1. Personality Chapter 13

2. What is Personality? A set of distinct and enduring characteristics. A set of distinct and enduring characteristics. A person’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting. A person’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting. “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” ~ Gandhi “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” ~ Gandhi

3. Classic Theories of Personality Psychoanalytical Theory: Sigmund Freud’s theory focused on how childhood sexuality and unconscious motivations influence personality. Psychoanalytical Theory: Sigmund Freud’s theory focused on how childhood sexuality and unconscious motivations influence personality. Humanistic Theory: Focused on our own inner capacities for growth and self fulfillment. Humanistic Theory: Focused on our own inner capacities for growth and self fulfillment.

4. Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory Basic assumption of Freud’s theory is that the mind is mostly hidden. Basic assumption of Freud’s theory is that the mind is mostly hidden. Freud likened the mind to an iceberg; Freud likened the mind to an iceberg; –Our conscious awareness floats above the surface –Our larger unconscious awareness is buried below; makes up unconscious thoughts, feelings, wishes, and memories. Can be conjured up through “free association” – therapeutic technique where you say whatever comes to mind. –Also believed there was a preconscious area that we could store thoughts for temporary retrieval.

5. Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory Freud’s focus was largely on the unconscious, which he believed we “repressed”, or forcibly block from our conscious thoughts because it would be to painful/disturbing to acknowledge. Freud’s focus was largely on the unconscious, which he believed we “repressed”, or forcibly block from our conscious thoughts because it would be to painful/disturbing to acknowledge. Believed that the unconscious is highly influential over many aspects of our lives. Believed that the unconscious is highly influential over many aspects of our lives. Nothing is accidental. Nothing is accidental.

6. Freud and Personality Believed personality is the result of our conflict between impulse and restraint. Believed personality is the result of our conflict between impulse and restraint. 3 parts 3 parts –Id: Unconscious psychic energy that strives to meet basic drives. Operates on the pleasure principle; seeking immediate gratification. –Ego: Largely conscious “executive” part of the personality. Operates on the reality principle; seeking to satisfy the id’s impulses in realistic ways. THE MEDIATOR –Superego: Represents internalized ideals and standards. Moral compass. Strives for perfection; can manifest as pride or guilt.

7. Freud’s Iceberg

8. Personality Development

9. All children pass through a series of psychosexual stages, during which the id’s pleasure seeking energies focus on certain erogenous zones. All children pass through a series of psychosexual stages, during which the id’s pleasure seeking energies focus on certain erogenous zones. During the phallic stage, boys develop unconscious sexual desires for their mother and jealousy towards the father. During the phallic stage, boys develop unconscious sexual desires for their mother and jealousy towards the father. –Oedipus Complex –Electra Complex – similar experience for young girls

10. Personality Development Children learn to cope with these forbidden feelings through repression of these thoughts and by identification “trying to become like” the rival parent. Children learn to cope with these forbidden feelings through repression of these thoughts and by identification “trying to become like” the rival parent. Unresolved conflicts at any stage could cause a person to become fixated or stuck at a stage. Unresolved conflicts at any stage could cause a person to become fixated or stuck at a stage.

11. Defense Mechanisms As the Ego tries to balance the conflict between the id and superego, anxiety is a result. As the Ego tries to balance the conflict between the id and superego, anxiety is a result. Freud theorized that we use defense mechanisms to reduce or redirect our anxiety. Freud theorized that we use defense mechanisms to reduce or redirect our anxiety.

12. Defense Mechanisms Repression: The underlying aspect of all defense mechanisms. Pushes anxiety arousing wishes into our unconscious. Repression: The underlying aspect of all defense mechanisms. Pushes anxiety arousing wishes into our unconscious. Regression: When anxious, the individual retreats to a more infantile stage or behavior (i.e. thumbsucking) Regression: When anxious, the individual retreats to a more infantile stage or behavior (i.e. thumbsucking) Reaction Formation: Unconsciously switching unacceptable impulses to their opposite (I love him = I hate him) Reaction Formation: Unconsciously switching unacceptable impulses to their opposite (I love him = I hate him)

13. Defense Mechanisms Projection: People disguise their own threatening impulses by attributing them to others (“The thief thinks everyone is a thief). Projection: People disguise their own threatening impulses by attributing them to others (“The thief thinks everyone is a thief). Rationalization: When people generate self justifying explanations to hide the real reasons behind their actions. (“It would be rude to turn down a drink”) Rationalization: When people generate self justifying explanations to hide the real reasons behind their actions. (“It would be rude to turn down a drink”) Displacement: diverting aggressive or sexual impulses to more acceptable places (kicking the dog instead of your mom) Displacement: diverting aggressive or sexual impulses to more acceptable places (kicking the dog instead of your mom) Denial: People refuse to believe something is true in order to protect themselves psychologically. Denial: People refuse to believe something is true in order to protect themselves psychologically.

