Chapter 2 Freshman Seminar

Section 2.1 Personality

Objectives

  • Define Personality Traits: Name five traits that are used to define personality.

  • Determine Factors: Identify two factors that determine how your personality develops.

  • Personality Over a Lifetime: Describe what happens to personality over a lifetime.

Definition of Personality

  • Personality: A set of behaviors, attitudes, feelings, and ways of thinking that are unique to an individual.

  • Psychologist: A person who studies how people think, feel, and behave.

  • Modeling: Learning how to behave by copying the behavior of others.

  • Peer Group: A group of people who are about the same age and share similar interests.

  • Identity: A sense of self.

Major Personality Traits

  • Psychologists commonly use five central traits to describe individual personalities:

    • Extroversion

    • Agreeableness

    • Conscientiousness

    • Emotional Stability

    • Openness to Experiences

Extroversion

  • Definition: Describes how much you like being with other people.

  • Characteristics:

    • Extroverts: Outgoing, talkative, and sociable.

    • Introverts: Shy, quiet, and reserved.

Agreeableness

  • Definition: Describes your tendency to relate to other people in a friendly way.

  • Characteristics:

    • Agreeable Individuals: Tend to cooperate with others.

    • Disagreeable Individuals: May be suspicious or hostile.

Conscientiousness

  • Definition: Describes how responsible and self-disciplined you are.

  • Characteristics:

    • Conscientious People: Dependable and make good decisions. (5 on the scale has the ability to “read the room.”

    • Opposite Trait: Individuals who are careless and easily distracted.

Emotional Stability

  • Definition: Refers to how calm and relaxed you are, even in stressful situations.

  • Characteristics:

    • Emotionally Stable Individuals: Feel secure and dependable.

    • Opposite Trait: Individuals who are fearful, worried, and angry.

Openness to Experiences

  • Definition: Describes how much you embrace new experiences and ideas.

  • Characteristics:

    • Open Individuals: Curious, imaginative, and creative. (5 on the scale is willing to try new things)

    • Less Open Individuals: Predictable and dependent.

Influences on Personality

  • Personality traits result from a combination of heredity and environment.

Heredity

  • Definition: The genetic aspects that contribute to personality formation.

  • Examples of Traits that May be Inherited:

    • Cheerfulness

    • Shyness

    • Talents (e.g., musical and artistic abilities)

Environment

  • Definition: A combination of family, friends, and cultural influences that shape personality.

  • Family: Family experiences shape feelings, attitudes, and behaviors, with children learning norms via modeling.

  • Friends: Peer groups influence personality, particularly during childhood and teenage years.

  • Culture: Different cultures value various traits, affecting personality development.

  • Nature vs. nurture

Stages of Personality Development

  • Personality evolves through challenges encountered throughout life. The stages include:

    • Develop Trust

    • Learn to be Independent

    • Take Initiative

    • Develop Skills

    • Search for Identity

    • Establish Intimacy

    • Create and Nurture

    • Look Back With Acceptance

Stage Descriptions

  1. Develop Trust:

    • If needs are met, a child learns trust. If unmet, mistrust may arise.

  2. Learn to be Independent:

    • Children learn to perform tasks on their own. Failure leads to self-doubt.

  3. Take Initiative:

    • Children begin planning activities. Harsh criticism can lead to feelings of unworthiness.

  4. Develop Skills:

    • Skills foster competence; absence may lead to feelings of failure.

  5. Search for Identity:

    • Adolescents face the core challenge of establishing their identities.

  6. Establish Intimacy:

    • Young adults seek close connections with others.

  7. Create and Nurture:

    • In middle adulthood, the focus turns to productivity and creativity.

  8. Look Back With Acceptance:

    • Older adults reflect on their lives and seek acceptance of past experiences.

Section 2.2 Self-Esteem

Objectives

  • Compare the effects of high and low self-esteem on health.

  • Describe changes in self-esteem across lifespan.

  • Identify ways to achieve and maintain high self-esteem.

  • Summarize Maslow’s theory of self-actualization.

Self-Esteem

  • Definition: Self-esteem refers to how much you respect and like yourself.

