MODULE VI : PERSONALITY​
​What is Personality?​
Personality defined : word stems from
“persona” Latin for “mask”​
Personality – the enduring or lasting
patterns of behavior and thought (across
time and situation).​
Personality Types and Traits​
A personality type is a discrete
category into which a person can be
sorted.​
A personality trait is an enduring
personal characteristic that underlies a
person’s reactions to a variety of
situations.​
Traits​
1. Consistency over time​
2. Individual differences in behavior​
3. Stability across situations​
Characteristics​
Unique qualities (e.g., temperament,
physique, and intelligence)​
What is a Theory?
Theory – a set of related
assumptions that allows scientists to
use logical deductive reasoning to
formulate testable hypotheses.​
Why Different Theories?​
Interpersonal relationships
​
Different philosophical orientations​
Unique ways of looking at the world ​
Data chosen to observe is different ​
Theorists Personalities views ​
Different personal background​
Childhood experiences​
Psychology of Science​
The empirical study of scientific thought and
behavior of the scientist.
The personalities and psychology of different
theorists influence the kinds of theories that
they develop.​
Dimensions for a Concept of Humanity​
1. Determinism v. Free Choice ​
Do we consciously direct our actions, or
are they governed by other forces?​
Some personality theorists take extreme
positions on this issue. Others express
more moderate views, arguing that some
behaviors are determined by past events
and some can be spontaneous and under
our control.​​
2. Pessimism v. Optimism​​
Optimism / Pessimism: Are we basically
good or evil?​
Some theorists’ views of human
personality are positive and ​hopeful,
depicting us as humanitarian, altruistic,
and socially conscious. ​
Other theorists find few of these qualities
in human ​beings, either individually or
collectively.​
3. Causality v. Teleology
Past / Present​
Is our personality fixed by early events in
our lives, or can be it be affected by
experiences in adulthood?​
Historical determinism : The view that
personality is basically fixed in the early
years of life and subject to little change
thereafter.​​
4. Conscious v. Unconscious
Determinants of Behavior​​
Equilibrium / Growth​
Are we motivated simply to maintain a
physiological balance or state of
equilibrium, or does the urge to grow and
develop shape our behavior?​


He described these 16 traits on a
continuum. In other words, everybody has
some degree of every trait, according to
Cattell. The key assessment is determining
where on the continuum as individual falls.
Catell 16 Personality Factory
Three broad sources of data are required for
any analysis that aims to uncover all the major
dimensions of personality.​
These three sources are L-data, Q-data, and
T-data. These three sources of data must be
integrated to capture the full complexity of
human personality.​
PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY​
​ IGMUND FREUD : PSYCHOANALYSIS​
S
Sigmund Freud was the eldest son of eight.
Studied Medicine, specializing in psychiatry,
interested in science. He also studied about
hysteria, abandoned seduction theory in 1897
and replaced it with Oedipus Complex. Sex and
aggression are one of the cornerstones of the
theory psychoanalysis.​
PROVINCES OF THE MIND
Id
Pleasure Principle
Primary Process
Ego
The Reality Principle
Secondary Process
Superego
Conscience
Ego-Ideal
Dynamics of Personality ​
a. Drives - Libido or Sex Drive​
Thanatos or Aggression / Destructive
Drive​
b. Anxiety - Neurotic Anxiety​
Moral Anxiety​
Realistic Anxiety​​
Ego is always caught in the middle of
battles between superego’s desires for
moral behavior and the id’s desires for
immediate gratification​​
Neurotic Anxiety - caused by id impulses
that the ego can barely control​
Moral Anxiety - comes from threats of
punishment from the superego​
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For example, you may identify with a crusade
to help hungry children so that you can
incorporate into your ego some of the good self-
images associated with that crusade. ​
Worldwide sports prey upon this defense
mechanism to make money. Countries also prey
upon this defense mechanism to make war by
using identification with the government to enlist
cannon fodder, a.k.a. soldiers.​
5. INTROJECTION​
Introjection is the acceptance of the standards of
others to avoid being rated as negative self-
concepts by their standards. ​
For example, you may uncritically accept the
standards of your government or religion to be
accepted as good self-concepts by them.​
Introjection can be considered as the extreme
case of conformity because introjection involves
conforming your beliefs as well as your
behaviors. ​
So-called educational systems prey upon this
defense mechanism to produce parrots to
spread their dogmas as if they were factual and
superior.​
6. PROJECTION​
Projection is the attribution to others of your
negative self-concepts. This projection occurs
when you want to avoid facing negative self-
concepts about your behaviors or intentions, and
you do so by seeing them in other people,
instead.​
For example, you are mad at your spouse and
subconsciously damning them, but you instead
think or claim that they are mad at you and
damning you in their mind. Alternatively, you
may believe that you are inferior and therefore
attack another race, ethnicity, or belief system,
claiming it is inferior.​
7. RATIONALIZATION​
Rationalization is the process of explaining
why, this time, you do not have to be judged as
negative self-concepts because of your
behaviors or intentions. ​
That is, you justify and excuse your misdeeds
or mistakes with reasons that are circumstantial
at best and unfounded at worst.​
Rationalization is sometimes referred to as
the “sour grapes” response when, for example,
you rationalize that you do not want something
that you did not get because “It was lousy,
anyway.” ​
Rationalization can also take the opposite
tack or what is sometimes referred to as the
“sweet lemon” response. In this case, you justify,
for example, an error in purchasing by extolling
some of the insignificant good points of the
product.​
People commonly excuse their poor behavior
as being due to poor circumstances but hold
other people accountable for their poor behavior
as being due to their poor character.​
8. REACTION FORMATION​
Reaction formation is the process of
developing conscious positive self-concepts to
cover and hide opposite, negative self-concepts.
It is the making up for negative self-concepts by
showing off their reverse.​
​For example, you may hate your parents;
but, instead of showing that, you go out of
your way to show care and concern for them
so that you can be judged to be a loving
child. ​
Another typical example is someone with a
speech impediment going to school to
become a public announcer to have
themselves believe through others that they
are a good speaker.