Personality

‘Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical

systems that determine his characteristics behaviour and thought’ (Allport, 1961, p. 28).

‘The characteristics or blend of characteristics that make a person unique’ (Weinberg

& Gould, 1999).

Personality Assessment 

It is conducted through behavioural observations, paper‐and‐pencil tests, and

projective techniques. To be useful, such assessments must be constructed using

the established criteria of standardization, reliability, and validity. The information can

be used in several areas, including clinical work, vocational counselling, education,

and research.

Behavioural observations

Most people use behavioural observations to form impressions of others.

Such observations are also an important part of clinical assessments by clinical

psychologists and other professionals.

Interviews, during which subjects' behaviours are observed, may be structured or

unstructured. The examiner may ask a standardized set of questions (structured

interview) or engage in a conversational interchange with the subject (unstructured

interview). During the interview, the examiner forms an opinion about personality

characteristics (as is done, for example, also in the nonclinical setting of a job

interview).

Paper‐and‐pencil tests. The many and various paper‐and‐pencil tests are used

for a variety of purposes. To be useful, such tests must be reliable (that is, they
must yield very close scores each time they are administered to a particular

individual) and valid (that is, they must measure what they are designed to

measure).

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) (multiphasic,

many phased, because the test simultaneously measures a number of personality

dimensions) is widely used to identify personality problems. The California

Personality Inventory (CPI) is also used extensively, generally with people who do

not have personality problems. Some tests assess personality as defined by a

particular theory. For example, Cattell's 16 PF (personality factor) questionnaire

assesses the personality traits defined in Cattell's trait theory.

Projective techniques

Projective techniques assess personality by presenting ambiguous stimuli and

requiring a subject to respond, projecting his or her personality into the responses.

 The ambiguous inkblots in the well‐known Rorschach inkblot test,

developed by Hermann Rorschach, are perceived differently by different

people, and those perceptions are believed to be related to the subjects'

problems.

 The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), developed by Henry Murray,

consists of a series of ambiguous pictures, which the subject is requested to

describe and tell a story about. The test is used to identify a person's

emotions, motives, and problems.

The Six Different Theories about Personality

 In describing personality, we’ll go through six different personality theories:

Psychoanalytic Theory, Humanistic Theory, Trait Theory, Social-Cognitive Theory,

Biological Theory, and Behaviourist Theory.

The Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality

The psychoanalytic theory was developed by Sigmund Freud and argued that human

personality comprises three elements, the id, the ego, and the superego. These three elements

are said to work together to produce our character.

The Humanistic Theory of Personality

Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers developed the humanistic theory of personality.

They explained that personality stems from one’s desire to achieve their potential and focuses

on psychological growth, free will, and personal awareness.

Trait Theory

The trait theory of personality was developed by Raymond Cattell, who argued that a

person’s personality is a series of traits that are stable over time. The approach narrows down

a person’s personality to five core traits: openness, agreeableness, extraversion, neuroticism,

and conscientiousness.

Social Cognitive Theory

The social cognitive theory was developed by Albert Bandura and described how

personality is developed through social learning and cognition. According to the theory,

personality is formed by watching and learning from others and choosing whether to emulate

their behaviour.

Biological Perspective on Personality

The biological perspective on personality focuses on biology’s role, specifically

genetics, in exploring the things that shape a person’s personality. According to previous
studies, personality is somehow heritable meaning that a component of personality does come

from genetics.

Behaviourist Theory

The behaviourist theory states that the environment around the said person develops a

person’s personality. The theory basically tries to explain how personalities are learnt and

then reinforced by the person’s environment.

Personality Disorders

Personality disorders are defined as long-term behaviour patterns and inner

experiences that differ significantly from what is expected. Personality disorders are divided

into three clusters, odd or eccentric behaviour; dramatic, emotional, or erratic behaviour; and

anxious or fearful behaviour.

Cluster A personality disorders are characterized by odd, eccentric thinking or behaviour.

They include paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder and schizotypal

personality disorder. 

Cluster B personality disorders are characterized by dramatic, overly emotional or

unpredictable thinking or behaviour. They include antisocial personality disorder, borderline

personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder. 

Cluster C personality disorders are characterized by anxious, fearful thinking or behaviour.

They include avoidant personality disorder, dependent personality disorder and obsessive-

compulsive personality disorder