Personality (Ch. 12)

Freuds Influence on Mental Health Field

• psychotherapy treatment

• thoughts outside cs drive symps/behaviour

• defense mechs repression, denial, projection

• therapeutic relationship as source of insight

• adult distress to early childhood

• legacy: psychodynamic therapy, attachment theory, trauma informed care

Source & Presentism Bias

• SB: rely on secondary sources instead of og source

• P: misjudge historical theories by modern standards

Small Horizon Bias

= assume expertise carries across domains

• horizon: extent of own perspectives/knowledge in specific professional areas

• narrow understanding= sm horizon

Dunning-Kruger Effect

individuals typically have higher confidence w less knowledge

• those w high knowledge typically more humble, know they dont know all

Selfhood: Entire Iceberg

3 layers

1. CS: visible/known part of self

2. PCS: self just below surface of awareness

3. UCS: self unknown to us/others

Personality

• what: socially acceptable mask, presented to others

• includes: behaviour, roles, appearance (aspects shown publicly)

• represents: visible/cs self

• key: personality only sm part of us (tip of iceberg)

Selfhood

• what: entirety of self

• includes: thoughts, feelings, memories (cs/pcs/ucs aspects)

• represents: all 3 layers

• key: whole person, not just cs knowledge

Degree of Truthfulness: Theories of Personality & Selfhood

(most true to least)

1. freuds model (cs/pcs/ucs)

2. johari windows (based on freud) (cs/pcs)

3. socio-cognitive (cs)

4. big five (cs)

Johari Windows: The Four Selves

=based on topographical model (divides freud pcs into 2 layers)

1. open/social self: aware

2. hidden self: aware

3. blind self: potentially aware

4. ucs self: not aware

Johari Windows: Open/Social Self

= aware to self & others (c

• cs/known self comfortable sharing/presenting to others

• includes social mask

• ideal/how we should be self

Johari Windows: Hidden Self

= aware to self, concealed from others (pcs)

• aspects of self known but conceal from others (uncomfortable w)

• self we feel doesn’t align w cultural/social standards→ hide w masks

• intimate self→ share w certain people

Johari Windows: Blind Self

= noticed by others, unseen by self (pcs)

• can become cs through feedback/self awareness

• little threat to social self

• ex. non verbal behaviours

Johari Windows: Unconscious Self

= unknown to all (ucs)

• feels ugly/unacceptable, cause high anxiety

• threatening/pushed out of awareness

Freuds Topographical & Structural Models

T: locations of layers

• components: cs, pcs, ucs

• focus: location of material

• drives: sexual

• managing threats: repression (censors)

S: structural layers (2 layers→ cs/ucs)

• components: id, ego, superego

• focus: funcs, conflicts, interactions of psyche parts

• drives: sexual/death

• managing threats: repression & ego defenses

Freuds Topographical & Structural Models: Similarities

1. mind divided into parts/layers

2. emphasize ucs processes influence behaviour

3. sexual drives, threatening thoughts/mems/ideas important motivators

4. repression manages threatening psychological material

Freud: ID

= birth→ 18mo (IT, 1st part to develop)

• definition: untamed drives, infantile impulses

• repressed: threatening thoughts, feelings about self/others, sexual/aggressive drives

• awareness: fully ucs

• func: immediate release of excitations

• pleasure principle: seeks immediate gratification wo considering consequences

Freud: Ego

=18mo (I, develops from ID) → mostly cs

• definition: develops into persons identity/self esteem, protect self through ucs DM

• func: promotes self control/em reg/rational thinking/decision making, DM

• reality principle: needs in socially acceptable ways through delayed gratification

• brain link: funcs associated w prefrontal

• signal anxiety: anxiety warns ego of threats to esteem, activates defenses

Ego: Rational Function

• role: develops identity

• awareness: most cs

• func: promotes self control

• key process: reality principle= satisfies needs through delayed gratification

• goal: func realistically in society

Ego: Defensive Function

• role: protects self/esteem from psych threats

• awareness: most ucs

• func: DM to protect against anxiety, fragmentation, threats

• key process: signal anxiety= warns ego of danger/activate DM

• goal: prevents ego from overwhelmed by anxiety

Freud: Superego

=3yrs (above I, develops from ID)→ cs & ucs

• definition: self shaped by moral values/rules/laws/internalized ideals

• prosocial moral func: guides moral behaviour

• inner tyrant/critic fun: inner critic shaming us

• carveths critique: should include atleast 4 structures: id, ego, superego, conscience

Superego: Prosocial Function

• role: express internalized more values, social rules, etc.

