Lecture Notes, Gabriel Psych101 Section 4 Page 1LECTURE NOTES FOR SECTION 4 OF CLASS START HEREPersonalityPersonality- Distinctive and relatively stable pattern of behaviors, thoughts, motives, and emotions that characterizes an individual Trait Theories - Explain differences between people in terms of stable personality traits- Modern day psychologists have found 5 personality dimensions that span culturesThe 5 Factor Theory - Extraversion- Neuroticism- Conscientiousness- Agreeableness- Openness to ExperienceExtraversionNeuroticismLecture Notes, Gabriel Psych101 Section 4 Page 2OpennessConscientiousnessAgreeablenessThe 5 Factor Theory - Helpful in predicting general trends in behavior- Too general to predict behavior in a specific situationBehaviorist Theory - Behavior determined by:Lecture Notes, Gabriel Psych101 Section 4 Page 3Heredity and Temperament- Temperaments: Physiological dispositions to respond to the environment in certain wayso Present in infancy, assumed to be innateo Relatively stable over time- Include:o Reactivityo Soothability - Babies who are easy or slow to warm up tend to be that way 10 years laterGenetic Influences on Personality- 123 pairs of identical twins and 127 pairs of fraternal twins- Measured on “Big Five” personality dimensions- Results suggest that personality differences in the population are 40 - 50% genetically determined.The Nature of Extraversion- Eysneck: differences due to arousability - Extraverts: low arousability, so seek external stimulation… lower heart rate reactivity- Introverts: high arousability, so avoid external stimulation… higher heart rate reactivityPersonality Consistency- Is personality more consistent at some points in the lifespan?- Evidence indicates that personality is least stable during childhood- Consistency increases with ageMany Theories of Personality Emphasize Early Childhood Experience- Attachment Theory- Freudian Theory- Social Learning TheoryAttachment Theory- Bond between infant and caregiver will influence the individual’s interactions with others throughout the lifespan.Lecture Notes, Gabriel Psych101 Section 4 Page 4Freud!!- Saw patients suffering from Hysteria (depression, anxiety, sleeplessness) - Could find no medical cause- Women reported being molested as children by male relativesFreudian Theory- Used Psychoanalysis (theory of personality and method of psychotherapy, assume that our motivesare largely unconscious)- The Conscious: things you are currently aware of- The Preconscious: could be retrieved if desired- The SubconsciousFreudian Theory- The Unconscious: - The primary personality component - Consists of things you're unaware of but that influence you- Can't be tapped directly- Reflected in slips of the tongue, dreams, etc.Motivation Behind Personality- Freud believed all behavior, no matter how mundane, was driven by two unconscious motivators:- Eros: sexual motivation- Thantos: aggressive motivation- Psychological determinismFreudian Theory- Personality components - Id: Concerned with drive satisfaction; follows the pleasure principle - Superego: internalized parental control; conscience, morality, and social standard - Ego: Reason, good sense, and rational control; follows the reality principleLecture Notes, Gabriel Psych101 Section 4 Page 5Psychoanalytic Terms- Pleasure Principle: the id’s boundless drive for immediate gratification- Reality Principle: the ego’s capacity to delay gratificationFreud’s Model Freudian Theory: Stages- Personality will be determined by how Child Passes through psychosexual phases - Oral (0-1 year) - Anal (1-3 years) - Phallic (3-6 years)- Latency (6-puberty) - Genital (from puberty) Freudian Theory: Stages- Oral Stage:- Libido gratification: oral - Infant learns to trust in others, esp. for food- Oral Personality:- Fixation: pessimism about the world, hostility or passivity. Excessive eating or drinkingFreudian Theory: Stages- Anal Stage:- Delay of gratification- Pleasure and libido satisfaction from being in controlLecture Notes, Gabriel Psych101 Section 4 Page 6- Anal Personality:- Fixation: either excessive orderliness or messiness. Anal retentive versus anal expulsive Freudian Theory: Stages- Phallic Stage:- Sex-role identification occurs- Oedipal or Electra Complex (sexual attraction to opposite sex parent). - Mechanisms include castration anxiety (boys) & penis envy (girls)- Freudian Theory: Stages- Phallic Personality:- Fixation: sex-role identification problems, promiscuity, vanity, or excessive chastity Freudian Theory: Stages- Latency Stage:- A time of focus on achievement and mastery of skills - Libido is channeled into mastery activities- Freud thought little of interest happened hereFreudian Theory: Stages- Genital Stage:- The time of mature personality, intimacy with others- Libido satisfied by adult- type sexual activity Freudian Theory: Defense- Defense Mechanismso Methods used by the Ego to keep unconscious anxiety from entering consciousness - E.G. “My best friends boyfriend is hot.” Denial- Refusing to accept that the feeling is presentLecture Notes, Gabriel Psych101 Section 4 Page 7Repression- Relegating anxiety- causing thoughts to the unconscious, refusing to think about themProjection- Attributing one's undesirable traits or actions to others Reaction Formation- Taking actions opposite to one's feelingsRationalization- Creating intellectually - acceptable arguments to hide the actual desireDisplacement- Substituting a less-threatening object for the subject of the hostile or sexual impulse- ScapegoatingSublimation- Redirecting anxiety-causing impulses into socially acceptable actions- The most mature mechanism- ArtFreudian Personality Dynamics- The id’s instinctual urges can be temporarily suppressed, but the energy must find an outlet- Outlets are disguised and indirect, to provide release for energy that will be safe and appear normalProblems with Freud- Violates the principle of falsifiability - Key portions are contrary to recent data: There is no evidence for penis envy, castration anxiety- Biased against women: Freud's negative attitudes towards women colored his entire theoryLecture Notes, Gabriel Psych101 Section 4 Page 8Contributions- The discovery of unconscious processes- His emphasis on childhood influences on adult behavior- Defense Mechanisms Parents versus Peers?• Personality traits more nurture than nature• Parents not consistent• Secure base and beating the odds•