Chapter 11 - Personality Theories

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

Which temperament is associated with someone who is described as calm, reliable, and thoughtful?

Melancholic

Sanguine

Phlegmatic (correct)

Choleric

What was the main premise of Franz Gall's phrenology theory?

Personality does not exist independent of social context.

Personality is determined by the alignment of zodiac signs.

Personality is only a product of environmental influences.

Personality traits can be revealed by skull shape and bumps. (correct)

How did Hippocrates categorize personality traits?

Through a system of strengths and weaknesses.

By assigning them to specific moral virtues.

Based on individual birth dates and astrological signs.

According to four temperaments linked to body fluids. (correct)

Which of the following is NOT one of the temperaments described by Galen?

Narcissistic Signup and view all the answers

What common belief did Immanuel Kant share with Galen regarding personality?

That individuals can be classified into specific temperaments. Signup and view all the answers

Which temperament types are considered changeable and unchangeable in this classification?

Choleric and Sanguine are changeable; Melancholic and Phlegmatic are unchangeable. Signup and view all the answers

What does Freud argue is kept in the unconscious through repression?

Desires and urges that are socially unacceptable. Signup and view all the answers

According to Freud, what is the relationship between the id, ego, and superego?

The ego mediates the conflict between the id and the superego. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true regarding Freud's theory of personality and childhood experiences?

Freud's neo-Freudians acknowledged childhood's importance while shifting focus to social influences. Signup and view all the answers

What fraction of mental activity does Freud believe we are aware of?

About one-tenth of our mind's activities. Signup and view all the answers

What defines a 'Freudian slip'?

An unintentional verbal mistake revealing unconscious urges. Signup and view all the answers

In terms of personality forces, which process does the superego primarily involve?

Judging behaviors based on learned social rules. Signup and view all the answers

What principle does the ego operate on to manage the demands of the id?

Reality principle Signup and view all the answers

What results from an imbalanced relationship between the id and superego?

Neurosis and anxiety disorders Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is considered crucial in a child's development according to psychosexual stages?

Proper nurturing and parenting Signup and view all the answers

During which psychosexual stage does the major conflict involve the process of weaning?

Oral Stage Signup and view all the answers

What adult fixation might result from difficulties encountered during the anal stage?

Messiness and emotional outbursts Signup and view all the answers

Which complex describes a child's desire for the opposite-sex parent while feeling hostility toward the same-sex parent?

Oedipus complex Signup and view all the answers

What happens to sexual feelings during the latency stage of psychosexual development?

They become dormant and focus shifts to non-sexual activities Signup and view all the answers

In the genital stage, sexual urges are primarily directed toward which of the following?

Socially acceptable partners Signup and view all the answers

What type of behavior do defense mechanisms serve to reduce?

Anxiety Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of introverts compared to extroverts?

They are energized by being alone. Signup and view all the answers

According to Horney, which coping style involves an intense need for love and acceptance in adulthood?

Moving toward people. Signup and view all the answers

How does Bandura's perspective on personality development differ from Skinner's behavioral approach?

Bandura emphasizes the importance of thinking and reasoning. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main theme of Horney’s disagreement with Jung regarding envy?

Such forms of envy are culturally based. Signup and view all the answers

What does the behavioral perspective in psychology emphasize?

Observable behaviors and environmental reinforcements shape personality. Signup and view all the answers

Which trait is commonly associated with individuals who move away from people in Horney's coping styles?

Isolation and avoidance of friendships. Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of reciprocal determinism signify in personality development?

Cognitive processes, behavior, and context interact to shape personality. Signup and view all the answers

What communication style is typically associated with introverts?

Slow and soft speech that values written communication. Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the characteristic behavior of extroverts jumping from one topic to another?

Topic shifting. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Personality

Personality encompasses enduring traits and patterns shaping how individuals consistently think, feel, and act.
The term "persona" originates from the Latin word for "mask" worn by actors in ancient times.
Different individuals demonstrate distinct personalities due to diverse traits.

Historical Perspectives

Hippocrates (370 BCE): Proposed personality was linked to four bodily humors (yellow bile, black bile, red blood, white phlegm).
- Choleric: yellow bile from the liver (passionate, ambitious, and bold).
- Melancholic: black bile from the kidneys (reserved, anxious, and unhappy).
- Sanguine: red blood from the heart (joyful, eager, and optimistic).
- Phlegmatic: white phlegm from the lungs (calm, reliable, and thoughtful).
Galen: Expanded on Hippocrates' humoral theory, suggesting imbalances affect both disease and personality.
Franz Gall (1780): Phrenology – believed skull shape and bumps revealed personality traits, discredited due to lack of empirical support.

Historical Perspectives - Additional

Immanuel Kant (18th century): Classified individuals into temperaments and described traits for each.
Wilhelm Wundt (19th century): Proposed personality could be understood using emotional/non-emotional and changeable/unchangeable axes.

