Introduction

Let's talk about personality and the Big Five traits in a way that makes sense!

​ Personality:
● Explanation: Personality is like your unique recipe of behaviors. It's the
way you tend to act across lots of different situations.
● Example: If you're outgoing and love meeting new people, that's part of
your personality. If you're more reserved and enjoy quiet activities,
that's another aspect of your personality.
​ Big Five Traits:
● Explanation: Imagine there are five big buckets, and everyone's
personality traits can be poured into these buckets to describe them.
These are often called the Big Five traits.
● The Traits:
● Openness: How open-minded and creative you are.
● Conscientiousness: How organized and responsible you are.
● Extraversion: How outgoing and social you are.
● Agreeableness: How friendly and cooperative you are.
● Neuroticism (Emotional Stability): How emotionally stable or
reactive you are.
​ Self-Reported Traits:
● Explanation: These are traits that people identify in themselves by
answering questions about their behavior and feelings.
● Example: If you take a personality test and it says you're really open to
new experiences, that's a self-reported trait.
​ Personality Structure:
● Explanation: This is like the combination of all your consistent traits,
creating your unique personality.
● Example: Your personality structure might include being organized,
outgoing, and creative – all these traits together make up your overall
personality.
​ Temperament:
● Explanation: Think of this as the flavor you're born with. It's your natural
way of responding to the world around you.
● Example: Some infants are naturally more reactive – they get excited or
upset easily. Others might be more calm and easygoing. This is part of
their temperament.
Psychoanalysis

​ Mental Illness:
● Explanation: Mental illness is like having thoughts, feelings, or
behaviors that cause distress or difficulty in daily life. It's often related
to unexpressed and unconscious struggles in the mind.
● Example: Imagine feeling really sad or anxious, and it's affecting your
ability to enjoy things you used to like. That could be a sign of mental
illness.
​ Personality Formation:
● Explanation: Your personality, or the way you naturally behave, is
shaped by a few things:
● Early Childhood Experiences: Like the things you go through and
learn when you're very young.
● Unconscious Motives & Conflicts: Some of the stuff going on in
your mind that you might not even be aware of.
● (Something in the Blank): This part is often related to mental
processes and conflicts that aren't fully understood or
expressed.
​ Criticisms by Contemporaries:
● Explanation: Some people criticized these ideas during the time they
were first proposed.
● Unconscious Not Masters of Our Minds: Critics argued that saying the
unconscious shapes us implies we're not fully in control of our
thoughts and actions.
● Personality Shaped by Childhood Not Masters of Our Destinies: There
was also criticism that attributing personality to childhood experiences
suggests we're not fully in charge of our future selves.
● Vulgarity of Sex and Aggression: Some critics didn't like the focus on
primal instincts like sex and aggression in explaining behavior.

Structure of Personality

Behavior and the Mind's Components:

● Explanation: Our behavior is influenced by three parts of our mind

working together. Think of it like three players on a team, each with its
own role.
 ● The Components:
● Id: Unconscious Component
● Pleasure Principle: This part of the mind wants
immediate satisfaction of our basic desires and urges.
● Primary Process Thinking: It tends to think in a way that's
irrational and fantasy-oriented, focusing on getting what it
wants right away.
● Ego: Conscious Component
● Reality Principle: Unlike the id, the ego aims to delay
satisfaction until the right time and situation.
● Secondary Process Thinking: It thinks in a rational and
realistic way, considering societal norms and rules.
● Superego: Morality Component
● Internalization of Norms and Rules: This is like the part
of our mind that holds our moral compass, shaped by the
rules and norms of society.
​ Id and Ego's Goals:
● Explanation: Both the id and the ego want to achieve gratification, but
they have different approaches, and the ego also aims to avoid
negative consequences.
● Example: Imagine you really want a piece of chocolate cake (id). The id
might say, "Eat it now, it's delicious!" The ego steps in and thinks, "Wait,
is it appropriate to eat cake right before dinner? What if I have it as
dessert instead?"

Level of Awareness

Known: Content we are aware of. Think of this as the information you actively have
in your mind right now. It's like the apps open on your phone screen—stuff you're
currently thinking about or paying attention to.

Current train of thought: This is what's running through your mind at this very
moment. It's like the mental track your thoughts are following, kind of like a train
moving on its tracks.

