TOC Chapters 1-5 + essay questions
Chapter 1: What is Personality?
Front: Think of a friend. What is their "personality"?
Back: Their consistent way of acting and thinking.
Front: How many ways can we look at personality?
Back: SIX! (Psychoanalytic, Trait, Biological, Humanistic, Behavioral/Social Learning, Cognitive)
Front: Do we need all 6 approaches?
Back: YES! One approach is never enough.
Front: Me vs. Us. What are the two types of cultures?
Back:
Individualistic: Me first! (USA, Western cultures)
Collectivist: Us first! (Many Asian, Latin American cultures)
Chapter 2: Personality Research Methods
Front: Theory vs. Hypothesis.
Back:
Theory: A BIG idea about how things work.
Hypothesis: A specific, testable GUESS.
Front: What's a case study?
Back: A deep dive into ONE person. Great detail, but not generalizable.
Front: Correlations: A score from -1 to +1. What does it tell you?
Back: The relationship between two things.
+1: They go up and down together.
-1: One goes up, the other goes down.
0: No relationship!
Front: Reliability vs. Validity.
Back:
Reliability: Is the test consistent?
Validity: Does the test measure what it's supposed to?
Chapter 3: The Psychoanalytic Approach
Front: Freud's Iceberg. What are the 3 layers?
Back:
Conscious: Right now.
Preconscious: Easily remembered.
Unconscious: Hidden from you!
Front: Freud's Three-Ring Circus. What are the performers?
Back:
Id: The "I want it now!" part.
Ego: The "Let's be smart" part.
Superego: The "That's not right!" part.
Front: What are defense mechanisms for?
Back: The Ego's ways to handle anxiety.
Front: Projective Tests. What's the point? Name two.
Back: To get into the unconscious mind using ambiguous stimuli. (Rorschach Inkblot Test, Thematic Apperception Test or TAT.)
Chapter 4: The Freudian Approach: Research
Front: What's a Freudian slip?
Back: When you accidentally say something that reveals true, hidden thoughts.
Front: Why is Freud's theory often criticized?
Back: It's seen as too negative and hard to scientifically prove.
Chapter 5: The Psychoanalytic Approach: Neo-Freudians
Front: Adler's big idea?
Back: Inferiority Complex. Motivated to overcome feelings of inadequacy.
Front: Jung's big idea?
Back: Collective Unconscious. Shared, inherited memories/archetypes.
Front: Erikson's big idea?
Back: Personality develops throughout our ENTIRE LIFE (8 stages).
Front: Horney's big idea?
Back: Neurosis from basic anxiety in childhood, not "penis envy." Advocated "feminine psychology."
Essay questions
1. What is personality?
According to Burger (2019), personality refers to consistent behavior patterns and intrapersonal processes originating within the individual.
* Consistent behavior patterns mean that a person's behavior is somewhat predictable across different situations and over time.
* Intrapersonal processes are the emotional, motivational, and cognitive processes that happen inside us and influence our behavior.
In short, it's the unique blend of consistent traits and internal processes that make you who you are.
2. Compare and contrast the values of an individualistic and a collectivist culture. In which culture were you raised? How do you know?
* Individualistic cultures emphasize the unique individual. Values include personal achievement, independence, and self-reliance. People are often defined by their personal traits and accomplishments. Examples include the United States and many Western European countries.
* Collectivist cultures emphasize the group and a sense of belonging. Values include harmony, cooperation, and social responsibility. People are often defined by their roles within a group, such as family, community, or nation. Examples include many cultures in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
(As an AI, I was not "raised" in a specific culture, so I cannot answer the second part of the question. However, a human student would answer this by identifying their culture and providing specific examples, such as the emphasis on personal success or family obligations, to demonstrate how they know.)
3. Briefly explain the steps involved in the scientific method.
The scientific method is a systematic process for testing hypotheses and building theories. The basic steps are:
* Theory/Hypothesis Formulation: A researcher starts with a general theory and derives a specific, testable prediction (a hypothesis).
* Data Collection: The researcher designs a study and collects data to test the hypothesis.
* Data Analysis: The collected data is analyzed using statistical methods to determine if the hypothesis is supported.
* Reporting Findings: The researcher reports the findings, including the methods and conclusions, often by publishing them in a scientific journal.
* Replication: Other researchers attempt to replicate the study to see if they get the same results, which strengthens confidence in the findings.
4. Your research team is interested in the relationship between personality and overeating. Write a research question and hypothesis about this topic. Select a research design appropriate for the topic. Describe the strengths and limitations of the method chosen.
* Research Question: Is there a relationship between the personality trait of neuroticism and overeating behavior?
* Hypothesis: Individuals with higher scores on the personality trait of neuroticism will report more frequent episodes of overeating.
* Research Design: A correlational study would be appropriate.
* Method: Researchers would administer a personality test (measuring neuroticism) and a self-report questionnaire (measuring overeating frequency) to a large sample of participants. They would then calculate a correlation coefficient to see if there is a relationship between the two variables.
* Strengths: This design is useful for identifying if a relationship exists between two variables that cannot be ethically or practically manipulated. It is also a good starting point for exploring a new topic and can be conducted relatively easily with questionnaires.
* Limitations: The primary limitation is that correlation does not equal causation. We would not be able to conclude whether neuroticism causes overeating, or if overeating leads to more neurotic feelings, or if a third variable (like stress) causes both.
