Ch: 10 self and personality
Chapter 10: Self & Personality
Personality - organized combination of attributes, motives, values, and behaviors unique to each individual
Theories of personality -
Psychoanalytic theory - Freud- personality develops during first five years of life
Jung - Carl Jung, Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist who founded analytic psychology. Jung developed the concepts of the extraverted and the introverted personality, archetypes, and the collective unconscious.
Archetypes - Jungian archetypes represent universal themes, motifs, or symbols that evoke a profound emotional response and hold deep significance across cultures and generations
Freud - personality develops during first five years of life
3 conflicting elements :
ID - Selfish, irrational, goal of need gratification
Ego - rational, problem solving
Superego - moral standards or conscience
personality structure - consists of three conflicting elements :
Id - Selfish, irrational, goal of need gratification
Ego - Rational, problem solving
Superego - Moral standards or conscience
Fixation - refers to a psychological condition in which an individual becomes stuck or overly focused on a particular stage of development.
Oedipus complex - phallic (3-6 yr) - children experience unconscious desires for the opposite-sex parent and feel rivalry and jealousy toward the same-sex parent. Male
Electra complex - introduced by Carl Jung, building on Freud's ideas of psychosexual development, and it is considered the female counterpart to the Oedipus complex. It occurs during the phallic stage of psychosexual development (around ages 3-6).
Defense mechanisms -
1. Repression - Definition: The unconscious blocking of painful or anxiety-inducing thoughts and feelings.
2. Denial - Definition: Refusing to accept reality or facts, thus blocking external events from awareness.
3. Projection - Definition: Attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or desires onto someone else.
4. Displacement - Definition: Redirecting emotions or impulses from the original object to a safer target.
5. Rationalization - Definition: Creating logical reasons or excuses to justify behaviors or feelings that may be socially unacceptable or anxiety-inducing.
6. Regression - Definition: Reverting to an earlier stage of development when faced with stress or conflict.
7. Sublimation - Definition: Redirecting socially unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities.
8. Reaction Formation - Definition: Acting in a way that is opposite to one’s actual feelings or impulses.
9. Intellectualization - Definition: Overanalyzing or thinking about something in a detached, rational manner to avoid emotional stress.
psychosexual stages & ages -
Oral - (birth to 1 year) Trust in caretakers
Anal - (1-3 years) Accomplishment from controlling body
Phallic - (3-6 years) Understanding of sex differences Oedipus complex
Latent - (6-puberty) Social and intellectual skill development
Genital - (Puberty-Death) Balance life areas (id, ego, superego developed
Erikson - Erikson developed a psychosocial theory of development, which emphasizes the influence of social relationships and the individual's ability to resolve conflicts across different stages of life.
Psychosocial stages & ages -
trust vs. mistrust - (infant - 18m ) Infants learn to trust their caregivers and the world around them. If they receive consistent care and love, they develop trust. If care is inconsistent or harmful, they develop mistrust.
autonomy vs. shame & doubt - (18m - 3yrs) Toddlers begin to explore their independence and abilities. If they are encouraged and supported, they gain confidence and autonomy. If criticized or overly controlled, they may develop shame and doubt about their abilities.
initiative vs. guilt - (3-5yrs) Children assert themselves and take initiative in activities and play. When their efforts are encouraged, they develop initiative. If they are made to feel guilty for their actions or desires, they may hesitate to explore their interests.
industry vs. inferiority - (5-13yrs) Adolescents explore different identities and roles. Successfully developing a personal identity leads to strong self-awareness, while failure to do so results in role confusion and uncertainty about one’s place in society.
identity vs. role confusion - (13-21yrs) Young adults seek to form meaningful, intimate relationships. Successfully forming close relationships leads to intimacy, while failure results in isolation and loneliness.
intimacy vs. isolation - (21-39 yrs) Young adults seek to form meaningful, intimate relationships. Successfully forming close relationships leads to intimacy, while failure results in isolation and loneliness.
generativity vs. stagnation - (40-65 yrs) Adults strive to contribute to society through work, family, and community activities. Successful generativity leads to a sense of accomplishment and purpose, while stagnation occurs if they feel unproductive or disconnected.
ego integrity vs. Despair - (65 ^) In later life, individuals reflect on their lives. If they feel proud of their accomplishments and accept their life’s journey, they achieve ego integrity. If they have regrets or feel their life was wasted, they experience despair.
