April 14 2015 Chapter 13 Theories of Personality Textbook Notes Introduction Jim twins James Springer and James Lewis are identical twins that were separated at birth Psychologist Thomas Bouchard studied these twins they shared interests in mechanical drawing and carpentry they smoked and drank the same amount and they even both divorced women named Linda before marrying women named Betty Easy to attribute these similarities to shared genetics Both raised in Ohio by parents from relatively similar socioeconomic backgrounds Personality the sum total of who you are your attitudes reactions both physical and emotional Section 1 Theories of Personality Character value judgements made about a person s morals or ethical behavior narrow Temperament enduring characteristics w which each person is born irritability or adaptability based on one s biology through genetic influences prenatal influences or combo of the two Every adult personality is a combo of temperaments and personal history w family culture and the time during which they grew up 50 of personality is genetically influenced Fourth century B C E by Empedocles and later by Hippocrates whose work influenced Galen in second century C E both believed that temperament or personality was related to relative balance of the four humors of the body blood black bile yellow bile and phlegm Theories or perspectives may also use a lens stemming from areas such as motivated cognition cognitive affective processing self narrative evolution or social adaptation Freud lived in Europe during the Victorian Age a time of sexual repression Men were unable to control their animal desires at times and a good Victorian husband would have several children w wife and then turn to mistress for sexual comfort leaving virtuous wife untouched Studied wealthy women w problems stemming from unfulfilled sexual desires or repression Published The Psychopathology of Everyday Life 13 1 What is personality and how do the various perspectives in psychology view personality Personality is the unique way individuals think feel and act It is different from character and temperament but includes those aspects The four traditional perspectives in the study of personality are the psychodynamic behavioristic including social cognitive theory humanistic and trait perspectives Theories of Personality Personality unique way in which each individual thinks acts and feels throughout life Perspectives theories different ways of viewing and explaining personality Psychodynamic based on work of Freud in the 1800s oldest theory primary focus is on role of unconscious mind and biological causes of personality differences Behavioral and social cognitive views contemporary theory focus on the effect of the environment on behavior based on theories of learning interactions w others and personal thought processes Humanistic reaction against psychoanalytic and behaviorists perspectives focuses on conscious life experiences and choices Trait contemporary theory focuses on characteristics themselves not roots causes of personality like the other three Some trait theorists assume traits are determined biologically while others don t April 14 2015 Section 2 The Man and the Couch Sigmund Freud and the Origins of the Psychodynamic Perspective Conscious where one s current awareness exists preconscious memories info and events of which one can easily become aware Freud believed unconscious mind was the most important determining factor in human behavior and personality will not appear directly Id is unconscious pleasure seeking amoral part of personality contains biological drives hungry thirst self preservation and sex if it feels good do it impulsive instinctual nature Pleasure principle the tendency of the id to strive for immediate gratification Iceberg ego conscious contact w outside world superego preconscious material just beneath the surface of awareness and id unconscious difficult to retrieve material well below the surface of awareness Part of iceberg visible above surface is conscious mind Just below the surface preconscious mind everything not yet part of the conscious mind Hidden deep below the surface is unconscious mind feeling memories thoughts and urges cannot be easily brought into consciousness 2 of the 3 parts superego and ego exist at all 3 levels of awareness id is completely in unconscious mind The ego is the executive director the boss the psyche s executive and principal decision maker Reality principle the tendency of the ego to postpone gratification until it can find an appropriate outlet Starts developing at birth more cognitive reasonable part of the brain keeps id in check to avoid negative consequences if it feels good do it but only if you can get away w it Superego is our sense of morality moral watchdog starts developing at age 4 or 5 It is not until the conscience develops that children have a sense of right and wrong When the neither the id nor the superego get their way this creates anxiety for the ego and could lead to disordered behavior if the conflict gets out of hand Freud s daughter Anna Freud a psychoanalyst outlined and studied defense mechanisms Repression pushing threatening or conflicting events or situations out of conscious memory Ex Regan who was sexually abused as a child cannot remember the abuse at all 13 2 How did Freud s historical view of the mind and personality form a basis for psychodynamic theory The three divisions of the mind are the conscious preconscious and unconscious The unconscious can be revealed in dreams and in some behavior ppl engage in w o knowing why The three parts of personality are the id it ego I and superego over the self The id works on the pleasure principle and the ego works on the reality principle The superego is the moral center of personality learning rules customs expectations of society containing the conscience source of moral anxiety part of personality that makes ppl feel guilty The conflicts between the demands of the id devil and the rules and restrictions of the superego angel lead to anxiety for the ego person which uses psychological defense mechanisms to deal w that anxiety through unconsciously distorting one s perception of reality Id is not evil just concerned w survival and immediate gratification The personality develops into a series of psychosexual stages oral id dominates anal ego develops phallic superego develops latency period of sexual repression and genital sexual feelings