Class notes
Chapter 1 book notes
- Course
- Institution
Chapter 1 book notes
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
lynnnnehme14
Content preview
Chapter 1: Book notesSix approaches to personality:
o psychoanalytic approach: people’s unconscious minds are largely responsible for
important differences in their behavior styles.
o trait approach: identify where a person might lie along a continuum of various
personality characteristics.
o biological approach: point to inherited predispositions and physiological processes to
explain individual differences in personality.
o humanistic approach: identify personal responsibility and feelings of self-acceptance as
the key causes of differences in personality.
o behavioral /social learning approach: explain consistent behavior patterns in terms of
conditioning and expectations.
o cognitive approach: look at differences in the way people process information.
It’s tempting to suggest that by simply combining all six approaches, we can obtain an accurate
picture of why people act the way they do.
Two Examples: Aggression and Depression
o Aggression:
- The classic psychoanalytic explanation of aggression points to an unconscious
death instinct (page 6). Other psychoanalysts argue that aggression results when
we are blocked from reaching our goals.
- Personality theorists who follow the trait approach focus on individual
differences and the stability of aggressive behavior (experiment on book, page
6).
- Personality psychologists from the biological perspective point to a genetic pre-
disposition to act aggressively.
the fact that men tend to be more aggressive than women might be
explained by the male’s inherited need to exercise control over rivals so
that he can survive and pass along his genes.
Other researchers from this approach look at the role hormones and
neurotransmitters play in aggressive behavior.
- Psychologists who take a humanistic approach to personality deny that some
individuals are born to be aggressive. They believe that problems develop when
something interferes with this natural growth process.
- According to the behavioral/social learning approach, people learn to be aggressive
the same way they learn other behaviors.
- Cognitive psychologists focus on the way aggressive people process information.
Certain cues in the environment, such as images of guns and fighting, often trigger a
network of aggressive thoughts and emotions.
- For Freud it’s subconscious drives (sex and aggression), if ego doesn’t do a good job
then aggression comes out - why does someone become a butcher? According to
, Freud it’s because they have morally wrong drives so the ego makes up for it by
releasing the aggressive energy on useful activities.
- There are people that get more frustrated than others ( it’s Part of their personality)
o Depression:
- According to Sigmund Freud, the founder of the psychoanalytic approach, depression is
anger turned inward.
- Trait theorists are concerned with identifying depression-prone individuals.
- Biological personality psychologists point to evidence that some people may inherit a
genetic susceptibility to depression.
- Humanistic personality theorists explain depression in terms of self-esteem. That is,
people who frequently suffer from depression are those who have failed to develop a
good sense of their self-worth.
- Psychologists from the behavioral/social learning approach point to learning histories
as a cause of depression. Behaviorists argue that depression results from a lack of
positive reinforcers in a person’s life.
- Cognitive personality psychologists argue that some people are prone to episodes of
depression because of the way they process information.
Personality and culture:
o For example, research suggests that the Western notion of self-esteem is based on
assumptions about personal goals and feelings of unique- ness that may not apply to people
in many other countries.
o Cultural context influences an individual’s personality
o Individualistic cultures: Emphasize on individual needs and accomplishments.
o Collectivist cultures: Emphasize on belonging to a larger group: Family, tribe, or nation
o Attachment style experiment (how the child reacts when a mother leaves the room)
o Secure attachment is tested
o In Germany a lot of babies were not securely attached for example (individualistic culture)
Personality:
- There is more of a genetic (biological) aspect to personality (nature vs. nurture debate)
- Temperament (has more of a biological aspect to it) - emotional reactivity and
emotional regulation (uses of emotional intelligence and emotional self efficacy)
- Temperament is the part of personality that is the most inherited
- Knowing someone’s temperament guides our behavior
- Identity also makes up our personality – it is our self concept or our idea of who we are
and what defines us
The Person and the Situation:
- One of your personality traits can be affected by a certain situation/person (Person-
context interaction)
- Sometimes there are inconsistencies, but they are not major (people change)
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller lynnnnehme14. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
56326 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now