Theories of Personality: Gordon Allport

Allport is

father of personality

Why is Allport the father of personality?

he was the first person to create a class and teach about personality

He believes personality is

a dynamic organization; always whole, but always changing; genetics and environment

idiographic

study of individual

nomothetic

general principles

the proprium

the self

The Proprium---culmination of seven stages

1. sense of body

2. self-identity

3.self-esteem

4. self-extension

5. self-image

6. rational coping

7. propriate striving

1. sense of body

-we can feel warmth and closeness, pain and touch, and a sense of who you are in space.

-first 2 years

2. self-identity

-we recognize ourselves as continuing; "past, present, and future"; have a name; continuity

-first 2 years

3. self-esteem

-we recognize we have value and value to ourselves; what the anal stage is about

-age 2-4

4. self-extension

-certain events, people, things are thought as essential t our existence; extension to ourselves

-age 4-6

5. self-image

-"the me as others see me"; social esteem, status, sexual ID; ideal self; impression others make of me.

-age 4-6

6. rational coping

-child begins to develop ability to deal with life's problems.

-age 6-12

7. propriate striving

-self-striving; sense of person

-after age 12

Traits/Dispositions

rooted in nervous system, they guide behavior; gives consistency in a range of situations

dynamic disposition

whole and changing

cardinal traits

traits that dominate entire life; person is known for that trait

central traits

major areas of person's functioning; general characteristics and shape behavior

secondary traits

special circumstances; only seen in certain circumstances

individual traits

also called personal disposition, unique to the individual

psychological maturity (Healthy) personality

1. extensions of self

2. warm relating

3. emotional security

4. realistic perception

5. problem-centeredness

6. self-objectification

7. a unifying philosophy of life

1. extensions of warmth

involvement with people and activities beyond you

2. warm relating

whether it is trust, empathy, tolerance to others

3. emotional security

self acceptance helps achieve emotional security; you can regulate your emotions.

4. realistic perception

perceive things in a realistic manner; "can see gray area" or opposing side of view

5. problem-centeredness

problem solving skills and utilizing them

6. self-objectivication

insight in own behavior, "laugh at yourself", learn from things

7. a unifying philosophy of life

value orientation---personalized conscience; help make goals

genotypes

internal forces that relate to how a person retains information and uses it to interact with the external world

phenotypes

external forces, these relate to the way an individual accepts his surroundings and how others influence their behavior

functional autonomy

motivations feed from original, primitive, motivations

drive

forms from reactions to motive

two types of functional autonomy

perseverative and propriate