Content of working memory: Working memory is like your brain's notepad—it holds
information you're using for a short period. For example, if you're doing a math
problem in your head, the numbers and steps are in your working memory.
Below the surface: Content beneath awareness, easy to access. Imagine this as the
stuff that's not on your phone screen but is still easy to find. It's like the apps you can
quickly open because they're right there when you swipe.

Current physiological state: This is how your body is feeling right now. Are you tired,
hungry, or excited? It's like the status update for your body.

Long-term memory storage: Think of this as your brain's storage drive where it keeps
important stuff for the long haul. Memories from your past, like your first day of
school or a birthday party, are stored here.

Below the surface, but harder to find: Content well beneath awareness, difficult to
access. Picture this as the apps on your phone that are buried in a folder—you know
they're there, but it takes a bit more effort to find and open them.

Dangerous thoughts, memories, desires: These are thoughts or feelings that might
make you uncomfortable or upset. It's like those files on your computer you don't
want others to see because they're private or personal.

“Evidence” for the unconscious: These are signs that give clues about what's going
on in your mind, even if you're not aware of it.

Freudian slips: Reveal a person’s true feelings. Have you ever accidentally said
something you didn't mean to say? Freud thought these slip-ups could show what
you're really thinking or feeling, like a peek into your true thoughts.

Dreams express hidden desires: Dreams might reflect things you want or are worried
about, even if you're not aware of those feelings when you're awake.

Psychoanalysis revealed previously unknown conflicts: Therapists like Freud used a

method called psychoanalysis to help people uncover hidden thoughts and feelings.
It's like solving a mystery about your own mind.

Conflict and Anxiety

Life is a series of conflicts between the id and the ego/superego: Think of your mind
as a superhero team with different members—the id, ego, and superego. They
sometimes have different opinions and can clash.

Id wants gratification now!: The id is like the impulsive friend who wants everything
right away, like eating all the cookies without thinking about the consequences.
Ego wants to avoid negative consequences: The ego is the practical friend who
thinks about what might happen if you eat all the cookies—like getting a stomach
ache or not having any left for later.

Superego manifests guilt: The superego is the moral compass friend who makes
you feel guilty if you do something you shouldn't, like eating too many cookies when
you know you shouldn't.

Example (e.g., eating too much): Imagine you see a plate of cookies. Your id might
say, "Eat them all now!" Your ego might say, "But you'll feel sick later," and your
superego might make you feel guilty about eating too many.

Most conflicts resolved quickly; those that linger play out in the unconscious:
Usually, these mental superhero conflicts get sorted out fast, but sometimes they
linger in the background, affecting how you feel without you realizing it.

________: Conflicts building up in the unconscious begin to appear in the

preconscious/conscious: As conflicts pile up in the mental superhero headquarters
(the unconscious), they can start leaking into your regular thoughts (preconscious)
or even become noticeable (conscious).

Conflicts about ____________ urges are powerful because they are thwarted more
regularly: Think about urges that you have regularly but can't always satisfy. These
conflicts can be especially strong because you're constantly having to tell yourself
"no."

So, in a nutshell, our minds are like superhero teams, and sometimes they don't
always agree. Most of the time, they sort things out quickly, but when conflicts pile
up, they can affect how we feel and act without us even realizing it. Especially when
it comes to urges we have to say "no" to a lot, those conflicts can be pretty powerful.

Psychosexual Development

Developmental periods with a characteristic sexual _______ that influences adult

personality: Think of your life like a story with different chapters. In each chapter,
there's a specific theme or focus, and during these chapters, your feelings about
certain things, including those related to relationships and intimacy, change.

Sexual urges (________________) shift as children progress through early life: When
you're a kid, you might not think much about romantic or intimate feelings. But as
you grow up, these feelings can start to become more important. This is like the
storyline of your life changing to focus more on these kinds of feelings.

__________: Failure to progress to later stages: Sometimes, people might get stuck or
find it difficult to move on to the next chapter in their story. It's like if a character in a
book can't get past a certain point in their journey.

Excessive __________ of sexual urges: This means having too much focus or interest
in romantic or intimate feelings. Imagine a character in a story who spends too much
time on one aspect of their life, like romance, and it affects the overall plot.

Excessive __________ of sexual urges: On the other hand, this means avoiding or not
paying enough attention to romantic or intimate feelings. It's like a character in a
story who ignores an important part of their life, and it influences how their story
unfolds.

