Module 1

Psychology of Personality

Definition of Psychology

"The study of the soul, the ensuing behavioural, emotional and mental processes, as well as
the seen and the unseen aspects that influence these elements."
(Hamdan, 2010)

Essential nature of humans: spiritual and metaphysical

The Soul: spread throughout the body, drives feelings, movements and volition.

"Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His (created) soul and made for you
hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful."
[as-Sajdah 32:9]

Personality: characteristics, thinking, feeling and acting.

Study of personality
- Basics of personality is the soul
- Heart is connected to the soul

Islam - cannot separate unseen world (accurate, complete)

Modern - focus on observable phenomena (limited, prone to error)

Islamic theory is based upon revelation from Allah.

Module 2
Debate: The Influence of Nurture vs Nature

Many hypothesis - no conclusions - supporting evidence for both sides

Nature: heredity (genetics)

Nurture: environment

Behaviour genetics: study of human differences (weigh the relative effects)

Elements of Nature

Chromosomes - threadlike structure made of DNA containing genes

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) - molecule containing genetic information, strands (nucleotides)

Genes - biochemical segment synthesises and provides a code for protein (30,000 genes)
Genome - genetic material to make an organism
Heritability - proportions of variation that are attributed to genes

Twin Studies
The difference between identical and fraternal twins

Method 1: compare MZ and DZ twins - similarity of genes and environment

Identical twins - abilities, personality traits, interests are more similar ( - treated more alike)
The Big Five Personality test - 40/50% genetically determined

Method 2: reared apart identical twins - shared genes and environment

Similarities in personality, abilities, interests, tastes, fears, ( - some criticism)

Adoption Studies
Compare biological relatives with environmental relatives
Personality, temperament, intelligence - more like biological
People who grow up together, whether biologically related or not, do not resemble one another
in personality

Temperament Studies (difficult vs easy babies)

- Identical similar temperament
- Somewhat stable throughout the lifetime

Conclusion
Nature has an influence but does not complete the whole picture
Leaves out Islamic and spirituality factors
Module 3
Nurture: Environmental Influences

1. Prenatal
Embryos receive differing:
Nutrition, exposure to toxic (teratogens), stress, placentas (self-control, social).
Smoking (nicotine) and alcohol (FES)
- Physical, behavioural, CNS, IQ.

2. Early experience
Early learning: prepares brain for later experience
Rat experiment: enriched vs impoverished environments

3. Parental influence
Religion, manners, responsibility, orderliness, treating authority, charitableness.
Culture and life choices
Study: less than 10% difference

4. Peer influence
- Learning
- Popularity
- Styles of interaction.

5. Culture
Norms: understood rules for accepted / expected behaviour
Beliefs, raising children, personal space, pace of life, expressiveness

Experiences and Mental Processes

Approx 10 mil neurons - brain
Neuron fire - mental process - experience - cascade of firings

Nature: brain activation, temperament, neuro-anatomy, biochemistry.

Nurture: parental relationships, peer influences, environmental stimulation, culture.

Genotype: genetic constitution of an individual

Phenotype: Observable characteristic of individual resulting from interaction

Role of the Soul

Soul (mind) has processes beyond the physical brain.
Neither our genes nor early life experiences permanently restrict our minds.

Temperament and Personality

- Use power of soul (mind) to alter connections in the brain
- Involves purification of the soul
Module 4
Theories of Personality

Personality traits: stable, consistent

Allport (4,500 traits)

Cattell (30-35 traits)

Surface traits: visible areas
Source traits: underlying characteristics
The Sixteen Personality Factors Test (16PF)

The Big Five

Openness - Conscientiousness - Extraversion - Agreeable - Neuroticism

Eysenck's Three Factor Theory

- Introversion vs Extroversion
- Emotionally Stable vs Unstable
- Impulse Control vs Psychotic

● Are traits pervasive?

● Are traits enduring or unchangeable?
● Social and cultural effects
● Formed at birth

The Trait Approach

Least stable during childhood - Consistency increases with age.

● Individuals have distinct personality traits

● Big 5 model: describes personality (cross-cultural)

● Why do traits develop?

● Transient vs long-lasting traits
● Situational influences

Social Cognitive Theories: learning principles, modelling, cognition, social relationships.

