...Personality Overview PSY/405 Theories of Personality What is Personality? Personality is what makes people behave in a certain way, think a certain way, and feel a certain way. It basically sums up who we are as an individual. "Although no single definition is acceptable to all personality theorists, we can say that personality is a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person's behavior." (Feist and Feist, 2009, p. 4) There is so much more to personality than just emotions and thoughts; we also have theories of personality. First there is Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development, and then there is Carl Jung’s Jungian Theory of Personality. There are so many personality theories that can describe a person’s personality, and they are all taken into effect to determine what one’s personality truly is. Assumptions The Jungian Theory describes the explanation and structure of the actual human psyche. Jung divided the human psyche into three parts and they are as follows; ego, personal unconscious, and the collective unconscious (Boeree, 1997, 2006). The Jungian Theory is one of the most complicated theories because it offers a lot of information, and some of the information that is provided is very hard to understand. Carl Jung described the human consciousness by its preference of general attitude, and that would be extraverted (E) and...
Words: 974 - Pages: 4
...into the human personality has been conducted for many decades, and much of this work has focused on defining personality and understanding how many dimensions of personality there are. In recent years, more organizations have been using self-reporting personality tests to identify personality traits as part of their hiring or management development processes. Employers recognize that experience, education, and intelligence may not be the only indicators of who the best hire might be. Additionally, understanding one's own personality characteristics may improve one's ability to develop as an employee and manager. Therefore, it is important to understand the different facets of personality and the ways in which they can be measured. One primary area of agreement about personality is that it is a trait. That is, personality is enduring and unlikely to change substantially in one's adult life. The aim of this article is to reflect over different factors that can influence our personality. What influences our personality more? Is it our culture, genetics or our environment? I believe all of these factors influence our personalities one way or another although, one argument is that personality is neither cultural, genetics nor environmental, but, that WE determine personality. We chose - we define ourselves by our actions and our beliefs: neither of which are genetically inherited. One lifetime of experience can undo an eternity of genetics as far as personality is concerned. ...
Words: 1592 - Pages: 7
...Personality Danielle Taliaferro PSY 211 June 5, 2013 Andrea Mc Lellan, MA, MFT Personality The study of personality is one of the major topics of interest within psychology. Each of us, as human beings, influences much that is within us and around us. Each person has many psychological attributes; feelings, thoughts and motivations. It is our personality that orchestrates our psychological qualities. Some individuals cannot help but wonder how the personality works, how it came to be and what it might mean for their future. Some also wonder about the personalities of others; how they are the same or different from them. Although these questions are intriguing, the question that must be answered first is the most basic: “What is personality?” Personality encompasses the many characteristics that arise from within an individual. It is what makes an individual unique. Researchers have developed four different perspectives on personality. Each of these perspectives attempts to describe different patterns in personality, including how these patters form and how people differ on an individual level. Psychoanalytic Perspective emphasizes the importance of early childhood experiences and the unconscious mind. This perspective was created by psychiatrist Sigmund Freud who believed that things hidden in the unconscious could be revealed in a number of different ways, including through dreams, free association and slips of the tongue. Freud’s work shaped the fields of clinical...
Words: 1559 - Pages: 7
...Images A. Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory B. Divisions of the Mind C. Developmental Stages D. Freud’s Followers & Critics E. Humanistic Theories Concept Review F. Cultural Diversity: Unexpected High Achievement G. Research Focus: Shyness 434 436 438 440 442 447 H. Application: Assessment—Projective Tests Summary Test Critical Thinking Can Personality Explain Obesity? Links to Learning 450 452 454 Introduction Personality Ted Haggard founded New Life Church in the basement of his house 25 years ago and became a prominent author and national evangelical Christian leader with a congregation of 14,000 worshippers in the largest church in Colorado. He is married with five children and has boyish dimples and a warm smile. In 2006, at the peak of his career, a male prostitute accused Haggard of having a three-year sexual affair with him and of using drugs. is accusation was alarming not only because Haggard was a married pastor, but also because he publicly supported a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. When the accusations were first broadcast on the news, Haggard confessed to church officials, saying, “Ninety-eight percent of what you know of me was the real me. Two percent of me would rise up, and I couldn’t overcome At the height of his career, it” (Haggard, 2006a). Then, in Ted Haggard, well-known pastor, a television news interview the confessed to “sexual immorality.” next morning, Haggard denied ever having sex with a male prostitute and ever using drugs. Church...
