UTS Week 1 Notes PDF

2. Educational Institutions: Schools shape an WEEK 1: UNDERSTANDING THE individual’s experiences and interactions. S...

2. Educational Institutions: Schools shape an WEEK 1: UNDERSTANDING THE individual’s experiences and interactions. SELF 3. Workplace: Professional environments influence behavior and attitudes. INTRODUCTION TO UNDERSTANDING THE SELF 4. Social Circle: people who surround you play roles in Understanding oneself is crucial for comprehending the shaping personality. behaviors and beliefs that impact both ourselves and others. 2. Biological Factors of Personality: This self-awareness is particularly important for becoming an effective and successful person in life, work, and relationships. o These factors are inherent and include: Self-understanding: o provides a sense of purpose 1. Hereditary Factors: Genetic makeup inherited from o leads to healthier relationships parents influences tendencies and behavioral o helps harness your natural strength patterns. o promotes confidence. The module introduces the basic concepts of self and 2. Physical Features: Aspects like height, weight, color, and body language contribute to overall personality. personality and their relationship. Self and personality define how we understand our existence 3. Brain: Research on electrical stimulation of the brain and organize our experiences, which are reflected in our (ESB) suggests connections between brain function behavior. and behavior. People have different ideas about themselves, representing their self. 3. Situational Factors of Personality: While behavior may vary in different situations, people generally show a stable pattern of behavior, which represents their o While not directly creating personality, situational factors temporarily alter behavior: personality. 1. Context: Different situations evoke contrasting traits PERSONALITY and characteristics in individuals. 1. Etymology of Personality: 2. Social Environment: Interactions with specific The term “personality” has its roots in the word “persona,” people or groups influence behavior. which referred to the theatrical masks worn by Romans in Greek and Latin drama. 4. Cultural Factors of Personality: Additionally, it derives from the Latin words “per” and “sonare,” meaning “to sound through.” o Culture plays a pivotal role in shaping who we are: 2. Definition of Personality: Various personality theories offer different definitions, but a 1. Beliefs and Values: Cultural norms, traditions, and commonly accepted view is that personality consists of shared beliefs impact self-concept and behavior. relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics (Roberts & Mroczek, 2008). 2. Transmission: Culture is transmitted across These traits provide both consistency and individuality to a generations, influencing how individuals perceive person’s behavior. themselves and others. 3. Role of Personality: o The four major cultural factors are religion, gender, race, and Personality significantly influences how individuals shape age. their lives. It involves complex interactions with the environment, PERSONALITY TRAITS coping mechanisms, adjustments throughout life, and responses to physical and social challenges. 1. Personality Traits: 4. Components of Personality: Personality encompasses several elements: Reflect characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and 1. Physical self: How a person presents themselves behaviors. physically. 2. Intelligence: Cognitive abilities and intellectual This are like special qualities that make a person unique capacities. 3. Character traits: Enduring patterns of behavior. These traits stay the same no matter where they are or what’s 4. Attitudes: Dispositions toward various aspects of life. happening. 5. Habits: Regular behavioral patterns. 6. Interests: Areas of curiosity and passion. Example: If someone is very outgoing and loves being around 7. Personal discipline: Self-regulation and control. people then they have high Extraversion. 8. Moral values: Ethical principles. 9. Philosophies of life: Worldviews and beliefs. 2. Trait Psychology: Proposes that people differ in terms of basic trait dimensions. DETERMINANTS OF PERSONALITY Its like saying that everyone has different “trait” or special Personality refers to the total person in his/her overt and covert behavior. qualities The determinants of factors of personality are as follows: These traits don’t change much overtime or in different places. 1. Environmental Factors of Personality: E.g., If someone is usually shy, they will likely be shy even in o The environment in which an individual lives significantly new situation or as they get older. impacts their personality. This includes: 1. Neighborhood: The surroundings and community where a person resides. 