Chapter 4: Personality Theory and Culture

Multicultural Psychology (CCBC)

Persona

A term referring to the masks worn by actors performing ancient Greek plays

Nomothetic

Seeks to identify general rules that pertain to personality as a construct

Idographic

Focuses specifically on the individuality and uniqueness of each person

Construct

A working hypothesis or concept used to identify something we can describe but not see, such as IQ or the self

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (biological makeup)

Temperment

The emotional style that each person is born with

Self-actualization

An inherent drive to be the best that can be, and to accomplish all that we are capable of accomplishing

APA

American Psychological Association

Five Factor Meter (FFM)

A trait model developed by Paul Costa and Robert McCrae that identifies the basic personality traits along five dimensions, commonly referred to as the Big Five personality traits

Etic Traits

Universal constructs that are evident across cultures and represent the biological basis of human personality

Emic Traits

Constructs that are unique to each culture and are determined by local customs, thoughts, beliefs, and characteristics

Reliability

The likelihood that a test will give essentially the same result on different occasions, or that two versions of the same test will give similar results

Validity

If a test actually measures what it purports to measure

Standardization

The manner in which a test is given - must be given in the same way every time and to every person, using the same instructions, questions, and scoring systems

Norms

Consistent ways in which particular groups score on a test

Resilience

The ability to maintain stability despite unfortunate circumstances; Theoretical Perspectives

Psychodynamic Factors

Emphasis is on the unconscious mind, interactions between elements of the mind, early childhood experiences, stages of development, defense mechanisms, etc

Learning and Cognitive Factors

Emphasis is on environmental stimuli and/or thought patterns that predictably influence behavior; focus is on observable behavior or identifiable thoughts

Biological Factors

Emphasis is on genetic factors that set the ranges within which the individual may develop. This approach does not ignore the environment, but genetic factors (e.g., inborn traits and temperament) may cause different environmental influences to be experienced in similar ways, or conversely, may cause similar environmental influences to be experienced in different ways

Humanistic and Existential Factors

Humanistic psychologists focus on self-actualization; existentialists and spiritually-oriented psychologists focus on the search for meaning in one’s life

Sociocultural Influence

Cross-cultural and multicultural psychologists remind us that all of the above categories must be considered in light of the rich diversity of the human experience. Addresses both the differences between, and the similarities among, groups of people around the world

Trait Theory

Rests on the idea that people differ from one another based on the strength and intensity of basic trait dimensions. Three criteria characterize personality: (1) consistency, (2) stability, (3) individual differences