Chapter 12 Personality Steven Isonio, Ph.D.

Golden West College Personality Psychology--Describing and Explaining Individual Differences Causes: Biology (temperament--sensation-seeking; novelty; potency, etc.; human nature) E perience (!amily, society, culture, peers "o stu#y: Correlational stu#ies Case stu#y $ntervie%s; personality measures &evelopmental #esigns Defining Personality

'ersonality is the composite o! thoughts, !eelings, attitu#es, an# (ehaviors that characteri)e an in#ivi#ual across situations an# over time. *ta(le in#ivi#ual #i!!erences. Personality -Ele!ents of the Definition and I!plicit "ssu!ptions Personality is a co!posite construct--entailing behavioral and psychological aspects# "n individual$s personality is stable over ti!e and consistent across situations#

Personality is patterned%organi&ed in discernible 'ays# (o!e Classic Definitions )Personality is the dyna!ic organi&ation 'ithin the individual of those psychophysical syste!s that deter!ine his uni*ue ad+ust!ents to his environ!ent#) ALLPORT, 1937 )Personality is that 'hich per!its a prediction of 'hat a particular person 'ill do in a given situation#) CATTELL, 19 ! ,yer$s Definition

Personality =

Characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting. " +,-. history Personality psychology has a very long history# -u!an beings first noted individual differences long ago# Interest in describing and explaining these differences also has a long history# ,any pre-scienti!ic .theories/ have been developed# (o!e Pre-scientific 0ie's of Personality Astrology

Phrenology

Palmistry Graphology Somatotyping Others . . .

Astrology Personality is correlated with the arrangement of planets and constellations at the time of ones birth. Astrology is a complex typology, but has received virtually no empirical support. Classic demo . . . ,y .horoscope/ for a recent day 1alancing the chec2boo2 has never been at the top of your top ten list of favorite activities3 but 'hen that or any other chore needs to be done3 you do it -- albeit reluctantly# 4his is one of those ti!es# 4ravel3 dealing 'ith foreign countries3 publishing !atters3 the !edia and higher education are your focus# 4hese are all areas that intrigue you# 5et a'ay for pleasure3 if you can# Publishing loo2s profitable# Don6t cause yourself to be in danger# 1e careful of 'here you go today# Privately you !ay be upset about so!ething3 but you 'ear a s!ile nonetheless# 7our char! 'ins the support of others# ,a2e each action today your best and the end result is often success# It6s a good day to be li2e the &ebra 'hose 8utterly fabulous stripes actually help it blend in and run 'ith the herd# En+oy ca!araderie and the ease that co!es fro! going 'ith the flo'# Phrenology Phrenology asserts a relationship bet'een the shape of one$s s2ull and personality characteristics# 1rain areas associated 'ith the characteristics are .exercised/ and therefore cause a discernible bulge# Phrenology has long since been refuted# Pal!istry 9ne$s uni*ue traits 8as 'ell as one$s future can be read fro! the pal! of the hand# 4his is a variation on the the!e that there are reliable relationships bet'een physical characteristics and personality traits# If Interested: 5raphology 85raphoanalysis Describe and !easure personality based on hand'riting# ;uestionable validity#

<or exa!ple3 the follo'ing =t$ and $d$ for!s are said to be indicative of the trait of .stubbornness/# (o!atotyping The view that general body shape is correlated with personality (work of William Sheldon). ectomorph=thin frail! passive impotent

