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Personality Theory/UCFLindner
Test 3 Personality Theory
26
Psychology
Undergraduate 2
12/03/2011

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Term
Valid Male - Female Differences
Definition
Males have better spatial skills, while women have better verbal skills

Males are more aggressive, while females are better communicators
Term
Invalid Male - Female Differences
Definition
Personality Characteristics
Men typically described as rational, independent, dominant, aggressive, active
Women typically described as emotional, nurturing, submissive, sociable, suggestible
Term
Physical Male - Female Differences
Definition
Physical differences
e.g., height, genitalia, hormones

Life expectancy
Women generally live longer than men (and are at lower risk for a variety of health problems)
Term
Psychoanalytic Approach differences in personality
Definition
Personality differences between boys and girls arise from their emotional reactions to the differences in their bodies
Castration anxiety
Penis envy
Identification with same-sex parent in order to resolve the conflict
Term
Neo-Analytic Approach differences in personality
Definition
Erik Erikson
Male traits are tied to outward extending genitalia
Female traits are tied to internal genitalia

opposed to

Karen Horney
Women envy men’s opportunities in society rather than their penises
Term
Neo-Analytic Approach differences in personality
Definition
Carl Jung
Anima : the feminine characteristics that are present in the unconscious of males
Animus: the masculine characteristics that are present in the unconscious of females
A healthy personality has balance between the masculine and the feminine (yin and yang)
Masculinity and femininity are complementary and each contain elements of the other

Nancy Chodorow (Object Relations)
Boys and girls each initially identify with their mothers
Development of gender identity means that boys have to turn away from their identification with their mothers (girls do not have to change)
Term
Biological Approach differences in personality
Definition
Reproduction requires different sexual behaviors for men and women
-- Women: few carefully selected partners
-- Men: many partners

Gender-based personality characteristics are learned through:
Reinforcement
Conditioning
Shaping
Modeling

Parents, peers, and the media shape these characteristics
Term
Cognitive Approach differences in personality
Definition
Through socialization, we develop gender schemas
Mental structures that help us understand the abilities and appropriate behaviors for men and women
Term
Diathesis-Stress Model
Definition
Model of disease that suggests that although a pre-disposition to illness exists because of genetics or upbringing, the illness itself will not appear unless or until it is elicited the environment
Term
Trait Approach differences in personality
Definition
Aggression and Dominance
In many animal species, males are more dominant and aggressive than females
In humans, males perpetrate more violent crimes than females
Experimental and observational studies generally show that males are more aggressive

Emotionality
Male babies cry more than female babies, but by the time they reach adulthood, males cry less than females
Social expectations and hormonal changes likely contribute to this difference
Women are generally better at interpreting emotions in others and in expressing emotions so that they can be interpreted by others

Achievement Motivation
Research in the 1950s showed that women had a lower achievement motivation than men, but opportunities for women were much more limited at that time
More recent research indicates that there are no gender differences in achievement motivation
Term
Humanistic Approach difference in personality
Definition
Self-actualized people possess the “best characteristics” of both genders
Empathetic and open (“feminine” qualities)
Creative and autonomous (“masculine” qualities)
Term
Interactionist Approach differences in personality
Definition
Many gender-relevant personality characteristics are tied to the demands of the social situation
Helping
Caring
Sociability
Nonverbal behavior
Conformity
Instrumental vs. expressive behavior
Term
Etic
Definition
Cross-cultural approach
Emphasizes similarities across groups
Term
Emic
Definition
Culture-specific approach
Focuses on a single culture
Term
Individualistic
Definition
Western
People are encouraged to distinguish themselves as individuals
Term
Collectivistic
Definition
Eastern
Focus is on the relatedness of all human beings
Term
Personality characteristics that predispose someone to illness
Definition
Type A Personality - Hasty, impatient, impulsive, hyperalert, potentially hostile, very tense. "workaholic". Coronary-prone personality. Hostile struggle that is the problem. Those who lead confrontational, bitterly competitive and driven lives are more prone to disease.
Term
Ethnicity and Race
Definition
Ethnicity is based on shared cultural beliefs

Race is based on physical characteristics (e.g., skin color, eye shape) and is biologically based

We often make personality generalizations based on race
Term
Key Cross-Cultural Research
Definition
Margaret Mead (1920s)
Found that adolescence was not quite as stressful in Samoa as it is in the US

Whiting & Whiting (1970s)
Found a relationship between child rearing and adult personality

Kurt Lewin and political culture
Studied autocratic vs. democratic groups
Demonstrated that rigorously controlled laboratory research could be useful in studying personality
Term
Relegion's effect on personality
Definition
Religious identity is a part of personality

Religion provides people with norms about behavior

It is important to evaluate people within the context of those institutions that might influence their behavior
Term
Personality that protects from disease
Definition
Conscientious children lived significantly longer than non-conscientious children. Less likely to smoke cigarets.
Term
Self-Healing Personality
Definition
Self-healers feel in control when faced with external challenges. Feel committed to something meaningful and important. Respond to excitement and energy.
Term
SES effect on Personality
Definition
SES Gradient
People with a higher SES are less likely to get sick and die early

Relationship between SES and personality is not entirely clear
Class appears to have an influence on personality
Is another contextual factor to consider
Term
Gender & Language effects on Personality
Definition
Many languages include different word forms to be used by (or in reference to) males and females

Masculine pronouns are often used as “generic,” which ultimately shapes the way we see the world, our capabilities, and our roles
Term
Prejudice
Definition
A preconceived judgement or opinion directed toward an individual or a group
Term
Issues of Culture and Testing
Definition
The item content of some tests may not adequately capture the experiences of people from different cultural backgrounds

Culture-free tests

Culture-fair tests
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