Cognitive Topics in Personality: Chapter 12

Cognitive Topics in Personality Chapter 12 Cognitive/Experiential Domain Larsen & Buss Cognitive Approach to Personality Examine the differences in how people think & process info. Focus on different styles of thinking & problem-solving strategies Defining Cogn...

Cognitive Topics in Personality Chapter 12 Cognitive/Experiential Domain Larsen & Buss Cognitive Approach to Personality Examine the differences in how people think & process info. Focus on different styles of thinking & problem-solving strategies Defining Cognition Refers to awareness, thinking & specific mental acts… Perceiving, attending, interpretations, remembering, believing, judging, deciding, & anticipating. 3 levels of cognition: perception, interpretation, & conscious goals. Perception Personality Revealed through Perception Herman Witkin How do people use cues when judging orientation? Developed Rod & frame test (RFT) & embedded figures test (EFT) Identified individual differences Field dependent – rely on external cues Field independent – rely on own sensations Personality Revealed through Perception Life Choices: Field dependent – choose social sciences & education Attentive to social cues & oriented towards others Prefer physical closeness Field independent – natural sciences Demonstrated greater independence & detachment towards others Better at avoiding distracting info Personality Revealed through Perception Is it better to be field independent or field dependent? Pros & cons to each Personality Revealed through Perception Aneseth Petrie How do people differ on perception of pain? Pain tolerance Reducer/augmenter theory – people differ in their reaction to sensory stimulation Interpretation Personality Revealed Through Interpretation Why did I perform poorly on my presentation? Can I really run a mile in 10 min? Why am I not getting along w/ my best friend? Interpretations about responsibility & about expectations for the future. Personality Revealed Through Interpretation George Kelly (1905-1967) People interpret the world though personal constructs People differ along the personal constructs they use. (e.g., What do you first notice when you meet a person?) Anxiety can be understood as caused by personal constructs failing. Personality Revealed Through Interpretation Locus of Control… based on the work of Julian Rotter Refers to how a person interprets responsibility for the events in their life (i.e., internally or externally). Associated w/ expectancy of reinforcement How well expectations hold up across situations refers to generalized expectancies. External locus of control v. internal locus of control Sample Items from Locus of Control Scale (Rotter, 1992) Respond Y/N 1. Are some people born lucky? 2. Most of the time do you feel that getting good grades means a great deal to you? 3. Do you believe that if somebody studies hard enough, they can pass any subject? 4. Do you feel that most of the time it doesn’t pay to try hard b/c things never turn out right anyway? 5. Do you feel that if things start out well in the morning, it’s going to be a good day no matter what you do? 6. Do you believe wishing can make good things happen? Personality Revealed Through Interpretation How do we interpret the world? Learned Helplessness (Martin Seligman) Identified in experiments w/ dogs where electric shocks were administered. Implications: Why do some people seem to give up? Goals Personality Revealed Through Goals What do people want to achieve in their lives? Brian Little Personal projects refer to relevant actions designed to achieve a selected goal. Lead to an understanding of personality b/c they indicate how people navigate daily life. What are some implications of personal projects analysis? Personality Revealed Through Goals Social Cognitive Theory – People learn to value & work towards certain goals compared to others. Albert Bandura and Self Efficacy Refers to belief that goals can be achieved through actions Often lead to effort & persistence Can be influenced by modeling Personality Revealed Through Goals Carol Dweck & Theory of Mastery Orientation Examined cognitive beliefs about ability that influence behavior E.g., Implicit beliefs about intelligence has an impact on how students approach difficult intellectual tasks Implications for the delivery of praise Intelligence  One is tied to educational Intelligence attainment Achievement view of intelligence … defined in a variety of ways Another focuses on ability to learn Aptitude view of intelligence Another is much broader Multiple intelligences Differences across cultures Cultural context of intelligence