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Chapter 5
Personality Dispositions over Time: Stability,
Coherence, and Change
Chapter Overview
This chapter provides students with an introduction to stability, change, and the coherence of
personality dispositions over time. The authors begin by reviewing several key conceptual issues
in personality development. They define personality development, then define and differentiate
between rank order stability, mean level stability, and personality coherence. Next, the authors
review what should and should not be considered under personality change. The authors note
that personality change has two defining qualities: First, that the changes are internal to the
person, and second, that the changes are enduring over time. The authors then review personality
development from the perspective of three levels of analysis: the population level, the group
differences level, and the individual differences level. The authors then consider personality
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manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Chapter 5 Personality Dispositions over Time: Stability, Coherence, and Change
stability over time by addressing the stability of temperaments during infancy, stability during
childhood, and rank order and mean level personality stability in adulthood. The authors then
address personality change, beginning with a review of work on the changes in self-esteem from
adolescence to adulthood. The authors also take into consideration the day-to-day changes in
self-esteem. Next, the authors review change during adulthood along with several personality
dimensions, including flexibility, impulsivity, ambition, sensation seeking, femininity,
competence, and independence. The authors then consider personality coherence over time and
the prediction of socially relevant outcomes from personality assessed earlier in life. These
socially relevant outcomes include marital dissatisfaction and divorce, alcoholism and emotional
disturbance, and education and academic achievement. The authors review work indicating that
childhood temper tantrums predict adult outcomes such as criminality. The authors next review
work suggesting that the choice of marriage partner predicts personality stability and change.
Learning Objectives
2. Define and distinguish between the three forms of personality stability: rank order stability,
mean level stability, and personality coherence.
3. Define personality change, and discuss the two key features required for the identification
of “real” personality change.
4. Identify and discuss the three levels of analysis taken into consideration while examining
personality change and stability.
7. Discuss the empirical studies examining the life trajectories of bullies and “whipping boys”
from childhood to adulthood.
8. Discuss the empirical work done on rank order personality stability in adulthood.
9. Discuss the empirical work done on mean level personality stability in adulthood.
10. Discuss the work done on the changes in self-esteem from adolescence to adulthood and
the day-to-day changes in self-esteem (self-esteem variability).
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manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Chapter 5 Personality Dispositions over Time: Stability, Coherence, and Change
11. Discuss the empirical work done on the changes over time in flexibility and impulsivity.
12. Discuss the empirical work done on the changes over time in autonomy, dominance,
leadership, and ambition.
13. Discuss the empirical work done on the changes over time in sensation seeking.
14. Discuss the empirical work done on the changes over time in femininity, competence,
independence, and traditional roles based on the Mills College study.
15. Discuss the relationship between wife’s personality, husband’s personality, and subsequent
marital dissatisfaction and divorce in a relationship.
16. Discuss the relationship between personality and subsequent alcoholism and emotional
disturbance in the context of socially relevant outcomes.
17. Discuss the role impulsivity plays in subsequent educational and academic achievement.
18. Discuss the empirical work done on the relationships between childhood temper tantrums
and adult outcomes such as criminality.
19. Discuss the work that suggests that one’s choice of marriage partner is a predictor of
personality change and stability over time.
20. Identify and discuss the other personality dimensions besides the traits that might change
over time.
Chapter Outline
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manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Chapter 5 Personality Dispositions over Time: Stability, Coherence, and Change
D. Personality Coherence
E. Personality Change
A. Population Level
• This level of personality development deals with the changes and constancies that apply
more or less to everyone.
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manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Chapter 5 Personality Dispositions over Time: Stability, Coherence, and Change
• Most researchers define temperament as the individual differences that emerge very
early in life, are likely to have a heritable basis, and are often involved with
emotionality or arousability.
• Mary Rothbart (1981, 1986; Rothbart & Hwang, 2005) studied infants at different ages,
starting at 3 months of age.
o She examined six factors of temperament, using ratings completed by the
caregivers: activity level, smiling and laughter, fear, distress to limitations,
soothability, and the duration of orienting.
• Research findings reveal the following four important points :
o Stable individual differences appear to emerge very early in life, when they can be
assessed by observers
o For most temperament variables, there are moderate levels of stability over time
during the first year of life.
o The stability of temperament tends to be higher over short intervals of time than
over long intervals of time—a finding that occurs in adulthood as well.
o The level of stability of temperament tends to increase as infants mature
(Goldsmith & Rothbart, 1991; Rothbart & Hwang, 2005).
• Longitudinal studies, which examine the same groups of individuals over time, are
costly and difficult to conduct.
• A major exception is the Block and Block Longitudinal Study, which initiated the
testing of a sample of more than 100 children from the Berkeley-Oakland area of
California when the children were 3 years old (see, e.g., Block & Robbins, 1993).
o Since that time, the sample has been followed and repeatedly tested at ages 4, 5, 7,
© 2018 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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random and unrelated content:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of American Indian love
lyrics, and other verse
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where
you are located before using this eBook.
Language: English
MACMILLAN CO., L
LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA
MELBOURNE
Selected by
Nellie Barnes
Foreword by
Mary Austin
PART ONE
Indian Love Lyrics and Other Verse selected from the songs of
the North American Indians.
I
O what happiness!
How delightful,
When together we
’Neath one blanket walk.
We together
’Neath one blanket walk,
We together
’Neath one blanket walk,
We walk.
O! What happiness!
How delightful,
When together we
’Neath one blanket walk.
We together,
’Neath one blanket walk,
We together,
’Neath one blanket walk,
We walk.
II
Can it be that
My young maiden fair
Sits awaiting,
All alone tonight?
Is she waiting
For me only?
