PSYC1001 2024 Lecture 3 Personality PDF

PERSONALITY 3 LECTURER: CAROLINE FIELDEN E m a i l : c a ro l i n e.f i e l d e n @ s y d n e y.e d u. a u Page 01  LECTURE SERIES OVERVIEW o Lecture 1: Introduction to personality o Lecture 2: Psychoanalytic & psychodynam...

PERSONALITY 3 LECTURER: CAROLINE FIELDEN E m a i l : c a ro l i n e.f i e l d e n @ s y d n e y.e d u. a u Page 01  LECTURE SERIES OVERVIEW o Lecture 1: Introduction to personality o Lecture 2: Psychoanalytic & psychodynamic approaches o Lecture 3: Humanistic & existential approaches o Lecture 4: Cognitive & behavioural approaches o Lecture 5: Psychobiological & lexical approaches o Lecture 6: Personality assessment Page 02  WHAT IS PERSONALITY? James Freud Jung Personal self The end product of A blend of archetypal Material self psychosexual patterns & material in the development personal unconscious Social self (complexes)  WHAT IS PERSONALITY? James Freud Jung Rogers Maslow Personal self The end product of A blend of archetypal The self + experience The goal and process Material self psychosexual patterns & material in the of self-actualization. development personal unconscious Social self (complexes)  LEARNING OVERVIEW  Understand the philosophical foundations of Humanist and Existentialist accounts of the self.  Understand the key principles of Humanist and Existentialist accounts of the self.  Understand the relevance of Humanist and Existentialist accounts of the self to personality psychology.  Be able to identify the key differences between Humanist & Existential accounts of personality.  Understand the relevance of Humanist and Existentialist accounts of the self to psychology today. Page 03  Influenced by Wh at is t h e meaning of l ife? oExistentialism/humanism Wh at do es it mean to be me? oCivil rights movement oFeminism oThe holocaust oEastern philosophies oPostmodernism oHippy movement oExperiences with mind-altering substances Page 05  KEY THEORISTS Rollo May (1909–1994). Carl Rogers (1902–87). Abraham Maslow (1908 – 1970) “People are just as wonderful as sunsets if “The fact is that people are “Myths give us our sense I can let them be… When I look at a good, Give people affection of personal identity, sunset, I don’t find myself saying, “Soften and security, and they will give answering the question the orange a bit on the right-hand affection and be secure in their ‘Who am I?” corner”… I don’t try to control a sunset. I feelings and behavior.” https://youtu.be/8kzi0WlI6jQ?si=jOwr watch with awe as it unfolds.” 2q-ApCl4JkoS Page 06 https://youtu.be/o0neRQzudzw?si=ImgNOWZnVzGvqd_y  PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS Existentialism Kierkegaard (19th century European philosopher) o Primacy of subjectivity o Individuals free, responsible, self-determining agent Free will > anxiety o Search for meaning ‘absurd’ Reason cannot explain everything Science cannot explain what it is to be human What might we mean by phenomenological? PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS Phenomenology o A primarily European philosophical stance o Husserl (1859-1938) & Heidegger (1889-1976) o Focus on human experience The nature of consciousness o The phenomena of human experience primary ‘Aboutness’ (everything is about something) ‘Beingness’ (the avoidance of ‘nothingness’) o Unitary nature of human experience  SHARED ASSUMPTIONS o Is a process that is more than the sum of it’s parts “ o Search for meaning ‘absurd’ Should not be divided into conscious vs unconscious, Life absurd – death is inevitable cognitive vs affective, rational vs intuitive Science cannot explain what it is to dynamic holism be human o Cannot be discovered using science Against biological reductionism o Phenomenological experience primary Experience primary o Unconcerned with explanatory, o Can only be discovered via experience theoretical concepts A phenomenological approach o Individuals free, responsible, self-determining agent Page 15  KEY CONCEPTS: EXISTENTIALISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility People can be good or bad o Embracing the challenges of o Finding inner peace o Phenomenal centredness o Create an optimal reality o Belief that people are who existence o Finding congruence o Being fully present through the choices we make they are because of the o Confronting our fears between our ideal self & o Genuine participation in o Search for meaning choices they make. o Making choices that create the real self other beings o Develop a sound self- o Note the difference in the reality we seek. o Trust in our body o Self consciousness concept origins of Humanist and o Anxiety as a doorway to growth o Existential living – being o Not be held captive to past Existentialist psychology. o Emphasising the uniqueness of in the moment conflicts one’s experiences. o Openness to experience Page 13 – ability to adapt  KEY CONCEPTS: EXISTENTIALISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility People can be good or bad o Embracing the challenges of o Finding inner peace o Phenomenal centredness o Create an optimal reality o Belief that people are who existence o Finding congruence o Being fully present through the choices we make they are because of the o Confronting our fears between our ideal self & o Genuine participation in o Search for meaning choices they make. o Making choices that create the real self other beings o Develop a sound self- o Note the difference in the reality we seek. o Trust in our body o Self consciousness concept origins of Humanist and o Anxiety as a doorway to growth o Existential living – being in o Not be held captive to past Existentialist psychology. o Emphasising the uniqueness of the moment conflicts one’s experiences. o Openness to experience – Page 13 ability to adapt  KEY CONCEPTS: EXISTENTIALISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility People can be good or bad o Embracing the challenges of o Finding inner peace o Phenomenal centredness o Create an optimal reality o Belief that people are