Theories of Personality PDF

THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Social Cognitive Theory Albert Bandura – Social Learning Theory - People learn by observing other people’s actions. Active agent in life - beliefs, self- perceptions, and expectations Social Cognitive Theory includes person/cognition, behavior and...

THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Social Cognitive Theory Albert Bandura – Social Learning Theory - People learn by observing other people’s actions. Active agent in life - beliefs, self- perceptions, and expectations Social Cognitive Theory includes person/cognition, behavior and environment as a reciprocal interaction  The Focus is on the Individual Bandura & Schunk (1981) explain competence and efficacy as learned skills Bandura (1986) further details the dynamic self to explain that we are not observers of our own lives Self-agency involves core properties of: – Intentionality – Forethought – Self-reactiveness – Self-reflection (Bandura, 2006) Self-Efficacy “Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations.” (Bandura, 1986) What does self-efficacy do? – The choices we make – The effort we put forth – How long we persist when difficulty arises – How we feel  Interactive Relation Outcomes/ Behaviors Goal Progress Motivation Self-Influences/ Social Influences/ Personal Environmental Goals Models Self-Efficacy Instruction Outcome Expectations Feedback Attributions Mediating Mechanism: Beliefs Sources of Self-Efficacy MASTERY EXPERIENCES – (Most powerful) Successful experiences VICARIOUS EXPERIENCES – Accomplishments modeled by someone else SOCIAL PERSUASION – “pep talk” or encouragement AROUSAL – Physical and psychological reactions – excited, tense  Goal Orientation Factors that Affect Change – Schunk and Zimmerman - increased capacity to process information, use strategies, and meet a defined goal – Goal orientation involves an individual’s engagement in achieving a focal activity – Self-efficacy - Past experience, perception and good consequences heightens motivation – Goal Setting - more likely to model behaviors that will help them attain goals TRAIT THEORIES What are personality traits? Personality traits are enduring patterns of perceiving, relating to and thinking about the environment and oneself that are exhibited in a wide range of social and personal contexts. Traits are generally assumed to: – be relatively stable across time – differ among individuals – be bipolar – influence behavior Eysenck: Three factor theory Hans Eysenck, English psychologist, believed that there are three fundamental factors in personality: – Introversion versus Extroversion – Emotionally Stable versus Unstable (neurotic) – Impulse Control versus Psychotic The first two factors create 4 combinations, related to the four basic temperaments recognized by ancient Greeks: – Melancholic (introverted + unstable): sad, gloomy – Choleric (extroverted + unstable): hot-tempered, irritable – Phlegmatic (introverted + stable): sluggish, calm – Sanguine (extroverted + stable): cheerful, hopeful  Raymond Cattell: from Devon, England, believed that there were two basic Cattell: categories of traits: Source and – Surface Traits: Features that make up the visible Surface areas of personality Traits – Source Traits: Underlying characteristics (16PF) of a personality Cattell also constructed the16PF, a personality test identifying 16 personality factors (source traits). The 16PF McCrae & Costa (1987):The Big 5 Personality Felt that Cattell's theory was too complicated, and Eysenck's was too limited in scope. Factor analysis resulted in the Big 5 personality traits used to describe the broad traits that serve as building blocks of personality. Factors represent dichotomies in orientation to interacting with the world. Thus, each of the five primary personality traits represents a range between two extremes OCEAN Openness: imaginative, independent and interested in variety vs practical, conforming, and interested in routine. Conscientiousness: organized, careful and disciplined vs disorganized, careless and impulsive Extraversion: sociable, fun-loving, and affectionate vs retiring, somber, and reserved Agreeable: soft-hearted, trusting and helpful vs ruthless, suspicious and uncooperative. Neuroticism: calm, secure and self-satisfied vs. anxious, insecure, and self-pitying. Big 5 Factors