Personality and the Trait, Humanistic, and Social Cognitive Perspectives

Personality and the Trait, Personality and the Trait, Humanistic, and Social Humanistic, and Social Cognitive PerspectivesCognitive Perspectives

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The Humanistic PerspectiveThe Humanistic Perspective The two founders of the The two founders of the

Humanistic Perspective are Humanistic Perspective are Abraham MaslowAbraham Maslow and and Carl Carl Rogers.Rogers.

The The Humanistic Humanistic PerspectivePerspective focuses on the focuses on the growth potential of healthy growth potential of healthy people. They focus on the people. They focus on the power of power of free willfree will and how and how people view themselves as a people view themselves as a whole in pursuit of growth. whole in pursuit of growth.

Maslow

Rogers

Maslow’s Main IdeaMaslow’s Main Idea Maslow differed from Freud Maslow differed from Freud

since he believed we are all since he believed we are all born good and we naturally born good and we naturally move towards self-move towards self-actualization unless society actualization unless society gets in the way.gets in the way.– Self Actualization:Self Actualization: ultimate ultimate

goal in hierarchy of needs; goal in hierarchy of needs; meet one’s potential.meet one’s potential.

(see obstacles to self-actualization in Myers notes)(see obstacles to self-actualization in Myers notes)

Obstacles to Self-Obstacles to Self-ActualizationActualization

Self-actualization is at the top of the Self-actualization is at the top of the hierarchy. Weakest of all needs and is hierarchy. Weakest of all needs and is easily avoided.easily avoided.

The Jonah Complex. We fear and doubt The Jonah Complex. We fear and doubt our own abilities.our own abilities.

Cultural impediments. E.g., Society Cultural impediments. E.g., Society forces us to take on gender-specific forces us to take on gender-specific traits.traits.

Poor upbringing as a child. Maslow Poor upbringing as a child. Maslow wanted “freedom within limits.”wanted “freedom within limits.”

Carl Rogers’ Person-Carl Rogers’ Person-Centered ApproachCentered Approach

Believed all humans have potential for Believed all humans have potential for growth; they just need a climate that has:growth; they just need a climate that has:– Genuineness (truthful/sincere)Genuineness (truthful/sincere)– Acceptance (unconditional positive Acceptance (unconditional positive

regard)regard)– Empathy (try to understand others)Empathy (try to understand others)

Unconditional Positive Regard:Unconditional Positive Regard: attitude of total acceptance towards attitude of total acceptance towards another person.another person.

Perceived-Self ActivityPerceived-Self Activity

Perceived-self v) Ideal-selfPerceived-self v) Ideal-self

Carl Roger’s Idea of Self Carl Roger’s Idea of Self Actualization (Self Actualization (Self

Acceptance)Acceptance) Rogers believed the key to self-Rogers believed the key to self-

actualization, a term he called becoming actualization, a term he called becoming fully-functioning,fully-functioning, was to learn to was to learn to accept ourselves and unite our ideas of accept ourselves and unite our ideas of the the real selfreal self and the and the ideal selfideal self. .

When we lack unconditional positive When we lack unconditional positive

regard it leads to regard it leads to incongruence: incongruence: perceived difference between real and perceived difference between real and ideal self.ideal self.

Humanistic Perspective’s Central Humanistic Perspective’s Central Concept to Understanding Concept to Understanding

PersonalityPersonality Self-Concept:Self-Concept: all thoughts and feelings about all thoughts and feelings about

ourselves: “Who am I?”ourselves: “Who am I?” Related terms to understand Self Concept:Related terms to understand Self Concept:

– Self Esteem:Self Esteem: feelings of self-worth. feelings of self-worth.– Self-Serving Bias:Self-Serving Bias: a readiness to perceive a readiness to perceive

oneself favorably. People accept credit for oneself favorably. People accept credit for their achievements but blame others or the their achievements but blame others or the situation for their failures.situation for their failures. Survey Question: Who is most likely to go Survey Question: Who is most likely to go

to heaven? Who beats out Princess Diana, to heaven? Who beats out Princess Diana, Gandhi, MLK Jr., and Mother Theresa? Gandhi, MLK Jr., and Mother Theresa?

Criticism of Humanist Criticism of Humanist PerspectivePerspective

Maslow’s concepts are vague Maslow’s concepts are vague and might just be his own and might just be his own values.values.

Too much focus on individual? Too much focus on individual? Ignores human capacity for evil.Ignores human capacity for evil.

The Trait PerspectiveThe Trait Perspective The father of the trait perspective The father of the trait perspective

of personality is of personality is Gordon AllportGordon Allport..

