PersonalityA Psychological Perspective on what makes us Human

What is Personality?What shapes it? How do we develop our personalities?Can our personalities change?How important is personality in defining who we are?What are personality traits?

-Brainstorm as many as

you can with a partner?

Personality TraitsCharacteristics & behaviours that make us unique. Predispositions to behave in a certain way in various situationsAdventurous

Ambitious Artistic Assertive Competitive

Curious Confident Creative Dependable

Energetic

Friendly Generous Honest Imaginative

Humorous

Kind Logical Loyal Modest Organized

Positive Proud Punctual Rational Reliable

Spontaneous

Outgoing Shy Thoughtful

Patient

Flexible Rigid Optimistic Pessimistic

Stable

Reactive Tense Relaxed Trusting Polite

Rude Formal Casual Conformist

Rebel

Case StudyMark & Tony are two students

who attend the same school. They come from the same neighbourhood, are the same age and have similar family backgrounds. Mark has a girlfriend, but few other close friends. Mark does not talk much to others and gets angry easily if questioned about his behaviour. Tony has a range of friends. He is witty and outgoing, likes parties and is a leader in his group of friends. Both of these students have the same biological drives and live in similar social environments, yet they are quite different. This difference is “personality”.

List words that might describe Tony or mark.

Friendly Shy

Quick-Tempered

Cheerful

Moody Sociable

Independent

Cautious

Impulsive Modest

Leader Impatient

Easy Going

Optimistic

Any others?

What forms our

Personality?

Nature vs. Nurture-The debate over the role [importance] of our biology vs. our environmentNature = genetics, biology, gender, hormonesNurture = environment, experiences, conditioning, socialization

Concept of PersonalityFrom the Greek- “persona” meaning maskToday we define it as those characteristics that account for consistent patterns of behaviourPersonality Type Theory attempts to classify people into categories [introvert vs. extrovert]Personality Trait Theory places people on a continuum [range from introvert to extrovert]

Theories on Personality Development

PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT [Freud-Austria, 1856-1939]

-the force behind our personality = the unconscious3 Parts of the Unconscious:1. The IDprimitive part of the personality that pursues only pleasure/instant gratification

Freud cont’d…

2. EGO Is aware of reality & is in contact w/the outside world. Considers the consequences of an action.

3. SUPEREGOYour conscience. Guides towards morally acceptable behaviour

Freud’s Developmental Stages:Psychosexual

ORAL stageInfants fixated on objects in the mouthTraced to nursingDifficulties at this stage can lead to oral fixation- over eating, smoking, biting nails, etc..

Psychosexual Development…ANAL stageToddler stage, potty trainingInability to resolve conflicts of this stage can result in anal retentive or expulsive fixations

PHALLIC stageAges 4-6Oedipus (and Electra) complexPenis envy

Carl Jung: 1875-1961A student of Freud, later a rivalFather of “Type Theory”Personalities categorized

according to 4 different pairs of traits

You will take a Jung Typology test to determine your personality type…

Jungian Type TheoryExtraversion/Introversion [E/I]

-describes interaction with others and if we prefer to spend time alone or w/others

Sensing/Intuition [S/N]

-describes whether we are more observant or introspective (pay more attention to outer or

inner world)

Thinking/Feeling [T/F]-determines whether we think with

our head or our heart

Judging/Perceiving [J/P]-determines how we run our lives-perceivers keep options open, don’t

like schedules, judgers like routine

**the result of your type test will give you 4 letters. For example Hewitt = ENFJ

Cognitive Theory [Piaget]

Personality develops in stages as we learn

Stages: sensorimotor, pre-operational, concrete operational, formal operational

• Cognition = learning

Looking Glass Self [Cooley]• Form our sense of self [self concept]

based on how we think others see us, their reactions to us

• Part of social learning and ongoing (beyond childhood)

Psychosocial Stages [Erikson]Challenges must be overcome at each life stage

Personality develops over the course of our life

Stages:

-trust v. mistrust (infancy) HOPE family

-autonomy v. shame & doubt (toddler) WILL family

-initiative v. guilt (pre-schooler) PURPOSE family/daycare

-industry v. inferiority (6-puberty) COMPETENCE

family/ peers/ school/community

-identity v. role confusion (teens) FIDELITY family/ peers/ school/comm.

-intimacy v. isolation (young adult) LOVE family/ peers/school/comm.

-generativity v. stagnation (middle age) CARING peers/fam./comm.

-integrity v. despair (old age) WISDOM peers/fam./comm

Pseudo-Scientific TheoriesThese theories are not scientific, but

many people believe in them…

Ancient Greece-Galen’s 4 HumorsPersonality first studied by

Hippocrates & GalenTheir ideas dominated the Western

& Islamic worlds for thousands of years

The 4 Humors

Personality (and mental & physical health) set by a balance of 4 body liquids:

-blood [too much makes you sanguine; lustful careless, friendly]

-yellow bile [choleric = decisive, dynamic, deceitful]

-black bile [melancholy = moody, depressed, self-conscious & sensitive]

-phlegm [phlegmatic = peaceful, faithful, prone to sloth]

The ZodiacAstrological signs-what’s your sign???Chinese Zodiac

Do you believe that you are like your sign?

Birth OrderPersonality affected by the

relationships we develop with parents/siblings as we grow up

Body Type [Sheldon]

Personality determined by our build (seriously!)

3 body types1. Endomorph:-round & soft-enjoys food, comfort, relaxation,

people-needs acceptance

Body Type Theory…2. Mesomorph-hard body, muscular-assertive, loves action, energetic, direct

3. Ectomorph-thin, slender, fragile-private, self-aware, nervous, sensitive, shy

What other factors influence personality?

MediaToysPeersParentsGenesReligionCultureOurselves

*Which of these factors are environmental and which are genetic?