Affect adult personality (determined by _______): Your personality is like the unique
flavor of your character in the story of your life. The way you handle and experience
these romantic and intimate feelings in each chapter can shape who you become as
an adult. It's like the choices a character makes influencing the ending of their story.

Psychosexual Stages and Personality

Oral Stage (0-1 year): This is when you're a baby, and everything goes in your mouth.
It's like your way of exploring the world.

_________ can lead to obsessive eating or smoking as an adult: If, during this stage,
you didn't get enough comfort or pleasure (maybe you weren't fed enough or had
issues with a pacifier), it might affect you later in life. You might find yourself wanting
too much comfort through things like eating or smoking.

Anal Stage (2-3 years): Now you're learning to control your body, especially during
potty training.

__________________ can lead to hostility toward the trainer and be generalized to

others later: How your parents handle potty training can affect how you feel about
authority figures. If it's too strict or not fair, you might feel angry or rebellious, not just
towards your parents but maybe towards other authority figures later on.
Tendency towards neatness, organization, and detail: If potty training is done well
(not too strict or too lenient), you might grow up liking things to be organized and
neat.

Phallic Stage (4-5 years): Now you're starting to notice the differences between
boys and girls.

________ complex: __________ for opposite-sex parent and _______ towards same-sex
parent: During this time, boys might develop special feelings for their mom and see
their dad as a kind of rival. Girls might feel similarly but towards their dad and mom.

Boys resent father as a competitor. Girls resent mother for physical deficiency
(penis envy): Freud thought that boys might feel like they're in competition with their
dad for their mom's attention. Girls might feel a bit jealous of boys because they
have something (a penis) that they don't.

Resolution of oedipal complex: ___________ for opposite-sex parent and __________

with same-sex parent (___________________): As you grow up, you're supposed to
grow out of these feelings. You start seeing your parents in a more balanced way,
like understanding and appreciating both your mom and dad.

Failure to resolve complex leads to personality disturbances: If these feelings aren't

sorted out, it could mess with how you see yourself and others, and cause some
issues with your personality.

Jung’s Analytical Psychology

Unconscious determines personality: Imagine your mind is like an iceberg, and only
a small part is visible above the water. The bigger, hidden part is the unconscious,
and according to this idea, it plays a big role in shaping who you are.

__________ unconscious: thoughts, memory, & desires that have been repressed or
forgotten: There's a part of your mind where thoughts, memories, and desires are
tucked away because they might be uncomfortable or hard to deal with. It's like a
mental attic where you put things you don't want to think about.

_________ unconscious: storehouse of latent memory traces inherited from people’s

____________: This is like a shared memory bank that we inherit from our ancestors.
It's not your personal memories, but it's a collection of experiences and knowledge
passed down through generations. It's as if we carry a bit of our family and cultural
history in our minds.
Shared spiritual heritage of humankind: Think of it like we all have a common
spiritual or cultural background, like different branches on the same family tree. This
shared heritage influences the way we see the world.

___________: emotionally charged images and thought forms that have universal
meaning: Archetypes are like powerful symbols that have deep, common meanings
across different cultures. For example, a hero or a wise old person appears in stories
all over the world because they represent ideas that everyone can relate to.

Symbols from different cultures show unexpected similarity: Even though people
from different parts of the world may have different symbols, there are often
surprising similarities. It's like different cultures telling similar stories using different
characters and symbols.

First to describe _____________ (outer-directed) and _______________ (inner-directed)

personality types: Imagine two different types of people. Some are more focused on
what's going on around them (outer-directed), while others are more tuned into their
own thoughts and feelings (inner-directed). These were terms used to describe
different ways people approach life.

Adler’s Individual Psychology

Universal Striving for Superiority: Imagine this as your inner superhero, always
pushing you to be better, overcome challenges, and master the game of life. It's not
about being better than others but about becoming the best version of yourself.

Not Dominance Over Others: It's not about trying to control or be better than other
people. It's more like competing with yourself, trying to outdo your past self.

Derives from ____________ Inferiority: This superhero drive comes from a feeling of
not being as good as you want to be. It's like having an itch that makes you want to
prove yourself.

