THEORIES OF PERSONALITY
Psy235-002 Fall 2009
M/Th 12:45pm – 2:00pm (Hurst 209)
________________________________________________________________________
Instructor: GiShawn A Mance, Ph.D.
Office: Asbury 220
Office phone: (202) 885-1702
E-mail address: mance@american.edu
Office hours: Tues 1:30pm – 3:30pm; Wed 1:30pm – 3:30pm; Thurs 2:30pm – 4:30pm
(or by appointment)
Teaching Assistant:
TA email:
TA Office hours: by appointment
Course Description
The goal of this course is to introduce students to some of the major theories of
personality including psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive/behavioral,
and social/life-span. Several perspectives on personality will be introduced and critical
evaluation of these alternative perspectives will be encouraged. From each of these
difference perspectives we will address questions such as: “What is personality? What
are the similarities and differences among individuals’ personalities? What factors
influence the development of personality? What are the implications and consequences
for our theories of personality?” In addition, we will focus on important current
movements in psychology (positive psychology and cross-cultural psychology) and their
application to the study of personality.
Learning Objectives:
The student will gain a general understanding of:
1) Understanding the basic concepts and principles of each theoretical perspective.
2) Relate the personality theories to one’s own development, characteristics, and
behaviors.
3) Learn to apply the theories to others’ lives in order to better understand their
personalities and experiences.
4) Take into consideration the cultural and contextual implication on each theoretical
perspective reviewed.
Required Text
Feist, J., & Feist, G.J. (2009). Theories of personality. (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill: New
York, New York.
ISBN: 978-0-07-338270-8
Format
This course will be taught in a lecture format, supplemented with videos, group
presentations, and discussions. Lectures will cover some information from the text and
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may be supplemented with new material. The lectures are not a substitute for reading the
text. Please note that Blackboard will mainly be used for posting lectures,
announcements, and grades. You can access your account by using your Blackboard
username and password.
Class Evaluation and Requirements
Attendance, Preparation and Participation
Prompt attendance and readiness for participation in class discussions are essential to this course.
Readiness for participation must specifically reflect professional responsiveness. Professional
responsiveness is demonstrated by following the instructor’s guidelines and directions,
participating in class discussions and activities, asking questions and seeking clarification
when needed, and displaying a positive and constructive attitude toward working and
learning.
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION. Active participation in this course is required. Full participation
points can be earned with students not only attending class, but also actively participating daily
during class discussions and class exercises. Participation and attendance points will be lost for each
absence. In this grading system participation points are strongly correlated with attendance
points. A deduction in points will occur if you: sleep, read the newspaper, work on other class work,
become a disruption or disrespectful, are chronically tardy, complete puzzles, text or instant message,
use computer for off-task behavior (check email, surf the web, or other social networks), or don’t
participate in class discussions. Participation points are issued at the discretion of the instructor.
ATTENDANCE. Class attendance is an important indication of your commitment and
professionalism, and is critical to your success in this course. Excused absences are defined as death
in the immediate family, diagnosed and documented medical issues, or athletic obligations. Any other
excuse will be considered unexcused. Please note: Any student who misses 8 class periods will be
asked to withdraw from the class or receive an F. It is difficult to give an individual a grade in the
course if much of the semester has been missed. It is your responsibility to sign the attendance
daily. If you fail to sign the attendance, it will be counted as an absence. No changes will be made to
attendance after it has been collected for the day. You may only sign your name. If you sign someone
else’s name, you will lose all attendance points. There is NO need to inform the instructor of an
absence, unless it is deemed excused. Excused absence documentation must be turned in within one
week of the absence. Class work is still due on due dates. In class or graded assignments cannot be
made up if absent. Students who attend class typically get higher scores on exams than those who
do not attend class regularly. Thus, it is to your benefit to attend class. Any material covered in
class may be on the exams. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get class notes or
announcements from a fellow class member.
WORKLOAD POLICY. This class is a 3 credit course. Typically this is defined as 3 contact hours
plus 6 additional hours of work outside of class per week for an average student to achieve an
average grade in the course. Respectively, your instructor has allocated 6-8 hours of material
(including weekly readings, and assignments) to be covered by you outside of class per week. So
please plan accordingly!
