PSY 101 Case Study 2

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Psychology

Course Notes Personality

On this page, you’ll read about some additional concepts that you should note to succeed in this course.

3 Personality and Human Development / Page 3.11 Course Notes: Personality On this page: 1 of 1 attempted (100%) | 1 of 1 correct (100%)

We recognize that biological factors and experience, together, shape our personality. Earlier in this chapter, we learned how we all follow a similar path as we physically and psychologically develop from infancy through adulthood. But how does our personality interact with our development? Now we turn to descriptions of our differences and the individual personalities that arise from our unique biological and situational experiences. On this Course Notes page, we’ll learn about the historical and biological foundations of the personality traits that will be discussed later in this chapter. In addition, we’ll consider whether personality can change.

Assessing Personality Traits

Look around your personal spaces, such as your home, car, or social media profile. How do these spaces reflect your personality? If a few strangers spent 10 minutes examining one of these spaces, would they be able to develop a good sense of who you are? How well would they be able to predict your behavior? What can we know about someone’s personality through such a brief snapshot?

Psychologists describe personality in terms of fundamental traits—people’s characteristic behaviors and conscious motives—rather than in terms of broad “types.” Traits allow us to describe the multiple dimensions of our personalities. In the 1960s, British psychologists Hans Eysenck and Sybil Eysenck [EYE-zink] administered one of the first large-scale personality tests. They used a statistical technique called factor analysis to identify clusters (or factors) of test questions that essentially asked about the same dimensions. For example, if the same people who say they enjoy reading for pleasure also describe themselves as quiet and reserved, then these responses represent a factor—introversion. Ultimately, the Eysencks’ factor analysis led them to propose that our personality can be distilled down to two or three dimensions, including extraversion–introversion and emotional stability–instability (Figure 6).

Figure 6

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Two Personality Dimensions

Circle divided into four sections along north-south and east-west axes, each section containing personality traits that represent a combination of stability or instability and extraversion or introversion. In the upper left quadrant, which represents instability and introversion, the traits listed are: moody, anxious, rigid, sober, pessimistic, reserved, unsociable, and quiet. The upper right quadrant, instability and extraversion, contains these traits: touchy, restless, aggressive, excitable, changeable, impulsive, optimistic, and active. The lower left quadrant, introversion and stability, contains these traits: passive, careful, thoughtful, peaceful, controlled, reliable, even-tempered, and calm. The lower right quadrant, extraversion and stability, contains these traits: sociable, outgoing, talkative, responsive, easygoing, lively, carefree, and leadership. To the left of this circle is a photograph of Jane Goodall kissing a monkey on the head, and to the right of it is a photograph of Bill Clinton laughing with two athletes.

Mapmakers can tell us a lot by using two axes (north–south and east–west). Two primary personality factors (extraversion–introversion and stability–instability) are similarly

useful as axes for describing personality variation. Varying combinations define other, more specific traits (from Eysenck & Eysenck, 1963). Those who are naturally introverted, such as primatologist Jane Goodall, may be particularly gifted in field studies. Successful

politicians, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, are often natural extraverts.

Jean-Marc Bouju/AP Photo; Andrew Innerarity/Reuters/Landov

Biological Influences on Personality Traits

Biology and physiology influence our personality traits. Infant temperament sets the stage for the development of personality. Calm and social babies are more likely to grow up to be emotionally stable; sensitive and intense babies who are difficult to soothe are likely to grow up to experience greater anxiety. Studies have shown that differences in children’s autonomic nervous systems’ response to stress can influence the amount of shyness and fear that a child typically displays (Kagan, 2010). Brain scans, too, show that compared with introverts, extraverts have low brain arousal—which may cause them to seek out more stimulation—and that their dopamine levels and dopamine- related activity tend to be higher (Kim et al., 2008; Wacker et al., 2006).

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Can Your Personality Change?

Psychologists define personality as our characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting. These patterns can be observed across multiple situations, but it is important to note that situations can create changes in behavior that are not indicative of personality trait change. We may be quite talkative when eating lunch with our close friends but quiet and reserved when first meeting the parents of someone we just started dating. This distinction does not mean that our personality has changed; it just means that we have adjusted our behavior based on the setting or people.

Similarly, personality is distinct from moods. A mood is a temporary physiological and emotional response. When we’re in a “bad mood,” we might not act like our characteristic self, but our personality traits haven’t changed. When the bad mood ends, our normal patterns of thinking and acting return. For these reasons, psychologists would discourage you from trying to predict a classmate’s future behavior based on what you observe in just one situation.

Although personality is a relatively stable pattern of thinking, feeling, and behavior, major life changes—such as becoming a parent or experiencing a religious conversion— can change or create new behaviors. These events do not simply change our mood; they change our habits and often our identities. A personality change happens over time, as new patterns of behavior are established and our traits are revised.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which of the following BEST describes an individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting?

mood schema self-esteem personality

Correct. Psychologists define personality as our characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.

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