Concepts and basic

provisions of personality
psychology

performed by Erasmus+ student Anastasiia Sobchak

Important is not what they did to me, but
what I made from what was done to me.
Jean-Paul Sartre
Personality as an ensemble of irrational unconscious factors
(Z. Freud)

Personality as a function of the outcome of

psychosocial crises

(E. Erikson)

Personality as a certain set of behavioral reactions, complex pattern of continuous

interaction of an individual, behavior and situation

(B. Skinner)
Personality as a unique way of awareness characteristic of
each individual experience
(G. Kelly)

Personality as an organized, long-term entity, which

subjectively perceived

(K. Rogers)
The Editors of Encyclopedia
Britannica
Personality is a characteristic way of thinking, feeling,
and behaving. Personality embraces moods, attitudes,
and opinions and is most clearly expressed in
interactions with other people. It includes behavioral
characteristics, both inherent and acquired, that
distinguish one person from another and that can be
observed in people’s relations to the environment and
to the social group.

APA Dictionary of Psychology

Personality refers to the enduring characteristics and
behavior that comprise a person’s unique adjustment to life,
including major traits, interests, drives, values, self-concept,
abilities, and emotional patterns. Various theories explain
the structure and development of personality in different
ways, but all agree that personality helps determine
behavior.
 personality
“persona” “mask”
latin
acient theater
The concept of personality is closely related to the
concept of human, individual and

pers nality

An individual is an each person as a single natural being, that

is, a single representative of the human race, the species
Homo Sapiens
 What Exactly Is Personality?
Consistency and Stability
Personality traits are relatively stable over time, meaning they tend to persist
throughout a person’s life. For example, if someone is typically outgoing
and sociable, they are likely to exhibit these traits consistently across various
situations and over many years.
Measurement
Psychologists have developed various methods to measure and
assess personality traits.

Nature and Nurture

Personality is shaped by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some traits may have a strong genetic
component, while others may develop due to life experiences, upbringing, and culture.

Development
Personality can evolve and change to some extent over a person’s lifespan. Life experiences, personal growth, and major
life events can influence personality development.
Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that examines
personality and its variation among individuals. It aims to show how
people are individually different due to psychological forces. Its areas of
focus include:
Why this?

how long does the fish have to work

each day so as not to burn out?
•Describing what personality is
•Documenting how personalities develop what is loneliness?
•Explaining the mental processes of personality and how they affect functioning
•Providing a framework for understanding individuals
Topics In Personality
Psychology
Experts in personality psychology delve into various
aspects, including:

Traits: These are stable, enduring qualities that describe how a person typically behaves, thinks, or feels.
Think of traits like extraversion (being outgoing) or neuroticism (emotional stability).
Theories: Many theories in this field attempt to explain why people are the way they are. For instance, you
might have heard of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory or Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Assessment: Psychologists use various tools and tests to measure personality traits, like the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the Big Five Personality Traits.
Development: Personality isn’t static; it evolves over time. Experts study how personality develops from
childhood through adulthood.
Applications: Understanding personality has practical applications in areas like therapy, career counseling,
and even marketing. It helps therapists tailor treatments, assists career advisors in finding suitable
professions, and guides marketers in targeting specific consumer groups.
Research: Personality psychologists conduct experiments and studies to advance our knowledge about
human behavior and personality. They often explore topics such as the influence of genetics, environment,
and culture on personality.
 The era of active scientific study of the personality problem can
be conditionally divided into two stages.

The first covers the period from the end of the

19th to the middle of the 20th century. and
roughly coincides with the period of
formation of classical psychology.

The second stage of research into

At that time, fundamental provisions about
personality were formulated, and the main directions
personality problems began in the
of psychological research on personality were second half of the 20th century.
established.
Many of the ideas conceptualized by historical and modern personality theorists stem from the basic philosophical
assumptions they hold. The study of personality is not a purely empirical discipline, as it brings in elements of art,
science, and philosophy to draw general conclusions. The following five categories are some of the most
fundamental philosophical assumptions on which theorists disagree:

Freedom determinism

VS
This is the question of whether humans have control over their own behavior and understand the motives behind it,
or if their behavior is causally determined by forces beyond their control. Behavior is categorized as being either
unconscious, environmental or biological by various theories
 Uniqueness universality

VS
This question discusses the extent of each human's individuality (uniqueness) or similarity in nature (universality).
Gordon Allport, Abraham Maslow, and Carl Rogers were all advocates of the uniqueness of individuals.
Behaviorists and cognitive theorists, in contrast, emphasize the importance of universal principles, such as
reinforcement and self-efficacy.
 Active Reactive

VS
This question explores whether humans primarily act through individual initiative (active) or through outside stimuli
. Traditional behavioral theorists typically believed that humans are passively shaped by their environments,
whereas humanistic and cognitive theorists believe that humans play a more active role. Most modern theorists agree
that both are important, with aggregate behavior being primarily determined by traits and situational factors being
the primary predictor of behavior in the short term.
 Optimastic pessimistic

VS
Personality theories differ with regard to whether humans are integral in the changing of their own personalities.
Theories that place a great deal of emphasis on learning are often more optimistic than those that do not
 Investigating Theories
of Personality
Experimental methods are those in which the researcher controls and manipulates the
variables of interest and takes measures of the results. This is the most scientific form
of research, but experimental research can be difficult when studying aspects of
personality such as motivations, emotions, and drives.

