Intro to Per-Dev and Social Graces.pdf

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT WITH SOCIAL GRACES...

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT WITH SOCIAL GRACES Module 1 Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION TO PERSONALITY Learning Objectives: 1. Gain self-awareness as a basis for self-improvement 2. Understand the meaning, basics and importance of personality Pretest: 1. What is personality? 2. What is your personality? Personality has a complex meaning that every individual when asked gives his/her own definition but ends up agreeing or disagreeing with other people. The complexity usually gives rise to an array of questions such as, “Why do people behave as they do?” or “Why do people become moody?” or “Why do people become extrovert, phlegmatic, or aggressive?” PERSONALITY  The term personality comes from the Latin word “persona” which means “masks”  The dynamic organization with an individual of those psychophysical systems that determines his characteristic, behavior and thought. (Gordon W. Allport)  The arrangement of configuration of individual characteristics and ways of behaving that determines one’s unique adjustment to his environment. It is an all-inclusive term that covers appearances, abilities, motives, emotional reactivity and experiences that have shaped him to his person. (Hilgard)  Less enduring organization of forces within the individual, associated with attitudes, values and modes of perception which account for the individual’s consistency of behavior. (Barnones)  The distinctive and characteristic patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior that define one’s personal style of interacting with the physical and social environment. (Atkinson)  The sum total of the physical, mental, emotional and social attributes and characteristics of an individual. (Common definition) APPROCHES TO THE STUDY OF PERSONALITY 1. PSYCHOANALYTIC MODEL (SIGMUND FREUD)  This model of personality gives three key subsystems within the personality which are interrelated – id, ego, superego  Freud’s Structure of the Human Mind  According to Freud, our personality develops from the interactions among what he proposed as the three fundamental structures of the human mind: the id, ego, and superego. Conflicts among these three structures, and our efforts to find balance among what each of them “desires,” determines how we behave and approach the world. What balance we strike in any given situation determines how we will resolve the conflict between two overarching behavioral tendencies: our biological aggressive and pleasure-seeking drives vs. our socialized internal control over those drives.  o The Id  The id, the most primitive of the three structures, is concerned with instant gratification of basic physical needs and urges. It operates entirely unconsciously (outside of conscious thought). For example, if your id walked past a stranger eating ice cream, it would most likely take the ice cream for itself. It doesn’t know, or care, that it is rude to take something belonging to someone else; it would care only that you wanted the ice cream. o The Superego  The superego is concerned with social rules and morals—similar to what many people call their “conscience” or their “moral compass.” It develops as a child learns what their culture considers right and wrong. If your superego walked past the same stranger, it would not take their ice cream because it would know that that would be rude. However, if both your id and your superego were involved, and your id was strong enough to override your superego’s concern, you would still take the ice cream, but afterward you would most likely feel guilt and shame over your actions. o The Ego  In contrast to the instinctual id and the moral superego, the ego is the rational, pragmatic part of our personality. It’s what Freud considered to be the “self,” and its job is to balance the demands of the id and superego in the practical context of reality. So, if you walked past the stranger with ice cream one more time, your ego would mediate the conflict between your id (“I want that ice cream right now”) and superego (“It’s wrong to take someone else’s ice cream”) and decide to go buy your own ice cream. While this may mean you have to wait 10 more minutes, which would frustrate your id, your ego decides to make that sacrifice as part of the compromise– satisfying your desire for ice cream while also avoiding an unpleasant social situation and potential feelings of shame.  Freud believed that the id, ego, and superego are in constant conflict and that adult personality and behavior are rooted in the results of these internal struggles throughout childhood. He believed that a person who has a strong ego has a healthy personality and that imbalances in this system can lead to neurosis (what we now think of as anxiety and depression) and unhealthy behaviors. 2. HUMANISTIC PERSPECTIVE OF PERSONALITY  Maslow’s Humanistic Theory of Personality - Maslow’s humanistic theory of personality states that people achieve their full potential by moving from basic needs to self-actualization. o Personality and the Hierarchy of Needs  - Maslow believed that successful fulfillment of each layer of needs was vital in the development of personality. The highest need for self-actualization represents the achievement of our fullest potential, and those individuals who finally achieved self-actualization were said to represent optimal psychological health and functioning. o Characteristics of Self-Actualizers - Maslow viewed self-actualizers as the supreme achievers in the human race.. - Most self-actualizers had a great sense of awareness, maintaining a near-constant enjoyment and awe of life. They often described peak experiences during which they felt such an intense degree of satisfaction that they seemed to transcend themselves. - They actively engaged in activities that would bring about this feeling of unity and meaningfulness. Despite this fact, most of these individuals seemed deeply rooted in reality and were active problem-seekers and solvers.  