general psychology

Module 5
Personality

PSYC 122 General Psychology II

Objectives

At the end of the module, the student will be able to:

Distinguish the difference
between the concepts of

personality, character, and
temperament.

Identify the three (3) major
contributors to personality, the

multiple influences on
personality, and the four (4)

personality assessment
methods.

Evaluate how culture affects
personality.

Explain the defense
mechanisms, the levels of
consciousness, the mental

structures, and the
psychosexual stages of

development according to
Freud.

Describe the five-factor model
(FFM).

Examine Maslow’s hierarchy
of needs.

Analyze Bandura’s theory of
reciprocal determinism,

Rotter’s theory, Alfred Adler,
and Carl Jung’s theories.

▪ Personality refers to our distinct

and enduring configuration of

thoughts, emotions, and

behaviors that remains relatively

consistent over time.

▪ Character encompasses our

ethical standards, moral

principles, personal values, and

integrity that guide our decisions

and actions.

Personality

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Personality is the enduring pattern of characteristics that generates

consistency and individuality in an individual. Many experts in behavior

have devoted their studies to understanding how personality is formed

and the stages of development and maturation it undergoes.

▪ Some of the major theoretical approaches in the study of personality

include:

o Psychodynamic theories

o Humanistic theories

o Trait theory

o Cognitive theories

Personality

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Three key factors that can play a role in shaping

various personality characteristics include brain

structures, neurochemistry, and genetics.

▪ These factors have the capacity to exert

influence and contribute to the development of

different aspects of an individual’s personality.

Major Contributors to Personality

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Levels of Consciousness

o Freud called the mind “psyche” and asserted that it contains three levels of

awareness:

1. Conscious: This level includes motives and thoughts that a person is

aware of or can recall from memory.

2. Preconscious: Below the conscious level, the preconscious contains

thoughts, motives, or memories that exist beneath the surface of

awareness. These contents can be brought to consciousness when

needed or desired.

3. Unconscious: The unconscious is a reservoir of predominantly

unacceptable thoughts, feelings, memories, and other information that

remains hidden from conscious awareness. It is a part of the mind that

influences thoughts and behaviors without being directly accessible to

conscious examination.

Freud Psychoanalytic Theory

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ According to Freud, personality consisted

of three components: the id, ego, and

superego.

▪ When the ego fails to reconcile the

conflicting demands of the id and

superego, feelings of anxiety are said to

emerge into conscious awareness, leading

to the activation of defense mechanisms.

Defense Mechanisms

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

Defense Mechanisms

Repression Denial Projection

Reaction
formation

Regression Rationalization

Identification Displacement Sublimation

(Engler, 2014)

▪ According to Freud five developmental stages during which particular

kinds of pleasures must be gratified if personality development is to

proceed normally.

Freud Psychoanalytic Theory

Oral

Anal

Phallic

Latency

Genital

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ The collective unconscious represents the deepest level of the

unconscious mind, encompassing universal memories and archetypes

shared by all individuals due to our common ancestral past.

▪ Archetypes are collective and universal images and patterns that reside in

the unconscious and hold symbolic significance for all people.

o One example of an archetype pertains to gender roles. According to Jung, both

males and females possess archetypal patterns for the feminine aspects of

personality, known as the “anima,” and the masculine aspects of personality,

known as the “animus.” These archetypes enable individuals to express and

embody both masculine and feminine traits within their personality and aid in

understanding the opposite sex.

Carl Jung’s Personality Theories

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Adler’s individual personality theory diverges from the notion of

behavior being driven by unconscious forces. Instead, he posits that

behavior is purposeful and directed towards specific goals.

According to Adler, individuals are motivated by a desire to

overcome feelings of inferiority that stem from early childhood

experiences of helplessness and incompetence.

▪ An inferiority complex is wherein individuals harbor deep-seated

feelings of inadequacy. Adler emphasizes that individuals strive to

compensate for these perceived weaknesses and work towards

achieving superiority and personal growth.

