Personality

 Trait Theories
 Social/Cognitive Approach
 Humanistic Approach

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Trait Theories

 Trait - a relatively stable

predisposition to behave in a certain
way
 Goal of trait theories is to specify a
set of distinct personality dimensions
for use in summarizing fundamental
psychological differences

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Trait Theories

 Specific behaviors
 Surface traits - linked directly to
a set of related behaviors
 Central traits - fundamental
dimensions of personality

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Early Trait Theories
Introverted- Emotionally Extraverted-
Neurotic Moody Unstable Touchy Neurotic
(Neurotic)
Anxious Restless
 Cattell’s sixteen Rigid Aggressive
Sober Excitable
source traits Pessimistic Changeable
Reserved Impulsive
 Eysenck’s three Unsociable Optimistic
dimensional Quiet Active
Introverted Extraverted
theory Passive Sociable
Careful Outgoing
Thoughtful Talkative
Peaceful Responsive
Controlled Easygoing
Reliable Lively
Even-tempered Carefree
Calm Leadership
Introverted- Emotionally Extraverted-
Stable Stable
Stable 4
Big-Five Theory

 Neuroticism-stability
 Extroversion-introversion
 Openness to experience-nonopenness
 Agreeableness-antagonism
 Conscientiousness-undirectedness

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Predictive Value of Traits

 Stability of personality
 Relationship to actual behaviors
 Situation-specific traits

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Biological Foundations
of Traits
 Level of arousal and motivational
systems of extroverts and introverts
 Moderate heritability of traits
 Genetic influences on
neurotransmitters that can affect
personality

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Personality as Adaptation
 Advantages of being different
 diversity of offspring
 occupying alternative niches
 Family environment
 sibling contrast
 birth order differences
 Gender differences

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Social-Cognitive Perspective

 Based on research on learning,

cognition, and social influence
 Focuses on beliefs and habits
that increase or decrease
people’s ability to take control
of their lives and accomplish
goals

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Social-Cognitive Perspective

 Locus of Control
 proposed by Julian Rotter
 belief that rewards either are or are
not controllable by one’s own efforts
 may be internal or external

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Social-Cognitive Perspective

 Self-Efficacy
 proposed by Albert Bandura
 belief about one’s ability to perform
specific tasks
 can be high or low

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Humanistic Perspective
 Focuses on the human tendency to
create belief systems and to govern
our lives in accordance with these
beliefs
 Phenomenological reality - one’s
conscious understanding of his/her
world

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Humanistic Perspective
 Carl Rogers’s person-centered
approach
 self-concept is central to personality
 conditional positive regard - love and
praise is withheld unless one conforms to
others’ expectations
 unconditional positive regard - accepting a
person regardless of who they are or what
they do

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Humanistic Perspective
Self-actualization needs

 Abraham Maslow
 hierarchy of needs Esteem needs

 self-actualization -
Belongingness and love
the realization of needs
one’s dreams and
capabilities
Safety needs

Physiological needs

Growth needs
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Deficiency needs