PersonalityPersonality

Chapter 13Chapter 13

What is Personality?What is Personality?

A set of distinct and enduring A set of distinct and enduring characteristics.characteristics.

A person’s characteristic pattern of A person’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.thinking, feeling, and acting.

““A man is but the product of his A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” ~ Gandhibecomes.” ~ Gandhi

Classic Theories of Classic Theories of PersonalityPersonality

Psychoanalytical Theory:Psychoanalytical Theory: Sigmund Sigmund Freud’s theory focused on how Freud’s theory focused on how childhood sexuality and unconscious childhood sexuality and unconscious motivations influence personality.motivations influence personality.

Humanistic Theory:Humanistic Theory: Focused on our Focused on our own inner capacities for growth and own inner capacities for growth and self fulfillment.self fulfillment.

Freud’s Psychoanalytic Freud’s Psychoanalytic TheoryTheory

Basic assumption of Freud’s theory is that the Basic assumption of Freud’s theory is that the mind is mostly hiddenmind is mostly hidden..

Freud likened the mind to an iceberg; Freud likened the mind to an iceberg; – Our Our consciousconscious awareness floats above the surface awareness floats above the surface– Our larger Our larger unconscious unconscious awareness is buried below; awareness is buried below;

makes up unconscious thoughts, feelings, wishes, makes up unconscious thoughts, feelings, wishes, and memories. Can be conjured up through and memories. Can be conjured up through “free “free association”association” – therapeutic technique where you say – therapeutic technique where you say whatever comes to mind.whatever comes to mind.

– Also believed there was a Also believed there was a preconsciouspreconscious area that area that we could store thoughts for temporary retrieval. we could store thoughts for temporary retrieval.

Freud’s Psychoanalytic Freud’s Psychoanalytic TheoryTheory

Freud’s focus was largely on the Freud’s focus was largely on the unconscious, which he believed we unconscious, which he believed we “repressed”,“repressed”, or forcibly block from our or forcibly block from our conscious thoughts because it would be conscious thoughts because it would be to painful/disturbing to acknowledge.to painful/disturbing to acknowledge.

Believed that the unconscious is highly Believed that the unconscious is highly influential over many aspects of our influential over many aspects of our lives.lives.

Nothing is accidental.Nothing is accidental.

Freud and PersonalityFreud and Personality Believed personality is the result of our Believed personality is the result of our

conflict between impulse and restraint.conflict between impulse and restraint. 3 parts3 parts

– Id:Id: Unconscious psychic energy that strives to Unconscious psychic energy that strives to meet basic drives. Operates on the meet basic drives. Operates on the pleasure pleasure principleprinciple; seeking immediate gratification; seeking immediate gratification..

– Ego:Ego: Largely conscious “executive” part of the Largely conscious “executive” part of the personality. Operates on the personality. Operates on the reality principlereality principle; ; seeking to satisfy the id’s impulses in realistic seeking to satisfy the id’s impulses in realistic ways. THE MEDIATOR ways. THE MEDIATOR

– Superego:Superego: Represents internalized ideals and Represents internalized ideals and standards. Moral compass. Strives for standards. Moral compass. Strives for perfection; can manifest as pride or guilt.perfection; can manifest as pride or guilt.

Freud’s IcebergFreud’s Iceberg

Personality DevelopmentPersonality Development

Personality DevelopmentPersonality Development

All children pass through a series of All children pass through a series of psychosexual stages, during which the id’s psychosexual stages, during which the id’s pleasure seeking energies focus on certain pleasure seeking energies focus on certain erogenous zones.erogenous zones.

During the phallic stage, boys develop During the phallic stage, boys develop unconscious sexual desires for their unconscious sexual desires for their mother and jealousy towards the father.mother and jealousy towards the father.– Oedipus ComplexOedipus Complex– Electra Complex – similar experience for young Electra Complex – similar experience for young

girlsgirls

Personality DevelopmentPersonality Development

Children learn to cope with these Children learn to cope with these forbidden feelings through repression forbidden feelings through repression of these thoughts and by of these thoughts and by identification identification ““trying to become liketrying to become like” ” the rival parent.the rival parent.

