Personality

Unit 10 - Overview

  • Freud’s Psychoanalytic Perspective

  • Psychodynamic Theories and Modern Views of the Unconscious

  • Humanistic Theories

  • Trait Theories

  • Social-Cognitive Theories and Exploring the Self

Module 55: Freud's Psychoanalytic Perspective: Exploring the Unconscious

Introduction

  • Overview of factors influencing personality and unconscious motivations.

Module Learning Objectives

  1. Explain Freud's treatment of psychological disorders and its impact on his view of the unconscious mind.

  2. Describe Freud's view of personality.

  3. Identify Freud's developmental stages.

  4. Discuss how people defend themselves against anxiety (defense mechanisms).

  5. Evaluate contemporary psychologists' perspectives on Freud's theories.

Psychoanalytic Theory's Core Ideas

Parts of the Mind

  • Conscious: Current awareness.

  • Preconscious: Thoughts accessible but not currently in awareness.

  • Unconscious: Contains repressed memories and feelings.

Key Concepts

  • Free Association: Technique to explore the unconscious through spontaneous thoughts.

  • Psychoanalysis: Therapy aimed at revealing unconscious tensions.

  • Repression: Basic defense mechanism pushing anxiety-provoking thoughts out of consciousness.

Personality Structure

  • Id: Represents primal desires and operates on the pleasure principle.

  • Ego: Mediates between desires of the id and realities of the external world - operates on the reality principle.

  • Superego: Internalized ideals and moral standards.

Psychosexual Development Stages

  1. Oral (0-18 months): Pleasure through mouth activities (sucking, biting).

  2. Anal (18-36 months): Focus on bowel and bladder control.

  3. Phallic (3-6 years): Oedipus complex; sexual feelings toward parent of opposite sex.

  4. Latency (6 to puberty): Dormant sexual feelings.

  5. Genital (puberty on): Mature sexual interests.

Defense Mechanisms

  • Repression: Banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts from consciousness.

  • Regression: Retreating to earlier psychosexual stages.

  • Reaction Formation: Acting in opposition to anxiety-provoking impulses.

  • Projection: Attributing one’s unacceptable thoughts to others.

  • Rationalization: Justifying behaviors to avoid painful realities.

  • Displacement: Redirecting emotions to a safer outlet.

  • Sublimation: Channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities.

  • Denial: Refusing to accept reality.

Evaluating Freud's Psychoanalytic Perspective

  • Challenges and criticisms regarding the concept of repression and the scientific backing of Freud's theories.

Module 56: Psychodynamic Theories and Modern Views of the Unconscious

Learning Objectives

  1. Identify Freud’s accepted and rejected ideas among his followers.

  2. Describe projective tests and their criticisms.

  3. Explore modern views of the unconscious.

The Neo-Freudian and Psychodynamic Theorists

  • Adler: Concept of inferiority complex.

  • Horney: Emphasis on social relationships and sense of helplessness.

  • Jung: Concept of collective unconscious.

Assessing Unconscious Processes

Projective Tests

  • Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): Participants create stories from ambiguous scenes.

  • Rorschach Inkblot Test: Analyzes interpretations of inkblots.

The Modern Unconscious Mind

  • False Consensus Effect: Overestimating how much others share our beliefs.

  • Terror Management Theory: Explores responses to reminders of death.

Module 57: Humanistic Theories

Learning Objectives

  1. Explain the humanistic perspective on personality and personal growth.

  2. Discuss humanistic assessment of self-concept.

  3. Overview of humanistic theories' impact and criticisms.

Abraham Maslow's Self-Actualizing Person

  • Self-Actualization: Realizing personal potential.

  • Peak Experiences: Profound moments of happiness and fulfillment.

Carl Rogers' Person-Centered Perspective

  • Key components: genuineness, acceptance, and empathy.

  • Unconditional Positive Regard: Acceptance without conditions.

Module 58: Trait Theories

Learning Objectives

  1. Use of traits to describe personality.

  2. Discuss strengths and weaknesses of personality inventories.

  3. Identify key traits providing insight into personality.

  4. Research evidence on trait consistency.

The Big Five Factors

  • Conscientiousness: Organization vs. disorganization.

  • Agreeableness: Compassion vs. antagonism.

  • Neuroticism: Emotional stability vs. instability.

  • Openness: Creativity and openness to experiences.

  • Extraversion: Sociability vs. introversion.

Module 59: Social-Cognitive Theories and Exploring the Self

Learning Objectives

  1. Identify psychologists behind the social-cognitive perspective and its view of personality.

  2. Assess behavior in different situations.

  3. Discuss self-esteem and its importance.

  4. Examine self-serving bias.

  5. Explore cultural influences on self-perception.

Exploring the Self

  • Self-Esteem: One's self-worth.

  • Self-Efficacy: Belief in one's competence.

  • Self-Serving Bias: Favorably attributing success to oneself.

Culture and the Self

Value Contrasts

  • Individualism: Focus on personal achievements.

  • Collectivism: Emphasis on group goals.

Definitions

  • Personality: Distinctive patterns of thinking and behaving.

  • Free Association: Technique in psychoanalysis to explore unconscious.

  • Psychoanalysis: Therapy focusing on unconscious motivations.

  • Unconscious: Reservoir of unacceptable thoughts and memories.

  • Id, Ego, Superego: Components of personality structure.

  • Psychosexual Stages: Developmental phases in childhood.

  • Oedipus Complex: Desire in boys towards their mothers.

  • Defense Mechanisms: Psychoanalytic techniques to reduce anxiety.

  • Humanistic Theories: Focus on potential for personal growth.

  • Trait: Characteristic aspects of behavior assessed through inventories.

  • Social-Cognitive Perspective: Interaction of traits and social context.

  • Positive Psychology: Study focusing on human strengths.