Personality
Psychologists from different perspectives explain the development, function, and assessment of
personality differently. Explain how psychologists from each of the following perspectives
explain the development, function, and assessment of personality:
Psychoanalysis/psychodynamic perspective
Humanistic perspective
Behaviorism
Biological perspective
Rubric:
Students must discuss three different topics within each perspective:
o the development of personality
o the function of personality
o the assessment of personality.
NOTE: For the purposes of this rubric, students can earn one point per item discussed for each of
the four perspectives listed. Some instructors may want to cut the number of points earned by
scoring only one point per perspective.
Psychoanalysis/psychodynamic perspective
Point 1: Development of personality
Students should discuss how early childhood experiences shape one’s adult personality.
o Students may discuss Freud’s stages of psychosexual development or Erikson’s
psychosocial conflicts in addressing this point.
o Students may also discuss the development of the id, ego, and superego in addressing
this point.
Point 2: Function of personality
Students should discuss how the personality reflects the id, ego, or superego and protects
the ego from psychological harm.
o Students may discuss levels of awareness (preconscious, conscious, and unconscious)
and how those levels correspond to the structure of personality (id, ego, superego).
o Students may discuss ego defense mechanisms as a way the personality protects the
ego from psychological harm.
Point 3: Assessment of Personality
Students should discuss how projective tests are used to uncover unconscious thoughts
and feelings.
Examples: Thematic Apperception Test (TAT); Rorschach inkblot test
Humanistic perspective
Point 4: Development of personality
Students should discuss how one’s own childhood development or need fulfillment
contributes to personality.
o Rogerian view: Childhood experiences help shape how congruent one’s life
experiences are to one’s self-concept.
o Maslowian view: The level of need fulfillment one has (hierarchy of needs)
determines one’s personality.
Point 5: Function of personality
Students should discuss how personality serves to promote one’s self-concept and needs.
o Rogerian view: Personality seeks to protect the self-concept from being incongruent
with one’s experiences. Providing one with unconditional positive regard can help
them figure out how to alleviate those incongruencies.
o Maslowian view: Personality is driven by needs which are met according to a specific
hierarchy. The highest need is self-actualization.
Point 6: Assessment of Personality
Students should discuss the individualistic nature of humanistic psychology, looking at
the person to determine either the degree of incongruence with self-concept or the level of need
one has.
Behaviorism
Point 7: Development of personality
Students should discuss how early and current learning experiences reinforce behaviors
that make up one’s personality.
Point 8: Function of personality
Students should discuss how one’s behaviors help determine personality.
o Students may discuss the role of reinforcement and other consequences in helping one
determine what behaviors to continue and which to cease (Skinnerian view).
o Students can discuss Bandura’s reciprocal determinism theory.
Point 9: Assessment of Personality
Students should discuss how behaviorists would look at a person’s previous learning
experiences and develop new experiences to counteract maladaptive behavior.
Biological perspective
Point 10: Development of personality
Students should discuss how one’s genetic makeup determines personality (Eysenck’s
view) or how successful adaptation (evolution) leads to certain dominant personality traits in
humans (Buss’s view).
Point 11: Function of personality
Students should discuss how the “Big Five” personality traits may have developed
through successful evolutionary interactions and serve to help certain types of traits be more
successful than others.
Point 12: Assessment of Personality
Students should discuss how biological psychologists use twin studies to determine the
level of similarity in personality among people.