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Course Materials: TextsCourse Materials: TextsFunder, The Personality Funder, The Personality Puzzle, 6Puzzle, 6thth Edition. Edition.

Theories of Personality Theories of Personality Handbook. Handbook. (Custom Courseware)(Custom Courseware)

RequiredRequired

OptionalOptional

Course Website(s)Course Website(s)Avenue to Learn: Avenue to Learn: Course website: Course website:

http://intropsych.mcmaster.ca/psych2b3/http://intropsych.mcmaster.ca/psych2b3/

Course SyllabusCourse Syllabus

Two midterm tests:Two midterm tests:

Evaluation:Evaluation:

30% each30% each

40 MC questions40 MC questions

Final Exam:Final Exam:40%40%

80 MC questions80 MC questions

Non-cumulativeNon-cumulative1. Thursday October 291. Thursday October 29thth

2. November 192. November 19thth

Cumulative (only Cumulative (only readings after 2readings after 2ndnd midterm)midterm)

McMaster Student Absence FormMcMaster Student Absence FormOnly for Only for MEDICALMEDICAL absences absences

Can only be used Can only be used ONCEONCE per term per term

Cannot be used for assignment worth Cannot be used for assignment worth 30% or more 30% or more of final markof final mark

Cannot be used for Cannot be used for final examsfinal exams

Cannot be used for 2B03 midtermsCannot be used for 2B03 midterms

Medical documentation to Associate Medical documentation to Associate Dean required otherwiseDean required otherwise

Nature vs. Nurture?Nature vs. Nurture?What is ‘human nature’?What is ‘human nature’?How does personality develop?How does personality develop?What motivates us?What motivates us?Conscious vs unconscious?Conscious vs unconscious?Group vs individual?Group vs individual?

nomotheticnomotheticidiographicidiographic

More global and generalMore global and general

Long history of interestLong history of interest

Many large-scale theoriesMany large-scale theories

Theories don’t guide researchTheories don’t guide research

Theories generated/tested Theories generated/tested differentlydifferently

Theorists clinicians, not scientistsTheorists clinicians, not scientists

Influenced by theorist’s personalityInfluenced by theorist’s personality

Little empirical supportLittle empirical support

Non-scientific evaluationNon-scientific evaluation

Theories difficult to test:Theories difficult to test:Postdictive, not predictivePostdictive, not predictiveVague, abstract conceptsVague, abstract concepts

Historic role in personality theory Historic role in personality theory developmentdevelopment

Currently importantCurrently important

Have been influential in the pastHave been influential in the past

Nicely illustrate a particular perspectiveNicely illustrate a particular perspective

They are interesting in and of themselvesThey are interesting in and of themselves

Whatever makes for Whatever makes for consistency in our behaviorconsistency in our behavior

Whatever is responsible Whatever is responsible for individual differences in for individual differences in behaviorbehavior

ConstructConstruct ConstructConstruct

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

““It is important to realize that in physics today It is important to realize that in physics today we have no knowledge of what energy we have no knowledge of what energy isis. We . We do not have a picture that energy comes in little do not have a picture that energy comes in little blobs of a definite amount. It is not that way.” blobs of a definite amount. It is not that way.” (Richard Feynman)(Richard Feynman)

““I don’t demand that a theory correspond to I don’t demand that a theory correspond to reality because I don’t what [reality] is. Reality is reality because I don’t what [reality] is. Reality is not a quality you can test with litmus paper. All not a quality you can test with litmus paper. All I’m concerned with is that the theory should I’m concerned with is that the theory should predict the results of measurements.” predict the results of measurements.” (Stephen (Stephen Hawking)Hawking)

““the wave function doesn’t describe a ‘real’ the wave function doesn’t describe a ‘real’ microworld but only ‘knowledge’ useful for microworld but only ‘knowledge’ useful for making predictions.” making predictions.” (Roger Penrose)(Roger Penrose)

““Quantum mechanics says there is no reality Quantum mechanics says there is no reality when you don’t make a measurement. From this when you don’t make a measurement. From this point of view, the atom waves passing through point of view, the atom waves passing through the interferometer aren’t real; they are merely the interferometer aren’t real; they are merely convenient fictions invented by physicists to convenient fictions invented by physicists to predict where the atoms will appear when they predict where the atoms will appear when they are observed.” are observed.” (David Pritchard)(David Pritchard)