who existence o Finding congruence o Being fully present through the choices we make they are because of the o Confronting our fears between our ideal self & o Genuine participation in o Search for meaning choices they make. o Making choices that create the real self other beings o Develop a sound self- o Note the difference in the reality we seek. o Trust in our body o Self consciousness concept origins of Humanist and o Anxiety as a doorway to growth o Existential living – being o Not be held captive to past Existentialist psychology. o Emphasising the uniqueness of in the moment conflicts one’s experiences. o Openness to experience Page 13 – ability to adapt  KEY CONCEPTS: EXISTENTIALISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility People can be good or bad o Embracing the challenges of o Finding inner peace o Phenomenal centredness o Create an optimal reality o Belief that people are who existence o Finding congruence o Being fully present through the choices we make they are because of the o Confronting our fears between our ideal self & o Genuine participation in o Search for meaning choices they make. o Making choices that create the real self other beings o Develop a sound self- o Note the difference in the reality we seek. o Trust in our body o Self consciousness concept origins of Humanist and o Anxiety as a doorway to growth o Existential living – being o Not be held captive to past Existentialist psychology. o Emphasising the uniqueness of in the moment conflicts one’s experiences. o Openness to experience Page 13 – ability to adapt  KEY CONCEPTS: EXISTENTIALISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility People can be good or bad o Embracing the challenges of o Finding inner peace o Phenomenal centredness o Create an optimal reality o Belief that people are who existence o Finding congruence o Being fully present through the choices we make they are because of the o Confronting our fears between our ideal self & o Genuine participation in o Search for meaning choices they make. o Making choices that create the real self other beings o Develop a sound self- o Note the difference in the reality we seek. o Trust in our body o Self consciousness concept origins of Humanist and o Anxiety as a doorway to growth o Existential living – being o Not be held captive to past Existentialist psychology. o Emphasising the uniqueness of in the moment conflicts one’s experiences. o Openness to experience Page 13 – ability to adapt  KEY CONCEPTS: EXISTENTIALISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility People can be good or bad o Embracing the challenges of o Finding inner peace o Phenomenal centredness o Create an optimal reality o Belief that people are who existence o Finding congruence o Being fully present through the choices we make they are because of the o Confronting our fears between our ideal self & o Genuine participation in o Search for meaning choices they make. o Making choices that create the real self other beings o Develop a sound self- o Note the difference in the reality we seek. o Trust in our body o Self consciousness concept origins of Humanist and o Anxiety as a doorway to growth o Existential living – being in o Not be held captive to past Existentialist psychology. o Emphasising the uniqueness of the moment conflicts one’s experiences. o Openness to experience – Page 13 ability to adapt  Existentialist Psychology The Self o The self is a response to existence Existence is full of challenges – death, sadness Challenges must be embraced to be worth living o We are free to choose how we respond to life (free will) The choices we make can be good or bad Not necessarily hostage to past conflicts (as described by Freud), complexes (as described by Jung) or situational constraints  MENTAL HEALTH IN EXISTENTIALISM Rejects the medical model of mental illness But then, how does one become ill? o Incongruence (aka incongruity) Disharmony within cognitive elements of experience Discrepancy between one’s experiences and their self-concept leads to anxiety  Can cause low self-esteem  (Rational) distortion of experience o Terror management (awareness of and response to death) Nothingness vs. being o Existential guilt and anxiety  HUMANISM & MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS “Self-actualized people...live more in the real world of nature than in the man-made mass of concepts, abstractions, expectations, beliefs and stereotypes that most people confuse with the world.” -Abraham Maslow, Hierarchy of Needs: A Theory of Human Motivation Page 14  KEY CONCEPTS: HUMANISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility Inherent Goodness of People o People should realise their o Valuing and embracing o Prioritise present moment o Emphasise person’s active o Belief that people have innate highest, most important goals subjective experiences as a awareness avoid dwelling in role in shaping their life and capacity for growth, self- and full potentials. source of self- the past or future. experiences improvement and o Understand these goals understanding o Being fully present o Encourage autonomy, self- compassion o Identify and utilise the means to o Emphasising the determinism, and pursuit of o Fostering optimistic view of reach these goals uniqueness of one’s personal goals human nature – strength and o Encourage self-exploration individual experiences. potential Page 13  KEY CONCEPTS: HUMANISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility Inherent Goodness of People o realise their highest and most o Valuing and embracing o Prioritise present moment o Emphasise person’s active o Belief that people have innate important goals and full subjective experiences as a awareness avoid dwelling in role in shaping their life and capacity for growth, self- potential. source of self- the past or future. experiences improvement and o understand these goals understanding o Being fully present o Encourage autonomy, self- compassion o Identify and utilise the means to o Emphasising the determinism, and pursuit of o Fostering optimistic view of reach these goals uniqueness of one’s personal goals human nature – strength and o Encourage self-exploration individual experiences. potential Page 13  KEY CONCEPTS: HUMANISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility Inherent Goodness of People o realise their highest and most o Valuing and embracing o Prioritise present moment o Emphasise person’s active o Belief that people have innate important goals and full subjective experiences as a awareness avoid dwelling in role in shaping their life and capacity for growth, self- potential. source of self- the past or future. experiences improvement and o understand these goals understanding o Being fully present o Encourage autonomy, self- compassion o Identify and utilise the means to o Emphasising the determinism, and pursuit of o Fostering optimistic view of reach these goals uniqueness of one’s personal goals human nature – strength and o Encourage self-exploration individual experiences. potential Page 13  KEY CONCEPTS: HUMANISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility Inherent Goodness of People o realise their highest and most o Valuing and embracing o Prioritise present moment o Emphasise person’s active o Belief that people have innate important goals and full subjective experiences as a awareness avoid dwelling in role in shaping their life and capacity for growth, self- potential. source of self- the past or future. experiences improvement and o understand these goals understanding o Being fully present o Encourage autonomy, self- compassion o Identify and utilise the means to o Emphasising the determinism, and pursuit of o Fostering optimistic view of reach these goals uniqueness of one’s personal goals human nature – strength and o Encourage self-exploration individual experiences. potential Page 13  KEY CONCEPTS: HUMANISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility Inherent Goodness of People o realise their highest and most o Valuing and embracing o Prioritise present moment o Emphasise person’s active o Belief that people have innate important goals and full subjective experiences as a awareness avoid dwelling in role in shaping their life and capacity for growth, self- potential. source of self- the past or future. experiences improvement and o understand these goals understanding o Being fully present o Encourage autonomy, self- compassion o Identify and utilise the means to o Emphasising the determinism, and pursuit of o Fostering optimistic view of reach these goals uniqueness of one’s personal goals human nature – strength and o Encourage self-exploration individual experiences. potential Page 13  KEY CONCEPTS: HUMANISM Love Spontaneity Humour Affiliation Joy Independencee Creativity Courage Morality Personal growth 01 02 03 04 05 Personal Growth Personal Experience Now and Here Personal Responsibility Inherent Goodness of People o People should realise their o Valuing and embracing o Prioritise present moment o Emphasise person’s active o Belief that people have innate highest and most important subjective experiences as a awareness avoid dwelling in role in shaping their life and capacity for growth, self- goals and full potential. source of self- the past or future. experiences improvement and o Understand these goals understanding o Being fully present o Encourage autonomy, self- compassion o Identify and utilise the means to o Emphasising the determinism, and pursuit of o Fostering optimistic view of reach these goals uniqueness of one’s personal goals human nature – strength and o Encourage self-exploration individual experiences. potential Page 13  KEY DIFFERENCES Existentialism Humanism o realise full potential. o Embracing the o understand personal goals 01 o Confronting our fears o Make good o Use resources to reach goals o Encourage self-exploration Personal Growth o Accept anxiety o Emphasising uniqueness of experiences. o Find inner peace o Embrace subjective 02 o Finding congruence o Trust in our body o Emphasising uniqueness Personal Experience o Living in the moment o Adaptability o Centredness o Prioritise now 03 o Being present o interactions o Being fully present Now and Here Page 13 o Self consciousness  KEY DIFFERENCES Existentialism Humanism o Make good choices o Emphasise person’s active 04 o Search for meaning role in shaping their life and o Develop self-concept experiences Personal Responsibility o Let go of the past o Encourage autonomy, self- determinism, and pursuit of personal goals 05 o People have innate capacity o People are who they are for growth, self-improvement because of the choices they and compassion make. o Fosters optimistic view of People good or bad human nature – strength and potential Page 13  CONTRIBUTIONS o The first holistic personality and psychological theories“ o The first theories of personality to capitalise on subjective (free) will, personal responsibility, and conscious choice o The first non-deterministic theories of personality o They gave rise to positive psychology, transpersonal psychology, and holistic approaches to medicine o Major contributions to social care systems, humanitarian interventions, and the treatment of (primarily) substance abuse and relational problems o E.g. Person-Centred Therapy o Gestalt Therapy o Logotherapy o Conjoint Family Therapy Page 18  CRITICISM o Society is bad, individuals are good (?) “ o What is conventional is mediocre? o Too much reliance on the individual’s self-reported conscious experience and introspection (subjectivity) o Methodology is often too vague, unscientific, and untestable o Theories lack falsifiability o They function best as (arguably great) life guides Page 19  WHAT IS PERSONALITY? James Freud Jung Rogers Maslow Personal self The end product of A blend of archetypal The self + experience The goal and process Material self psychosexual patterns & material in the of self-actualization. development personal unconscious Social self (complexes)