Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed)

1. Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed) Chapter 15 Personality James A. McCubbin, PhD Clemson University Worth Publishers

2. Ch. 15: Personality: What is Personality? • 1 definition: long-lasting patterns of behavior based on “traits” • Personality: relatively permanent set of traits that affect how we respond to certain situations • Person’s usual pattern of thinking, feeling, & acting • Basic perspectives: several views… • Psychoanalytic: Freud • Humanistic (Rogers, Maslow) • Traits (Allport)   …Or…is it all situational & there is NO such thing as personality?? (Mischel)

3. Psychoanalytic Perspective • Freud’s theory that says… Personality= our thoughts & actions based on unconscious motives & childhood conflicts • childhood sexuality & unconscious motivations influence personality & mental disorders come from problems w/ this! • Psychoanalysis • methods to treat psych. disorders by exposing & interpreting unconscious tensions • Jewish Austrian physician • wanted to be a researcher, but had to settle for MD (no Jews allowed in research…was 1890’s - 1930’s)

4. The Psychoanalytic Perspective • Unconscious • according to Freud, a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings and memories *Contemporary viewpoint of “unconscious”: Info processing of which we are unaware • Free Association • in psychoanalysis, method of exploring the unconscious • person relaxes & says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing…(“couch” for relaxation, etc.) • Also can use word association (“say the 1st thing that comes to your mind…”)

5. Many of Freud’s ideas are no longer accepted by psychologists b/c they did not “test out” empirically…NOT valid…SO why still study him? *B/C…. • His ideas did & do have great influence on psych AND on our culture • His BEST & BIGGEST contribution probably = acceptance of the unconscious& the subconscious (aka preconscious) : the hidden parts of personality • Basically “invented” psychotherapy

6. Freud’s Personality Structure (578): • Id: a “reservoir of unconscious psychic energy” • attempts to satisfy basic sexual & aggressive drives • operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification (want what I want when I want it!) NOT “evil” …just self-centered • Superego: the part of personality that presents internalized ideals • provides standards for judgment (the conscience) & for future aspirations • Ego: the largely conscious, “executive” (in charge) part of personality • mediates among the demands of the id, superego, & reality • operates on the reality principle, satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure, not pain

7. Ego Conscious mind Unconscious mind Id Freud (“froid”): Personality Structure: Superego, Ego, and the Id • Freud’s idea of the mind’s structure: Iceberg analogy: Conscious: what we are aware of Preconscious (aka subconscious): just at or below the surface Unconscious: below the surface…what we hide from ourselves Superego

8. Freud’s “iceberg” of personality:

9. Some of Freud’s terms/ideas: • Psychosexual Stages • childhood stages of development during which the id’s pleasure-seeking energies focus on distinct erogenous zones (oral, anal, phallic, genital) • Identification • process by which kids incorporate their same sex parents’ values into their developing superegos • Fixation: lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, where conflicts were unresolved (“stuck” in a stage…) • Oedipus Complex • a boy’s sexual desires toward his mother & feelings of jealousy & hatred for the rival father

10. Freud’s Psychosexual Stages: See Anal Retentive Chef!) Stage Focus Oral Pleasure centers on the mouth-- (0-18 months) sucking, biting, chewing…task = weaning Anal Pleasure focuses on bowel and bladder (18-36 months) elimination; coping with demands for control; task = toilet training Phallic Pleasure zone = genitals; cope w/ incestuous (3-6 years) sexual feelings; task = ID w/ S-S parent Latency Dormant sexual feelings; no major focus (6 to puberty) & no major task; gender self-segregation Genital Maturation of sexual interests; task = form (puberty on) intimate relationships w/ opposite sex Personality Development

11. Defense Mechanisms: The way the ego reduces anxiety & protects the personality by unconsciously distorting reality 8 Well-known defense Mech. of Freud’s: 1. Projection : defense mechanism by which people disguise their own threatening impulses by attributing them to others 2. Regression: defense mechanism in which an individual faced with anxiety retreats to a more infantile psychosexual stage, where some psychic energy remains fixated 3. Reaction Formation: defense mechanism by which the ego unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites • ppl may express feelings that are the opposite of their anxiety-arousing unconscious feelings 4. Repression: basic defense mechanism that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, & memories from consciousness: This is the most common def. mech. AND the one that is the basis for most of the others

