Ch$pter 13: Person$lity

– Person'lity —> $ personʼs ch$r$cteristic p'ttern of thinking, feeling, 'nd

'cting
– It is wh$t m$kes us unique, unlike the other things th$t $re studied such
$s development over our life sp$n, biology of the br$in
– 2 Import$nt Theories Are Import$nt to the Leg$cy of Person$lity:
– Sigmund Freudʼs Psycho'n'lytic'l Theory —> childhood
experiences + unconscious motives $ffect our person$lity*** (lw
cr$zy)
– None of his theories were $ctu$lly supported by evidence
– Hum'nistic Appro$ch —> Focused on our our inner c$p$cities for
growth $nd self fulfillment (INDIVIDUALISM)
– Our Modern Appro$ch offers more of ' scientific 'ppro'ch by using
legitim$te scientific methods
Freud (Person'lity —> formed in childhood)
– His desire to underst$nd nervous disorders —> c$used him to ch$nge the
hum$n underst$nding of ourselves
– He observed p'tients who h'd these disorders
– He discovered the unconscious mind $nd st$rted to develop free 'ssoci'tion
—> exploring the unconscious in which the person rel'xes 'nd s'ys
wh'tever comes to their mind no m$tter how emb$rr$ssing (th$ts why its
import$nt to develop $ trust between the p$tient / ther$pist) (like $ stre'm of
unconsciousness)
– thought this would le$d to the rele'se of p'inful unconscious
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
– His theory of person$lity $nd the techniques th$t developed —>
Psycho'n'lysis (ANALYZE THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND)
– He cre$tes the iceberg theory, most of our mind is hidden —> unconscious
(ID) AND preconscious (SUPEREGO) / subconscious R IN WATER,
CONSCIOUS (EGO) ABOVE
– Preconscious —> is $ccessible (BRING BACK INTO CONSCIOUS MIND)
but outside out $w$reness
– Bene$th our $w$reness, is the unconscious mind —> filled with thoughts,
wishes, feelings, 'nd memories
– he believed th$t we blocked the m'jority of our thoughts, p'ssions
th't were un'ccept'ble $nd we repressed them from out
consciousness bec$use they were too unsettling to $cknowledge
– he thought th't these troublesome feelings 'nd ide's powerfully
influence us, expressed in disguised forms - work, beliefs, h'bits,
symptoms***
– He believed th$t nothing w's ever 'ccident'l $nd th$t everything h$d some
me$ning
– Slips of the tongue —> peek into the unconscious mind
– Jokes —> expressions of repressed sexu$l / $ggressive tendencies
– Dre$ms —> ro$d m$p to the unconscious (m$nifest content —>
censored) (l'tent content —> unconscious wishes)*
– used to se$rch for inner conflicts
– Person'lity w's b'sed on the w'y which we control our side impulses
b'sed on restr'int 'nd how we express those urges w/o bringing guilt,
but s'tisf'ction
– Id is the unconscious mind which strives to s$tisfy b$sic drives to survive,
reproduce, $nd $ggress
– B$sed on the ple'sure principle: It seeks IMMEDIATE gr$tific$tion
– Person$lity = result of our efforts to restr'in this b'sic conflict between
soci'l control / impulses**********
– Ego —> children respond to cold, h$rsh re$lity when they re$lize th$t
they c$nʼt h$ve everything their w$y
– Re'lity Principle: Seeks to s$tisfy the Idʼs impulses in REALISTIC
WAYS th$t bring long term ple$sure
– cont$ins PART OF OUR PERCEPTIONS, THOUGHTS, JUDGEMENTS,
AND MEMORIES (repress the troublesome ones)
– Superego —> voice of our mor$l comp$ss, STRIVES FOR PERFECTION
– how we should beh$ve —> m$nners, rules, expect$tions
– THE IDEAL VERSION OF YOURSELF
– He believed th$t children p$ss through $ series of psychosexu'l st'ges,
during which the idʼs ple$sure - seeking energies focus on distinct ple$sure
sensitive $re$s of the bodyʼs erogenous zones (genit-ls —> erotic)
– the ego h$s to introduce the re$lity principle (START RESPONDING TO
REAL WORLD), so in the beginning they donʼt re$lize $nd this reps their
true desires
– the repression of these thoughts l$ter —>unconscious mind —> free
$ssoci$tion used to bring out
– During the ph'llic st'ge, boys seek genit'l stimul'tion, so they develop
UNCONSCIOUS sexu$l desires for their mother $nd they view their f$ther $s
the riv$l
– prob bec$use their mother is the only women in their life
– CASTRATION EFFECT —> fe'r of f'ther for h'ving these feelings
which le'd to punishment
– they cope with this by trying to be like their f'ther or p$rents of
s$me sex $s them since u h$ve sexu$l desires w the other one
– le$ds to the Identific'tion process, where the childʼs superego
st$rts to develop —> look up to someone like $ role model, IDEAL
SELF (superego) mor$ls too
 – this is c$lled the Oedipus complex (H$mlet possibly)
– conflicts unresolved in e$rlier psychosexu$l st$ges —> shows up $s b$d
beh$vior in l$ter $dulthood
– At $ny point in the ph$llic st$ges —> strong conflict (CAUSE) could lock or
fix'te the personʼs ple'sure seeking energies in th't st'ge (EFFECT)
– or$lly fix$ted —> overly indulging on food when older or even thumb
sucking
– Anxiety is due to not $cting out our sexu$l / $ggressive impulses (ego fe'rs
losing control over superego 'nd id)
– so it protects itself with defense mech'nisms —> reduce, redirect
'nxiety by distorting re'lity:
– Repression —> b$nishes $nxiety $rousing wishes from
consciousness (MOST IMPORTANT) (repress —> liz in bl$cklist)
– why we donʼt remember the lust $ssoci$ted with our p$rents in
our childhood
– scientific$lly, hippoc$mpus isnʼt even fully developed
– Regression —> retre$t to $n e$rlier more inf$ntile st$ge of
development (regress —> return)
– Or$l st$ge of thumb sucking when nervous
– College students becoming homesick
– Re'ction Form'tion —> ego unconsciously m$kes un$ccept$ble
impulses, their opposites
– “I h$te you” becomes “I love him”
– Projection —> disguises thre$tening impulses by 'ttributing them
to others (project something on someone)
– He doesnʼt trust me —> I donʼt trust him (CONVERSES FROM
GEOMETRY)
– R'tion'liz'tion —> st$rt to come up with self justifying expl$n$tions
to hide from ourselves, the re$l re$sons we do things
– drinking just to be soci$l but $ctu$lly $ddicted
– Displ'cement —> diverting sexu$l or $ggressive impulses tow$rd $n
object or person th$t more $ccept$ble then who it re$lly c$me from
– upset over $n ex$m —> being me$n to your brother / sister
(DIVERTING —> CHANGING PERSON)
– Deni'l —> protects the person from re$l events th$t $re p$inful to
$ccept, rejecting it or diminishing its seriousness
– P$rents denying their childʼs misconduct
– Spouses denying evidence of p$rtnerʼs $ff$irs
– Sublim'tion —> un$ccept$ble impulse into A SOCIALLY ACCEPTING
WAY (BAD —> GOOD)
– boss $ttr$cted to employee —> becomes $ mentor for her
– pl$ying sports bec$use we $re so $ggressive
– M$ny people didnʼt $gree with his theories, but m$ny $greed with some p$rts
 –
of it c$lled Neo-Freudi$ns
– different in w$ys bec$use they pl$ced more emph$sis on the conscious mind
r$ther th$n the unconscious mind / doubted sex $nd $ggression to be $ll
consuming
– Adler —> beh$vior is driven by efforts to conquer childhood feelings of
inferiority, overcome childhood illnesses, $nd feelings th$t trigger our
strivings for superiority $nd power
– Horner —> countered th$t wom$n h$ve “penis envy” $nd b$l$nce bi$s
th$t she detected w$s m$sculine (Feminist)
– C'rl Jung —> thought th$t unconscious were cont$ined more th$n just
repressed thoughts / feelings
– He believed in the collective unconscious, $ common reservoir of
im$ges derived from our species univers$l experiences
– why people sh$re myths, common culture, inherited experiences
Projective Tests
– $ssessment such $s $gree - dis$gree $nd true / f$lse question$ries $re not
enough, since they only t$p the conscious surf$ce $nd $re not $dequ$te
– need some type of ro'dm'p into the UNCONSCIOUS MIND
– Projective tests $im to provide this “psychologic$l X-r$y,” by $sking test -
t'kers to describe 'n 'mbiguous stimulus or tell ' story 'bout it
– the Them'tic Apperception Test (TAT), in which people view $mbiguous
pictures $nd m$ke up stories $bout them
– the f$mous Rorsch'ch inkblot test, in which people describe wh$t they
see in $ series of inkblots
Freud Contr$dictions
– dev not fixed in childhood but $ progressive process
– childhood sexu$lity is skeptic$l
– freudi$n slips $re bec$use of competing simil$r verb$l choices in our br$in
FREUDʼS THEORYʼS RELIES ON THE FACT THAT THE HUMAN MIND OFTEN
REPRESSES OFFENDING WISHES
– repression bec$me used to expl$in hypnotic phenomen$ $nd psychologic$l
disorders
– yet m$ny think th$t it is $ r$re ment$l response bec$use m$ny remember
b$d memories of the horror
– to the modern unconscious mind, it holds inform$tion processing th$t occurs
out of $w$reness, two tr$ck mind (10,000,000 —> 40 stimuli)
– F'lse consensus effect —> the tendency to overestim$te the extent to which
others sh$re or hold our beliefs / beh$viors (LIKE PROJECTION)
– everyone bre$ks speed limits, or doesnʼt p$y t$xes
– Self defense mech$nisms protect OUR SELF IMAGES, RATHER THAN
IMPULSES
– Terror M'n'gement Theory —> show th$t thinking $bout oneʼs mort$lity
provokes terror m$n$gement defenses
 – cle$ving to close rel$tionships (9/11 people tr$pped in the building c$lling
out to their loved ones)
– People criticize Freudʼs theory BECAUSE IT FAILS TO PREDICT TRAITS /
BEHAVIORS AND IT OFFERS AFTER THE FACT EXPLANATIONS
The Hum'nistic Perspective
– These psychologists focus on the w$ys th$t he$lthy people strive for self
determin$tion / self re$liz$tion
– studied HEALTHY PEOPLE UNLIKE THE TROUBLED ONES LIKE FREUD
– M'slow thought th't were motiv'ted by ' hier'rchy of needs —>
person'l s'fety —> seek to be loved —> self esteem —> self
'ctu'liz'tion (fulfilled potenti'l) 'nd self tr'nscendence (me'ning
beyond the self)
– self $ctu$liz$tion b$sed on Abr$h$m Lincoln, Thom$s Jefferson, $nd
Ele$nor Roosevelt
– Rogersʼ perspective w$s th$t e$ch of us w$s primed with self $ctu$liz$tion
tendencies unless inhibited by the environment we $re in
– He thought th$t the environment needed 3 things: genuine, $ccepting,
$nd emp$thy
– Genuine: by being open $nd not f$ke, by being re$l $nd tr$nsp$rent
– Accepting: giving us uncondition'l positive reg'rd —> v$lues us even
knowing our FAILINGS —> show our worst feelings $nd still being
$ccepted
– Emp'thy: by sh$ring $nd mirroring our feelings (LISTENING TO PEOPLE
TALK)
– The centr$l fe$ture of person$lity is SELF CONCEPT —> 'll the concepts
'nd thoughts th't come up to the question, “Who 'm I?”
