CHAPTER 8: PERSONALITY

Definition and Nature of Personality

Personality is an individuals unique constellation of
consistent behavioral traits.
Personality trait- is a durable disposition to behave in a
particular way in a variety of situations.
Common Personality traits.
1. Honest
2. Moody
3. Impulsive
4. Friendly
5. Boastful
6. Kind
Nature of Personality
Personality is a hypothetical construct referring to an
organized system of reaction tendencies that mediates
relations between the person and his/her uniquely
identifying. The term derives from the Greek word persona
or mask, the face the individual displays to the world,
although in modern usage there is no suggestion of drama,
or intent or even necessarily of conscious awareness. The
construct is a complex one in that it refers not only to
surface behavior but also to its purported underlying
causes, its dynamics so to speak, whether or not these
may be accessible to the consciousness of the individual
concerned.
Dimensions of Personality Development
Extroversion-activity and energy level traits, sociability and
emotional expressiveness.
Agreeableness-altruism,trust,modesty, prosocial attitudes.
Conscientiousness- impulse control,goal directed behavior.
Neuroticism- emotional stability, anxiety,sadness, and
irritability.

 Openness- breadth , complexity , and depth of an individuals

life.
Personality Theories
Freuds Psychoanalytic Theory of
personality is somewhat controversial and is
based on three main assumptions
1. Personality is governed by unconscious forces that
we cannot control.
2. Childhood experiences play a significant role in
determining adult personality.
3. Personality is shaped by the manner in which
children cope with sexual urges.
Freud argued that personality is divided into three
structures
1. The id is the primitive, instinctive
component of personality that operates
according to the pleasure principle.
2. The ego is the decision-making component
of personality that operates according to the
reality principle.
3. The superego is the moral component of
personality that incorporates social
standards about what represents right and
wrong.

Biological Theories

Biological approaches suggest that genetics are responsible for

personality. Research on heritability suggests that there is a link
between genetics and personality traits.

One of the best known biological theorists was Hans Eysenck,

who linked aspects of personality to biological processes. For
example, Eysenck argued that introverts had high cortical arousal,
leading them to avoid stimulation.

Behavioral Theories
Behavioral theories suggest that personality is a result of
interaction between the individual and the environment.
Behavioral theorists study observable and measurable behaviors,
rejecting theories that take internal thoughts and feelings into
account. Behavioral theorists include B. F. Skinner and John B.
Watson.

Psychodynamic Theories
Psychodynamic theories of personality are heavily influenced by
the work of Sigmund Freud, and emphasize the influence of the
unconscious mind and childhood experiences on personality.
Psychodynamic theories include Sigmund Freud's psychosexual
stage theory and Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial
development.
Freud believed the three components of personality were the id,
the ego, and the superego. The id is responsible for all needs and
urges, while the superego for ideals and moral. The ego
moderates between the demands of the id, the superego, and
reality.
Erikson believed that personality progressed through a series of
stages, with certain conflicts arising at each stage. Success in
any stage depended upon successfully overcoming these
conflicts.
Humanist Theories
Humanist theories emphasize the importance of free will and
individual experience in the development of personality.
Humanist theorists emphasized the concept of self-actualization,
which is an innate need for personal growth that motivates
behavior. Humanist theorists include Carl Rogers and Abraham
Maslow.
Trait Theories
The trait theory approach is one of the largest areas within
personality psychology. According to this theory, personality is
made up of a number of broad traits. A trait is basically a
relatively stable characteristic that causes an individual to
behave in certain ways. Some of the best known trait theories

include Eysenck's three-dimension theory and the five factor

theory of personality.

Ways of Improving Personality

Here are someways we can accomplish this:
1. Be a better listener. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was considered one of the
most charming women in the world because she cultivated the skill of being
an exceptional
listener. She was known for the way she would look a person in the eyes,
hang on their every word, and make them feel important. There is nothing
more appealing than having someone listen to you intently making you feel
like you're the only person in the world.

2. Read more and expand your interests.The more you read and cultivate new
interests, the more interesting you are to others. When you meet new people
it gives you the opportunity to share what you know and to exchange your
views with them.
3. good conversation
Be a good conversationalist. This relates to how much you read and know. Once
you have much to contribute, learn how to talk about it with others. No one can
read about or know everything, so it's refreshing to learn from others those
things we don't have the time to about read ourselves. If you happen to be shy,
join a group like Toastmasters that encourages you to talk about what you know.
Enjoy the article: The Art of Conversation

4. Have an Opinion.There is nothing more tiresome than trying to talk to

someone who has no opinion on anything. A conversation has nowhere to go
if you have nothing to expound on. If, however, you have an uncommon point
of view or differing opinion, you are more interesting and stimulating to be
with socially (unless you're a know-it-all, of course). A unique outlook expands
everyone's perspective.

5. Meet New People. Make the effort to meet new people especially those unlike
you. It not only exposes you to different cultures and alternative ways of
doing things, it broadens your horizons.

6. Be yourself. The next most tiresome thing after having no opinions is trying to
be something you're not. Molding yourself in order to fit in, or be accepted,
usually backfires. Since each of us is unique, expressing that uniqueness is

what makes us interesting. Attempting to be a carbon copy of someone else

not only falls flat, but reveals a lack of authenticity.