12. 5. Displacement: defense mechanism that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person (kick the cat or scream at kid when you are angry at your boss) • as when redirecting anger toward a safer outlet 6. Denial: defens. mech. in which we refuse to accept something that is fairly obvious b/c the truth would be too painful or make us feel bad about ourselves (“…Oh, no, he would never go out on me…he loves me…”) 7. Sublimation: redirecting problems, stresses, etc., into a more socially acceptable outlet (abused as a child writing a novel about an abused child surviving) 8. Rationalization : defense mechanism that offers self-justifying explanations in place of the real, more threatening, unconscious reasons for one’s actions (“…I only drink to socialize…”)

13. Assessing (measure or test)the Unconscious[Used MAINLY by psychoanalytical (aka psychodynamic) psychologists] Projective Tests • a personality test, such as the Rorschach or TAT, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one’s inner dynamics…that is, get into your unconscious, the “real you…” • Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) • a projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes • Rorschach Inkblot Test • the most widely used projective test • a set of 10 inkblots designed by Hermann Rorschach • seeks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots (again, ambiguous…)

14. Assessing the Unconscious—TAT:View & tell what happened in the past, present, & future

15. Assessing the Unconscious—Rorschach: “inkblot tests”…What do you see?

16. Examples of Rorschach Projective Test items: What do you see?

17. Neo-Freudians: (aka psychodynamic, psychosocial) • Alfred Adler • importance of childhood socialtension • birth order determines personality (has NOT tested out) • Also superiority & inferiority complexes: self-image • Karen Horney • sought to balance Freud’s masculine biases; contested penis-envy “…it’s not the penis; it’s the power they envy!” • Carl Jung: Freud’s chosen…but they had big blow-up • emphasized the collective unconscious…& archetypes as support for this (“mandelas”?) • concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history • established idea of introvert vs. extrovert

18. Humanistic Perspective: 2 big guys = Carl Rogers & Abraham Maslow • Maslow (1908-1970): studied self-actualizationprocesses of productive & healthy people (e.g., A. Lincoln) • Also hierarchy of needs • Self-Actualization • the ultimate psychological need that arises after basic physical & psychological needs are met & self-esteem is achieved • the motivation to fulfill one’s potential…”be all you can be!”

19. Humanistic Perspective • Carl Rogers (1902-1987): founder of humanist movement • focused on growth & fulfillment of individuals; “All people are basically good…” • We want to be good & do well Therapist should help us by showing…. • genuineness • acceptance • empathy • *Unconditional positive regard

20. Humanistic Perspective • Unconditional Positive Regard • an attitude of total acceptance toward another person • “You are a good person & I like you…” • Self-Concept • all our thoughts & feelings about ourselves, is an answer to the question, “Who am I?” • how we see ourselves

21. Contemporary Research – Trait Perspective • SeeGordon Allport’s encounter w/ Freud (t-591) -this began Allport’s study & theories of traits in behavior…which became the trait perspective Allport wanted to describetraits… not explain them… • Trait • a characteristic pattern of behavior • a disposition to feel and act, as assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports • Personality Inventory • a questionnaire (often with true-false or agree-disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors • used to assess selected personality traits

22. UNSTABLE Moody Touchy Anxious Restless Rigid Aggressive Sober Excitable Pessimistic Changeable Reserved Impulsive Unsociable Optimistic Quiet Active choleric melancholic INTROVERTED EXTRAVERTED Passive phlegmatic sanguine Sociable Careful Outgoing Thoughtful Talkative Peaceful Responsive Controlled Easygoing Reliable Lively Even-tempered Carefree Calm Leadership STABLE Trait Perspective Factor Analysis: • Hans & Sybil Eysenck use 2 primary personality factors (traits) as axes (axis) to describing personality variation Introvert vs. extrovert Stable vs. unstable • Look at N/S & E/W • Can also see a connection to old idea of “humors” to explain personality

23. The “4 bodily humors” from ancient Greeks: Sanguine = amorous, happy, generous, optimistic,irresponsible Melancholic = Introspective, sentimental, gluttonous(spleen) Phlegmatic = unemotional, sluggish, pallid, cowardly Choleric = violent, vengeful, short-tempered, ambitious (liver)

