PSY130 Chapter 12 – Personality: Development and Measurement

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and theorists from PSY130 Chapter 12 on personality development and measurement.

Personality

An individual’s consistent patterns of feeling, thinking, and behaving.

Trait

A relatively enduring characteristic that influences behavior across many situations.

Extraversion

A personality dimension characterized by preference for social and sensory stimulation.

Introversion

A personality dimension marked by preference for less social and sensory stimulation.

Reliability (of a test)

Degree to which a personality measure yields similar scores over time.

Validity (of a test)

Extent to which a personality test measures what it is intended to measure.

Cardinal Trait

Allport’s term for a single trait that dominates an individual’s entire personality.

Central Traits

Allport’s concept of general characteristics that form the basic foundations of personality.

Secondary Traits

Allport’s traits that appear only in specific situations.

Source Traits

Cattell’s underlying traits that are the fundamental building blocks of personality.

Surface Traits

Observable personality characteristics that arise from combinations of source traits.

Eysenck’s Two-Factor Model

Trait model emphasizing biological bases of Introversion–Extraversion and Emotional Stability–Neuroticism.

Five-Factor Model (Big Five)

Contemporary trait theory proposing Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Emotional Stability (Neuroticism).

Openness

Big Five trait reflecting imagination, curiosity, and openness to new experiences.

Conscientiousness

Big Five trait describing reliability, organization, and goal-directed behavior; best predictor of job success.

Agreeableness

Big Five trait involving compassion, cooperation, and trust toward others.

Emotional Stability (Neuroticism)

Big Five trait related to calmness versus anxiety and moodiness.

HEXACO Model

Trait framework adding Honesty–Humility to the Big Five dimensions.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Popular but psychometrically weak test that categorizes people into 16 personality types.

Situationism

View that behavior is largely determined by situational factors rather than stable traits.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

338-item clinical test producing 51 subscales to assess personality and maladjustment.

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Field applying psychological principles, including personality assessment, to workplace settings.

Leadership

Ability to direct or inspire others to achieve goals.

Charismatic Leader

Leader who is enthusiastic, self-confident, and devoted to broad group goals.

Transactional Leader

Leader who helps subordinates meet job requirements through exchanges and rewards.

Transformational Leader

Leader who articulates a vision and inspires followers to achieve higher goals.

Barnum Effect

Tendency to accept vague, general personality descriptions as personally meaningful.

Gene

Basic biological unit transmitting traits from one generation to the next.

Behavioral Genetics

Study of hereditary influences on personality using family, twin, and adoption designs.

Family Study

Method examining trait presence across a single individual’s relatives.

Twin Study

Research comparing identical and fraternal twins to estimate genetic influence on personality.

Adoption Study

Design comparing adopted individuals to biological and adoptive relatives to separate genes and environment.

Molecular Genetics

Examination of genes at the DNA level in relation to personality traits.

Knockout Study

Animal research removing or altering specific genes to observe behavioral changes.

Polygenic Trait

Characteristic influenced by many genes, typical of most personality dimensions.

Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS)

Technique scanning entire genomes to link genetic markers with personality traits.

Maturity Principle

Trend that Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Emotional Stability increase with age.

Psychoanalysis

Freud’s theory emphasizing unconscious motives and childhood experiences in personality.

Id

Primitive component of personality driven by basic instincts and seeking immediate gratification.

Ego

Conscious mediator that balances id impulses with reality and superego demands.

Superego

Moral component of personality embodying internalized societal standards.

Defense Mechanism

Unconscious strategy the ego uses to protect against anxiety (e.g., repression, projection).

Psychodynamic Theory

Neo-Freudian approaches emphasizing unconscious processes but downplaying sexuality.

Alfred Adler

Neo-Freudian who stressed striving for superiority and the importance of inferiority complexes.

Carl Jung

Neo-Freudian proposing the collective unconscious and archetypes; focused on self-realization.

Karen Horney

Neo-Freudian who emphasized security needs and criticized Freud’s views on women.

Erich Fromm

Neo-Freudian who argued that modern technology increases feelings of disconnection.

Humanistic Psychology

Approach emphasizing free will, personal growth, and positive human qualities.

Self-Concept

Set of beliefs a person holds about who they are.

Self-Esteem

Individual’s positive evaluation or feelings about the self.

Self-Actualization

Motivation to realize one’s fullest potential, at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Rogers’s term for accepting and valuing a person without conditions; cornerstone of client-centered therapy.