Striving for Superiority: Effort to overcome real or imagined inferiority through

self-improvement: When you work hard to get better at something, whether it's a skill
or a personal quality, you're doing this to overcome that feeling of not being good
enough.

Inferiority Complex: Exaggerated feelings of inferiority resulting from parental

pampering or neglect: Sometimes, if you were either spoiled too much or not given
enough attention, it can mess with your superhero drive. Too much attention might
make you feel like you're not capable without help, and not enough attention might
make you doubt your abilities.

Compensation: Attempts to hide feelings of inferiority from self and others:

Imagine putting on a mask. When you compensate, you're trying to hide those
feelings of not being good enough, even from yourself. It's like pretending everything
is okay, even if you're struggling inside.

Attain Power, Status, and Material Goods: To make yourself feel more capable, you
might go after things like power, respect, and material possessions. It's like
collecting trophies to prove to yourself that you're doing well.

Flaunt Achievements: Sometimes, people show off what they've achieved, not to
brag, but as a way of saying, "Look, I did it! I can do great things!"

First to Suggest ___________ Affected Personality: Imagine personality being

influenced by whether you're the firstborn or born later. Adler suggested that the
order in which you're born affects how you see the world because firstborns and
later-borns often grow up in different family environments.

Evaluating Psychodynamic Perspectives

Criticism: Imagine looking at a superhero and noticing some weaknesses. These are
like points people bring up about a certain idea or theory.

Poor Testability: Too __________________ to test empirically: This means it's

challenging to scientifically test or prove some aspects of the theory. It's like trying to
test if a superhero's powers really work—they might be too mysterious or hard to
measure.

Inadequate Evidence: Based Primarily on ____________: Some critics say there isn't
enough solid proof supporting the theory. It's like questioning whether a superhero's
abilities are real or just part of a good story.

Retrospective Accounts Require Memory, Which is Fallible: When people look back
and try to remember things (like childhood experiences), their memories might not
be entirely accurate. It's like trying to recall details from a movie you watched a long
time ago—it might not be entirely clear.

Sexist: Tend to be Male-Oriented: Some critics argue that certain theories are
biased or focus too much on the experiences and perspectives of one gender,
usually males. It's like having a superhero story that only highlights one character
and leaves out others.

Important Contributions: Despite the criticism, there are some positive aspects or
contributions that people appreciate.

_____________ Influences of Personality: The theory has brought attention to how

external factors, like the environment or society, can shape who a person becomes.
It's like realizing that a superhero's background and surroundings play a big role in
their story.

Internal Conflicts Contribute to Psychological Distress: The theory emphasizes that

struggles within a person, like conflicting desires or emotions, can impact mental
well-being. It's like acknowledging that a superhero might have their own internal
battles to fight.

Childhood Experiences Contribute to Adult Personality: One positive aspect is the

focus on how early experiences can shape who you are as you grow up. It's like
understanding that a superhero's origin story is crucial to understanding their
character.

Humanistic Perspective

Response to ____________ & ______________ Explanations of Behavior (1950s): Back in

the 1950s, there were two major theories explaining why people behave the way they
do. What comes to your mind when you think of theories from that time?

Critical of Freud for Emphasizing _______________________: Freud believed that

unconscious thoughts and desires strongly influence our behavior, like hidden
puppet strings pulling the strings. But this perspective criticized Freud for putting too
much focus on things hidden deep in the mind.

Critical of Behaviorism for _______________: Behaviorism, on the other hand, was all
about looking at observable behaviors and how they're shaped by rewards and
punishments. This perspective criticized behaviorism for not paying enough
attention to thoughts and feelings that happen inside the mind.

Too ______________!: Both theories were seen as a bit rigid or oversimplified, like
trying to fit the complexity of human behavior into a neat box.
Humanism: Humans Are Unique in Having _________ and the Potential for _________:
Enter humanism! This perspective thinks we're special because we have
consciousness (being aware of ourselves and our thoughts) and the ability to grow
and become better versions of ourselves. It's like saying we're not just robots
responding to rewards or slaves to hidden thoughts—we're dynamic beings with
potential.

Humans Control Biological Urges: Unlike other animals, humanists believe we're not
slaves to our instincts. We can decide not to act on every impulse or desire.

Humans Are Rational and Conscious; Unconscious Has Little Effect: Humanists
think we're pretty much aware of what's going on in our minds. It's not like there's a
mysterious force in the background controlling us. We're seen as rational beings who
make choices based on our thoughts and feelings.

