Psychology of Personality

Exam 1

Theory

A model of reality that helps us to understand, explain, predict and control that reality. (A guide to action)

Individual Differences

When referring to someone’s personality, talking about what makes that person different from other people, perhaps even unique.

Ethnocentrism

Everyone grows up in a culture that existed before their birth

Egocentrism

Each of us has specific details to our life like genetics, family structure, special experiences and education.

Dogmatism

Human habit to stick to what has worked in the past

Circular argument

An argument where you prove your point by assuming things that would only be true if your point were true in the first place

Misunderstandings

translation (concepts), neologisms (new words), metaphors (comparison)

Evidence

anecdotal (given in story form), clinical (gathered from therapy), phenomenological (careful observation), correlation (personality tests), experimental (random selection of subjects and carefully controlled conditions)