoanalytic Divisions of the Mind

Id - instinctual drives present at birth does not distinguish between reality and fantasy operates according to the pleasure principle

Ego - develops out of the id in infancy understands reality and logic mediator between id and superego

Superego internalization of society’s moral standards responsible for guilt

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Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious mental processes employed by the ego to reduce anxiety

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Defense Mechanisms

Repression - keeping anxiety-producing thoughts out of the conscious mind

Reaction formation - replacing an unacceptable wish with its opposite

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Defense Mechanisms

Displacement - when a drive directed to one activity by the id is redirected to a more acceptable activity by the ego

Sublimation - displacement to activities that are valued by society

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Defense Mechanisms

Projection - reducing anxiety by attributing unacceptable impulses to someone else

Rationalization - reasoning away anxiety-producing thoughts

Regression - retreating to a mode of behavior characteristic of an earlier stage of development

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Psychosexual Stages

Freud’s five stages of personality development, each associated with a particular erogenous zone

Fixation - an attempt to achieve pleasure as an adult in ways that are equivalent to how it way achieved in these stages

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Oral Stage (birth - 1 year)

Mouth is associated with sexual pleasure

Weaning a child can lead to fixation if not handled correctly

Fixation can lead to oral activities in adulthood

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Anal Stage (1 - 3 years)

Anus is associated with pleasureToilet training can lead to fixation if

not handled correctlyFixation can lead to anal retentive or

expulsive behaviors in adulthood

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Phallic Stage (3 - 5 years)

Focus of pleasure shifts to the genitals

Oedipus or Electra complex can occur

Fixation can lead to excessive masculinity in males and the need for attention or domination in females

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Latency Stage (5 - puberty)

Sexuality is repressedChildren participate in hobbies,

school and same-sex friendships

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Genital Stage (puberty on)

Sexual feelings re-emerge and are oriented toward others

Healthy adults find pleasure in love and work, fixated adults have their energy tied up in earlier stages

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Post-Freudian Psychodynamic Theories

Karen Horney’s focus on securityObject relations theoriesAlfred Adler’s individual psychologyErik Erikson’s psychosocial

developmentCarl Jung’s collective unconscious

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Personality

Trait TheoriesSocial/Cognitive ApproachHumanistic Approach

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Trait Theories

Trait – consistent predisposition to behave in a certain way

specify a set of traits to recognize a personality or differentiate between indivduals

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Trait Theories

Specific behaviorsSurface traits - linked directly to a

set of related behaviorsCentral traits - fundamental

dimensions of personalityOriginal Allport) was too confusing

4500+ traits

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Early Trait Theories

Cattell’s sixteen source traits

Eysenck’s three dimensional theory ExtravertedIntroverted

EmotionallyUnstable(Neurotic)

EmotionallyStable

MoodyAnxious

RigidSober

PessimisticReserved

UnsociableQuiet

PassiveCarefulThoughtful

PeacefulControlled

ReliableEven-tempered

Calm

TouchyRestlessAggressive

ExcitableChangeable

ImpulsiveOptimistic

Active

SociableOutgoing

TalkativeResponsiveEasygoing

LivelyCarefree

LeadershipIntroverted-

Stable

Introverted-Neurotic

Extraverted-Stable

Extraverted-Neurotic

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Big-Five Theory or Five Factor Model

Openness to experience-nonopennessConscientiousness-undirectednessExtroversion-introversionAgreeableness-antagonismNeuroticism-stability

Criticism: doesn’t account for situational differencesDescribes but doesn’t explain personality

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Predictive Value of Traits

Stability of personalityRelationship to actual behaviorsSituation-specific traitsHas some biological evidence, like

inherited traits seen from parent to child

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Personality as Adaptation

Advantages of being different diversity of offspring occupying alternative niches

Family environment sibling contrast birth order differences (Adler)

Gender differences (Freud, Horney)

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Social-Cognitive Perspective

Based on research on learning, cognition, and social influence

Focuses on beliefs and habits that increase or decrease people’s ability to take control of their lives and accomplish goals

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Social-Cognitive Perspective

Locus of Control proposed by Julian Rotter belief that rewards either are or are not

controllable by one’s own efforts Way we approach a problem may be internal (self-responsibility) or

external (chance/luck) Internal control less stress

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Social-Cognitive Perspective

Self-Efficacy proposed by Albert Bandura belief about one’s ability to perform

specific tasks can be high or low (confidence/doubt) situational

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Humanistic Perspective

Personal responsibility – fre will and do not be a victim of fate

The here and now (do not be a victim of the past)

Phenomenological reality - one’s conscious understanding of his/her world; no one can know you like you know you

Personal growth – seek being a better you

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Humanistic Perspective

Carl Rogers’s person-centered approach self-concept is central to personality conditional positive regard - love and praise is

withheld unless one conforms to others’ expectations

unconditional positive regard - accepting a person regardless of who they are or what they do

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Humanistic Perspective

Abraham Maslow hierarchy of needs self-actualization -

the realization of one’s dreams and capabilities

Self-actualization needs

Esteem needs

Belongingness and loveneeds

Safety needs

Physiological needs

Growth needs

Deficiency needs