Personality

The pattern of enduring

characteristics that
differentiate people –
those behaviors that
make each of us unique

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PERSONALITY
 Psychodynamic
Approaches to Personality

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 Psychoanalytic Approaches

Psychoanalytic theory

Freud’s theory that our behavior is triggered by forces within
personality of which we are not aware

Unconscious

A part of the personality of which a person is not aware

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 Structuring Personality

Id

Raw, unorganized, inborn part
of the personality

Libido

Psychic energy that fuels
primitive drives

Pleasure principle

Immediate reduction of
tension and the
maximization of satisfaction

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 Structuring Personality

Ego

Strives to balance the desires of the
id and the realities of the objective,
outside world

Reality principle

Instinctual energy is restrained in order
to maintain the safety of the individual
and help integrate the person into
society

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 Structuring Personality

Superego

The final personality structure to
develop that represents the rights and
wrongs of society as taught and
modeled by a person’s parents,
teachers, and other significant
individuals

Conscience

Prevents us from behaving in a morally
improper way

Ego-ideal

Represents the “perfect person” we wish
we were

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 Developing Personality

Fixation

Refers to conflicts or concerns that persist
beyond developmental period in which they first
occur

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 Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious strategies
that people use to
reduce anxiety by
concealing the source
from themselves and
others
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 The Neo-Freudian Psychoanalyst

Jung’s Collective Unconscious

A set of influences we inherit from our
own relatives, the whole human race,
and even nonhuman animal ancestors
from the distant past

Adler’s inferiority complex

Situations in which adults have not
been able to overcome the feelings of
inferiority that they developed as
children

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 Trait Approaches

Trait theory

Assumption that all
people possess certain
traits

Traits

Enduring dimensions of
personality
characteristics along
with which people differ

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 Allport’s Trait Theory

Cardinal trait

A single characteristic that directs most of a
person’s activities

Central trait

The major characteristic of an individual

Secondary trait

Characteristics that affect behavior in fewer
situations and are less influential than central or
cardinal traits

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 Trait Approaches

Cattell

Factor analysis

A method of summarizing
the relationships among a
large number of variables
into fewer, more general
patterns

Source traits

Represent the basic
dimensions of personality
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 Trait Approaches

Hans Eysenck

Extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism

The “Big Five”

Openness to experience

Conscientiousness

Extraversion

Agreeableness

Neuroticism

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 Learning Approaches

Social cognitive approaches

Emphasizes the influence of a person’s cognitions –
thoughts, feelings, expectations, and values – in
determining personality

Self-efficacy

Belief in one’s personal capabilities

Self-esteem

Component of personality that encompasses our
positive and negative evaluations

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 Biological and Evolutionary Approaches

Suggest that important

components of
personality are inherited

Temperament

A basic, innate disposition

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 Humanistic Approaches

Emphasize people’s basic goodness and their

tendency to grow to higher levels of functioning

Unconditional positive regard

An attitude of acceptance and respect on the part of
an observer, no matter what a person says or does

Self-actualization

A state of self-fulfillment in which people realize their
highest potential
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Psychosocial Development Erikson’s Theory

Psychosocial Development - Involves changes in our

interactions and understanding of one another as well as in
our knowledge and understanding of ourselves as
members of society

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Psychosocial Stages

Trust versus mistrust

Birth to 1 ½ years

Autonomy versus shame
and doubt

1 ½ to 3 years

Initiative versus guilt

3 to 6 years

Industry versus inferiority

6 to 12 years

ASSO. PROF. IAN T. ESPAÑOL/PSY

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Psychosocial Development Erikson’s
Theory

Identity versus role

confusion

Time of major testing, as
adolescents try to determine
what is unique and special
about themselves

Intimacy versus isolation

Developing close
relationships

ASSO. PROF. IAN T. ESPAÑOL/PSY

20 101 PERSONALITY
Psychosocial Development Erikson’s
Theory

Generativity versus
stagnation

Contributions to one’s family,
community, work, and society,
assisting the development of
the younger generation

Ego-integrity versus despair

Reviewing life’s successes and
failures

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Midlife transition

People may begin to question
their lives during their early
forties as the idea that their
life will end becomes
prominent

Midlife crisis

Feeling of dissatisfaction with
your life in the face of physical
aging

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 Assessing Personality

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 Assessing Personality

Psychological tests

Standard measures devised to assess
behavior objectively

Self-report measures

MMPI-2

A test used to differentiate people
with specific sorts of psychological
difficulties as well as predicting a
variety of other behaviors

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 Projective Methods

Projective personality
test

A test in which a person
is shown an ambiguous
stimulus and asked to
describe it or tell a
story about it

Rorschach test

TAT (Thematic
Apperception Test)

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 Behavioral Assessment

Direct measures of an
individual’s behavior used
to describe
characteristics indicative
of personality

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