Week 7 Personality

Question 1

Personality is

Answer 1

the unique pattern of enduring thoughts, feelings and actions that characterise a person.

Question 2

Describe Freud’s Psychodynamic approach as it relates to personality

Answer 2

• Thoughts feelings and behaviour determined by unconscious processes.
• the id, ego and super ego clash causing guilt.
• personality evolves through stages of sexual development in childhood.

Question 3

Describe the Trait approach as it relates to personality

Answer 3

• Traits- inclinations or tendencies that direct behaviours.

- Likert scales usually used to measure personality

Question 4

Describe the Social-Cognitive approach as it relates to personality

Answer 4

• looks at the role of conscious thoughts and emotions

- based on social learning approach

Question 5

Describe the Humanistic approach as it relates to personality

Answer 5

or ‘phenomenological approach

• focuses on mental capabilities that make us unique.
• assumes naturalistic drive to achieve potential
• eg: Maslows

Question 6

Describe Freud’s Psychodynamic approach strengths and weaknesses

Answer 6

S- influential

W- unrepresentative samples, method and ideas since rejected.

Question 7

Describe the trait approach’s strengths and weaknesses

Answer 7

S- systematic and data based, practical applications

W- only describes people not behaviour

Question 8

Describe the Social-Cognitive approach’s strengths and weaknesses

Answer 8

S- easily testable, real world application, applicable to therapeutic interventions
W- downplays the role of the unconscious

Question 9

Describe the Humanistic approach’s strengths and weaknesses

Answer 9

S- fuelled positive psychology, inspired therapeutic approaches.
W- simplistic and unrealistic, downplays influences of genetics and data.

Question 10

How do genetics and culture influence personality

Answer 10

Genetic- temperament

Culture- traits