Psychology of Personality
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- What are five goals for the personality theorist?
- 1. Observation that is scientific 2. Theory that is systematic 3. Theory that is testable 4. Theory that is comprehensive 5. Applications: from theory to practice
- Why do we study personality?
- Because it addresses the whole, unique, integrated, coherent, unique individual
- What four, difficult to reconcile issues does personality psychology address?
- 1. Human universals 2. Group differences 3. Individual differences 4. Individual uniqueness
- Define personality:
- Psychological qualities that contribute to an individual's enduring and distinctive patterns of feeling, thinking, and behaving.
- What three types of questions should a complete theory of personality answer coherently?
- 1. WHAT= characteristics of the person and how these characteristics are organized in relation to one another 2. HOW= the determinants of a person's personality 3. WHY= causes of, and reasons behind, an individual's behavior
- Define structure:
- Stable, enduring aspects of personality. Qualities that endure from day to day, year to year. Building blocks of personality theory. Can be compared to atoms and molecules in physics.
- What are two popular units of analysis?
- Traits Types
- Define process:
- Psychological reactions that change dynamically, that change over relatively brief periods of time. Rapid, dynamic flow of motivation, emotion, and action. Personality theroists emphasize different motivational processes.
- What two challenges does the study of personality psychology encompass?
- 1. To characterize patterns of development that are experienced by most, if not all, persons. 2. To understand developmental factors that contribute to individual differences.
- Name some environmental determinants to personality.
- Culture Social class Family Peers
- Name some genetic determinants to personality.
- Genetic factors contribute strongly to personality and individual differences. Scientific advances enable the personality psychologist to pinpoint specific paths of influence
- What three functions can theories of personality serve?
- 1. Organize existing information 2. Generate new knowledge about important issues 3. Identify entirely new issues that are deserving of study
- What metaphor is useful for thinking about personality theories?
- The "toolkit" metaphor
- What are two benefits of the "toolkit" metaphor?
- It leads one to: 1. Ask good questions about personality theories 2. Avoid asking bad questions about personality theories