Introduction to Personality Paper
Introduction to Personality Paper
PSY/405
Introduction to Personality Paper
"Personality is the essence of a human being." (Hall & Lindzey, 1957, p. 9). Through out psychology, many different definitions have been offered for identifying personality. Most of the definitions refer to a cognitive framework within the brain. Personality is thought of as collaboration between of several mental systems, including motives, emotions, and thoughts, used to provide a foundation of an individual. Various definitions argue over the exact terms to define personality, but they all agree personality involves a pattern of mental systems. Psychologists seek to understand personality through finding a consensus of its definition, theories explaining possibilities of how it is developed and the influences that factor into creating traits and characteristics.
Defining Personality Personalities are qualities that make each person unique from one individual to the next. Personality is the sum of reoccurring behaviors and attitudes that remain constant through out a person’s life. It is a pattern of psychological processes that occur through motives, feelings, and thoughts (Mayer, 2005). Personality is regularly publicized traits and characteristics that are individualistic to a person and their behavior (Feist & Feist, 2009). It is made up of permanent traits and specific characteristics personalized to an individual 's behaviors (Feisty & Feisty, 2009).Variations in individual behavior can be understood as traits. Traits and characteristics combine together to create the foundation of personality. Traits are variations in individual behavior that are consistent through out time and remain stable during many situations (Feisty & Feisty, 2009). Theoretical Approaches to the Study of Personality The uniqueness of each person has become a major source of interest in psychology. Scientists have created many different theories in hopes of
PSY/405
Introduction to Personality Paper
"Personality is the essence of a human being." (Hall & Lindzey, 1957, p. 9). Through out psychology, many different definitions have been offered for identifying personality. Most of the definitions refer to a cognitive framework within the brain. Personality is thought of as collaboration between of several mental systems, including motives, emotions, and thoughts, used to provide a foundation of an individual. Various definitions argue over the exact terms to define personality, but they all agree personality involves a pattern of mental systems. Psychologists seek to understand personality through finding a consensus of its definition, theories explaining possibilities of how it is developed and the influences that factor into creating traits and characteristics.
Defining Personality Personalities are qualities that make each person unique from one individual to the next. Personality is the sum of reoccurring behaviors and attitudes that remain constant through out a person’s life. It is a pattern of psychological processes that occur through motives, feelings, and thoughts (Mayer, 2005). Personality is regularly publicized traits and characteristics that are individualistic to a person and their behavior (Feist & Feist, 2009). It is made up of permanent traits and specific characteristics personalized to an individual 's behaviors (Feisty & Feisty, 2009).Variations in individual behavior can be understood as traits. Traits and characteristics combine together to create the foundation of personality. Traits are variations in individual behavior that are consistent through out time and remain stable during many situations (Feisty & Feisty, 2009). Theoretical Approaches to the Study of Personality The uniqueness of each person has become a major source of interest in psychology. Scientists have created many different theories in hopes of
References: Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2009). Theories of personality (7th Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Hall, C. S., & Lindzey, G. (1957). Theories of personality. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Kirsch, I., & Lynn, S. (2004). The role of cognition in classical and operant conditioning. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 60(4), 369-392. doi:10.1002/jclp.10251 Mayer, J. D. (2005). A classification of DSM-IV-TR mental disorders according to their relation to the personality system. In J. C. Thomas & D. L. Segal (Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of personality and psychopathology (CHOPP) Vol. 1: Personality and everyday functioning. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Miller, R.R., Wasserman, E.A. (1997). What’s elementary about associative learning?. Annual Review of Psychology, 48(1), 573-607. Retrieved July 30, 2012 from EBSCOHost Database. Nakao, K., Takaishi, J., Tatsuta, K., Katayama, H., Iwase, M., Yorifuji, K., & Takeda, M. (2000). The influences of family environment on personality traits. Psychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences, 54(1), 91-95. doi:10.1046/j.1440-1819.2000.00642.x Olson, M. H. & Hergenhahn, B. R. (2009). An introduction to theories of learning (8th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.