The thing that makes us think, feel, and act differently
CHAPTER 14: THEORIES OF PERSONALITY
PERSONALITY
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Def: the consistent,
enduring, and unique
characteristics of a
person
PURPOSES OF PERSONALITY THEORY
1) a way to organize characteristics
 2) explains differences among individuals
 3) explores how people conduct their lives
 4) improves people’s lives
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MAJOR SCHOOLS OF PERSONALITY THEORY
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Sigmund Freud: emphasized
unconscious motives
B.F. Skinner: how rewards
and punishments shape us
Social learning theories:
observational learning
impact
Trait theories: emphasized
understanding personality
characteristics
Humanistic: potential for
human growth
Cognitive: thoughts,
perceptions, feelings
Slip of the tongue? Did you mean it? Freud thought so. Sick, sick Freud.
SECTION 2: PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY
THE UNCONSCIOUS
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Def: the part of the
mind that contains
material of which we are
unaware but that
strongly influences
conscious processes
and behaviors
ID
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Def: needs, drives,
instincts, and repressed
material
Operates in terms of the
pleasure principle
EGO
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Def: part that is in touch
with reality; wants to
meet the demands of
the id and superego in
socially acceptable ways
Operates in terms of the
reality principle
Mostly conscious
SUPEREGO
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Def: source of
conscience; counteracts
socially undesirable
impulses of the id
Operates in terms of the
moral principle
Source of guilt
DEFENSE MECHANISMS
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Def: specific means by
which the ego
unconsciously protects
itself against
unpleasant impulses or
circumstances
RATIONALIZATION
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Making up acceptable
excuses for behaviors
that cause us to feel
anxious
REPRESSION
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Pushing painful
memories out of
awareness
May show up in slips of
the tongue or dreams
DENIAL
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Refusing to accept the
reality of something that
makes you anxious
PROJECTION
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Inner feelings are
projected outside the
self and assigned to
others
REACTION FORMATION
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Replacing an
unacceptable feeling or
urge with an opposite
one
REGRESSION
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Going back to an earlier
and less mature pattern
of behavior
DISPLACEMENT
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Redirecting thoughts,
feelings, and impulses
directed at one
person/object, but taken
out on another
SUBLIMATION
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Redirecting a forbidden
desire into a socially
acceptable desire
CARL JUNG
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Differed from Freud in 2
ways:
1) had a more positive
outlook on human nature
2) distinguished btwn
personal conscious and
COLLECTIVE
UNCONSCIOUS: contains
inherited instincts, urges,
and memories common
to all people
ARCHETYPES (JUNG)
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Def: an inherited idea,
based on the
experiences of one’s
ancestors, which shape
one’s perception of the
world
Jung---they influence our
thoughts and feelings
ALFRED ADLER
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Believed our driving force
is a desire to overcome
feelings of inferiority
INFERIORITY COMPLEX:
pattern of avoiding
feelings of inadequacy
rather than trying to
overcome their source
Behaviorists look to the environment to see what is reinforcing behavior
SECTION 3: LEARNING THEORIES
B.F. SKINNER
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BEHAVIORISM: Def:
belief that the subject
matter of psychology
ought to be observable
behavior
CONTINGENCIES OF
REINFORCEMENT: the
occurrences of a reward
or punishment following
a particular behavior
ALBERT BANDURA: SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY
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Idea that personality is
acquired through
everyday models
RECIPROCAL
DETERMINISM: btwn the
individual, the behavior of
the individual, and the
environment
SELF-EFFICACY: our view
of our ability to succeed
Stress the positive aspects of human nature…hippies
SECTION 4: HUMANISTIC AND COGNITIVE
THEORIES
HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY
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Def: an approach that
stresses the uniqueness
of an individual
Believe we strive for…
SELF-ACTUALIZATION:
realizing one’s unique
potential
ABRAHAM MASLOW: GROWTH AND SELFACTUALIZATION
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Maslow studied selfactualized people
Traits of self-actualized:
Perceive reality accurately
Accept themselves and
others
Spontaneous
Autonomous
Appreciate simple things
CARL ROGERS: SELF THEORY
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Rogers was concerned
with the path to selfactualization
Believed there was a
conflict btwn what we
value in ourselves and
what others value in us
SELF THEORY
SELF: one’s image of oneself, developed through
interaction with others
 POSITIVE REGARD: viewing oneself in a positive
light due to positive feedback from others
(Unconditional positive regard)
 CONDITIONS OF WORTH: conditions a person must
meet in order to regard him/herself positively
 FULLY FUNCTIONING: an individual whose person
and self coincide
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COGNITIVE THEORY
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Based on analysis of
our own perceptions,
thoughts, and feelings
George Kelly’s Personal
Construct Theory: our
ideas of ourselves, of
others, and of our world
shape our behavior and
our personalities
Schemas
Nice, smart, arrogant, funny. Some psychs believe studying these traits in
detail is the best approach to solving human behavior
SECTION 5: TRAIT THEORIES
TRAIT
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Def: a tendency to react
to a situation in a way
that remains stable over
time
TRAIT THEORIES OF PERSONALITY
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2 assumptions:
1) Every trait applies to
all people
2) Descriptions can be
quantified
Most believe a few basic
traits are central for all
Traits measured on a
continuum
GORDON ALLPORT: IDENTIFYING TRAITS
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3 kinds of individual traits:
1) Cardinal trait:
characteristic or feature
that is so pervasive the
person is almost identified
with it
2) Central trait: makes us
predictable
3) Secondary trait:
preferences in food, music;
least important
RAYMOND CATTELL: 16 TRAIT THEORY
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Used factor analysis, stat
technique used to identify
the underlying reasons
variables are correlated
Used Allport’s list of traits
Came up with 46 Surface
traits: stable
characteristics that can
be observed in certain
situations
16 TRAIT THEORY CONTINUED
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The 46 came from 16
Source traits: traits
considered at the core of
personality
By measuring these, we
can predict behavior in
certain situations
HANS EYSENCK: DIMENSIONS OF PERSONALITY
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2 basic dimensions to
personality:
1) Stability vs.
Instability: how much
control you have over
your feelings
2) Extraversion vs.
Introversion
3rd added later:
psychoticism
THE ROBUST FIVE
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5 traits that appear
repeatedly in different
studies
1) Openness to experience
2) Conscientiousness:
organized, responsible
3) Extraversion
4) Agreeableness
5) Neuroticism: emotional
stability
OCEAN
Each trait is on a continuum