PERSONALITY

By Ass.Prof. Dr.
Diyar Hussein Taher
M.B.Ch.B. /
F.I.C.M.S.Psych.
Objectives:
To know Personality & it’s:
• Definitions
• Determinants
• Theories
• Classification
• Assessment

2
PERSONALITY ?
PERSONA in Latin mean
MASK !
- Is the social role or
character played by
an actor in a theatre.

- Does it mean that we

are LYING on our
surrounding?!
 PERSONALITY
• Is the person’s unique & relatively stable pattern of thoughts,
emotions, & behaviors, (which form TRAITS), that determine the
personal style of interaction with the surrounding social &
physical environment.
• It determine the consistency of who you are, have been, & will
become.
• It is consistent & enduring, but it can be changed.
Defining Some other Terms
• Temperament: Hereditary aspects of personality, including sensitivity,
moods, irritability, and adaptability
• Personality Trait: Is the relatively stable predisposition of an
individual to behaves, thinks, & reacts in a particular manner. Or
Traits are relatively stable and consistent personal characteristics. as
suspiciousness, isolation or recklessness traits.
• Personality Type: People who have several traits in common form a
specific type of personality, as type A & B personalities.
Is it important to study
personality?
Roles, importance, & functions of personality:
It is important to know ourselves well & to know the surrounding, so we
can deal in the best way with the others & can avoid crisis & conflicts
as much as we can.
A lot of our daily problems occur from misunderstanding of ourselves
& others.
• Personality defines the person’s style of thinking, behavior, etc…, i.e.
it is important for distinguishing one person from another.
• It is the mean of interactions between members of any given society.
• It is important for prediction of any behavior or response from others
• In psychiatry it is important for the diagnosis, treatment & prognoses
of any associated psychiatric illness.
Determinants of Personality:
1-Biological 2-Environmental

Genetics
Learning from
Hormones surroundings
Theories of Personality
Four major perspectives on Personality
1) Psychoanalytic – They said that the unconscious motivations &
childhood experiences determine the personality.

2) Behavioral & Socio-Cognitive – concentrate on the influence of

environment & importance of beliefs about self.

3) Humanistic – concentrate on the inner capacity for growth &

importance of self & fulfillment of potentials.

4) Trait - understand individuals by breaking down behavior

patterns into observable traits.
 1. Psychoanalytic Perspectives
• Was devised by Sigmund Freud (1856–1939).
• They view personality as:
- Primarily unconscious
- Occurring in stages
-Emphasize the importance of early Childhood experiences
with parents in sculpting personality
Freud talked about:
1- Levels of Consciousness:
•Conscious: What we’re aware of
•Preconscious: Memories etc. that can be recalled
•Unconscious: Wishes, feelings, impulses that lies
beyond awareness
Outlets of Unconsciousness:

- Free Association:
Freudian
technique of
explore the
unconscious mind
by having the
person relax & say
whatever comes
to mind .
- Hypnosis
2- Structures of Personality:
• Id: Operates according to the “pleasure
principle”…….. “I want”
• Superego: Contains values & ideals (the
moral branch of personality)..“I should”
• Ego: Operates according to the “reality”
principle……….. “I will”

Anxiety occurs when:

– Impulses from the id threaten to get out of control.
– The superego put repeated high pressure on the ego.
– The ego perceives danger from the environment.
The ego deals with the problem through:
A- Coping Strategies: are hundreds of conscious mechanisms as
accepting responsibility, humor, seeking support, problem-solving,
meditation & relaxation, & adjusting expectations.
B- Defense Mechanisms……..are unconscious mechanisms
Defense Mechanisms
– Are unconscious methods used by the ego to reduce anxiety
(that occur due to the conflicts between id & superego) by denying
& distorting reality.