WEEKLY PREPARATION. Before each class meeting, you are expected to have 1) read the assigned
readings and 2) completed any class or homework assignments. A reflection of you not reading will
cause you to take pop quizzes.
OFFICE HOURS. My regular office hours will be Tuesday 1pm-3pm, Wednesday 1-3pm, and
Thursday
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2:30pm – 4:30pm. Other meeting times can be arranged by appointment. You are invited and
indeed strongly encouraged to make use of these office hours and appointments. You may also feel
free to stop by my office anytime; you will be welcome, although an appointment will ensure my
undivided attention. If at anytime during the course you need help or special consideration regarding
any subject, please do not hesitate to speak with me.
E-MAIL. The use of e-mail and the Internet has gone beyond being merely fun and/or convenient.
Information technologies have become routine tools for learning. It is imperative that you learn to
use e-mail, the Internet, and general computing (word-processing, graphics, and database
management) as part of your college education. Accordingly, you must have an e-mail account
and check it (and the course webpage) regularly. I will be communicating with you via e-mail from
time to time, and delivering assignments and handouts by way of the course webpage. I will hand-out
"hardcopies" of lecture materials in class only if the campus server goes down for an extended period
or if they are needed within short notice. Our course webpage can be accessed using BlackBoard
(http://www.blackboard.american.edu).
In the event that you need to contact me via e-mail, please include “PSYC 235-002” and the title of
the email (e.g., homework question, attendance) in the subject line. For example, the subject line may
read “PSYC 235-002– Attendance.” I will respond to e-mail requests within 48 hours during the
work week (excluding weekends and holidays). It is critical that you include the section number of
the course you attend, so I know specifically which course and topic is being discussed. Email
without correct subject heading will NOT receive a response.
WEATHER: In the event of severe inclement weather, the University will operate on its normal
schedules unless the Chancellor (or appropriate designee) publicly announces otherwise. Faculty,
students, and staff are expected to use personal judgment concerning travel safety when the weather
is inclement. In the event of extreme emergency conditions, every possible effort will be made to
communicate procedures to be followed by the University community. Call telephone number
(202-885-1100) and a recorded announcement will answer inquiries regarding the status of
campus conditions during inclement weather.
Timely Completion of Assignments:
It is essential for prospective mental health professionals to develop efficient planning skills, and the
ability to manage their personal and professional activities with attention to schedules and due dates.
You should type all assignments, double-spacing with 1" margins, in type and font similar to 12-point
New Times Roman, with the exception of in-class work. Unstapled assignments will not be
accepted.
Assignments are due at the beginning of class on each Due Date. To emphasize the
importance of effective planning and management, any assignment submitted after the
Due Date (regardless of the reason) will receive a grade reduction of 25 points. All late
assignments will be due (NO LATER THAN) one week after original due date. If the
assignment is not turned in on the late date it will receive 0 points. Late Assignments are
defined as assignments that are turned in after the class period in which the assignment is due (i.e.
after class) - if you are late, so is your assignment. Graded assignments missed because of an excused
absence may be made up only with my approval.
Your homework is often the topic of class discussion. Students with unusual attendance problems
(e.g., athletic team travel, hospitalizations, jury duty, etc.) should consult with me regarding special
arrangements for making-up missed classes and assignments. You need to type your name,
section number (PSYC 235-002), due date, and the assignment title on every paper you turn
in. Lack of proper heading will be a five (5) point deduction.
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Read assignments and rubrics thoroughly. If you have questions, pose them before the assignment is
due. After grading, scores will not be changed. If there is a legitimate discrepancy, you have one
week (7 days) after assignment has been returned to you to follow up. There are high expectations on
every assignment you turn in. My expectation is that you can articulate your assignments using the
content that you have learned in class. Spelling and grammar is critical when communicating on
paper. Your writing should demonstrate college level proficiency. You will have 2 spelling/ grammar
errors allotted to you without penalty. Two or more will cause a two-point deduction for each
additional spelling/grammar error. Emailed assignments are prohibited. Printing problems occur,
but they are your responsibility. There are computer/printing labs around the campus. See
http://www.library.american.edu/about/labs.html for a list of available computer laboratories.