  • Important Concept: High self-esteem tends to have positive health effects, while low self-esteem can lead to negative health outcomes.

Benefits of High Self-Esteem

  • People with high self-esteem typically:

    • Accept themselves as they are.

    • Maintain a realistic view of their strengths and weaknesses.

    • Keep a positive attitude even in failure.

Risks of Low Self-Esteem

  • Individuals with low self-esteem typically:

    • Have little self-respect.

    • Judge themselves harshly.

    • Worry excessively about others' opinions.

    • Are more prone to risky behaviors such as drug use, school dropout, teenage pregnancy, and eating disorders.

Ways to Boost Self-Esteem

  • Maintain a positive attitude.

  • Focus on personal strengths.

  • Cultivate close relationships.

  • Set personal goals.

  • Avoid risky behaviors.

  • Seek help when needed.

  • Enhance resilience.

Lifespan Changes in Self-Esteem

  • Development Throughout Life:

    • Childhood: Generally high self-esteem; may decline during elementary school.

    • Adolescence: Critical self-views can lead to lower self-esteem; self-consciousness is common.

    • Adulthood: Self-esteem typically rises as people reach goals and gain control over their lives.

    • Older Adulthood: Self-esteem may decrease again.

Improving Self-Esteem Strategies

  • Don't base self-esteem solely on others' opinions.

  • Reflect on personal achievements and contributions to family/community.

  • List personal strengths and weaknesses, focusing on strengths.

  • Set realistic goals and develop action plans.

  • Accept compliments and differentiate between genuine praise and flattery.

  • Engage in acts of kindness and prioritize essential values over appearance issues.

Maslow’s Theory of Self-Actualization

  • Self-Actualization: The process of achieving one’s full potential.

  • According to Maslow, basic needs must be satisfied prior to self-actualization.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (In Order from Base to Apex):

  1. Physical Needs: Food, water, sleep.

  2. Safety Needs: Shelter, safety from violence.

  3. Belonging Needs: Love and acceptance from family, friends, and community.

  4. Esteem Needs: Recognition, respect, and attention from others.

  5. Self-Actualization Needs: Achieving self-actualization after fulfilling all other needs.

Characteristics of Self-Actualized People

  • Realistic and accepting.

  • Independent and self-sufficient.

  • Appreciative of life.

  • Concerned about humanity.

  • Capable of loving others.

  • Fair and unprejudiced.

  • Creative and hardworking.

  • Unafraid to be different.

Section 2.3 Expressing Your Emotions

Objectives

  • Identify four primary emotions and three learned emotions.

  • Explain the importance of recognizing emotions.

  • Distinguish helpful from harmful coping strategies.

Understanding Emotions

  • Definition: An emotion is a reaction to a situation that involves your mind, body, and behavior.

Primary Emotions

  • Definition: Emotions expressed universally across cultures.

  • Examples:

    • Happiness: Response to positive experiences; contributes to self-esteem.

    • Sadness: Reaction to disappointing events; can lead to grief.

    • Anger: Range from mild annoyance to intense rage; can fuel constructive action if expressed healthily.

    • Fear: Response to perceived threats; can protect in dangerous situations but may become harmful if excessive.

Learned Emotions

  • Definition: Emotions expressed differently based on social environment.

  • Examples:

    • Love: Deep affection and concern for others.

    • Guilt: Can motivate corrective actions; beneficial, but excessive guilt can be harmful.

    • Shame: Focuses on the person rather than actions; can lower self-esteem.

Coping with Emotions

  • Coping Strategy: Methods of addressing uncomfortable feelings.

  • Helpful Coping Strategies:

    • Confront situations directly.

    • Release energy through physical activity.

    • Take breaks for self-care and relaxation.

    • Talk about feelings with trusted individuals.

  • Harmful Coping Strategies:

    • Using substances like drugs or alcohol.

    • Withdrawing from social connections.

Defense Mechanisms

  • Definition: Coping strategies that shield from difficult feelings.

Importance of Recognizing Emotions

  • Recognition is the first step toward positive management.

  • Steps to Recognize Emotions:

    • Name the specific emotion.

    • Identify the triggers for the emotion.

    • Reference past experiences associated with the emotion.