mesomorph=m"sc"lar powerf"l! assertive endomorph=pl"mp soft! kind #olly The model has never received empirical s"pport ,odern (o!atotyping Contemporary /o#els o! 'ersonality ,odern ,odels of Personality "rait 'sycho#ynamic00 1umanistic Cognitive-Behavioral 2Biological 4he 4rait Perspective 4he focus of the trait approach is the description and !easure!ent of separate di!ensions along 'hich individuals differ# 4hese are .traits/# 4he Psychodyna!ic Perspective 4he i!portance of unconscious processes and the influence of early childhood experiences are e!phasi&ed# >ey psychological dyna!ics belo' the surface of consciousness shape our personality and can lead to psychopathology# 4he -u!anistic Perspective The self and a person s !ni"!e "!alities are emphasi#ed in this typically optimistic $ie% of h!man personality. People stri$e for f!lfillment and act!ali#ation. &hat o'stacles m!st they o$ercome( Cognitive *ocial-+earning 'erspective ,ost critical: -o' 'e think a(out ourselves and others# Psychological processes including expectancies3 self-efficacy3 social learning are central concepts# Personality reflects conclusions 'e !a2e about ourselves as a result of interacting 'ith others# Theoretical Orientations)) a closer look 4rait " trait is a relatively stable3 enduring tendency to behave in a certain 'ay# It !anifests itself consistently in the actions of a person# 4hese are unit descriptors such as co!petent3 assertive3 cold3 curious3 helpful3 2ind3 disorgani&ed3 distant3 fair3 ruthless3 forceful3 ti!id3 cheerful3 confident3 interested3 li2eable3 neat3 open3 etc# <or you to thin2 about # # # Construct a list of traits that you believe co!prise personality# -o' !any can you thin2 of? Do they see! to fall into categories? @hat does this say about the trait approach to personality?

E"#l$ T#"it Theo#ies .or#on 3llport found over 1A3BBB trait descriptive ad+ectives in the English language

"fter re!oving obvious duplications3 the list contained about C3DBB trait 'ords Clearly3 they are not all e*ually i!portant or co!!on# -o' best to categori&e the!?

"llport$s suggestion: Categories of traits Cardinal traits-'hen present3 these define the entire personality3 e#g#3 %"#ing as a cardinal trait of ,other 4eresa# 8Eot everyone has a cardinal trait# Central traits-exert broad influence on one$s personality3 although not as co!pletely so as 'ith cardinal traits3 e#g#3 Fohn is a &"#' person# Peripheral traits-are the large collection of particular3 !ore focused tendencies 'ithin a personality--part of the overall collage3 e#g#3 (ue is ()n%t)"l# <actor "nalytic "pproaches to 9rgani&ing 4raits 4hese use co!plex statistical procedures to group !any trait !easures into larger3 !ore general factors# (pecific traits that are highly correlated are grouped together# 4he B$. 45E*"$,-*: -o' !any funda!ental factors co!prise personality?? @hat are they?? One Factor Analytic Model: Cattell s *+ pf ,personality factors 4EE of Cattell$s 1G personality factors reserved - outgoing less%!ore intelligent practical - i!aginative relaxed - tense self-assured - apprehensive serious - happy-go-luc2y trusting - suspicious conservative - experi!enting group oriented - self-sufficient expedient -conscientious 4he current vie' B$. <ive Personality <actors 8,cCrae H Costa

)Deeper causal analyses Ithan oursJ !ay see2 to account for the structure of personalityK but the structure that !ust be explained is3 for no'3 best represented by the *ive+*"%to# 'odel#/ L#L#,cCL"E H P#4#C9(4"3 1MAG 4he 1I5 five 8N intelligence

.ntelligence = general intelligence /motionality ,ne!roticism- = moody, insec!re, an0iety vs calm, sec!re, sta'le /0tra$ersion = energy, acti$e, f!n)lo$ing vs intro$ersion, so'er, reser$ed Conscientio!sness = control, caref!l, thoro!gh vs imp!lse, cas!al, disorgani#ed

