Lecture on Personality Theories in Psychology

Overview

• Introduction to eight major approaches to personality theories in psychology.
• Highlighting big names and key concepts within each approach.
• Focus on understanding differing viewpoints on what shapes personality.

1. Psychodynamic Perspective

• Key Concept: Unconscious motivation, sexual and aggressive urges.
• Major Figure: Sigmund Freud
  • Theories:
    • Unconscious mind drives behavior (instincts, childhood experiences).
    • Psychoanalysis: Theory and therapy focusing on early influences.
    • Structures of personality:
      • Id: Primal instincts.
      • Ego: Reality principle, mediator.
      • Superego: Conscience, ideals.
    • Five psychosexual stages of development.

2. Neo-Analytic Theories

• Key Concept: Unconscious and conscious actors, goal-oriented.
• Major Figures:
  • Carl Jung:
    • Personal and collective unconscious.
    • Focus on spiritual and mystical elements.
  • Erik Erikson:
    • Personality development through lifespan (eight stages).
    • Stages include: Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt, etc.

3. Biological Perspective

• Key Concept: Genes, brains, hormones—biological determinism.
• Focus:
  • DNA, genes, chromosomes.
  • Personality determined by genetic factors.

4. Behaviorist Approach

• Key Concept: Environment shapes behavior (nurture over nature).
• Major Figures:
  • John Locke: Tabula Rasa (blank slate).
  • Ivan Pavlov: Classical conditioning.
  • John Watson: Experiments with Little Albert.
  • B.F. Skinner: Operant conditioning.

5. Cognitive Personality Theories

• Key Concept: Humans as information processors.
• Major Figure: Albert Bandura
  • Theories:
    • Interaction of thoughts, learning, past experiences, environment.
    • Self-efficacy: Expectation of successful efforts.

6. Trait Perspectives

• Key Concept: Humans as clusters of traits and skills.
• Focus:
  • Traits as dimensions/adjectives.
  • Big Five Traits: Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Openness, Extroversion (CANOE).
  • Use of statistical methods like factor analysis.

7. Humanistic and Existentialist Theories

• Key Concept: Free, responsible beings seeking fulfillment.
• Major Figures:
  • Abraham Maslow: Hierarchy of needs, self-actualization.
  • Carl Rogers: Fully functioning person, unconditional positive regard.

8. Person-Situation Perspective

• Key Concept: Interaction between self and environment.
• Focus:
  • Social situations impact behavior.
  • Personality may be a poor predictor due to situation strength.
  • Emphasizes the lifespan and changes over time.

Conclusion

• Personality is a combination of various elements: unconscious mind, genetics, behaviorism, cognition, and lifespan changes.
• Different theories provide unique lenses to view personality.
• Encouragement to explore and integrate multiple perspectives.