READINGS AND ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES REQUIRED READINGS.
The required textbook is listed above and may be ordered online from the University bookstore or a
number of other online vendors. The vast majority of the assigned readings will come from the
textbook. In some cases additional readings will be assigned and will be located in BlackBoard under
course documents. It is required that each student read the assigned readings before attending class.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS. Supplemental readings are offered as optional sources that provide
greater depth regarding their respective topics and that served as key sources in the preparation of
class lectures.
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES. From time to time I will upload supplemental
lecture content to BlackBoard that will serve as an additional instructional resource. These resources
may include but are not limited to organizational charts and class handouts.
COURSE WEBPAGE (BLACKBOARD)
The course webpage (blackboard.american.edu) contains this syllabus in its most current form,
course grades, additional and supplemental readings, and other noteworthy information for the
course, including but not limited to the following: midterm and final reviews, announcements, and
homework assignments. If you experience problems with the webpage, please contact the instructor
immediately.
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE: All cell phones, pagers, two-ways and other electronic devices should
be turned off during class sessions unless they are being used as a learning tool.
Course Assignments
Changes to assignments may be made at professor’s discretion. Students will be notified soon
thereafter.
Exams: There will be three (3) non-cumulative exams. Material from all aspects of class (lectures,
discussion, small group activities, presentation, readings, and movies) may appear on an exam.
Exam dates are listed on the course schedule/calendar.
Self Application Writing: To encourage your application of personality concepts to your life
experiences, I will give you 4 essay questions throughout the course that will help you relate the
theories to your own personality development. Essays should be 2 -3 pages typed double
spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins. See grading rubric for point allocation and expectations for
papers.
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Peer Personality Interview/Paper: Students are to identify one (1) peer to interview for this
assignment. The peer does not have to be member of this class. A list of suggested questions to ask
your peer is listed at the end of the course calendar. Students are to write 4-5 typed pages,
double spaced, 12 font, 1 inch margins of their findings. Students should summarize the peer’s
personality, explain and critically conceptualize their peer’s personality within a theoretical
framework. State your position regarding the paradigm’s ability to adequately or inadequately
understand your peer’s experiences. Identify any areas that the theory fails to take into account. See
grading rubric for point allocation and expectations for paper.
Facilitators: Topic questions are presented throughout your syllabus that relate to the theorist
presented each week. Facilitators are charged with the task of summarizing the question at hand,
engaging peers on topic area, and presenting substantive information. No notes, powerpoints,
handouts, or writings are required. However, it is imperative for students to summarize the issue at
hand, provide insightful and novel detail, pose questions and facilitate discussion among their peers.
Class Attendance/Participation: You are expected to attend all class meetings. Attendance will
be taken in some form at each class meeting. Students who attend class typically get higher scores on
exams than those who do not attend class regularly. Thus, it is to your benefit to attend class. Any
materials covered in class may be on the exams. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get
class notes or announcements from a fellow class member. It is important to note that I will
consider attendance in the calculation of borderline final grades and I reserve the right to make a 5%
grade deduction in final grades for more than 4 absences.
Course Policies
Respect: You will engage in a group project, class discussions, and active learning activities with
your fellow class members, so please be respectful and considerate of everyone in class including the
instructor. There will be respect given for all varieties of diversity that include but are not limited to
race, ethnicity, language, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. Respect
also includes turning off all cell phones or any other electronic devices that could disrupt class
Make-up exams: There are NO make-up exams. If you miss class during an exam, you will
receive a ZERO for that exam. Excused absences will only be granted for circumstances that are
viewed by the instructor as extraordinary (e.g., death of a family member, severe illness).
Documentation of this extraordinary circumstance will be part of the instructor’s decisionmaking process. Individuals who are granted an excused absence for missing class during an exam
will be required to take a more difficult exam.
Academic Integrity: I take plagiarism and academic dishonesty very seriously, and I am required to
report cases to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, whose policy is to fail students for the
course. Please read the university's Academic Integrity Code closely, and be sure to ask me if you
have any questions. The code is available online at
http://www.american.edu/academics/integrity/index.htm.