14. Analysis of Freud Many Neo-Freudians agree with basic concepts of personality (id, ego, superego), importance of the unconsious, anxiety and defense mechanisms. Many Neo-Freudians agree with basic concepts of personality (id, ego, superego), importance of the unconsious, anxiety and defense mechanisms. Neo-Freudians tend to believe that childhood experiences are important, but place focus on social, not sexual tensions. Neo-Freudians tend to believe that childhood experiences are important, but place focus on social, not sexual tensions. Doubt sex and aggression were primary motivators. Doubt sex and aggression were primary motivators.

15. The Humanistic Perspective Humanistic Psychology became popular in the 1960’s. Humanistic Psychology became popular in the 1960’s. Basic tenets: Rather than focuses on Freud’s “sick” people, humanistic psychology focused on the ways “healthy” people strive for: Basic tenets: Rather than focuses on Freud’s “sick” people, humanistic psychology focused on the ways “healthy” people strive for: –Self determination –Self realization Abraham Maslow and Carl Rodgers were main theorists in Humanistic Psychology. Abraham Maslow and Carl Rodgers were main theorists in Humanistic Psychology. Central feature of personality is Self Concept: all the thoughts and feelings centered around “who am I?” Central feature of personality is Self Concept: all the thoughts and feelings centered around “who am I?”

16. Maslow and the Humanistic Perspective Maslow believed we are motivated by a hierarchy of needs, with the ultimate goal of self actualization: the process of fulfilling our potential. Maslow believed we are motivated by a hierarchy of needs, with the ultimate goal of self actualization: the process of fulfilling our potential. Maslow studied healthy, creative people and looked for people who had lived rich, productive lives. Maslow studied healthy, creative people and looked for people who had lived rich, productive lives. –Noted Lincoln, Jefferson, Eleanor Roosevelt

17. Maslow and the Humanistic Perspective Found certain characteristics in these people Found certain characteristics in these people –Self aware, self accepting –Open and spontaneous –Loving and caring –Not worried about others opinions –Few meaningful relationships rather than many superficial ones. –Interested are problem centered instead of self centered. –Had spiritual or personal “peak” experiences that surpassed ordinary consciousness.

18. Rogers and the Humanistic Perspective Believed that most people are primed for growth. Believed that most people are primed for growth. Believed that a growth promoting climate required 3 conditions Believed that a growth promoting climate required 3 conditions –Genuineness –Acceptance –Nurturing People nurture growth through People nurture growth through –Unconditional Positive Regard: an attitude of total acceptance towards another person –Empathy – sharing, mirroring and reflecting our feelings

19. The Trait Perspective Name some traits Name some traits What is a trait? What is a trait? –A characteristic pattern of behavior or disposition to feel or act. The Trait Perspective attempts to define personality in terms of enduring and stable behavior patterns. The Trait Perspective attempts to define personality in terms of enduring and stable behavior patterns.

20. The Trait Perspective Developed by Gordon Allport, who after interviewing Freud felt that psychoanalysis was too preoccupied with hidden motives. Developed by Gordon Allport, who after interviewing Freud felt that psychoanalysis was too preoccupied with hidden motives. Allport defined personality in terms of identifiable behavior patterns. Allport defined personality in terms of identifiable behavior patterns. –Less concerned with explaining traits than with describing them.

21. Assessing Traits Words that describe people – over 18,000! Words that describe people – over 18,000! Through factor analysis, research psychologists have been able to reduce variations to much smaller groupings Through factor analysis, research psychologists have been able to reduce variations to much smaller groupings –Eysenck –The Big 5 Factors

22. Esyneck

23. The Big 5 Factors

24. Are Traits really enduring? Person-Situation Controversy Person-Situation Controversy –Genuine personality traits that persist across and situation. –Behavior and Traits are different measures –High extraversion score does not guarantee person will be outgoing in all situations. Personality Traits become more stable as we age. Personality Traits become more stable as we age.

25. Social-Cognitive Perspective Proposed by Albert Bandura Proposed by Albert Bandura Emphasizes the interaction between our traits and our situations. Emphasizes the interaction between our traits and our situations. Focus on how we and our environment interact. Focus on how we and our environment interact.

26. Social-Cognitive Perspective Social Cognitive Perspective also emphasizes: Social Cognitive Perspective also emphasizes: Belief that we learn many of our behaviors through: Belief that we learn many of our behaviors through: –Conditioning –Observing and Modeling The importance of mental processes The importance of mental processes –What we think about our situation affects our behavior.

27. Social-Cognitive Perspective Reciprocal Determinism: our personalities are shaped by the interactions of our personal traits, our environment and our behaviors. Reciprocal Determinism: our personalities are shaped by the interactions of our personal traits, our environment and our behaviors.

28. Social-Cognitive Perspective Personal Control: whether we view ourselves as controlling or being controlled by our environment. Personal Control: whether we view ourselves as controlling or being controlled by our environment. –External Locus of Control: chance or outside forces determine our fate  Learned Helplessness –Internal Locus of Control: we control our own destiny