Is she waiting
For me only?
III
May I hope it is
My young maiden
Sitting all alone
And awaiting me;
Will she come then?
Will she walk with me?
’Neath one blanket
We together be,
We—we two, we two,
We two, we two—
Will she come?
Early I rose
In the blue morning;
My love was up before me,
It came running to me from the doorways of the Dawn.
On Papago Mountain
The dying quarry
Looked at me with my love’s eyes.
LONELY (Ojibwa)
Woe! Woe!
Hearken ye!
We are diminished!
Woe! Woe!
The cleared land has become a thicket.
Woe! Woe!
The cleared places are deserted.
Woe!
They are in their graves—
They who established it—
Woe!
The great League.
Yet they declared
It should endure—
The great League.
Woe!
Their work has grown old.
Woe!
Thus we are become miserable.
Son, my son,
In the deep earth
We softly laid thee
In a Chief’s robe,
In a warrior’s gear.
Surely there,
In the spirit land
Thy deeds attend thee!
Surely,
The corn comes to the ear again!
But I, here,
I am the stalk that the seed-gatherers
Descrying empty, afar, left standing.
Son, my son!
What is my life to me, now you are departed?
Sorely I am distressed;
Sorely I am distressed;
Sorely I am distressed.
The earth alone continues long;
I speak as one not expecting to live,
Sorely I am distressed;
The earth alone continues long.
HUNTING-SONG (Navaho)
At the east,
Where the jet ridges of the earth lie....
At the south,
Where the white shell ridges of the earth lie,
Where all kinds of fruit are ripe,
We two will meet.
KA-NI-GA SONG
Butterflies, butterflies,
Now fly away to the blossoms,
Fly, blue-wing,
Fly, yellow-wing,
Now fly away to the blossoms,
Fly, red-wing,
Fly white-wing,
Now fly away to the blossoms,
Butterflies, away!
Butterflies, butterflies,
Now fly away to the blossoms,
Butterflies, away!
SONG TO THE TREES AND STREAMS (Pawnee)
I
Dark against the sky, yonder distant line
Lies before us. Trees we see, long the line of trees,
Bending, swaying in the breeze.
II
Bright with flashing light yonder distant line
Runs before us, swiftly runs, swift the river runs,
Winding, flowing over the land.
III
Hark! O hark! A sound, yonder distant sound
Comes to greet us, singing comes, soft the river’s song,
Rippling gently beneath the trees.
I
Mountains loom upon the path we take;
Yonder peak now rises sharp and clear;
Behold! It stands with its head uplifted,
Thither we go, since our way lies there.
II
Mountains loom upon the path we take;
Yonder peak now rises sharp and clear;
Behold! We climb, drawing near its summit;
Steeper grows the way and slow our steps.
III
Mountains loom upon the path we take;
Yonder peak that rises sharp and clear,
Behold us now on its head uplifted;
Planting there our feet, we stand secure.
IV
Mountains loom upon the path we take;
Yonder peak that rose so sharp and clear,
Behold us now on its head uplifted;
Resting there at last we sing our song.
I
Over the prairie flits, in ever widening circles, the shadow of a bird about
me as I walk;
Upward turn my eyes, Kawas looks upon me, she turns with flapping
wings, and far away she flies.
II
Round about a tree, in ever widening circles, an eagle flies, alertly
watching over his nest;
Loudly whistles he, a challenge sending far; over the country wide it
echoes, there defying foes.
(The chief of the Invitation Rite requests all the night folk of the forest
to protect his people on their journey to the morning.)
I
So says the whip-poor-will,
Follow me, follow me!
So says the chief to him,
Yes I will follow thee!
II
See the night darkening;
The shadows are hiding,
No light to follow for,
So says the waterfall,
So sings the river voice!
III
Someone is nearing me,
Soft he comes creeping here,
Two eyes glare close to me,
Lighting the forest path—
Hear how his breath blows by!
IV
Fol-low me, fol-low me,
So sings the whip-poor-will!
Yes, I am following,
So the chief answers him.
Part II (The Wolf and his mate are announced.)
I
Hark, the trees bending low,
Something is breaking them,
Not the strong north wind’s hand,
Something stalks broad and swift.
Snuffing and panting loud!
II
Hark! How the tangles break!
Fearless the footfalls pass,
Strong trees stretch far apart,
Great horns dividing them.
(Whip-poor-will chorus)
Part III (Buck and Doe with cries enter the room.)
I
How the cold shivers me!
No snow is falling now,
Where does the sun’s fire hide?
Something comes roaring loud
Swift footed, warning me!
II
Its breath blinds the night eyes,
Like rainy vapor falls!
Now it walks close to me,
Warming and coaxing me,
Where the black forest frowns.
(Whip-poor-will chorus)
I
How the wind travels now,
No one dares run with it.
Great trees bend low to it,
Rivers fight back to it,
Roaring and splashing it!
II
Hear its wings flapping strong
Far in the hidden skies!
Swift it flies northward high,
Whistling and calling loud,
Hunting its running prey!
(The Hawk and its mate are announced, and all the rest of the forest
folk. Finally, at dawn, the eagle is announced by the flute.)
I
Deep the dew water falls
No one comes close to me!
Where are you, whip-poor-will?
Why I am waiting now
Calling your voice again?
II
Screaming the night away,
With his great wing feathers
Swooping the darkness up;
I hear the Eagle bird
Pulling the blanket back
Off from the eastern sky.
III
How swift he flies bearing the sun to the morning.
See how he sits down in the trails of the eastern sky!
Whip-poor-will, Whip-poor-will, no more I follow thee!
When the night comes again, wilt thou say, “Follow me”?
THE PLANTING SONG (Osage)