1iagreea'leness = will, independence vs s!'d!edness, passi$ity, affa'ility

Openness = imaginati$e, idealism, original vs to!gh)mindedness, cynicism, narro% interests 4he 1I5 <ive ,odelO 1roadly "pplicable3 Lobust .4he 1I5 <ive factors e!erge *uite consistently in different populations of individuals3 including children3 college students3 older adults3 and spea2ers of different languages# <urther!ore3 cross-cultural research conducted in countries as diverse as Canada3 <inland3 Poland3 and the Philippines is also supportive#/ Evaluation o! the Big 6ive: 4hese traits are considerably stable3 'ell into adulthood 8consistency over ti!e -eritability is approxi!ately DBP 8significant genetic co!ponent 5ro'ing evidence indicates that these traits apply 'ell cross-culturally# "pplications of the 1ig <ive ,any clinicians are using the 1ig <ive as a fra!e of reference for understanding clients and outlining a direction for therapy# 9ther: (elf-insight3 find a friend%spouse3 etc# Personality "ssess!ent Intervie's and observations

Pro+ective techni*ues

9b+ective tests Intervie's and 9bservations Intervie's goal is to gather infor!ation about the intervie'ee$s personality through as2ing *uestions structured or unstructuredK self or others 9bservation direct behavioral observation structured evaluation of behavior of the client Pro+ective tests

4he person being assessed responds to a!biguous sti!uli by pro+ecting his%her o'n issues%needs onto the sti!uli# (coring by expertsK sub+ective Pro+ective 4ests Concept of pro+ection # # # Exa!ples:

Inco!pete sentences 8e#g#3 .I a! QQQQQQQ#/ 9r3 .,y father QQQQQQQQQ#/ 4"43 Lorschach 8next t'o slides "hematic 3pperception "est ("3") Rorschach 2espondent descri'es %hat is seen in each of a series of symmetrical ink'lots. .n so doing, he3she pro4ects o%n $al!es, attit!des, needs5indeed personality. Evaluation of Pro+ective ,easures

Evaluation:

4he concept of pro+ection has so'e validity3 but the tendency to do so is 'ea2 and inconsistent# 0ery costly3 ti!e-consu!ing 5enerally lo' #eli",ilit$ and v"lidit$ 7et3 still used by so!e traditionalists ,(7ective for!at 4ests: (ub+ects typically respond to a series of ite!s 'hich have a fixed set of ans'ers# Easily%ob+ectively scoredK su!!ative scoring# Can be *uite reliable# 7et3 are sub+ect to response sets3 e#g#3 social desirability3 extre!ity%.fence-sitting/3 etc# 9b+ective ,easures of Personality

Exa!ples:

,,PI-2 Cattell$s 1GP< 1e! (cale 4he ,innesota ,ultiphasic Personality Inventory 8,,PI-2 ,any scales%di!ensionsK clinical e!phasis: e#g#3 !asculinity%fe!ininity3 depression3 social introversion3 psychopathic deviance3 etc# sa!ple ite!s: I 'ould li2e to be a !echanic I have ene!ies 'ho really 'ish to har! !e I have never indulged in any unusual sex practices ,y sto!ach fre*uently bothers !e "lso contains validity scales: lie3 confusion3 defensiveness3 .cannot say/ 1e! (cale-exa!ple of an ob+ective !easure of personality

Late yourself using Ri2ert scale for ite!s in left colu!n 8self-reliant thru conventional (u!3 as directed 8ho' to on next slide

Plot your scoresK interpret -o* %o)#se, &ith the *)ll s%"le++,oth %ol)'ns &o)ld ,e )sed to $ield "n even 'o#e #eli",le 'e"s)#e.

Deriving scores fro! left colu!n of 1e! (cale:

(u! together: 1st and Cth rating fro! each bloc2 8.,-score/ 2nd and Dth rating fro! each bloc2 8.<-score/

4his yields t'o scores3 each 'ith a possible range of values fro! 1B to SB# Scores on the Bem Scale Bem Scale ,easures psychological !asculinity% fe!ininity%androgyny Eo value +udg!entK +ust descriptive Illustrates ob+ective for!at of a personality !easure 4ypical of !ost !easures focused on a very specific trait%di!ension

