Macquarie University Personality PSYU/X2234 Lecture 1 PDF

PERSONALITY PSYU/X2234 Lecture 1: Introduction to Personality A/Prof Simon Boag email: [email protected] 1 Readings (suggested) ***Exam Qs based on lecture material*** Revision: see Boag et al. (2018). Personality (on iLearn: warning: graphic content). Additio...

PERSONALITY PSYU/X2234 Lecture 1: Introduction to Personality A/Prof Simon Boag email: [email protected] 1 Readings (suggested) ***Exam Qs based on lecture material*** Revision: see Boag et al. (2018). Personality (on iLearn: warning: graphic content). Additional revision texts: Feist, J, Feist, G, & Roberts, T (2018). Theories of Personality Sollod, RN, Wilson, JP & Monte, CF (2009). Beneath the Mask 2 Outline I. Introduction to Personality Theory Definitions of ‘Personality’ 2. Personality & Social Psychology Persons within situations Personality development 3. Scientific Personality research Replicability Methods of assessment 3 What this course involves Some revision & consolidation of theories of personality Addressing developments in the major personality approaches (eg. psychodynamic, trait, & humanistic approaches) Addressing current research & applications of personality theory 4 A few words about these lectures… It is OK to ask questions & raise issues during the lectures… just remember that we have to get through a certain amount of course material Question everything! Develop your own point of view through evaluating the evidence, critical reasoning, & comparison with your own experience 5 I. What is meant by ‘Personality’? Does everyone ‘have a personality’? We all have an intuitive understanding of what personality means What precisely is ‘a personality’? Where is your personality? Inside? Outside? Do some people have ‘more’ personality than other people? Do animals have personalities? 6 Personality? “Everyone, it seems, knows what personality is, but no one can precisely describe it: hundreds of definitions are available” (Allport, 1961) ‘Persona’: Mask; Character Self & identity 7 (i) Definitions (1) “Personality is the distinctive & relatively enduring ways of thinking, feeling, & acting that characterise a person’s responses to life situations” (Passer & Smith, 2018) (2) “Personality refers to psychological systems that contribute to an individual’s enduring & distinctive patterns of experience & behaviour” (Cervone & Pervin, 2019) Difference between (1) & (2)? 8 Personality & individual differences “Every human being is like every other human being, like some other human beings, & like no other human beings” (Kluckhohn & Murray, 1953) Human universals Group differences Individual differences Appreciating what we each have in common with each other & how we differ from one another 9 Differing focal points Personality research tends to address both: Human nature (common features) Individuality (specific factors) but…. Idiographic vs Nomothetic approaches 10 Personality theory “…we are willing to accept any general theory of human behavior as a theory of personality” (Hall & Lindzey, 1970) Understanding the ‘whole’ person rather than simply the ‘parts’ Synthesising other areas of psychology eg. perception, neuroscience, human development Important for helping us to understand 11 Personality & psychopathology Understanding psychopathology Psycho: psychological Pathos: disease/disorder/suffering Personality research emerged out of ‘Abnormal psychology’ Understanding how our personalities can break down (eg. personality disorders) Theory & implications for therapy 12 Personality & wellbeing Helping us to understand ‘normal’ & healthy functioning Helping us to understand what is necessary for mental health & wellbeing (eg. Ψ’cal needs) “All major investigators agree that a theory of personality must account for the integrated, coherent functioning of the individual” (Cervone, 2000) 13 (ii) Personality & social psychology? HISTORICALLY… Personality theories: behaviour typically caused by internal factors rather than environmental ones Social psychology: how each person's individual behavior is influenced by the social environment Explaining what we do: Person or Situation? 14 Personality & explanation 1930s: Personality as the main determinant of behaviour 1950s-1960s: Situation determines behaviour 1980s: Person x Situation interaction 2000s: Complex interaction b/w person & situation 15 Personality & Social Psychology Persons within situations “The scientific study of the feelings, thoughts, & behaviours of individuals in social situations” (Gilovich et al. 2019) Importance of culture 16 (iv) Personality development Nature vs Nurture Nature: what we are like by nature (prior to environmental influences) For example: Genetics Biological needs Temperament 17 Personality development Nurture: how the environment nurtures us All environmental influences For example: Social factors Cultural factors DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY 18 Nature & Nurture Questions: Personality disorders? Violence & aggression? Psychopathology? Answers important for child-rearing, psychotherapy, social planning etc. Complexity There is a blur b/w where nature & nurture begin & end (eg. Epigenetics) 19 Personality: stable or changing? Does personality change across the lifespan? Are you the same person as when you were a child? Does personality change according to situations? Do you behave the same around your parents as with your friends? Personality paradox: personality is generally stable over time (Consistency) but behaviour varies according to situation (Change) 20 3. Personality Research & Science Science: Trying to discover what is the case Humans are prone to error, so… Critical appraisal (Michell, 2000): Subjecting beliefs & theories to criticism Two kinds of criticism: logical & empirical Logical: testing logical coherence of theories Theoretical/conceptual analysis Identifying contradictions, hidden assumptions, vagueness, ambiguity 21 The present-day replicability crisis Empiricism: Observation is essential to science Do our observations support the theory? Replication an essential feature of science Open Science Collaboration (Nosek et al. x 269, 2015) 100 replications: only 36% success Personality Research What is the best method for observing & studying personality? This partly depends upon what is meant by ‘personality’; idiographic/nomothetic approaches, etc. Qualitative & quantitative data 23 Methods of assessment: case studies Early & present personality research In-depth study of a single person eg. Phineas Gage (1840s) Rare cases Researcher (subjective) bias? N=1; Applicability to other cases (generalisability)? These may provide sources for further hypotheses Clinical/counselling application Interviews 24 Methods of assessment: self-report Self-report Questionnaires True/false; Likert response “I don’t like to draw attention to myself” Allows fairly fast-&-easy data collection Deception, lack of insight, biases 25 Methods of assessment: projective tests Projective tests Ambiguous stimuli: individual interpretations reveal aspects of their personality Issues with interpretation Rosenzweig P-F Study Rorschach ‘inkblots’ Thematic Apperception Test 26 Current directions Digital research & Big Data Self-presentation/identity management on social media & online contexts Dark niches & the web (eg. Trolling) Remote behaviour sampling 27 Some further considerations Ethnocentrism Are our theories universal or reflections of specific cultures? “The model that is inscribed in many theories of personality does not reflect “human” nature; instead it reflects the ideas & practices of European American contexts” (Markus, 2004) Collectivist vs individualist cultures 28 Some further considerations Egocentrism Are our theories reflections of ourselves? How do our own experiences as persons influence our understanding of personality? If I haven’t experienced something, then…? Potential bias or an important source of information? 29 Outline of lectures Addressing the current major approaches within Personality research & their applications to various fields: Defenses & dreaming Personality disorders Addiction & physical health Crime & dark personalities Personality & wellbeing 30 Questions? DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY 31