24. The Trait Perspective • Empirically (?) Derived Test: test developed by testing a pool of items & then selecting those that discriminate betwn groups EX: the MMPI • Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) • the most widely researched & clinically used of all personality tests (now is MMPI-2) • originally developed to ID emotional disorders (still considered its most appropriate use) v. long! (567?’s) • now used for many other screening purposes EX:?: Choose 1: yes…no…or unsure:“I'm afraid that I might make the cause of my head pain worse if I concentrate ...” • Myers-Briggs type indicator: Looks at personality “types” using 126 item inventory of ?’s (not disorders) --based on G. Allport’s trait ideas

25. Stress & the Heart: Personality Types(these are NOT traits, but a separate theory RE: stress) • Type A • Friedman and Rosenman’s term for competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, & anger-prone people *Possible sub-category of “A”?? Some say there’s a.. TYPE D: Newer term: --gets very angry, is destructive emotionally …road-rage, etc. (distressed, destructive) -A special form of Type A Type B • Friedman & Rosenman’s term for easygoing, relaxed people (“calm-water”)

26. Personality & Stress on the Heart:Pessimists: ___% Optimists: ___%

27. Clinically significant range 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hypochondriasis (concern with body symptoms) Depression (pessimism, hopelessness) After treatment (no scores in the clinically significant range) Hysteria (uses symptoms to solve problems) Before treatment (anxious, depressed, and displaying deviant behaviors) Psychopathic deviancy (disregard for social standards) Masculinity/femininity (interests like those of other sex) Paranoia (delusions, suspiciousness) Psychasthenia (anxious, guilt feelings) Schizophrenia (withdrawn, bizarre thoughts) Hypomania (overactive, excited, impulsive) Social introversion (shy, inhibited) 0 30 40 50 60 70 80 T-score Trait Perspective: Assessing Traits w/ MMPI b4 & after therapy (treatment) MMPI profile (“test score”)

28. The “Big Five” Personality Factors Trait DimensionDescription Emotional Stability Calm vs. anxious Secure vs. insecure Self-satisfied vs. self-pitying Extraversion Sociable vs. retiring Fun-loving vs. sober Affectionate versus reserved Openness (to Imaginative versus practical experience) Preference for variety versus preference for routine… risk-taking Independent versus conforming Agreeableness Soft-hearted versus ruthless Trusting versus suspicious Helpful versus uncooperative Conscientiousness Organized versus disorganized Careful versus careless Disciplined versus impulsive Trait Perspective (t-595):

29. Scoring “BIG 5” Personality Inventory : NOTE: Reverse means that…...if you put 1, change it to 5; 2 becomes 4, & 3 = 3, 4 = 2, 5 = 1 Ex: Extroversion: If for #7 I had put 4, I would change to a 2 & put that into the space beside #7, & If I’d put 2 for #19, it would = 4, & if 5 for # 33, it would = 1. Reverse 7___ 19___ 33___ AFTER reversing,put others as they are, THEN add ‘em up! --------------------------- NOTE: Ppl that did the 2-factor analysis…what are factors they…& who came up w/ these 2? 16 factor analysis…R. Catell

30. ?’s to look at in Big 5 trait studies: 1) How stable are the traits? (childhood  adulthood?) 2) How heritable are they? (generally 50%+ ) 3) How well do they apply to other cultures? (Cross-cultural?) 4) Do the Big 5 traits predict other personal attributes? (Yes…EX: Introverts are usually AM folks Extroverts usually PM folks) BUT…Is it the person or is it situational? Effects on Personality & Health/Happines/Life Choices??  (from Stress & Health Chapter 14)

31. Life events Personal appraisal Challenge Threat Personality type Easy going Nondepressed Optimistic Hostile Depressed Pessimistic Personality habits Nonsmoking Regular exercise Good nutrition Smoking Sedentary Poor nutrition Level of social support Close, enduring Lacking Tendency toward Health Illness