Bandura - reciprocal determinism and self-efficacy
Rotter's locus of control - internal and external focuses
Learned Helplessness - repeatedly faced with traumatic events: less control

● Overly-mechanical
● Over-emphasising environment
● No innate personality or genetics
● No recognition of: hope, aspiration, love, self-sacrifice
Module 5
Exploring the Self

Self: pivotal centre of personality

Possible self - successful self - admired self - goals and dreams may lead to achievement

Self concept: thoughts, feelings, ideas, perceptions about ourselves

Reflects attitudes beliefs and values

Self-esteem: evaluation of ourselves

- High / low self worth
- Measured by questionnaires

High self-esteem
● Fewer sleepless nights
● Succumb less to pressure
● Persistent at difficult tasks
● Less shy and lonely
● Happier and more accepting of others

Low self-esteem
● Not necessarily worthless or bad
● Rarely complement self
● Often unhappy or despair
● Judgemental and critical, disparage others

Self-control: control impulses and show delayed gratification

- Predicts good adjustment
- Better grades
- Social success

Self-serving bias: readiness to perceive oneself favourably

- Accept responsibility for good deeds and success
- Better than average (90%)
- Less striking in Asia (modesty)

Islamic Perspective
● Confidence and pride in being a Muslims
● Should not be arrogant or haughty [al-Israa 17:37]
● Downfall of shaytaan - we are weak, minute creatures
"So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is the most knowing of those who fear Him."
[an-Najm 53:32]
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "No one is humble for the sake of Allah, but Allah will raise
him in status." [Muslim]
Module 6
Humanism & Positive Psychology

Humanistic Theory
"Basically good" - develop positive self-concept

Maslow's Theory
Natural tendency towards self-actualisation
Hierarchy of needs: our innate needs, motive actions

Self-Actualised: the fullest realisation of potential

Characteristics: spontaneity, task centring, autonomy, comfort with solitude, sense of humour.

Carl Roger's Self Theory

Personality forms - striving for fullest potential
Fully functioning person: lives in harmony with feelings/impulses
Self consistency vs inconsistency - congruence (self-perceptions - experiences)

Self-Discrepancy Theory
Reality versus dreams & goals of perception (real self - ideal self)

Growth and fulfilment conditions

1. Genuineness
2. Acceptance
3. Empathy

Unconditional positive regard: acceptance and love = unqualified

Conditional positive regard: acceptance and love = contingent

Positive Psychology
Optimal human functioning:
Strengths, virtues, optimism and thriving

Study of positive: emotions, character traits, enabling institutions (communities)

Evaluation of Humanistic Theories

Positive
- Inherently good people + focus on self-concept
- Importance on conscious mental experience
Criticism
- Immoderate optimism (ignores capacity for evil)
- Self-indulgence - in ourselves or others?
- Vague concepts + lack of research
Module 7
Personality Assessment

Variety: Evaluate personality characteristics - Assess psychopathology

Assumptions: generally stable, lifespan, predicts behaviour, accuracy

Objective: easily scored - statistically analysed

Subjective: interpret questions - assessor must make judgement

Interview
Most common - subjective - clinical work
Standardised or non-directive (combination of two)
- Interviewer must be trained
- Tend to be unreliable

Objective techniques

Personality inventory
Questionnaire - MMPI-2 - Big Five test

California Psychological (self-report) Inventory

1. Poise, ascendancy, self-assurance, and interpersonal adequacy
2. Socialisation, responsibility, interpersonal values and character
3. Achievement potential and intellect efficiency
4. Intellectual modes and interest modes
Measures: dominance, status, sociability, self-assurance, independence, achievement.

Eysenck Personality Questionnaire

Primarily physiology and genetics (temperament)
- Extraversion/Introversion
- Neuroticism/Stability
- Psychoticism/Socialisation

Projective techniques

Rorschach Test (blots)

Most commonly used - unconscious motives and defence mechanisms

Thematic Apperception Test

30 drawings - unconscious emotions and conflicts

Criticism: scoring/interpretation subjective, low validity and reliability, difficult to research.

Situational Methods: closely resembles natural environment (people act differently irl)