Personality

Course: Introduction to Psychology

What do we mean when we say?

- She has got a gorgeous personality!

- He has a powerful personality!
- He has a dull personality!
- She has a vibrant personality!
In saying so, and while describing someone’s personality,
what are we referring to?

- The looks of a person?

- The overall impression that one leaves on our mind?
- The way a person behaves with us?
- The way, as we feel, others treat a person?
When we say:
- He has a strong personality.
- She is a good decision maker.
- He has a strong willpower.
- She is too sensitive.
- He is very aggressive.

We are talking about:

- The feelings,
- Emotions,
- Cognitions, and
- Psychological makeup of a person.
Personality can be defined and understood in a number of ways:

- Personality is the sum total of characteristics on the basis of which

people can be differentiated from each other.
- Personality is the stability in a person’s behavior across different
situations.
- It can also be seen as the characteristic ways in which people
behave.
- Personality consists of characteristics that are relatively enduring
and make us behave in a consistent and predictable way.
Theories of Personality

Also known as approaches to personality, these are the approaches to

understanding the "WHAT," "HOW," and "WHEN" of characteristics
and features that make up an individual’s personality.

"WHAT" - This part consists of:

- What is personality?
- What are the different aspects of personality?
- What variables account for these characteristics?
- What factors can have an impact, positive or negative, on our
personality?
"HOW" - This part consists of:
- How do these characteristics develop?
- How do we become what we are?
- How can we manipulate, improve, or modify
our own or someone else’s personality?
"WHEN" - This part consists of:
- When does personality develop?
- When is personality more pliable and modifiable?
- When can others influence a person’s personality
more?
Psychodynamic Approach

- Focuses on the unconscious determinants of

personality
- Unconscious forces determine our personality
The Unconscious

- The part of personality we are not aware of

- Contains instinctual drives: infantile wishes, desires, demands,
and needs
- These drives are hidden and do not surface at the conscious
level
- They can cause conflict and pain if they become obvious, so
they are pushed into the unconscious
Sigmund Freud and the Significance of Psychodynamic Approach

- Sigmund Freud founded the psychodynamic approach

- It was the most influential theory of the 20th century
- Revolutionized psychology and related disciplines
- Introduced the idea that not all behavior is rational and planned
- Provided a basis for understanding everyday life phenomena
Foundations of Psychodynamic Approach

1. Psychic Determinism: All behavior is determined and has a cause in the

mind/psyche.
2. Role of Unconscious: A significant part of behavior is generated by
unconscious forces.
3. Structure of Consciousness:
- Conscious: Thoughts and feelings we are immediately aware of
- Subconscious: Mind level below conscious awareness
- Preconscious: Part of subconscious that can be accessed by deliberate
choice
- Unconscious: Part of subconscious that cannot be accessed directly
Psychodynamic Model of Personality

- Structure of personality: Id, Ego, and Superego

- Id: Source of basic drives, operates under the pleasure
principle
- Ego: Mediates between self, the real world, and id, operates
under the reality principle
- Superego: Governed by moral constraints, opposes the id,
represents moral demands of family and society
Anxiety and Defense Mechanisms

- Anxiety: Emotional state due to threat to the self

- Defense Mechanisms: Ego's distortion of reality to cope with anxiety
- Repression, Regression, Displacement, Rationalization, Denial,
Projection, Sublimation
Criticism against Freudian Psychodynamic Theory

1. Lack of scientific proof for many psychodynamic constructs.

2. Deterministic approach, less room for conscious decision-making.
3. Overemphasis on early childhood experiences.
4. Neglects external variables and environment.
5. Criticized for its interpretation of gender relationships.
6. Time-consuming and expensive therapy.
The Psychoanalytic Approach after Freud

The Neo-Freudians

- Theorists who supported Freud's ideas but later digressed on certain

issues
- Emphasized the role of the ego and social variables
- Highlighted the impact of society and culture on personality
development
Basis of Neo-Freudians' Disagreement with Freud

- Emphasis on the functions of the ego and its control over

routine-life activities
- Recognition of the role of the current social environment
- Belief that life experiences have a continuing influence
beyond childhood
- Lesser emphasis on Freud's primary importance of sexual
urges
Key Emphases of Neo-Freudians

1. Role of Current Social Environment

2. Continuing Influence of Life Experiences
3. Positive Interpersonal Relations and Social Motivation
4. Significance of Ego Functioning
5. Development of Self-Concept
6. Importance of Self-Esteem
Carl Gustav Jung

