AP Psychology- Unit 9: Trait Perspective, Social Cognitive Perspective

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Trait

A stable and consistent characteristic of an individual that influences their behavior across various situations.

(In other words} A usual way someone behaves or feels.

Example: Someone who is often anxious may have the trait of neuroticism.

Question: Can traits change over time, or are they fixed for life?

Hans Eyesenck

British psychologist.                                                                                                                                                                Contribution: Known for his work in personality psychology and intelligence, particularly his theory of personality dimensions which includes extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism.

Experiment/Study/Discovery: Eysenck developed personality tests and examined the biological basis of personality traits, suggesting a link between personality and genetic factors.

Story of the Experiment: His experiments involved extensive surveys and assessments to explore personality traits across various populations, leading to insights about the heritability of personality.

Question: How can Eysenck’s theories of personality be applied to improve team dynamics and leadership in organizational settings?

Personality inventory

A questionnaire designed to reveal aspects of an individual's character or psychological makeup.

(In other words} It’s a test that tells you more about your personality. 

Example: The Big Five personality test is a popular personality inventory.

Question: How reliable are personality inventories in predicting behavior?

Myers-Briggs Type indicator (MBTI)

A psychological assessment that categorizes individuals into 16 personality types based on preferences in how they perceive the world and make decisions.

(In other words} A test that helps people understand their personality type.

Example: Someone might be categorized as an INFP, meaning they are introverted, intuitive, feeling, and perceptive.

Question: What are some strengths and weaknesses of using MBTI in the workplace?

Barnum effect

A cognitive bias wherein individuals believe vague, general statements about personality to be highly accurate for themselves. 

(In other words} It's when people think a general description fits them perfectly.

Example: A horoscope might say something like, "You will face challenges this week," and people feel it applies to them.

Question: Why do people tend to believe vague statements about their personality?

Social-cognitive perspective

A view that emphasizes the importance of observational learning, social experience, and personal factors in the development of personality.

(In other words} This perspective says we learn from watching others and our own experiences.

Example: A child learns to behave in social settings by watching parents and peers.

Question: How does the social-cognitive perspective differ from other theories of personality?

Albert Bandura

Canadian-American psychologist.

Contribution: Bandura is renowned for his social learning theory and the concept of observational learning.

Experiment/Study/Discovery: His Bobo doll experiment demonstrated that children can learn behaviors through the observation of others.

Story of the Experiment: In his study, children observed an adult acting aggressively towards a Bobo doll and were later given the opportunity to play with it themselves. Many children mimicked aggressive behavior, underscoring the role of modeling in learning. 

Question: How can Bandura’s social learning theory be applied to develop effective behavior management strategies in educational environments?

Reciprocal determinism

A concept in social-cognitive theory that suggests behavior, personal factors, and environmental influences all interact and shape one another.

(In other words} It means your behavior, thoughts, and environment all affect each other.

Example: A student’s motivation (personal factor) can affect their study habits (behavior), which in turn influences their grades (environment).

Question: Can you think of a time when your environment influenced your behavior?

Personal control

The degree to which individuals believe they can influence or make decisions about their own lives.

(In other words} It’s how much control you feel you have over your own life.

Example: A person who feels they can change their habits has a high sense of personal control.

Question: How does having personal control impact mental health?

Self efficacy

The belief in one’s capabilities to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments.

(In other words} It means believing you can do something well.

Example: A student with high self-efficacy feels confident they will do well on an exam.

Question: How can self-efficacy be increased in individuals?

External locus of control

The belief that outside forces, such as fate or luck, have a significant impact on the outcomes of one's life.

(In other words} It’s when you think that things happen to you because of outside factors, not because of what you do.

Example: Someone might say, “I didn’t get that job because it wasn’t meant to be.”

Question: How does having an external locus of control affect one’s motivation?

Internal locus of control

The belief that one can influence events and outcomes in their life through their own efforts and actions.

(In other words} It’s when you believe you have control over what happens to you.

Example: A student who studies hard believes they can improve their grades.

Question: What are the advantages of having an internal locus of control?

Learned helplessness

A condition in which an individual learns to feel helpless and passive in the face of adverse situations, believing they do not have control over the outcome.

(In other words} It's when someone feels they can’t change their situation, so they stop trying.

Example: A dog that is repeatedly shocked in a cage may stop trying to escape even when given the option.

Question: How can learned helplessness be overcome?

Positive psychology

A field of psychology that focuses on the study of positive emotions, strengths, and factors that contribute to human flourishing and well-being.

(In other words} The study of what makes people happy and successful.

Example: Researching the effects of gratitude on overall happiness.

Question: What practices can individuals adopt to enhance their well-being based on positive psychology?

Spotlight effect

 The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others notice and judge our appearance and behavior.

(In other words} It’s when you think everyone is looking at you when they really aren’t.

Example: A person feels embarrassed after tripping, thinking everyone saw them when only a few did.

Question: Why do you think people often overestimate how much attention others pay to them?

Self-esteem

An individual's overall subjective evaluation of their own worth and the beliefs they hold about themselves.

(In other words} It’s how much you value and feel good about yourself.

Example: Someone with high self-esteem feels confident and capable, while someone with low self-esteem may feel unworthy.

Question: How can self-esteem be improved in individuals?

Self-serving bias

The tendency to attribute positive outcomes to one’s own actions and negative outcomes to external factors.

(In other words} It’s when you take credit for your successes but blame outside factors for your failures.

Example: If you pass the test, you believe that it’s because you studied hard. If you failed, you might believe it was because the teacher didn’t explain the subject correctly

Question: How can self-serving bias affect personal growth and relationships?