32. Mischel & situational factors: Walter Mischel said it’s the situation…NOT really a “personality trait” Scores on personality inventories only mildly predict actual behaviors… situation IS a factor EX: Good day or bad day: How does it affect your response? Dispositional? (their disposition…) Or situational? *When it’s us, we say = situation (Bad day! Tired! ) When it’s others we say = person (Mean, snobby person!) This is part of the self-serving bias…

33. Social-Cognitive Perspective Albert Bandura: behaviorist (which area?) w/ view that says conditioning, modeling, etc., influence us to think & act certain ways Views behavior as influenced by the interactionbetween ppl & their environment • Reciprocal Determinism • Bandura’s process of the interacting influences between personality & environmental factors • 1 thing influences us… …which causes us to choose certain things… …which continue to influence us more (“Interaction”) EX’s: ?? 

34. Social-Cognitive Perspective:

35. Social-Cognitive Perspective & Stress w/ Personality Personal Control: Our sense of control over our environments rather than feeling helpless • External Locus of Control • belief that chance or outside forces beyond one’s personal control determine one’s fate…Luck, chance, God, etc. • InternalLocus of Control • the perception that “I control my OWN fate” • Poem “Invictus”:“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul…” • Learned Helplessness: complete extern. L-O-C • hopelessness & passive acceptance an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events… “ Nothing helps…Why try?” EX: Dog & shock?

36. WHO has control in your life? (Plural = “loci”) Internal vs. External Locus of Control… Which leads to Learned Helplessness?

37. Uncontrollable bad events Perceived lack of control Generalized helpless behavior Social-Cognitive Perspective • Learned Helplessness

38. Social-Cognitive Perspective Positive Psychology (604):Martin Seligman • scientific study of optimal human functioning • Idea that a culture at certain levels of development & prosperity can focus on making that society better for all • aims to discover & promote conditions that enable individuals & communities to thrive 3 pillars of positive psy.: • positive subjective well-being: satisfaction w/ past, present, & hope about future: optimism • positive character: Enhance virtues (which ones?) • pos. groups, communities, & cultures: schools, neighborhoods, families, media, etc.

39. Exploring the Self Spotlight Effect: Overestimating others noticing & evaluating our appearance, performance, & blunder I’ll mess up! Everyone is watching me! -espec. affects ppl w/ social anxiety disorders Self Esteem: one’s feelings of high or low self-worth

40. Self-Serving Bias: Readiness to perceive oneself favorably EX: Most ppl see self as better than avg. & tend to take credit for success, But find excuses for any failure… “odds were against me!” But…Other ppl “get what they deserve…” “It’s their own fault if they are poor…etc.” Remember “just world phenomenon?”

41. Cultural Aspects of how we see our “Self” Individualism: giving priority to one’s own goals over group goals & defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications EX: most Western Eur. & N. Amer. Cultures “Nuclear family” = my family Collectivism: giving priority to the goals of one’s group (often one’s extended family or work group) & defining one’s identity accordingly EX: most Asian, Latin Amer., & African cultures “Extended family” = My Family

42. Value Contrasts Between Individualism and Collectivism Concept Individualism Collectivism Self Independent Interdependent (identity from individual traits) identity from belonging) Life task Discover and express one’s Maintain connections, fit in uniqueness What matters Me--personal achievement and We-group goals and solidarity; fulfillment; rights and liberties social responsibilities and relationships Coping method Change reality Accommodate to reality Morality Defined by individuals Defined by social networks (self-based) (duty-based) Relationships Many, often temporary or casual; Few, close and enduring; confrontation acceptable harmony valued Attributing Behavior reflects one’s personality Behavior reflects social behaviors and attitudes and roles Exploring the Self (613)

43. Modern View of Unconscious Mind/ Anxiety • Freud’s views today: Psy. no longer stick w/ Freud’s “iceberg” theory • Note: Some of Freud’s ideas have been redefined… EX: ”Projection” now is false consensus effect.. “Everyone cheats on their taxes” (just b/c you do so… There’s not as much evidence for displacement, but some for reaction formation Anal retentive now = __?__ • Terror-Management Theory • Idea that faith in our worldview & the pursuit of self-esteem give us protection against a deeply rooted fear of death • ...i.e, if we feel good about the world & have a good feeling about who we are, we are less likely to have a high level of anxiety about death

44. Ck. yerself! Answer the following w/o checking yr notes: 1. 2 types of projective tests 2. Main problem w/ proj. tests 3. Main psychologist+ others who may be ID’ed w/ each personality perspective below: • humanistic • trait • psychoanalytical (+ later psychodynamic/psychosocial) d) no real “personality”: it’s all just situational

45. Can U ID each below? • Self-serving bias… • Reciprocal Determinism (Social-Cognitive Perspective) • Locus of Control (Personal Control) • Learned Helplessness: • 3 pillars of positive psy • Spotlight Effect • (Extra related idea: “Halo Effect”) • Terror-Management Theory • Individualist vs collectivist cultures • False consensus effect: now know as what?

