Gordon Allport (copy)

November 11, 1897 in Montezuma, Indiana

Allport was born on

Country Doctor

He was the son of a .

youngest

He was the of four boys.

trust and affection, along with a strong emphasis on the virtue of hard work.

He characterized his family life as marked by

Allport was scholarly from an early age.

sports

He was someone who is good at using words, but performed poorly when it comes to .

He did not get along with his peers that well. One of his classmates even said, “Aw, that guy swallowed a dictionary.”

Academically, he finished second in his high school class out of 100 students.

a good routine student

Allport insisted that he was ,but uninspired about anything beyond the usual adolescent concerns

Floyd

His older brother

1915

His brother was a graduate at Harvard and squeezed through the entrance tests and matriculated at the said university

stimulating and enlightening

Allport described his years at Harvard to be

Although he was overwhelmed by the intellectual atmosphere and the strict adherence to the highest academic standards; it was a real intellectual awakening for him

Psychology

He followed the example of his older brother and majored in the program

1919

Allport received his baccalaureate

Robert College in Constantinople, Turkey

He then grabbed the opportunity to teach English and Sociology at

Vienna

His brother was working in

Sigmund Freud

When he decided to visit his brother who was working in Vienna before returning to Cambridge, he wanted to see if he could arrange a private meeting with .

With the audacity of youth, he wrote a letter to Freud announcing that he was in Vienna, implying that the man would in no doubt be glad to meet him. To his surprise, Freud replied and invited Allport for a visit in his office

that the mother’s obsession with cleanliness is the result of the boy’s abhorrence towards dirt

Upon arriving at Freud’s famous inner office, Allport recalled a streetcar episode that he had witnessed while he was on his way to the office. After telling the story, Allport assumed that Freud would quickly grasp the point of the story

in just two years

Allport entered graduate school in psychology and finished his doctorate

1922

He received his Ph.D. in what year

at the young age of 24

He received his Ph.D. in what age

Clark University

He was invited to attend a meeting of experimental psychologists at

Sensory Psychology

He was invited to attend a meeting of experimental psychologists at Clark University to discuss current problems and issues in .

Titchener

After two days of such discussions (experimental psychologist), the eminent psychologist allotted three minutes to each graduate student to describe his own investigations. Allport reported his work on personality traits and was punished by total silence and stares

Because of his experience in experimental psychologist, Allport had learned another lesson––not to be unnecessarily bothered by rebukes or professional slights and to pursue his own interests

October 9, 1967 at age 69

He passed away on

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

He passed away in

Personality

what a man really is

“Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristic behavior and thought.”

Allport offered a more precise definition of personality

internal forces

In Allport’s view, even behavior that seems to be controlled by external forces is really controlled

genetics

Allport believed that at birth, our traits are mostly determined by

genetics and the environment

Throughout life, both influence our development.

environment and learning experiences

As we mature, our interactions with the shape us.

different kinds of traits contained in the proprium, or self, shaping as the self develops throughout the lifespan

the major concepts of the theory of traits revolve around

Traits

Are central in understanding the uniqueness of a    person's style, expressiveness, and behavior

The Self

Acts as a unifying force, striving to bring coherence to various characteristics and abilities

trait

a generalized and focalized neuropsychic system peculiar to the individual, capable of rendering many stimuli functionally equivalent and guiding consistent forms of behavior.

Traits

exist within certain parts of the nervous system and manifest through consistent behaviors.3 t

cardinal
central
secondary

3 kinds of Traits

cardinal traits

Pervasive, dominant traits in a person's life, such as master motives or ruling passions.

central traits

Important characteristics controlling less of a person's behavior but significant in various situations

secondary traits

Less important, conspicuous, and generalized traits, such as preferences.

common traits

Generalized dispositions for classifying groups of people on a particular dimension, of limited usefulness.

personal dispositions

Unique characteristics of the individual, not shared with others, reflecting the individual's personality structure.

personal dispositions

Allport urged focusing rather than common traits to understand the uniqueness of individuals and advance personality understanding.

Personality Development in Allport's Theory

Centers on the concept of the self

Personality Development in Allport's Theory

Acknowledges the varied interpretations and opposition faced by the concept

psychology without a soul

Wundt's objection to the concept of personality development in allport’s theory, preferring a .