In writing papers, you must properly cite all sources (1) directly quoted, (2) paraphrased, or (3)
consulted in any fashion. Sources include all printed material as well as the Internet. Proper citation
means using a standard citation format: MLA, APA, or Chicago. Quoted and paraphrased material
should be “sandwiched,” a clear beginning and ending to the material should be indicated by
quotation marks, or in paraphrases, by the source name at the beginning and the citation at the end.
It is also considered plagiarism if you merely rework source material, placing an author's thoughts in
other words without contributing your own ideas. For that reason, you must include some form of
source note whenever drawing on someone else's interpretation. A source note can be a sentence or
more in your paper, or it can be a footnote. A source note should clarify the extent to which your
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interpretation is indebted to your source, explaining both (1) what you use and (2) where you depart
or differ from the source.
It is also considered plagiarism to submit drafts, response papers, and other informal assignments
without properly citing sources and acknowledging intellectual debts. Failure for the course is the
typical sanction in such cases.
You must receive prior permission from me if you want to submit a paper or part of a paper that you
have written for a previous class. I expect all work that you do on homework, on take-home exams,
and on in-class exams to be your own work. Consulting with and sharing answers with other
students violates the Academic Integrity Code, so too does consulting outside resources such as
notes, textbooks, and the Internet.
Request for accommodations: Any student who requires accommodations should speak with the
instructor after the first class meeting. Accommodations will be made for those students who
have documentation from the Student Support Services Office.
Syllabus Changes: I reserve the right to make modifications to this syllabus. Should this
occur you will be notified.
GRADING:
Your final course grade will be based on the 3 exams, 4 application writings, 1 peer personality
interview, and in-class participation/attendance.
Exam I
Exam II
Exam III
Peer Interview
Self Application Writings (4 @ 7.5% each)
Attendance/participation
GRADING SCALE:
93% - 100%
90% - 92.44%
87% - 89.44%
83% - 86.44%
80% - 82.44%
A
AB+
B
B-
15%
15%
15%
15%
30%
10%
77% - 79.44%
73% - 76.44%
70% - 72.44%
67% - 69.44%
60% - 66.44%
0% - 60%
C+
C
CD+
D
F
COURSE CALENDAR:
Week
1
2
Date
8/24
Topic
Welcome and Review of Syllabus
Assignment/Readings
8/27
Introduction to Personality Psychology/History and
Theory
What is personality?
If you developed a personality theory, what components would be
essential?
Freud
Chapter 1
8/31
6
Chapter 2
9/3
What was Freud’s early personally experience, cultural, and
intellectual background and professional training? How did these
manifest themselves in the development of psychoanalysis?
Revisiting Freud’s Famous Case Histories
Oedipus/Electra Complex; Defense Mechanisms
3
4
5
9/7
Labor Day Observance
9/10
9/14
Adler
Contrast Freud and Adler in terms of the individuals they were
Adler
How do healthy and unhealthy “striving for superiority”
differ?
9/17
Birth order…What does it tell us?
Jung
What are the primary tenets of Jung’s analytical psychology?
9/21
The Wizard of Oz
Reconsider the case of Little Hans and reinterpret it in
Jungian terms
Movie: Batman Returns
6
7
Handout
Application Paper DUE –
Recall your relationship with your
mother or father. How would
Freud’s theory explain this
relationship? Do you agree or
disagree with this assessment?
No Class
Chapter 3
Handout
Chapter 4
www.en.eikipedia.org/wiki/Little
Hans
Application Paper DUE - Describe
a series of your dreams, then
analyze them in Jungian terms
9/24
EXAM I (Chps. 2-4)
9/28
Horney
Chapter 5
10/1
Toward a psychology of women
Horney and feminine psychology: early feminism or
inherent differences?
Erickson
Examples and discussion of Erickson’s Stages of
Development
Handout
10/5
10/8
What are the tasks of your life now and what do you expect them to
be in ten year?
What are you major sources of identity?
As a young adult, how can you “fuse your identity with someone
else’s without losing” it?
Temperament
Do infants have a personality?
What sorts of activities during young childhood reveal
levels of self-control? Why this is important to parents
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Chapter 9
Article: Temperament and Personality in
Childhood
and how is it reflected in temperament?