Some important Defense Mechanisms:

• Repression - banishes certain thoughts/feelings from
consciousness (underlies all other defense mechanisms)
• Regression - retreating to earlier stage of fixated development
• Reaction Formation - ego makes unacceptable impulses appear
as their opposites.
• Projection - attributes threatening impulses to others
• Rationalization - generate self-justifying explanations to hide
the real reasons for our actions
• Displacement - divert impulses toward a more acceptable
object
• Sublimation - transform unacceptable impulse into something
socially valued
3-Freud & Personality Development
Psychosexual Stages
Oral stage: (0-1.5 y) - centered on the mouth
Anal: (1.5-3 y) - focus on bowel/bladder elimination.
Phallic (3-6 y) - focus on genitals/“Oedipus Complex”
Latency (6-puberty) - sexuality is dormant
Genital (puberty on) - sexual feelings toward others
- Strong conflict can fixate an individual at Stages 1, 2 or 3
- Fixation is the psychoanalytic defense mechanism that occurs when the individual remains
locked in an earlier developmental stage because needs are under- or over gratified.
2- Behavioral & Social-Cognitive Perspectives
• They emphasize the importance of studying environmental
experiences & a person's observable behavior to understand
the personality.
• The contemporary version of social cognitive theory
emphasizes person/cognitive factors in personality.

A- Skinner's Behaviorism

• Skinner (1904 –1990) concluded that personality is the

individual's behavior, which is determined by the external
environment & influenced by the rewards & punishments.
• He emphasizes that cognition is unimportant in personality.
B- Social-Cognitive Theory
• By Bandura & Walter Mischel; they states that behavior,
environment, and personal cognitive factors are important
in understanding personality.
• These factors can reciprocally interact.
3- The Humanistic Perspectives

• Emphasize on the person's capacity for:

- Personal growth & freedom
- Ability to choose one's own destiny
- Ability to choose positive qualities.
• Free Choice: i.e. the ability to choose is NOT controlled by
genetics, learning, or unconscious forces.
• Subjective Experience: i.e. Personal private perceptions of reality
• Self-concept : refers to individuals' overall perceptions of their
abilities, behavior, and personality.
A-Carl Roger’s Self Theory
•Carl Rogers (1902 –1987) believed that:
•personality formed as a result of our strivings to reach our full human
potential.
•Fully Functioning Person is that person who Lives in harmony with his
deepest feelings & impulses
•Self-Image: Is total subjective perception of your body & personality
•Unconditional positive regard: Accepting, valuing, & being positive
toward another person regardless of that person's behavior.
•Conditional positive regard: love & praise withheld unless that
individual conforms to parental or social standards.
 Carl Rogers’ Love the
sinner, hate
Personality Theory the sin

I love you
IF…
B- Maslow's
Approach
• Maslow 1908 –
1970, developed
the hierarchy of
needs concept.
Self-actualization
being the highest
human need.
4- Trait personality theories:
• Suggest that a person can be described on the basis of some
number of personality traits
• There is nearly unlimited number of potential traits that could
be used to describe personality.
A. Gordon W. Allport (1897 –1967) identified some 4500 traits.
B. Carl Jung (1875 –1961) believed that we are one of 2
personality types: Introvert or Extrovert
C. Hans Eysenck (1916 –1997 ) suggested that personality is
reducible to 3 major traits
D. Raymond Cattell (1905 –1998), suggested 16 personality traits.
E. Many psychologists currently believe that 5 factors (Big 5
theory) are sufficient.
Classifications of Personality

A- Dimensional Classification
Here the traits are spread through
dimensions.
This classification is:
- More descriptive
- More predictive of behavior
- More reliable
- Less valuable for statistical
estimations of their incidence &
prevalence.
1- Neurotransmitters dimension
(Osgood’s Semantic & Cloninger’s
Stereogram):
• Dopamine dimension (evaluation
dimension i.e. good x bad):
increased dopamine associated with
happiness, energy & goodness.
• Serotonin dimension (potency
dimension i.e. strong x weak):
increased serotonin associated with
elated mood & impulsivity.
• Nor-adrenaline dimension (activity
dimension i.e. active x passive):
increased nor-adrenaline associated
with increased activity & alertness.
2- Eysenck’s 3 dimensions
• Extraversion x Introversion:
- Extraversion is the tendency
to be social, enjoy
involvement with others,
optimistic, venture, etc….
- Introversion is preference of
loneliness, shy, indecisive.
• Neuroticism x Stabilism:
- Neuroticism is the tendency
to be nervous, irritable &
impatient.
• Psychoticism
x Non-Psychoticism:
- Psychoticism is the
tendency to be aggressive.
3- Cattell’s 16 factors
4- The Big Five Factors of Personality
 B- Categorical classification:
The traits are divided to separated categories
This classification is:
-More valuable for statistical estimations of
incidence & prevalence
- More easier to apply
- less descriptive
- less predictive of behavior
- less reliable
1- Hippocrates’s 4 categories:
Hippocrates (460-370 BC); believed that
certain human moods, emotions &
behaviors were caused by body fluids
(called "humors"):
• Blood, Yellow bile, Black bile & Phlegm
2- Sheldon’s Somatotypes:
• William Sheldon classified personality according to body type. He
called this a person’s somatotype.
• 3 main somatotypes:
Endomorph – Viscerotonic
Mesomorph - Somatotonic
Ectomorph - Cerebrotonic