Rogers’ Humanistic Theory of Personality - Carl Rogers’ humanistic personality theory emphasizes the importance of the self-actualizing tendency in forming a self-concept. - Along with Abraham Maslow, he focused on the growth potential of healthy individuals and greatly contributed to our understanding of the self and personality. - Both Rogers’ and Maslow’s theories focus on individual choices and do not hold that biology is deterministic. They emphasized free will and self-determination, with each individual desiring to become the best person they can become. - Rogers advanced the field of humanistic psychology by stressing that the human person is an active, creative, experiencing being who lives in the present and subjectively responds to current perceptions, relationships, and encounters. - He coined the term actualizing tendency, which refers to a person’s basic instinct to succeed at his or her highest possible capacity. Through person-centered counseling and scientific therapy research, Rogers formed his theory of personality development, which highlighted free will and the great reservoir of human potential for goodness. o Personality Development and the Self-Concept - Rogers based his theories of personality development on humanistic psychology and theories of subjective experience. He believed that everyone exists in a constantly changing world of experiences that they are at the center of. A person reacts to changes in their phenomenal field, which includes external objects and people as well as internal thoughts and emotions. - The phenomenal field: The phenomenal field refers to a person’s subjective reality, which includes external objects and people as well as internal thoughts and emotions. The person’s motivations and environments both act on their phenomenal field.  - Rogers believed that all behavior is motivated by self-actualizing tendencies, which drive a person to achieve at their highest level. As a result of their interactions with the environment and others, an individual forms a structure of the self or self-concept—an organized, fluid, conceptual pattern of concepts and values related to the self. If a person has a positive self- concept, they tend to feel good about who they are and often see the world as a safe and positive place. If they have a negative self-concept, they may feel unhappy with who they are. o Ideal Self vs. Real Self - Rogers further divided the self into two categories: the ideal self and the real self. The ideal self is the person that you would like to be; the real self is the person you actually are. 3. TRAIT PERSPECTIVE OF PERSONALITY  Trait theorists believe personality can be understood by positing that all people have certain traits, or characteristic ways of behaving.  According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of the American Psychiatric Association, personality traits are prominent aspects of personality that are exhibited in a wide range of important social and personal contexts. In other words, individuals have certain characteristics that partly determine their behavior; these traits are trends in behavior or attitude that tend to be present regardless of the situation.  An example of a trait is extraversion–introversion - Extraversion tends to be manifested in outgoing, talkative, energetic behavior - Introversion is manifested in more reserved and solitary behavior. -  Gordon Allport (1897–1967) - Gordon Allport was one of the first modern trait theorists. - Allport organized the personality traits into a hierarchy of three levels: o Cardinal traits dominate and shape an individual’s behavior. They stand at the top of the hierarchy and are collectively known as the individual’s master control. They are considered to be an individual’s ruling passions. Cardinal traits are powerful, but few people have personalities dominated by a single trait. Instead, our personalities are typically composed of multiple traits. o Central traits come next in the hierarchy. These are general characteristics found in varying degrees in every person (such as loyalty, kindness, agreeableness, friendliness, sneakiness, wildness, or grouchiness). They are the basic building blocks that shape most of our behavior. o Secondary traits are not quite as obvious or consistent as central traits. They are plentiful but are only present under specific circumstances; they include things like preferences and attitudes. These secondary traits explain why a person may at times exhibit behaviors that seem incongruent with their usual behaviors.  Raymond Cattell (1905–1998) - Cattell believed it necessary to sample a wide range of variables to capture a full understanding of personality: o Life data, which involves collecting information from an individual’s natural everyday life behaviors. o Experimental data involves measuring reactions to standardized experimental situations o Questionnaire data involves gathering responses based on introspection by an individual about his or her own behavior and feelings.  - Using this data, Cattell performed factor analysis to generated sixteen dimensions of human personality traits: 1. Abstractedness: Imaginative versus practical 2. Apprehension: Worried versus confident 3. Dominance: Forceful versus submissive 4. Emotional Stability: Calm versus high-strung 5. Liveliness: Spontaneous versus restrained 6. Openness to Change: Flexible versus attached to the familiar 7. Perfectionism: Controlled versus undisciplined 8. Privateness: Discreet versus open 9. Reasoning: Abstract versus concrete 10. Rule-Consciousness: Conforming versus non-conforming 11. Self-Reliance: Self-sufficient versus dependent 12. Sensitivity: Tender-hearted versus tough-minded. 13. Social Boldness: Uninhibited versus shy 14. Tension: Inpatient versus relaxed 15. Vigilance: Suspicious versus trusting 16. Warmth: Outgoing versus reserved  Hans Eysenck (1916–1997) - Hans Eysenck was a personality theorist who focused on temperament—innate, genetically based personality differences. He believed personality is largely governed by biology, and he viewed people as having two specific personality dimensions: extroversion vs. introversion, neuroticism vs. stability and psychoticism vs. socialization. o According to their theory, people high on the trait of extroversion are sociable and outgoing and readily connect with others, whereas people high on the trait of introversion have a higher need to be alone, engage in solitary behaviors, and limit their interactions with others. o In the neuroticism/stability dimension, people high on neuroticism tend to be anxious; they tend to have an overactive sympathetic nervous system and even with low stress, their bodies and emotional state tend to go into a flight-or-fight reaction. In contrast, people high on stability tend to need more stimulation to activate their flight-or-fight reaction and are therefore considered more emotionally stable. o In the psychoticism/socialization dimension, people who are high on psychoticism tend to be independent thinkers, cold, nonconformist, impulsive, antisocial, and hostile. People who are high on socialization (often referred to as superego control) tend to have high impulse control—they are more altruistic, empathetic, cooperative, and conventional.  The Big Five Personality Traits o Openness to Experience (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious) - This trait includes appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, curiosity, and variety of experience. Openness reflects a person’s degree of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and preference for novelty and variety. It is also described as the extent to which a person is imaginative or independent; it describes a personal preference for a variety of activities over a  strict routine. Those who score high in openness to experience prefer novelty, while those who score low prefer routine. o Conscientiousness (efficient/organized vs. easy-going/careless) - This trait refers to one’s tendency toward self-discipline, dutifulness, competence, thoughtfulness, and achievement-striving (such as goal-directed behavior). It is distinct from the moral implications of “having a conscience”; instead, this trait focuses on the amount of deliberate intention and thought a person puts into his or her behavior. Individuals high in conscientiousness prefer planned rather than spontaneous behavior and are often organized, hardworking, and dependable. Individuals who score low in conscientiousness take a more relaxed approach, are spontaneous, and may be disorganized. Numerous studies have found a positive correlation between conscientiousness and academic success. o Extraversion (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved) - An individual who scores high on extraversion is characterized by high energy, positive emotions, talkativeness, assertiveness, sociability, and the tendency to seek stimulation in the company of others. Those who score low on extraversion prefer solitude and/or smaller groups, enjoy quiet, prefer activities alone, and avoid large social situations. Not surprisingly, people who score high on both extroversion and openness are more likely to participate in adventure and risky sports due to their curious and excitement-seeking nature (Tok, 2011). o Agreeableness (friendly/compassionate vs. cold/unkind) - This trait measures one’s tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others. It is also a measure of a person’s trusting and helpful nature and whether that person is generally well-tempered or not. People who score low on agreeableness tend to be described as rude and uncooperative. o Neuroticism (sensitive/nervous vs. secure/confident) - High neuroticism is characterized by the tendency to experience unpleasant emotions, such as anger, anxiety, depression, or vulnerability. Neuroticism also refers to an individual’s degree of emotional stability and impulse control. People high in neuroticism tend to experience emotional instability and are characterized as angry, impulsive, and hostile. Watson and Clark (1984) found that people reporting high levels of neuroticism also tend to report feeling anxious and unhappy. In contrast, people who score low in neuroticism tend to be calm and even-tempered. 4. SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY  Social cognitive theory is a learning theory developed by the renowned Stanford psychology professor Albert Bandura. The theory provides a framework for understanding how people actively shape and are shaped by their environment. In particular, the theory details the processes of observational learning and modeling, and the influence of self-efficacy on the production of behavior. o Observational Learning - A major component of social cognitive theory is observational learning. Bandura claimed that observational learning, through which people observe and imitate models they encounter in their environment, enables people to acquire information much more quickly. - Observational learning occurs through a sequence of four processes: 1. Attentional processes account for the information that is selected for observation in the environment. People might select to observe real-life models or models they encounter via media. 2. Retention processes involve remembering the observed information so it can be successfully recalled and reconstructed later. 3. Production processes reconstruct the memories of the observations so what was learned can be applied in appropriate situations. In many cases, this doesn’t mean the observer will replicate the observed action exactly, but that they will modify the behavior to produce a variation that fits the context. 4. Motivational processes determine whether or not an observed behavior is performed based on whether that behavior was observed to result in desired or adverse outcomes for the model. If an observed behavior was rewarded, the observer will be more motivated to reproduce it later. However, if a behavior was punished in some way, the observer would be less motivated to reproduce it. Thus, social cognitive theory cautions that people don’t perform every behavior they learn through modeling. NATURE OF PERSONALITY  The nature of qualities and characteristics belonging to an individual includes: 1. Physical 2. Mental 3. Emotional 4. Social 5. Moral-Spiritual TYPES OF PERSONALITY Sanguine Melancholic Optimistic Easily depressed Warm-hearted Moody Cheerful Seldom smile Easily makes friends Pessimistic Sociable Reserved Outgoing Unsociable Talkative Quiet Carefree Anxious Phlegmatic Choleric Slow and calm Nervous Cautious/Careful Easily provoked Deliberates carefully before taking an Behave aggressively when fails to action accomplish goals Passive Touchy Controlled Restless Reliable Even-tempered LEVELS OF PERSONALITY (Bustos, et.al., 1998) 1. External Level of personality shows the typical behavior of the person, his revealing qualities and the way he affects people 2. Internal Level represents the inner qualities or the psychic structure of the person  There should be a balance integration of the two levels so that the person can be perceived to have a rounded personality. CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONALITY 1. Dynamic Personality - This characteristic can easily be changed or modified. 2. Consistent Personality - This implies that a person has already established a characteristic mode of viewing life, meeting challenges in life like success or frustration and finding long range goals in the form of chosen values. DIMENSIONS OF PERSONALITY  Personality arises from the result of the interplay of various variables (heredity and environment). The interplay of these variables immensely shapes the development of an individual personality. 1. Heredity  Normally, a person’s physical build and facial appearance are complex creations of fused genes. 2. Environment  Environment, which constitutes the aggregate of surrounding things and conditions, greatly affects personality as a result of a long, gradual process.  The environment provides formative influences in the shaping of the foundation of personality.  This includes geographic, cultural and social aspects.   Geographical environment – includes the location, climate, topography and natural resources  Cultural environment – includes the mode of living, the norms of behavior, folkways, laws, traditions and customs  Society – An individual performs actions appropriate for society’s expectations. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is used primarily for business and marketing purposes, it can also help individuals assess their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Personal development is essential for an individual to look more appealing to employers, plus it also increases self-confidence, self-esteem, and self- image. People often fail to analyze themselves and as a result, end up making bad decisions, but many apply SWOT analysis effectively with professional tactics to stand out in a sea of candidates. Self-analysis can get complicated but can play a significant role in personal progress. To be successful in today’s competitive world, it’s essential for one to be able to identify his or her strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and threats that are presented to him/her. Conducting SWOT Analysis The analysis involves finding out the qualities of a person. SWOT is an evaluation tool used for identifying the loopholes and strong points and implementing them in an orderly fashion. After the evaluation process, an effort is required to implement changes which are positive and can lead to further opportunities. Carrying out SWOT analysis highlights the pros and cons a person possesses but the result will depend on how an individual responds to the analysis and implements it accordingly. An individual can react either by improving his/her weaknesses and overcoming the loopholes