Psychodynamic Perspectives (20th Century)

Sigmund Freud: Developed a comprehensive theory of personality encompassing both normal and abnormal behaviors, emphasizing unconscious drives (sex, aggression, childhood sexuality).
Neo-Freudians: Acknowledged childhood experiences' importance but lessened focus on sexuality, emphasizing social factors and culture's influence.

Levels of Consciousness

Unconscious: Mental activity inaccessible to awareness.
According to Freud: Much mental activity resides in the unconscious, influencing behavior.
Freudian slips: Mistakes in speech suggesting unconscious desires or emotions.

ID, Ego, and Superego

ID: Primal urges (hunger, thirst, sex), driven by the pleasure principle (immediate gratification).
Ego: Balances the ID and superego, operates on the reality principle (realistic gratification).
Superego: Internalized societal rules, strives for perfection, judging behavior through guilt/pride.
Effects on Personality: Balanced id and superego lead to healthy personalities. Imbalance results in neurosis, anxiety disorders, or unhealthy behaviors.

Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious processes used to cope with anxiety.
Examples: Denial, displacement, projection, rationalization, reaction formation, regression, repression, sublimation.

Stages of Psychosexual Development

Freud proposed five stages focusing on specific erogenous zones.
- Oral Stage (0-1 year): Pleasure from oral activities, fixation (smoking, overeating, nail-biting).
- Anal Stage (1-3 years): Pleasure from bowel and bladder control, fixation (anal-retentive/expulsive personality).
- Phallic Stage (3-6 years): Focus on genitals and desires toward opposite-sex parent, Oedipus/Electra complexes.
- Latency Stage (6-12 years): Dormant sexual feelings.
- Genital Stage (12+): Sexual urges redirected towards socially acceptable partners.

Alfred Adler

Individual Psychology: Emphasizes compensation for feelings of inferiority and social connections during childhood development.
Occupational, societal, and love tasks are central to the development of personality.

Erik Erikson

Psychosocial Theory of Development: Personality evolves throughout life, focusing on social relationships and competence through successful completion of developmental stages (8 stages).

Carl Jung

Analytical Psychology: Focused on balancing conscious and unconscious thought.
Concept of collective unconscious (universal memory traces/archetypes).
Persona: A mask adopted to fit societal expectations.
Explored the concept of extroversion versus introversion.

Karen Horney

Disagreed with Freud's penis envy and emphasized culturally based differences in personality between genders.
Proposed three coping styles used to relieve anxiety stemming from unmet needs: moving toward, moving against, and moving away from people.

The Behavioral Perspective

Personality develops through learning.
Skinner: Behaviour shaped by consequences in the environment and reinforcement.

Bandura: Emphasizes both learning and cognition's role in personality development.
Reciprocal Determinism: Cognitive processes, behavior, and environment interact to shape personality.
Observational Learning: Learning through observing others’ behaviours and their consequences.

Julian Rotter

Locus of Control: People's beliefs about the extent they control their outcomes (internal/external).

Walter Mischel

Person-Situation Debate: Behaviour varies across situations but is consistent within specific situations.
Marshmallow Study: Demonstrated individual differences in self-regulation (delay of gratification).

Humanistic Approaches

Maslow: Investigated self-actualizing individuals, focusing on inherent human potential.
Rogers: Emphasized self-concept (thoughts and feelings about oneself) and congruence between ideal self and real self for psychological well-being.

Biological Approaches

Heritability: Twin studies indicate some personality traits are inherited.
Temperament: Early-appearing personality traits have a biological basis.
Somatotypes (Sheldon): Hypothesized links between body type and temperament.

Trait Theories

Allport: Identified cardinal, central, and secondary traits to explain personality variation.
Cattell: Narrowed personality traits into 16 dimensions.
Eysenck: Proposed dimensions of extroversion/introversion and neuroticism/stability.

Five-Factor Model (FFM)

Emphasizes five major personality dimensions (OCEAN): Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism).

HEXACO Model

Extends the five-factor model to include Honesty-Humility as a sixth dimension.

Cultural Understandings of Personality

Culture significantly impacts personality.
Collectivist/individualist cultures influence different personality traits.

Regional Differences in Personality

Geographical regions exhibit clusters linked to consistent personality traits.

Self-Report Inventories

Objective tests using multiple-choice questions (MMPI), frequently used in psychological assessments (employment, clinical settings, legal situations, etc...).
Likert scales measure agreement or disagreement.

Projective Tests

Rely on projection (defense mechanism).
Examples include inkblot tests (Rorschach) and thematic apperception tests (TAT).
Purpose is to understand unconscious feelings or motivations from the content in the test.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Explore various theories of personality from historical perspectives. This quiz covers the insights from Hippocrates to modern interpretations, examining how different traits shape human behavior. Test your knowledge on the connections between personality and health.