PsychologyDecember 1, 2011

Warm Up

With what you know about your own intelligence, are there ways you can improve your learning and study skills? For

example, Ms. Kennedy is a spatial and visual learner. I like to have notes written in color so that they are more memorable

for me. In what ways can you apply what you know about your intelligence to the ways you learn and study.

Be creative, try to give examples that I wouldn’t think of on my own.

Personality – The Trait Approach

• Psychologists that support the trait approach believe that personality traits are inborn and unchanging. Many trait theorists believe that people can be measured according to five basic personality factors.

• Who have been the most influential trait theorists?• What is the Five Factor Model? • How do some psychologists evaluate the trait

approach?

Basic Vocab

• Personality – patterns of feelings, motives and behavior that set people apart form one another.

• Trait – aspect of personality that is considered to be reasonably stable.

• Introverts – tend to be imaginative and to look inward.

• Extroverts – active and self expressive and gain energy from interaction from others.

Trait Theorists• Hippocrates Greek physician, believed the body had

fluids and thought a mix of these fluids resulted in personality traits. – Yellow bile, blood, phlegm, black bile– Removing some of these fluids results in a balance of fluids.

• Gordon Allport psychologist cataloged 18,000 traits

through descriptive words (short, brunette, etc.) – Traits are inherited and fixed in the nervous system.– Traits are the building blocks of the nervous system.

• Hans J. Eysenck British Psychologists focused on the relationship between two personality dimensions. – Introversion-extroversion and emotional stability-instability

PassiveCarefulThoughtfulPeacefulControlledReliableEven temperedCalm

MoodyAnxiousRigidSoberPessimisticReservedUnsociableQuiet

TouchyRestless

AggressiveExcitable

ChangeableImpulsive

OptimisticActive

SociableOutgoingTalkative

ResponsiveEasygoing

LivelyCarefree

Leadership

Melancholic

Phlegmatic

Choleric

Sanguine

Emotionally Unstable

Emotionally Stable

ExtrovertedIntroverted

Five Factors Model

Factor TraitsExtroversion Contrast, talkativeness, assertiveness, and activity

with silence, passivity, reserveAgreeableness Contrasts kindness, trusts, and warmth with hostility,

selfishness, and distrustConscientiousness Contrasts organization, thoroughness, and reliability

with carelessness, negligence and unreliability Emotional Stability – Instability Contrasts reliability and coping ability with

nervousness, moodiness, and sensitivity, to negative events

Openness to Experience Contrasts imagination, curiosity, and creativity with shallowness and lack of perceptiveness.

This describe the Five Basic Factors of personality. Each trait consists of a range of specific personality traits.

Personality Test

• Human Resources Personality Test • Answer the questions honestly, without looking

at the analysis. • Then rate yourself and your score. I took

several personality tests (honestly) and found out lots of things about myself that I didn’t want to know.

• We will talk about the result together and ways to “improve” your personality.