8
9
10/12
Trait Theories
10/15
Allport
10/19
10/22
10
10/26
10/29
Handout
Complete online personality
assessment
Extra Credit - Reaction Paper Due
Chapter 13
Handout
Need of definiteness – How is the need for “definiteness” in
prejudiced people linked to their prejudice?
Eysenck, McCrae, & Costa
The Big Five
Chapter 14
Article: A Five-Factor Theory of
Personality – McCrae & Costa
Peer Personality Interviews Due
Cross –Cultural Perspectives on Adult Personality Trait
Development
Does culture influence personality traits? Are people from certain
cultures more or less likely, on average, to manifest particular
personality traits?
EXAM II (Chps. 5, 9, 13, 14)
Handout
Maslow
Does Maslow have the needs in the right order?
Chapter 10
Jonah Complex
Akeelah and the Bee
11
12
13
11/2
11/5
Positive Psychology
Application Paper DueConstruct your own psychological
hierarchy.
Handouts
11/9
Rogers
Chapter 11
11/12
Reconciling the ideal and actual self
Indicate the ways your self-concept is incongruent with your actual
experience of yourself.
Movie - Mean Girls
11/16
Skinner
Chapter 15
http://www.bfskinner.org/BFSkinner/Abo
utSkinner.html
11/19
How would you extinguish the attention-seeking behavior of a child?
Chapter 15
Movie – Slumdog Millionare
Defend “spanking” of children.
8
14
11/23
Bandura
Chapter 16
Little Albert
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Albert_experiment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt0ucxOrPQE
(youtube clip will be shown in class; no need to review
prior to class)
15
16
Application Paper DUE – Is
environment more powerful than
genetics? Provide evidence to
support your position
11/26
Thanksgiving Break
No Class
11/30
Bandura
Handout
12/3
12/10
Self-efficacy maintained in the face of defeat: Resilience
Personality Theory Debates
FINAL EXAM
EXAM III (Chps. 10, 11, 15, 16)
11:20am – 1:50pm
Test Sites:
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm - Myers-Briggs test
http://www.personalitytest.net/ipip/ipipneo1.htm personality factors / - Costa and
McCrae
http://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/ - Big Five Personality Test
Suggested questions for peer interview:
1. How would you describe your personality?
2. Describe a relationship in your life that you feel is or has been a positive influence
on you.
3. Describe a relationship in your life that has been challenging. How did you
handle these challenges?
4. Describe your relationship with your parents/guardian.
5. What makes you happy? Sad? Disappointed?
6. What is most important to you at this time in your life?
7. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 20 year? 30 years?
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PSYC 235-002
Assignment Scoring Rubrics
Application Paper #1__
Points
1. Description of relationship with parent/caretaker 5
______
2. Freud’s analysis of relationship
5
______
3. Support for or against analysis
5
______
4. Use and accurate application of theoretical terms 5
______
5. Quality of writing (grammar, syntax, etc.)
______
5
Total____/25
Application Paper # 2
Points
1. Summary of dream
5
_____
2. Application of theory to dream concepts
10
_____
3. Use and accurate application of theoretical terms 5
______
4. Quality of writing (grammar, syntax, etc.)
______
5
Total ____/25
Application Paper # 3
Points
1. Description of personal hierarchy
10
______
2. Rationale of concepts developed
5
______
3. Clarity of concepts/ideas
5
______
4. Quality of writing (grammar, syntax, etc.)
5
______
10
Total__/25
Application Paper # 4
Points
1. Clear statement of position
5
______
2. Theory to support position
10
______
3. Accurate use of theoretical terms
5
______
4. Quality of writing (grammar, syntax, etc.)
5
______
Total___/25
Sparker
Points
1. Summary of topic
10
_______
2. Novel information/detail
5
_______
3. Sparked discussion
5
_______
4. Interactive presentational style
5
_______
Total ____/10
Peer Personality Interview
Points
1. Summary of peer personality
15
______
2. Identify traits/results of peer interview
15
______
3. Critical conceptualization of peer personality
based on theory
20
______
4. State position on theory – agree or disagree
15
_______
5. What does assessment fail to take into account?
20
______
6. Quality of writing (grammar, syntax, etc.)
15
_______
Total____/100
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