chapter 12 - intro to psychology

what is personality?

an individual’s consistent patterns of feeling, thinking, and behaving (a set of traits)

what do extraversion and introversion lie on?

a continuum (a scale)

what are traits?

enduring characteristics that influence our behavior across situations

what can traits explain?

consistencies in behavior

what did Gordon Allport do?

distinguished between cardinal, central, and secondary traits

what did Raymond Cattell do?

distinguished between source and surface traits - developed measure that assessed 16 trait dimensions

what did Hans Eysenck do?

studied the biological and genetic origins of personality - focused on introversion/extroversion

what are the big five underlying trait dimensions?

openness, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion

what does conscientiousness in the big five do?

predict job success

what makes the big five turn into the HEXACO model?

honesty/humility

what is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

most widely administered personality test in the world

what does the MBTI do?

categorizes people into one of four categories on each of four dimensions - not a good measure of personality

what traits vary the most?

traits of emotional stability and extraversion

what traits vary the least?

traits of honesty and openness

when can personality predict behavior the best?

when aggregated or averaged (measured) across different situations

what is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)?

one of the most important measures of personality - used for assessing personality and maladjustment

how is the MMPI set up?

338 questions that result in 51 subscales - some questions designed to detect if test-taker has a tendency to lie when answering

what do industrial-organizational (I/O) psychologists do?

help to identify job candidates that are most likely to be successful in a certain position

what is leadership?

the ability to direct or inspire others to achieve goals

what are charismatic leaders?

• enthusiastic, committed, and self-confident

• emphasize group goals at a broad level

• make personal sacrifices for the group

what are transactional leaders?

• regular leaders

• work with subordinates to help them understand and meet job requirements

what are transformational leaders?

• have a vision for the group

• attempt to stimulate and inspire workers

what is the Barnum effect?

people tend to believe in descriptions of their personality that could describe almost anyone

what is our behavior influenced by?

our personality and the situation

what is a gene?

basic biological unit that transmits characteristics from one generation to the next

what is the role of genes?

shaping personalities

what is instinct?

innate, species-specific biological force that impels an organism to do something

what are behavioral genetics?

study of familial/hereditary behavior patterns and the genetic mechanisms of behavior traits

what are molecular genetics?

study of genes at the molecular level

DNA research shows personality traits are…

polygenic

which big five traits increase with age?

conscientiousness, agreeableness, and emotional stability

what big five trait decreases with age?

extraversion

what acts to form our personalities?

genetic influence, the shared environment, and the nonshared environment

personality is determined by…

many genes working together along with our experiences (not by a single gene)

what studies are used to understand personality development?

family, twin, and adoptive studies

what studies can help us see which genes influence personality?

knockout studies and genome-wide association

what is psychoanalysis?

the assumption that much mental activity is unconscious - emphasizes the role of unconscious motivations - founded by Freud

what is id?

the component of personality that forms the basis of our most primitive impulses

what is ego?

the largely conscious controller or decision-maker of personality

what is superego?

our sense of morality and oughts

what are defense mechanisms?

unconscious psychological strategies used to cope with anxiety - maintain positive self-image

what is humanistic psychology?

embraced notion of free will - focused on underlying motivations that drive personality

what is self-concept?

the set of beliefs about who we are

what is self-esteem?

our positive feelings about the self

what is self-actualization?

the motivation to develop our innate potential to the fullest possible extent (realizing and fulfilling your full potential)

what is included in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

self-actualization, self-esteem, love and belonging, safety and security, and physiological needs

who is Carl Rogers?

best-known humanistic theorist