PSY201

09/08/2018
J.Maphisa Maphisa
 Lay Def (Oxford Dictionaries): The combination of
characteristics or qualities that form an individual's
distinctive character.
 Psychological: “enduring patterns of perceiving, relating to,
and thinking about the environment and oneself that are
exhibited in a wide range of social and personal contexts”
(APA, 2000).
 long lasting
 Suggests:
 a start point – what is that
point?
 consistency of ‘self’ but
what about changing??)
 implies active meaning
making of a situation. "A woman
 ‘constructionist’ agent. without her
man is
nothing."
Thinking: we are competent beings able to
reason, problem solve, and hold beliefs.
About the environment: we exist in, and are
players in the environment. There is a
reciprocal interaction.
About Self: we are self-reflective: we perceive
ourselves, thinking about ourselves
 Should ideally be based on the principles of rationalism
(philosophical position that contends that knowledge is
gained/attained through thinking, reasoning and using
logic) and empiricism (philosophical position which
contends that sensory experience is the basis of all
knowledge).
 Kuhn’s paradigm (viewpoint)
 Popper’s condition for refutability – all scientific theory
must be falsifiable.
 free will,
 choice,
 motivation,
 nature vs nurture,
 purpose and meaning of life