Case studies and self-report methods involve the in-depth analysis of an individual as
well as information provided by the individual. Case studies rely heavily on the
interpretations of the observer, while self-report methods depend on the memory of
the individual of interest.

Clinical research relies upon information gathered from clinical patients over the
course of treatment. Many personality theories are based on this type of research, but
because the research subjects are unique and exhibit abnormal behavior, this research
tends to be highly subjective and difficult to generalize.
 Methods measuring inner experience
Developed by psychologist Russel Hurlburt. This is
an idiographic method. This method relies on an
introspective technique that allows an individual's
inner experiences and characteristics to be described
and measured. A beep notifies the subject to record
their experience at that exact moment and 24 hours
later an interview is given based on all the experiences
recorded. DES has been used in subjects that have
been diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression.
Descriptive experience sampling (DES)
This method assumes that people have continuous
internal dialogues that can be naturally attended to.
ATSS also assesses a person's inner thoughts as they
verbalize their cognitions. In this procedure, subjects
listen to a scenario via a video or audio player and are
asked to imagine that they are in that specific situation.
Later, they are asked to articulate their thoughts as they
occur in reaction to the playing scenario.
Articulated thoughts in stimulated situations
(ATSS)
 Major Theories of Personality
Theories of personality seek to explain how personality forms, how it changes, and the
impact it has on behavior. In order to understand the personality theories in psychology,
it is essential to understand some of the basics about personality.

Five of the main theories of personality are biological theories, behavioral theories,
psychodynamic theories, humanist theories, and trait theories.
Biological Theories
of Personality
Biological approaches suggest that genetics are
responsible for personality. In the classic nature
versus nurture debate, the biological theories of
personality side with nature. Research
on heritability suggests that there is a link
between genetics and personality traits.

Twin studies are often used to investigate which

traits might be linked to genetics versus those
that might be linked to environmental variables.
For example, researchers might look at
Biology plays a very important role in the development of personality. The study of the
biological level in personality psychology focuses primarily on identifying the role of
genetic determinants and how they mold individual personalities. Some of the earliest
thinking about possible biological bases of personality grew out of the case of Phineas
Gage. In an 1848 accident, a large iron rod was driven through Gage's head, and his
personality apparently changed as a result, although descriptions of these psychological
changes are usually exaggerated.

Broca`s area
One of the best known biological theorists was Hans Eysenck, who
linked aspects of personality to biological processes.

Eysenck argued that personality is influenced by the stress

hormone cortisol. According to his theory, introverts have high
cortical arousal and avoid stimulation, while extroverts had low
cortical arousal and crave stimulation.
 Behavioral Theories of Personality
Behavioral theories suggest that personality is a result of interaction between the
individual and the environment.

An attitude develops as the response strength (the tendency to

respond) in the presences of a group of stimuli become stable.
Rather than describing conditionable traits in non-behavioral
language, response strength in a given situation accounts for the
environmental portion. Herrstein also saw traits as having a large
genetic or biological component, as do most modern behaviorists.
Psychodynamic
Theories of
Personality
Psychoanalytic theories explain human behavior in terms of the interaction of various components of
personality. Sigmund Freud was the founder of this school of thought. He drew on the physics of his day
(thermodynamics) to coin the term psychodynamics. Based on the idea of converting heat into mechanical
energy, Freud proposed psychic energy could be converted into behavior. His theory places central
importance on dynamic, unconscious psychological conflicts.
 Humanist Theories of Personality
Humanist theories emphasize the importance of
free will and individual experience in the
development of personality.
The four key dimensions:

1.Awareness – maintaining constant enjoyment and awe of life.

Intense concentration on an activity one is involved in, such as
running a marathon, may invoke a peak experience.
2.Reality and problem centered – having a tendency to be concerned
with "problems" in surroundings.
3.Acceptance/Spontaneity – accepting surroundings and what cannot
be changed.
4.Unhostile sense of humor/democratic – do not take kindly to
joking about others, which can be viewed as offensive. They have
openness
conscientious
ness
extroversion
The Big 5 theory
OCEAN
agreeableness **Eysenck believed that these dimensions then
combine in different ways to form an
neuroticism individual's unique personality.

collectively

Later, Eysenck added the third dimension known as psychoticism,

which related to things such as aggression, empathy, and
sociability.

Trait Theories of Personality

“What's in a name? That which we call a
rose … By any other name would smell
as sweet.”
William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet