Chapter 1: Introduction to Personality (PDF)

Click icon to add picture CHAPTER 1 Presentation title 1 2 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Define personality. 2. Identify and describe the three levels of person...

Click icon to add picture CHAPTER 1 Presentation title 1 2 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Define personality. 2. Identify and describe the three levels of personality analysis. 3. Describe the fissure that exists in the field between levels of analysis. 4. Describe the six domains of knowledge about human nature. 5. Summarize the role of personality theory. 6. Name and define standards for evaluating personality theories. 7. Discuss the notion of a grand and ultimate theory of personality. Click icon to add picture IN GROUPS OF 4-6 PEOPLE, WRITE DOWN AS MANY “TYPES” OF PERSONALITY AS YOU CAN  4 PERSONALITY DEFINED Personality is: The set of psychological traits and mechanisms within the individual Organized and relatively enduring  5 PERSONALITY DEFINED 2 Personality: Influences our interactions with, @RubberBall/Alamy Stock Photo and adaptations to, the environment including the, Intrapsychic, physical, and Courage is an example of a psychological trait, social activated only under environment particular circumstances  © 2023 McGraw Hill Limited 6 PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAITS Characteristics that describe how people are different from each other Personality researchers are interested four questions: How many traits there are How the traits are organized The origins of the traits The correlations and consequences of the traits Psychological mechanisms are like traits but refer more to processes of personality Inputs Decision rules Outputs 7 PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS Psychological mechanisms are like traits but refer more to processes of personality Three essential ingredients Inputs Decision rules Outputs Traits and mechanisms of personality that are typical of our species and possessed by nearly everyone 8 PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS 9 WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL Personality is something that a person carries with themselves over time Personality is also organized Mechanisms are linked to one another in a coherent fashion Enduring but influenced by environments or significant others in our lives Traits and mechanisms are linked to one another in a coherent fashion 10 THE INDIVIDUAL’S INTERACTIONS Interactions with situations include perceptions, selection, evocations, and manipulations The environment poses challenges for people Impact of environment is frequently determined by personality Intrapsychic environment involved  THREE LEVELS OF 11 PERSONALITY ANALYSIS Murray (1948) states that every human being is: 1. Like all others (the human nature level); 2. Like some others (the level of individual and group differences); 3. Like no others (the individual uniqueness level)  THREE LEVELS OF 12 PERSONALITY ANALYSIS Table 1.1 Three Levels of Personality Analysis Level of Examples Analysis Human Nature Need to belong Capacity for love Individual and Group Variation in need to belong Differences (individual differences) On average, females are higher in agreeableness than males (group difference) Individual Seiko’s unique way of expressing Uniqueness their love Darren’s unique way of expressing 13 HUMAN NATURE How we are “like all others” Traits and mechanisms of personality that are typical of our species and possessed by nearly everyone  INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP 14 DIFFERENCES How we are “like some others” Individual differences refer to ways in which each person is like some other people e.g., extraverts, sensations-seekers, high self-esteem persons Differences among groups refers to common features within a group that make that group of people different from other groups (e.g., different © Eric Audras/Getty cultures, different age groups) Images 15 INDIVIDUAL UNIQUENESS How we are “like no others” Individual uniqueness refers to the fact that Every individual has personal and unique qualities not shared by any other person in the world Individuals can be studied nomothetically or ideographically  © 2023 McGraw Hill Limited 16 CLASS EXERCISE In small groups: Find an example for each of the three levels of analysis for the need for safety: 1. Human Nature 2. Individual and Group Differences 3. Individual Uniqueness 17 A FISSURE IN THE FIELD Gap within personality psychology has not yet successfully bridged — The gap between the human nature level of analysis The analysis of individual and group differences 18 A FISSURE IN THE FIELD 2 This translates into a gap between Grand theories of personality Human nature level of analysis Contemporary research in personality Individual and group differences level of analysis  GRAND THEORIES OF 19 PERSONALITY Attempt to provide universal account of the fundamental psychological processes and characteristics of our