Psychology 305A:
Personality Psychology
September 5
Lecture 1
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Muhammad Ali, 1942 2
John Lennon, 1940 - 1980
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Karla Homolka, 1970 4
Course syllabus
• Please read the course syllabus thoroughly.
• Your support team: Sunaina Assanand, Boaz Saffer,
Sam Rumak, Austin Lee, Gordon Yung.
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• Course description: Eight theoretical perspectives on
personality.
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Trait
Biological
Psychoanalytic
Psychosocial
Learning
Cognitive
Motive
Self-actualization/determination
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• Course format:
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Lectures.
Activities.
Discussion.
Readings.
Three case studies, each scheduled before an exam,
opportunity for review: Jeffrey Dahmer, Adolf Hitler,
Malcolm X.
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• Course website: http://www.psych.ubc.ca/~assanand.
Password: 305psychology.
Slides will be posted after class.
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• Textbook: Carver, S. C., & Scheier, M. F. (2012).
Perspectives on Personality.
Purchase the 7th edition.
“Access card” provides access
to a study guide. Optional.
In the event of discrepancies,
rely upon class material.
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• Evaluation:
 Exams:
3 x 33.3% each (without paper); 3 x 25% (with paper).
Multiple choice/open-ended extended response questions.
Non-cumulative.
Material presented in lecture and textbook.
 Paper:
Optional.
25%.
Psychobiography.
Up to three theories of personality; self, family member,
friend, public figure, fictional character.
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 In the event of illness, please notify me within 24 hours
of an exam or the paper due date. After 24 hours, “0”
on the exam and paper not accepted.
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• Peer mentor program:
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Optional tutorial sessions, led by peer mentors.
Discuss questions in small and large groups.
Submit questions of concern or interest ahead of time.
Assess, explore, collaborate!
Dates and times TBA.
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• Participation:
 Strongly encouraged and appreciated.
 Respect classmates’ efforts to contribute to class
discussion.
 Refrain from dominating discussion.
 Positive and informative classroom environment.
• The “?” bag:
 Questions, suggestions, comments.
 Anonymous.
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• Missed classes and student contacts (spaces provided
in syllabus):
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Name?
Year of study?
Major?
Hometown?
Reasons for enrolling in Psychology 305A?
Interests and concerns related to this course?
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• Laptop use: If used for inappropriate activities in class
(e.g., “surfing”), sit in back three rows of classroom.
• Requests for adjustment of grades and academic
concession:
 Within 4 weeks of posting of grades.
 For medical, emotional, or personal problems, contact me
before exam dates and paper due date.
 No accommodations after exams or paper submission.
 No changes in relative weight of course requirements or
points added to increase final standing.
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• Psychology Department’s policy on distribution of
grades: For 300-level courses, required mean=66-70%,
SD=13%.
• Withdrawal dates: September 17 (no “W”), October 11
(with “W”).
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Questions, concerns,
comments?
Let’s begin!
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Introductory Concepts
1. What is personality?
2. Why study personality?
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Learning Objectives
• A list of the knowledge or abilities that you should acquire
from the information discussed in each class period.
• Use as a diagnostic tool to monitor your progress.
• Create essay questions from the learning objectives to
assess your mastery.
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• Learning objectives are not presented in the textbook.
Consider constructing learning objectives for each
section of the textbook (e.g., what should I take away
from this section?).
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By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:
1. define the term “personality.”
2. identify the goals of personality psychology.
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What is personality?
• Class Exercise:
Question: What is personality?
Answer: Personality is ….
Psychology 305
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• Carver and Scheier (p. 4): “Personality is a dynamic
organization, inside the person, of psychophysical
systems that create the person’s characteristic
patterns of behavior, thoughts, and feelings.”
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• Noteworthy points about this definition:
1. “psychophysical”
2. “dynamic”
3. “organization”
4. “create”
5. “characteristic patterns”
6. “behavior, thoughts, and feelings”
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Why study personality?
• Personality psychology has three goals:
1. Descriptive goal.
2. Explanatory goal.
3. Predictive goal; particularly relevant to applied
(e.g., clinical, military, corporate) settings.
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By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:
1. define the term “personality.”
2. identify the goals of personality psychology.
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