Understanding Self and Personality

Knowing Oneself

• The self is the source of consciousness, responsible for thoughts and actions
• Personality is shaped by both genetics (nature) and environment (nurture)
• Common personality traits exist across cultures: agreeableness, openness to experiences
• Asians emphasize interpersonal relatedness (impact on relationships), while Westerners focus on personal goals (individual impact)

Self

• In psychology, the self is the cognitive and emotional representation of one's identity
• Defined by human characteristics like behaviors, thoughts, and feelings

Personality

• A unique and enduring set of behaviors, feelings, thoughts, and motives that characterize an individual
• Embodiment of one's physical, psychological, cognitive, affective, and spiritual self

Personality Psychologists' Viewpoints:

• Feist & Rosenberg (2012) define personality as relatively enduring and unique.
• Trait theory: Identifies personality types based on specific traits or attributes.

Big Five Factor Model (OCEAN):

• Openness to Experience: Curiosity, imagination, creativity
• Conscientiousness: Planning, organization, hard work, punctuality
• Extroversion: Sociability, talkativeness, activity
• Agreeableness: Friendliness, warmth, trust
• Neuroticism: Calmness, relaxation, comfort

Types of Behaviors:

• Overt: Visible actions like physical movements and verbal statements
• Covert: Actions not directly observable, inferred or self-reported.

Holistic Development:

• Holism: Understanding people as a whole, considering all aspects
• Five aspects:
  • Physical: Control over one's body, physical growth
  • Cognitive: Intellectual functions - thinking, recognizing, etc.
  • Emotional: Feelings, reactions, managing emotions
  • Social: Interactions with others, relationships, adapting to social situations
  • Spiritual: Values, purpose, seeking meaning

Stages of Development (Erik Erikson):

• Infancy (Trust vs. Mistrust): Birth to 18 months, parents as influential figures
• Early Childhood (Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt): 18 months to 3 years, parents as influential figures
• Play Age (Initiative vs. Guilt): 3 to 6 years, parents and teachers as influential figures
• School Age (Industry vs. Inferiority): 6 to 12 years, parents and teachers as influential figures
• Adolescence (Identity vs. Role Confusion): Puberty to 18 years, teachers and significant others as influential figures
• Young Adulthood (Intimacy vs. Isolation): 18 to 40 years, friends and partners as influential figures
  • Favorable: Intimacy, love, commitment
  • Unfavorable: Isolation, loneliness, difficulty with commitment
• Middle Adulthood (Generativity vs. Stagnation): 40 to 65 years, partners, children, friends, and community as influential figures
  • Favorable: Creativity, productivity, nurturing of the next generation
  • Unfavorable: Stagnation, lack of meaning, selfishness
• Late Adulthood (Ego Integrity vs. Despair): 65 onwards, community as influential figures
  • Favorable: Sense of fulfillment, acceptance of life
  • Unfavorable: Regret, bitterness, sense of loss

Puberty:

• Physical changes during adolescence, including sexual maturation
• Cognitive development continues, including abstract thinking and increased intelligence
• Desire for autonomy and independence from family and friends
• Experimentation with body, sexuality, and substances

Four Insights of Adolescent Development:

• Sensational: Driven by intense feelings and experiences
• Social: Focused on social relationships and fitting in
• Out of Control: Feeling overwhelmed and lacking control
• Stressful: Dealing with pressure and navigating emotional challenges

Identity vs. Role Confusion:

• A crucial stage in adolescence, where individuals develop a sense of self and identity
• Failure to achieve this can lead to confusion, indecisiveness, and anti-social behavior

Adolescent Development Tasks (Havighurst):

• Adjusting to a new physical self
• Adjusting to new intellectual abilities
• Developing expanded verbal skills
• Developing a personal sense of identity

Stress:

• Reaction to stimuli that disrupt well-being and equilibrium
• Causes: Anxiety, pressure, misery, desperation, tension, anger, panic, dejection
• Prolonged stress can lead to burnout, breakdown, and depression
• Everyday frustrations and personal problems can contribute to stress

The Adolescent Brain:

• Undergoes remodeling during the transition to adolescence
• Brain changes allow teenagers to perform activities that promote self-improvement and well-being.
• The brain does not get physically bigger as you grow older.
• Girls' brains reach their largest size around 11 years old, and boys' around 14.
• The brain does not fully mature until the mid-late 20s.
• Adolescents often think with their feelings.

Mental Health:

• The adolescent brain is resilient and changes during this phase can protect against long-term mental disorders.
• Mental disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders can emerge during this period.

Intelligence:

• The ability to solve problems or create valued products in a culture
• Ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills

Improving Intelligence:

• Seeking Mental Stimulation: Try new things, challenge yourself, eliminate conveniences, network
• Engaging in the Right Activities: Play an instrument, read regularly, do puzzles, practice meditation, study a second language
• Changing Your Lifestyle: Exercise

Lobes of the Brain:

• Frontal Lobe: Planning, decision-making, memory, personality
• Parietal Lobe: Organizing and interpreting sensory information
• Temporal Lobe: Visual memory, verbal memory, interpreting emotions
• Occipital Lobe: Visual processing, reading, recognizing words