Personality Psychology: Chapter 1 PDF
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Uploaded by DeservingPoplar
University of Victoria
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Summary
This chapter provides an overview of personality psychology, highlighting its core concepts and debates. It explores how personality is understood through traits, its influence by situation, and the interaction between the two. The document also discusses the methods of quantifying and measuring personality.
Full Transcript
Why Use Personality as a Concept? - 1. To convey consistency: Reflects continuity in a person's behavior, thoughts, and feelings. 2. To explain origin: Suggests actions, thoughts, and feelings originate internally. 3. To summarize a person: Highlights key qualities that define...
Why Use Personality as a Concept? - 1. To convey consistency: Reflects continuity in a person's behavior, thoughts, and feelings. 2. To explain origin: Suggests actions, thoughts, and feelings originate internally. 3. To summarize a person: Highlights key qualities that define a person. What Is Personality? - Personality refers to someone’s usual patterns of behavior, feelings, and thoughts. Key Elements: ○ Includes tendencies shared by all humans and individual differences. ○ Some personality differences are overt, while others are subtle. ○ Influenced by genetics, parents, peers, birth order, and culture. The Story of Personality Psychology - Personality psychology is built on four foundational roots, enhanced by scientific, social, and technological advances: 1. Assessment and Measurement: Methods to quantify and measure personality. 2. Trait Models: Focus on traits (the "what" of personality) and language describing personality. 3. Psychodynamics: Examines motivations and dynamic aspects, both conscious and unconscious, tied to personality. 4. Self Processes: Explores identity and how it aligns with core beliefs (the "who" of personality). Trait Models Focus on how descriptive language shapes understanding of personality. Personality manifests in various contexts: ○ Situational: For example, responses to a new classroom on the first day. ○ Online: Our digital personas often mirror real-life traits. ○ Choices: Non-necessity purchases or bedroom decor reflect personality. ○ Appearance: Style and presentation indicate values and priorities. Person and Situation Debate - Stable Traits View: Personality traits predict behavior. Situational View: Behavior is primarily shaped by context, challenging the existence of a stable personality. Person-Situation Interaction - Both personality and situation jointly influence behavior. Examples: 1. Experiences impact personality: Friends at different colleges may develop distinct behaviors over time. 2. Different responses to the same situation: Thriving at a party vs. retreating to the background. 3. Situational choices: Choosing an activity that reflects comfort or interest (e.g., reading, cooking, climbing). 4. Changing situations: A private conversation altered by the arrival of a third person.
