Personality Theories -- Summary
Personality theories vary on the following dimensions:
key idea
source of personality
number of personalities
behavioral consistency
can personality change?
importance of phenomenal (subjective, self-created) world?
innateness
Type Theory
key: personality taxonomy (biol. species)
source: ?
number: a few
consistency: yes
change: no
subjective? no
innate? often yes
example: Sheldon’s somatotypes
Trait Theory
key: overt personality is the product of a combination of underlying factors
source: underlying factors
number: many
consistency: yes
change: no
subjective? no
innate? ----example: “Big 5”
Psychoanalytic Theory
key: Pers. depends on family dynamics
source: underlying struggles between id, ego, superego and resolution
number: few types
consistency: yes
change: difficult, requires therapy, catharsis, insight
subjective? no
innate? no, interaction
Learning Theory
key: there is no such thing as personality
source: environmental “contingencies” (rewards and punishments)
number: infinite
consitency: no
change: yes, when reinforcement contingencies change
subjective? no
innate? no
Humanistic Theory
key: self-concept: we seek (motive) self-enhancement, self-actualization, growth.
Unconditional positive regard promote... conditions of worth stunt... growth.
“Adjustment” = congruence between self concept and experience
source: human nature + reactions of those around us (like Freud)
number: infinite
consistency: yes
change: yes, growth (like flower) is possible.
subjective? yes, one’s interpretation of events is crucial
innate? no, interaction
examples: Rogers, Maslow’s hierarchy
Cognitive Theory
key: All perception involves an interpretation; our behaviors are guided by our
expectations. We live in and react to a “phenomenal” world.
Reciprocal determinism: our self-concept and perceptions shape our actions which
influence our perceptions and self-concept!
source: internal interpretations
number: infinite
consistency: depends on perceptions
change: when perceptions change
subjective? yes
innate? mixed
examples: Belief systems, self-talk, locus of control, self-efficacy
Biological Theory
key: personalities are “wired in”.
source: genes
number: infinite
consistency: yes
change: no
subjective? ??
innate? yes
example: Minnesota twin study