Personality (Chapter 13) Second Lecture Outline: Traits MMPI Social-Cognitive approaches

How would you describe your personality to someone? Please write down two traits you are high and low on How would your roommate (or friend’s) personality to someone? Please write down two more traits

Trait theory Nomothetic methods: Everyone has a set of common traits they can be judged on Trait: A consistent attribute that characterizes what a person is like Surface vs. Source traits: 16 PF Empirical approach of factor analysis: Grouping similar behaviors or surface traits to determine source traits

Depression I am worthless I am sad I feel guilty I have trouble sleeping My energy is gone Depression Sex doesn’t matter

Objective Tests of Personality Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) 550 T/F items 3 validity scales (L, K, & F) 10 clinical scales You add up items within a scale, and then compare them to a “normative sample” of repsonses Compare score: Are you significantly high or low, or somewhere in the middle “average range”

Validity Scales Lie scale: Are they paying attention Examples: “I breathe every day”. “I have never brushed my teeth”. “Sometimes I have seen a truck” “There is blood flowing out of my ears” Social desirability: Do they want to be seen favourably Examples: “I read the newspaper editorials every day” “I always give to charities” “I like everyone I know” “I never lie”

Normal curve of personality trait scores 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

MMPI Personality profiles Hypochondriasis Psychasthenia Schizophrenia Psychopathy Depression Androgeny Paranoia Hysteria Mania MMPI Personality profiles 80 70 60 50 40 30 20

A small number of constructs Eysenck: Three constructs dominate Extroversion: Social, gregarious Neuroticism: Moody, irritable Psychoticism: Uncaring, detached “Big Five”: Neuroticism Extroversion vs. Introversion Openness: Imaginative, curious Agreeableness: Good-natured, friendly Conscientiousness: Hard-working, reliable There are many self-report questionnaires

Other traits Sensation-seeking: Thrill seeking, sexually adventuresome, exotic foods, drug/alcohol use, addictive personality Climb a mountain, eat jalapeno’s, drink vodka, play poker, and have an orgy Self-esteem: Personal worth is a component of personality Cognitive style: Can you see multiple perspectives? This helps with coping

Heritability Temperament has continuity with adult personality Reactivity/ emotional regulation seems somewhat stable Heritability is only .40, however, and environment has a large influence on personality development (traumas, success) Family surprisingly not very important

Social-Cognitive Approaches Skinner: Personality shaped by reinforcement history Rotter: Meaning is given to environmental events Social learning is important to personality Internal vs. external locus of control Bandura: Personality X environment school motivation, parent reinforcement, go to college, achieve in work world

Schemas Self-schemas: Cognitive frameworks or knowledge about self serve as personality framework: What are you? Elaborate self-schemas is related to introspectiveness and private self-consciousness Overly elaborate self-schemas could reflect narcissism or ruminative self-absorbed anxiety

Personal Constructs: Kelly Personanality can be viewed in bipolar constructs On what dimensions do you judge people? Happy vs. Sad Socially entertaining vs. “wet blanket” Trustworthy vs. Liar People create their own dimensions to view the world: Idiographic methods

Cultural Influences Collectivist Individualistic Group harmony is more important than individual Self, individual rights are most important