Words: 30527 - Pages: 123
...describe the personalities of the people around us. Personality is all of the characteristic, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make a person unique. Personality surfaces from inside the individual and remains constant throughout life. Personality has a lot to do with where we came from and the people that we surround ourselves with. Our personalities sometimes make or break us. Whether we get a new job due to our bubbly personality or are not considered for a job to our plain personality. Personalities truly shape our lives on a daily basis and are extremely important in ever aspect of our life. “Personality is a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency of behavior over time, and stability of behavior across situations”. (Feist, 2009) Personality is shaped through our family environment, the community we are raised in, the schools we attend, and the friends we surround ourselves with. Each person has a special personality, whether it is an outgoing personality or a shy personality. Each person has a different set of characteristics and traits that make up their individual personality. For example, even though my sister and I grew up in the exact same environment, family, and community our personalities are completely different. She has always been easy going in most situations and I tend to be more on edge. I am a much quieter and reserved person and she is much louder and outgoing. Reading the definition of personality, or even...
Words: 938 - Pages: 4
...on the development of personality. Ans. What is Personality? Personality can be defined as a dynamic and organized set of characteristics possessed by a person that uniquely influences his or her cognitions, motivations, and behaviors in various situations. Some say that personality is inherited or hereditary. Some raised the idea that it is environment that shapes one’s personality. Both are correct, many studies have shown that both heredity and environment are responsible in shaping an individual’s personality. Heredity is one of the major factors in the development of our personality. Hereditary factors were passed by our parents and ancestors to us. The individual’s talent and some other traits are just few examples of these traits. The environment is another factor in personality development. These include the place we live and the people around us. Our experiences in our day to day life, as well as the people whom we associated with such as our family, friends, people in the school, in the church and the community as a whole, all influences our personality. Behavioral and Social Cognitive Theories suggest that personality is a result of interaction between the individual and the environment. Behavioral theorists include B. F. Skinner and Albert Bandura. Biological and Evolutionary Approaches to Personality suggests that important components of personality are inherited. Research on heritability suggests that there is a link between genetics and personality traits...
Words: 303 - Pages: 2
...Personality: Theories Chapter: Personality Theories 429 Personality: Theories What Is "Personality"? Psychologists' Usage of Personality Elements of Personality Techniques of Study Theories of Personality Trait Theories Psychoanalytic Theory Central elements of Psychoanalysis Psychoanalytic Personality Structure Instincts in Psychoanalysis Other Psychodynamic Theorists (Social-) Learning Theories Dollard/Miller's Stimulus-Response Theory B. F. Skinner and Personality as Behavior Bandura and Social Learning Self-Growth Theories Carl Rogers and Person-Centered Theory Maslow's Holistic Theory A Modern Theory of Personality: Big Five USING PSYCHOLOGY: What Determines Your Personality -Heredity? Environment? USING PSYCHOLOGY: What Determines Your Personality -Heredity and Environment REVIEW ACTIVITIES INTERESTED IN MORE? Personality: Theories WHAT'S THE ANSWER? "I'm really jealous of my sister. Here I am about to graduate, and I only made it into the Student Association this year. Sis's a freshman -- a frosh -- and she's already been elected." "Wilma, I know what you mean. My older brother was the same way. You know what your sister and my brother have in common? They've both got a lot of personality. Your sister kind of just radiates charm -- even for a first-year student! And Kirk's the same way: Everywhere he goes, people smile with him. He gushes at the right time, gets serious when he needs to, and always has a good word for everybody. He's just got a PSYCHOLOGY: ...