species Statements about the universal core of human nature lie at the center of grand theories of personality e.g., Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory  CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH 20 IN PERSONALITY Most current personality research addresses ways in which individuals and groups differ, not human universals Personality psychologists specialize in a particular domain, such as Biological aspects of personality How culture impacts personality  SIX DOMAINS OF KNOWLEDGE 21 ABOUT HUMANS NATURE Domain of knowledge is a specialty area of science and scholarship Psychologists focus on learning about specific and limited aspects of human nature This specialization is reasonable We must however, strive to integrate diverse domains of knowledge to get the “big picture” of personality 22 SIX DOMAINS OF KNOWLEDGE 1. Dispositional 2. Biological 3. Intrapsychic 4. Cognitive-Experiential 5. Social and Cultural 6. Adjustment 23 DISPOSITIONAL DOMAIN Deals with ways in which individuals differ from one another and, therefore, cuts across all other domains Focus on number and nature of fundamental dispositions Interested in the origin of individual differences and how these develop over time 24 BIOLOGICAL DOMAIN Core assumption Humans are collections of biological systems These systems provide building blocks for behaviour, thought, @Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images and emotion Psychologists study twins to determine whether some aspects of personality are influenced by genetics 25 BIOLOGICAL DOMAIN 2 Behavioural genetics of personality Psychophysiology of personality Evolutionary personality psychology 26 INTRAPSYCHIC DOMAIN Deals with mental mechanisms of personality Many of which operate outside conscious awareness Classic and modern versions of Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis, including Work on repression, denial, projection, and motives for power, achievement, and affiliation  COGNITIVE-EXPERIENTIAL 27 DOMAIN Focuses on cognition and subjective experience, such as: Conscious thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and desires about oneself and others Self and self-concept: Goals we set and strive to meet Emotional experiences, in general and over time Click icon to add picture GOAL ATTAINMENT EXCERCISE  29 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DOMAIN Assumption that personality impacts, and is impacted by, cultural and social contexts Cultural differences between groups e.g., in social acceptability of @blickwinkel/Alamy Stock Photo aggression 30 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DOMAIN 2 Individual differences within cultures How personality plays out in the social sphere, including: Sex and gender differences in personality processes, traits, and mechanisms  31 ADJUSTMENT DOMAIN Personality plays a key role in how we cope, adapt, and adjust to events in daily life © Patrick Sheandell O'Carroll/Getty Images Personality linked to: Health outcomes Problems in coping and adjustment Personality relates to health by influencing health-related behaviours (smoking)  THE ROLE OF PERSONALITY 32 THEORY A good theory fulfills three purposes in science: 1. Provides a guide for researchers 2. Organizes known findings 3. Makes predictions Theories are not the same as beliefs because they are tested by systematic observations that can be replicated by others  STANDARDS FOR EVALUATION 33 PERSONALITY THEORIES Five standard scientific standards for evaluating personality theories: Comprehensiveness Heuristic value Testability Parsimony Compatibility and integration across domains and levels  STANDARDS FOR EVALUATION 34 PERSONALITY THEORIES Table 1.2 Five Standards for Evaluating Personality Theories Standard Definition Comprehensiven Explains most or all known facts. ess Heuristic value Guides researchers to new discoveries. Testability Makes precise predictions that can be empirically tested. Parsimony Contains few premises or assumptions. Compatibility Consistent with what is known in other domains; can and integration be coordinated with other branches of scientific across domains knowledge  IS THERE A GRAND ULTIMATE AND 35 TRUE THEORY OF PERSONALITY? An ultimate grand theory of personality psychology will have to unify all six domains. Field of personality psychology currently lacks a grand theory 36 SUMMARY AND EVALUATION Personality research is often informed by personality theory Theory has several key purposes: 1. Serves as a guide for researchers 2. Organizes known findings 3. Makes predictions about behaviour and psychological phenomena 37 SUMMARY AND EVALUATION 2 Scientific theories need to be distinguished from beliefs Beliefs are based on leaps of faith, not on reliable facts and systematic observations Theories are based on systematic observations that can be repeated by others to yield similar conclusions 38 COMING UP NEXT WEEK Self-Report Data (S-Data) Observer-Report Data (O-Data) Test-Data (T-Data) Life-Outcome Data (L-Data)