Psych. 251: Personality - Introduction and Theory Criteria

Vocabulary flashcards covering personality aspects, definitions of theory, theory functions, and formal criteria for evaluating theories from Psych. 251 with Prof. Fredric Agatstein.

Personality

An idea and a way of thinking about certain aspects of human behavior and experience, specifically focusing on consistency, coherence, and individual differences.

Consistency

An aspect of human behavior and experience that occurs over time, over situations, and over behaviors.

Theory

A set of interrelated concepts, used or created by a theorist, to explain some phenomenon of interest.

Appropriate Criterion for Evaluating Theory

Evaluating a theory based on whether 'it works', rather than assessing it by 'Truth'.

Functions of Theory

The key roles that a theory should perform, including being descriptive, explanatory, simplifying, and heuristic.

Formal Criteria for Theory Evaluation

The formal criteria used to evaluate a theory: 1) Research relevant/testability, 2) Comprehensiveness, 3) Parsimony, plus whether 'we like it'.