Words: 10917 - Pages: 44
...Lifespan Development Lifespan Development A child can always brighten a room, the inquisitive look in a child’s eyes as he or she gazes upon their new surrounding, and the joy they get from everyday objects that adults take for granted because adults have seen and touched these objects. This paper will attempt to describe how certain surroundings and traditions can affect ones personality from aspects in their childhood. Over a lifespan the human body develops, and at different ages the body changes. What factors affect physical development? Physical development starts when we are born, the genetic make-up from our parents may decide on how fast or slow our motor skills are developed. Another factor that plays in our early development is the environment we are born into, or in some bigger families the place we are born into can be a factor in our development. According to child psychologist, Dr. Richard Woolfson a first born child may learn at a faster rate than a second or third born. First born children are surrounded by adults, so speech may come quicker where as a child born with siblings may develop motor skills at an accelerated rate often copying, or mimicking siblings. The environment that the child is exposed to is probably the most important factor in the child’s development, what children are exposed to, or not exposed to, may decide how their speech or personality are developed. A child exposed to violence...
Words: 962 - Pages: 4
...appearance is very modest. While examining Bills characteristics and troubles I have found that his primary problem is that he suffers from some form of depression. Based upon Bills symptoms it is hypothesized that he suffers from Major Depressive Disorder. This disorder that bill suffers from causes you to be in a bad mood, not getting any pleasure from activities, and having no interest in anything that he does. Symptoms include sleeping and eating disorders, not being about to think or concentrate. It also can cause problems making decisions, and often thinking about suicide. These symptoms can be caused by biological factors, which are genetic, chemical, neurological and physiological factors that may affect or put Bill at risk for developing a mood disorder such as depression or in this case major depressive disorder. Bill’s parents both suffered from depression in which was perhaps genetically passed down to Bill due to genetic factors. Bill was molested by a stranger at six years old, this may have increased his willingness to participate in sodomy with his older brother and caused him to be sexual activity at an early age. He willingly had sodomy because he thought he was doing the right thing due to his passed experience of being molested. What he went through at such an early age was normal to be sexually active at the age of 12, which shows a theory of cognitive appraisal. Which says that an interpretation or appraisal, thought or memory of a situation event or object...
Words: 1373 - Pages: 6
...Development psychology can be described as the scientific approach that aims at explaining how both adults and children change over time. Most proportions of theories within the discipline majorly focus on childhood development. This is so because it tends to explain the period at which more changes occurs during an individual’s lifespan. This area of psychology focuses mostly on theoretical subjects such as; cognitive, social, emotion and biological. The main goals and objectives of developmental psychology are to explain, describe and optimize human development. While describing human development, it is crucial to focus both on individual variations in change patterns and typical patterns of change. Typical change patterns are perceived as the cumulative and continual process. It is however crucial to note that people can possibly change if certain aspects of their life change too. This form of change is referred to as plasticity. For instance, a previous research had shown that somber babies raised in poorly staffed orphanages often become affectionate and cheerful when placed in a stimulating socially adoptive homes. In explaining human development, it is important to understand the contribution of certain aspects such as; nurture and nature. The aspect of nature in development refers to biological maturation and inheritance. Contrastingly, nurture refers to environment impact on human self-development. The process involves how the learning process takes place through...
Words: 960 - Pages: 4
...Introduction to Personality Lori McClaskey December 2, 2013 PSY/405 University of Phoenix Stephen Brown In this paper I will examine personality theory, I will define personality and take a look at the theoretical approaches used to study personality. I will look at the factors of development in one’s personality and provide some input from my own life experiences. Defining Personality I was thinking of ways to define personality in my own words, so I thought I would compare what our test says against what common people thought it meant. I work in a 90 bed facility and I asked several nurses and other co-workers how they would define personality. Some of the nurses and co-workers started naming characteristics such as cheerful, nice, bubbly, moody, etc. I started thinking if the characteristics of personality it what people remember about a person then what causes people to have such characteristics? Defining personality, theorist have not come up with one agreeable definition but have many theories of what personality is. They agree that personality is a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person’s behavior. People have traits this is a consistent pattern of behavior over a period time. Traits can be individual or a group can also possess traits that are the same of similar (Feist & Feist, 2009). As I mentioned earlier when talking to my co-workers people have characteristics...