Unresolved conflicts at any stage Unresolved conflicts at any stage could cause a person to become could cause a person to become fixatedfixated or or stuckstuck at a stage. at a stage.

Defense MechanismsDefense Mechanisms

As the Ego tries to balance the As the Ego tries to balance the conflict between the id and conflict between the id and superego, anxiety is a result.superego, anxiety is a result.

Freud theorized that we use defense Freud theorized that we use defense mechanisms to reduce or redirect mechanisms to reduce or redirect our anxiety.our anxiety.

Defense MechanismsDefense Mechanisms

Repression:Repression: The underlying aspect of all The underlying aspect of all defense mechanisms. Pushes anxiety defense mechanisms. Pushes anxiety arousing wishes into our unconscious.arousing wishes into our unconscious.

Regression:Regression: When anxious, the When anxious, the individual retreats to a more infantile individual retreats to a more infantile stage or behavior (i.e. thumbsucking)stage or behavior (i.e. thumbsucking)

Reaction Formation:Reaction Formation: Unconsciously Unconsciously switching unacceptable impulses to switching unacceptable impulses to their opposite (I love him = I hate him)their opposite (I love him = I hate him)

Defense MechanismsDefense Mechanisms Projection:Projection: People disguise their own threatening People disguise their own threatening

impulses by attributing them to others (“The thief impulses by attributing them to others (“The thief thinks everyone is a thief).thinks everyone is a thief).

Rationalization:Rationalization: When people generate self When people generate self justifying explanations to hide the real reasons justifying explanations to hide the real reasons behind their actions. (“It would be rude to turn behind their actions. (“It would be rude to turn down a drink”)down a drink”)

Displacement: diverting aggressive or sexual Displacement: diverting aggressive or sexual impulses to more acceptable places (kicking the impulses to more acceptable places (kicking the dog instead of your mom)dog instead of your mom)

Denial:Denial: People refuse to believe something is true People refuse to believe something is true in order to protect themselves psychologically.in order to protect themselves psychologically.

Analysis of FreudAnalysis of Freud

Many Neo-Freudians agree with basic Many Neo-Freudians agree with basic concepts of personality (id, ego, concepts of personality (id, ego, superego), importance of the unconsious, superego), importance of the unconsious, anxiety and defense mechanisms.anxiety and defense mechanisms.

Neo-Freudians tend to believe that Neo-Freudians tend to believe that childhood experiences are important, but childhood experiences are important, but place focus on social, not sexual place focus on social, not sexual tensions.tensions.

Doubt sex and aggression were primary Doubt sex and aggression were primary motivators.motivators.

The Humanistic PerspectiveThe Humanistic Perspective Humanistic Psychology became popular in Humanistic Psychology became popular in

the 1960’s.the 1960’s. Basic tenets: Rather than focuses on Freud’s Basic tenets: Rather than focuses on Freud’s

“sick” people, humanistic psychology “sick” people, humanistic psychology focused on the ways “healthy” people strive focused on the ways “healthy” people strive for:for:– Self determinationSelf determination– Self realizationSelf realization

Abraham Maslow and Carl Rodgers were Abraham Maslow and Carl Rodgers were main theorists in Humanistic Psychology.main theorists in Humanistic Psychology.

Central feature of personality is Central feature of personality is Self Self Concept: Concept: all the thoughts and feelings all the thoughts and feelings centered around “who am I?”centered around “who am I?”

Maslow andMaslow andthe Humanistic Perspectivethe Humanistic Perspective

Maslow believed we are motivated Maslow believed we are motivated by a hierarchy of needs, with the by a hierarchy of needs, with the ultimate goal of ultimate goal of self actualization:self actualization: the process of fulfilling our potential.the process of fulfilling our potential.

Maslow studied healthy, creative Maslow studied healthy, creative people and looked for people who people and looked for people who had lived rich, productive lives.had lived rich, productive lives.– Noted Lincoln, Jefferson, Eleanor Noted Lincoln, Jefferson, Eleanor

RooseveltRoosevelt

Maslow andMaslow andthe Humanistic Perspectivethe Humanistic Perspective

Found certain characteristics in these Found certain characteristics in these peoplepeople– Self aware, self acceptingSelf aware, self accepting– Open and spontaneousOpen and spontaneous– Loving and caringLoving and caring– Not worried about others opinionsNot worried about others opinions– Few meaningful relationships rather than many Few meaningful relationships rather than many

superficial ones.superficial ones.– Interested are problem centered instead of self Interested are problem centered instead of self

centered.centered.– Had spiritual or personal “peak” experiences Had spiritual or personal “peak” experiences

that surpassed ordinary consciousness.that surpassed ordinary consciousness.

Rogers and the Humanistic Rogers and the Humanistic PerspectivePerspective

Believed that most people are primed for Believed that most people are primed for growth.growth.

Believed that a growth promoting climate Believed that a growth promoting climate required 3 conditionsrequired 3 conditions– Genuineness Genuineness – AcceptanceAcceptance– NurturingNurturing

People nurture growth throughPeople nurture growth through– Unconditional Positive Regard:Unconditional Positive Regard: an attitude of an attitude of

total acceptance towards another persontotal acceptance towards another person– Empathy – sharing, mirroring and reflecting our Empathy – sharing, mirroring and reflecting our

feelingsfeelings

The Trait PerspectiveThe Trait Perspective

Name some traitsName some traits What is a trait? What is a trait?

– A characteristic pattern of behavior or A characteristic pattern of behavior or disposition to feel or act.disposition to feel or act.

The Trait Perspective attempts to The Trait Perspective attempts to define personality in terms of define personality in terms of enduring and stable behavior enduring and stable behavior patterns.patterns.

The Trait PerspectiveThe Trait Perspective

Developed by Gordon Allport, who Developed by Gordon Allport, who after interviewing Freud felt that after interviewing Freud felt that psychoanalysis was too preoccupied psychoanalysis was too preoccupied with hidden motives.with hidden motives.

Allport defined personality in terms Allport defined personality in terms of identifiable behavior patterns.of identifiable behavior patterns.– Less concerned with explaining traits Less concerned with explaining traits

than with describing them.than with describing them.

Assessing TraitsAssessing Traits

Words that describe people – over Words that describe people – over 18,000!18,000!

Through factor analysis, research Through factor analysis, research psychologists have been able to psychologists have been able to reduce variations to much smaller reduce variations to much smaller groupingsgroupings– EysenckEysenck– The Big 5 FactorsThe Big 5 Factors

EsyneckEsyneck

The Big 5 FactorsThe Big 5 Factors

Are Traits really enduring?Are Traits really enduring?

Person-Situation ControversyPerson-Situation Controversy– Genuine personality traits that persist Genuine personality traits that persist

across and situation.across and situation.– Behavior and Traits are different measuresBehavior and Traits are different measures– High extraversion score does not High extraversion score does not

guarantee person will be outgoing in all guarantee person will be outgoing in all situations.situations.

Personality Traits become more stable Personality Traits become more stable as we age.as we age.

Social-Cognitive PerspectiveSocial-Cognitive Perspective

Proposed by Albert BanduraProposed by Albert Bandura Emphasizes the interaction between Emphasizes the interaction between

our traits and our situations. our traits and our situations. Focus on how we and our Focus on how we and our

environment interact.environment interact.

Social-Cognitive PerspectiveSocial-Cognitive Perspective

Social Cognitive Perspective also Social Cognitive Perspective also emphasizes:emphasizes:

Belief that we learn many of our Belief that we learn many of our behaviors through:behaviors through:– ConditioningConditioning– Observing and ModelingObserving and Modeling

The importance of mental processesThe importance of mental processes– What we think about our situation What we think about our situation

affects our behavior.affects our behavior.

Social-Cognitive PerspectiveSocial-Cognitive Perspective

Reciprocal Determinism: our Reciprocal Determinism: our personalities are shaped by the personalities are shaped by the interactions of our personal traits, interactions of our personal traits, our environment and our behaviors.our environment and our behaviors.

Social-Cognitive PerspectiveSocial-Cognitive Perspective

Personal Control: whether we view Personal Control: whether we view ourselves as controlling or being ourselves as controlling or being controlled by our environment.controlled by our environment.– External Locus of Control: chance or External Locus of Control: chance or

outside forces determine our fateoutside forces determine our fate Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

– Internal Locus of Control: we control our Internal Locus of Control: we control our own destinyown destiny