Chapter 1 Learning Objectives Introduction to Personality Psychology 1 Define personality and understand each of the elements within the definition of personality Personality is the set of psychological traits and mechanisms within the individual that is organized and relatively enduring and that influences his or her interactions with and adaptions to the environment including the intrapsychic physical and social environment 2 Define trait descriptive adjectives and average tendencies and understand how these interplay with psychological traits What does it mean to be outgoing 3 Define psychological mechanisms be able to describe and identify the three essential 3 ingredients inputs decision rules and outputs ingredients of psychological mechanisms and understand how certain personality traits are activated only under particular circumstances Activated under particular conditions Courage Decision rules options if courageous face it if not run Outputs behaviors run like hell inputs environment danger snake 4 Be able to describe and identify the four types of interactions with situations perceptions selections evocations and manipulations Perception how we see the world Selections manner in which we choose situations to enter Evocations reactions we produce in others Manipulations ways we intentionally attempt to influence others 5 Identify the types of questions that personality researchers ask 1 How many traits are there 20 000 2 How are the traits organized 3 What are the origins of traits 4 What are the correlations and consequences of traits 6 Describe and provide examples of the three levels of personality analysis 1 Human Nature How we are like all others Traits and mechanisms of personality that are typical of our species and possessed by nearly everyone 2 Individual and Group differences How we are like some others Individual differences Ways in which each person is like some other people e g extravert sensations seekers high self esteem persons Group differences Ways in which the people of one group differ from people in another group e g cultural differences age differences 3 Individual Uniqueness How we are like no others Every individual has personal and unique qualities not shared by any others person in the world Individual can be studied nomothetically or ideographically 7 Differentiate idiographic and nomothetic approaches to personality research The nomothetic approach to personality looks at what people have in common with each other It comes from the Greek word nomos which means law and the nomothetic approach is interested in finding patterns or laws of human personality The idiographic approach to personality is by looking at what is unique to each individual Comes from the Greek word idios which roughly translates into what is uniquely yours this approach looks at what is unique in each person when it comes to personality 8 Describe and identify the six domains of knowledge in personality psychology 1 Dispositional Domain Deals with ways in which individuals differ from one another and therefore cuts across all other domains Focus on number and nature of fundamental dispositions Goal of those working in this domain is to identify and measure the most important ways in which individuals differ from one another Also interested in the origin of individual differences and how these develop overtime Humans are collections of biological systems and these systems provide building 2 Biological Domain blocks for behavior thought and emotion Behavioral genetics of personality Psychophysiology of personality Evolutionary personality psychology Deals with mental mechanisms of personality many of which operate outside 3 Intrapsychic Domain conscious awareness Classic and modern versions of Freud s theory of psychoanalysis including work on repression denial projection and motives for power achievement and affiliation 4 Cognitive Experiential Domain Focuses on cognition and subjective experience such as conscious thoughts feelings beliefs and desires about oneself and others Self and self concepts Goals we sent and strive to meet Emotional experiences in general and over time 5 Social and Cultural Domain Personality affects and is affected by cultural and social contexts Cultural differences between groups e g in social acceptability of aggression At human nature level of analysis all humans have common set of concerns they Individual differences within cultures struggle with in the social sphere 6 Adjustment Domain Personality plays key role in how we cope adapt and adjust to events in daily Personality linked with important health outcomes and problems in coping and adjustment beliefs 9 Discuss the three key purposes of scientific theories and be able to distinguish theories from Personality research is often informed by personality theory Theory has several key purposes Serves as a guide for researches Organizes known findings Makes predictions about behavior and psychological phenomena that not one has yet documented or observed Theories Beliefs Beliefs are based on leaps of faith Theories are based on systematic observations 10 Describe and identify the five standards for evaluating personality theory Comprehensiveness Heuristic Value Testability Parsimony Compatibility and integration among domains and levels Chapter 2 Learning Objectives Personality Assessment Measurement and Research Design 1 Describe and provide examples of the four sources of data collected by personality psychologists Self report data S data Observer report data O Data Test data T data and Life outcome data L data Identify the strengths and weaknesses of each source of personality data 2 1 Self report data S Data Information provided by a person such as through a survey or interview Private access access to information that others don t have Unstructured items opens ended Structured items response options provided Likert scales S Data personality tests Limitations of S data People may not respond honestly People may lack accurate self knowledge Key features of O data Selecting observers Professional personality assessors People who actually know the target person 2 Observer Report Data O Data Information provided by someone else about another person Provide access to information not attainable through other sources Multiple observers can be used to assess a person Often in better position to observe target s natural behaviors than professional personality assessors Allows for assessment of
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