Words: 1143 - Pages: 5
...THEORIES OF PERSONALITY Personality Usually when we talk about someone's personality, we are talking about what makes that person different from other people, perhaps even unique. This aspect of personality is called individual differences. For some theories, it is the central issue. These theories often spend considerable attention on things like types and traits and tests with which we can categorize or compare people: Some people are neurotic, others are not; some people are more introverted, others more extroverted; and so on. However, personality theorists are just as interested in the commonalities among people. What, for example, does the neurotic person and the healthy person have in common? Or what is the common structure in people that expresses itself as introversion in some and extroversion in others? If you place people on some dimension -- such as healthy-neurotic or introversion-extroversion -- you are saying that the dimension is something everyone can be placed on. Another way of saying this is that personality theorists are interested in the structure of the individual, the psychological structure in particular. How are people "put together;" how do they "work;" how do they "fall apart." Some theorists go a step further and say they are looking for the essence of being a person. Or they say they are looking for what it means to be an individual human being. The field of personality psychology stretches from a fairly simple empirical search for differences...
Words: 1079 - Pages: 5
...Defining personality Defining personality Introduction From time to time one will come to terms that not everyone is alike. Once we realize that not one person looks alike to another, we finally come to terms that everyone acts differently. One person might always be happy and show it to the world whereas another person is always happy but doesn’t show it like the first person this person might be shyer versus the other individual who is more outgoing. In this paper you will fine personality defined, different theoretical approaches in studying personality and factors that may influence an individual’s personality development. Defining Personality Personality originated from the Latin word persona. In some way personality is the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character. In other words it is what makes up an individual. There are many theories of personality, a short version is that personality is more or less made up of different types of characteristic patterns some are thoughts, feelings, and behavior an individual might have. Personality may be a believed to be something that is born with a person, but some research suggest that it is also influenced by different types of biological process and needs that an individual might have. Theoretical approaches There are numerous amounts of different theories on personality and how it comes to be, but first to understand a theory one might ask what a theory is? “A...
Words: 877 - Pages: 4
...Learning Personality Theories Bob Smith PSY405 The learning theories in psychology give us the insight into how we learn and how we interact with other people. Our personalities are what people see us as. They make a determination of our personality based on how we act towards others. We all learn in different ways and this is what makes us unique in our ability to do so. We have different learning styles and they show us what type of personality we carry as well. Our interpersonal relationships are also very important. They are impacted by the way we interact with others. If we tend to stay away from people, then our relationships suffer or we may have none. The whole idea here is to see how the learning theories help us figure out what kind of personality we have and the ability to connect with others. Individual personalities are affected by learning theories and many other factors. It was explained by Skinner that psychology must avoid internal mental factors and confine itself to observable physical events (Feist, & Feist, 2009). Theories are invested and developed through the outside world and our environment. We take in information through observing the things in the world around us. People tend to pick these behaviors up from parents, family members, friends, caregivers and media outlets. These behaviors shape the human mind and alter the individual’s personality. As children we learn a lot by observing our parents and adults closest to us. One of the many examples...
Words: 889 - Pages: 4
...Introduction to Personality PSY/405 Introduction to Personality The purpose of this paper is to define and examine the aspects of the personality types that encompass an individual. The word personality evolves from the Latin word persona. The definition that is used in modern times does not mention the possibility of the false appearance of an individual but tends to focus on that of observable behavior. This behavior is described through the traits and characteristics that each human being displays. Traits can be used as an accountability feature for any consistent behavior displayed by a person over time. The characteristics have the ability to explain those attributes that are shown only by that certain person. These can include intelligence and temperament. Theoretical Approaches to Personality Study The process of studying the personality side of psychology weighs heavy on the basic human nature idea that a person will find what makes them tick through their viewpoints, perspectives and the ideas that person possesses. There are six dualistic dimensions that human nature deals within psychology. They are determinism versus free choice, pessimism versus optimism, casualty versus teleology, conscious versus unconscious determinants...
Words: 1113 - Pages: 5