Personality Development in Allport's Theory

Allport's view on reification of the self and its damaging effect on psychology

Personality Development in Allport's Theory

Maintains the importance of the term "self" despite its challenges

proprium

It introduces by Allport to denote what is "peculiarly ours" in personality.

proprium or self

Includes all aspects contributing to inward unity.

proprium or self

Develops continuously from infancy to death through various stages

bodily self

First aspect of selfhood, becoming prominent in infancy

bodily self

Sensory information from internal organs, muscles, etc., confirms our existence

self identity

Develops during the first 18 months of life

self identity

Despite life changes, there is continuity in self perception

self identity

Erikson's crises faced by individuals doubting or confused about their identities

self-esteem

The third aspect of the proprium which merges during the second and third years of life

pride & humiliation

Children experience in mastering tasks and in failure

Opposition to parental suggestions and testing of environmental limits are common

adolescence

Similar oppositional tendencies reappear in , often directed towards authority figures

Self-Extension

Occurs approximately between 4 to 6 years of age

Self-Extension

Children are primarily concerned with possessions

Self-Extension

Egocentric tendencies are prominent at this stage

Self-Extension

Loyalties gradually extend to family, church, nation, and career group as people mature

Self-Image

Develops alongside self-extension

Self-Image

It evolves slowly in conjunction with the conscience

(1) learned expectations of the roles we are required to enact
(2) aspirations for the future we seek to attain

2 components of self-image

Self-Image

The children begin to formulate plans, making decisions about careers, and embracing values

Self-as-Rational-Coper (Rational Agent)

Between ages 6 and 12, children engage in reflective thought

Self-as-Rational-Coper (Rational Agent)

Develop strategies to cope with problems and test intellectual skills

Self-as-Rational-Coper (Rational Agent)

Beginning to sense and exercise rational powers

Propriate Striving

From the beginning of adolescence at age 13, people begin to develop the facet of the self

peripheral motives
propriate motives

two kinds of motives

Peripheral Motives

Are impulses and drives

Peripheral Motives

The striving toward the immediate gratification of needs and reduction of tension. We are hungry; we eat

Propriate Motives

Involve the deliberate increase or maintenance of tensions in the service of important goals

Propriate Motives

Is ego-involved behavior, characterized by the unification of personality in pursuit of major life goals

Must Conscience

Similar to Freud's conscience concept. It is a conscience based on fear of punishment

Ought Conscience

At this stage, obedience to the external standards of authority gives way to internal, or self-generated, rules

The self-as-knower

In adulthood, we begin the development of this

Development of the mature personality

Is a gradual process characterized by shifts and transformations

infants exhibit behaviors that are typical for their stage of development, but would be considered abnormal in adults.

As children grow, they become increasingly socialized and learn to adapt to societal norms and expectations. However, excessive reliance on ego defense mechanisms may indicate immaturity or psychological issues

Allport emphasized that mature individuals are relatively free from such defensive tactics and are primarily motivated by current needs and circumstances rather than past experiences.

Functional Autonomy

Refers to the independence of adult motives from their antecedent systems

Mature individuals no longer rely on parental influence or defensive tactics to protect their self-esteem. Instead, they pursue goals and interests that are self-sustaining and independent of their past experiences

Perseverative Functional Autonomy
Propriate Functional Autonomy

Levels of Functional Autonomy

Perseverative Functional Autonomy

Refers to habits and behaviors that no longer serve a purpose, but yet still continue

Propriate Functional Autonomy

Refers to those self-sustaining motives that are related to the proprium

Extension of the sense of self
Warm relatedness to others
Self-acceptance
Realistic Perception of Reality
Self-Objection
Unifying Philosophy of life

characteristics of maturity

mature individuals

those who are able to free themselves from excessive reliance on earlier motives

Extension of the sense of self

Truly mature persons, according to Allport, are able to participate in activities that go beyond themselves

Extension of the sense of self

They are concerned not only about their own welfare but also about the welfare of others

Warm relatedness to others

Mature individual is also capable of relating warmly to others

intimacy
compassion

two (2) types of warmth

Self-acceptance

Mature persons are emotionally secure