lect 13 psych 101 msu

Personality

Consistent patterns in how a person thinks, feels, and behaves across time and situations.

Phineas Gage

Railroad worker whose frontal lobe injury changed his personality, showing the brain's role in personality regulation.

Psychodynamic Theory (Freud)

Behavior is driven by unconscious motives and conflicts between the id, ego, and superego.

Id

Operates on the pleasure principle; seeks immediate gratification.

Ego

Operates on the reality principle; balances the demands of the id and superego.

Superego

Operates on the morality principle; internalized moral standards and ideals.

Measuring Personality

Personality can't be directly seen, so it's inferred through clues, behavior, and data sources like interviews or records.

Marshmallow Test (Mischel)

Children who delayed gratification longer had higher SAT scores and better emotional control later in life.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

Projective test where individuals interpret ambiguous inkblots to reveal unconscious aspects of personality.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Projective test where subjects tell stories about ambiguous images to uncover motives and conflicts.

EAR (Electronically Activated Recorder)

Device that records snippets of daily speech; shows men and women talk equally as much on average.

Trait Approach

Describes personality through measurable and stable traits across time and situations.

Big Five Personality Traits (OCEAN)

Five universal dimensions of personality: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Openness

Inventive, curious, and open to new experiences.

Conscientiousness

Organized, responsible, and disciplined.

Extraversion

Outgoing, energetic, and sociable.

Agreeableness

Compassionate, cooperative, and trusting.

Neuroticism

Anxious, moody, and emotionally unstable.

Temperament

Biologically based tendencies to feel or act in certain ways; foundation of personality visible in infancy.

Activity Level

Amount of overall energy and movement.

Emotionality

Intensity of emotional reactions.

Sociability

Desire and enjoyment of being with other people.

Inhibited Temperament

Tendency to be shy or fearful; associated with greater amygdala activity and anxiety later in life.

Personality Stability

Personality is generally stable but changes slightly over time; people become more conscientious and agreeable and less neurotic with age.

Experience and Personality Change

Major life events (travel, trauma, career) can cause measurable personality shifts.

First Impressions

People form quick, often accurate judgments about personality traits based on limited information.

Ambady & Rosenthal (1993)

10-second clips of professors accurately predicted end-of-semester student evaluations.

Babad et al. (2004)

9-second clips also predicted course evaluations; shows accuracy of quick personality judgments.

Genetic Influence on Personality

Identical twins are more similar in personality than fraternal twins; genetics explain about 50% of variation.

Eysenck's Biological Trait Theory

Personality differences stem from biological arousal levels and emotional stability.

Emotional Stability

Refers to consistency in mood and emotion.

Optimal Arousal Theory

People seek their own preferred level of stimulation or arousal.

Extraverts

Have naturally low arousal levels and seek excitement or stimulation.

Introverts

Have naturally high arousal levels and avoid excessive stimulation.

Adoption Studies

Adopted children's personalities are unrelated to adoptive parents; genetics play a larger role than upbringing.

Sibling Differences

Siblings differ due to peer groups, changing home environments, and prenatal influences.

Cross-Cultural Consistency

Big Five personality traits are found universally across cultures, though expression can vary.

Key Takeaway

Personality reflects enduring patterns of behavior and thought shaped by both biological and environmental factors.