The trait perspective looks to The trait perspective looks to DESCRIBEDESCRIBE personality in terms of personality in terms of fundamental fundamental traits:traits: patterns of patterns of behavior or disposition to feel or behavior or disposition to feel or act as assessed by self-reported act as assessed by self-reported inventories or peer reports. inventories or peer reports.

It focuses on describing and It focuses on describing and measuring the numerous ways in measuring the numerous ways in which people differ from each which people differ from each other. other.

Method used For Measuring Method used For Measuring Personality for Trait Personality for Trait

PerspectivePerspective Personality Inventory:Personality Inventory: a a

questionnaire that is usually questionnaire that is usually true/false in which people respond to true/false in which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits. to assess selected personality traits.

Weakness of This Measuring Device?Weakness of This Measuring Device?– People may try to give “correct” answers.People may try to give “correct” answers.

Example of Personality Inventory Example of Personality Inventory (Trait Perspective)(Trait Perspective)

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI):Inventory (MMPI): most widely used most widely used personality test. Purpose was to identify personality test. Purpose was to identify emotional disorders but is also now used for emotional disorders but is also now used for screening purposes for employment.screening purposes for employment.

Test is an example of being an Test is an example of being an empirically empirically derived test:derived test: having pool of test questions having pool of test questions that discriminate between groups. (Ex: that discriminate between groups. (Ex: Looking for differences in answers between a Looking for differences in answers between a clinically depressed group and a normal group.)clinically depressed group and a normal group.)

Eynsenck’s 2 Dimensions of Eynsenck’s 2 Dimensions of Personality (Trait Perspective)Personality (Trait Perspective)

Through factor analysis, Through factor analysis, Hans EynsencksHans Eynsencks reduced the dimensions reduced the dimensions of personality down to of personality down to two. They were two. They were introvertedintroverted (keep to (keep to yourself) / yourself) / extrovertedextroverted (outgoing) and (outgoing) and stable/unstable.stable/unstable.

UNSTABLE

STABLE

INTROVERTED EXTRAVERTED

MoodyAnxiousRigidSober

PessimisticReservedUnsociableQuiet

SociableOutgoingTalkative

ResponsiveEasygoingLively

CarefreeLeadership

PassiveCarefulThoughtfulPeacefulControlledReliableEven-temperedCalm

TouchyRestlessAggressiveExcitableChangeableImpulsiveOptimistic

Active

The The Big Five Personality TraitsBig Five Personality Traits Are Are Measured in A Inventory Called the Measured in A Inventory Called the NEO NEO

PI-RPI-R (Trait Perspective) (Trait Perspective)

1. OOpeness (to experience):peness (to experience): measures factors of active imagination, preference for variety, and intellectual curiosity within people..

2. 2. CConscientiousness:onscientiousness: measures self discipline, measures self discipline, carefulness, need for achievement, and degree by carefulness, need for achievement, and degree by which people think before acting.which people think before acting.

3. 3. EExtraversion: xtraversion: measures social interaction and measures social interaction and how assertive people are. how assertive people are.

4. 4. AAgreeableness:greeableness: measures how empathetic, measures how empathetic, considerate, friendly, and helpful people are. considerate, friendly, and helpful people are.

5. 5. NNeuroticism: euroticism: measures people’smeasures people’s tendencies to tendencies to experience negative emotional states like stress experience negative emotional states like stress and anxiety. and anxiety.

Big Five AssessmentBig Five Assessment

Scoring Your Big 5” Personality TestScoring Your Big 5” Personality Test

EXTRAVERSIONEXTRAVERSION Reverse the numbers in front of 6, 21 Reverse the numbers in front of 6, 21

& 31& 311 = 51 = 5

2= 42= 4

3 = 33 = 3

4 = 24 = 2

5 = 15 = 1Now add all of the numbers for items:

1, 6, 11, 16, 21, 26, 31 & 36

Scores can range from 8 to 40, with higher scores reflecting greater extraversion,


AGREEABLENESSAGREEABLENESS Reverse the numbers in front of 2, 12, 27 Reverse the numbers in front of 2, 12, 27

& 37& 37

1 = 51 = 5

2= 42= 4

3 = 33 = 3

4 = 24 = 2

5 = 15 = 1

Now add all of the numbers for items:

2, 7, 12, 17, 22, 27, 32, 37 & 42

Scores can range from 9 to 45, with higher scores reflecting greater extraversion,


CONSCIENTIOUSNESSCONSCIENTIOUSNESS Reverse the numbers in front of 8, Reverse the numbers in front of 8,

18, 23 & 4318, 23 & 431 = 51 = 5

2= 42= 4

3 = 33 = 3

4 = 24 = 2

5 = 15 = 1

Now add all of the numbers for items:

3, 8, 13, 18, 23, 28, 33, 38 & 43

Scores can range from 9 to 45, with higher scores reflecting greater conscientiousness


NEUROTICISMNEUROTICISM Reverse the numbers in front of 9, 24 Reverse the numbers in front of 9, 24

& 34& 341 = 51 = 5

2= 42= 4

3 = 33 = 3

4 = 24 = 2


4, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29, 34 & 39

Scores can range from 8 to 40, with higher scores reflecting greater emotional stability.