Alfred Adler Personality theory

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Bandura proposed that personality is

shaped through a three-way

reciprocal interaction between the

individual’s internal characteristics,

the external environment, and the

individual’s behavior.

Albert Bandura’s Reciprocal Determinism Theory

Personality

Person

EnvironmentBehavior

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Julian B. Rotter utilized personality assessments to gauge the

internal versus external locus of control, aiming to comprehend

personality and behavior.

▪ The internal locus of control refers to the belief that individuals have

control over their own destiny and that their actions significantly

influence outcomes. On the other hand, the external locus of control

reflects the belief that external factors or forces beyond one’s

control determine the course of events.

Julian B. Rotter –Locus of Control

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Maslow believed that human beings

possess an intrinsic positive

essence within them. This innate

positivity and the inherent

inclination towards self-actualization

motivate individuals to achieve their

fullest potential and pursue

personal development.

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ The Five-Factor Model is a personality trait model

consisting of five fundamental dimensions, commonly

referred to as the Big Five. These dimensions are:

o Openness

o Conscientiousness

o Extraversion

o Agreeableness

o Neuroticism

Five-Factor Model

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Openness: This dimension reflects a person’s inclination towards novelty,

imagination, and intellectual curiosity. Individuals high in openness tend to

be creative, open-minded, and receptive to new experiences.

▪ Conscientiousness: refers to the degree of organization, responsibility,

and self-discipline in an individual. People high in conscientiousness are

typically diligent, dependable, and strive for achievement.

▪ Extraversion: represents the extent to which an individual seeks social

interaction, stimulation and experiences positive emotions. Extraverts are

outgoing, assertive and enjoy being around others.

Five-Factor Model

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Agreeableness: measures an individual’s tendency to be

cooperative, friendly, and compassionate towards others. People

high in agreeableness are generally warm and empathetic.

▪ Neuroticism: represents the degree of emotional stability versus

instability in an individual. Those high in neuroticism tend to

experience negative emotions such as anxiety, moodiness, and

vulnerability to stress.

Five-Factor Model

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

Personality Assessment Methods

INTERVIEWS OBSERVATIONS OBJECTIVE
TESTS

PROJECTIVE
TESTS

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ During an unstructured interview, interviewers form
impressions and follow their instincts or allow the
interviewee to provide more details on information that
might reveal aspects of their personality.

▪ In contrast, a structured interview involves the
interviewer asking predetermined, specific questions to
assess the interviewee’s responses in a more objective
manner and make comparisons with the responses of
others.

Interviews

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Psychologists evaluate personality by

directly observing behavior in

addition to conducting interviews.

▪ Through systematic observation and

adherence to specific evaluation

criteria, they analyze and interpret

behavioral patterns to gain insights

into an individual’s personality.

Observations

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Objective tests are utilized to collect

precise and impartial information about

a broad spectrum of personality traits

within a relatively brief timeframe.

▪ These tests yield objective data that can

enhance comprehension of an

individual’s personality attributes,

providing insights into their unique

characteristics. The Minnesota

Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2

(MMPI-2) serves as an illustration of

such an objective test.

Objective Tests

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

▪ Employ stimuli that lack structure and can be interpreted in multiple

ways.

▪ Tests like the Rorschach Inkblot Test and the Thematic Apperception

Test (TAT) purportedly enable individuals to project their unconscious

conflicts, psychological defenses, motives, and personality traits onto

the test materials.

Projective Tests

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

(Sanderson and Huffman, 2020)

References

Engler, B. (2014). Personality Theories: An Introduction. Houghton Mifflin.

Sanderson, C. A., & Huffman, K. (2020). Real world psychology (3rd ed.). Wiley. ISBN-

13: 978-1119577751

psychology-catherine-a-sanderson-karen-v9781119577737

Review as many times as required the information contained in the module folder

(includes this presentation).

Read the reference material to clarify any questions.

Carry out all the activities according to the instructions.

Submit assignments on the indicated date through the educational

platform.

Congratulations you have reviewed the

theoretical summary of this week’s topic!

Actively participate in collaborative sessions.

Remember that to successfully build your learning it is important that: