Chapter 2

(Actor) (Consequence)
 Cognitive and Behavioural Aspects of Self

Self- concept
• The way we perceive ourselves and the ideas we hold about our competencies and
attributes.
Self- esteem
• Value Judgment about our own value or worth.
• Studies indicate that by the age of 6 to 7 years, children seem to have formed self-
esteem at least in four areas:-
– Academic competence
– Social competence
– Physical athletic competence
– Physical appearance
Psychological techniques of self- control

Observation of own behaviour

Self-instruction
Self- reinforcement
Unconscious: unavailable to awareness.
PROJECTION
DENIAL
Example: A student who cheats on a test may say:
“I only cheated on a few questions, I knew most of the
answers”.
Example: An individual fixated at the oral
stage might begin eating or smoking
excessively, or might become very
verbally aggressive after going through
divorce.
1
 Trait Approaches
 Trait theories are mainly concerned with the description or
characterisation of basic components of personality. They try to discover
the “building blocks” of personality.

 Trait approach is very similar to our common experience in everyday life.

 Trait approach attempts to identify primary characteristics of people.

 A trait is considered as a relatively enduring attribute or quality on which

one individual differs from another.

 Traits are relatively stable over time.

 They are generally consistent across situations.
 Their strengths and combinations vary across individuals leading to
individual differences in personality.
 1. ALLPORT’s TRAIT THEORY

• Gordon Allport is considered the pioneer of trait approach.

• Allport proposed that individuals possess a number of traits, which are dynamic
in nature.

• Allport argued that the words people use to describe themselves and others
provide a basis for understanding human personality.

Allport categorised traits

Cardinal traits Central traits Secondary traits

 The ‘Gandhian’
trait- Mahatma  Include an
Gandhi’s non- individuals
violence. attitudes and
 Warm, kind, calm preferences Likes
sincere, diligent. mangoes’, ‘prefers
ethnic clothes’.
 2. CATTELL: PERSONALITY FACTORS

 Raymond Cattell  Cattell applied a

believed that there is a statistical technique,
common structure on called factor analysis
which people differ to discover the
from each other. common structures.

Cattell found 16 primary or source traits.

 Cattell developed a test for the

assessment of personality, called
Sixteen Personality Factor
Questionnaire (16PF).
Source traits are stable,
and are considered as
the building blocks of
personality.
Surface
traits are the
result of the
interaction
of source
traits.
 3. EYSENCK’S THEORY

i. Neuroticism vs. iii. Psychoticism vs.

emotional ii. Extraversion Sociability
stability vs.
introversion
 MEANING OF BIG FIVE
FACTORS

OPENNESS

 Referred to as openness to experience.

 Emphasizes imagination and insight.
 People who are high in openness tend to have a broad range of
interests.
 People who are low in this personality trait are often much more
traditional and may struggle with abstract thinking.
CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

 It is defined by high levels of thoughtfulness, good impulse control, and goal-

directed behaviors.
 Highly conscientious people tend to be organised and mindful details.
 They plan ahead, think about how their behavior affects others, and are
mindful of deadlines.
 Someone scoring lower in this primary personality trait is less structured and
less organised.
 They procrastinate to get things done, sometimes missing deadlines
completely.

EXTRAVERSION

 Extraversion (or extroversion) is a personality trait characterized by excitability,

sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness, and high amounts of emotional
expressiveness.
 People high in extraversion are outgoing and tend to gain energy in social
situations. Being around others helps them feel energized and excited.
 People who are low in this personality trait or introverted tend to be more
reserved. They have less energy to expend in social settings and social events
can feel draining.
AGREEABLENESS

 This personality trait includes attributes such as trust, altruism, kindness,

affection, and other prosocial behaviors.
 People who are high in agreeableness tend to be more cooperative while those
low in this personality trait tend to be more competitive and sometimes even
manipulative
 People who are high in this takes little interest in others and doesn't care about
how other people feel.

NEUROTICISM

 Neuroticism is a personality trait characterized by sadness, moodiness, and

emotional instability.
 Individuals who are high in neuroticism tend to experience mood swings,
anxiety, irritability, and sadness.
 Those low in this personality trait tend to be more stable and
emotionally resilient.
BIG FIVE FACTORS
Personality Assessment
A formal effort aimed at understanding
personality of an individual is termed as
Personality assessment.
Self-report Measures
 The Minnesota Multiphasic
Personality Inventory (MMPI)
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire
(EPQ)
Sixteen Personality Questionnaire
(16PF)
Rorschach Inkblot Test
Thematic Apperception Test
(TAT)
Rosenzweig’s Picture Frustration Study
(PF Study)
Sentence Completion Test
Draw-a-Person Test