0alidity evidenceOpredicts behavior *trengths an# 8eaknesses o! 9arious 6orms o! 'ersonality /easurement 6ormats 'ro7ective "ests - rich infor!ationK respondent is not constrainedK yet they are expensive and difficult to use3 probably not very reliable or valid3 despite 'hat so!e !ight thin2 ,(7ective "ests - easy and inexpensive to use3 !any ite!s to fully cover a construct3 tend to be !ore reliable and valid# (ub+ect to response sets and styles# Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis--this ter! enco!passes both the theory of personality and the for! of treat!ent developed by (ig!und <reud# Psychoanalysis has had a profound effect on psychology in particular3 and society in general# >ey <reudian Concepts: 5nconscious ter! used to describe the thoughts3 feelings3 'ishes and !otives that exist belo' our level of a'areness3 but 'hich nevertheless exert a profound influence on our behavior and develop!ent# *tructure /h$(otheti%"l %onst#)%ts0

*tructure o! personality Id T pri!itive part of personality3 operates according the pleasure principle Ego T partly conscious3 represents rational aspect3 operates according to the reality principle (uperego T the conscience3 reflects the unrealistic ego ideal of perfect obedience Psychosexual (tages

'sychose ual #evelopment psychic energy 8libido 3 focuses at different points on the body at various ti!es during develop!ent# -o' it is dealt 'ith contributes to the developing personality# "dult personality can reflect fixations at earlier stages# 'sychose ual Develop!ent

Psychic energy3 fro! physiological processes3 is focused at different locations of the body at various stages of develop!ent# -o' this is handled relates to personality develop!ent# 4he role of FIXATION <reud believed that psychic energy can beco!e stuck at earlier stages of develop!ent# @hen this happens to a great degree3 it is said that the person is .fixated/ at that earlier stage# <reudian Psychoanalysis-4he i!portance of early experiences 9ur developing personality is !olded by early experiences relating to our response to physiologically-based psychic energy 8libido # <reudian Psychosexual (tages 8personality develop!ent 9ral stage 8B-2 receives gratification through oral activities3 such as suc2ing3 babbling3 and feeding# "nal stage 82-U 'or2s to gain control over bo'els and bladder3 in response to de!ands of society and o'n need for autono!y# Phallic stage 8U-S learns about !ale-fe!ale differences and beco!es a'are of sexuality# Interest in opposite-sex parent# Castration anxietyK penis envy# Ratency stage 8S-11 sexual urges are relatively *uiet# 5enital stage 811-adult learns to deal 'ith the opposite sex in !ature 'ays# 9ral (tage and the <reudian concept of infantile sexuality
No one who has seen a baby sin ing bac satiated from the breast and falling asleep with flushed chee s and a blissful smile can escape the reflection that this picture persists as a prototype of the expression of sexual satisfaction in later life.! ++Sigmund Freud

1an#ling 3n iety an# "ension-Ego &e!ense /echanisms "nxiety and tension result fro! pressure to ac2no'ledge or accept socially undesirable thoughts and !otives# 4he ego3 threatened by this anxiety3 uses a variety of !echanis!s in order to .defend/ itself# 4he particular !echanis!s used by an individual help shape personality# 4hey include: (o!e <reudian &e!ense /echanisms Denial - refusal to accept infor!ation that is anxiety-provo2ing Lepression - unacceptable urges%thoughts are pushed do'n out of conscious a'areness Displace!ent - <eelings and thoughts are redirected to .safe targets/ Legression - 1ehavior and thoughts are characteristic of an earlier stage of develop!ent (ubli!ation - unacceptable i!pulses are transfor!ed into socially acceptable for!s Evaluating Psychodyna!ic 4heories 4he theory is based pri!arily on retrospective reports by patients# ,ost of the theory is untestable 8 T prescientific?? # "tte!pts to validate aspects of the theory have generally failed# "spects of the theory can be appropriately characteri&ed as sexist#