Trait Theory - Personality is a set of dispositional trait dimensions along which people can differ
Big Five (OCEAN) - Assumes that personality traits are consistent across situations Big Five :
Openness : curious, original, intellectual, creative, and open to new ideas
Conscientiousness : organized, systematic, punctual, achievement oriented, and dependable
Extraversion : outgoing, talkative, sociable, and enjoys being in social situation
Agreeableness : affable, tolerant, sensitive, trusting, kind, and warm
Neuroticism : anxious, irritable, temperamental, and moody
Social Learning Theory -
Rejects the notion of universal stages of personality development
Questions existence of enduring personality traits
Emphasizes that people's behavior is influenced by situations and environment
Humanistic Perspective - in personality theory focuses on the individual's potential for growth, self-awareness, and personal fulfillment.
Rogers - Focused on the importance of self and the role of unconditional positive regard in personal growth.
Maslow - Developed the Hierarchy of Needs, emphasizing that basic needs must be met before reaching self-actualization.
Self-actualization - The realization of one's full potential and personal growth
Self-concept - The set of beliefs and perceptions a person has about themselves.
Self-concept in preschool - early childhood :
Concrete and physical
Physical characteristics
O Possessions
O Physical activities
O Accomplishments
O Preferences
7–8-year-olds
O Psychological
O Social
Group membership
Comparison
self-Concept in adolescence :
Self-descriptions change between childhood and
adolescence
Less physical and more psychological
Less concrete and more abstract
More differentiated
More integrated and coherent
Reflect greater self-awareness
Self-esteem - is a person's sense of self-worth, influenced by how they perceive themselves and how they wish to be.
Childhood self-esteem - Self-esteem becomes more differentiated or multidimensional with age
O By mid-elementary school, children differentiate among five aspects
Scholastic competence
Social acceptance
Behavioral conduct
Athletic competence
Physical appearance
Self-Esteem in Adolescence - Tends to decrease from childhood to early adolescence, plateau, then increase in late adolescence/early adulthood
O Become more realistic about strengths and weaknesses
O Temporary uncertainty about self when transitioning to middle school
O Unhappy with body changes
O Most common among white females
High Self-Esteem and Adolescence - Most emerge from adolescence with high self-esteem if:
O There are opportunities to feel competent
O Experience approval and support from peers, parents Adolescents with high self-esteem
O Have better physical and mental health
O Better career and financial prospects
O Lower involvement in criminal behavior
Adult Self-Concept and Self-Esteem - Self-esteem rises gradually through the adult years until the mid-60s
O Drops in late old age Sense of clarity about who they are rises through middle age
O Declines in old age Gender differences in self-esteem disappear in old age
Identity - refers to a person’s understanding of who they are, shaped by their experiences, beliefs, values, and social roles.
Emerging self -
2-3 Months
O Sense of agency
18 Months
O Recognize self visually as distinct individual
18-24 Months
O Categorical self Development of self through social categories (age, sex, etc.)
Marcia’s Identity Status - It outlines four identity statuses that describe how individuals explore and commit to their sense of self during adolescence:
Diffusion - A state where individuals have not explored or committed to any particular identity, often feeling lost or uncertain about who they are.
Foreclosure - A state where individuals commit to an identity without exploring other options, often based on parental or societal expectations.
Moratorium - A period of active exploration of different identities, without yet making a firm commitment, as individuals search for their true self.
Identity achievement - The state where individuals have explored various options and made a committed decision about their identity, reflecting a clear sense of self.
Maintenance - The stage where individuals work to sustain and reinforce their established identity through continued experiences and personal growth.
Midlife crisis - A period of emotional turmoil or self-reflection typically occurring between ages 40-60, where individuals question their life choices, accomplishments, and future direction.
Vaillant - George Vaillant suggested that midlife is marked by stability and reflection, with individuals focusing on generativity (contributing to society and future generations) rather than crisis.
Levinson - Daniel Levinson proposed that the transition from ages 40-45 involves questioning one's life structure and confronting unresolved life goals, often leading to personal reevaluation and change.
Ethnic identity development -
Sense of personal identification with an ethnic group and its values and cultural traditions
Begins in infancy
Adolescents proceed through the same identity statuses as they do in forming other identities
- Positive ethnic identity serves to buffer against racial and ethnic discrimination