PS4721: Personality and Individual Differences 2

Personality and Individual Differences PS4721

Overview

  • Focus on deeper forces that influence personality beyond trait theories.

  • Discussion on personal growth, biology, and identity.

Weekly Structure

  • Tutorials are scheduled as follows:

    • Tuesday: 9am-10am (Week 4, 6, 8, 10, 12)

    • Wednesday: 12nn-1pm (Week 4, 6, 8, 10, 12)

    • Friday: 11am-12nn (Week 4, 6, 8, 10, 12)

Major Approaches to Personality

  • Psychodynamic Approaches

  • Humanistic Approaches

  • Biological & Evolutionary Approaches

Psychodynamic Approaches

Freud's Iceberg Model

  • Conscious: current thoughts and perceptions.

  • Preconscious: memories that can be accessed.

  • Unconscious: fears, drives, and unacceptable desires.

  • Components of Personality:

    • Ego: Controls and integrates behavior; operates under the reality principle, satisfying the Id's demands realistically.

    • Id: Born with it; shows unconscious instincts and basic drives; operates under the pleasure principle.

    • Superego: Develops around age 5; encompasses conscience, moral restrictions, and societal rules.

Example of Freud's Model

  • Scenario: Deciding to drink alcohol before a class.

    • Id: "I want to."

    • Ego: "Maybe tomorrow?"

    • Superego: "You shouldn't."

Freud's Psychosexual Theory

  • Stages of Development:

    • Oral (0-1 year): Focus on mouth; challenges include weaning off breastfeeding.

    • Anal (1-3 years): Focus on anus; challenges include toilet training.

    • Phallic (3-6 years): Focus on genitals; challenges include resolving the Oedipus/Electra complex.

    • Latency (6-12 years): No focus on any specific area; developing defense mechanisms.

    • Genital (12+ years): Focus on mature sexual relationships; becoming sexually mature.

  • Notes on Fixation:

    • Adult fixation examples for each stage include smoking (oral), orderliness (anal), deviancy (phallic), and if successfully completed, leads to being sexually matured and mentally healthy.

Freud’s Defense Mechanisms

  • Repression: Pushing distressing thoughts into the unconscious.

  • Denial: Refusal to accept reality.

  • Projection: Attributing one's own feelings to others.

  • Displacement: Redirecting impulses to safer targets.

  • Rationalization: Justifying behavior with plausible explanations.

  • Regression: Reverting to earlier developmental stages.

  • Sublimation: Channeling impulses into accepted activities (art, sport).

The Humanistic Approach

  • Humanistic Theories:

    • Focus on the positive aspects of life and personal growth.

    • Reaction to Freud's focus on pathology.

    • Emphasis on the innate goodness of people and their striving toward self-actualization.

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)

  • Self-Theory:

    • Highlights active attempts of individuals to satisfy needs consistent with self-concept/schema.

    • People are inherently good and desire self-improvement.

    • Self-schema: Organized body of knowledge about oneself that shapes behavior, perceptions, and emotions.

    • Distinction between Conditions of Worth and Unconditional Positive Regard. Importance of empathy in therapeutic environments.

    • Ideal Self vs. Self Image: Understanding discrepancies can foster growth.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

  • Levels of Needs:

    • Physiological needs: Food, water, warmth, rest.

    • Safety needs: Security and safety.

    • Belongingness and love needs: Intimate relationships and friendships.

    • Esteem needs: Prestige and feelings of accomplishment.

    • Self-actualization: Achieving one's full potential including creative activities.

Impact of Humanistic Approaches

  • Influences seen in:

    • Client-centered therapy aimed at fostering growth.

    • Educational strategies highlighting growth mindset and positive psychology.

  • Critiques: Seen as vague, overly idealistic, and difficult to test empirically.

Biological & Evolutionary Approaches

Twin & Adoption Studies

  • Twin Studies: Comparison of personality similarities in Monozygotic (MZ) vs. Dizygotic (DZ) twins; heritability estimates for personality range from 40% to 60%.

  • Adoption Studies: Indicate stronger influence from biological parents than adoptive parents.

Brain & Neurotransmitters

  • Extraversion: Linked to dopamine activity.

  • Neuroticism: Associated with amygdala reactivity.

  • Conscientiousness: Related to functioning in the frontal lobe.

Evolutionary Psychology

  • Concept: Personality traits seen as adaptive strategies for survival.

    • Extraversion: Helps in seeking mates and allies.

    • Neuroticism: Increases vigilance to threats.

  • Critique: Often characterized as “just-so stories” that are hard to falsify.

Conclusion

  • Takeaway Messages:

    • Psychodynamic Approach: Focuses on unconscious drives;

    • Humanistic Approach: Emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization;

    • Biological/Evolutionary Approach: Examines the influence of genetics and adaptation on personality traits.

  • Next Session Focus: Expanding the discussion to intelligence and other individual differences.