Somatotype Temperament Character Shape Picture

Relaxed, sociable,
Endomorph Viscerotonic tolerant, comfort-loving, Plump
peaceful

Active, assertive,
Mesomorph Somatotonic Muscular
vigorous, combative

Quiet, fragile, restrained,

Ectomorph Cerebrotonic Lean
non-assertive, sensitive
3- Type A & B Personalities:
Meyer Friedman, 1910-2001
American cardiologist, classify
personalities to:
1- Type A personality; more competitive,
outgoing, ambitious, impatient and/or
aggressive. It is more prone to ISHD.
2- Type B personality ; more relaxed.
4- Astronomical categories of personality:
Elements Sun signs Character

Fire Aries Assertive

Leo Ambitious
Sagittarius

Earth Taurus Virgo Stable

Capricorn Perfectionist

Air Gemini Kind

Libra Aquarius Social
Smart

Water Cancer Romantic

Scorpio Shy
Pisces Introverted
5- Kretschmer Abnormal Personalities:
Ernst Kretschmer 1925, observed that certain mental disorders are
tended to occur more frequently in particular body shape:
Sheldon’s Mental
Personality type Shape
somatotype disorder

Pyknic Short, round Endomorphy Mood disorders

Average of above In betweens

Athletic Mesomorphy
two
Tall, thin Ectomorphy
Asthenic Schizophrenia
 Cluster Traits Personality
6- Personality disorders: Disorders
Classification of Personality
Odd, 1-Paranoid
Disorders through: A eccentric 2-Schizoid
• DSM-V ( Diagnostic & 3-Schizotyal
Statistical Manual of Mental
disorders – version 5), by
APA ( American Psychiatric
Association)
Dramatic, 1-Antisocial 2-
• ICD-10 ( International
classification of mental
B emotional Borderline 3-
disorders- version 10) by Histrionic 4-
WHO Narcissistic

Anxious, 1-Avoidant
C fearful 2-Dependant
3-Obsessive-
compulsive
Assessment of
personality:
1-Subjective, or Projective
techniques:
The psychologist present a set of
ambiguous materials, and ask
the patient to interpret them,
For example if a psychologist ask 2
persons to interpret a cloud
picture, each one might
interpret the picture in a
different way.
Also the analyses of the
interpretations given by the
same person might differ from
a psychologist to another.
i.e. projective techniques are
unreliable, and cannot be
depend on for the clinical
bases.
2- Objective, structured, or Questionnaire techniques:
• The psychologist presents a set of
standardized self-reported questions
to the patient, to answer by YES or
NO, or score the answers among a
set of degrees presented to each
question.
• Objective techniques carry better
assessment & better reliabilities,
therefore are widely used for
research purposes.
• However, these tests are time
consuming and are not suitable for
the daily clinical practices.
• Examples of this technique are:
- Minnesota Multiphase Personality
Inventory (MMPI)
- Eysenck Personality Inventory
(EPI).
3- Semi-structured interviews:
• The examiner directly interviews
the subject, & scans for a particular
set of traits by asking the subject
questions & analyzing the answers
• Also there is interpretation of the
non-verbal clues observed during
the interview, like the subject’s
gesture, posture, and mannerisms.
• This technique, although its
subjected to bias by interviewers &
needs experience, but it is the most
widely acceptable way of
assessment by psychiatrists in their
daily clinical practices.
Questions???