– Criticisms:
– they thought th$t it w$s n$ive $nd didnʼt $ccount for HUMAN EVIL
– only showed their ide$ls
– individu$lism is selfish $nd le$ds to over indulgence
The Tr'it Perspective (ALPORT)
– Albert believed th$t Freud plunged too deep into the unconsciousness $nd
they should worry $bout the conscious motives before worrying $bout the
others
– He did this by describing person$lity in terms of tr'its —> peoples
ch'r'cteristic beh'viors 'nd CONSCIOUS motives
– defined person$lity in terms of IDENTIFIABLE beh'vior p'tterns
– by pl$cing people on sever$l tr$it dimensions simult$neously, psychologists
c$n describe countless individu$l person$lity v$ri$tions
– correl'ted cluster of beh'viors reflect ' b'sic f'ctor —> f'ctor
'n'lysis
– Person'lity inventories —> longer question'ries covering ' wide r'nge of
feelings 'nd beh'viors 're designed to 'ssess sever'l tr'its @ once
 – The cl$ssic ones is Minnesot' Multiph'sic Person'lity Inventory
(MMPI) — > 'ssesses “'bnorm'l” person'lity tendencies
– The MMPI items were empiric'lly derived from ' l'rge pool of items
– these $re scored objectively so $ computer c$n do it, but this doesnʼt
gu$r$ntee v$lidity
– best tr$its $re the BIG 5: conscientiousness, 'gree'bleness,
neuroticism, openness, 'nd extr'version*****************
– consistency of the tr$its, inconsistency m$kes the person$lity test score we$k
predictors
– 'ver'ging our beh'vior through different occ'sions shows distinct
tr'it qu'lities —> differences do exist
The Soci'l Cognitive Perspective (le'rning shit)
– it emph$sizes the inter$ctions of our tr'its with our situ'tions
– HOW THEY INTERACT (THE TRAITS (us) + ENVIRONMENT)
– this is c'lled reciproc'l determinism****************
– we le$rn m$ny of the beh$viors through conditioning, or w$tching others $nd
sh$ping our beh$vior $fter theirs
– Different people choose different environment
– I choose the music, school, the friends —> they sh$pe me
– Out person'lities sh'pe how we interpret 'nd re'ct to events
– $nxious people tune into thre$tening news
– Our person'lities help cre'te situ'tion to which we re'ct
– how we view $nd tre$t people —> influences HOW THEY NOW tre$t
us (if we think they r $ngry —> cold shoulder)
– our sense of person$l control is emph$sized —> whether we le$rn to see
ourselves $s controlling, or $s controlled by, our environment
– extern'l locus of control —> the perception th$t ch$nce or outside
forces determine their f$te
– helpless $nd oppressed people perceive control this w$y
– intern'l locus of control —> who believe th$t they control THEIR OWN
destiny
– h$ppier, do better in school / work
– self control requires $ttention + energy
– if you $re repe$tedly f$ced with tr$um$tic events th$t you h$ve no control
over —> le'rned helplessness
– some freedom 'nd control IS GOOD VS HAVING NONE
– now we 're 'ssessing people in re'listic situ'tions to see how they re'ct
—> job interviews
– p'st beh'vior p'tterns in simil'r situ'tions 're GOOD PREDICTORS
Exploring the Self
– $ssumption th$t the self, $s org$nizer of our thoughts, feelings, $nd $ctions
is the center of person$lity
– possible selves motiv$te us
– spotlight effect —> presume th$t people $re w$tching us, noticing us, $nd
ev$lu$ting us
– high self esteem —> $ feeling of self worth, is good for us
– self serving bi's —> our re$diness to perceive ourselves f$vor$bly