- Founder of the analytical school of psychology

- Mystical understanding and description of personality
- Positive approach toward controlling one's destiny
Jung's Disagreements with Freud

- Understanding and description of genders

- Nature of the unconscious
Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development

Erikson's Background

- Student and follower of Sigmund Freud

- Differed from Freud on the fundamental view of what motivates
human behavior
- Freud emphasized biology and instincts, while Erikson emphasized
social interaction
Erikson's View on Human Behavior

- Erikson believed that social interaction is the most important

force driving human behavior
- Social environment combined with biological maturation
leads to the development of personality
- "Crises" arise at different stages of life that need to be
resolved
Erikson's Developmental Theory

- Erikson's theory covers the entire lifespan, not just childhood

and adolescence
- Individuals pass through stages where they experience a
"sensitive period" for resolving crises
- Successful resolution of each crisis provides the foundation
for the next stage
Erikson's Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development

- Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy)

- Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (Early Childhood)
- Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool)
- Industry vs. Inferiority (School Age)
- Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence)
- Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood)
- Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood)
- Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Late Adulthood)
Trait Approaches

- Approaches that focus on identifying basic traits that form

the basis of personality
- Traits are enduring dimensions that differentiate
individuals from each other
Traits

- Traits are enduring characteristics that differentiate

individuals
- Trait theories acknowledge that traits can exist in varying
degrees among different individuals
- Traits are not mutually exclusive; individuals can possess
multiple traits simultaneously
Secondary Traits

- Traits that are more specific and situational, influencing

behavior in certain contexts
- Less influential on overall personality compared to
cardinal and central traits
Social Cognitive Approach to Personality
Albert Bandura
Subtitle: Observational Learning and Personality

- Bandura emphasized the role of cognitions in personality

development.
- Observational learning involves learning through observing the
outcomes of others' behaviors.
- We learn by watching others perform certain behaviors and witnessing
the consequences.
- This process influences our own behavior and shapes our personality.
Biological Approaches to Personality

The Role of Genetics and Inherited Characteristics

Temperament
Subtitle: Innate Dispositions

- Temperament is a fundamental aspect of personality.

- It refers to the basic, innate disposition that emerges early in life.
- Even young infants display different behavioral patterns, such as smiling,
frowning, irritability, calmness, shyness, or restlessness.
- These behaviors persist and contribute to the formation of temperament.
Inhibited Children
Subtitle: Characteristics and Behaviors

- Jerome Kagan identified a subgroup of children known as "inhibited

children."
- Inhibited children are unusually fearful of unfamiliar adults and
become fretful in the presence of unfamiliar objects or new settings.
- They are consistently shy, emotionally restrained, and quiet in
unfamiliar situations.
- By the age of 3-4 years, they are often labeled as "shy" by parents and
teachers.
Biological Differences in Inhibited Children
Subtitle: Physiological Reactivity

- Inhibited children exhibit biological differences compared to

uninhibited children.
- At age 5, inhibited children have higher muscle tension, particularly in
the vocal cords and larynx.
- They also have a higher resting heart rate and experience a more
significant increase in heart rate when confronted with new situations.
- Hormonal differences and variations in the excitability of the limbic
system of the brain have also been observed in these two groups.
Twin Studies on Personality
Subtitle: Supporting the Genetic Argument

- Twin studies have been conducted to explore the role of genetics in

personality development.
- A study by Auke Tellegen and colleagues (1988) examined a sample of 350
pairs of twins, including 44 genetically identical twins who were raised apart.
- The twins underwent a battery of tests, including measures of personality
traits.
- The results showed that twins exhibited significant similarities in their
personality, indicating a genetic influence.
- Certain traits were found to be more influenced by heredity, such as social
potency and traditionalism, while others showed weaker genetic components,
such as achievement and social closeness.
Assessment of Personality

Methods and Techniques

Interview
Subtitle: Direct Face-to-Face Interaction

- Interviews involve a direct face-to-face encounter and interaction between the

psychologist and the individual.
- Both verbal and non-verbal information can be gathered during the interview.
- Interviews are often used to supplement information gathered from other sources.
- The skill of the interviewer is crucial in drawing relevant information from the
interviewee.
Self-Report Measures
Subtitle: Paper and Pencil Assessments

- Self-report measures involve individuals answering questions

about their behavior and personality.
- These assessments are typically conducted using paper and
pencil or online tools.
- They provide individuals with an opportunity to reflect on their
own experiences and provide self-perceptions of their
personality.