• awareness: primarily cs

• main func: guides moral behaviour

• guilt: reparative→ motivates us to admit harm, correct mistakes, repair relationships

• harm response: repairs harm/damaged social bond

• carveths view: conscience should be treated as separate structure

Superego: Inner Tyrant/Critic

ids aggressive drives feed superego

• role: hames/criticizes/discourages us

• awareness: cs/ucs

• main func: punishes self, feelings of shame/inadequacy

• guilt: narcissistic/self punishing guilt makes us beat ourselves up

• harm response: attacks self instead of repairing harm/relationship

• carveths view: superego should be called inner tyrant/critic

Defense Mechanisms

internal/external threats

• unacceptable wishes, aggressive/sexual desires

• shame/guilt

• attacks from others

• personal/human flaws

DM: Rationalization, Denial, Regression

• R: self justifying explanations in place of real/threatening reasons

• DE: refuse to believe/perceive painful realities

• R: retreat to more infantile psychosexual stage

Projection vs. Reaction Formation

P:

• def: project own unacceptable wishes/desires onto others

• difference: wish attributed to another person

RF:

• def: frightening wish converted to safer opposite in person

• difference: wish transformed into opp within person

similarity: protect from cs recognizing forbidden wish

DM: Identification with Aggressor

• DM where person ucs takes on attitudes/behaviours of someone who threatens them

defend ego:

• victim feels overwhelming→ mind shifts roles

• illusion of power/control

• feels in charge of threat

DM: Displacement

=shift sexual/aggressive impulses to less threatening person/obj

involves:

1. powerful other: attacks, cant be attacked back

2. injured self: cant lash back

3. easy scapegoat: becomes target of displaced anger

→ vulnerable individuals (ex. animals, children), marginalized, self

Healthy Displacement: Sublimation

= anger integrated in self & used for socially valuable purposes

• ex. fight injustices as lawyer

Freud & Sexuality

• all sensual pleasures

• sexuality w pleasure principle: ability to give immediate discharge to body/psych excitations

• psychosexual: early psych experiences involving body zones (erogenous) influence psych development

Freuds Psychosexual Stages: Description

= child development, pleasure shifts to diff areas

• premise: early body/sensory experiences shape development of self/relationships

• key: stages associated w development of psych funcs/skills

• caregiver interference/fixation: caregiver interference→ fixation on spec stage

• later impact: development/behaviour in adulthood

• stages: oral, anal, oedipal

Oral Stage

• age: birth→18mo

• erogenous zone: mouth

• experience: suck/bite

• task: trust/relatedness through feeding/nurturing relationships

• fixation: dependence, distrust

• associated behaviour: excessive talk/eat/drink, dependence on others, “spoon fed”

• central theme: trust vs. distrust

Anal Stage

• age: 1→3

• erogenous zone: anus/urethra

• experience: urinate/defecate

• task: learn control, autonomy, boundary setting during toilet train

• fixation: excessive rigidity/control or very passive/lack boundaries

• associated behaviour: control, obedience, submissive

• central theme: control vs. dependency

Oedipal Stage

• age: puberty on

• erogenous zone: genitals

• task: accept not being centre of world (1st blow to narcissism)

• fixation: codepen, chronic jealousy, partner poaching, need for validation

• associated behaviour: rivalry, fomo, love triangle

• central theme: competition & seperation

The Big Five Model

assumes: traits consistent/fixed, refer to temperament

1. Conscientiousness (org, careful, discipline)

2. Agreeableness (trusting, helpful)

3. Neuroticism (anxious, insecure)

4. Openness to experience (imaginative, variety, independent)

5. Extraversion (sociable, fun, affectionate)

The Big Five Model: Limitations

1. social desirability bias: report ideal self

2. limited view of self: cs reported traits

3. limited behaviour prediction: dont always predict behaviour in life

4. context matters: change depending on situation

Social Cognitive Model of Personality

= personality from combo of traits & situation (mainly cs)

• familiar/informal: traits emerge freely

• unfamiliar/formal: traits hidden (situation dominates)