OPENNESSOPENNESS Reverse the numbers in front of 35 & Reverse the numbers in front of 35 &

41411 = 51 = 5

2= 42= 4

3 = 33 = 3

4 = 24 = 2


5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 41 & 44

Scores can range from 10 - 50, with higher scores reflecting greater openness

Personality Traits ofPersonality Traits ofUS PresidentsUS Presidents

(Myers Notes)(Myers Notes)

Major Weakness of the Trait Major Weakness of the Trait Perspective?Perspective?

Although personality traits are fairly Although personality traits are fairly consistent, behaviors may vary consistent, behaviors may vary greatly.greatly.

Individualism vs. Individualism vs. CollectivismCollectivism Individualism Individualism

– giving priority to one’s own goals giving priority to one’s own goals over group goals and defining one’s over group goals and defining one’s identity in terms of personal identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group attributes rather than group identificationsidentifications

CollectivismCollectivism– giving priority to the goals of one’s giving priority to the goals of one’s

group (often one’s extended family group (often one’s extended family or work group) and defining one’s or work group) and defining one’s identity accordinglyidentity accordingly

Value DifferencesValue Differences

Social-Cognitive Social-Cognitive PerspectivePerspective

Father of Social-Father of Social-Cognitive Perspective Cognitive Perspective is is Albert Bandura. Albert Bandura.

Social-Cognitive Social-Cognitive Perspective:Perspective: emphasizes the emphasizes the importance of external importance of external events (society) and events (society) and how we interpret them how we interpret them (cognition). (cognition).

Personality is Made Up of Personality is Made Up of Interlocking ForcesInterlocking Forces

Reciprocal Determinism:Reciprocal Determinism: is the idea that is the idea that environment influences personality environment influences personality ANDAND personality influences the environment. personality influences the environment.

Same environment can have completely Same environment can have completely different effects on different people because of different effects on different people because of how they interpret and react to external events. how they interpret and react to external events. – Ex. My parents are liberal. I identify with my parents. Ex. My parents are liberal. I identify with my parents.

I therefore choose a more liberal college to attend. I therefore choose a more liberal college to attend. This makes me even more liberal. I leave school and This makes me even more liberal. I leave school and I take a job working for liberal causes. Can you see I take a job working for liberal causes. Can you see how my environment affects me and how I have an how my environment affects me and how I have an affect on my environment?affect on my environment?

Reciprocal DetermismReciprocal Determism

““Shawshank Redemption” clipShawshank Redemption” clip

Julius Rotter’s Theory of Julius Rotter’s Theory of Personal Control and Locus of Personal Control and Locus of

ControlControl Internal Locus of Control: idea that one control’s their own destiny. Achievement is highest under this level. Ex: Hard work gets rewarded.

External Locus of Control: idea that one’s fate is outside of their personal control and determined by luck. Ex: People get promotions b/c they know right people.

External Locus of Control Can External Locus of Control Can Lead to Learned HelplessnessLead to Learned Helplessness

Learned Helplessness:Learned Helplessness: hopelessness and passive hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or resignation an animal or human learns when human learns when unable to avoid repeated unable to avoid repeated aversive events. aversive events.

Ex: Dog being Ex: Dog being uncontrollably shocked uncontrollably shocked for period; will not later for period; will not later escape when time escape when time arrives. arrives.

Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

"Schindler's List" Clip

Evaluating the Social Evaluating the Social Cognitive PerspectiveCognitive Perspective

Most widely accepted approach by Most widely accepted approach by current psychologists since it takes current psychologists since it takes aspects from learning and cognition.aspects from learning and cognition.

Criticized by some because it fails to Criticized by some because it fails to consider possible unconscious consider possible unconscious motives and focuses too much on motives and focuses too much on environment not enough on inner environment not enough on inner traits. traits.

Know Summary of Know Summary of Perspectives:Perspectives:

Personality and the Trait, Humanistic, and Social Cognitive Perspectives

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