___________________ Approach: Must Understand Each Individual’s Subjective

Experiences to Explain Behavior: Here's the key idea: humanists argue that to truly
understand why someone behaves the way they do, you need to get inside their
head. It's like saying, "Hey, let's not just look at behaviors or hidden desires. Let's
understand what someone is experiencing and feeling from their perspective."

Carl Rogers Person-Centred Theory

Self-Concept: Collection of beliefs about oneself (nature, unique qualities, typical

behavior): Think of self-concept like the story you tell yourself about who you are. It's
a bunch of ideas and beliefs you have about your nature, what makes you unique,
and how you typically behave.

Incongruence: The degree of disparity between the self-concept and actual

experience: Incongruence is like when there's a gap between who you think you are
and what you actually experience. It's the difference between your self-story and the
real events or feelings you go through.

We distort experience to be consistent with self-concept: Imagine you have this

idea of yourself, and when something happens that doesn't quite match that idea,
your brain might try to twist things a bit to make them fit. It's like adjusting a puzzle
piece to make it fit where you think it should go.

Development of the Self: As you grow up, your sense of self develops, and two
important things play a role in this:
Need for Affection and Acceptance: This is like wanting love and approval from
others. It's a natural human desire.

___________ Affection Depends on Achievements; Fosters Incongruence: If you feel

that you only get love and approval when you achieve something or meet certain
standards, it can create a gap between your real experiences and your self-story. This
gap is incongruence.

_________________ Affection Is Not Dependent on Anything; Fosters Congruence: On

the other hand, if you feel loved and accepted no matter what, it creates a harmony
between your self-concept and your experiences. This harmony is congruence.

_____________: Results when experience conflicts with self-concept: Ignore, deny,

twist reality: When something happens that doesn't fit with your self-story, you might
try to ignore it, deny it, or twist it to make it fit. It's like when a movie character can't
believe something is happening because it doesn't match their idea of the world.

Maslow’s Theory of Self-Actualization

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Imagine a pyramid with different levels. At the bottom
are basic needs like food, water, and safety. As you go up, you reach higher-level
needs like love and belonging, esteem, and at the very top is self-actualization.

Self-Actualization: Self-actualization is like reaching the pinnacle of your personal

development. It's when you become the best version of yourself, fulfilling your true
potential. It's not about becoming someone else's idea of perfect but about
becoming the most "you" you can be.

Behaviourist Perspective

Empirical Approach that Excluded the Mind from Investigation: Imagine studying
something in a way that only looks at what you can see and measure, not what's
happening inside people's minds. It's a bit like studying how plants grow by
observing their leaves and stems without considering what's going on in the soil or
roots. This approach skips the mind and focuses on observable things.

Study Stimulus-Response; Consequences of Behavior: This approach is all about

looking at how things in the environment (like a teacher's instruction, or a friend's
smile - stimuli) lead to certain behaviors (your responses). It's like figuring out why a
dog wags its tail when you say "good boy" or why you smile when someone
compliments you.

Personality Acquired through Principles of Learning: Think of your personality like

your unique combination of traits and behaviors. According to this approach, you
develop your personality through learning—basically, picking up behaviors and traits
from the world around you.

____ Personality “Structure”: Unlike other theories that talk about structures like the
unconscious mind or different layers, here, they don't focus on any specific structure.
It's more about how your personality is shaped through experiences and learning.

History of Reinforcement & Punishment: Imagine every time you do something

good, like helping a friend, and they say, "Thank you!" - that's reinforcement. If you do
something not so good, like breaking a rule and facing a consequence, that's
punishment. This approach looks at your history of these rewards and punishments
to understand why you act the way you do.

Personality Development is __________: Personality develops over time through

experiences and how you've learned from them. It's not something you're born with,
but rather something that grows and changes as you go through life.

No _________: There's no specific structure or hidden part of your personality like a

secret code. It's more about what you've learned from your experiences.

No Emphasis on ______________________: Unlike some theories that talk a lot about

emotions, thoughts, or unconscious desires, this approach doesn't give them much
attention. It's more focused on what you do and how the environment responds.