46. (Further explanation of Freud’s theories: Optional but helpful) • PARTS OF THE Personality: Id, ego, & superego… -id: These are our basic drives, our wants & desires; “I want what I want when I want it…” not really “evil”, just selfish, self-centered -superego: tells you to follow society’s rules & moral teachings; “Listen to your mother!!” -ego: has to negotiate between these 2 & make decisions about how to behave… • Conflicts among/between these 3 personality parts cause mental disorders and stresses • Freud said we use defense mechanisms” to “hide” these conflicts from ourselves; we hide them in our unconscious….and this keeps the disorders going… -we have to face them to “clear the air” -therapist is the one to guide you to this *Like a “festering sore”…we have to clean out this infections which can cause these mental problems

47. Ways to access the unconscious & subconscious: 1) free association: Say the 1st things that comes to mind… “I say a word & you tell me what pops into your mind…” OR relax on couch & say 1st thing in your mind 2) dream analysis & symbolism in dreams: psychoanalyst interprets & explains dreams to help rid you of what’s bothering you 3) info you give to the analyst RE: your childhood, thoughts, etc.: he/she interprets & “figures you out” 4) hypnosis could also access unconscious mind • Psychosexual Development: Fr. thought all human development was based on sexual stages that were tied to the development of our personalities & our minds -these stages were controlled by certain “erogenous zones” at different times thru our childhood -he felt we had to work out or “solve” a certain task at each of these stages in order to move on properly to the next stage -if didn’t work it out properly, we could get “stuck” in a stage & have problems from that(fixation)

48. Freud’s Stages of psychosexual devel.: (Remember…NOT valid!!) 1) oral stage: birth – 18 months; main task = weaning --if don’t do properly can be sarcastic (“biting”) or obsessed w/ things in their mouth…chew fingernails, pencils, smoke, etc. 2) anal stage: about 1 ½ yrs. – 3 yrs. -main task = toilet training -conflicts or problems w/ this can cause either anal retentiveness(extremely neat/orderly/concerned with details)oranal expulsiveness(extremely messy, disorderly) 3) phallic stage: about 3 yrs. – 6 yrs.: task = identify sexually w/ same sex parent -if not done properly, could = either Oedipus or Electra complex -boys love Mom & want to replace/kill father -girls love Daddy & want to replace/kill mother -girls also develop “penis envy” at this stage b/c see themselves as missing something & blame Mom -also said homosexuality could devel. from problems at this time

49. 4) latent stage: 6 yrs. – 11 yrs.; no real task to work out --experience gender segregation: separate selves by gender 5) genital stage: 11 yrs. thru adolescence: Identify romantic feeling for opposite sex -then develop into “normal” relationships --homosexuality was seen as a disorder NOTE: it is no longer viewed as disorder by psych. -libido: to Freud, was the drive & the energy that pushes & motivates us to do and/or get things; it now mainly refers to our “sex drives” **There are now very few if any true Freudian psychoanalytical psychologists -those now based on Freud’s ideas call themselves psychodynamic or psychosocial psychologists (neo-Freudians) --no longer believe sex = main motivation -they say the urge to socialize with others is the main driving urge in humans, from parents to friends to lovers, etc…

50. Invictus:Can you relate this to personality?Learned helplessness vs. resiliency? OUT of the night that covers me,    Black as the Pit from pole to pole,  I thank whatever gods may be    For my unconquerable soul.  In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud.  Under the bludgeonings of chance    My head is bloody, but unbowed.    Beyond this place of wrath and tears    Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years    Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.    It matters not how strait the gate,    How charged with punishments the scroll,  I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.