Psychology of Personality Ch 1

CH 1 PPTX

What is Personality?

Consistent behavior patterns and intrapersonal processes originating within the individual

What contributes to behavior?

Both the person and the situation

An individual’s personality determines

How different they are from others and how they behave in different situations

Personality is….

consistent but flexible

Individual behavior is consistent across time and situation to an extent

Consistent patterns of behavior

Emotional, motivational, and cognitive processes that influence individuals feelings and actions

Intrapersonal processes

Psychoanalytic, Trait, Biological, Humanistic, Behavioral/Social Learning, Cognitive

Approaches

Psychoanalytic

Unconscious mind is responsible for important differences in behavior styles

Trait

An individual lies along a continuum of various personality characteristics

Biological

Inherited predispositions and physiological processes contribute to differences in personality

Humanistic

Personal responsibility and feelings of self-acceptance cause differences in personality

Behavioral/Social Learning

Consistent behavior patterns are the result of conditioning and expectations

Cognitive

People process information to explain differences in behavior

Depression

A serious mood disorder causing persistent sadness, loss of interest, and significant interference with daily life, affecting thoughts, feelings, sleep, appetite, and energy, going beyond normal sadness

Psychoanalytic approach of depression

Depression is a result of holding unconscious feelings of anger and hostility

Trait approach of depression

Focuses on identifying depression prone individuals ; person’s general emotional level at present can indicate that person’s emotions in the future

Biological approach of depression

Certain people inherit a genetic susceptibility to depression

Humanistic approach of depression

People frequently suffering from depression are those who have low self worth

Behavioral approach of depression

Depression results from a lack of positive reinforcers in a person’s life

Cognitive approach of depression

Depression depends on how people interpret their inability to control events; certain individuals use a depressive filter to interpret and process information

What causes depression?

Depending on which approach to personality you adopt, you might explain depression in terms of anger turned inward, a stable trait, an inherited predisposition, low self-esteem, a lack of reinforcers, or negative thoughts.

Cultural context influences an individual’s personality

Personality and Culture

Individualistic Cultures (Northern European countries and USA)

Emphasize an individuals needs and accomplishments

How individuals perceive themselves in an individualistic culture

Independent and unique

Collectivist cultures (Asian, African, Central American, and South American countries)

Emphasize belonging to a larger group; being part of a family, tribe, or nation

Cultural context influences the

interpretation of an individuals behavior

Argues that psychologists fail to recognize the significance of inherited predispositions?

Biological and trait theorists

Psychoanalytic theorists emphasize

innate needs and unconscious behavior patterns

Rarely emphasized by humanistic, behavioral/social learning, and cognitive theorists

inherited influences on personality

Two sections of psychoanalytic approach

Freudian and Neofreudian