7. Have a positive outlook and attitude. Who wants to be around people who are
negative, complain a lot, or have nothing good to say? In fact, most of us run
when we see them coming. Instead, be the kind of upbeat person who lights
up a room with your energy when you enter it. Do it by looking for the best in
people and things. Smile warmly, spread good cheer, and enliven others with
your presence.

8. Be fun and see the humorous side of life. Everyone enjoys the company of
someone who makes them laugh, or smile, so look for the humorous, quirky
side in a situation - there always is one. Comic relief is a much welcome and
needed diversion at times. When you can add fun and lightheartedness to an
otherwise dull or gloomy setting, others will naturally be attracted to you, not
to mention grateful.

9. Be supportive of others. Being supportive is probably the most endearing

quality you can integrate into your personality. Just as you yourself welcome
it, be the support for others when they need it. We all love a cheerleader in
our corner; someone who is encouraging, believes in us and helps pick us up
when we're down.

10.Have Integrity and treat people with respect. Being honest and true to your
word will bring you the admiration, respect and gratitude of others. Nothing
improves a person's personality more than integrity and respect - respect for
others, as well as respect for yourself.

Learning Theory
Learning theories are conceptual frameworks describing how
information is absorbed, processed, and retained during learning.
Cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences, as well as prior
experience, all play a part in how understanding, or a world view, is
acquired or changed and knowledge and skills retained.

Methods of Studying the Dimensions of personality

The International Personality Item Pool is a public domain

collection of items for use in personality tests. It is managed by
the Oregon Research Institute.

The pool contains 2,413 items.

The Revised NEO Personality Inventory is a psychological
personality inventory, first published in 1990 as a revised version
of inventories dating to 1978. The NEO PI-R consists of 240
questions intended to measure the Big Five personality traits:
Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism,
and Openness to Experience. Additionally, the test measures six
subordinate dimensions (known as facets) of each of the main
personality factors. The test was developed by Paul Costa, Jr. and
Robert McCrae for use with adult men and women without overt
psychopathology, but was later shown to be potentially useful at
younger ages.
The Big Five Inventory (BFI) is a self-report inventory designed to
measure the Big Five dimensions. It is quite brief for a
multidimensional personality inventory (44 items total), and
consists of short phrases with relatively accessible vocabulary.
Self-descriptive questionnaires
Self-Report questionnaires
Relative-scored Big 5 measure
A test to summarize an individual about their personality. It
contains 50 statements that must be rated 1-5. Could be finished
between 3 to 8 minutes.

Understanding Language and Communication

Language, the transmitter of culture, and with it, much of our

psychological make up. Vygotsky called language a 'Tool of Intellectual
Adaptation'. Our language allows us to have verbal thoughts, and with
our thoughts we make the world.
Language is the ability to acquire and use complex systems of
communication, particularly the human ability to do so, and a language
is any specific example of such a system. The scientific study of
language is called linguistics.
Communication (from Latin commnicre, meaning "to share") is the
activity of conveying meaning through a shared system of signs and
semiotic rules.
What we say is who we are

A glimpse of psychiatric disorders

Anxiety disorders: People with anxiety disorders respond to certain

objects or situations with fear and dread, as well as with physical signs

of anxiety or panic, such as a rapid heartbeat and sweating. An anxiety

disorder is diagnosed if the person's response is not appropriate for the
situation, if the person cannot control the response, or if the anxiety
interferes with normal functioning. Anxiety disorders include
generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder,
and specific phobias.
Mood disorders: These disorders, also called affective disorders,
involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly
happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness.
The most common mood disorders are depression, bipolar disorder,
and cyclothymic disorder.
Psychotic disorders: Psychotic disorders involve distorted awareness
and thinking. Two of the most common symptoms of psychotic
disorders are hallucinations -- the experience of images or sounds that
are not real, such as hearing voices -- and delusions, which are false
fixed beliefs that the ill person accepts as true, despite evidence to the
contrary. Schizophrenia is an example of a psychotic disorder.
Eating disorders: Eating disorders involve extreme emotions, attitudes,
and behaviors involving weight and food. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia
nervosa, and binge eating disorder are the most common eating
disorders.
Impulse control and addiction disorders: People with impulse control
disorders are unable to resist urges, or impulses, to perform acts that
could be harmful to themselves or others. Pyromania (starting fires),
kleptomania (stealing), and compulsive gambling are examples of
impulse control disorders. Alcohol and drug are common objects of
addictions. Often, people with these disorders become so involved with
the objects of their addiction that they begin to ignore responsibilities
and relationships.
Personality disorders: People with personality disorders have extreme
and inflexible personality traits that are distressing to the person
and/or cause problems in work, school, or social relationships. In
addition, the person's patterns of thinking and behavior significantly
differ from the expectations of society and are so rigid that they
interfere with the person's normal functioning. Examples include
antisocial personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality
disorder, and paranoid personality disorder.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): People with OCD are plagued by
constant thoughts or fears that cause them to perform certain rituals
or routines. The disturbing thoughts are called obsessions, and the
rituals are called compulsions. An example is a person with an
unreasonable fear of germs who constantly washes his or her hands.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): PTSD is a condition that can

develop following a traumatic and/or terrifying event, such as a sexual
or physical assault, the unexpected death of a loved one, or a natural
disaster. People with PTSD often have lasting and frightening thoughts
and memories of the event, and tend to be emotionally numb.