Eevertheless3 the i!pact of psychodyna!ic theory on psychology and society has been profound# Humanistic Theories Carl Logers A%t)"li1ing Tenden%$ . # # # each person is as2ing3 @ho a! I3 really? -o' can I get in touch 'ith this real self3 underlying all !y surface behavior? -o' can I beco!e !yself?/ 8Logers3 1MG1 Pe#son"lit$ is the '"ni*ested ,$+(#od)%t o* " (e#son2s e**o#ts to "ns&e# these 3)estions. This e**o#t is th&"#ted ,$ %onditions o* &o#th (l"%ed on so'eone *#o' o)tside. It %"n ,e *"%ilit"ted ,$ "n e4(#ession o* )n%ondition"l (ositive #eg"#d. "braha! ,aslo' Personality reflects efforts to !eet needs# Eeeds can be organi&ed according to a set hierarchy# Individual differences reflect the needs%drives that are predo!inant in a particular person$s life# Organization of Motives Abraham Maslow described a hierarchy in 'hich physical needs are foundational3 follo'ed by safety needs3 affiliation3 estee!3 and then actuali&ation needs# 4he pre!ise is that the foundational needs !ust be ade*uately !et before one can address the higher needs -u!anistic Personality 4heories

Personality is a reflection of the progress one has made at striving toward actualization, as well as strategies employed to cope with obstacles. E.g., so'eone &ho is (#eo%%)(ied &ith s"tis*"%tion o* ,"si% needs &ill h"ve li'ited develo('ent o* sel*+estee', "estheti%, "nd so%i"l "s(e%ts o* his (e#son"lit$. Evaluating -u!anistic 4heories of Personality -u!anistic theories of personality have been critici&ed as being too opti!istic#

,any of the theoretical tenets are not a!enable to testing# 4he theories generally lac2 scientific rigor# @hile they vary greatly in descriptive value and apparent insight3 the validity of hu!anistic theories re!ains unconfir!ed# Cognitive *ocial-+earning "heories 4he Cognitive-(ocial Rearning Perspective -ere3 the e!phasis is on learning and conscious cognitive processes# Particularly i!portant are beliefs about the self3 goal-setting3 and self-regulation# 4hat is3 our future behavior is a result of 'hat 'e have learned in the past3 and ho' 'e thin2 about it# Cognitive%(ocial-Rearning 4heory->ey notions *el!-e!!icacy - our assess!ent of our o'n abilities and s2ills +ocus o! control - general belief that our behavior is directed pri!arily by either internal or external causes

E pectancies - based on personal learning history3 our beliefs about 'hat the future holds for us# 4hese tend to be self-fulfilling# Leciprocal Deter!inis! -u!an behavior and personality are caused by the interactive effects of behavioral3 cognitive3 and environ!ental influences# Exa!ple: 1andura: (elf-Efficacy 4heory Cognitions about oneself and one$s co!petence in a variety of contexts are !ain causes of behavior and deter!inants of personality# (ettings provide opportunities for self-cognitions to be confir!ed or disconfir!ed3 8e#g#3 .I did 'ell/3 or .I didn$t do 'ell#/ # 7et3 settings are often selected in order to validate one$s existing sense of self-efficacy# 8e#g#3 .I challenge !yself/ vs# .I shy a'ay fro! challenges#/ In these 'ays3 our personality is .'or2ed out/# 1iological Perspectives on Personality 4he core the!e is that biological tendencies are at the root of personality# 4e!pera!ent is an innate disposition that is present at birth# ,any traits have a relatively high heritability index3 e#g3 social potency stress reaction sensation-see2ing Personality Psychology-(u!!ary of Current Issues Personality Psychology -Roo2ing "head Personality and (ocial Psychology -- 4he !atrix to account for these very different sources of variation 'erson or *ituation:: )@ith the possible exception of intelligence3 highly generali&ed behavioral consistencies have not been de!onstrated3 and the concept o! personality traits as broad response dispositions is thus untena(le#) ,I(C-ER3 1MGA ,ischel$s co!!ent3 al!ost certainly an overstate!ent3 nevertheless correctly suggests that 'e !ust also attend to the po'er of the situation--this is social psychology#