3. Five-Factor Model (Big Five): 6. Independence of Traits: Traits: Scores on the Big Five traits are mostly independent of each other. o Openness: Creativity and curiosity. o The five traits on the big five model don’t depend on each o Conscientiousness: Organization and dependability. other, this means: o Extraversion: Sociability and enthusiasm. o A person high in Extraversion may be high or low in Neuroticism. o Agreeableness: Compassion and cooperativeness. o A person low in Agreeableness may be high or low in o Neuroticism: Emotional instability and anxiety. Conscientiousness. Acronym: OCEAN (Openness, Conscientiousness, To really understand a person’s personality using the big five, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism). you need to look at all the five together. Can be divided into facets for detailed analysis. 7. Assessment and Research: Foundational Studies: Goldberg (1990), McCrae & John Assessment Tool: A short scale to assess the Big Five traits (1992), McCrae & Costa (1987). (Donnellan, Oswald, Baird, & Lucas, 2006). 4. Debate and Criticism: Trait Stability: these traits show how a person’s behavior stays pretty much the same overtime (Caspi, Roberts, & Some argue that traits alone do not fully predict behavior; Shiner, 2005). situational influences are also significant. Consequences: These stable traits can significantly impact Trait theorists suggest that the Five-Factor Model might not various life outcomes (Roberts, Kuncel, Shiner, Caspi, & capture all important traits. Goldberg, 2007). 5. Lexical Approach: 8. Impact on Life Outcomes: Shows that personality descriptors often overlap, suggesting Academic Success: Being organized and hardworking that personality traits can be summarized with fewer terms. (conscientiousness) can help you do better in school. It’s like saying that a lot of different words means the same Health: people who are good at sticking with routines (high thing, so we don’t need so many words to explain personality conscientiousness) often stay healthier because they follow good habits. Big 5 trait Definition Openness The tendency to appreciate new art, Predictive Value: Personality traits help predict work ideas, values, feelings, and behaviors. performance, longevity, job satisfaction, and preferred Conscientiousness The tendency to be careful, on-time for activities. appointments, to follow rules, and to be hard working WHO AM I? Extraversion The tendency to be talkative, sociable, and to enjoy others; the tendency to 1. Self-Concept: have a dominant style. Agreeableness The tendency to agree and go along Definition: it’s like a mental picture of who you think you are, with others rather than to assert one based on what you believe about you behavior, skills, and owns opinions and choices. unique traits. Neuroticism The tendency to be frequently experience negative emotions such as Examples: You might think “I am friendly” or “I am creative”. anger, worry, and sadness, as well as being interpersonally sensitive. 2. Development: When you are young this picture changes a lot. As you get older this picture becomes clear and detailed as you learn more things about yourself. Example behavior for LOW Example for HIGH scorers 3. scorers 4. Self-Understanding: Prefers not to be exposed to Enjoys seeing people with alternative moral systems; new types of haircuts and Definition: It’s about Knowing why you do the things you do narrow interest; inartistic; not body piercing; curious; and what drives your action and behavior. annalistic; down-to-earth imaginative; untraditional 5. Components of Self-Concept (according to Crisp & Turner’s Prefers spur-of-the-moment Never late for a date; Essential Social Psychology): action to planning; unreliable; organized; hardworking; neat, hedonistic; careless; lax persevering; punctual; self- Individual Self: Attributes and personality traits that disciplined differentiate you from others (e.g., introversion or Preferring a quiet evening Being the life of the party’ extroversion). reading to a loud party; sober; active; optimistic; fun-loving; aloof; unenthusiastic affectionate o What makes you different from other people (like being Quickly and confidently Agrees with other about shy or outgoing). asserts own rights; irritable; political opinions; good- manipulative; uncooperative; natured; forgiving; gullible; Relational Self: Defined by relationships with significant rude helpful; forgiving others (e.g., siblings, friends, spouses). Not getting irritated by sall Constantly worrying about annoyances; calm, little things; insecure; o How you see yourself in relation to others (like being a unemotional; hardy; secure; hypochondrial; feeling supportive friend or a loving sibling). self-satisfied inadequate  Collective Self: Reflects membership in social groups (e.g., nationality, political affiliation, ethnicity, or sexual orientation). o How you see yourself as a part of a larger group (like your nationality or your hobbies). 6. Overall Importance: Self-concept is a collection of beliefs about oneself and responses from others, answering the fundamental question, "Who am I?" o Self-concept is a set of beliefs about yourself and how others see you, it highly helps answer the question of “Who am I?”.