““A good scientific theory is like a symbolic A good scientific theory is like a symbolic tale, an allegory of reality. Its characters tale, an allegory of reality. Its characters are abstractions that may not exist in are abstractions that may not exist in reality; yet they give us a way of thinking reality; yet they give us a way of thinking more deeply about reality. Like a fine more deeply about reality. Like a fine work of art, the theory creates its own work of art, the theory creates its own world: It transforms reality into something world: It transforms reality into something else - an illusion perhaps, but an illusion else - an illusion perhaps, but an illusion that has more value than the literal fact.”- that has more value than the literal fact.”- (Giovanni Vignale)(Giovanni Vignale)

““I think it is delirium to believe that I think it is delirium to believe that our theories describe literally the our theories describe literally the world as it is. The success of a theory world as it is. The success of a theory at explaining or predicting the facts in at explaining or predicting the facts in no way proves the objective reality of no way proves the objective reality of that theory. It simply demonstrates that theory. It simply demonstrates the power of our brain to successfully the power of our brain to successfully adjust to a reality on which we wish adjust to a reality on which we wish to prevail. to prevail. (Giovanni Vignale)(Giovanni Vignale)

Type Approach:Type Approach:

The Four The Four HumoursHumoursThe Four The Four HumoursHumours

Limited number of distinct Limited number of distinct personality typespersonality types

Emphasis on biological bases of Emphasis on biological bases of personalitypersonality

Oldest approachOldest approach

BloodBlood

Yellow Yellow BileBile

Black Black BileBile

PhlegmPhlegm

HippocratesHippocrates GalenGalen

Trait Approach:Trait Approach:

Personality = internal Personality = internal characteristics and tendenciescharacteristics and tendencies

Emphasis on biological factorsEmphasis on biological factors

Say little about developmentSay little about development

Psychodynamic Approach:Psychodynamic Approach:

Personality = action & Personality = action & interaction of psychic interaction of psychic structuresstructuresBehavior = interaction between Behavior = interaction between biology and experiencebiology and experience

Says Says MUCHMUCH about development about development

Behaviorist Approach:Behaviorist Approach:

Personality = consistent Personality = consistent patterns of behaviorpatterns of behavior

Emphasized experience and Emphasized experience and learninglearning

Influenced by Watson, SkinnerInfluenced by Watson, Skinner

Humanist Approach:Humanist Approach:Personality = manifestation of the Personality = manifestation of the Self, inner unitySelf, inner unity

Stress positive motivation and Stress positive motivation and reaching of full potentialreaching of full potential

Search for personal meaningSearch for personal meaning

IdiographicIdiographic approach approach

Cognitive Approach:Cognitive Approach:Personality = style of information Personality = style of information selection & processingselection & processing

Most recent approachMost recent approach

Often allied with behaviorist Often allied with behaviorist approachapproach

Evolutionary Psychology Approach:Evolutionary Psychology Approach:Emphasizes biological bases of Emphasizes biological bases of personalitypersonality

Focus on adaptive function of Focus on adaptive function of personality through evolutionpersonality through evolution

Growing in influence in the fieldGrowing in influence in the field

Shared human nature, not individual Shared human nature, not individual differencesdifferences

Tooby & Cosmides (1990): Human nature Tooby & Cosmides (1990): Human nature ““unitary though susceptible to quantitative unitary though susceptible to quantitative variationvariation.”.”

Often speak about human nature in terms of Often speak about human nature in terms of basic motives.basic motives.

Wiggins (1990):Wiggins (1990):Agency: Agency: Strivings for power and mastery.Strivings for power and mastery.

Communion: Communion: Intimacy, union, solidarity with Intimacy, union, solidarity with others.others.

Hogan (1990):Hogan (1990):Status: Status: Respected; recognized uniqueness.Respected; recognized uniqueness.

Popularity: Popularity: Acceptance, liking.Acceptance, liking.

Buss (2008):Buss (2008):SexSexAggression: Aggression: Resource management, Resource management, mate retentionmate retentionParental motivationParental motivation

Status/power seekingStatus/power seeking

Type approachType approach

Trait approachTrait approach

Psychodynamic approachPsychodynamic approach

Behaviorist approachBehaviorist approach

Cognitive approachCognitive approach

Evolutionary psychology approachEvolutionary psychology approach

Humanist approachHumanist approach