Schultz Chapter 1 PDF

Welcome to PSYC 1520.2A Personality Theory: Normal and Abnormal In this course we will be studying, HUMAN personality as cute as this adorable ‘guy’ is, he is not a person – yes he has behavioral tendencies – he happens to be a pretty ‘cool cat’ – but a person he is not...

Welcome to PSYC 1520.2A Personality Theory: Normal and Abnormal In this course we will be studying, HUMAN personality as cute as this adorable ‘guy’ is, he is not a person – yes he has behavioral tendencies – he happens to be a pretty ‘cool cat’ – but a person he is not OUR TEXT for this course Speaking of ‘cool’ cats Do animals have a “personality”? Should animals have the same rights as a person? Are there similarities between people and animals? http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2012/09/27/1226482/758034-tardar-sauce-the-cat.jpg  Normal Versus Abnormal Think of the bell or ‘normal’ curve Normal Statistically Not Sick Healthy (within normal limits) Abnormal DMS-IV Personality Disorders Forensic (Criminal, Perverted, Bad ‘Evil’) Unhealthy Optimal Well-Being Exceptional personalities The heights of genius, social intelligence, self-actualization, success, sense of meaning and purpose, kindness, gratitude, resilience, grit, empathy, and compassion Personality Disorders Crash Course Video Psychology #34 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E1JiDFxFGk  Chapter 1 Who Am I? Personality: What It Is and Why You Should Care Understanding The Building Blocks of Personality What Is Personality Psychology? The scientific study of what makes us who we are and the environmental and genetic factors that make us that way 3 questions What does it mean to have a personality? What determines our personality? Are our personalities something we inherit at birth or something we develop through life experiences?  Free Will Early Childhood Experiences Pr e n a t a l Genetics / DNA Classic Debate in Human Development Nature vs. Nurture Nurture Free Nature Will Nature Vs. Nurture Vs. Free Will Nature – genetics (genotypes) Nurture – environment Free Will.......... I will be what I choose... And the interaction? - and the result is the expression PHENOTYPE Brains on Trial (2013) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx8xEUYrb74  Chapter Objectives By the end of this chapter, you should be able to: 1.1 Define personality in two sentences. 1.2 List 3 examples of how social media use interacts with our personalities. 1.3 Describe how culture shapes personality, using four examples. 1.4 Analyze what makes a measure reliable and valid. 1.5 Outline strengths/weaknesses of measurements strategies 1.6 Impacts of race, ethnicity, gender on personality psychology. 1.7 Compare/contrast correlational & experimental designs.  1.1 Take a Look at the Word Schultz | Schultz | Maranges, Theories of Personality, 12th Edition. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 12 Personality Dictionary definitions The state of being a person The characteristics and qualities that form a person’s distinctive character The sum total of all the physical, mental, emotional, and social characteristics of a person Personality Psychological definition An enduring and unique cluster of characteristics manifest in patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that may change in response to different situations Description is complex Humans change according to different situations and people Psychological definition An enduring and unique cluster of characteristics manifest in patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that may change in response to different situations Description is complex Humans change according to different situations and people Questions About Social Media Are You the Same Person Online? Many of us display another face, not in person, but through the internet on social media sites. How Does Social Media Influence Our Personality? The use of online social networking sites like Facebook can both shape and reflect our personalities. How Does Our Personality Influence Our Use of Social Media? Social media use can be affected by our personalities.  The Role of Race and Gender in Shaping Personality Personality theorists traditionally consisted of White men of European and American heritage. Virtually all the subjects on which the earlier theories were based were also White people. Tended to ignore or minimize the influence of class, race, and ethnic background. We know that children from different environments are exposed to vastly different influences. Surely their personalities can be expected to differ as a result. The Role of Culture in Shaping Personality Cross-cultural psychology research Conclusion shows that personality is formed by genetic and environmental influences (cultural influences). Japanese people who emigrated to the United States became much more “American” in their personalities. Chinese immigrants who had lived in Canada at least 10 years scored significantly higher in extraversion. Anxiety may also be related to cultural differences. Cultural neuroscience—cultural differences in brain activity and genetic makeup Differences in Cultural Beliefs and Values Karma and free will Individualism and collectivism Individualism emphasizes the individual, independence, and relationships with other individuals. Collectivism emphasizes wholeness of the group, interdependence, and communality. Influences: Self-efficacy Subjective well being Differences in Cultural Beliefs and Values Self enhancement Tendency to promote oneself aggressively and be conspicuous More common in Western cultures Child rearing practices Individualistic culture - parents tend to be more noncoercive, democratic, and permissive Collectivist cultures - parental practices tend to be more authoritarian, restrictive, and controlling Individualistic Versus Collectivist Cultures Figure 1.1 Comparing individualistic versus collectivist cultures Knowledge Check 1 How does one’s culture shape personality? Knowledge Check 1 Answer How does one’s culture shape personality? Different cultural beliefs, individualism versus collectivism in cultures, levels of acceptance regarding self-enhancement, and child-rearing practices are four primary ways in which culture shapes one’s personality.  1.5 Measuring and Assessing Your Personality Schultz | Schultz | Maranges, Theories of Personality, 12th Edition. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 23 The Concepts of Reliability and Validity Evaluation of personality Used for diagnosis, education, counseling, and research Principles of measurement Reliability: Consistency of response to a psychological assessment device Validity: Extent to which an assessment device measures what it is intended to measure Reliable and/or Valid Figure 1.2 Personality measures can be reliable and/or valid Source: https://pierzgal.github.io/STAT101.en/reliability-and-validity.html Methods of Assessment Types of assessments Self-report measures Projective techniques Clinical interviews Behavioral observations Experience sampling Objective versus subjective Quantitative versus qualitative Self-Report Inventories Subjects answer questions about their behaviors and feelings Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) (time intensive) TIPI (10 questions related to the Big 5 personality traits) Advantages Disadvantages Objective scoring Not suited for people who possess limited Quick assessment reading skills Can be administered online Tendency to provide socially desirable answers Projective Tests Projective techniques Rorschach Inkblot Technique Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) Word association and sentence completion Interpretation is subjective Reliability and validity Low when used for diagnostic purposes Useful for research purposes Example of an Inkblot Figure 1.3 An inkblot similar to a Rorschach inkblot. Research Activity In groups of four or five students (using your smartphones, laptops, or tablets) work together to conduct quick research on online inkbot tests: What are the types of inkblot test found online? How does taking an inkblot test online differ from traditional methods of administering the test? How might the results of the test be influenced by taking it online? After your group has discussed several examples, share your group’s findings with the large group for further discussion. Clinical Interviews Involve asking relevant questions about: Past and present life experiences Social and family relationships Reasons for seeking psychological help Advantage Disadvantage Problem areas can be Subjective explored in detail Behavioral Assessments Observer evaluates a person’s behavior in a given situation. Assessment occurs during clinical interview Advantage Disadvantage Provides valuable insights Less systematic  Experience Sampling Participants are asked to describe social and environmental context in which the experience being sampled occurs. Smartphone apps Daily diaries online Advantage Disadvantage Determines how context influences Participant may forget to record activities thought and mood Emotions and mood affect nature of information reported  1.6 Diversity Considerations in Personality Measurement and Personality Differences Schultz | Schultz | Maranges, Theories of Personality, 12th Edition. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 34  Culture, Race, and Ethnicity Cultural differences influence personality assessment techniques. What is normal in one culture may be judged as abnormal in other cultures. Potential problems with cross-cultural application: A test is designed for the population of a Western culture and administered to people in a non-Western culture Difficult topics include help seeking versus keeping things private, introversion versus extroversion, trust, and openness regarding sex Question formats  Gender Personality assessment is influenced by gender. Assessment measures indicate differential rates of diagnosis based on gender for emotional disorders. Big Five personality traits Men less agreeable and neurotic than women Smaller differences with men being less conscientious and extraverted No differences in openness to experience Differential rates may be related to gender bias or gender stereotyping in interpreting the assessment results.  1.7 Research in the Study of Personality Schultz | Schultz | Maranges, Theories of Personality, 12th Edition. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 37  The Clinical Method Case study: Detailed history of an individual Contains data from various sources Consistencies in the patient’s lives are used by theorists to generalize their findings Advantage—Provides an in-depth view of one’s personality Disadvantages No precision and control of the experimental and correlational methods Subjective Accuracy of childhood memories cannot be checked Experimental Method (1 of 2) Involves determining effects of variables or events on behavior An experimental situation is arranged by psychologists. Independent variable Dependent variable Variable that is manipulated Variable that is measured Experimental group Control group Exposed to experimental Does not receive experimental treatment treatment Experimental Method (2 of 2) Advantages Well controlled and systematic Disadvantages Safety and ethical reasons restrict control over some aspects of personality and behavior. Dependent variable is influenced by the subject’s attitude. Correlational Method Measures the degree of relationship between two variables. Expressed by the correlation coefficient, which ranges from -1.00 to +1.00 Advantage Disadvantage Helps make predictions in the real world Cause and effect conclusions may be flawed Examples of Correlations Figure 1.4 Graphs of high positive and high negative correlations.  Online Research Online test administration Psychological tests, opinion surveys, and subject responses to experimental stimuli Advantages Fast responses, inexpensive, and reaches a broad range of subjects Disadvantages Sample may not represent the population Online test-takers may have different characteristics  1.8–1.9 The Role of Theory in Personality Theories and Questions About Human Nature: What Are We Like? Schultz | Schultz | Maranges, Theories of Personality, 12th Edition. © 2025 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 44 The Role of Theory in the Study of Personality Theory: Provides the framework to describe data in a meaningful way A set of principles that must: Be testable and capable of stimulating research Be able to clarify and explain data by organizing those data into coherent framework Help understand behavior and predict behavior It may be applied to help people. Questions About Human Nature: What Are We Like? Free will or determinism? (historical determinism) Inherited nature or nurturing environment? Dependent or independent of childhood? Is human nature unique or universal? Stay satisfied or seek growth? Optimism or pessimism? Knowledge Check 2 What is the benefit of a theory in the scientific field of psychology? Knowledge Check Answer What is the benefit of a theory in the scientific field of psychology? A theory provides that framework for describing empirical data in a meaningful way. A theory can be considered a kind of map that represents and explains all the data in their interrelationships. It attempts to bring order to the data, to fit them into a meaningful pattern. Summary Personality can be defined as an enduring, unique cluster of characteristics that may adapt to different situations. Social media provides opportunities for people to express their personalities but also are used differently based on people’s personalities. There are few racial, ethnic, and gender differences in average personality traits, but it is important to consider cultural context in understanding why some average traits differ. Measures of personality must be reliable and valid. Personality measurements have their unique strengths and weaknesses. There are many things to consider when deciding when conducting research on personality across different cultures and with individuals that vary in gender, race, and ethnicity. The experimental method is the most precise research method. In the correlational method, psychologists study the relationship between two variables to determine how one variable changes as a function of the other.