Personality Syndromes

PSYC201 Personality Psychology

Dr. Shalaka Shah
 Personality Syndromes
• Measurements of behavioral characteristics have revealed that
personality patterns have uniqueness but also have similarities.
• Syndrome is commonly used for personality patterns which show basic
similarities.
• Syndrome (medicine) relates to pattern of predisposing cause of a disease,
its symptoms and its course.
• Syndrome (personality) its specifies a kind of personality pattern which
bears a resemblance to others’ patterns, who have similar problems and
have used somewhat similar problem solving methods.
• Syndrome refers to a cluster of symptoms which habitually occur
together, it therefore indicates a higher level of organization than specific
habits.
Abnormal Syndromes
Behavior: talkativeness,
Affective stage of eagerness and joyous overactivity, lack of restraint,
Manic excitement. Association of ideas is impatience, excessive enterprise,
rapid and uncontrolled, thinking is not
syndrome illogical but witty and sarcastic.
mischief.

Traits such as unreliability,

Psychopathic deceitfulness, egocentricity, has a
superficial charm and may give an
syndrome impression of having sound mental
Inability to express anger, love
health.
and other common emotions.
Strong drives, weak conscience,
Delinquent dissatisfaction, defensiveness, anxiety,
Combination of traits keeps one is
tension, emotional immaturity,
syndrome rebelliousness and hypersensitivity.
conflict with everyone and gives one a
defense against a world which frightens
& overwhelms one without adequate
pleasure.
Normal Syndromes
• Research focused on characteristic of people of different statuses
with their families. E.g. only child
1. Overprotected only child
2. Well protected only child

• Rejection from parents causes impairment whether its real or

imagined. It may be expressed directly by criticism, neglect or
antagonism toward child
• Indirectly by perfectionist demands, frequent separations from child
and psychological detachment.
 Reaction to parental neglect….
Aggressive syndrome Submissive syndrome

Traits: rebelliousness, Traits: inhibition, loneliness,

hostility, jealousy, seclusiveness, withdrawal,
quarrelsome, suspicion, uncooperativeness,
rationalization, projecting inactivity in social life and
blame on others, lying perfectionism accompanied
by strong feelings of guilt
and personal adequacy.
Allport: such behavior is the
expression of efforts to
satisfy some desire,
assertiveness in attacking a
problem, enjoyment of
fighting for fighting’s sake.
Intent to injure as a by-
product of competitive
activity.
Some more types of syndromes
• Authoritarian personality syndrome: concerned with anti-
Semitism (discrimination against a racial group) and egocentrisim.
• Prejudiced personality syndrome: generalized prejudiced
attitude, not merely an antipathy toward a particular ethnic group,
also extreme nationalistic sentiments, a tendency to project blame on
others.
• Tolerant personality syndrome: same traits like authoritarian
and prejudiced type but vary in degrees.
• Independent syndrome: originality, emotionality, creativity and
dependence on close relationships with people.
• Yielder syndrome: many traits found in the independent
syndrome, optimism, efficiency, determination, patience, kindness,
practical-mindedness, dependence of group for satisfaction.
 Some more types of syndromes
• Ascendant personality syndrome: manifest in person who upholds
one’s rights and defends oneself in face-to-face contacts, who does not
object to being conspicuous and may even enjoy it, enjoys social contacts,
is extroverted and outspoken.
• Rigid personality syndrome: conservatism, inhibition, intolerance of
disorder and ambiguity, resistance to change, social introversion, anxiety
and marked feelings of guilt.
• Acceptance syndrome: success oriented – efforts to get whatever one
can get for oneself, on the other hand, goodness oriented – efforts to
bring satisfaction to the members of the group than what one can do for
oneself.
• Alienation syndrome: dislike by others. Recessive (reserved,
withdrawn behavior); socially disinterested (self-bound person, self-
welfare); socially ineffective (trouble others, show-offs, ignoring rules,
authority, rejecting cultural norms)
Differences in Personality Patterns
Difference in Concept of self, complexity of traits in individuals of
complexity different ages, intellectual levels and cultural groups
Personality Patterns

Ability to adapt to new circumstances, by consistent

Difference in fluidity attitudes and values, by social insight and self-
insight & by smooth adjustments in life. Rigid
personality is the opposite
Difference in Openness to new stimuli and ability to communicate
accessibility one’s feeling to others.

Difference in Resistance increases with age. Core of concept of self

resistance to change is more resistant to change than are traits

Degree to which ego involvement in organized

Difference in
systems or syndromes that constitute the traits. Less-
centralization
ego involvement more sociable, frankness, relaxed
attitude.
Symbols of Self
• Judgements of a person are influenced by certain cues or “symbols of
self”.
• They have significant meaning for members of certain groups.
• They are visible signs of something invisible.
• Through symbols we reveal what we want to others, which cannot be
revealed directly.
Roles of symbols
Self-insight
Social insight
 Symbol of self: clothing
• How clothes produce the effect one wants to make on others?
• Excessive interest in clothes: an indication of unfavorable self-concept.
• Scornful attitude: ignoring prevailing styles, poor dressing, careless
grooming indicates an unfavorable self-concept.
• Autonomy: clothing as a symbol, for independence. Wearing extreme styles
and bright colors
• Desire for attention: positive and negative effect.
• Identification: clothes play a role in structuring the nature of inter-personal
relationships. Its an outward sign of way of life.
• Individuality: “ girls should dress they way other girls do, but with a touch
of individuality.”
• Sex appropriateness: Cultural stereotypes lead to dressing in a specific way
to confirm to the group norms. Feminine vs. masculine clothes, cross
dressing
Clothing defines who you are?
• You are what you wear:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cduGLWhm1LM
• Maturity: Teen-age girls/boys versus adult clothing
• Effects of clothing on personality
 When a person has a particularly strong craving for social acceptance, his
clothes can contribute to the poise and self confidence he needs to make a
favorable impression.
 Effects of being well dressed: best dressed = feeling better about oneself
 Effects of being poorly dressed: poorly dressed = self conscious,
uncomfortable
 Sex differences in effects: is a more common symbol of self for girls and
women than boys and men. Boys/Men have a limited wardrobe?