or take advantage of the strengths but also realize the threats that can overshadow strengths and opportunities. Working on weaknesses is an important step in implementing SWOT analysis. It is wise and productive to accept weaknesses and convert them into strengths, plus eliminating the threats. The main idea of SWOT is to enhance strengths which are identified, overcome weaknesses, capitalizing on opportunities, and converting threats into opportunities and weaknesses into strengths. You also have to put contingencies in place. There are many benefits of using SWOT analysis for personal development. It is good for success and betterment. Some of the most common benefits are it helps you develop strategies to attain goals plus shows where you stand on the path of success, measures the limitations and scope of reaching the desired goals, minimizes problems and issues, boosts your career, life and personality, increases self-confidence and self- esteem and helps to better understand self-image. At the same time, it helps you maximize strengths and diminish weaknesses and focus on attitude, abilities, skills, capabilities and capacity. Implementing Personal SWOT Analysis Implementing simply means transforming weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities. It’s easy to think about, but it’s much harder to implement in life. The key is to understand what implementing means. The first approach is to transform weakness into strength. For instance, if a person is not creative and decides to overcome that hurdle and become creative no matter what, the positive adrenaline changes his course of thinking and starts taking effect. Creativity is a skill and based on the growth mindset which can be cultivated. The second option is that to find a different context for weakness and try to see it as a feature. For example, a manager who has a hard time staying focused and is not good at dictating and getting things done can be a successful entrepreneur or take up some other profession. A good personality will mostly come from limitations, not strengths. It’s the outcome of working around shortcomings and using all the skills you can muster. There is also a third option. In case a weakness cannot be converted or implemented, then minimizing weaknesses or avoiding them might sort the problem. The purpose is to neutralize weaknesses to a point at which strengths can be unfettered. The only difficulty with the tool is the authenticity of its results. Since you are carrying out a SWOT analysis for self, there are too many chances that the result may be biased. The results are subjective and vulnerable to the perceptional differences of each person. Moreover, lack of accountability is also a major factor as you may not have any motivation to change yourself. SWOT analysis can be a useful self-assessment tool that can help you in personal development. However, the extent of improvement depends not on the results of the analysis but on your own motivation to change. LEARNING ACTIVITY: 1. Take the IPIP Big Five Personality Test and the MBTI Personality Test on the links below. See if the results match your real personality.  Big Five Personality Test  https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/IPIP-BFFM/  MBTI Personality Test  https://www.truity.com/test/type-finder-personality-test-new- m?utm_expid=.vjPthbLpSvOw6ZbJmQXetw.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co m%2F 2. Take the self-awareness quiz to help you know yourself more. o Self-Awareness Test https://www.higherawareness.com/awareness-level-test.php 3. Make your personal SWOT analysis to improve yourself. Identify your:  Strengths, or those areas where you have an advantage over others or the traits or skills that set you apart from others;  Weaknesses, or the areas in which you need to improve and the things that will set you back in achieving your goals;  Opportunities, or possibilities that you can take advantage of to help you achieve your goals and ambitions; and  Threats or things that may prevent you achieving your goals. Fill out the table with your own self-analysis on your strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities and answer the following questions below. (20pts) SWOT Analysis Template Strengths Weaknesses What do you do well? What unique resources can What could you improve? Where do you have fewer you draw on? What do others see as your resources than others? What are others likely to see strengths? as weaknesses?  Opportunities Threats What opportunities are open to you? What trends What threats could harm you? What is your could you take advantage of? How can you turn competition doing? What threats do your your strengths into opportunities? weaknesses expose you to?  4. Prepare an essay on “Who are you?” based on your SWOT Analysis. POSTTEST: Answer the following questions on a separate sheet. (short coupon bond) 1. What determines a persons’ personality? 2. Which among the four types of personality (sanguine, melancholic, phlegmatic, choleric) are you? Why so? 3. Briefly describe the four given theories of personality. References:  MIRANDA, Norma. (2011). Essentials to Understanding Behavior. Mandaluyong City: National Bookstore  FRANDO, M. & Mores, E. (2014). General Psychology Simplified. Mandaluyong City: Books Atbp. Publishingn Corp.  CHERRY, Kendra. (2019). Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/  Humanistic Perspectives on Personality. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless- psychology/