5. What is the Freudian view of human nature? How does Freud explain the structure of personality?
* Freudian View of Human Nature: Freud's view is largely deterministic and pessimistic. He believed that human behavior is driven by two powerful biological instincts: the libido (life or sexual instinct) and the Thanatos (death or aggressive instinct). Humans are seen as being in a constant struggle to manage these unconscious, primitive urges, which are often in conflict with societal rules.
* Structure of Personality: Freud proposed that personality is composed of three interacting parts:
* Id: The primitive, instinctual part of the mind that operates on the pleasure principle. It seeks immediate gratification of needs and desires.
* Ego: The rational part of the mind that operates on the reality principle. It mediates between the id's desires and the superego's moral restrictions, trying to find realistic ways to satisfy needs.
* Superego: The moral compass of the mind, representing internalized societal values and parental standards. It operates on the morality principle and aims for perfection, punishing the ego with guilt.
6. Give a real-life example of a person struggling with a frustrating problem and how the id, ego, and the superego would respond to the anxiety in this person.
Scenario: A student is working on a difficult group project with a lazy teammate who isn't contributing. The deadline is tomorrow, and the project is a mess.
* Id's Response: The Id wants immediate gratification and relief from frustration. It would urge the student to scream at the teammate, storm out of the room, and quit the project entirely to get rid of the stress.
* Superego's Response: The Superego would step in with moral warnings. It would tell the student that being angry is wrong and that they have a duty to finish the project, no matter what. It might make the student feel guilty for even thinking about quitting.
* Ego's Response: The Ego would try to find a realistic solution that balances the Id's urges and the Superego's morals. It might tell the student to take a deep breath, calmly confront the teammate with specific tasks, and if that doesn't work, go to the professor and explain the situation to find a rational solution that gets the project done while minimizing the personal and moral conflict.
7. What is the purpose of defense mechanisms? Describe three defense mechanisms and give an example of each.
The purpose of defense mechanisms is to protect the ego from anxiety. They are unconscious strategies used to distort reality and reduce feelings of threat from the Id's impulses or the Superego's condemnation.
* Repression: Pushing threatening thoughts, feelings, or memories into the unconscious mind.
* Example: A person who was abused as a child has no memory of the events as an adult.
* Displacement: Redirecting an impulse (usually aggression) from a threatening target to a less threatening one.
* Example: A person gets yelled at by their boss and, instead of yelling back, goes home and yells at their spouse or kicks the dog.
* Denial: Refusing to believe or acknowledge a painful reality.
* Example: A heavy smoker finds a suspicious lump but refuses to see a doctor, insisting it's "nothing."
8. Explain what Jung called the collective unconscious. List and briefly describe three archetypes.
* Collective Unconscious: According to Jung, the collective unconscious is a deep, universal layer of the psyche that is shared by all human beings. It contains inherited memories, ideas, and images from our ancestors that are common across all cultures.
* Archetypes: These are the universal, primordial images or patterns of thought stored within the collective unconscious. They shape our perceptions and behaviors.
* The Persona: The social mask we present to the world; the public self.
* The Shadow: The dark side of our personality, representing the repressed instincts and primitive urges we don't want to admit to ourselves.
* The Anima/Animus: The feminine qualities within a man (Anima) and the masculine qualities within a woman (Animus).
9. How do parents and family contribute to their children's personality development, according to Adler? What parental behaviors does he warn against and why?
* Contribution to Personality: Adler believed that parents and family are central to personality development. They are the first social agents a child encounters. The style of parenting and a child's birth order (firstborn, middle, lastborn) significantly shape their personality. Children feel helpless in the world and strive to overcome this inferiority; how parents respond to this shapes their striving.
* Behaviors to Warn Against: Adler warned against pampering and neglect.
* Pampering: Spoiling a child leads them to believe others should always meet their needs. When they encounter real-life challenges, they become frustrated and may develop an inflated sense of self-importance or an inability to cope with life's demands.
* Neglect: Neglected children feel unloved and develop a low sense of worth. They may become cold and detached, or, conversely, may go to great lengths to get attention.
10. According to Horney, how does neurosis develop? Described the three interaction styles that neurotic people might use to negotiate everyday life and protect the ego.
* Development of Neurosis: Horney argued that neurosis stems from basic anxiety, which is a feeling of helplessness and isolation in a potentially hostile world. This anxiety develops in childhood from a lack of genuine affection and security from parents.
* Three Interaction Styles: Neurotic people use these strategies to cope with basic anxiety:
* Moving Toward People (The Compliant Style): The person is excessively dependent on others for love and approval. They constantly seek affection and try to please others to avoid being alone and feeling helpless.
* Moving Against People (The Aggressive Style): The person sees the world as a hostile place and believes that others are out to get them. They become aggressive and try to gain power and control over others to feel secure.
* Moving Away from People (The Detached Style): The person distances themselves from others emotionally. They strive for self-sufficiency and emotional independence to avoid being hurt.
11. Horney and Freud had very different ideas about women. Describe the differences.
* Freud's View: Freud believed that women's psychological development was shaped by penis envy. He argued that girls, upon realizing they lacked a penis, feel inferior to boys and blame their mothers. This leads to a lifelong sense of inadequacy, which women supposedly try to compensate for by desiring a child (as a substitute for a penis). This view was seen as inherently patriarchal and demeaning.
* Horney's View: Horney strongly rejected Freud's concept of penis envy. She argued that what Freud saw as penis envy was actually a woman's envy of the power and social privileges that men held in a patriarchal society. She countered with the concept of "womb envy," suggesting that men might feel an unconscious envy of women's ability to give birth. Horney believed that any psychological differences between men and women were due to cultural and social conditioning, not biological inferiority. Her work is a foundation of "feminine psychology."