PERSONALITY CHAPTER 11 MEYERS AND DEWALL

Transcription

1 PERSONALITY CHAPTER 11 MEYERS AND DEWALL

2 OVERVIEW Psychodynamic Theories Humanistic Theories Trait Theories Social-Cognitive Theories Exploring the Self

3 PERSONALITY Personality an individual s stable and enduring traits and patterns of behavior The individual difference variables that make you unique

4 PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Psychodynamic Theories our personality and behaviors develop from the interaction between the conscious and unconscious mind Sigmund Freud Freud s Unconscious Mind a deep well of unacceptable desires, thoughts, feelings, and memories that we actively try to block Psychoanalysis Freud s treatment methods focusing on how unconscious thoughts can lead to behavioral, health, and relationship problems Freud used hypnosis and free association to uncover unconscious mind

5 PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Freud s Personality Theory personality develops out of the struggle to resolve conflict between our impulsive urges and self-control Id well of unconscious energy that wants immediate gratification of basic survival drives, aggression, reproduction Ego mostly conscious mind that tries to realistically satisfy the Id s desires Superego the moral conscience that focuses on how we ought to feel and behave

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7 PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Psychosexual Development Freud s childhood stages where the Id s energies focus on various erogenous zones Oral Stage (0-18 months) pleasure comes from the mouth and lips- sucking, chewing Anal Stage (18-36 months) pleasure comes from bowel and bladder elimination Phallic Stage (3-6 years) pleasure is focused in genital areas Oedipus/Electra Complex sexual desire towards opposite sex parent and jealousy towards same sex parent Identification incorporating parents values and morals into identity and superego

8 Latency Stage (6 Puberty) dormant sexual feelings Genital Stage (Puberty -) maturing sexual feelings for others Fixation unresolved conflicts lead to a lingering focus on an earlier stage

9 PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Freudian Defense Mechanisms ego s self-protective strategies for reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality (Anna Freud) Repression banishing anxiety causing thoughts, feelings, and memories from conscious thoughts Regression retreating to an infantile psychosexual state Reaction Formation unconsciously switching unacceptable thoughts to their opposites Projection attributing one s own threatening impulses on to others Rationalization self-justifying explanations for negative behaviors Displacement shifting negative urges towards more acceptable or less threatening objects/people Denial refusing to believe anxiety inducing facts

10 PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Projective Tests personality tests that uncover unconscious feeling and/or beliefs Rorschach s Inkblot Test Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

11 CRITICISMS OF PSYCHODYNAMICS Too much focus on parental and psychosexual influences Personality development occurs over the lifespan not just childhood Repression rarely occurs Unconscious mind actively processes information

12 HUMANISTIC THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Humanistic Theories - focus on how healthy people develop, mature and reach their full potential Abraham Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs humans are motivated to achieve increasing physical and psychological needs Self-Actualization

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14 HUMANISTIC THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Carl Rogers Person-Centered Perspective people need healthy environments and peers to nurture their growth potential Self-concept thought and feelings about one s self Being Genuine to others Unconditional Positive Regard accepting others for who they are Be Empathic shared experience of another s emotions Humanistic theories are criticized for being biased toward the developer s personal role model and ignoring human capacity for evil

15 TRAIT THEORIES Trait Theories - focused on describing traits and using them to predict behaviors Attempt to identify factors or cluster of behavioral tendency the occur together Biology and Personality genetic factors influence traits and behaviors Han and Sybil Eysenck - developed a two-factor theory of human personalities Myers Briggs Personality Indicator

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17 TRAIT THEORIES ASSESSMENT Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) one of most widely used clinical measures that identifies emotional disorders and personality traits I like to read newspaper articles on crime My hands and feet are usually warm enough My daily life keeps me interested No one seems to understand me I like mechanics magazines

18 TRAIT THEORIES ASSESSMENT The Big Five Factors clusters behaviors into five dimensions Conscientiousness organized vs. disorganized Agreeableness friendly, trusting, vs. suspicious and uncooperative Neuroticism calm and secure vs. anxious and insecure Openness practical and routine vs. variety and imagination Extraversion reserved and calm vs. sociable Personality traits are better predictors of average behaviors across situations than on specific instance

19 SOCIAL-COGNITIVE THEORIES Social-Cognitive Perspective and individuals' traits (personality) and thoughts (cognitive) interact with the environment (social) to influence behavior (reciprocal determinism) Individuals choose and create their environments and our personalities influence how we react to events and others

20 PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SELF The Self is one of the most researched topics in psychology Self-concept helps you organize and interpreted your thoughts and feeling about the world Self-Esteem your overall feeling of self-worth Spotlight Effect overestimating how much people notice and remember what you do Self-serving Bias the tendency to see oneself as positive regardless of feedback Protects us, but prevents us from admitting/correcting our mistakes

21 PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SELF Culture can influence whether one has a more independent self or interdependent self Collectivism defining oneself and prioritizing group memberships (Interdependent Self) Individualism identifying and prioritizing our personal traits and goals over the group (Independent Self) Which pen would you choose?

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