Module 42

1. Module 42 Social-Cognitive Theories & Trait Theories Module 42

2. Social Cognitive Theories (1980’s ) • Albert Bandura • - stresses influences of the interaction between individual and their situation • emphases learning in a social context. • we learn mental concepts (schema, heuristics) Module 42

3. Reciprocal Determinism (Causes) Module 42

4. People choose their environments. Our personalities effect how we interpret and react to events. Our personalities help to create situations to which we react. Module 42

5. Personal Constructs – beliefs about ourselves and interactions with our environment. Beliefs about Personal Control Internal vs. External Locus (location) of control Internals generally happier, healthier and more successful than externals. Module 42

6. Learned Helplessness vs. Personal Control Seligman (1975) Dogs were classically conditioned to expect an electrical shock after light cue. Learned they could not escape the shock. Module 42

7. Later the dogs were placed in a shuttlebox that contained two chambers separated by a low barrier. The floor electrified on one side, not on the other. The dogs previously subjected to the conditioning made no attempts to escape, even though avoiding the shock simply involved jumping over a low barrier. Module 42

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9. Rodin, 1986 Nursing Home Study. They selected two floors of a nursing home. One group was told the staff was there to help them. Despite the care, 71% got worse in only 3 weeks. In the other floor where they were encouraged to make decisions for themselves, the residents actually improved. They were more active and happier. They were more mentally alert and more active in activities.  Module 42

10. Sometimes too many choices can be negative. The Tyranny of Choice Module 42

11. Optimism vs. Pessimism Research shows that people with an optimistic life-view tend to outperform pessimists in all respects. Pessimists are up to 8 times more likely to become depressed when bad events occur; they do worse at school, sports, and perform worse at jobs than their talents would predict; they have worse physical health and shorter lives; they have rockier relationships. Module 42

12. Can Optimism backfire?? Yes, Excessive optimism may keep us from being motivated to realistically prepare for future events (e.g., studying for an exam). Holding distorted beliefs about the likelihood of a particular future event is distinct from possessing a personality trait known as optimism. Module 42

13. Dunning–Kruger Effect (aka, Ignorance of one's own incompetence effect). "The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.“ As You Like It, Shakespeare Module 42

14. Kruger and Dunning tested Cornell undergraduates. Students rated their own ability on logical reasoning skills, grammatical skills, and humor. Compared to their test scores, less competent students overestimated their ability. • They were shown their test scores, and were again asked to estimate their own rank. The incompetent group still overestimated their own rank. Module 42

15. Meanwhile, people with true ability tended tounderestimatetheir relative competence. Apparently, participants who found tasks to be relatively easy erroneously assumed that the tasks must also be easy for others. Module 42

16. Cognitive Social Approach 1) learning is important 2) People have control over their response to the environment. 3) people have the capacity to change Module 42

17. Positive Psychology • Shares a focus on personal growth with humanism but is EVIDENCE BASED. • Scientific study of optimal human functioning. Aims to discover strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. Module 42

18. Exploring the Self

19. Self-Esteem - The correlation problem High Self Esteem Self- Credit Positive Expectations Success High Effort

20. Exploring the Self Spotlight effect – people overestimate how much other people are noticing and evaluating us. Gilovich (1996) study Module 42

21. Self-serving Bias – a readiness to perceive oneself favorably. • internalize (dispositional factors) for successes than for failures. • Tendency to see ourselves as better than average. • Less susceptible to • Depression. Module 42

22. Down side of the self—serving bias. • Increased blaming of victims • prejudice (racism, sexism, homophobia). • bullying and aggression • decreased empathy Narcissism – excessive self-love and self- absorption.

23. Theory Based Personality Tests Carl Jung believed that personalities can be defined according to Archetypes. Myers-Briggs (MBTI) Test designed to measure these Personality traits. The validity of Jung’s archetypes makes the usefulness of the MBTI suspect. Module 42

24. Trait Theories Attempt to measure and define enduring aspects of a person’s personality. State vs. Trait Module 42

25. Personality Dimensions Definable characteristics which distinguish meaningful differences between people. Eysenck Model Module 42

26. Personal Adjectives – words used to describe people’s personalities. English ~ 18,000 words! Factor analysis statistical method which looks at which ratings go together. Cattell’s 16 Factor Model Module 42

27. 1. reserved, unsociable outgoing, sociable 2. less intelligent, concrete more intelligent, abstract 3. affected by feelings emotionally stable 4. submissive, humble dominant, assertive 5. serious happy go lucky 6. expedient conscientious 7. timid venturesome 8. tough minded sensitive 9. trusting suspicious 10.practical imaginative 11. forthright shrewd, calculating 12.self assured apprehensive 13.conservative experimenting 14.group dependent self sufficient 15.undisciplined controlled 16.relaxed tense Module 42

28. Assessing Personality: Self-Report Inventories self-report inventories – Psychological tests in which a person’s responses to standard questions are compared to established norms.

29. The Big Five Central Personality Traits. 1) Extroversion/Introversion 2) Agreeableness/Antagonism 3) Conscientiousness/Undirectedness 4) Emotional Stability/Unstable (Neuroticism) 5) Openness/Non-openness Module 42

30. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Empirically Derived. Items on the Inventory are ones that research studies have shown differentiate people with known diagnoses from normal controls. Module 42

31. Can you lie on a Personality test? “Lie Scales” - detect faking good or bad. Module 42

32. Criticisms of Trait Theories - largely descriptive - emphasis on biology - how many central factors? Current Influences 1) personality traits are relatively stable. 2) personality tests used for diagnosis of mental disorders - job suitability? Module 42

33. Eclectic View - Mix of all the theories Biology Environment Cognition Emotions and Behaviors Module 42