Personality Theory In Context

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  • Created by: Caitlinl
  • Created on: 21-05-17 18:49
What is Implicit Personality Theory?
Intuition based theory of human behaviour that we construct to help us understand ourselves and others
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What are the features of Implicit Personality Theory?
Hear descriptions of people and observe them; non-conscious, frequent and automatic; we use this info to decide what kind of person they are
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Why is this problematic?
We are making assumptions of people without knowing them; we assume people behave in a certain way because of the person they are; defining others on skills others value
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What is this similar to?
Stereotyping
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How did Allport (1961) define personality?
A dynamic organisation that creates the person's characteristic patterns of behaviour
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What is important to consider with regards to personality definitions?
What the public defines a word as before using it to define a term
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What does this mean?
Accurate communication can occur
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Why are lay definitions important?
They provide a good starting point to base psychological definitions off
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Why is the purpose of Personality Theory controversial?
Central problem is there are different aspects (enviro, genetic etc)
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What can most personality theorists agree on?
Personality is a psychological construct based on why people differ (genetic influence and accounts for internal processes) and not directly observable
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What are the aims of studying personality?
Motivational; finding base nature of human beings; categorisation of ind diffs; linked to why people are like how they are; is true personality change possible?
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How many words originally was used for personality before Allport?
Around 50
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What are the idiographic methods for studying personality?
Focuses on the individual and describes variables within individuals
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What are the features of the idiographic method?
Studies 1 person at a time; person is a unique personality; differences between people are greater than similarities; single case study
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What is the nomothetic method?
Based on the assumption there is a finite set of variables that can describe personality
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What does the nomothetic method aim to do?
Identify traits that consistently occur across groups; study more groups of people on a particular variable; can establish levels of that variable in groups and produce group norms/averages
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Is personality stable over time?
Perceived as relatively stable- enduring, important aspect of the self
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Does personality change in situations?
No, but can have major influence on the brain - accepted people can and do change over time but personality remains stable
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What are the big 5?
Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism
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What is the difference between observed and inferred?
The distinction between observable and non-observable aspects of P; Observable=inferences;
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What is the difference between public and private personality?
Private=who you really are; public=who you show to the world
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How to measures of personality describe a person?
Describes what a person is actually like/aspire to be like despite social pressures to conform; goes beyond physical appearance to get to the essence of the person
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What do theorist think about personality?
Not just the situation we are in that influences the brain
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Who are the 2 main groups that disagree about personality?
Social deconstructionalists vs Personality theorists
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How do we evaluate Personality Theory?
Detach yourself from the theory; know how to evaluate theory, allows to become critical as you absorb new info (historical evidence NOT systematically evaluating)
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What is the criteria for Personality Theory?
Description; Explanation; Empirical validity; Testable components; comprehensions; parsimony; heuristic values and applied value
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What is parsimony?
Economical in explaining concepts it includes
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What are heuristic values?
Generates interest and scientific research
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What are the features of Implicit Personality Theory?

Back

Hear descriptions of people and observe them; non-conscious, frequent and automatic; we use this info to decide what kind of person they are

Card 3

Front

Why is this problematic?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is this similar to?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

How did Allport (1961) define personality?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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