Operant Conditioning

Operant Conditioning: Think of a mouse in a maze. If the mouse finds cheese at the
end, it'll learn to go through the maze again. If there's a shock at the end, it might
avoid the maze. This is operant conditioning—learning based on consequences.
Social Cognitive Theory

Observational Learning: Imagine learning not by doing something yourself, but by

watching and imitating someone else. It's like learning a cool skateboard trick by
watching your friend do it first—that's observational learning.

Models We Like or Respect: When you watch and learn from someone, it's often
from people you admire or think are cool. It's like choosing to learn skateboarding
tricks from the best skater in the park.

Attractive or Powerful: Sometimes, the person you learn from might be someone
you find attractive or powerful. It's like picking up dance moves from a really
awesome dancer or learning how to play a game from the best player.

Same-Sex Models: People often tend to imitate those of the same gender. If you're a
guy, you might be more likely to learn certain things from other guys, and the same
goes for girls. It's like feeling a connection and thinking, "Hey, they're like me!"

Positive Outcomes: Observational learning is more likely to happen when you see
positive outcomes from someone else's actions. If your friend gets a lot of high-fives
for doing a trick, you might want to learn it too.

______________________: Internal mental events, external environmental events, and

behavior all influence one another: This is a bit like saying what happens in your
mind, what's going on around you, and what you do are all connected. It's like a
dance where thoughts, the environment, and actions move together.

___________: Belief about the ability to perform behavior that leads to an expected
outcome: Self-efficacy is like having confidence in yourself. It's believing you can do
something and that it will turn out well. If you see someone doing a skateboard trick
and think, "I can totally do that," that's self-efficacy.

Situation Specific: Self-efficacy isn't a one-size-fits-all thing. It depends on the

situation. You might feel super confident cooking a meal but less confident fixing a
car. It's like having different levels of belief in your abilities depending on what you're
doing.
Types and Dimensions

● Types: personalities as categories.

● Everyone of the same type is alike.
● Everyone of other types is different.
● Dimensions: having more or less of an attribute.
● Everyone rated on dimension from low to high.

Informal Tests of Personality (Types)

Thousands of ______________ Tests: Imagine there are lots and lots of quizzes out
there trying to figure out something interesting about you. Some quizzes might try to
connect your personality with the type of car you'd like or the kind of pet you might
enjoy. It's like figuring out if you're a fast sports car or a cozy cat kind of person!

__________________________ (MBTI): There's this big personality test called the

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It's like a superhero quiz for your personality. It
tries to categorize people into 16 different types based on how they think and make
decisions.

Typological Theories of Carl Jung: Think of Carl Jung as a really wise person who
had some interesting ideas about how people are different from each other. His
typological theories are like his way of saying, "Hey, people have different ways of
thinking and doing things."

16 Different Types Based on 4 Dichotomies: The MBTI sorts people into 16 types by
looking at four pairs of opposites:

● Extraversion/Introversion: Are you more outgoing or more into your own

thoughts?
● Sensing/Intuition: How do you like to gather information—through practical
facts or through creative ideas?
● Thinking/Feeling: When making decisions, do you rely more on logic or on
your feelings?
● Judging/Perceiving: Are you more organized and planned, or more flexible
and spontaneous?

Low Test-Retest Reliability: Imagine taking a quiz today and then taking the same
quiz a month later, but your results are different each time. That's what we mean by
low test-retest reliability—it's not very consistent. It's like the quiz isn't always giving
you the same superhero power every time you take it.
Weak Relationship Between Type and Behavior: Even if the quiz says you're a certain
type, it might not perfectly predict how you'll act or what you'll do. It's like saying, "I
know you're a cat person, but that doesn't mean you won't want to adopt a dog
someday."

Formal Tests of Personality (Dimensions)

Standardized Procedures and Scoring: Imagine you're playing a game, and everyone
has to follow the same set of rules and get scored in the same way. That's what
standardized procedures and scoring mean—it's a fair way to measure things so that
everyone is judged using the same criteria.

Established Reliability and Validity: Reliability is like consistency. If you measure

something today and get the same result tomorrow, that's reliable. Validity is about
measuring what you're actually supposed to measure. So, imagine if you're trying to
measure how tall someone is, and instead, you end up measuring their shoe
size—that's not very valid.

______________; Self/Other Correlations: This is about comparing how you see

yourself with how others see you. It's like if you rate yourself as a great basketball
player, but your friends also think you're awesome at basketball, that's a positive
self/other correlation.

Predict Behavior: Imagine if a test or a quiz could give a hint about how someone
might act in the future. For example, if a personality test suggests you enjoy taking
risks, it might predict that you'll be more likely to try adventurous activities.

Control for _______________________: Sometimes, there are other factors that can
influence the results of a study or test. Controlling for these factors is like making
sure they don't mess up your results. It's like trying to find out if a new study method
helps you learn better while making sure that other things, like being in a quiet room,
don't affect the results.

__________ Dimension Inventories: These are like specialized tests that focus on
certain aspects of your personality. Instead of trying to cover everything, they zoom
in on specific traits. For example, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale measures how
much you believe in yourself, and the Sensation Seeking inventory explores your
appetite for excitement in different areas:

● Thrill Seeking (Adrenalin): How much do you enjoy thrilling and exciting
activities?
 ● Experience Seeking (Variety): Are you someone who seeks out new and
varied experiences?
● Disinhibition (Sex, Drugs, Alcohol): How much do you engage in activities
that involve losing inhibitions, like being more open to sex, drugs, or alcohol?

Personality Dimensions (Factors)

Gordon Allport: Imagine Gordon Allport as a detective of personalities. He was really

interested in understanding what makes each person unique, like a bunch of special
ingredients that make you who you are.

Emphasized _______________ Over _______________: Allport focused more on individual

differences rather than trying to fit everyone into the same category. It's like saying,
"Hey, each person is special, so let's figure out what makes them uniquely awesome."

Individuals Are Unique: Allport believed that each person is like a one-of-a-kind
masterpiece. You're not just a copy-paste version of someone else; you're your own
unique painting.

“___________________”: 4500 Traits: He came up with this big list of traits—basically,

characteristics or qualities that make up who you are. Imagine traits like pieces of a
puzzle, and when you put them together, you get the complete picture of a person.

___________ Traits (e.g., Honesty): Some traits are like big themes in your personality.
For example, honesty is a trait that tells something important about who you are.

_______________ Traits (e.g., Individual Preferences [Musical]; Situation Specific

[Public Speaker]): Other traits are more like specific details. For instance, your love
for music might be a trait, or your ability to confidently speak in public—it depends on
the situation. It's like having different tools in your personality toolbox for different
situations.

Factor Analysis (Raymond Cattell): Now, imagine another detective, Raymond

Cattell, coming in. He wanted to find out if some traits are related or if they belong to
the same family. So, he used a tool called factor analysis—it's like a detective
technique to see if some traits go hand in hand.

Many Traits Reflect the Same __________________: Cattell discovered that some traits
are like cousins—they're related. For example, honesty, honor, integrity, and probity
might be different traits, but they all belong to the same family of traits related to
moral values.
Correlational Technique Used to Identify Factors: He used a method to see if certain
traits tend to appear together. If you love honesty, you might also value integrity.
Correlational techniques are like figuring out if when one thing happens, the other is
likely to follow.

16 Basic Dimensions of Personality: Cattell identified 16 big categories or

dimensions that group traits together. It's like having 16 folders, and each folder
holds traits that are connected in some way.

The Big 5 Personality Factors

Factor Analysis (Costa & McCrae, 1987): Imagine you have a big box of crayons, and
you want to organize them into different groups based on their colors. Factor
analysis is a bit like that—it's a tool that helps scientists organize and understand
different aspects of something, like personality.

Extroversion vs. Introversion: Picture a scale from being super outgoing and social
(extroverted) to being more quiet and reserved (introverted). It's like figuring out if
you get energy from being around lots of people or if you need some alone time to
recharge.

Neuroticism vs. ________________: Think of this as a scale measuring emotional

stability. On one side, you have being calm and collected, and on the other side, you
might feel more anxious or emotional. It's like seeing how well you handle stress or
challenging situations.

Agreeableness vs. Antagonism: This is about how friendly and cooperative you are
(agreeable) versus being more competitive or argumentative (antagonistic). It's like
checking if you enjoy working with others or if you prefer being a bit more on your
own.

Conscientiousness vs. Impulsiveness: Imagine a scale from being super organized,

responsible, and careful (conscientious) to being a bit more spontaneous and
impulsive, going with the flow. It's like figuring out how much you plan things ahead
or if you prefer being more spontaneous.

Openness vs. ___________: This scale looks at how open you are to new ideas and
experiences. On one end, you might be more open-minded and creative, and on the
other, you might prefer routine and familiarity.
Big Five Inventory (BFI): Think of the Big Five Inventory as a super quiz that asks
questions to figure out where you stand on these personality scales. It's like a
personality checklist to see how much of each trait you have.

Agreement Between Self- & Peer-Reports: When you take the quiz and your friends
take it for you, researchers check if your answers match. It's like making sure both
you and your friends agree on what crayon colors are in the box.

Dimensions Are Stable After _________: Imagine your personality is like a cake baking
in the oven. Researchers found that after a certain age, your personality stays pretty
much the same. It's like saying, "Once the cake is baked, the flavors don't change
much."

Become ______ Agreeable, ______ Conscientious, ______ Extroverted, and ______ Open
to Experience as We Age: As you grow older, studies show that people tend to
become more agreeable, more conscientious (organized and responsible), more
extroverted (social), and more open to new experiences. It's like saying, "As time
goes on, we often become even more awesome versions of ourselves!"

Born To Rebel

Studies on Birth Order and Personality: Scientists have tried to figure out if being the
oldest, middle, or youngest child in a family affects your personality. But, so far, these
studies haven't found a clear connection—birth order doesn't seem to consistently
determine how someone turns out.

Frank Sulloway: Studied Birth Order in Terms of the Big 5 Factors of Personality:
Frank Sulloway is like a personality detective. He looked at how being the oldest or
youngest might influence five big aspects of personality (the Big Five Factors).

Children Compete for _________ in the Family: When you have siblings, you might
compete for attention, toys, or even who gets the remote control. It's like a friendly
race for stuff and attention within the family.

___________ Identifies with Parents: The firstborn child often feels a strong
connection to their parents because they were the first to experience everything. It's
like being the pioneer and having a special bond with mom and dad.

Conventional & Achievement Oriented: The oldest child might be more traditional,
following rules and aiming for big achievements. It's like setting the bar high and
aiming to be successful.
Prominent Scientists in History Tend to Be Firstborn: If you look at famous
scientists throughout history, a lot of them are the eldest siblings in their families. It's
like saying, "The firstborns often lead the way in making groundbreaking discoveries."

_____________ Attempt to Differentiate Themselves from _________: Younger siblings

might try to be different from the older ones to stand out. It's like saying, "If my big
brother loves sports, maybe I'll focus on something totally different, like art or music."

Less Conscientious but More Agreeable and Open to Experience: Younger siblings
might not be as organized or strict as the older ones, but they tend to be more
easygoing and open to trying new things. It's like being more flexible and going with
the flow.

More Rebellious: Sometimes, younger siblings can be a bit rebellious—they might

question the rules more. It's like saying, "I'm going to do things my own way!"

Revolutionaries in History Tend to Be Later-Born: If you look at historical figures

who brought about big changes, many of them are not the firstborn but born later in
the family. It's like saying, "Sometimes, the ones who challenge the status quo and
make history are the younger siblings."

The Dark Triad

Machiavellianism: Imagine someone who is really good at manipulating situations

and people, always trying to be a step ahead. This personality trait is called
Machiavellianism, named after a historical figure named Machiavelli who wrote a
book called "The Prince" that talked about political strategy and manipulation.
There's a test called the Mach Scale with 20 questions that measures how
Machiavellian someone might be.

Narcissism: Picture someone who thinks they're the best, deserves special
treatment, and always wants to be in charge. This personality trait is called
narcissism, inspired by the Greek myth of Narcissus who fell in love with his own
reflection. There's a test called the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) with 40
questions that helps measure narcissistic tendencies.

Psychopathy (Sociopathy): Think about someone who is impulsive, charming, lacks

guilt or empathy, and might engage in antisocial behavior. This personality trait is
called psychopathy or sociopathy. It's like someone who can be manipulative and
doesn't feel bad about it. There's a test called the Self-report Psychopathy Scale
(SRP-III) with questions that help identify psychopathic traits.
In simple terms:

● Machiavellianism is about being sneaky and strategic, always trying to control

situations.
● Narcissism is about thinking you're the best and should be treated as such.
● Psychopathy (Sociopathy) is about being charming but lacking empathy, and
sometimes engaging in antisocial behavior.